Abrams ending rescue missions, 123
calling in strikes and, 150
ejecting/landing, 96
health and, 149, 150
Jolly Green 67 mission and, 120, 123
post-shootdown, 106, 149–50
SAM hitting aircraft, 95–96
Clark, Mark rescue
ARVN and, 124
“impossible” chances and, 124–25
Nielsen plan and, 97–98
See also Henderson, Bill/Hambleton rescue mission
Clark, Mark rescue “ground” mission
after rescue, 177, 178
Andersen and, 163, 175, 177–78
bunker return and, 177
code/geography and, 150–51
“Esther Williams” and, 150
FACs and, 150, 159, 174, 175
leaving hiding spot, 151
life preserver inflating and, 153–54
making noise in river and, 173–74
Mieu Giang River and, 151, 153, 159, 162, 163–64, 173–77
NVA and, 162–63, 164, 173–74, 177, 178
problems with river, 159, 162, 163
See also Norris, Tommy (“Flipper”) and Clark rescue
Cobeil, Glenn, 44
Cobra helicopter description, 97
Cold War, xiv, 26, 46, 146
Combat Achievement Medal, First Class (North Vietnamese), 44
Constant, Dennis
calling in help and, 56–58
Hambleton rescue and, 56–58, 59–60
SAMs/jinking and, 59–60
Crowe, Jay
Andersen/Marshall meeting and, 132
background, 98
briefing Jolly Green 67 crew, 118, 120–21
on Clark/Hambleton rescues, 124, 125
description/traits, 98
Hambleton rescue mission and, 89, 90–91, 98
knowledge of invasion force and, 98–99
landing helicopter and, 90–91
See also Henderson, Bill/Hambleton rescue mission
“crows” defined, 26
Cuban Missile Crisis, 15, 26
D
Da Nang Air Base
uses, 51, 60, 81, 88, 95, 98, 111, 114, 115, 124, 133, 140, 165, 186, 201, 202, 215, 218, 219
Walker/Potts and, 267, 268, 269, 271
Da Nang hospital, 223, 225
“dark knights” term (US aviators), 79
Davis-Monthan golf course, 154–55
De, Vo Van, 271
Dobrynin, Anatoly, 146
Dorman, Craig
as new to Vietnam, 135
Norris and, 135–36
Dragnet (television), 235
E
“E & E” (escape and evade) rescue, 141
Easter Offensive (North Vietnamese)
aerial view description, 82
China and, 146
descriptions, 40, 78, 79, 82, 98–99, 180
Hambleton location/rescue and, 40, 43, 55–56, 57–60, 68, 69–73, 89, 90–92, 95–96, 97–99, 132, 136, 141, 142
hospitals description, 180
no-fire zone around Hambleton and, 79, 81–85, 106
rescuers not told about, 89, 98–99
South Vietnam and, 243
Soviet Union and, 146, 185
villagers (south of DMZ) and, 83
Eighty-ninth Military Wing (“Special Air Mission”), Andrews Air Force Base, 118
Enola Gay, 11
F
FACs (forward air controllers) described, 39
Fain, Mickey, 270–71
farming in United States
farm boom and, 4
Great Depression and, 4
See also specific individuals
Ferentchak, Gary
SAMs/jinking and, 59
Flessner, Gwendolyn Mae
description/traits, 8–9
Donna (sister), 12
Kenneth (brother), 9
Mary Ann (sister), 9–10, 247
parents and, 9
See also Hambleton, Gwen
Flessner, Kenneth
accident/death, 9
death effects on family, 9
Fonda, Jane, 93
Ford, Gerald, 252
Foster, Stephen, 144–45
French and Indian War (1750s–1760s), 80
French Indochina, 77
Frink, John
Astorga and, 245
death, 53
Hambleton rescue and, 48, 49, 53
G
Gagliano, James, 253
Gandhi, Rajiv, 253, 254
Gatwood, Robin F.
