Cleared Hot: When Duty Called, BAT-21

The scope and range of battle in Vietnam would be unlike any other that the United States had previously fought. First and foremost, the terrain proved to be a problem. The thick tripe canopy jungle terrain was the primary impediment for field artillery forward observers to adjust fires. Insecure roadways as well as the terrain caused field artillery units to be resupplied by air which made American resupply aircrafts and resupply efforts even more susceptible to enemy aircraft fire. Sometimes enemy aircraft fire was so thick, American resupply planes had to abort missions. This caused field artillery units to conserve their ammunition, limiting the amount of ordinance that could be fired in support of the infantry in the midst of a firefight.

Elusiveness was a key strategy for the enemy that American G.I.'s could not see. Therefore, while engaging the enemy, ground commanders had a small window of opportunity to call in maximum firepower to decimate the enemy before the engagement was broken off by enemy forces. Fratricide, or "friendly fire" also became a problem as oftentimes, ordinance was dropped too close. Ground commanders needed for ordinance to be precisely dropped on target. Enter the Foward Air Controller and the O-2 Super Cessna aka, "O-Deuce" or "Mr. Push & Pull".

Primarily pilots conducted visual reconnaissance missions to gather intelligence on enemy activities. Additionally, they flew close air support strike missions to assist ground forces. They also directed combat search and rescue operations for downed pilots and air interdiction strikes along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Additional duties of FAC included escorting supply truck convoys and participating in covert operations.

The O-1G, a two-seat observation and liaison aircraft, evolved from the commercial Cessna Model 170 in 1949. Initially designated as L-19s, these Bird Dogs served the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps in roles like artillery spotting, frontline communications, medical evacuation, and pilot training. Due to its slow speed, susceptibility to enemy fire, limited range, and small payload capacity, the single-engine O-1 was eventually superseded by the twin-engine O-2 Skymaster.

In late 1966, the U.S. Air Force chose a military version of the Cessna Model 337 Super Skymaster, known as the O-2, to support the O-1 Bird Dog forward air control aircraft in Vietnam.

Characterized by its dual tail booms and side-by-side engine configuration, the aircraft boasted a unique tractor-pusher propeller design. The twin-engine setup allowed the O-2 to sustain more ground fire and still make it back to base, earning the trust of its crew. The O-2's maiden flight occurred in January 1967, with production deliveries commencing in March. Cessna manufactured two variants: the O-2A and the O-2B. The O-2A was equipped with wing pylons for rockets, flares, and additional light ordnance. In its role as a Forward Air Control (FAC) aircraft, the O-2A pinpointed and marked enemy positions with smoke rockets, managed air strikes, and assessed damage to targets. Regarding armaments, it was outfitted with two LAU-59 rocket pods housing 2.75-inch FEAR rockets, flares, 7.62mm mini-gun pods, and other light ordnance on four wing pylons. The O-2 Skymasters also served as psychological warfare platforms, fitted with loudspeakers and devices for dispensing propaganda leaflets.

In 1966, USAF pilots with a minimum of six months of combat experience in South Vietnam as forward air controllers were eligible to apply for the classified Steve Canyon Program. Using the call sign Raven, these pilots mostly flew unmarked armed Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs, wore civilian clothes, and carried no military identification. They supported indigenous troops in Laos opposing North Vietnamese invaders, and often flew with "back seaters" or Robins, provided by local commanders.

The Ravens were stationed in all five of the Military Regions (MR) within Laos. At most, only twenty-one Ravens were allowed in country at any given time due to the secrecy of the program and the need to minimize America’s involvement.

During the war, 192 USAF officers served as Ravens with twenty-two Ravens killed in action. No Raven was ever taken prisoner. However, their loss rate was near twelve percent, one of the highest for any USAF unit during the war.

We get to see a real-life depiction of the O-2 in action in the epic film, "Apocalypse Now", where Martin Sheen's character, "Colonel Gilgore", orders an air assault on a Viet Cong village. It is here where we see the O-2 pilot communicate and coordinate a napalm attack between Air Force F5 pilots and with the ground commander, Colonel Gilgore who is providing command and control from a UH-1 Huey. It was the job of the Skymaster pilot to get a closer bird's eye view of Viet Cong enemy positions and mark those positions with white phosphorous. With the target effectively marked, the jets providing close air support were then able to strafe a large area, thus decimating the enemy force.

Perhaps the most up close and personal depiction of the trials, tribulations, and often triumphs of an O-2 pilot was depicted in the 1988 motion picture BAT-21. In the final days of the Vietnam War during the Easter Offensive, USAF Lieutenant Colonel Iceal E. "Gene" Hambleton, call sign BAT-21 Bravo, was aboard an EB-66C electronic warfare aircraft performing electronic countermeasures ahead of a significant bombing operation. Also on the ill-fated mission was BAT-22. Suddenly, several SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) were fired from North Vietnam, aiming at their aircraft. A large SAM detonation ripped off the tail of the aircraft, and Hambleton, serving as the navigator, ejected and became the only survivor among the six-man crew.

