For educational purposes
One of the most unsung heroes of the Southeast Asian War were Winch Men.
Lowered from large camouflage helicopters into the tropical foliage, these "Green Giants" rescued fallen American pilots from the cluthes of the Viet Cong.
Each mission brought together new technology and human resourcefulness for one purpose: to "get the pilot out."
One of the most unsung heroes of the Southeast Asian War were Winch Men.
Lowered from large camouflage helicopters into the tropical foliage, these "Green Giants" rescued fallen American pilots from the cluthes of the Viet Cong.
Each mission brought together new technology and human resourcefulness for one purpose: to "get the pilot out."
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LearningTranscript
00:00The United States lost thousands of aircraft in combat during the Vietnam War.
00:20Hundreds of airmen were killed, captured, or never found.
00:26Remarkably though, nearly 3,900 lives were saved thanks to the courage, determination, and teamwork of a unique chopper unit known as the Jolly Greens.
00:38Their objective? To locate and recover downed airmen behind enemy lines.
00:48This is the story of their incredible missions.
00:52Roll to hover, baby. Roll to hover.
00:54Roll to hover. Roll to hover.
00:56The United States
01:10A few things could be more terrifying for a strike pilot than being shot down over enemy territory.
01:29Especially over the jungles of North Vietnam in the late 1960s.
01:40Mayday, mayday, mayday. My train, 505. Get off target.
01:50Desilina, 265. 47 miles. Channel 40. Ejecting it now.
01:58The ejection itself is violent but instantaneous.
02:04It is the thought of what lies ahead that is almost paralyzing.
02:10Nothing ever prepares you for something like this.
02:18You're down on the ground and you know the bad guys are out there.
02:21And you're helpless.
02:24You do whatever you can to try and survive.
02:27But until somebody comes to help you, then you just try and keep calm and don't panic.
02:33Fortunately for hundreds of downed airmen, a highly specialized search and rescue force was developed in Vietnam
02:42that was dedicated to one thing, bringing the survivor back alive.
02:48Their motto? That others may live.
02:52Their aircraft? The Jolly Greens.
02:56Time was a crucial element.
02:58These people were shot down in a, usually in a very heavily defended area.
03:03There were a lot of people on the ground, generally speaking.
03:06And so every moment that went by, people were closing in on the survivor on the ground,
03:10which complicated the difficulty of the rescue.
03:12The Jolly Greens, 6-0, Staten ground fire, the 6-0 position.
03:16Sandy, come in, get him. Come and get him.
03:18The ground fire, the 7-0 position.
03:20From the ridge tower.
03:22The Roger Staten ground fire, the 7-0 position from the ridge.
03:36Essentially what we were trying to do was prove that we could survive zero knots
03:40in an environment where the individual we were trying to rescue
03:42had been unable to survive at 350 to 500 knots.
03:46That foot below the aircraft. That foot below the aircraft.
03:49Hold your hover, babe. Hold your hover.
03:50You think about what you need to do
03:54and what you're going to do if things don't happen the way you expect them to happen.
04:00And then you just go do it.
04:02In May of 1964, the United States resumed flying covert reconnaissance missions over Laos
04:19to monitor communist troop movements throughout the region.
04:22The missions were launched from carriers off the coast of North Vietnam
04:32and by Air Force jets stationed in the south.
04:40Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident,
04:43the scope of U.S. air operations throughout Southeast Asia began to steadily expand.
04:48Initially, limited retaliatory strikes were launched against strategic facilities in the north.
04:58When these strikes failed to halt further communist aggression in south Vietnam,
05:02the air assault intensified.
05:04In March of 1965, the U.S. initiated Rolling Thunder,
05:18a massive bombing campaign intended to send a clear message to Hanoi
05:22that further communist aggression would not be tolerated.
05:26Under the campaign, U.S. airmen drove progressively deeper into North Vietnam and Laos.
05:34As the number of missions increased,
05:38concern mounted over the fate of Americans downed in hostile territory.
05:43Downings are an inevitable part of any large-scale air combat operation,
05:47but with enemy defenses improving and no effective means for recovering airmen,
05:52the price was becoming too great.
05:54Prior to 1964, the recovery of downed airmen throughout Southeast Asia
06:07was a relatively unstructured and dicey proposition.
06:11A five-man team of rescue coordinators stationed near Saigon
06:15marshaled any available forces near an airman's location to attempt recovery.
06:19Dozens of pilots were saved, but if a rescue party wasn't available,
06:25or if the pilot was located in an extremely remote or hostile area,
06:29recovery was often impossible.
06:35This all began to change dramatically in June of 1964,
06:40when the U.S. deployed its first pair of Kaman H-43 Huskies
06:45to knock on Phnom Royal Thai Air Base.
06:50Strategically located on the southern border of Laos,
06:53the mission of Husky crews was to extract airmen downed in Laos
06:57before they could be captured or killed,
06:59thus averting international controversy over the covert nature of their missions.
07:03However, the Huskies, also known by their call sign Pedro,
07:08were not well equipped for the hazardous long-range rescue role.
07:12Their primary use was in local base rescue.
07:17Equipped with twin counter-rotating blades,
07:20this unusual helicopter was highly effective at suppressing crash site fires
07:24and in picking up airmen who bailed out close to base.
07:27With limited fuel capacity, however,
07:32the Huskies were restricted to a relatively small operational area.
07:36As a result, aircraft damaged over northern Laos
07:39often had to be flown at least 50 miles south toward Nakhon, Phnom.
07:44If the airmen couldn't make it,
07:46he had to rely on covert forces operating in the area.
07:50Beyond that, his fate grew bleak.
07:52To extend their range,
07:56some Husky crews carried a 50-gallon drum of fuel
07:58and a hand pump in the cargo bay,
08:01allowing them to refuel while in flight.
08:05Homing in on an emergency tracking beacon carried by all pilots,
08:09the four-man Husky crew scoured the terrain for the survivor.
08:15Armed with nothing more than M-16s for protective cover
08:18and no armor shielding,
08:20it was vital for the vulnerable crew
08:22to get in and out as fast as possible.
08:28If the pilot was uninjured,
08:30a sling was lowered on a cargo hoist
08:32so that the airmen could be brought aboard quickly.
