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War Stories

LZ Sally - ARVN Slick Crash - Dec '72

Brian "Stretch" Harrison

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LZ Sally served as a forward staging and refueling base for both F/4 and D/17 and our pink teams occasionally crossed paths there. At the time F/4 was responsible for the AO from LZ Sally north to the DMZ, and D/17 from LZ Sally south to DaNang, and suppression of DaNang’s “Rocket Belt” (122s).

One day in late December 1972 our F/4 pink team at LZ Sally had just finished refueling (from big rubber bladder fuel bags) when we noticed a lone Huey spiraling down towards us and getting lower, fast. Some of us watched and wondered “what is this cowboy doing”...

All of a sudden he flies over and noses in just past us, aircraft leaning slightly to the left side. It was the first time I had seen a Huey crash in person. Once the blade strikes stopped, out poured a handful of South Vietnamese, some bandaged.

Others from LZ Sally headed over to assist so our pink team pulled pitch and headed north. Wayne Moose (Scout - Loach) overflew and snapped these pictures shown below.

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