Lieutenant Colonel Hambleton who was 53 years old at the time of the ordeal, was an expert in electronic weapons systems with valuable knowledge, is recognized by the North Vietnamese, who launch a comprehensive search to capture him. Time is critical. Firstly, the chances of recovery for a downed airman still within enemy territory after four hours plummet to below 20 percent. Secondly, Hambleton's high rank and extensive 29-year service mean he possesses a trove of classified information valuable to the North Vietnamese. Multiple rescue attempts are made for Hambleton. He establishes radio contact with Captain Bartholomew "Birddog" Clark, played by the renowned actor Danny Glover, who is piloting a Cessna O-2 Skymaster on a forward air control mission near the downed EB-66's location. Birddog becomes Hambleton's lifeline for rescue. Given Hambleton's status as high-value personnel, the enemy is determined to capture him, matched only by the U.S. forces' determined rescue efforts.

In the film adaptation, two helicopters are downed, resulting in the death or capture of crew members. The movie accurately depicts the cat-and-mouse missions flown by O-2 pilots. It is the first cinematic representation of SERE training being put to the test, as Hambleton uses his intelligence and knowledge to escape. Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) is a three-week, once-in-a-career training to understand the limits and emergency procedures (EP) related to isolation events and reintegration with friendly forces. Hambleton, aware that enemy forces are in pursuit, discovers that his would-be rescuer, Clark, also plays golf. Utilizing golf terminology, unfamiliar to the Vietnamese, he communicates with Clark about potential terrain features and extraction points, baffling his potential captors.

Just as with other military movies when "Hollywood goes to war", many elements of the film are dramatic presentations, based on an actual event. In reality, Danny Glover's character is a composite character based on several forward air controllers involved in the rescue mission. However, Captain Larry Potts, the Marine officer shot down in an OV-10 Bronco was in fact an African American. The film ultimately conveys the message of the entire rescue mission. It gave an inside view of what the Vietnam War was like from an aviator's point of view. Furthermore, it showed the multi-service cohesion in their attempt to rescue a downed pilot in honor of leaving no man behind. No other film such as BAT-21 had been made. This film was released only a couple of years after iconic films such as Iron Eagle and Top Gun which gave pilots a sense of rockstar appeal. Especially considering those who lost their lives seeking to rescue LTC Hambelton, BAT-21 however showed the painful truth that war is hell.

In the movie, Clark seizes control of a helicopter to carry out a rescue operation. However, as he retrieves Hambleton, they are shot down by ground fire, leaving Clark injured. Their journey through the jungle is both aided and obstructed by an F-100 bombing raid, while being pursued by North Vietnamese forces. Ultimately, Hambleton and Clark are saved by a US Navy patrol boat on the Cam Lo River. The film depicts the rescue mission as lasting three to four days, but in reality, it spanned over 11 days. This delay led to a significant attack being postponed, causing many South Vietnamese soldiers to be killed or injured. Additionally, a Forward Air Observer aircraft was downed, with USAF 1st Lt Bruce Walker and USMC 1st Lt Larry Potts parachuting safely and evading capture. A subsequent rescue attempt resulted in the deaths of six more Americans.

The North Vietnamese, alerted by the intense efforts to find the flyer, increased their efforts to find Hambleton. Walker was discovered and killed by the Vietnamese forces. During a covert nighttime operation more than 2 miles behind enemy lines, Hambleton was rescued in a land operation by US Navy Seal Lt. j.g. Thomas R. Norris and Vietnam Navy Petty Officer Third Class Nguyen Van Kiet. A very detailed account of this daring rescue effort can be read in the book, "The Rescue Of Bat-21) written by Darrel D. Whitcomb. This book, according to some delves deeper int the mistakes and miscommunications that hampered the efforts to extract LTC Hambleton. Interestingly, this book was written two decades after the incident, made possible by the release of classified documents concerning the whole nature of the initial bombing run and the extraction. For an additional understanding of the entire ordeal, Whitcomb's book should be read simultaneously with BAT-21 by William C. Anderson.

Skymaster pilots had to conduct their mission and objective by coordinating with Army or even Marine ground units, and Army helicopters and Air Force jets, often times on three different channels, while being shot at. This required a certain mindset. Serving as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam was among the most perilous military occupations of the era. During the Vietnam War, the military deployed 12,000 helicopters, with over 5,000, nearly half, being lost. A pilot's average survival time was just 30 days. The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association reports that 11,846 helicopters were either shot down or crashed, leading to the deaths of nearly 5,000 American pilots and crew members. Out of these casualties, 2,382 service members perished while operating the UH-1 Iroquois. Fixed winged scout pilots such as those in O-1 and O-2 aircraft faired only slight better. Either way, it required a certain mental profile to be an effective pilot in such aircraft given the nature of the missions that they flew.

