Dak Seang
15 APRIL 1970
WO Albert J. Barthelme Jr. enjoying life between missions.
Original by Donald Summers, edited by Robert L. Noe
In March of 1970, Prince Sihanouk was in France, and his cousin Prime Minister Sitik Matak, as temporary ruler in his absence, was making enemies of the NVA inside of Cambodia. He had issued the impossible ultimatum to the North Vietnamese to remove all NVA troops from Cambodia within 48 hours. That left the NVA with only two possible moves to make: 1) withdraw, which was impossible within the time given; or, 2) take over Cambodia. The later was their choice. The NVA, by mid-April had already seized control over two major provinces and were planning to take over the capitol. To assure non interference from the Americans, a major effort was also taking place in the Central Highlands of Vietnam around Dak Seang, Dak Pec, Bien Het, Dak To, and small villages up and down II Corp area. By April, SOG missions were increased in both frequency and intensity, while in the Central Highlands units were in constant contact with a building NVA force. April, of 1970 was becoming a busy month for the 170th Assault Helicopter Company.
By the second week in April, intelligence showed that a massive buildup of forces of NVA was occurring around the Special Forces camp of Dak Seang, 20 miles north of Dak To. Dak Seang sat in a valley, with large mountainous ridgelines on both sides of it. Activity around the area had been building continuously. Intelligence was reporting a possible Division size NVA force had taken up positions around the SF Camp by April 14th, and attack of the camp was imminent.
One single vantage point existed in the form of an old NDB (Night Defensive Position) known as LZ Orange. LZ Orange was the sole open spot of an otherwise dense jungle mountain, and was the highest peak of the range overlooking the valley where the SF Camp could be seen. LZ Orange provided a perfect observation/control vantage point for the forthcoming battle. Saigon had determined ARVN forces must take possession of LZ Orange.
A plan was devised where the 170th, accompanied by Buccaneer Gunships for support, would insert the 3rd Battalion, 42nd Regiment of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). The 3rd battalion was to serve a dual role in taking possession of LZ Orange. First, was to gain the vantage point of the valley, and second, should Dak Seang fall under siege, the 3rd Battalion could drop down the side of the ridge, fight their way through enemy lines around the base and hopefully enter the camp to support the besieged inhabitants. So it was, that at 0430 in the morning on April 15th the flight-line at Kontum Air Field came alive with Pilots, Crew Chiefs and Gunners busying themselves with their pre-flight checks, mounting weapons and loading rocket pods.
As the sun slowly rose over the mountains turning the sky from black, to red and orange, and then finally to hints of blue, a flight of Bikini?s with their ARVN passengers lifted off, and headed direct to LZ Orange. At 0600 hours the flight of Bikinis with their Gunship escorts broke over the lush green valley and lined up for their insertion. There was little doubt of where they were going. LZ Orange was a bald spot in an otherwise dense jungle mountain range. It?s red and gray dirt contrasted each other and stood out boldly in the bright morning sun. The pilots concentrated on their target LZ, while gunners checked ammo and weapons one more time to assure they were ready for whatever lay below.
WO Alan Hoffman commanding the lead ship entered the LZ without incident and unloaded the first of the force. CPL Herndon A. Bivens, and SGT Rosindo Montana sat in the doorway. Both men were American Pathfinders with the 52nd Aviation Battalion Security Detatchment. Before the skids even touched the ground, Bivens and Montana were on the ground followed by six ARVN of the 3rd Battalion. Montana was carrying the radio and he ran the short fifteen feet to the crest of the hill, stopping alongside of a large bomb crater. Bivens was right behind him and they began to busy themselves with the task at hand, landing the flight of Hueys carrying the ARVN Battalion . . . it was 0615 hours.
