Vietnam A-1 Skyraider Pilot Rich Hall Recalls Rescue Missions

Рет қаралды 10,321

Жыл бұрын

From 1968 to 1969, Captain Richard (Rich) M. Hall, an A-1 Skyraider pilot with the 602nd SOS, served in Vietnam. Being the Lead in the Rescue of Forrest Fenn (Litter-81) was a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission that took place in late 1968 and was headed by CPT Richard (Rich) Hall. This was one of his career highlights. Rich served as the Sandy Lead on (Litter-81) and describes how he and other SAR crew members helped save Forrest Fenn, who went on to invent one of the 21st century's most well-known treasure hunts.
The Fenn Treasure, a cache of gold and gems that Forrest B. Fenn secreted in the Rocky Mountains of the United States, is what made him most famous. The location of the wealth was a secret, according to Santa Fe, New Mexico-based author and art dealer Fenn. But in 2020, some ten years later, a mystery treasure hunter discovered it in Wyoming. A treasure chest auction in December 2022 brought in $1.3 million in revenue. Rich Hall and all SAR personnel who risk their lives to save the lives of others deserve our respect. The course of a person's life is impossible to predict.
Second, Rich goes into considerable detail about his first mission, which left him with the immediate feeling that, if every operation was as bad as the first, he was going to die.
Rich continues by talking about Rescues Troops in contact before concluding the discussion by talking about his involvement with Lima Site 36. CPT Richard M. Hall of the 602nd Firefly oversaw the air defense on the opening day of the strikes against Lima Site-36. He regrets not knowing that there were extra enemy forces in the region, though. He thinks that his resources-people and weapons-could have stopped the collapse of Lima Site-36 if he had known.

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@captainkidd2690 Жыл бұрын

This man is an American Hero . Thank you for your service 💜

@firemedic5100 9 ай бұрын

I never tire of listening to heros talk of their experiences in country. Thank you for your service.

@CapnRobert2000 9 ай бұрын

My wife’s father, Lt Lance A Eagan, was the pilot of the Jolly Green that rescued Maj Fenn. My wife and I would love to connect with Rich and share information on this and other rescues.

@coyoteodie4458 6 ай бұрын

"an exciting moment" ... love the way Mr. Hall tells a story!

@militarytales 6 ай бұрын

@coyoteodie4458 - Rich Hall has a great way of conveying emotion, as he speaks.

@adriaanboogaard8571 8 ай бұрын

I like how he basically says something similar to me about the Valve of practical knowledge and I do have many friends that went to College and Universities but we all agree that just because you never went to College doesn't mean you don't have tha knowledge.

@flyingpaddy7525 Ай бұрын

Just found this channel from hearing about it on SOGcast. These men are just that, MEN. Thank you for bringing their stories to us.

@user-zn6gl7kr4f 9 ай бұрын

My father-in-law, Lt Lance A Eagan, was the pilot of Jolly Green 36, which rescued Forrest Fenn. My wife and I would love to connect with Rich to share information on this rescue.

@kiowa1508 2 ай бұрын

In 1971, the USAF moved the HH-53 advanced pilot training to mountainous, Hill AFB, Ogden, UT for that very reason. We were training H53 pilots over flat terrain…for the sorties they would fly over the mountains of Viet Nam. Another interesting fact is that quite a number of US Coast Guard pilots flew along with USAF pilots in the 40th ARRS, NKP due to their extensive experience in performing helicopter rescues…they were ready-made for the task.

@KarenaDawson-bi4kl 10 ай бұрын

very humbling 🩵

@JuanSanchez-zg7ti 11 ай бұрын

One thing that surprises me about these stories of A1s Skyraiders in Vietnam and NKP is the lack of gratitude to us A1s Crew Chiefs and Bomb Loaders for our outstanding work in keeping this birds ready and airworthy for you pilots to fly. It wasnt just the pilots courage, it was also the ground crews dedications to give you guys a good acft. to fly your missions.

