Lancers first combat assault as a unit

Ben Peeples Lancer 11 from March 1969 until Dec 1969

Combat assault Cam Lo. This was The Lancers first combat assault as a unit. Arthur Smith was Killed.  I believe John Scarlett was burned and did not come back to the Unit.

I made this tape by putting a microphone in my helmet and recorded it on a small reel to reel tape.  My brother got it transcribed Dec. of 2022, as a Christmas present, and I listened to it the first time 53 years after the events.

At 104:21 I dictated a postscript that is much easier to understand and gives a summary of the day’s events.

I have Copyright on this tape and am hereby granting any former Lancer the right to use and duplicate it.

Ben’s Mission Numbers refer to minutes on tape.

1:20 Lancer 47 and 52 doing commo checks.

3:23 “Lancer ???, this is Red 23”

4:27 “Blue” in conversation

5:23 “lancer 3, I identify yellow smoke.”

5:50 Where do you want us to park?

7:38 Me telling Ward (my crew chief) every time these gooks get off to look under the seats to make sure they have not left a grenade.

8:00 Telling the crew to keep an eye on the ARVN when they get off as one in the delta turned around and shot the door gunner.

10:00-10:47 Ward, do you know if this aircraft has a baffle plate to block the deicer air from going back into the intake.  When I turn deicer on supposed to get a rise in EGT but that is not happening.  I wonder if the deicer is already leaking back into the intake.

 12;12 Lance 6 telling 26 “shut down at Cam Lo.  See what the original plan for refuel was.

13:  Lancer 11 (e) on UHF telling Redskin that I think Lancer 26 might be on Quang Tri UHF

15- 23 Radio traffic with control tower at Quang Tri.   Talking about using taxiways, cleared for takeoff, etc.

24:30-24:50 Lancer 3 and Alpha 6 discussing delay and I comment that they are screwing up having the guns orbit because they are going to run out of gas.

25:48 Me.  The guns will run out of fuel before we will.

28: Lancer 6 calling Lancer flight followed by some talk, maybe me, following a road toward the Rock Pile for a place to land.   Lancer 6 calling Blue Lead for position.

29:49 Me telling Ward not to shoot where we are landing, but if he sees anyone on a nearby hill  he should go ahead and shoot at them.  Not supposed to be any friendlies in the area.

30:49 Lancer 3 to 2 Alpha, start your prep.  2. Alpha replies “we are orbit the PZ at this time.

31:56 2 Alpha, we will pick up your red element when they takeoff.

33:36 “Lancer 6 this is Blue Lead I am on a 1/2 mile final.”

33: 45-50.  Conversations, _________ Lead and Red Lead trying to figure out what to do.   

34:26 Lancer 6 are you shut down in the PZ or are you still running?

34:46  Me.  This is a screwup up operation Ward.  Can’t get off the PZ the first time without blowing it.

35:26 Me.   They can’t find the LZ.

36.2    Give everybody a watch.  Rant caused by confusion as all leaders are new in country and don’t know what they are doing.

38:54 Blue Lead, Blue 5, you are loaded with 5.

39.   Lancer 6 is our commander.

39:15 I ask for torque reading and N1 tach reading

.

39:45 If we don’t have a mid-air we will be lucky

40:16 Lancer 6 this is Challenger, one of our birds is down in the LZ

41:43 Confusion as to where the LZ is.   “I think I see where the LZ is.  Yellow smoke”.

41.5 Rockets

44.00 Me telling crew to keep eyes open.

45:30 Still confused about LZ location.

45.49 High performance going in.  Me ‘I hope the fuckers run over them”.  Note I am frustrated that the leaders are wasting time, can’t find the LZ, etc.

45:46 A helicopter burning on that other hill.

46.20 Keep the BS from Challenge and Wild Turkey off the radio, Me ranting to Ward and co-pilot about poor radio discipline.  

49.26 Lancer 3 Red Skin 13 (?) conversation about a 46 (Marine helicopter) burning with people around the area.  Get a Med Evac or something.

50:02 Me.  They don’t have the GD experience to know what to do.  (Rant about poor leadership),

51.56 How many do we have?  “8 sir”.  (our passengers).

52:56 Lancer 3, Redskin 13, see a man on the ground waving a yellow flag, or yellow shirt or something.   Still burning some rounds going off.  Lancer 3 (?) I am trying to contact someone right now.

53:37 ME. “He’s got 10 fucking ships and does not have the balls to divert one of them to save people who are dying.”  (another leadership critique by me).

54.12  Lancer 3 and Lancer 6 conversation about the Marines have it. 

55:29 Lancer 3, Whiskey 13, it looks like the Marines have it well in hand.  They have a gun team and a 46 just set down in the LZ.

56:21 US Charlie Charlie over the LZ at this time

56:50 Clear right, clear left, repeatedly, (I am probably landing)

56.54 Redskin (probably a gun ship) Low pass reports someone with a yellow shirt or flag and the helicopter is still burning.

56.43 Air strike starts.  I am on the ground at idle, listening to the airstrike.

58:13 I am rolling in now (Air Strike) (I am on the ground with my engine running as I wanted to hear what the jets were saying while they were putting in the Air Strike.  The FAC and fighter conversations are clear, and I have not transcribed them.

59,40 Air strike continues. 

59.47 Me.  “first ship was John Scarlett

100.44  Bird down on hill side.

102.31  More fighters checking in “at 20.”

104:12 Fighters talking.   “Wait one, wait one, don’t shoot.  My back seat advises got a patrol out here.

104:21   Postscript starts.   Me talking.  We formed up at Evans, refueled at Quang Tri, then to the PZ where we started out first combat assault (as a unit.)  A Marine 46 landed on a mine and we took their mission.  We had released all but 6 of our ships.   I was in #6.  (You might ask why I, being the most experienced of the Lancers flying that day was in the last ship.   I can tell you if you want to call me.  843-364-1011)

Our first ship in also hit a mine.  (This happens when there is no artillery prep.)  Arthur Smith was killed.  

We sent in a 2nd ship to look for other survivors.  I insisted there were none and I had sat on the ground for a long time when we picked up the one guy.   The second ship got shot down.  (I recall that an RPG went through the tail boom and did not detonate but took out the cables.  The Chase ship picked up that crew.

We tried again.   I was flying chase when Sakenes, elected not to go in as he was taking a lot of fire in the first ship.