Lunch with the Panthers
Two Pink Panthers, serving at separate times, flew the same Cobra. But what happened to each was very different.
Yesterday I had lunch in Edmonds with two genuine heroes: Terry Crump and Bill Reeder. They both flew with the Pink Panthers, the 361st Aerial Weapons Company, both supported the clandestine missions across the border in Laos. Bill, then Captain, came after Terry returned home and even though he had been shot down earlier flying an OV-1 Mohawk observation and light attack plane in his first tour, he got into the 361st as the Americans were rapidly being sent back home. He thought he might have missed the war. Not even close!
If you finished reading It Was My Turn, you will already know a little of Bill’s story. But, even if you have, there’s more than I could put in the book.
Bill wanted to fly Cobras with the Panthers, but as even the Special Forces guys weren’t allowed into Laos or Cambodia anymore, the mission of the Panthers seemed about over. He got into the Panthers because Major Barfield, the company commander, asked the Captain to help control a couple of renegades who were continually getting into trouble. The trouble is, they were super pilots as Terry would well attest. He flew with both of them on many missions, including one where Terry got vertigo while in the mountains and clouds and his FNG (new guy) flying his front seat had to take over just before they crashed. That was Lash Larue Wisener. The other renegade is well known to readers of Terry’s book and a Tardy Salute: Woody Woodard. We’ll be doing more stories about Woody soon, after he gets out of the hospital. (I know he’d appreciate your thoughts and prayers).
There was still a SOG team stationed out of Thailand that entered Laos so Bill had the chance to fly one across-the-fence mission, which thankfully, allowed him membership in the Special Operations Association. In spring of 1972 the Americans were rapidly leaving, and the NVA massed to take advantage. The Easter offensive was launched and in the Central Highlands the bases like Dak To, Tan Canh and Kontum were in the crosshairs.
When Terry left Vietnam his Cobra, tail number 295, with the treasured 20 millimeter cannon, was flown by other Panthers. Bill, as platoon leader, was given 295 to fly and loved it for its massive firepower, but not its rough handling and vibrations. On May 9 the NVA attacked the Green Beret base at Ben Het where only a few American advisers were left. The base was being overrun by the overwhelming force and the small group of defenders were pushed to the command bunker trying to make a last stand. They were almost out of ammo. The desperate cry for resupply was answered by Huey pilots from Camp Holloway and Reeder, with his recently arrived co-pilot, Lieutenant Tim Conry, volunteered to support the resupply Huey as it delivered its supplies into the hot zone.
They knew there would be plenty of enemy fire coming at them. They came screaming over the treetops and as Air Mission Commander, Captain Reeder told the Huey pilot to exit the landing zone after kicking out the supplies without turning around. But, instead, after the delivery he pulled up to head out of there, forcing Reeder to pull his Cobra up higher to protect the Huey. All hell broke loose and his Cobra was hit multiple times with small arms and a .51 caliber machine gun.
At the command bunker, Green Beret Mark Truhan saw Reeder’s Cobra hit, lose its tail rotor, start on fire, and then awkwardly crash. Instead of rolling over as often happened, it tipped on its side, letting Reeder and Conry escape. Conry had been hit but got out. Reeder tried to exit the burning Cobra but got hung up and ended up dangling upside down outside the cockpit door. His back was broken, shrapnel wounds in his lower leg, and he was barely conscious. Mark Truhan watched in horror as Bill was not moving and appeared trapped as the fire came closer.
Truhan had watched a truck accident on the Virginia Turnpike where the fire killed the driver as Truhan watched. He vowed he would not let a person suffer a fate like that again. He lifted his M16 rifle aiming at Reeder, and was about to squeeze the trigger. He hesitated. A second later the fuel cell in the Cobra exploded and when Truhan looked again, Reeder was gone. He had been blown free and lay a few yards away, slowly regaining consciousness. Truhan had no idea what happened to him.
Then began the long, terrible nightmare that Reeder would endure. In terrible pain from a broken back, barely able to walk because of his foot injuries and back, he was captured by the NVA, marched first south into Cambodia, then all the way to Hanoi. They followed the Ho Chi Minh Trail up north, enduring B-52 and other American bombings, losing to death the only other American he encountered along the way, finally ending up in the Hanoi Hilton POW camp until the end of the war. Bill is an outstanding historian and writer with a PhD in history and wrote about his time with the Panthers and his terrible trek and experience as a POW in a book called Through the Valley: My Captivity in Vietnam.
All the time Bill was in captivity he had one big concern: what happened to Tim Conry, the strapping, handsome young Cobra pilot that Bill had taken a strong liking to. Did he make it? When he was released as a POW, he tried to have the officers helping them find out, without luck. When he finally was able to call his wife, his first words were: did Tim make it? Understandably, his wife took some offense at his priorities, but she informed him that no, Tim did not make it. Bill found out he was picked up by a Loach, a small observation helicopter, was talking and responsive, but his wounds proved fatal and he died before getting to the hospital. He was the last of the six Panthers killed in action.
Years later, Reeder and Truhan met. With Bill were his wife Melanie and their two small children. As they discussed this memorable event, Truhan commented that he didn’t know why he hesitated before pulling the trigger. Melanie gestured to their two children and said, “Here are your reasons.”
There is obviously much more to Bill’s story and more will likely come in upcoming Tardy Salute posts. Bill has written two other books on Vietnam, including We Dared to Fly: Dangerous Secret Missions During the Vietnam War about his tour flying the Mohawk including getting shot down and rescued. I just got my copy and am looking forward to reading this, and perhaps sharing a bit more about this remarkable man and Army aviator.
I mentioned Cobra tail number 295. I thought Bill was in it during his shootdown as it was his favorite. But 295 was in for maintenance once again and survived the war. Remarkably, it is being restored and is at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation in Mesa, Arizona. With Bill’s help I am trying to arrange for a reunion between this Cobra and two of the greatest Cobra pilots to fly it or any other Cobra for that matter. Stay tuned.
Book launch event
Our official book launch will be Wednesday December 18 from 4-6 pm at the Bellingham Country Club. My thanks to John Huntley and Jim Thompson for helping put this together. We’re hoping for a great turnout. Books will be available for purchasing and Terry and I will sign and personalize them. If you already have a book and want it signed, bring it. We’re hoping that Bill Reeder and his wife Melanie will be able to join us.