Welcome to Episode 14, which plunges listeners into the incredibly dangerous airspace of Mu Gia Pass during the Vietnam War. This episode features pilots who served as Sandy drivers, flying the venerable A-1 Skyraider, a propeller-driven aircraft crucial for search and rescue (SAR) missions. The primary focus is the intense, multi-day Boxer 2-2 Bravo rescue effort.

Mu Gia Pass is described as one of the most heavily defended locations in the history of air warfare. It was a key choke point along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, where the North Vietnamese moved supplies into Laos. The terrain was challenging, a narrow, steep pass winding through an area bombed for years, resembling the surface of the moon with grey karst formations and a river running through the middle. Hiding was impossible, and the valley was small, only two or three miles across and six miles long. Defenses included embedded guns in caves at the base of the karst formations, sometimes on tracks for elevation.

The Boxer 2-2 incident involved a two-man F-4 crew shot down in this perilous area. The front seater was unfortunately killed on the second day of the three-day rescue effort. On the first day, four Sandy pilots were on alert: Sandy one (the speaker, leading), his wingman, Sandy three (Ron Rouse), and Sandy four (Jim, the other speaker). They were launched to orchestrate and conduct the entire rescue effort, acting as the on-scene commander with dozens of aircraft potentially at their disposal. Their goal was to find the survivor, assess the situation, suppress enemy fire, and make it safe for helicopters to attempt a pickup.

The Sandy pilots flew their slow-moving Skyraiders at low altitudes, dropping cluster bomb units and strafing precisely to keep the downed pilot alive despite enemy troops being as close as 15 meters. They faced intense ground fire, describing 149 rounds going by. One pilot recounted pulling off a pass low over the valley floor, being unable to clear a 700-foot karst formation, and as he flew around it, seeing a cave with two large twin 37 millimeter gun barrels firing at his wingman. This illustrated the pervasive and well-concealed defenses.

Rescue attempts were fraught with difficulty. On the first day, using H3 helicopters, they made several attempts, all aborted due to heavy ground fire. The ideal situation of neutralizing all guns before bringing in helicopters was impossible here. Instead, they would try to come in low and fast or use tactics like the “daisy chain,” where Sandy aircraft would expend ordnance in a circular pattern around the helicopter as it came in. However, in Mu Gia Pass, the ground fire was so intense that all four Sandys were often firing at the hillside simultaneously. Communication between the Sandys and the helicopters was a challenge, described as a “nightmare scenario” with multiple radios and noise.

On the second day, after saturating the area overnight with laser-guided bombs from F-4s targeting the cave guns, the rescue efforts continued. One pilot described flying a smoke screen mission, dropping gas canisters from 8,000 feet down to 15 feet above the ground at over 340 knots, narrowly avoiding a tree. This “gas” was a tear gas, intended to be incapacitating in close quarters. Despite these efforts and almost picking up the survivor on the second day, errors, communications problems, and helicopters taking hits prevented a successful extraction.

The A-1 Skyraider itself was a crucial aircraft for these missions. It was a propeller-driven aircraft capable of carrying a tremendous amount of ordnance, allowing them to suppress gunfire and protect survivors. Piloting it was complex, requiring precise management of four controls: blower, throttle, mixture, and prop control. The armament panel was also complicated, with 13 separate switches and multi-function selectors for bombs, rockets, and cluster bomb units. Despite the complexity, flying the aircraft became “second nature,” allowing pilots to focus on the mission, planning, and ordnance delivery. The Skyraider was considered a “great airplane” for starting a flying career, offering hands-on experience. It was also durable, capable of taking hits and still getting home. The single-seat bubble canopy version was particularly favored for its visibility and performance.

Pilots flying in this environment learned to “jink,” which means flying an unpredictable flight path to make it difficult for ground gunners to lead and track the aircraft. This was a crucial skill learned rapidly in combat. They also emphasized the importance of using the rudder, a skill honed in the torque-heavy Skyraider, which proved valuable later in jet aircraft. This focus on fundamental flying skills distinguished pilots who merely flew fighters from “true fighter pilots,” who were described as highly capable, mission-oriented, reliable leaders and wingmen with a strong attitude of striving to be the best.

The episode highlights the extraordinary camaraderie and trust among military personnel, particularly in combat. This bond, described as unlike anything seen outside the military, is forged in shared danger where “combat is the ultimate common denominator,” and everyone knows who is capable. The responsibility given to young lieutenants in the Sandy role was remarkable and a testament to their leadership and capability.

The story of Boxer 2-2 continues beyond the rescue attempt; the pilot’s son has sought to recover his father’s remains and a piece of the aircraft, and one of the speakers is considering going with him, reflecting the lasting bond and the importance of this history. The episode also briefly mentions other significant missions like Knife 61/62, a large rescue effort involving 60 people on the ground, and Prairie Fire missions with the Army. The pilots emphasized the immense growth and responsibility placed on young airmen flying in combat. They stress the importance of sharing these stories so the history is not lost and lessons can be learned.