When the two Pathfinders reached their position, the second bird carrying eight ARVN soldiers, was on short final to the LZ. Inside the second bird was veteran pilot WO Albert J. Barthelme Jr., his second WO1 Roger A. Miller, who was in his second week in country and flying his second mission; SP4 Vincent S. Davies as Gunner, who was nearing the end of his first tour; and, SP5 Donald C. Summers, as Crew Chief, an ex-Ranger, who had submitted his request for his third tour. Like the first aircraft, the second helicopter was approaching the LZ without obstruction. Bivens raised his hands to direct the bird on final, and Montana busied himself with the radio. WO Miller was in control of the helicopter, and was less than fifty feet from the LZ when the NVA opened up from 360 degrees.
The first volley of fire dropped SGT Montana where he stood. Montana dropped to his knees, and managed to get a single transmission out that they were taking heavy concentrated fire from left and right sides of the LZ, when another volley of fire concentrated on him and he folded like an accordion into a fetal position, dead.
Bivens dove into the crater, rolling out of the line of fire. He came back up to the crest of the crater returning fire to the wood line. He was out of ammunition in a matter of minutes. The six ARVN soldiers ran to the back side of the hill below the crater to another crater some twenty feet, or less, from Bivens? location and sought cover. None of the ARVN soldiers returned fire.
Aboard the aircraft Summers was struck repeatedly in the left shoulder and side, slammed against the bulkhead to his right, then down to the left. He struggled back up and had just grabbed his M60 and started to return fire when the bird pitched violently to the left, then right and crashed, coming to rest on its side some ten feet or so from the dense jungle. Summers was buried under the bodies of the ARVNs who had all been killed in the initial volley. Vincent Davies opened fire immediately from the left side, laying down a sweeping return while avoiding the Pathfinder?s position with his fire. The thrashing of the bird caused him to stop firing and when the bird came to rest on its side he was able to escape over the side, and down onto the ground.
WO Hoffman had just leveled off his aircraft when the radio reported what was happening behind him. He swung his helicopter around, holding to the hillside, returned to the LZ, popping up even with the downed helicopter. He saw Al Barthelme wrestling with his harness, Roger Miller starting for the broken chin bubble opening, and reported that they were alive. The volume of fire descending on his aircraft prohibited another landing on the LZ, and Hoffman was forced to bank away and depart the LZ area.
Miraculously, neither Miller nor Barthelme was wounded or injured in the crash. Al Barthelme being on the low side of the aircraft, escaped the bird through the shattered chin bubble, with Roger Miller following suit.
Bivens, out of ammunition, left the bomb crater and ran to the wreckage as soon as it came to rest to help with survivors of the crash. As he approached, Al Barthelme was shot several times in the back and fell. Miller grabbed Barthelme and drug him away from the helicopter to the side of the hill below the crater. Miller then took up a position along the side of the hill between a bomb crater where the ARVN soldiers had run to, and Al Barthelme. Davis ran to where Barthelme lay and the two lay flat as gunfire continued to sweep across the hillside.
Bivens meanwhile climbed to the top of the chopper and looked inside. Summers was just emerging from under the bodies, spitting and cussing. Buried under the dead ARVN passengers, Summers had several bodies across his chest and face. The body which had fallen across his face had an open stomach wound, and it had been seeping intestines and blood into his mouth as he had struggled to unbury himself from the wreckage. Bivens reached down and pulled Summers the rest of the way out, and the two crouched for a moment inside the gunners well as gunfire continued outside. After a brief discussion, Summers jumped down to check the battery in the nose of the aircraft and found it was shot full of holes. Taking more fire, he returned to the gunner?s well with Bivens.
