OLAA Operating Date 13-Jan-1970

Roster

ROSTER… 12 Men

Lt. Col. James W. Wold (Jim)
Maj. Timothy L. Buttermore (Tim)
Maj. Dean E. DeTar (Dean)
Capt. Robert Karre (Bob)
Capt. Paul D. D. Houppert (DD)
1st Lt. Maurice A Coleman, Jr. (Mac)
1st Lt. John W. Weinig (JW)
1st Lt. James Seith (Jim)
1st Lt. A. Jackson Roberts (Jax)
1st Lt. Donald L Engebretsen (Don)
1st Lt. Warren C. Blanchard (Doc)
1st Lt. Larry L. Cavender

On This Date in OLAA History

1970 – January 13; A HH-3E crewed by Capt. G. M. Hittle (P), Charles C. Adams (CP), Robert J. P. Laframboise (FE), Donald G. Smith (PJ) and Curt W. Phythian (PJ), rescued a C-130 (Call sign “Blind Bat 13”) crew member, Capt. Laurence C. Johnson, who had fallen out of his aircraft while on a night mission over Laos on January 12, 1970. No other details are known at this time. “PJ’s in Vietnam” by Robert L. LaPointe & JRCC Save Form

OLAA-ID: 65-1      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: Donald L. Engebretsen
Mission ID:
Tail # OV-10 661
Location: 966 ET6
Team Name:
Hours Flown: 4+15 (4.3)
  
Remarks: FAC Ride #2
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-2      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: Timothy L. Buttermore
Mission ID:
Tail # 799-H
Location:
Team Name:
Hours Flown: (6.20)
  
Remarks: Form 5, likely 2 flights
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-3      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: James W. Wold–01
Mission ID: 1635
Tail # 618-H
Location: 0350/05/04
Team Name: Foot Joy
Hours Flown: 2+00 (2.0)*
  
Remarks: 4 Sustained Fires; 100/50; 100/20m; Gray Sky to 500' Wold Form 5 combined the 2 missions (3.9)
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-3      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: Larry L. Cavender–02
Mission ID:
Tail # 621-H
Location: SL and INC
Team Name:
Hours Flown: 2.00
  
Remarks: Dropped Nape with Elliott; #Gray Sky to 500'
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-4      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: James W. Wold–01
Mission ID: 1639
Tail # 618-H
Location: 275/35/103
Team Name: Thin Man
Hours Flown: 1+55 (1.9)*
  
Remarks: Didn't Play - Returned To Base - No Expenditure Wold Form 5 combined the 2 missions (3.9)
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-4      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: Larry L. Cavender–02
Mission ID:
Tail # 621-H
Location: SL and RVN
Team Name:
Hours Flown: 2.00
  
Remarks: Jettisoned Napes; #Didn't Play - Returned To Base - No Expenditure
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-5      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: Dean E. DeTar
Mission ID:
Tail # 619-E
Location:
Team Name:
Hours Flown: (1.50)
  
Remarks:
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-6      
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: Dean E. DeTar
Mission ID: FCF?
Tail # 619-E
Location:
Team Name:
Hours Flown: (0.70)
  
Remarks:
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-7      SAR
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: John W. Weinig–11
Mission ID: SAR
Tail #
Location:
Team Name:
Hours Flown:
  
Remarks: JW flew as SAR lead for successful mission to Recover Capt. Johnson who parachuted from C-130 flare ship
Tags: C-130 Parachute Rescue, Flights of Interest
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OLAA-ID: 65-7      SAR
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: A. Jackson Roberts–12
Mission ID: SAR
Tail #
Location:
Team Name:
Hours Flown:
  
Remarks: Jax flew as SAR wingman for successful mission to Recover Capt. Johnson who parachuted from C-130 flare ship
Tags: C-130 Parachute Rescue, Flights of Interest
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OLAA-ID: 65-8      SAR
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: James W. Wold–01
Mission ID: 01-3-006? SAR SUPPORT
Tail # 628-H
Location: 067/07/72
Team Name:
Hours Flown: 3+30 (3.5)
  
Remarks: SAR 1st Light; One Survivor-Blind Bat-Successful; 13-H ? Escorted Jolly’s to SAR
Tags:
OLAA-ID: 65-8      SAR
Flight Date: 13 Jan 70
Pilot: Larry L. Cavender–02
Mission ID: SAR SUPPORT
Tail # 621-H
Location:
Team Name:
Hours Flown: 3.50
  
Remarks: SAR BB 13 D OK; #SAR 1st Light; One Survivor-Blind Bat Successful; ? Escorted Jolly’s to SAR
Tags:
JW & Jax flew as SAR Spads (11 & 12) for the mission described on this date for a guy who fell out of the open parachute door of a C-130!  Jim Wold and Larry Cavender flew as Spad 1 & 2 to escort the Jolly(s) to make the pickup.  1970 - January 13; A HH-3E crewed by Capt. G. M. Hittle (P), Charles C. Adams (CP), Robert J. P. Laframboise (FE), Donald G. Smith (PJ) and Curt W. Phythian (PJ), rescued a C-130 (Call sign "Blind Bat 13") crew member, Capt. Laurence C. Johnson, who had fallen out of his aircraft while on a night mission over Laos on January 12, 1970. No other details are known at this time. "PJ's in Vietnam" by Robert L. LaPointe & JRCC Save Form  Read on much more info… Additional Information about this mission from Jax and Larry provided in 2020: From Jax on 3Feb20:  This one I DO remember! I was on JW's wing, first light and as I recall the incident was in a relatively tame area slightly south and east of the "Golf Course". Here's where my techno brain fails. There was a procedure where Sandy One... (Spad 11?) once making contact with the survivor could get him to respond non-verbally by "giving a 10 sec tone on his PRC 10 (?) survival radio. That way he would not have to speak out loud in case there were bad guys nearby.   As we were approaching the SAR scene JW began with "Blindbat 13 if you read Spad 11 (?), give me a 10 second tone". He may have had to try that a few times before we got a response, to which JW replied "Fine, you read Spad 11", BB13 if you are receiving us 5 x 5 give us a 10 second tone?"  JW ..." Fine you have us loud and clear".  JW "BB13 if you have unknown activity you can hear give us a 10 sec. tone" .........no tone .... JW  "BB13 fine, you can detect no enemy activity in your area.  JW"BB13 are you injured, if you are, give us a 10 sec. tone"...beeee....eeeeeep tone.....  JW  "Fine, you are injured" 😊 For some reason I recall no opposition to this recovery, although I do not recall observing the pick-up. Why Wold and Cadaver flew three that day? Who knows? May the God of your choice bless John Weinig!! From Larry Cavender 4Feb20:  I do remember this mission, somewhat.  As I recall, we had word of the incident the evening before, so a first light effort was planned.  I do remember that our job (my lead and I - didn't know it was Wold until now) was to escort the Jollies.  By the time we arrived on scene with the Jollies everything Jax described must have happened and the pickup proceeded without any opposition.