It required pilots with nerves of steel, like the former 148th Fighter Wing Commander, retired Brig. Gen. Kenneth J. Stromquist. Stromquist's extensive military career spanned 31 years, serving in both the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. His early service began at III Corps, South Vietnam, where he flew as an O-2 Skymaster pilot with the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS). The 19th TASS's role was to provide visual and photographic reconnaissance, as well as airborne forward air control of fighter aircraft. Their operations encompassed combat support liaison, adjustment of artillery and naval gunfire, forward air control of helicopters, and escort for convoys and trains. The O-2 Skymaster Stromquist piloted often faced gunfire, especially during low-altitude reconnaissance missions, making it a prime target for enemy forces. Stromquist once nonchalantly recounted an incident when a projectile struck his front engine, causing it to lose all its oil, yet he managed to safely land the plane.

During his 1970 deployment to South Vietnam, Stromquist logged roughly 400 combat hours. His tour was prematurely ended due to injuries from enemy ground fire. For his valiant service in Vietnam, Stromquist was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, and other commendations. The O-2 Skymaster flown by General Stromquist is now on display in front of the unit he was commanded. It serves as a now silent but living testimony to the bravery and skill of young men at the time who were more than willing to fly into harm's way, to aid and assist those in the thick of battle.

It also took O-2 pilots such as Jerry Coy, commissioned out of college after enrolled in Air Force ROTC. In the Air Force he served as a tactical air support pilot as well as a forward air controller (FAC) to direct ground troop movements from the air. Stationed in Laos, his unit was operating on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the main supply line network for North Vietnamese troops and supplies coming into South Vietnam from the North. His objective was to direct ground troop movements from the air in his O-2. He was assigned to a US Army Green Beret group.

One such group was surrounded by the enemy. The thick jungle hampered an extraction by helicopter. It took innovation by Coy flying overhead and dropping all available ordinance in an area just a few hundred feet away from the seemingly ill-fated infantrymen. The ordinance disposed by Coy was sufficient to clear enough vegetation for a helicopter to hover and lift the men, including one who was injured, out by arresting wire. Despite being under attack by the encircling and enclosing enemy force, the extraction was completed in under an hour. Coy received the Silver Star for his valor, the second-highest military decoration awarded to a service member, an uncommon recognition for those serving in Laos, where U.S. military involvement was not acknowledged. The secrecy surrounding American operations in Laos delayed the awarding of a deserved Medal of Honor to one of Coy's peers until the mission details were eventually declassified.

There are numerous books, films, and documentaries that herald and highlight the heroic exploits of pilots who flew in Vietnam. These aircrafts were an extension of those who had to in some cases, write a new doctrine of air warfare as they went along. Vietnam will always be regarded as, "The unpopular war". Those who served as well as those on the home front during that era will forever be divided, depending on who you speak to. One thing is for certain, all gave some, and some gave all. There is one book in particular that shows the ever-revolving door of how veterans saw themselves in the thick of a war that polarized an entire nation and left so many wondering, "what was I actually doing in Vietnam?".

"The Long Return" offers a compelling and meticulously narrated account of a U.S. Air Force Forward Air Controller's experiences during the Vietnam War. It explores his journey as a pilot and his efforts to understand the changing American attitudes by studying history and the transformation of military action into a tool of political agenda. His introspection serves as a way to adapt and come to terms with these changes, leading to his personal reconciliation and the completion of his "long return" from Vietnam. Upon returning to the United States post-service, Col. David O. Scheiding, like many Vietnam veterans, faced significant anti-war and anti-military sentiments from the public, contrasting sharply with the welcome given to World War II veterans. Scheiding recounts his personal reaction to this dramatic shift in the American public's view of the Vietnam War.

Located inside of the Birmingham Southern Museum Of Flight rests an O-2 Skymaster from the Vietnam War. Although silent, it speaks volumes. It reflects a time where young men answered the call to push the envelope of military aviation further and under the most dire and stressful conditions and circumstances. Given the nature of the task at hand, those who flew the Skymaster saw themselves as a special breed of pilots. Although fixed wing, they were a far cry from that of their fellow jet jockey counterparts. Many painted the Peanuts character "Snoopy", or "The Flying Ace", who managed to get his doghouse to fly while fighting imaginary WWI pilots such as the Red Baron. This was a nod to the old adage that, "with enough thrust, anything can fly". The uniform and equipment used by LTC Hambleton now rests in the US Air Force Museum, serving as a living testament to the human will to survive. The entire ordeal of BAT-21 would go down in history as the most daring rescue of the entire Vietnam War.