They decided that their best defensive position was on the backside of the hill where Miller, Davies, and Barthelme lay. The crater on the top where Bivens had been was within twenty meters of a fortified bunker with a machine gun and no less than three NVA. Summers and Bivens reviewed the situation. They were totally surrounded by fortified positions and NVA soldiers; a crossfire existed between the bunker Bivens had seen, and another positioned along the ridge line west of the LZ. This allowed for all approaching aircraft to be caught in a crossfire on final approach; Al Barthelme was laying still and had gaping holes in his back, but he was alive; Miller was unhurt at that point; and Davies was injured but functioning. Summers had been hit several times in the shoulder and side. The M60 on the topside of the aircraft was still usable, but the weapons of the ARVN troops, who were in the bird, had either been thrown clear or were dug deep into the dirt, shattered by the crash. Six ARVNs were armed and laying in the bomb crater some five feet from where Miller lay. Bivens gave Summers two hand grenades and Summers left the bird. Bivens manned the M60 and, using the gunner?s well for cover, laid down suppressing fire, while Summers carrying the grenades sprinted to Millers? position. Summers then went to the ARVN position and took an M16 and several clips from one of the soldiers and returned to Miller. As he did, all six of the ARVNs got up and ran into the jungle, deserting the Americans.
Bivens left the aircraft and sprinted to Montana?s body. He checked the radio and found it had also been shot beyond repair, and he returned to the aircraft to man the 60.
As the men on the ground were taking position on the hill, Buc Gunships formed a circle around the LZ firing their miniguns and rockets. As they did, the next two aircraft in line for insertion attempted to get into the LZ. The first helicopter flown by WO Don Johnson, started taking fire immediately. Bullets ripped through the windshield striking Johnson three times in the breast plate. The third round ricocheted and struck a smoke grenade in his survival vest setting it off and filling the cockpit with yellow smoke. The aircraft received multiple hits in the transmission and dropped to the left diving for the valley floor. Lt Larry Leonard, who was also with the lift, fell in behind Johnson following him down watching as yellow smoke flowed out of the aircraft, believing it to be on fire. Johnson regained control as he reached the valley floor and leveled off, turning and immediately headed for Dak To for an emergency landing.
The second aircraft did not fare any better. Within a quarter of a mile, was force to turn with main gearbox damage. He too, headed for Dak To. CPT Gary Knight, Buccaneer Leader, watching as the two slicks limped away, decided the LZ was too dangerous, and he pulled his aircraft back. Bikini?s from the scheduled lift returned to Pleiku, dropped off their ARVN passengers, and refueled. Meanwhile more Bikini?s were arriving on site to attempt rescue of the downed men on the LZ.
Around 0900 hours two Bikini?s other and their escorts, the Pink Panther Cobra Gunships of the 361st, were returning from a SOG mission, to the Dak To staging area, when they heard the radio traffic of their fellow Bikini?s 20 miles to the North at Dak Seang. WO James Lake followed by WO William MacDonald landed at Dak to and immediately went to SOG Command to request their release from SOG standby to go to assist with the downed aircraft. MacDonald had attended High School with Barthelme, joined the Army with him, and gone to flight school with him. MacDonald explained that not only was Barthelme a friend, he and Summers were regular SOG mission flight personnel, and were part of the SOG Operations. SOG released Lake?s and MacDonald?s ships, along with two Pink Panther Cobras who also asked to be released to support the rescue efforts. Lake and MacDonald also requested a Bright-Light team, and SOG Command contacted Kontum. MacDonald and Lake left Dak To for Kontum to pickup a team at 1000 hrs.
In Pleiku, CPT Knight and his flight had been told to remain at base. The Air Force had been notified and they were sending air rescue and fast movers to the site. Many of the Bikini?s refueled and returned anyway, as did all of the aircraft who had gone to Dak To for refueling. At this point, all rescue efforts, other than the Air Force SAR efforts, were on individual pilots own initiative. Command had made the determination that rescue of the downed crew was not possible without an unacceptable loss of men and aircraft.
WO Hoffman had returned to site and was circling the LZ to the west when a C123 screamed past him low level over the ridgeline. It?s door was opened, and a loadmaster stood in the doorway. As it overflew the LZ, Hoffman watched as the Load Master kicked a large crate containing a radio, weapon and ammunition out of the door to the LZ, but they had overshot the hill, and the much needed supplies landed on the side of the hill in the jungle away from the LZ and the Americans on top.
