Pacific Stars and Stripes information
for 101 ABN DIV
For date 680421
101 ABN DIV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
South Vietnam
Location, Phuoc Vinh
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Copter Rope Slips Medic-Tarzan Has a Close Call."
Phuoc Vinh (IO) - A medic from the 101st Airborne Div.'s 3rd Brigade put his life on the line recently in a "Tarzan act" to save wounded paratroopers. This is what happened. C/2/506th Inf. called for more medics after its three were wounded during fighting with a North Vietnam Army unit. "I had to get out there," said medic S. Sgt. Harold Miller, of Kannapolis, N.C. The battle was taking place under a thick jungle canopy with trees up to 90 feet. It was impossible for medevac helicopters to land. Hovering above the battlefield, Miller asked to be lowered 150 feet by rope from the chopper. LT Terry VanMeter, Sturgis, Mich., also aboard the helicopter, looked on as Miller was slowly lowered toward the jungle floor. "I saw the rope slip and Miller plummet downward still clinging to the rope," VanMeter said. He and 1SG Henry Cadena, Clarksville, Tenn., struggled to grab the unwinding rope and control Miller's too-rapid descent. "I was finally able to wedge a knot in the rope between my hand and an M60 machinegun mount," Cadena said, "We had rope burns all over our hands and arms, but we stopped Miller from having a real bad fall. I looked down and saw him suspended only 10 feet above the ground. "Miller slowly descended the last 10 feet in the same amount of time it took him to drop the first 140. Later, Miller directed several "dust-offs" where the wounded were hoisted 150 feet up to hovering helicopters.
The source for this information was 6804pss.avn supplied by Les Hines
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Last updated
02/23/2000
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023