Dave Powell's Hill 881S Collection - Page 21

The Supergaggle - Continued


A load of ammunition.  All external loads were packaged at 5,000lbs or less.  The average was around 4,000.  Pilots never really knew the weight of the load given them, hooked up, pulled power, and if it cleared the ground with maximum power they we were on the way. 

 
The smoke screen from the A-4 drifts over Hill 881S.  Twelve CH-46s have delivered approximately twenty four tons of critical supplies in a period of approximately three minutes.  The "Purple Foxes" will return to Dong Ha to refuel and support other Marine units.  The HST Marines run like hell and dive into the nearest hole.  Today's Supergaggle is complete. 

Dave Powell's Epilogue

I visited many Army and Marine units during my stay in Vietnam.  The one thing that impressed me most about Hill 881S was they were in the worst possible situation with the least amount of equipment and support of any other site I visited.  If the 1st Cav. had been holding Hill 881S they would have airlifted a freaking Walmart onto the hill!

Many times I would get caught up in my photo-taking and do some stupid things on Hill 881S.  I would look over my shoulder to see at least one Marine watching out for me.  It's just that I have never felt the sense of trust and loyalty amongst men that I experienced with the Marines of Hill 881S.  They let me join them and generously shared the scarce amount of food and water with me.  It shaped my life forever after.  Most of all I learned what you can only learn in a war - the meaning of the word "brotherhood."

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