Another Bikini decided to try and get to the LZ, this time coming up low level from the valley floor with a Buc Gunship on each side. Halfway up the mountain the three ships were taking crippling fire, and soon had to break off their approach.
Three OH6 LOH arrived at LZ Orange. No one in the flight on site knew who they were, but with little fanfare or discussion, one began an attempt on the LZ. He low leveled across the valley floor and up the side of the mountain towards the LZ. Half way up, the small aircraft suddenly broke from the approach and sped away to the valley floor, his aircraft riddled with bullet holes and in critical condition.
Another Bikini bird arrived from having refueled at Dak To, and aboard was a single SGT from the SF Strike teams (unidentified to date) with a radio. They too made an approach to the LZ with the intent of dropping the SGT off and establishing communications from the hill. Within a quarter of a mile of the LZ, they abandoned their approach, the SGT badly wounded, both crew members wounded, the aircraft critically hit, and they made their way to the Dak To Airfield.
On the ground, things were not progressing any better than the rescue attempts. Only Summers with a few grenades and an M16 with four clips, and Bivens with the M60 from the gunner?s well of the helicopter had weapons. With each rescue attempt someone would fly over the LZ, and each time the men would wave, including Al Barthelme. By late morning though, Al had stopped waving and was now laying still, dying from his wounds. The NVA were repeatedly firing at Bivens? and Summers? positions. Several probes had been made by the NVA and each one repelled. By noon, Summers had used both grenades and was out of ammo for the M16. Bivens and the M60 was now their only defense. Enemy positions were less than twenty meters from them on three sides, and the ARVNs had abandoned them. Between engagements with rescue attempts, things would get quiet on the hill. After a few moments of quiet, the NVA would fire into SGT Montana?s body and the radio, as if using him for target practice. Several times shots spat up dirt from between Summers and Miller, or were concentrated on Al Barthelme.
At SOG Headquarters in Kontum, SSG Dennis Neal, the Team Leader for RT Montana, and SSG Michael V. Kuropas, the Team Leader for RT Vermont, had volunteered to form a compliment of Montagnard to serve as a Bright Light team to insert on the LZ and affect a rescue of the downed men. During their briefing, they were informed that the LZ was a real bad one and that it was now known it was a Division Headquarters for the NVA, surrounded by fortified positions. Both men and their Yards were determined to go in, and shortly after noon boarded WO MacDonald?s aircraft and headed for Dak Seang.
The flight of two, with the SF Team, arrived on site just as two F4's from Pleiku strafed the surrounding hillside, and four A1E Skyraiders dropped napalm. Two Air Force Jolly Green Giants from the 37th ARRS, stationed at Da Nang were on station and ready to approach the LZ. The Bikini aircraft who had been on site for hours warned the aircraft that the standard approach they were taking to the LZ was too risky, but the SARs continued to align themselves for approach.
Jolly 27 was in the lead, commanded by CPT Travis Scott. His co-pilot was MAJ Travis Wofford, and Flight Engineer Jerold Hartzel and Pararescueman L.E. Davis were aboard. Jolly 27 reported taking fire at over a quarter of a mile out from eleven o?clock, followed immediately by reports of more fire at two o?clock, and at a quarter mile from 360 degrees. As soon as he reported fire from 360 degrees he proclaimed hydraulics failure, and Jolly 27 dropped into the jungle hillside bursting into flames. Jolly 29 went down to retrieve the crew from Jolly 27 taking crippling fire. They retrieved the body of CPT Travis Scott, who had died of gunshot wounds, and the rest of the crew, Wofford, Hartzel, and Davis. All three were badly burned. Gerald Hartzel later died in the 71st Evac from his wounds. Jolly 29 returned to Pleiku, and the bird was scrapped as beyond repair due to damage from the volume of fire taken.