background, 30
death, 37–38, 106
description/traits, 30
SAM mission, 30, 37–38
Gemini program, 14
Giai, Vu Van, 142–43
Giannangeli, Anthony
background/fishing with sons, 30
death, 37–38, 106
description/traits, 30, 31
SAM mission, 30, 31–32, 37–38
Giannangeli, Dennis
anger at Hambleton, 67
father “missing” notification and, 66–67
school announcement/father missing, 66
sports and, 66–67
Giannangeli family
Colorado Springs and, 30–31
“missing” notification and, 65–67
mother/wife and, 65–66
Giannangeli, Robert
father’s knife and, 31, 65
fishing/relationship with father, 30–31
friend’s death/funeral and, 65
“missing” notification of father and, 65–66
as Vietnam War opponent, 30–31
Glenn, John, 8
Goebbels, 6
Grant, Cary, 8
gravel mines description/consequences, 68–69
Gray, D’Wayne
no-fire zone vs. Easter Offensive, 85
on Potts, 267
Vietnam War views, 85
Great Depression, 4
H
Hackman, Gene, 235–36
Hai, Nguyen Quy, 180
Haig, Alexander, 109
Hambleton, Frances, 3
Hambleton, Gene
basic training/physical and, 8
buying Tucson home, 16
children and, 12, 241
description/traits, 9, 10, 16, 62
elopement, 10
flight school/Air Corps and, 10–11
golf and, 16, 122, 137–39, 152–53, 154–55, 156, 157, 161, 247
Gwen relationship, xiv, 8–10, 12–13, 16, 22, 122, 160–61, 171, 205, 220, 224, 225–26, 228, 230–31, 247–48
jungle survival school, Philippines, 31
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base/daily routine, 16–17, 21–22, 24–27
Korean War, 12–13
meeting Gwen/relationship beginnings, 8, 9–10
munitions factory work and, 8, 10
navigation school/skills and, 11
Pam (niece), 4, 9, 12, 247
Peoria life, 12
role/activities summary, 43
SAC/rockets and, 13–16
Sharon (niece), 9, 11
sibling rivalry/father and, 11, 232–33, 234
teeth problems and, 8, 10–11
top-secret background and, xiv, 13–16, 80, 140, 226
Vietnam/Southeast Asia arrival/situation, 16–17
World War II ending and, 11–12
Hambleton, Gene after rescue
arrival in Arizona/Gwen and photos, 230–31
BAT-21 (book) and, 234–35
change in, 247
correspondence with families of dead rescuers, 239, 240–41
debriefing, 226
earthquake and, 227
father and, 232–33
food/drinks, 223–24, 226
Gil and, 234
Gwen communication and, 227–28
healing, 227–28
health/anniversaries and, 237
as hero/response, 228–31, 232–37
hospital visitors, 224–25, 226–27
hospitals, 223–25
illness/death, 247, 248
Kiet and, 256
Korat/rescue techniques and, 228–30
medals, 232
medevac helicopter, 222
movie and, 235–37
newspapers and, 232–33
Norris on, 234
NVA rockets hitting hospital, 117
reporters/questions and, 222
rescuers/deaths and, 222, 239–41
rescuers funerals and, 240
rescuers remains returning and, 239–41
retirement, 234
routine, 247
Sharon (Gil’s daughter), 234
story/as hero, 165–66, 202, 224, 228–29, 232
survivor’s guilt, 241
talks/vanity license plate and, 233–34, 239–40, 241
Hambleton, Gene (Iceal) childhood
changing name, 5
description/traits, 4–6
father and, 4, 111
flying/planes and, 3, 6–7
locations, 3, 5
pranks and, 5–6
school/schoolhouse and, 5–6
Hambleton, Gene post-shootdown
B-52s bombing area/effects, 130
bridge at Dong Ha/Cam Lo and, 83
calling in strikes/seeing dead, 71–73
capture/torture and, xiv, 44, 46, 111
combat experience and, 43
depression and, 129, 130
Easter Offensive/enemy activities and, 40, 43, 56–57, 58–60, 68, 69–73, 89, 90–92, 95–96, 97–99, 132, 136, 141, 142
emotional effects/seeing dead NVA, 73
enemy “reviving” and, 91–92
flares (enemy) and, 69–70
gravel mines and, 68–69, 101
hiding spot, 47, 54–56, 100, 102–3
Huey shootdown and, 60–61
hunger/food and, 100, 101–3
injuries, 46
landing/area, 40, 41–42
moving, 43, 54–55
NVA soldiers around, 43, 56–57, 68
