TDY to NKP May to October 1965

I brought the Kirtland Det over on a 120 day TDY and arrived at NKP on the 3rd of May. We formed up with other TDY pilots, mechs, and PJs and I became Det CO, by one day of rank over Tom Curtis.

As briefed, our job as Det Prov 2, PARC (mission) was to pickup pilots who bailed out in Thailand, and under special permission, highly classified Laos!

We had three H-43Bs, no armor, no self-sealing tanks, only the 38s and M-16s we brought from the States along with some stuff like the BAR, Thompsons, and Swiss Ks left over from the previous TDY guys.

As fate dealt the deck, J J Taliferro went down on the Black River on 17 May, in NVN and we were asked if we could make it. We did and that became our new job.

Tom and I worked out a dream sheet of what we needed for rescue work in NVN. We determined we needed two engines, guns, armor, IFR, and A-1 Es for suppression and sent our requirements to Saigon!

It was after picking up Rademacher and Wilson, that out of the blue one day around the first week in July, a CH-3C arrives from Ubon with George Martin to find out what their mission was. It sure wasn’t the machine we wanted. They had the 1250 shaft horsepower engines, and a mickey mouse internal, detachable hoist.

After briefing them and as George out-ranked me, I passed command of now, Det 1, 38th ARRS to him. Lt. Col. Krafka, CO, 38th ARRS told me that I was to retain command as the two H-3s were transferred to Rescue, but the Officers and crews were still under TAC. George being a helluva fine guy, with two wars already under his belt, said no sweat, and he ran the H-3s and I was in command overall

The H-3s worked the deep North missions usually with one aircraft and the H-43s handled the panhandle area.

The H-43 guys were extended to 180 days TDY, however I along with the rest of my guys left around 10-12 October just short of the 180 days. (As I remember, Joe Ballinger)