I was in charge of one of the recover teams when we where in Viet Nam with HMM-262. We received our first KIA this day. Sgt C. I. Henry was killed by automatic weapons fire while he was helping with a med evac in the Nuni Loc Som area. The aircraft was hit with automatic weapons fire as they lifted off, and they landed near the grunts lines. Another bird picked up the crew and the wounded . We got the word as the bird was approaching Ky Ha . My boss Lt Fogg told me about Sgt Henry and the bird . He told me to round up my crew and get ready to recover the AC. One of my men was really shaken on this as SGT Henry was one of his best friends. He told me he wasn't going, Lt Fogg heard him and right away he wanted to write Sgt Miller up for being a coward. I told Lt Fogg that I would get the man to go just forget about writing him up right now. He told me I had better do that or he would write the man up .

It was all most night and I didn't think they would send us in the dark so I told Charlie Miller "come on we aren't going there tonight just get on the AC when its time". He agreed, so I told LT Fogg we where ready . About that time the pilots came in the line shack and we took off . For a while I was getting kind of scared too because we just kept on going south in the dark. Charlie looked at me and I just shrugged my shoulders . Then you could feel the AC making a 180 I think all of us breathed a sigh of relief.

After we landed Lt Fogg gave Top Karr $5 and told him to get Charlie Miller drunk and talk to him about Henry . He carried out the good Lt.'s orders. The SgMaj sold beer ever day for 10 cents can but you could only have 2 per man but he made an exception that night and sold him 2 cases plus our 2 per man . The other Sgt on my team was Roosevelt Thomas whom I had known for a few years as we where in HMX together . We came to 262 in August of 1965. I was made a section leader and he was in my section . Sgt Henry and Sgt Miller I knew for over a year before we went to Nam the squadron went on a Caribbean cruise in 66. In the Book "Bonnie Sue " you can see a picture of one our AC landing on the boat still with the white paint and no filters .

The next morning Sgt Miller was ready to go, maybe a little hung over, but he was OK . We learned a section of the sync shaft had been hit plus some Hyd lines . We got our stuff together. And the 2 pilots that were to fly it back to Ky Ha weres aboard the AC that took us down there . The pilot told me before we got there not to call them down if we where taking fire. I nodded my head I under stood and we got off the AC. They had sent an avionics man with a FM radio to call the bird down when we where finished . We weren't there but a few minutes when a mortar round landed about 50 yards from us. We looked for the grunts but never did see any, but I'm sure they where there someplace looking out for us. About 10 minutes later another round landed closer this time . They must have been shooting blind and had a long way to carry the shells because it was about 10 minutes in between shots .

We finished the repairs and preflighted the AC. I told the kid with the radio to call for the drivers and he said gunny told them not to call them if we are taking fire . I asked him if he wanted to stay here until that guy gets lucky and hits us - that motivated him . Then I told Sgt Thomas to button it up and start the APP. The other AC landed on the side the mortar
fire was hitting but just as he landed a round went over us and hit on the right side pretty close. I told all the people to get aboard the other AC except Sgt Thomas. One of the pilots came over and told me I shouldn't have called them down, all I said do you want to check the top Sir I checked it myself but if you want I'll have some one open it for you and he said lets
get the hell out of here -those where sweet words . One pilot got the engines started while the other buckled in then the other one buckled up .

After we took off I looked for the grunts but still didn't see any one around the area friend or foe. When we got back to Ky Ha operations called me and asked if it was up . I Told him yes but it stunk pretty bad from all of the blood in the floor boards ( Sgt Hennery had bled to death. We had found his hard hat on the ramp with the visor down and it had 2 interlocking holes in the visor right below the right eye. The pilot that was flying Sgt Henry's plane said Sgt Henry walked to the front of the AC and said he had been hit bad and he told him to lie down on the seat .) Operations told me they needed it right now and that we could clean it when it got back When they returned the pilot grounded the bird because of the smell.

In 1999 HMM 262 Viet Nam vets started operation Rose and that was to put a rose on all our bias from the war . Since Sgt Henry was from Louisiana Jake called some of us to go with him to Franklin to Sgt Henry's home to put a rose on his grave. Major Harvey Britt, Capt. Robert Yeager, Capt.Yeager's wife, Sgt Jacobs, and myself laid a rose on his grave. His mother was still living and jake gave her a rose too. His mother was unable to go to the grave site with us but his sister came with us .