DEATH'S ORGASM
The name of the UH-1C of the 117th AHC assigned to the mission was called Death's Orgasm. They were to provide cover for a very much needed resupply mission to the under siege firebase Pace. The mission took place on 9/30/71 with a crew 4.
Aircraft Commander WO1 Thomas Stansbury
Pilot WO1 Fredrick Conrad Hebert
Crew Chief SP4 Chris Behm
Door Gunner SP4 Ronald Ricks
The picture (above) was taken by one of them men in my platoon. The crash site is the 117th gunship that was shot down on 9/30/71. We were tasked to do a recovery of the remains I believe on 10/14/71. Although FSB Pace was under siege from 9/23 - 10/25/71, there were only 5 KIA related to Pace. An engineer who was helping construct the new base, named LT. Gary Pace, was the other KIA at Pace. He died trying to rescue 3 of his men who had been wounded. The repositioned firebase was then renamed FSB Pace.
As the resupply ship and its escorted neared Pace, they came under heavy 51 Cal. fire from the NVA that surrounded the base. The resupply ship was receiving direct fire from one of the 51 Cals. Seeing this the escorting gunship lowered into that line of fire and took on the 51 cal. , in doing so they protected the resupply chopper. The NVA 51 cal. severed the tail boom, they inverted and crashed and exploded on impact. I have always viewed that action as the same as someone jumping on a grenade with their body to protect others.
In talking with others that went on the recovery mission that day, they all remark about what did not happen that day. We were surrounded by a vast number of parts of 3 NVA Regiments. Who had been rocketing and mortaring the base day and night. The crash site was about 1 1/2 clicks down the dirt road from the firebase. Both sides of the road had been cleared of any cover for about 1/4 mile in either direction. Yet all the way down to the wreckage and back, not a single shot was fired at us. The men who I have spoken to all relate the same feeling. It was like we had a protective shield surrounding us. I believe that is me standing by the crash without helmet, flak vest or shirt. Having to take them off to crawl around the wreckage.
Over the years I have been contacted and remain in contact with several brothers and sisters of the crew. ----Paul Marling
