record for the Troop Carrier groups in Vietnam. Te aircrews of the eight C-130s


and C-123s that flew into Kham Duc that day were as brave as any you would ever find in USAF air combat annals. Tey knew they were up against steep odds, yet they placed the needs of oth- ers ahead of their own lives. For his actions at Kham Duc, Lt. Col. Jackson became the only airlifter in the entire Vietnam War to be honored with the Medal of Honor


Author’s notes: Kham Duc was briefly reoccupied by USAF forces in August of 1970 but was abandoned after less than a month. Between 2007 and 2008, decades after the end of the war, the bodies of Bucher, Helper, Long, and two other officers/crewmen were finally recovered from Kham Duc and identified.


Sources Consulted: The USAF in Southeast Asia: Tactical Airlift by Ray L. Bowers; and “Rescue at Kham Duc” from Vietnam Magazine, June 2014, by Mike D. Shepherd


Three C-123 Providers in flight: The Provider had a smaller frame than the C-130, which limited its seating capacity but made it a harder target for enemy fire. For these reasons, a Provider was used to rescue three combat controllers left on the ground at Kham Duc the evening of May 12, 1968. (USAF photo)


30 www.hqafsa.org


AMM SPOTLIGHT


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