crew from downed chopper @ litts

[harley hawkins]

Jim I tried to send you the e-mail sent to me by Chuck Ogle but it kept being returned.

I just got off the phone with the commander of dustoff 61 that was shot down at litts trying to get our wounded out of there March 9th 1968.
His name was Chuck Ogle from Kearney, Nebraska

He was commander and the crew was, Paul Mancina and Blackwell medic. After they were shoot down he was upside down and had to cut himself loose and fell to the bottom and clawed out the back door. He ran to our perimeter were two of our guys went back with him to get the rest of the crew. When they got back someone helped him get his helmet off and he had a bad headache as he had been shot in the head by a ak47. Paul had 31 broken bones in his face and was sent to Japan.Chuck was sent to 67 Evac hospital to recover and while there a captain from the 1st and 50th brought his helmet to him full of drit,hair and blood. Chuck went on to train pilots and retired from the Army he said he always carried that helmet in his flight bag.
Paul was sent back to Nam after he healed up and frist mission back was shot down again and shot in the leg three times. He left the service.

If anyone would like to talk to Chuck his e-mail is ogle.dustoff61@gmail.com

Great guy and the crew that night was about as brave as it gets.

Harley Mick Hawkins

[Jim Sheppard]

Most of you do not know I have begun to assemble bits and pieces of individual remembrances of this battle. A battle map is in the formative process with the locations of various elements noted. In fact, I am developing folders for every major contact the battalion encounted in it's entire 3+ years in Vietnam. Those of you who are aware have probably already contacted me & we have exchanged information...that is...you have "filled me in" on your experiences. Up until a few years ago, all I had was Rigo Ordaz's account....which was used as a base to begin collecting personal accounts. I have quite a few of the General Orders for Awards for the battle, but probably not all.

Mick, I will print out this message board note on the crew of the downed chopper....and contact "Chuck". for a personal account.

Good stuff Mick. Thanks for sharing it with us!