On one one rather nasty day near a ville called "Ap Se Quan" (southwest of Quang Tri and just off of the "Street Without Joy"), I had two resupply birds (CH-46s) shot out of our LZ spurting hydraulic fluid from holes in virtually every location in the aircraft due to a couple of hits by an RPG (rocket propelled grenade - a sorta' NVA version of the 3.5" rocket launcher). The hits had resulted in 17 casualties and yet the birds stayed to allow the wounded to be loaded aboard before leaving. Later that afternoon while still under intense fire, the birds returned because they knew that we were essentially out of ammunition, and hazarded the flying rounds (many directed to themselves) to bring assistance. At that point we were down to one belt per M60 and about five mortar rounds per gun. The M16s still had plenty of ammo, they just wouldn't shoot it!
What was never told of that afternoon, is that they came back of their own accord, as the higher brass decided that we were a "write off", and would not order the birds back into the zone. The CH-46 drivers came on their own without any air cover and saved our rather grateful fannies. To say that we had a great affection for Marine Air in general and the CH-46 gents in particular would be the understatement of the century. We loved those guys.
Вкраце - подразделение морпехов во Въетнаме было эвакуировано вертолетчиками по собственной инициативе(вернулись второй раз, после того как в первый забрали раненых), поскольку командование решило что "их уже не спасти" и приказха на эвакуацию не отдало.
Подробнее о службе во Въетнаме автора можно почитать в "The Saga of the M16 in Vietnam":
