Roy Mark - Fixin to Die Rag

Gooood Morning Vietnam...

We've Just Had a Mid-Air Collision

Roy Mark

Published by Roy Mark at Smashwords

Copyright 2014

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Roy Mark

P.O. Box 294

Chiang Mai, 50000

Thailand

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William Lorimer, IV - 16 Jul 1942 - 10 Mar1970

James Franklin Lee - 20 May 1943 - 3 Apr1970

Ronald Neal Parsons - 22 Dec 1948 - 3 Apr1970

Richard Farley Heath - 20 Nov 1947 - 13 Apr1970

Arnold Lee Robbins - 15 Nov 1938 - 15 May1970

John Richard Stinn - 12 Aug 1949 - 15 May1970

Melvin Ray Thomas - 14 Nov 1948 - 15 May1970

Vernon Gail Bergquist - 9 May 1949 - 11 Jun1970

James Grady Bulloch - 5 Feb 1938 - 11 Jun1970

John Adrian Dossett, Jr. - 15 Feb 1951 - 11Jun 1970

Alonzo Hughes Taylor - 9 May 1949 - 11 Jun1970

Franklin Delano Meyer - 1 Dec 1951 - 11 Jun1970

Raymond Riede Uhl - 8 Oct 1948 - 11 Jun1970

Leslie Miles Tatarski - 26 Jun 1948 - 12 Jun1970

Robert Ernest Bauer - 10 Mar 1947 - 26 Sep1970

Donald Allen Hall, Jr. - 13 Jul 1949 - 26 Sep1970

Mark Richard Holtom - 26 Mar 1949 - 26 Sep1970

Ernest Hammond Laidler - 1 Apr 1950 - 26 Sep1970

Warren Stephen Lawson - 22 Oct 1947 - 26 Sep1970

Robert Albert Painter, Jr. - 1 Nov 1949 - 26Sep 1970

Francis Jordan Sullivan - 4 Nov 1942 - 26 Sep1970

Douglas Mead Woodland - 6 Sep 1951 - 26 Sep1970

Not for fame or reward

Not for place or for rank

Not lured by ambition

Or goaded by necessity

But in simple

Obedience to duty

As they understood it

These men suffered all

Sacrificed all

Dared all-and died

Reverend Randolph Harrison McKim

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The title of this book and all chapter namesare taken from Vietnam War era song titles. Although most of thesongs are generally associated with the war, some of the titles maynot be immediately recognizable. Readers are encouraged to searchthe titles on the Internet where numerous copies and versions ofthe songs are available for listening on video sharingwebsites.

The artwork for the cover of Fixin' To Die Rag is taken from a painting byrenowned aviation artist Joe Kline. Mr. Kline's original painting,which he titled Kicking the HornetsNest , was an adaptation of a 1969 photo taken in Vietnamby a First Cavalry Division combat photographer. Two years later,the photo appeared on the cover of Rotor&Wing magazine. By chance, Roger Bakernoticed the cover photograph as helicopters from Charlie Company,229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, First Cavalry Division. Mr.Baker is a former commander of Charlie Company and recognizedimmediately that the Hueys in the photograph were from his formerunit. Baker and other veterans of Charlie Company studied thephotograph and determined that the only pilot recognizable was theright-seat pilot of the lead Huey. That pilot was their commandingofficer, Captain William Lorimer, IV. Captain Lorimer was killed byenemy fire a few months later, and his story is told in Chapter Twoof this book. Years later, Mr. Kline painted Kicking the Hornets Nest based on thatphotograph.

When I began discussing possible coverdesigns for this book with Roger Baker, he suggested using Kicking the Hornets Nest since ithad such significance to the stories told within the book. Mr.Baker contacted Mr. Kline, who graciously granted his permission touse his artwork for the cover. Going beyond simply grantingpermission, Mr. Kline modified his original painting especially forthis book by painting the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion Creston the nose of the Hueys in Kicking theHornets Nest .

Joe Kline is a Vietnam Veteran and an ArtistMember of the American Society of Aviation Artists.

Joe Kline

6420 Hastings Place, Gilroy, CA 95020

408-842-6979

www.joeklineart.com

The author of this book, Roy Mark, has askedme to write a foreword. As a former Commander of C Company, 229thAssault Helicopter Battalion, First Cavalry Division, I am honoredby his request. It is difficult to put into words the profoundemotions that have been stirred in researching our story.Forty-four years have passed since we closed that chapter of ourlives, and while, in many ways, most of us have tried to put itbehind us and move on with our lives, we are still intensely proudof what we accomplished. This book is a great tribute to those ofour company who did not return, and a unique legacy for those of uswho did return to pass on to our children and grandchildren.Although he never served with us, Roy's literary efforts haveearned him an honorable mention in our history.

Roger C. Baker, Major, U.S. Army, Retired

I began writing Fixin'To Die Rag as a short story of a mid-air collision oftwo U.S. Army helicopters during the Vietnam War. Through myresearch, I met some of the men with first-hand knowledge of theaccident, and those veterans began telling me of other tragicevents in which good men died. They urged me to include thosestories as well. Each event required more research, which in turnintroduced me to more of the men that survived their tours inVietnam. What began as a short story evolved into this book.

Charlie Company of 229th Assault HelicopterBattalion has a long history. This book covers just the periodbetween March and September 1970. During those seven months,Charlie Company lost eighteen of their own. Four soldiers fromother companies were lost while flying as passengers with CharlieCompany. Twenty-two good men did not live to board that "freedombird" back to "the world."

Most of the veterans I interviewed told methat it was time their story was told. Some told me that they hadsuppressed their Vietnam memories for years and have just recentlybegun to talk about their experiences. One pilot told me that hewould not, that he could not, read my book; it would be just toopainful. Yet, he encouraged me to continue with my writing; hewanted his story told so that others might begin to understand. Ifound myself saying, "I understand," but as a non-combat veteran, Ifeel I can never truly understand.

Roy Mark

October 2014

The men of the U.S. Army's First CavalryDivision and particularly Charlie Company of the 229th AssaultHelicopter Battalion (C/229th) wrote this book in 1970; I wassimply honored to put it into words and bring it to publicationsome forty-four years later. It was they who lived and died in thatterrible war that deserve our gratitude for their sacrifices.