08:35If he was injured,
08:36a crewman was lowered to the ground
08:38to help the pilot aboard.
08:39By late 1964,
08:50the U.S. was publicly committed to the war effort.
08:53Thirteen Husky units were operating
08:55from six bases in Vietnam and Thailand.
09:03Rescue efforts were gaining momentum,
09:05but it was clear that a more capable recovery aircraft
09:09was badly needed.
09:17Between 1965 and 67,
09:20the U.S. air war in Southeast Asia
09:22escalated rapidly on multiple fronts.
09:25Air Force and Navy jets ventured deep
09:39into North Vietnam and Northern Laos
09:41under operations Rolling Thunder
09:43and Barrel Roll.
09:49Air Force and Navy jets ventured deep
09:51In southern Laos,
09:56a wide variety of aircraft
09:58were involved in a massive interdiction campaign
10:00to sever the Ho Chi Minh Trail,
10:02the North Vietnamese supply line
10:04that fueled the communist campaign
10:06in South Vietnam.
10:09At the same time,
10:11North Vietnamese anti-aircraft defenses
10:13were becoming increasingly potent.
10:15U.S. pilots no longer had the luxury
10:17of owning the skies above 17,000 feet.
10:21Volstered by larger caliber anti-aircraft guns
10:35arriving from China,
10:37areas in and around Hanoi
10:39and the port of Haiphong
10:40became some of the most heavily defended positions
10:42in history.
10:43In time, poorly trained
10:53North Vietnamese defense forces
10:55developed sophisticated anti-aircraft tracking
10:57and firing techniques.
11:00The results were deadly.
11:02From 1962 through June of 65,
11:1971 aircraft were lost to enemy fire.
11:23In seven months alone,
11:24from July of 65 to January of 66,
11:27the number increased by more than 100.
11:29Even the most sophisticated
11:34and expensive strike aircraft in the world
11:37could not withstand
11:38the fierce anti-aircraft barrages
11:40over North Vietnam.
11:46The fate of U.S. pilots
11:48downed over North Vietnam
11:49was especially grim.
11:52If they weren't killed on ejection
11:54or by a rogue gunner
11:55as they parachuted to the ground,
11:57they were likely to face years
11:59of confinement,
12:00mental abuse,
12:01and torture.
12:08In December of 65,
12:11the situation began to improve dramatically
12:13with the arrival of the first Sikorsky HH-3s,
12:17otherwise known as
12:18Jolly Green Giants.
12:22Equipped with a powerful winch,
12:24a thousand pounds of titanium armor,
12:26a large internal fuel tank,
12:28and two external drop tanks,
12:30these modified transport helicopters
12:32were ideally suited
12:33for the hazardous long-range rescue role.
12:42The Jolly's unusual nickname
12:44was derived from a popular ad campaign
12:47for frozen foods
12:48and from their unusual green
12:50and brown camouflage scheme.
12:52By the time the first Jolly's arrived,
12:58improvised recovery tactics
12:59had evolved into the concept
13:00of a well-coordinated search and rescue,
13:03or SAR, task force.
13:05During airstrikes,
13:07specially modified Lockheed C-130s
13:09orbited at high altitude,
13:11in close proximity to enemy targets.
13:14As the strike force approached,
13:16the crew of these
13:17crowned command and control ships
13:18monitored each pilot's progress
13:20with sophisticated tracking gear.
13:23Homing in on target,
13:25pilots continually reported
13:26the location and intensity
13:28of enemy air defenses.
13:41Coming off a target
13:42at low altitude
13:43was the most dangerous point
13:45of a strike mission.
13:46As the pilot struggled
13:47to climb out,
13:48he jinked back and forth
13:50in violent, evasive maneuvers
13:51in a desperate attempt
13:53to avoid the lethal barrage
13:55from below.
13:59Monitoring radio traffic,
14:00the crew of the command
14:01and control ship
14:02anxiously awaited the call
14:04that they hoped
14:05would never come.
14:08When a pilot was going down,
14:10it was often his wingman
14:12who notified the world.
14:16Receiving the call for help,
14:18crown control immediately
14:19alerted the Jolly Greens.
14:24Scrambling from Udorn
14:25Royal Thai Air Force Base
14:27in northern Thailand,
14:28a pair of Jollies
14:29rushed to get airborne.
14:32At the same time,
14:33four Douglas A-1 Sky Raiders,
14:36known in the Tsar Task Force
14:37as Sandys,
14:38also scrambled from Udorn.
14:40The Sandys were responsible
14:42for escorting
14:43the vulnerable Jollies
14:44to the survivor
14:44and for suppressing
14:46enemy fire
14:47once on scene.
14:59Frequently,
15:00forward air controllers
15:01or FACs
15:02flying Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs
15:04were the first to arrive
15:05over pilots
15:06downed in South Vietnam.
15:07FACs routinely patrolled
15:10for enemy activity
15:11and directed
15:11follow-on airstrikes.
15:13They knew their areas
15:14of operation
15:15in great detail.
15:18Equipped with a radio
15:19and with marking rockets,
15:21FAC pilots provided
15:22valuable reassurance
15:23and advice
15:24to downed airmen
15:25and critical information
15:26to the task force
15:27on enemy threats
15:28and the pilot's position
15:29and condition.
15:33Monitoring all of the activity
15:35from high above,
15:36Crown Control continued
15:38to direct the rescue force
15:39in on the airman's position.
15:43If scrambled separately,
15:45the Jollies
15:45and their faster
15:46Sandy escorts
15:47would join up
15:48somewhere en route
15:49to the crash site.
15:51When time permitted,
15:52a tentative rescue strategy
15:54was worked out
15:55based on any preliminary
15:56reconnaissance information.
15:57One of our most basic tactics
16:01was to go in
16:03only in pairs.
16:04A low helicopter,
16:06a primary recovery helicopter
16:07and a high burn
16:08as we called it.
16:09And we learned that
16:10the hard way
16:10by losing a Jolly Green
16:11in November,
16:12on the 9th of November of 1965,
16:14sent in alone.
16:16On that mission,
16:16we lost at least two
16:18and I believe three Sandys
16:19and one Jolly Green crew.
16:21That was a tough one.
