Extracted from

A HUNDRED FEET OVER HELL

Flying With the Men of the 220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company

Over I Corps and the DMZ, 1968-1969

Copyright © Jim Hooper 2020

Jim Hooper

All rights reserved

Chapter 13

OPERATION RICH

There is no such thing as a small battle or tiny war at cockpit, squad and platoon levels.

Col. Jack L. Mullen, Road Runner 6

SEARCHING FOR THE MEN WHO FOUGHT AT KINH MON on 25 October 1968, the author sent a query and

rough draft of Bill Hooper’s memories of that day to the website of the 5th Infantry Division. The reply saw his and

another Catkiller’s recollections of that day develop into something far more than either ever imagined.

Yes, sir, I remember YOU VERY WELL!! I have waited all of these years to say THANK YOU. I have

always thought that I would not be alive today if it hadn’t been for your very timely “air strike” on that NVA 12.7 machine gun. I was a sergeant with Recon 1-61. A 12.7 was chewing us UP—I had crawled to within fifty meters from it and stood to fire my LAW at him. He spotted me and adjusted to me. I fired the LAW and it said “CLACK”—misfire—sir, that 12.7 had me cold—then you swooped in and GOT him, just in time for me!! I also remember the M16 firing out the side window and the hand grenade “bombs.” It has taken me a long time to finally get to say this, THANK YOU, Sir.

Jim Roffers

Recon Platoon, 1-61