WO MacDonald with the Bright-Light Team, and WO James Lake were both circling at a high altitude above the LZ watching the attempts by SAR. Another Bikini decided to make a run for it. This time the crew had donned full body armor and laid Breast Plates under their seats and in the nose bubble of the aircraft to protect the pilots. They came close to the LZ, but were forced to abort and with their engine on fire. They crash landed in a small clearing southeast of the LZ. Another Bikini was able to follow them in and extract the crew safely.
Radio communications between aircraft was depressing. No one could figure how to breach the fire power of the NVA to get to the LZ. To make the situation even more dangerous, bad weather was moving in and dark clouds were starting to form. Soon, the weather would render any attempts impossible. Bill MacDonald declared he was going in.
MacDonald was flying the aircraft. Sitting beside him as co-pilot was WO Tom Bennie. After notifying Neal, Kuropas, and the crew they were going in, Macdonald dropped the Huey into a steep dive and headed to the valley floor. WO Jim Lake with WO John Kenny, copilot, was right behind them as chase ship. MacDonald leveled off above the valley floor, staying low and fast up the side of the mountain to the LZ. Immediately he reported extensive fire from 360 degrees, but he pressed on. As he reached the LZ, MacDonald was taking extremely heavy concentrated small arms and RPD fire from all sides. Behind him, Neal, Kuropas, and the entire Montagnard Team lay dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
As the bird slammed into the LZ, Summers, Miller, and Davies ran for MacDonald?s ship. Behind them a squad of NVA broke through the jungle and into the clearing, firing and pursuing them towards the bird. On the other side, Bivens, in the crashed helicopter, opened fire with the M60 against another squad of NVA who also rushed towards the second downed Bikini from the opposite side. On their way to the rescue ship Summers was struck twice more, once in the lower back and another creased his left leg. Davies received multiple wounds as he sprinted to MacDonald?s ship, and finally collapsed inside with bullets in his jaw, hands, and back.
Miller in the meantime was unscathed. He helped Davies aboard the aircraft, and then got back off and returned to Al Barthelme?s body, grabbing him by the left arm and hoisting him up, dragging his body towards the aircraft. Miller was screaming for someone to help and Summers started off the aircraft, but was knocked back inside by the Crew Chief who was still firing steadily into the advancing NVA. Summers grabbed a weapon from one of the Montagnard bodies and started joining in the firing at advancing NVA on the opposite side of the ship.
While this was going on, MacDonald and Bennie were calmly working at keeping the aircraft together under the increasing barrage of fire, holding on to allow the men on the LZ time to board. The advancing NVA were sending a wall of bullets through the canopy attempting to take out the two pilots, and the interior echoed with the sounds of bullets ripping the floor, walls, windshield, and instrument panel. Tom Bennie caught a round along the underside of both legs, cutting a severe grove through his legs and taking a large gash from his rear.
When MacDonald landed he had 1100 pounds of fuel, forty-five seconds later, he calmly reported he was down to 400 pounds of fuel and was lifting off . He had waited until the last possible moment. Fuel was pouring out of a large hole in the fuel cell, and the barrage of small arms fire was threatening their ability to lift off. Faced with no alternative, MacDonald pulled up and nose the aircraft over the side of the mountain. He immediately reported to Lake that he had lost all tailrotor control. Unknown to MacDonald, an unexploded B40 rocket had wedged in the boom, and frozen tailrotor controls. Banking to the south, he aimed the crippled aircraft towards the Dak Seang compound.
As MacDonald?s aircraft left the LZ, Bivens, still in the crashed aircraft?s gunner?s well, covered the extraction by laying down a steady wall of fire at advancing NVA. Roger Miller had been unable to get aboard before MacDonald was forced to leave the LZ.