16:22As the rescue force approached,
16:28Crown Control briefed them
16:30one last time
16:31on conditions in the area.
16:34Once over the airman's position,
16:36the Crown Commander
16:36designated the lead Sandy pilot
16:38or Sandy 1
16:39on-scene commander.
16:42Breaking off from the Jollies
16:44and Sandy's 3 and 4,
16:46Sandy's 1 and 2
16:47dove in
16:48on the approximate location
16:49of the downed pilot.
16:53The rugged, hard-hitting A-1
16:56was ideally suited
16:57for the Sandy roll.
16:59It had a 7,000-pound bomb load,
17:01four 20-millimeter cannons,
17:03heavy armor plating
17:04and excellent loiter capability.
17:08Coming in low,
17:09the pilots began
17:10to troll for enemy fire.
17:12As we were operating
17:23at low altitude,
17:24looking for the person
17:24on the ground
17:25and trying to determine
17:26where he was specifically,
17:27pinpointing him,
17:29hopefully finding the parachute
17:30and being able to visually
17:31see exactly where he was.
17:33We also, of course,
17:34were exposing ourselves
17:35in this process
17:36and trying to determine
17:37what the ground fire looked like.
17:39If there was tracer fire
17:40or if there was flack
17:41that was breaking,
17:42it was easy to tell.
17:43If it was small arms fire,
17:45it could be very intense.
17:46But if it wasn't,
17:47if there weren't tracers
17:48in the air,
17:48of course,
17:49we couldn't see it
17:49unless we could see muzzle flashes,
17:51which were very hard to see.
17:52The survivor on the ground
17:53oftentimes helped in that
17:54because he could hear
17:55and he could direct
17:56from the direction
17:57from where he was
17:58where the ground fire
18:00was coming from.
18:02In repeated passes,
18:03the low Sandys
18:04fired on potential enemy positions
18:06until they were confident
18:08that the vulnerable Jolly crew
18:09could survive in the area.
18:12Ultimately,
18:13the Sandy on-scene commander
18:14would have to make
18:15the difficult decision
18:16to call off the rescue
18:17if the threat
18:18remained too great.
18:20The Sandy low lead
18:21would have control
18:23up to the point
18:25of commitment
18:25for the pickup.
18:26It was a joint decision
18:28between the Sandy leader
18:29and the Jolly Green
18:30low aircraft commander
18:31as to whether or not
18:32the rescue was feasible.
18:35We would defer
18:35to the Sandys
18:36because they were in
18:37on top of the survivor.
18:38Typically,
18:39we'd be standing back a ways.
18:41The Sandy low lead
18:42would make the decision
18:43to commit.
18:43He'd run that
18:44by the Jolly Green
18:45aircraft commander.
18:46At that point,
18:47when the Jolly Green
18:48decided to commit,
18:51then he, in effect,
18:52was running the show
18:53with the Sandys
18:54in close support.
18:56While the second Jolly crew
18:57orbited nearby
18:58in case the first crew
19:00was shot down,
19:01the low bird
19:02rapidly descended
19:03over the downed airmen.
19:04critical to many
19:06rescue attempts
19:06were para-rescue men,
19:08also known as
19:09para-jumpers
19:10or PJs.
19:12If an airman was hurt
19:13or not responding,
19:15the PJ would leave
19:16the relative security
19:17of the Jolly Green
19:18and take to the ground
19:20on a steel
19:20forest penetrator.
19:25The PJ was essentially
19:27a one-man army
19:28prepared to do anything
19:30to get the airmen
19:31out alive.
19:31Once on the penetrator,
19:38the flight engineer
19:39quickly hoisted the PJ
19:40and survivor to safety.
19:44With the pilot aboard,
19:46the commander broke
19:47from his hover
19:47and rapidly sped
19:48from the area.
19:51When the aircraft
19:52was relatively free
19:54from enemy threats,
19:55the PJ tended
19:56to the airmen,
19:57treating any life-threatening
19:58injuries immediately.
19:59The PJ's mission
20:04was filled
20:05with uncertainty.
20:06Each time the crew
20:07approached a downed airman,
20:09the PJ had to mentally
20:10prepare for the worst.
20:14The life of the pilot
20:15and indeed
20:16the entire Jolly crew
20:17often depended
20:18on him alone.
20:19The first time
20:22I was put on the ground,
20:23I was in the high bird.
20:24The low bird man
20:25had gone in already
20:26and a radio call
20:28came from him,
20:29please send me down.
20:31So we lined up,
20:33they put me down
20:34and I couldn't figure out
20:36what was going on
20:37and I got down there
20:39and I said,
20:40what's wrong?
20:41And he says,
20:42I am scared.
20:43And I says,
20:43that makes two of us.
20:44Now what the hell
20:45are we going to do
20:45about that?
20:46And we went on
20:47and done what
20:47we were supposed to do.
20:49Throughout the war,
20:54PJs won more decorations
20:56for their heroic actions
20:57than any other group
20:58of men in the Air Force.
21:02On more than one occasion,
21:04it was the downed airmen
21:05who made it out safely
21:06while it was the PJ
21:08who had to be left behind.
21:14Returning to Udorn,
21:16injured airmen
21:16received prompt
21:17medical treatment.
21:19For many elated survivors,
21:21it was almost impossible
21:23to express the amount
21:24of gratitude
21:24and respect
21:25felt for the brave crews
21:27of the Sandys
21:28and Jolly Greens.
21:28On February 19th, 1966,
21:44Captain Bob Green
21:45witnessed firsthand
21:46the incredible courage
21:48and determination
21:49of the SAR task force.
21:51returning from a strike mission
22:00deep in North Vietnam,
22:02Captain Green broke off
22:03from his flight
22:04of F-105s
22:05to search for targets
22:06of opportunity
22:07along South Vietnam's border
22:09with Laos.
22:10I found a hole in the clouds
22:16and went down
22:17and went down
22:18into Mageia Pass.
22:20Now, Mageia Pass
22:21is where the majority
22:22of the supplies
22:23for the Viet Cong
22:24and the South
22:25pass through.
22:26I went there every day.
22:28After the mission,
22:29if I could possibly get there,
22:30I could go down
22:31in Mageia Pass.
