To the Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam

13 The Death of James Arthur Johansen

1 9 1 The Death of James Arthur Johansen 13 January 18, 1968 Throughout late December and early January, the “rumor mills” were spreading the word that the entire 1st Cavalry Division was about to pull out of the II Corps tactical area. No one really believed this until three days ago, when Major Beyer called a meeting in the mess hall. “Today MACV Deputy Commander General Creighton Abrams ordered General Tolson to take the entire division north,” he announced . “The Marines are currently ‘working out’ with fresh NVA divisions that are crossing over the DMZ. There has been increased activity around Khe Sanh outpost as well as the cities of Hue and Quang Tri. This will be an emergency movement in which quick combat deployment is essential. This will be the largest movement of men and materials over this great a distance in such a short time in the history of modern warfare. This movement will be code-named ‘Operation Jeb Stuart.’” “How far north?” came the question. “Beyond the city of Hue. That is all I know right now.” Everyone in the tent is stunned. We know the Bong Son plains AO like our own backyard. Now we will have to learn a whole different territory. I Corps tactical area begins on a line east to west about 100 miles north of LZ English and extends all the way to the DMZ. In the northernmost part of I Corps are three major cities: Hue, which is the provincial capital, Quang Tri, 1 9 2 TO THE LIMIT and Dong Ha. Dong Ha is about as far as you can go without crossing over the DMZ. Quang Tri is about 15 miles south of Dong Ha. Hue is about 20 miles below Quang Tri. This northern area is currently under the command of the Third Marine Division. As soon as the news breaks, random support units of the 1st Cavalry immediately begin pulling out of LZ English. The fighting forces will stay until relieved by the 173rd, which is expected on or before January 20, 1968. We began packing up the day of Beyer’s announcement, and we will depart as soon as daylight allows on January 20. This is what the 1st Cavalry has been bred for—emergency deployment over a large territory. This will be another test of the airmobile concept of helicopters flying great distances and inserting combat soldiers into battle. Tonight I am mission commander of the last lightning bug mission for the II Corps. Two Hueys will fly the mission, Bug Six and Bug Three, accompanied by two gunships from D Company 229th, whose call sign will be Smiling Tigers. I am aircraft commander for Bug Six, with a relatively new guy named Larry Gold as right seat pilot and crew chief James Kessler and gunner Richard Knott completing the crew. Aircraft commander for Bug Three is Tom Burgess, and his crew includes Ingamar Johansen as right seat pilot. Their aircraft is Army Huey tail number 66-16800, which belongs to crew chief Lawrence J. Mendes. The gunner for 16800 is William Gasteno. For reasons unknown to me, Sergeant Lloyd E. Thompson has requested to be on board. Tonight, more than ever before, I am uneasy about the mission. Only two nights ago, I awoke from a nightmare yelling at the top of my voice and flailing around on my cot. I had torn my mosquito netting completely down from its perch and had somehow managed to get it wrapped tightly around my throat, restricting my breathing in the process . This gave me the sensation of drowning, which fit into my dream. “Tom, you OK?” Ingamar reached out in the night to grab my elbow and reassure me that I was still in the world. I removed the netting and put both feet on the wooden pallet that separated our cots. “I’m OK,” I replied and groped for my trusty pipe and tobacco. I was shaking so badly that I had trouble holding the match over the bowl. Johansen noticed. I continued to sweat uncontrollably for the next few minutes. I could see Johansen’s face emerge from the dark, spotlighted by the 193 THE DEATH OF JAMES ARTHUR JOHANSEN glow of the tobacco each time I made a long draw through the pipe’s stem. The pipe has become my security blanket, and the nicotine seems to have a tranquilizing...