I got my Purple Heart, and lost my cherry, exactly 36 months later. Just north of Quang Ngai, and near Mai Lai. We took an RPG while holding at a light hover waiting for the last of six pac’s to get on board. The unit had been in contact earlier that morning and had several individuals to extract back to the 91st Evac in Chu Lai.
The RPG hit the transmission (UH-1H) just over our door gunner's shoulder. Killed six infantry and one door-gunner. The AC, myself and the Crew Chief were the only ones to get out. There was one pac that had moved just as we were being extracted some 30 minutes later, and the AC made a run to get him. Still, by the time we got to the 91st Evac in Chu Lai, he had passed.
The bird was totaled, couldn't be hooked out, and it had to be blown in place the following day. Later I heard that we had lost a second slick that day, and I believe I recall hearing that one of our Charlie Model gunships took serious damage and casualties. My memory of the events is really foggy nowadays.
I have been lurking on this site for over a decade and although I had set my self up to participate long, long ago, the politics of my job were such that I have avoided having any political affiliation on the Internet.
But your post, and the fact that I retire in four months, finally got me to make a post of my own on this site.
Your really fine narrative of your experience in ‘67 really caught my eye when I saw the date. I wish I could remember the events of that day in ‘70 as well as you do your May 13th in ‘67.
Our war was a half century ago. And I agree, we need to give prayers and support to the troops involved in today's support of our country and it's allies. Ours was a long time ago.