powell-dl881s03

Dave Powell's Hill 881S Collection - Page 3

The Hill - Continued

**Mike Company's area of responsibility.**

**South side of 881S which dropped off steeply, beyond the near ridge, to a valley floor approximately 1,000 feet lower.**

**Dave was introduced to Capt. Dabney, on left, who briefed him on the rules for staying alive and healthy while visiting 881S and assigned him a berth, otherwise known as a "Bunny hole."**

An NVA bunker left over from spring '67 hill fights. Many on Hill 881, some used by current residents. Most however contained decomposed NVA bodies. Smell was bad when they were broken into while digging bunkers and trench lines.

The Florida state flag flies proudly atop the hill. As Sgt. Joseph M. Jones was reading his mail, Gunny D'Armand brought Dave Powell down and told Sgt. Jones he was gong to make him famous. Sgt. Jones said, "I
thought he was trying to get me shot by a sniper. This photo was in newspapers across the country and some very thoughtful people sent clippings to my mom. The captions of the Flown Off/Blown Off article had my name, and home town of Chattahoochee, Fl. Chattahoochee is a small town and my mom got the clippings addressed to, 'the Mother of Sgt. Joseph M. Jones, Chattahoochee, Fla.' He did make me famous!"

The "Evil Eyes" on this helo identifies it as one belonging to HMM-163. It lost its anti torque tail rotor due to enemy action early during the hill siege and remained parked on the "front porch" of the hill for a long time.