evacuation report information
for 40 ARRS
For date 681224
40 ARRS was a US Air Force unit
Primary service involved, US Air Force
Laos
Description: HH-3 aircrews from Detachment 1, 40th ARRS were engaged in a mission involving the rescue of a downed pilot in Laos. On 24 December a chute was spotted, and on 25 December a rescue task force returned and A1C Charles D. King, a pararescueman, was lowered at the site, where he located the downed pilot and secured him to the hoist. At this point enemy automatic weapon fire was directed at the plane, Airman King, and the pilot on the ground. Airman King transmitted the message, "I'm hit. I'm hit. Pull up. Pull up." and the aircraft immediately exited, snapping off the hoist cable. Airman King (later Chief Master Sergeant) King was declared missing in action (MIA) until 5 December 1978, when he was declared killed in action (KIA).
The source for this information was ARRS History
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023