unit history information
for 57 AHC
FOB II

From date 680129 to 680131


57 AHC was a US Army unit
FOB II was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Kontum Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Kontum
Description: The 57th Assault Helicopter Company unit history states that this evening coming in from a long day flying the FOB II mission several of their ships received fire as they came in over Kontum city for the Coliseum, the unit's aircraft revetment area. This was attributed to the ARVN's celebrating the arrival of Tet. Throughout the night small arms fire could be heard from the cit as streams of bright red machine gun fire brought all members of the 57th out of their tents and to their battle stations. The Cougars scrambled 4 gunships while slicks became airborne to provide flare support. The compound as well as Kontum city was under seige. The Tet offensive had begun. When the main NVA attack came along the unit's eastern perimeter, the company poured M60 and small arms fire from every bunker. Neighboring Cav elements wheeled several tanks and APCs in along the northern flank and opened up with murderous beehive rounds. Overhead, the Cougars, along with the Buccaneers, Avengers and Croc gunships from Pleiku made pass after pass along the perimeter spewing hails of minigun and 40MM fire. After breaking the ground attack, they turned to the numerous mortar positions which were spotted by blazing muzzle flashes. Rolling in on these positions with 2.75 rockets brought great satisfaction to many gun pilots as numerous secondary explosions resulted from direct hits. As dawn broke on the Gladiator compound and Kontum City, it appeared that the attack was over. This assumption was quickly dispelled as throughout the day the compound was subject to numerous sniper rounds. In Kontum the battle was waged from house to house. A partial police of the unit's eastern perimeter accounted for 59 enemy dead. It can easily be assumed that the actual number of enemy dead was somewhat higher. The second night of the offensive, the battle shifted to the western neighbors, MACV, B24, SF, and the 43d Signal Compound. The three units occupy a square section on the north-west side of Kontum City. They came under sustained mortar and ground attack on the nights of 31 Jan thru 2 Feb. At one time the NVA took 2 bunkers on B-24s perimeter. The courageous gunship crews, along with several other attack helicopter teams from Pleiku again saved the day. Two gunships remained in the are throughout each night as the Gladiator flar ships circled overhead providing an erie day light brightness over all of Kontum City. The 57th took continual sniper fire through the 4th of Feb when the city was finally cleared and the NVA withdrew. Miraculously no members of the unit were killed, though 26 were wounded, none critically. During the 6 day period of 30 Jan to 4 Feb, the body count in the Kontum area reached 785 NVA troops dead. Due to the Tet Offensive, the 57th was forced to fly its aircraft the maximum amount of the time physically possible. Many hours of additional blade time were logged as they provided continuous illumination and protection. At the end of the 6 day period, the aircraft as well as the personnel were in need of rest and a chance to complete some much needed maintenance.

The source for this information was 57 AHC Ann Sup 1968 by 1LT Walters, etc.


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Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023