22:32And this day,
22:33I went down
22:34and there was something there
22:35that I hadn't seen
22:36the day before.
22:36So I started to circle around
22:39and I got too low
22:41on my airspeed
22:42and I was about 500 feet
22:43in the air
22:44and underneath the clouds
22:45and the thing that I saw
22:47was anti-aircraft inflation
22:49and he saw me too
22:51and saw nothing
22:53but a wall of traces
22:53coming up at me
22:54and he hit me
22:55from my radome
22:56right back to my afterburner.
22:57So I ejected there
22:59in Mageia Pass.
23:02The burner was going,
23:04I was increasing
23:04the airspeed
23:05and when I ejected,
23:07of course,
23:07my chute popped right away
23:09and blew out
23:10a couple of panels
23:11which was pretty neat
23:13because then
23:14I could use
23:15the blown panels
23:16to steer my chute
23:17and so I steered it
23:18away from the road
23:19and back up
23:21against the hill.
23:24Landing right next
23:25to a large
23:26North Vietnamese convoy
23:27in one of the most
23:28heavily defended exit points
23:30for the notorious
23:31Ho Chi Minh Trail,
23:32Captain Green
23:33almost certainly faced
23:34capture or death.
23:38Though his wingman
23:39could not exactly
23:40see where he landed
23:41or communicate with him,
23:43he immediately alerted
23:44Crown Control
23:45that Captain Green
23:46was alive
23:47and down in the pass.
23:48Within minutes,
24:02a pair of Jolly Greens
24:17and a pair of Sandys
24:19lifted off
24:20from Nakhon Phanam
24:21and headed for the pass.
24:25To the west,
24:26a second pair of Sandys
24:27took off
24:28and raced to join up
24:29with the rescue force.
24:49Crossing the Mekong River,
24:51the rescue team
24:51entered a deck
24:52of clouds
24:53that steadily climbed
24:54with the rising terrain.
24:56By the time
24:56they reached the pass,
24:57the crews were just
24:59above the clouds
24:59at more than 12,000 feet.
25:03The lead Sandy pilot,
25:05Lieutenant Colonel
25:06Elmer Nelson
25:06knew the area well.
25:08Just four days earlier,
25:10his flight commander
25:11was killed
25:11inside the pass.
25:13I knew the tops
25:15of the ridge lines
25:17were around 3,500 feet
25:18in that area
25:18and as we started
25:19getting down
25:20towards 3,500 feet,
25:21we got a little bit ginger
25:22in terms of
25:23whether we were going
25:24to break out
25:24over the valley
25:24or whether we were
25:25going to run
25:25into some rocks
25:26that were on the edges
25:27of the ridges
25:28and fortunately,
25:29we had a little
25:30crack in the clouds
25:31and I saw we were
25:32over a valley
25:33and I basically
25:35just told the wingman
25:36to hang on
25:37and we rolled up
25:37and rolled it over
25:38into more than 90 degrees
25:40of bank
25:40and sliced down through
25:41and broke out
25:43underneath immediately
25:44in the area
25:45that Bob happened to be.
25:47I happened to be
25:48in an orbit
25:48that just swinging
25:50back to the east
25:50as they broke out
25:51of the clouds
25:52and three and four
25:53broke out right
25:54on the other side
25:55of the helicopter.
25:55It couldn't have
25:56worked out better.
25:57We didn't delay.
25:58We simply pressed
26:00and went straight
26:02to Bob's position
26:03and we began
26:04to suppress the ground fire
26:05that was coming up
26:06in the immediate area.
26:11Each time
26:18we approached
26:19his position
26:20we would pick up
26:21very intense
26:23tracer fire
26:24and at times
26:25the tracer fire
26:26was so intense
26:26that I couldn't
26:27believe the fact
26:28that the airplane
26:29wasn't being sieved.
26:30It was very,
26:31very intense.
26:34At that point
26:35Sandy Lead
26:36contacted us
26:37and gave us
26:38the survivor's
26:39actual coordinates
26:40which were down
26:41inside the pass
26:42and the plotted position
26:43for the survivor
26:44was immediately south
26:46of a very heavy
26:46flight concentration.
26:48Marking on my map
26:49I looked at it
26:49and I said to myself
26:50maybe a one out of three
26:51chance of coming
26:52out of this one alive.
26:54We started then
26:55down over the pass
26:57buried at an extremely
26:58tight turn
26:59tactical approach
27:00one of the first.
27:01He didn't hesitate.
27:02There was no doubt
27:03that if we were going
27:04to do this
27:04it had to be done
27:05very quickly.
27:07As we slowed down
27:09you could begin
27:10to feel the aircraft
27:11shake and shudder
27:12from the hit
27:13of small arms.
27:14I wasn't terribly
27:15worried about them.
27:17My main concern
27:18was the 37 millimeter
27:19to the south.
27:20We were faced west
27:21we were in a hover
27:22I was looking out
27:23to the south
27:25thinking that
27:26when the 37's
27:27opened up
27:27perhaps I could
27:28vector Elmer in
27:29on one of these things
27:30and take it out
27:30before they finished
27:31us off.
27:32I saw a red flash
27:34and I thought
27:34yep that's it
27:35followed by a whole
27:37series of additional
27:38flashes and a bunch
27:39of dirt and garbage
27:40thrown up
27:41and a sandy
27:42an A1 flew
27:43into my peripheral
27:43vision
27:44and that was a
27:45very welcome sight.
