Southern Cross information
for 11 BDE 23 INF
174 AHC
4 ARVN REG
71 AHC
For date 700703
11 BDE 23 INF was a US Army unit
174 AHC was a US Army unit
4 ARVN REG was a Vietnamese Army unit
71 AHC was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Quang Ngai Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, FSB BRONCO
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "The Sharks use modern equipment in grand old style" story and photos by SP4 Peter R. Sorenson 11th INF BDE IO.
FSB Bronco - In a sense the "Shark" gunship platoon of the 174th AHC is an anachronism. While their helicopters and weaponry are '70's vintage, the battle techniques of a guerilla war are reminiscent of the 1914 skies over France. When a thin-Skinned Shark banks and rolls in to engage the enemy, it is subject to the same anti-aircraft and small arms fire that was thrown at the Spad bi-plane. There is still a certain romance to piloting the flying machines. The hectic and often dangerous schedule includes lively camaraderie at a club and a white sheeted bed at night rather than a soggy Vietnamese rice paddy or muddy European trench. The young pilot's gung ho enthusiasm is still tempered by their experienced professionalism. Five miles east of Quang Ngai City, two Shark heavy fire teams alternate flying security for a combat assault of the 4th ARVN Regiment. The waves of men are ferried into 24 LZs by a dozen "Dolphin" utility ships. Gunships without a "hot" landing zone are like and infantryman without a P-38 can-opener. They prepare the LZs and patiently cover the sky train of utility ships. They wait. The two gunship pilots are in constant communication. "The smoke-ship did alright this time; right between the treeline and LZ," commented CPT Stephen S. Riddle, Weaverville, N.C. "Darn wind makes it hard not to smoke the flight. That lead ship is too low. She'll get there before us if she doesn't pull up," replied 1LT John L. O'Sullivan, Brooklyn, N.Y. For three hours the gunship make the flight back and forth between staging areas and landing zones. The teams alternate stops at Quang Ngai City for fuel, re-armament and a short C-ration picnic. Returning to station, the gunships cruise the site of the last combat assault of the day. They gain altitude to over-see the put-down of utility ships and ARVN infantry. CPT Riddle stretches in his front seat as darkness falls. The Air Mission Control ships comes on the horn: "CA complete, LZ hot. I repeat hot." "Let's go get them," called CPT Riddle as he banked and descended to the left. "I've got four or five on the run in uniforms with weapons," announced LT O'Sullivan as he dove into a hedgerow saddle. Rockets, mini-guns and M-60 machine guns poured fire into the area. LT O'Sullivan pulls out to the sound of exploding rockets and the sight of black bellowing smoke. "We've covered a couple with min-gun. We've taken hits." CPT Riddle follows in by descending quickly with the down-ward motion of a Ferris wheel. An NVA frantically runs for a hedgerow and dives into it. The Shark abruptly swings back and forth as the ship is lined up for a rocket run. CPT Riddle sights the aiming reticule. Like two fire-crackers in a trash can, the rockets leap forward from their pods sending red hot ignition wire fragments flying into the cabin. The door gunners open up with a steady stream of M-60 fire for flank security at this critical moment. Through the windshield two black mushrooms explode on the target. Two more sets of two rockets are sent on their way before the Shark jerks upward out of its dive. It circles to the right to continue the deadly two Shark pinwheel. CPT Riddle comes on the intercom and acknowledges what all had heard, "Where did we take hits?" "We got about two or three rounds in the left rocket pod. One tube is down, replied Crew Chief SP4 Ernest T. Johns, Brandon, Fla. During the next half hour, the gunships alternated angles of attack destroyed a bunker and caused a secondary explosion and laid suppressive fire for the advancing ground troops. Air Mission Control: "Shark 6, you are released -- find job. That secondary may have been a mine. You may stay on station if you want to see what the ARVN get into. "I was hoping you would say that," remarked CPT Riddle. The two gunships reconned a large area surrounding the scene of contact. "Hey ' there's a big hole down there," said SP4 Johns. The door-gunner waved and pointed out the spot out to the ARVN. On the second pass, he threw a smoke grenade. On the third pass a waving ARVN pointed to a uniformed NVA they had pulled out of the hole. Wearily heading home above Highway One, the two ships bantered back and forth about the day's action. "We took a couple of rounds in the chin bubble. Guess who got his third Purple Heart?" said LT O'Sullivan. "You?" came back the answer from CPT Riddle. "Yea, took a little shrapnel in the leg." A red glow fills the cock pit from the instrument panel. CPT Riddle stretches again. Door gunner SP5 Fred G. Vandiver, Riverside, Calif. props his foot on a door and adjusts himself on his hard flat armored seat pad. The village smells of livestock and dinner fires drifts through the cabin. In a few minutes the city like lights of the perimeter, Fire Support Base Bronco is on the horizon. The end of the mission; the end of the day? Hardly. Maintenance must be administered to the aircraft. The pilots checking in at operations, are notified that a visual recon of the "Rice Bowl" has been ordered. A team of gunships must also recon the Bronco perimeter. A night, maybe a restless night, will pass. "On call" requires that their 24 hour day be punctuated by scrambles. If they could wear streaming white silk scarves, they would -- for the Lafayette Escadrille is here.
Photo Captions:
1) A smoke screen is generated and laid down between a woodline and landing zone in preparation for a combat assault three miles northeast of Quang Ngai City. "Smokey a specially equipped utility ship is provided by the 174th Aviation Company. (Note: Quang Ngai might be correct, but the other captions refer to Duc Pho which was the base area for the 174th AHC).
2) A line of Dolphins and choppers from the 71st Aviation Company as they prepare to set down on the landing zone. A thousand men from the 4th ARVN Division were delivered to 24 landing zones. High above the LZ, a Shark provides security.
3) A Dolphin delivers its wave of "Jungle Warriors" from the 11th Infantry Brigade during a combat assault three miles northeast of Duc Pho.
4) A "Dolphin" utility ship of the 174th AHC descends to a landing zone under the cover of smoke during a combat assault three miles northeast of Duc Pho.
5) A Shark prepares the Duc Pho landing zone with rocket and min-gun fire. The fire power and maneuverability of the Huey helicopters makes them ideal tactical weapons for supporting the ground pounders.
6) A Shark gets its teeth cleaned. After every mission the ground crews pull maintenance on the choppers. It is their skill and care that gives the pilot a sound ship to fly against the enemy the Shark its bite. (Looks like someone repairing the battle damage caused when the enemy shot out the chin bubble).
Comments: CPT Riddle, Stephen S.; 174 AHC pilot; ;
SP4 Johns, Ernest T.; 174 AHC CE; ;
1LT O'Sullivan, John I.; 174 AHC pilot; ;
SP5 Vandiver, Fred G.; 174 AHC gunner; ;
The source for this information was 7007_324_scr supplied by Les Hines 12/23/2000
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
Return to panel index
Return to Helicopter Pilot KIA index
Return to VHPA Home Page
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Last updated
12/23/2000
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023