John A. "Al" Chancey, Remembers


Maj. "Al" Chancey

Dave Powell's photography on Hill 881S is truly fantastic. The shots of the Super Gaggle arriving in the zone are pure drama.  It took a lot of courage to record that on film.  Nobody..but nobody..would willingly stick their head above ground when helicopters arrived on that hill.  There were just too many bad things happening all at one time. You've got to admire and respect someone who volunteers to go to 881S, then stands out in the open taking pictures when the Super Gaggle, mortars and anti-aircraft fire are all arriving on cue.  Please thank him for sharing his work with us.

Seeing those Purple Fox aircraft over 881S in the fog and clouds sent me back to my diary to review events of the time.  And..okay..yes..it was a little emotional.  Since the webmaster is working so diligently and doing such a superb job recreating the Super Gaggle and the 881S experience, I thought I would share with you a couple of pages from my diary that relate to the challenges of the monsoon weather.  Maybe it will give you a better feel for just how determined the Purple Foxes were to deliver the goods to the valiant warriors on 881S.  There were a few days when it just could not be done, but it was never, never for lack of trying.

There's a typed version below.

This may be easier to read.

MARCH 2
Back to resupplying Khe Sanh outposts today!  Lousy weather (200 - 300 & R & F).  On the 1st attempt to go VFR up the coast, the CO lead a flight of 7 into inadvertent IFR.  What a gaggle!, but no mid-air (Don't know how we missed).  Later in the day we made it the weather wasn't much better.  Clouds were solid up to 7,000' and I had a badly swinging load to Khe Sanh (45 knots at times, IFR, sheer terror).  To end a perfect day, both engine fire warning lights came on 5 min. out of Phu Bai on return trip.  No fire as it turned out, just wet wiring,  What a way to make a living!!
MARCH 3
Six planes to 881 today.  Worst weather in the drop zone yet encountered, all still ran the mission.  881 was IFR when we went in, and had to come through a hole SW of the hill, go below the ridge line and scoot up into the zone just over the ground and in the clouds the last 200 - 300 yds.  Unable to see the drop point and unable to see the A/C ahead for interval.  Bob Weigand pulled up into clouds, got vertigo, nosed up to zero airspeed, pushed nose down zero "G" and struck the aft pylon with his forward rotors.  (WOW)
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Submitted by:
    LtCol. John A. "Al" Chancey, LtCol. USMC(Ret)

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