@militarytales 11 ай бұрын

Hello Juan, In many of these interviews, I have been leading the questioning regarding careers and memorable missions. I want you to know that you may not always hear it in their interviews, however I have heard most all of the pilots saying that they could have done nothing with out the amazing ground crews - here is one great example from Lt Col Mel Swanson - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oL1kjJdz1aupkqs.html Thank you for all you did, for your service and for watching our interviews.

@maxcorder2211 10 ай бұрын

War, such a Vietnam, is a total team effort. Every job, every position on the ground or in the air is absolutely vital to the successful completion of the mission. You may think the quarterback on the football team is the most important guy, but if there’s no game plan or no second team to practice against how is he going to get ready for the game? If there’s no breakfast at the chow hall how is the maintenance crew going to have the stamina to fix airplanes for the mission? How about the weather guys, the intel, the guys who maintained the parachutes that saved lives? The Chaplain who counseled the troops with personal problems? It was total team commitment and everyone had to perform at the highest level. Pilots may have got the credit for accomplishing the end mission, but they were just delivering on the cumulative work of everyone.

@markjfox866 4 ай бұрын

When the government or people in charge make rules regulations ,do,s donts an cant,s.Break dwn communication in whats needed when where,how. How can u win a war. These people r all hero,s 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🎖🎖🎖🎖

@clafrieda Жыл бұрын

Lt. Colonel John M. Carlson - Sandy 01 Captain Richard M. Hall - Sandy 02 Captain James L. Jamerson - Sandy 03 1/Lt Clyde W. Campbell - Sandy 04

@kpro7697 Жыл бұрын

You did a great thing and very important what you brought to Forrest. ❤

@clafrieda Жыл бұрын

@@kpro7697 Thanks Kpro. CPT Hall said they couldn't remember who Sandy #4 was. I hope they read these comments.

@clafrieda Жыл бұрын

@Ashley Power A1C R. J. Sully Jr.

@CapnRobert2000 9 ай бұрын

@ashleypower1773 Flight Engineer was MSgt Lee R. Maples

@CapnRobert2000 9 ай бұрын

@ashleypower1773 My wife's father, Lt Lance Eagan, was the pilot of Jolly Green 36 that extracted Maj Fenn..

@adriaanboogaard8571 8 ай бұрын

Great video. I've been in the right seat at a Air show.great ride money well spent. I was a Todler when you guys were up drawing fire and giving it back thanks for all your service.

@carlylekhan7007 10 ай бұрын

Thank You For Your Service Captain Hall. May Our Creator's Choicest Blessings Be Showered Upon Both You And All At Have And Are Serving.

@damonbarnes5004 Жыл бұрын

Awesome to hear our heroes accounts. Former 16th SOS airman myself. So others may live

@DWBurns 9 ай бұрын

I understand it is painful, please tell the story. Please don’t allow history to die with you. The story must be remember. Please tell the story.

@northernlight696 11 ай бұрын

Great story - thanks from Canada!

@ronrothstein4175 Жыл бұрын

I give u sandy guys a lot of credit I lived next to a guy when I was about 14 years old Jim I can’t remember his last name he told me stories and had pictures to backup the stories I was amazed at his younger life . May I ask did you lose the finger on your left hand in the war? Anyways gif bless you for the life’s you saved

@tommytomtime3345 9 ай бұрын

Great interview; THANKS

@militarytales 8 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@johng889 10 ай бұрын

Can you say Badasses? Spads pilots rock it..Knew a A1 Navy pilot that flew off USS Midway..

@markjfox866 Жыл бұрын

Did nt get the help they needed on return. Dinks drugs fighting an robbery to try an cope with traumas of war. Shame on the american government.no jobs no help nothing.some took their own lives even after coming back.😢😢😢😢👏👏👏🙏🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖

@deuceman51 2 ай бұрын

Sadly Rich passed a few days ago.

@bobkohl6779 Жыл бұрын

M-2 tanks which evolved into the M-3 Stuart

@ianleirfallom Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video. Can I ask a very important question... Where or who is the man, James Swisher, the FAC that was on duty that day... Was that a real person involved in the mission and or the rescue? I am having trouble finding a person with that name involved in the mission/rescue. Very important!

@davidkrump8249 Жыл бұрын

Excellent. Can someone please explain how as a Captain he could not attain the rank of Major? That's the only question I have.