As MacDonald, followed by Lake, flew through the valley towards Dak Seang, the aircraft continued to take ground fire. Both door gunners were laying down continuous fire. Davies lay behind the left seat shot up and unable to move, while Summers was to the right next to SSG Dennis Neal who was sitting slumped against the back of the pilots seat. Summers recognized Neal from his SOG missions , and he tried to revive him but quickly realized he was dead. He grabbed another weapon from the floor and continued to assist in returning fire to the ground as MacDonald began to approach Dak Seang.
Lake followed MacDonald through the valley, and swung around to approach Dak Seang from the opposite direction as MacDonald. On approach both aircraft came under heavy concentrated small arms fire. Lake landed nose to nose with MacDonald and watched as bodies fell out of the aircraft from the crew doors. Bullets shattered the windshield, and ripped through the instrument panel. The two Bikini rescue aircraft had landed in the middle of a ground attack, and hundreds of hard corp NVA were within 100 meters of their position firing and advancing.
Summers exited MacDonald?s aircraft and stumbled in between the two birds and stopped, turning and frowning at the NVA shooting at them. John Kemper, who was prior Special Forces on his third tour in Vietnam, exited Lake?s aircraft and directed Summers towards Lake?s ship, and Summers stumbled over and boarded Lake?s aircraft. Later Summers told Lake and others he was standing between the two helicopters thinking that was just his luck, to be rescued from the hill only to take part in a major ground attack. Kemper ran to MacDonald?s ship and grabbed Davies, carrying him back to Lake?s bird.
The attacking NVA concentrated their fire on Lake?s aircraft which was positioned between them and the camp defenses. As his crew loaded wounded, Lake watched bullets flying through his aircraft instrument panel, while outside bullets kicking up dirt all around his crew and the wounded men. Lake was taking constant direct hits on his aircraft.
In the meantime, Bennie had managed to get unstrapped, and fell out of the door of his helicopter and onto the ground, injured far worse than he had realized, he was having trouble standing or walking. He and MacDonald finally managed to dive into a nearby bunker.
With his aircraft full of wounded, and under a barrage of small arms fire, Lake was able to lift off from Dak Seang, and headed for the 71st Evac in Pleiku. He turned and surveyed the wounded, and was surprised to discover Al Barthelme was not among them. Until that point, he had believed both Barthelme and Miller had gotten off with MacDonald?s aircraft. Summers informed him that Barthelme was dead, and that Miller and Bivens were still on the LZ.
Lake delivered the wounded men at the 71st Evac in Pleiku, and immediately took off again, returning to LZ Orange. His intent was to make another extraction attempt of Miller and Barthelme. Lake arrived over Dak Seang as nightfall was settling over the valley. The weather had moved into the LZ rendering any extraction attempt impractical. With the knowledge there was no hope for another attempt to rescue the remaining men at LZ Orange, Lake returned to Kontum Airfield.
WO Miller was captured by the Viet Cong and eventually moved to Hanoi and was released in Operation Homecoming in March 1973. When he was released, he reported that he and Bivens had spent the night on the LZ and on the morning of April 16 attempted to return to friendly lines. At an unknown location they were ambushed by two enemy squads. WO Miller saw that Bivens had been wounded in the chest 5 or 6 times by small arms fire. After their capture they were separated and given medical attention. The last Miller saw of Bivens was when he was taken from the site of the ambush on a stretcher. At that time, Bivens was still undergoing medical treatment. About four days later, the camp commander where Miller was being held told him that Bivens had died about 2 hours after capture. On April 29, 1970, a U.S. search and recovery team was able to examine the crash site and recover the remains of WO Barthelme and SGT. Montana. The only identifiable thing about Barthelme was the green St. Mary's County-shirt he wore. Herndon Bivens has been missing nearly 20 years and there can be no question that the Vietnamese know precisely what happened to him, but they deny any knowledge of his fate. Further, even though WO Miller knew that Bivens had been captured, Bivens is classified Missing in Action rather than the more appropriate category of Prisoner of War. His name did not appear on Henry Kissinger's discrepancy case list at the end of the war.
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