This was in Jan- Feb '66 after or about the same week that Norvell and Hizey were killed. South of the Chu Pong's about 8 or 10 miles was a dry riverbed came into Viet Nam from (?) Cambodia. Jim Parnell and I were down there in a two ship team looking it over and spotted a bunch of Cong's coming across the border carrying stuff. We ran them into a bunch of trees about 2 acres in size and hit them with rockets and "Willy-Pete". I tried Tac air and got a pair of Sandies. They came right over and I asked them if they could come straight down on the target I marked? "Oh sure" came the reply! I dumped about 3/4 of my rockets in the woods and down came Sandy! We did a number on them and they went west but not far enough. We picked the Cong's up in a dry creek bed and gave it to them again. We used the door guns on them and saw a couple of Congs just blow up. They were carrying rounds for the R.R.. That's when I landed, after coordinating with Parnell. Steve Ballard and Blankenship ran about 30 or 40 yards through the jungle, killed off the Recoilless Rifle team and captured their gun, then ran through the woods with the gun to the Helicopter (617) and threw it in. The gun went back out the other side! Sgt. Gee (E-5) threw it back in and everyone hopped in the helo. I pulled pitch and got out of there with a fine prize. The whole thing took about 2-3 minutes on the ground. All this time Jim Parnell and his crew flew in a tight circle overhead and fired doorguns into the close surrounding area. That kept everyones' heads down. I coordinated the whole thing over the radio with Parnell in about three minutes and we just did it! I recommended Blankenship and Ballard for the Bronze Star with V and they got it. As I see it now, it should have been a higher award. This picture was taken back at camp after we landed. - John Ghere