@virginiaredin2602 Жыл бұрын

Because he had no college degree,air force let him go.he had 13 years

@davidkrump8249 Жыл бұрын

@@virginiaredin2602 but the very person he talks about, Forrest Fenn, had no college degree either and he retired a major. Curious to me.

@jjock3239 Жыл бұрын

It is pretty easy to get passed over for promotion, when the government is trying to reduce the size of the air force. I didn't know much about the USAF when I got to Laredo as an exchange instructor, but that up or out policy was in place even at that time during the war. I remember one of the base rescue helicopter pilots telling me that he had been passed over, and he was being forced out. I knew Rich, I met him while I was an IP in Laredo in 1971. He was my flight commander, and I was the scheduler. He was a great guy to work for, and we are still in contact even after 50 years.

@maxcorder2211 10 ай бұрын

In those days, you made 1st Lt in 18 months, and Captain in another 18 months (3 yrs). So, all the guys who got out of the service after 5 years (like me) had been Captains for 2 years. If you decided to stay in the Air Force for at least a 20 year career, you expected to make Major after about 8-10 years and Lt Col at about 15 years. Some who were outstanding men made these ranks quicker. But, if you were up for the promotion and didn’t get selected (as Rich said) you had two more shots at it. He was an unusual situation in that he didn’t have a college degree. After that you were either stuck in your rank for the duration of the 20 years, or you got out or were forced out during a RIF (Reduction In Force). That’s the way I recall it when I got out in 1973 after one tour in Vietnam and another one in Thailand. This man and others in the 602nd and flew Sandy’s on the hundreds of rescue missions were real heroes who were putting their own lives at risk to save others.

@davidkrump8249 10 ай бұрын

@@maxcorder2211 thank you for your service and your knowledge.

@mustlistengood3346 Жыл бұрын

Forrest Fenn's rescue is described in his memoir, "The Thrill of the Chase", where he devotes a chapter to his time in Vietnam. As his memoir indicates, Forrest's life was incredibly full and interesting and it culminated in his hiding of his Treasure in the Rocky Mountains to encourage people to get off of their electronic devices and enjoy nature in one of the worlds greatest treasure hunts. There will be some documentaries on Forrest and his treasure hunt released soon, including a Netflix documentary. His treasure was found by Jack Steuf, a former journalist and medical student, in the 2019/2020 timeframe at an undisclosed location, but it is widely believed based on court evidence, as well as a large amount of circumstantial evidence, that the location where the treasure was found was along the Madison river in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Forrest confirmed the treasure was found in Wyoming before he died in 2020.

@AllenKelly Жыл бұрын

Well-written! Hope all is well✌️

@WyMustIGo Жыл бұрын

It is not "widely believed", only a handful of people believe it was in Yellowstone (mostly those trying to cash in on a documentary created by people who have no solution or location). There is zero court evidence of Yellowstone. That is why they will only show screenshots of the emails and fake pictures ALL sent after Forrest died. The only thing that we know is it was on BLM Land, or Indian Land, or Land managed by Fish & Wildlife, Reclaimed Land, or a National Park (ALL of those are managed by the Department of the Interior where the DOI/DOJ said it was). We also know (from the same court docs) that it was on land that doesn't have the infrastructure to handle large numbers of tourists (Yellowstone has infrastructure to handle millions of tourists). Also, it is illegal to put it there, FF would have been charged (misdemeanor crime) for placing it there, and Jack for taking it without going to the park superintendent. There is no such public record. We also know that Forrest sent Dal Neitzel an email in December 2019 and again in March 2020 telling Dal he wanted to call it off. This is something he would not have done if someone had found it in 2019. Don't confuse what you hear from the Netflix people push, deal with the facts. The fact is nobody knows the solve and nobody knows exactly where in Wyoming the chest was. That includes Jack Stuef who never gave a location or solution. I give you a 4/10 for the troll effort. PS: The real solution is on my channel.

@markjfox866 4 ай бұрын

Specially when vc had so much pwer across the boarder.yet u were,nt meant to go bomb or go there.