parachute on ground and, 46, 47
peasants searching for, 68, 69
physical condition and, 129–30
radio communications, 40, 47, 51, 60, 68, 71, 72, 100–101
sleep and, 68
supplies and, 46, 55
surroundings, 101–3
See also SAM mission/Bat 21 (April 2, 1972)
Hambleton, Gene rescue
Abrams ending air rescue missions and, xvi, 123, 140, 149
B-52s use, 130
Constant communicating with, 57
Easter Offensive/enemy activities and, 40, 43, 56–57, 58–60, 68, 69–73, 89, 90–92, 95–96, 97–99, 132, 136, 141, 142
enemy activity in area and, 51–54, 57–61
fog and, 47
“impossible” chances and, 124–25
intelligence on activities in area and, 57
Korat alert and, 56–57
need to rescue three men and, 97, 100
no-fire zone and, 79, 81–85, 106
operation as highly classified, 106
Potts/Walker attempt and, 129
size/costs summary, 106
story/as hero, 165–66, 202, 224, 228–29, 232
top-secret background and, xiv, 13–16, 80, 140, 226
views on rescue missions, xv–xvi, 123, 124–25, 131
See also Jankowski, Bill/Hambleton rescue; Joint Rescue Coordination Center/Hambleton; SAM mission/Bat 21 (April 2, 1972); specific individuals
Hambleton, Gene rescue Blueghost
Cobra attack helicopter and, 50, 51–52, 60–61
crew of Huey, 48–50
flight to Hambleton location/precautions, 50–51
shootdown/deaths and POW, 51–54, 60–61
Hambleton, Gene rescue “ground” mission
activities before leaving hiding spot, 149, 151
Andersen monitoring, 172
Andersen/Norris meeting with Giai, 142–43
attacker and, 158, 160, 161, 183, 204
banana grove/water and, 169
boots and, 189–91
at bunker following rescue/APC taking, 219–21
chicken/rooster and, 158, 160
“Esther Williams”/“Charlie the Tuna” and, 144, 186, 188, 191
FAC vs. Hambleton versions, 198–99
FACs and, 133, 144–45, 149, 152, 154, 155, 156, 161, 168, 171–72, 188, 191, 192, 195, 198, 201, 204, 205, 206, 208, 210, 211
fear of creatures/disease from river, 188–89
fear of going in wrong direction, 167–68
finding the river/FAC finding position, xiii–xiv, 170–72
golf as code, 137–39, 152–53, 154–56, 157–58, 161
Hambleton’s decision on rescue, 145, 149
hiding spots and, 195–96
hunger/thirst and, xiii, 149, 158, 167, 169, 183, 195, 196, 197, 198
injuries and, 160, 161, 214
invasion force/enemy activities and, 132, 136, 141, 142
irritable stupor, 193
leech and, 197
lessons learned from, 228, 256, 268, 269
maps problem, 141
Mieu Giang River and, 132, 133, 136, 137, 138, 143, 147, 183
military phone calls to Hambleton’s friends/family and, 136, 137, 138
moving through village, 156–58
myth of, 256
need for code, 136–39
NVA and, 193–94
out in daylight/danger and, 201–2
physical/psychological problems, xiii, xv, 149, 154, 155, 156, 157, 160–61, 167, 168–72, 186–87, 188, 190, 192–93, 194, 195, 196–97, 198–99, 200, 201–2, 204–6, 207, 208, 210, 211–12, 214, 217, 218, 219–20
pop-culture code and, 144–45
positions and, 133
religion/Jesus and, 183–84
river crossing/problems and, 188–91
river travel/problems and, 192–95, 204–6, 207–8
secrecy and, 132–33, 165
sleep and, 157, 192, 193, 204, 205, 206, 208
snakes and, 189, 207
success possibilities and, 142, 143
supplies and, 151, 189
survival package and, 196, 197–98
“Swanee” and, 144–45, 188, 198
talk of his situation/rescue and, 165–66
turtle and, 194
vision problems, 154, 155, 161, 170
wood piece, 194–95, 205, 211
See also Norris, Tommy (“Flipper”) and Hambleton rescue; specific individuals
Hambleton, Gene rescue Jolly Green 67
Alley’s refusal and, 115–16
briefing/trap possibility and, 114–15
calling in resources for, 111–12, 113–14
crew boarding, 119
enemy activity and, 119–20
Hambleton and, 116, 120, 121, 122–23
Hambleton’s expectations, 116
helicopter shootdown/deaths, 121–22