27:55I could hear
27:56all the ground fire
27:57going off
27:58a 37 millimeter
27:59small arm fire
28:00I didn't know
28:01whether they were
28:01going to come in
28:01and get me or not
28:02because of the amount
28:03of ground fire
28:04but the chopper
28:05showed up
28:05and they dropped
28:06it's called a tree
28:07penetrator
28:08which I'd never
28:09seen before
28:10and as it was
28:11coming down
28:11through the trees
28:12the downwash
28:14from the helicopter
28:16opened these things
28:17up
28:17and I looked at it
28:19and I said
28:19boy I got the seat
28:20well they drop it
28:21down and let it
28:22hit the ground
28:22get rid of static
28:24electricity
28:24and I went over
28:27to get on it
28:27and the leaves
28:29had collapsed
28:31and gone back up
28:32spring loaded
28:32and there's a strap
28:35that you're supposed
28:35to put around you
28:36and strap on
28:37well they were
28:38taking hits
28:39and they wanted
28:40to get out of there
28:40and I wanted
28:41to get out of there
28:41too
28:41and so I just
28:42stuck the strap
28:43my arm through
28:44the strap
28:44and tried to get
28:46the leaf down
28:46and they were
28:47going up at this
28:48point
28:48and I said
28:48go let's go
28:49and I just
28:50wrapped around this
28:51and held on
28:52for their life
28:53and I remember
28:54going up
28:54I said
28:54if I get hit
28:55it's a long drop
28:57down there
28:57because they were
28:58headed up to the
28:59cloud
28:59then decide
29:00I had such a
29:01death grip
29:01on the thing
29:02that even
29:03if they hit me
29:04I wouldn't fall off
29:05and then they
29:15pulled me up
29:16in the helicopter
29:16and the paramedic
29:19got me inside
29:20and gave me
29:20a drink of bourbon
29:21which I didn't
29:22particularly care for
29:23because I hate bourbon
29:23but I thought
29:27I was extremely
29:29fortunate to get
29:31out of there
29:31I went back
29:32and the next
29:33morning I got
29:34new helmet
29:35and new equipment
29:36and I flew
29:37the next afternoon
29:38as a matter of fact
29:38went right back
29:39to McGill Pass
29:40it's just one of the
29:43things
29:43you get thrown
29:45off a horse
29:45you get back
29:46on it
29:46just as quick
29:47as you can
29:47timing and teamwork
29:51were critical
29:52factors in recovery
29:53efforts
29:54by late 1966
29:56an airman downed
29:57in Southeast Asia
29:58could count on
29:59at least a
30:00one in three
30:01chance of rescue
30:01the most limiting
30:05factor in all
30:06rescues
30:07was the slow
30:08speed of the
30:09Jollies
30:09half of all
30:11unsuccessful missions
30:12resulted from
30:13crews not being
30:14able to make it
30:15to the airmen
30:15in time
30:16to compensate
30:17for their lack
30:18of range
30:19Jolly crews
30:20began staging
30:21from remote
30:21forward bases
30:22in Laos
30:23and South
30:23Vietnam
30:24known as
30:25Lima sites
30:26throughout the
30:29day
30:29the crews
30:30would remain
30:30on alert
30:31until the
30:32last bombing
30:32runs had
30:33ended
30:33if a pilot
30:34went down
30:35the crew
30:36could respond
30:37from the Lima
30:37site within
30:38minutes
30:38during larger
30:40bombing raids
30:41Jolly crews
30:42even began
30:43orbiting high
30:44above the
30:44North Vietnamese
30:45Laotian border
30:46returning to
30:47their Lima
30:47site every
30:48couple of
30:48hours to
30:49refuel
30:49by early
30:551967
30:5610 Jolly
30:57Greens
30:57operated
30:58throughout
30:58Southeast Asia
30:59under a
31:00well-structured
31:01aerospace
31:01rescue
31:02and recovery
31:02service
31:03while
31:05classic
31:05recovery
31:06tactics
31:06remained
31:07essentially
31:07the same
31:08throughout
31:08the duration
31:09of the
31:09war
31:09things
31:10did not
31:11always
31:11go
31:12as
31:12planned
31:12the
31:15rescue
31:15force
31:15always
31:16had
31:16to
31:16anticipate
31:17the
31:17worst
31:17as
31:18they
31:18set
31:18out
31:18on
31:19a
31:19mission
31:19on
31:27one
31:27occasion
31:28an
31:28F-105
31:29pilot
31:29was
31:30down
31:30while
31:30flying
31:31cover
31:31for a
31:31rescue
31:32mission
31:32already
31:32in
31:33progress
31:33arriving
31:34on
31:35scene
31:35the
31:36Jolly
31:36crews
31:36learned
31:37that
31:37they
31:37now
31:37had
31:37two
31:38airmen
31:38down
31:38scanning
31:44the
31:44terrain
31:44below
31:44the
31:45crew
31:45located
31:46a
31:46parachute
31:46in
31:46the
31:47trees
31:47and
31:48soon
31:48spotted
31:48the
31:48first
31:49survivor
31:49nearby
31:50within
31:54minutes
31:55the
31:55wounded
31:55airman
31:56was being
31:56hoisted
31:57to
31:57safety
31:57orbiting
32:00nearby
32:00the
32:01crew
32:01of the
32:01high
32:01bird
32:02anxiously
32:02awaited
32:03the
32:03outcome
32:03of the
32:04first
32:04rescue
32:04attempt
32:05monitoring
32:08the
32:08progress
32:08of the
32:09pickup
32:09by radio
32:10the
32:10crew
32:10prepared
32:11to
32:11go
32:11in
32:11for
32:12the
32:12second
32:12downed
32:13airman
32:13as soon
32:14as the
32:14low
32:14bird
32:14had the
32:15first
32:15man
32:15aboard
32:15and
32:16was
32:16out
32:16of
32:16danger
32:17as
32:17the
32:18pilot
32:18was
32:18pulled
32:18into
32:19the
32:19low
32:19jolly
32:19the
32:20high
32:20bird
32:20broke
32:21from
32:21its
