Page 10 - DFCS News Magazine Spring 2014

I flew 194 combat missions as a door gunner on UH-1E Huey heli- copter in Vietnam. My choice of missions was either “Medevac” or
“Recon inserts/extracts”. These types of missions most always of- fered plenty of “Trigger Time” for the gunners.
On 18 December 1968, I got more trigger time than I had bargained for. We, Lt. Randy Logan (pilot) VMO-2, Lt. Charles Burkhart (co- pilot) HMH-463, GySgt. William (Bill) Cox (gunner) VMO-2 and Cpl. David Gonzales (crew chief/ gunner) HML-167 were assigned mede- vac-escort. We had already flown several missions out of Marble Mountain and were enroute for a “priority” medevac and, we were diverted to an “emergency” medevac located on a cliff at the Hy Von Pass. The medevac was number 5x-ray and, the call sign was “Rummage 14-Charlie” and was located in the AT9194 grid square along the road north of the Hy Von Pass.
By Bill Cox
for him and, I told Lt. Logan that I didn’t think he would last long enough to make it back to the Naval Hospital. Lt. Logan made the decision to head for the USS Repose, a hospital ship that was just off shore. This was another one of those “oh s..t” situations! Lt. Logan had never landed a helicopter on a helo pad of a ship, in a “gun ship” with “hot ordnance”, with a crew-chief straddled on a rocket pod and it was dark! Lt. Burkhart was able to talk Lt. Logan onto the pad and. we landed without a problem. I had the young Marine cradled in my arms and. as I handed him to the ship per- sonnel. I realized that he had died in my arms.
Cpl. Gonzales was able to get back inside of the aircraft and, we returned to Marble Mountain. Upon landing at Marble, I took stock of the ordnance that we had expended (I was the ordnance Non Commissioned Officer In Charge of VMO-2) and found that we expended about 3000 rounds of 7.62mm ammo and 25 rock- ets. The thing that I DID NOT FIND was, there was not one bullet hole in our Huey!
After I returned to the good ol’ USA, I received the Distinguished Flying Cross for my part in the action. As for the other crew mem- bers, I don’t know what they received. I do know that Cpl. Gonza- les was later shot down and his body was never recovered. How- ever, Sgt. Gonzales name can be found on “The Wall” on Panel 12 W, Line 029.
Our approach to the “LZ” was from the ocean side where a squad-size Marine unit was pinned down by heavy machine gun and RPG fire. The LZ was on a road with an overhang that provided the Marines with limited protection. As we
approached the mountain, all hell broke loose on my side of the air- craft. The whole mountain side was filled with “muzzle flashes” and tracers coming up. All along the road the VC had set off different col- ors of smoke grenades to try to suck us into the wrong place. At the time, I was the only one that could return fire and, I was not doing a lot of good with my lone M60 machine gun. As we headed into the zone to try to suppress the enemy fire, we were greeted with heavy automatic machine gun fire. We did this three times, firing our rock- ets and machine guns. I was able to silence a heavy machine gun that was located within 15 meters of the pinned down Marines. Each time we went in, it got worse. It was getting dark and, we had to get the show on the road and get out of there.
Our play-mate was a CH-46D and, they were to make the pickup; but the LZ was too small for them to land. It was decided that WE would have to make the pickup and, my first reaction to this was “oh-s..t”! At the angle that we had to approach the LZ, we could not use our external fixed guns and rockets. Cpl. Gonzales and I had removed our M60 from the mounts and, we were hanging out the side doing our “John Wayne” act. When we landed, our right skid was on the road, the belly of the Huey resting on a culvert, and the left skid on my side has hanging out in thin air with a sheer drop off of about 600-800 feet straight down and, our rotor blades were within 6-8 inches of a rock wall and bushes! Cpl. Gonzales jumped out and was firing up the mountain to give me cover to go get the wounded Marine. The ground around us looked like heavy rain drops hitting a puddle of water from bullet impacts! I got the medevac into the Huey and laid him across our seats and ,I got on top of him to keep him from falling out on lift-off. I started pulling Gonzales in by his gunner’s belt but, there was no room for him inside and he had to straddle the rocket pod. Lt. Logan lifted off about a foot high and dropped off sideways down the cliff. I was laying on the medevac holding him with my legs and, I was firing my M60 within inches of Gonzales face. I had a burn- ing pain all along my right arm and I thought I was shot, but on a closer look I found expended brass had gone down the sleeve of my flight suit. By this time I had run out of ammo and, we had leveled off and were getting the hell out of there!
I turned my attention to the wounded Marine and did what I could
William H. Cox, Gunnery Sergeant, USMC. The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism and
extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving with Ma- rine Observation Squadron Two, Marine Aircraft Group Sixteen, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 18 December 1968, Gunnery Sergeant Cox was the Aerial Gunner aboard an armed UH-1E helicopter assigned to support an emergency medical evacuation mission deep in hostile territory. Arriving over the des- ignated area, he quickly located the friendly unit, and positioning his machine gun, delivered effective suppressive fire against enemy positions. When the CH-46 transport helicopter was unable to land in the confined area, Gunnery Sergeant Cox assisted in maneuvering his small gunship into a precarious landing on a ledge jutting over the zone and quickly prepared for the evacuation. With complete disregard for his own safety, he unhesitatingly moved out of the helicopter and carried the criti-
cally wounded Marine aboard. As
his helicopter lifted out of the
perilous zone and proceeded to a
nearby hospital ship, Gunnery
Sergeant Cox worked tirelessly
as he administered lifesaving
first aid to his wounded compan-
ion. His heroic actions inspired
all who served with him and
contributed immeasurably to the accomplishment of the hazardous mission. Gunnery Sergeant Cox's courage, bold initiative and self- less devotion to duty at great personal risk were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. William H. Cox is a member of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society.
Spring 2014 Issue Page 10