email communication from Don Morse, Sandy 01

Great tape. I recall the pucker factor was very high as Hanoi was just over the ridge. The survivor kept referring to his ridge as the southwest end of the ridge, but the area was full of ridge lines and little valleys. We kept taking small arms fire and tried to get ordnance on the enemy. Icebag 01 B kept calling out ground fire. This concerned me for the safety of the Jolly, who being on a tight valley would have little maneuvering room We had to stay low to keep hidden from SAM launches and MiGs . With your help a good ADF cut was obtained and we had the survivor pretty well pinned down. When the Laredo (fast fac) got in the area we got mig calls were directed by King to pull west and south. The numerous Mig and occasional SAM calls coupled with our low altitude made communication very difficult. The map location is how I remembered it. We kept maneuvering up and down the large valley with ran 330 - 150 with a road in it. We took fire from troops on both sides of the road and from that village in the north end of the valley.

Don Morse

email communication from Bill Talley, Icebag 01A

Yes, I was Icebag, and was shot down on 11 May 72 in the F-105 and got about 40nm SW of Hanoi before we bailed out. My back seater was Jim Padgett. The F-4 that was shot down a few minutes later was piloted by Joe Kittinger with Bill Reich in the back seat.

Don't apologize for not getting me out. If I had not been shot down that day, I probably would have fallen off the ladder and broken my neck when I got out of the airplane. let me explain and also verify the dates in question. I was shot down on 11 May. The rescue effort was on 12 May. This is my story for your info. If you have time, pleas tell me what happened from your side.

I was in the 561st TFS (Wild Weasel) at McConnell AFB, KS. In Apr 72, I was a L/C selectee and received verbal notification of an assignment on a Friday afternoon. My plans were to retire from the AF at the end of that assignment. Sunday night our squadron was placed on alert to deploy to Korat. The Wing CO told me to go to Korat, and when he could get the orders for my new assignment, he would send a message to come home. We deployed the following Wednesday. In early May, I received a message to come home. I wrote some OERs, made flight reservations and was in the barber shop on 10 May about one hour before the C-130 flight to Bangkok. I received word of a second message that told me not to come home.

On 11 May, about 0200, we began flight planning to support a big strike of F-4s to Hanoi for a T.O. about 0600. The weather forecast for Hanoi was low overcast until noon, but the alternate target on the coast was clear. We expected a change of targets, but did not get one after engine start. About ten minutes after T.O. we got a call to RTB. Never on my previous tour had that happened to me or any; one I knew. When we shut down the engine the Korat Wing CO met us. He told us that as soon as the planes were turned around, we would proceed with the mission to Hanoi because VP Spiro Agnew was giving a speech on TV saying the US was bombing Hanoi. We took off about noon.

While I was still trying to pull my chute down from a tree, some one asked me for a short count. Within two minutes a plane flew directly over and told me had a good fix. I climbed to the top of the mountain, hid under a rock and waited for the SAR. The only thing I heard were Vietnamese voices yelling across the valley, which got closer through out the day. After dark, I could hear them walking. At first light on 12 May, I established radio contact then waited. Around mid-morning, the V found me and began shooting. Just as I raised my arms to surrender, I hear jets and maybe a Sandy fly right over my head. My flying suit and boots were removed, arms tied, and we began walking. The rest of 12 May and occasionally on 13 May, I heard a jet and some strafing. I thought the SAR was picking up my back seater, Jim Padgett. Jim ended up in the Zoo, while I was in the Hilton, so we did not see each other until we came home. I believe he was not captured until 13 May, and was taken directly to Hanoi.

Joe Kittinger and Bill Reich were shot down minutes after we were. I don't know where they bailed out, but were captured on 11 May and taken directly to Hanoi. After walking for two days, I was put in a truck and rode for 24 hours. For several hours, during the night we were traveling due south. I could see the Big Dipper and North Star. I thought the war had ended and we were going to the DMZ where I would be released. The truck turned around, and we traveled through a big city, climbed some mountains and I thought we were going to China. Late afternoon on 15 May I arrived at the Hilton. There was no extra charge for the scenic trip through NVN.

Joe Kittinger, Bill Reich and I were eventually put in the same room in the Hilton. We later learned Joe may have been shot down by his wingman. Joe was chasing a MIG to get ID, cut off in a turn and pulled along side. Joe cleared his wingman to shoot, Bill's RHAW gear lit up and there was a big explosion.

Bill Talley

additional email communication from Bill Talley, Icebag 01A

I probably could not tell you where we bailed out. We took a hit on the West side of Hanoi. I turned SW and was able to get to the range of hills. While I was getting out of my chute, someone asked me for a short count. He flew directly overhead. I could not see him through the trees, but I expect it was an F-4. When we came home, someone said we were about 40 miles SW of Hanoi.

Bill Talley