32:21orbit
32:21and
32:22headed
32:22toward
32:22the
32:22other
32:22survivor
32:23the
32:25second
32:25airman
32:26had not
32:26been able
32:27to
32:27contact
32:27anyone
32:28since
32:28he
32:28went
32:28down
32:29his
32:29survival
32:30radio
32:30could
32:30have
32:31been
32:31broken
32:31he
32:32could
32:32have
32:32been
32:32unconscious
32:33or
32:33even
32:33worse
32:34enemy
32:34forces
32:35could
32:35have
32:35captured
32:36him
32:36and
32:36might
32:36have
32:37been
32:37using
32:37him
32:37to
32:37lure
32:38the
32:38vulnerable
32:38jolly
32:39into
32:39a
32:39deadly
32:40flak
32:40trap
32:41if
32:44it
32:44was
32:45a
32:45trap
32:45the
32:46entire
32:46crew
32:47could
32:47perish
32:47if
32:48it
32:48wasn't
32:48a
32:49desperate
32:49pilot
32:50may
32:50be
32:50left
32:51behind
32:51lieutenant
32:53colonel
32:54john
32:54gilmartin
32:55the
32:55aircraft
32:55commander
32:56decided
32:57to
32:57attempt
32:57to
32:57pick
32:58up
32:58we
33:00were
33:00coming
33:00into
33:01the
33:01area
33:01we
33:01heard
33:01the
33:02radio
33:02traffic
33:02we
33:03found
33:03a
33:04chute
33:04harness
33:04the
33:05sandys
33:06led
33:06us
33:06to
33:06the
33:06chute
33:07hanging
33:07in
33:07the
33:07tree
33:08an
33:09empty
33:09harness
33:09at
33:10that
33:10point
33:10our
33:12only
33:12cover
33:13helicopter
33:13was
33:13headed
33:13south
33:14with
33:15a
33:15wounded
33:16survivor
33:16on
33:16board
33:17we
33:17had
33:17no
33:17backup
33:18we
33:18had
33:19about
33:1920
33:19minutes
33:19worth
33:20of
33:20fuel
33:20I
33:20put
33:20my
33:21PJ
33:21on
33:21the
33:21ground
33:22the
33:22jungle
33:22was
33:23so
33:23thick
33:23we
33:24knew
33:24that
33:24the
33:24survivor
33:25was
33:25nearby
33:25if he
33:27could have
33:27helped
33:28himself
33:28in
33:28any way
33:29pop a
33:29smoke
33:29flare
33:30talk to
33:30us
33:30on
33:30the
33:31radio
33:31we'd
33:32have
33:32got
33:32him
33:32that
33:33was
33:34a
33:34very
33:34painful
33:35situation
33:36we
33:37did
33:37all
33:37we
33:38could
33:38we
33:38went
33:39back
33:39home
33:39we
33:39debriefed
33:40that
33:40night
33:41came
33:41back
33:42up
33:42the
33:42next
33:42morning
33:42the
33:43sandys
33:43preceded
33:44us
33:44and
33:44there
33:44was
33:44no
33:44sign
33:45of
33:45life
33:45and
33:46particularly
33:47sad
33:47because
33:47he
33:47had
33:48been
33:48instrumental
33:48in
33:49rescuing
33:50the
33:50first
33:50individual
33:51in
34:04September
34:04of
34:0467
34:05air
34:06rescue
34:06in
34:06Southeast
34:07Asia
34:07took
34:07a
34:07gigantic
34:08leap
34:08forward
34:09with
34:09the
34:10arrival
34:10of
34:10an
34:10entirely
34:11new
34:11generation
34:12of
34:12aircraft
34:12the
34:13Sikorsky
34:14HH-53
34:15Super
34:16Jolly
34:16Green
34:16Giant
34:17modified
34:24from
34:24a
34:24heavy
34:25lift
34:25helicopter
34:25designed
34:26for
34:26the
34:26U.S.
34:27Marines
34:27the
34:28massive
34:28Super
34:28Jollies
34:29were
34:29clearly
34:29superior
34:30to
34:30the
34:30earlier
34:31H-3
34:31or
34:32any
34:32other
34:32similar
34:33aircraft
34:33in
34:34the
34:34world
34:34weighing
34:40in
34:41at
34:4120
34:41tons
34:42the
34:4253
34:42were
34:43nearly
34:43twice
34:44as
34:44large
34:44as
34:44the
34:44original
34:45Jollies
34:45powered
34:52by
34:52two
34:52turboshaft
34:53engines
34:53that
34:54generated
34:54more
34:54than
34:553,000
34:55horsepower
34:56the
34:57Super
34:57Jollies
34:57had
34:58the
34:58tremendous
34:58lift
34:59that
34:59the
34:59H-3s
34:59lacked
35:00for
35:00rescues
35:01in
35:01mountainous
35:01regions
35:02where
35:02the
35:02air
35:02was
35:03thin
35:03they
35:07also
35:07had
35:08the
35:08speed
35:08and
35:08range
35:09needed
35:09for
35:09rescues
35:10deep
35:10in
35:10northern
35:11Laos
35:11and
35:11North
35:11Vietnam
35:12as
35:15additional
35:16HH-53
35:16arrived
35:17throughout
35:17the
35:18late
35:1860s
35:18the
35:19SAR
35:19task
35:19force
35:20reached
35:20the
35:20apex
35:21of
35:21its
35:21capability
35:22forward
35:24air
35:24controllers
35:25operating
35:25in
35:25fast
35:26and
35:26nimble
35:27North
35:27American
35:27OV-10
35:28Broncos
35:29often
35:29helped
35:29to
35:30pinpoint
35:30downed
35:31airmen
35:31with
35:31special
35:32laser
35:32designators
35:33and
35:33marking
35:33rockets
35:34all
35:45the
35:45while
35:45the
35:46Sandys
35:46who
35:47suffered
35:47some
35:47of
35:48the
35:48highest
35:48losses
35:48of
35:49any
35:49aircraft
35:49in
35:50Southeast
35:50Asia
35:50continued
35:51to
35:51provide
35:52rescue
35:52escort
35:53in
35:53their
35:53beloved
35:53aging
35:54Sky Raiders
35:55Despite
36:17the
36:17addition
36:18of
36:18sophisticated
36:18super
36:19jollies
36:19to the
36:20mix
36:20of
36:20rescue
36:20aircraft
36:21overall
36:22tactics
36:22for
36:23air
36:23crew
36:23recoveries
36:24remained
36:24relatively
36:25unchanged
36:26from
36:26the
36:26early
36:26days
36:26of
36:27the
36:27war
36:27changes
36:28that
36:29did
36:29occur
36:29occurred
36:30within
36:31those
36:31tactics
36:31in
36:32aircraft
36:33performance
36:33and
36:34among
36:34the
36:34men
36:35who
36:35were
36:35still
36:35committed
36:36to
36:36the
36:36same
36:36fundamental
36:37goal
36:37to
36:38bring
36:38the
36:38pilot
36:39back
