a type of mission performed by the Centaurs
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The word Checkmate was used for several different things during the Vietnam War, but the Centaurs used it to describe one of their types of missions. This is where troops, usually with an interpreter and overhead gunship cover, are landed to check out suspicious people, structures or activities. This was mainly the job of the Aerorifle Platoon and could be as few as a four man team or the whole platoon. Sometimes it might be done with a C&C aircraft, our maintenance bird "Stable Boy" or even an unarmed scout OH-23 (not authorized). All were referred to as a "Checkmate" mission.
Mike Vaughn: When I first stated flying as a doorgunner, Jan, 67, we called those missions Roundups. Just a good Cav. name, don’t know or remember why the name was changed. The name, Corral for the helicopter bunkers. When it was time to load up, sometimes the command would be, Saddle Up. We had a Slick named, Stable Boy. I’m sure some of the old guys, like me, remember other examples.
Bob Graham: From Return to the Devil's Playground - Jan1967:
"Checking the personal identification documentation of the local Vietnamese had become a Centaur routine. It was a mission that helped in maintaining stability in the 25th Infantry Division area of operations (AO). The highly motivated Viet Cong (VC) constantly pressured the Vietnamese population to cooperate and capitulate. We could not tell them apart and neither could the Vietnamese authorities without checking their identification. These frequent checkmate operations were routine, but risky."
Tom Fleming (Centaur 6): Checkmate was a common mission in the troop in 1967. Usually involved a rifle platoon squad responding to a sighting of a military age man sighted in a suspicious place. The spot report went to Flight Operations and a slick with a squad of 4 was sent to retrieve the individual. The troop would often have 3 t0 4 teams of Light & Heavy Scouts out at the same time searching. At times the Service Plat would send out Stable boy with a 4 man team of volunteers to search for and capture suspects. The search of the individual involved looking for concealed weapon and proper SVN identification. On the mision that SSG Altenhofen received the Silver Star was a Checkmate that Flt Ops called on Stable Boy to take a squad out and check out a suspect. In route Stable Boy over flew A Troop out by Trung Lap when I observed an exploding M113 below me. I contacted Cpt Drake the Trp Co and went in for casualties and dumped out Sgt Altenhoffen and squad to await my return. His story tells the rest of the story of his Silver Star. Bottom line Checkmate Missions were usually conducted as a troop mission with multiple Aircraft and teams. Often National Police (White Mice) were involved.
Bruce Powell: From letter home Jun 1967: mentions flying Checkmate missions with the Aerorifles
Moose Marcinkowski: What is interesting is that type of mission was not called as Checkmate during my year (7/68-7/69). We did that kind of mission but with no type of mission name assigned.
Michael Peake Historian Report on Checkmate:
DAILY STAFF JOURNAL OR DUTY OFFICER'S LOG 19 January 1967 shows: Item No. 28, 1113 hours, Blaster 30 reports down gun ship at XT655144 sending two APC's to area to secure down gun ship. Item No. 30, 1135 hours, (late entry) D Trp C-35 picked up 5 detainee's and brought them to corrall where SB-2 picked this up (190915) XT713114 taken for IWA. Item No. 31, 1215 hours, D Trp checkmate started 1210 hrs XT708101. Item No. 33, 1320 hours, D Troop checkmate completed 100 people know detanee [sic].
DAILY STAFF JOURNAL OR DUTY OFFICER'S LOG 22 January 1967 shows: Item No. 16, 1518 hours, D Troop began CHKMTE. Item No. 18, 1540 hours, D Troop to scramble A/R to scr dwnd A/C HORNET XT 515985. Item No. 19, 1554 hours, A/R on grnd ref above. Item No. 20, 1654 hours, Dwnd A/C extracted ref msg 18. Item No. LATE, C20 rec 100 rds AW XT4940031 hit rtn fire unk.
DAILY STAFF JOURNAL OR DUTY OFFICER'S LOG 24 January 1967 shows: Item No. 11, 0925 hours, CHECKMATE Abn. Item No. 12, 1015 hours, CHECKMATE on grnd XT718101 det 2 out of 44. Item No. 13, 1050 hours D Trp CHKMTE rec Fire, gunner hit fell out of Acft. Item No. 14, rx frce B Trp alerted. Item No. 15, 1205 hours, B Trp cvy clo TN. Item No. 16, [between 1205 & 1240 hours], D Trp A/R caught man W/rfle ref msg 13. Item No. 17, 1240 hours, D Trp 12 more detainees rtng IPW. Item No. 18, 1240 hours, D Trp 2 WIA U S XT7307 booby trap found SMG cont search. Item No. 19, 1310 hours, B Trp 10 2 U. S. WIA 1 VC WIA XT735082. Item No. 20, 1335 hours D Troop A/C evac to BC [single shooter with AK-47 fired and fatally injured Corporal James "Jimmy" Price Spencer, who fell from the aircraft]. Item No. 26, 1910 hours, C 21 1225 1 VC KIA (BC), rec fire XT 345366 1 hit in rocket motor; 2 VC KIA (BC) XT296332.
DAILY STAFF JOURNAL OR DUTY OFFICER'S LOG 18 February 1967 shows: Item No. 16, 0735 hours, D Trp checkmate and support airborne [no other mention made remainder of month].
No further mention of CHECKMATE for the rest of the month after 24 January. Major operation began 30 January.