[CPTAUSRET]

Below you will find a small excerpt from the "Rocky Versace Medal of Honor" article:

I participated in a raid to rescue Nick Rowe who was being held in the U Minh forest at the time, either 65 or 66. Maj Ray Nutter was also on that raid, his ship was shot down in the LZ, his co-pilot an ex Navy pilot named Hargrove took one between the eyes, Nutter and his crew E and E'd all night long and luckily were spotted by a helicopter crew the next morning:

Pappy Kittleson CSM SF retired was also a participant, he by the way is the only man to participate in 4 POW raids; Cabanatuan, the one I'm describing, Son Tay, and the Iran hostage attempt:

It seemed that every major operation I was involved in in VN, was compromised in some way or another, so this one was kept very closely held, Caribous, and C-123's airlifted Chinese Nungs into Soc Trang all morning long. I don't believe any Vietnamese troops were involved in the op:

Weather was a problem that day and the slick lead had to vector aroung several thunder bumpers enroute to the LZ; every aviation co in the Delta was involved in this operation, my platoon either provided the initial suppressive fire run down the long axis of the shoebox shaped LZ, or we picked up the slicks on final and provided suppresive fire for them, either way, it was the most intense fire I had ever received, multiple crew served weapons at strategic points dotted around the heavy treeline surrounding the LZ, I spotted at least 4 . 50 cal's (More likely .51 cals) big ass green tracers punching holes in my aircraft. I couldn't even guestimate the number of crew served .30 cals firing at us. My ship took somewhere between 35 and 40 hits, I completed my firing run, pickled off all my rockets, and limped maybe a mile to a mile and a half before I gave up trying to nurse a mangled up ship (which was destroyed in place), and luckily was able to put it doen right side up:

Between 50 and 75 Nungs were inserted into the LZ, not one of them made it off the LZ alive. I dont know how many ships were lost that day, but a lot of lives were lost:

We got close enough that Nick Rowe was able to hear the battle, bu we faild in our attempt to get to him:

Terry


"Shortly after his daring escape in 1968, Major Rowe was invited to the White House to meet with President Richard Nixon and recount the events of his captivity. Colonel Ray Nutter, an Army congressional liaison officer attended the private meeting and recalled:

"Mr. Nixon wasn't really prepared for what Nick had to say. I don't think any of us were. Maybe later, we got hardened to this sort of thing. But in '69, to hear the story Nick told was very emotional.
"When Major Rowe was finished, the President didn't say anything. He was very emotional and moved. He got up and shook the major's hand, gave him a hug and had tears in his eyes. He said it was one of the most amazing stories he had ever heard. He turned to me and said, 'Did you understand what the major wanted?'
"I said, 'Yes, sir.'
"He said, 'Can you take care of this Colonel?'
"And I said, 'After being in here, sir, I can take care of most anything.'"

What Major Rowe had wanted was the Medal of Honor, not for himself, but for the man who's example had so inspired him, and motivated him through five years of captivity. Almost as quickly as the private meeting ended, Major Rowe submitted the paperwork nominating Special Forces Captain Humbert Roque Versace for the Medal of Honor.

In moves that infuriated Major Rowe for the rest of his life, for some reason and in spite of the President's own endorsement during that 1969 meeting, Rocky's Medal of Honor was not to be. The paperwork sat without official attention for two years, and then the award was downgraded to the Silver Star."