36:39alive
36:40the
36:4053's
36:41advanced
36:42their
36:42operations
36:43tremendously
36:43It was
36:45so
36:45different
36:46because
36:46you
36:46had
36:47a
36:47highly
36:47sophisticated
36:48gun
36:48system
36:49you
36:50could
36:50walk
36:50around
36:50in
36:50the
36:51aircraft
36:51you
36:51could
36:52carry
36:52a lot
36:52of
36:52equipment
36:53that
36:53you
36:53thought
36:53you
36:54might
36:54need
36:54had
36:55the
36:55speed
36:55duration
36:57however
36:58the
36:58rotor
36:59wash
36:59that
36:59it
36:59pushed
36:59down
37:00that
37:00you
37:01had
37:01to
37:01come
37:01up
37:01through
37:02was
37:02right
37:03at
37:03the
37:03hurricane
37:03force
37:04winds
37:04but
37:05it
37:05sure
37:05gave
37:06you
37:06a good
37:06feeling
37:06to
37:06have
37:07that
37:07big
37:07aircraft
37:08just
37:09come
37:09in
37:09there
37:09drop
37:10it
37:10pick
37:10you
37:10up
37:10you
37:11knew
37:11that
37:11you
37:11were
37:11going
37:12out
37:12man
37:12getting
37:12out
37:12of
37:12there
37:13the
37:1653's
37:17powerful
37:17lift
37:18allowed
37:18more
37:19titanium
37:19armor
37:19to be
37:20placed
37:20around
37:20critical
37:21engine
37:21components
37:22the
37:24massive
37:24size
37:25and
37:25power
37:25of the
37:26chopper
37:26also
37:27allowed
37:27crews
37:27to carry
37:28another
37:28para-rescue
37:29man
37:29boosting
37:30crew
37:30morale
37:31tremendously
37:31especially
37:32for the
37:33PJs
37:33who were
37:34now
37:34supported
37:35in their
37:35lonely
37:35missions
37:36on the
37:36ground
37:37you had
37:40help
37:40that could
37:41be sent
37:41down
37:41to you
37:42in the
37:42form
37:42of
37:42another
37:43para-rescue
37:43man
37:43if you
37:44needed
37:44help
37:44you
37:45just
37:45called
37:45and he
37:45was
37:46there
37:46you
37:46had
37:47two
37:49more
37:49on
37:49another
37:50aircraft
37:50that was
37:50flying
37:51hybrid
37:52for you
37:52however
37:53the
37:53other
37:54guys
37:54got
37:54more
37:54sophisticated
37:55too
37:55they
37:56had
37:56better
37:56ways
37:56of
37:57locating
37:57you
37:57they
37:57had
37:58better
37:58weapons
37:58but
37:59it
37:59was
37:59a
38:00comforting
38:00feeling
38:00to know
38:00that
38:01you
38:01had
38:01more
38:02help
38:02to help
38:03you
38:03personally
38:03if you
38:04needed
38:04on
38:04the
38:04ground
38:05the
38:07addition
38:07of
38:08three
38:087.62
38:09millimeter
38:09miniguns
38:10each
38:11capable
38:11of
38:11firing
38:12at
38:124,000
38:13rounds
38:13per
38:13minute
38:13were
38:14perhaps
38:14the
38:14super
38:15jolly's
38:15greatest
38:16asset
38:16with
38:31years
38:32of
38:32experience
38:33Sandy's
38:33developed
38:34extremely
38:34effective
38:35close
38:35air
38:35support
38:36tactics
38:36laying
38:37rockets
38:38white
38:38phosphorus
38:39and
38:39other
38:39ordnance
38:40often
38:40within
38:41meters
38:41of
38:41rescue
38:42crews
38:42even
38:50with
38:50additional
38:50firepower
38:51protective
38:52armor
38:52and
38:52crew
38:53time
38:53spent
38:54in
38:54a
38:54hover
38:54especially
38:55once
38:55a
38:55man
38:56was
38:56hanging
38:56from
38:56the
38:56hoist
38:57line
38:57was
38:58filled
38:58with
38:58tension
38:59if
39:00enemy
39:00troops
39:00had
39:00not
39:01brought
39:01the
39:01chopper
39:01down
39:02already
39:02now
39:03was the
39:04time
39:04to do
39:04it
39:04hold
39:05your
39:06hover
39:06hold
39:07your
39:07hover
39:07taking
39:08out
39:08the
39:08slack
39:08hold
39:09your
39:09hover
39:09hold
39:10your
39:10hover
39:10slack
39:12coming up
39:13hold
39:14your
39:14hover
39:14looking good
39:15hold
39:15your
39:15hover
39:16hold
39:16your
39:16hover
39:16hold
39:24hold
39:25hold
39:26hold
39:26your
39:27もの
39:27hold
39:30your
39:30hover
39:31hold
39:34hold
39:35your
39:35hover
39:35hold
39:35your
39:36hover
39:36hold
39:37your
39:37hover
39:37hold
39:37survivors
39:38at the
39:38door
39:38survivors
39:40coming in
39:40the
39:40door
39:41survivors
39:44in
39:44Let's get the hell out of here.
39:46Okay, talk to me, we're coming out.
39:48Let's go, let's go.
39:54At higher altitudes and in the warm, moist jungle climate,
39:58it was vital for the aircraft commander to gain enough forward speed
40:02for the massive chopper to rapidly climb to safety.
40:14You're 89 in CFR.
40:16Once you need a refueling, you come back to 89.
40:18Over.
40:19Roger.
40:20Roger, ma'am.
40:24With two PJs and plenty of room to work,
40:27crews could provide wounded survivors with even more thorough medical treatment
40:31during long flights back to base.
40:33The Super Jolly became the finest search and rescue helicopter in the world
40:44and eventually became the core of the U.S. Rescue Force.
40:47Working together, the crews of both Jolly Greens contributed immensely
40:52to making successful air crew rescue the norm rather than the exception
40:57for airmen downed in Southeast Asia.
41:03While the size of the rescue force and improved equipment were important factors
41:10in the growing success of air rescue in Southeast Asia,
41:14the fundamental strength of the entire concept came down to the crewmen alone.
41:19It was their incredible courage and teamwork that meant the difference
41:23between life and death for hundreds of airmen.
