You're a pilot from the Marine Helicopter Task Element in Vietnam bringing your loaded chopper into a jungle landing zone where tree stumps loom like jagged, outsized spikes waiting to puncture the thin skin of your aircraft.  No sweat - - you've got insurance.  Not a policy, but something better - - - a friendly face down there giving you hand-signaled instructions as you settle in.  Chances are that that friendly face is SSgt. John C. Thompson, a loadmaster with the Task Element, who, over the past four months has flown 109 missions to direct the loading of the Marine choppers at staging areas throughout the 1st Corps area in the northern sector of the Republic of Vietnam where the Task Element operates.  The loads may be troops accompanied by U. S. Army advisers who will be taken into areas of Viet Cong activity or supply missions which include items and containers strange to American eyes - - - like enormous wicker baskets of rice and live animals for the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) forces.

 Lt. Col. John H. Lavoy, Thompson's Commanding Officer, says, "We call him the 'roadrunner,' and when it was necessary to settle on the spot some problem involving loading, unloading, fueling, or the security during an operation the 'roadrunner' was the man.  He has a special talent for settling any problems with the Vietnamese.  It seemed almost as if he spoke the language, but if he did no one ever heard him.  His calmness, his constant smile and his self-assured manner in tense situations was the language I believe they understood, and I would say it helped our pilots, too, to see him practicing his trade so calmly during some tough operations."  Thompson sums up his work by saying, "I like the job very much.  I had an opportunity to go where many others didn't and I enjoy working with people."
 

Thompson surveys them with an eye now accustomed to anything, estimates the weight, plans the load distribution and sends them on their way.  On large troop lifts, Thompson usually works in the staging area keeping the aircraft loading moving at a fast clip, thus speeding up the steady shuttle of troops to the landing zone in the assault area.  Many times, however, it is in the landing zone where Thompson's experienced eye and cool judgment are required, for he is past-master of the art of bringing the Marine Helicopters into the roughest areas.  On evacuation missions, Thompson goes into the landing zone with the first aircraft to organize the loads quickly and direct the operations in the landing zone insuring, as is his constant mission, that speed and efficiency characterize the operation.  Whenever Thompson's services are required in a landing zone, he is the first person in, to be sure the zone is secure, and the last to leave.

"Torri Teller" article submitted by:
    William Cunningham, former Capt. USMCR