41:26On July 1, 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Modica and his flight of F-105s
41:36prepared to interdict a heavily armed North Vietnamese Army Battalion,
41:40amassed just 18 miles north of the DMZ.
41:46Dropping down to deliver his ordnance, Colonel Modica encountered heavy anti-aircraft
41:51and small arms fire.
42:04As he struggled to get back to altitude and away from the intense barrage,
42:08his aircraft immediately began to fail.
42:10The entire instrument panel glowed with warning lights
42:14as tremendous heat began to build in the cockpit.
42:24Within seconds, he was forced to eject.
42:33Having been unable to fly to a safer ejection point,
42:36he descended unconscious and injured into the enemy troop concentration.
42:46Throughout the first day, three rescue attempts were made,
42:49while dozens of aircraft struck enemy positions in the area.
42:53Colonel Modica would have to remain on the ground for the night.
42:56The following morning, a pair of HH-3s attempted a first light rescue,
43:06but it too was aborted almost from the start,
43:09with news that the enemy threat was still too high.
43:12The crews headed to a forward operating base,
43:15where they remained on alert, waiting for another opportunity.
43:21By midday, with Colonel Modica's chances for survival rapidly diminishing,
43:25the Jolly Greens elected to go in for the rescue.
43:29On board the Low Bird, para-rescue man Joel Talley prepared himself
43:33for his very first mission since arriving in Vietnam.
43:37The aircraft commander had briefed that we would make an initial pass
43:40over the area to attempt to draw any ground fire.
43:44Once we located the pilot, we would come back over the area and hover,
43:49and only at a last resort would I be put out of the aircraft
43:52to help the pilot on board.
43:53I spotted smoke out the left of the aircraft and called out to the aircraft commander,
43:58and all bets were off at that point.
43:59It was just time to go.
44:02I got on the penetrator because the pilot had said he couldn't move,
44:07so he would need assistance getting into the helicopter.
44:10I got onto the penetrator and they lowered me to the jungle floor,
44:13which probably was about 150 feet below the helicopter at that time.
44:18On the ride down, I was spinning around quite a lot and got disoriented,
44:23and the flight engineer who was running the hoist at that time pointed in the direction
44:27where we had spotted the smoke and where we expected the downed pilot to be.
44:32I started off in that direction and actually conducted a ground search,
44:36and after about 18 minutes on the ground, located the pilot.
44:40And he was, in fact, disabled, laid out on the ground, couldn't move.
44:44I had to carry the pilot about 50 yards to an opening where we could get the force penetrator down to us
44:53and get on it and get back to the helicopter.
44:56When we initially got on the penetrator, that's when we initially started running into trouble.
45:01I told the pilot over the radio to take us up, and at that point the enemy opened fire on the ridge,
45:09and I still thank that pilot for doing what he did because he saved our lives down there.
45:15Actually, on the initial ground burst from the people shooting,
45:18he took a round right through the center windshield of the H-3 helicopter
45:23but held that thing in a hover until he got us high enough in the trees
45:27where he could drag us off through the trees without injuring us.
45:31So there we were, about 50 feet below the helicopter, being drug through the trees
45:37and climbing out to get out of small arms range.
45:40The sensation was that the ground fire started with just a pop-pop,
45:45and then it was like popcorn all over the place.
45:48So we were scurrying to get to altitude and get out of that area.
45:54I would imagine it was about between 2,000 and 3,000 foot before we finally got in the helicopter.
46:06At that time, I just reverted back to my initial training.
46:09It was time to clean up the helicopter, get the limbs out, and get it ready for the flight back.
46:13And it was at that time that the flight engineer tapped me on the shoulder
46:17and pointed to the back of the helicopter.
46:19Because the doors were closed in the back,
46:21there were just beams of sunlight coming in all over,
46:24criss-crossing the back of the helicopter from the rounds
46:27or the ground fire which had penetrated the helicopter.
46:30So we were pretty lucky getting out of there.
46:36In addition to the small arms fire they had taken,
46:39the crew later discovered that a rocket round had punctured
46:42one of the Jolly's main fuel tanks, but fortunately had not exploded.
46:47For his extraordinary bravery,
46:49Joel Talley was awarded the Distinguished Air Force Cross,
46:53one of the highest honors that a U.S. airman can receive.
46:56On February 12, 1973, the first of nearly 600 American prisoners of war
47:11were turned over to U.S. officials at an airport near Hanoi.
47:17A daring attempt to free many of the POWs was conducted two years earlier
47:21in a midnight raid on the Sante Prison Camp just outside of Hanoi.
47:28One Jolly Green and five Super Jolly swarmed into the compound
47:32in a virtually flawless rescue attempt.
47:35And while the prisoners had been relocated and none were recovered,
47:39the mission succeeded in many less tangible but significant ways.
47:44There was no doubt that it was success in regard to the prisoners themselves.
47:51They had a better life after that.
47:53They were put together.
47:54They were all pulled into Hanoi from all over Vietnam
47:57and made to live together and given privileges they hadn't enjoyed in years.
48:05Sadly, many more airmen were killed or lost in action in Southeast Asia
48:10and would never make it home.
48:12However, hundreds of airmen did make it back safely,
48:17thanks to an extraordinary group of men
48:19and the special breed of aircraft they flew, the Jolly Greens.
48:25While it is the role of a country's military to produce men
48:28who are proficient at taking human lives if necessary,
48:31it is rare to find a military that produces a force of men equally proficient
48:36and equally proficient and well-equipped to save them.
48:39Yet that is exactly what happened during the air war in Vietnam.
48:45There was so much disillusionment by many service people in Southeast Asia
48:51about what they'd heard at home and all that.
48:53So occasionally a commander's call, I would remind them that it didn't matter why we were over there.
49:00Our job was just to pick these guys up.
49:03And I think most of the guys in my unit understood that and appreciated their mission.
49:09The United States knew no limit as to what they'd do to get a man out.
49:13There were limits to what would be effective, but the Air Force in Southeast Asia,
49:18from the four-star down in Saigon on down, had absolutely no reservations.
49:24And whatever assets we had, we'd throw them in for one man.
49:54The Air Force in Southeast Asia
50:03The Air Force of Technology
50:09The Air Force in Southeast Asia
50:15The Air Force in Southeast Asia