 An aviation detachment in Vung Tau is conducting an experimental program. The mission is to evaluate three CH-47A Chinook helicopters that have been armed and armored. There's nothing half-hearted about the way these choppers are armed. Each one carries five 50 caliber machine guns. Two 20 millimeter guns are mounted externally on pylons. And just below them, two rocket pods firing 2.75 rockets. Finally, there's a 40 millimeter grenade launcher in the aircraft's nose. The armed Chinooks are experimental, but no one is resorting to proving ground techniques and trying them out, not when there are actual known enemy positions handy in the nearby jungle. The Chinooks are being used in securing landing areas, knocking out enemy ground fire and soft targets. Much of this activity has been in support of the Royal Australian Task Force. Today's mission, too, is to assist the Aussies. There are known Viet Cong positions around the Australian base camp. The mission is plain and simple. Clear out the Viet Cong troops in the area. The armed Chinooks, in the designation CH-47A, the CH stands for cargo helicopter. In the case of these flying arsenals, it might well be altered to combat helicopter. The outfit calls itself guns a go-go, and for good and obvious reasons. After the strike, the helicopters land at position Kangaroo in the Royal Australian Task Force area. Here, the flyers discuss the results of the mission with our allies from down under. Some of the men take the opportunity to work on a 20 millimeter cannon that's been giving trouble. Then, later, back again for another strike. The weather has closed in somewhat, but it takes more than clouds to ground this detachment. The assignment is evaluate the armed choppers, and there are perfectly good Viet Cong positions down there to evaluate them on. Our own findings on the armed Chinooks are not yet complete, but the VC may be doing some evaluating, too. If so, it's a pretty fair bet that they've already concluded the armed CH-47A is mighty effective. The men of the 101st Airborne are sometimes called the Nomads of Vietnam, and here one of their supporting units finds itself really living the nomadic life. It only looks like a Bedouin encampment in the Sahara. Actually, it's a base camp in Tui Hoa, where an aviation battalion is weathering a wind and sandstorm. But wind or not, business goes on. At a nearby beach, an LST brings in helicopter maintenance parts. The aviation unit has been supporting the 101st Division and Arvin troops throughout Vietnam, and that adds up to a lot of wear and tear on the choppers. Replacement parts run in size all the way up to new rotor blades. Today's mission involves airlifting Vietnamese troops for a jungle assault on the enemy. The wind has abated and the men stand ready. Right on schedule, the Hueys arrive to pick up their passengers. The armed escort gets some new teeth. The electrical firing devices are set on the gunship's rockets. And the Arvons board the helicopters in soldierly fashion, ready for battle. Weather, wind and sand have failed to interfere. The airlift gets underway. Around the landing zone, enemy positions are taken for granted, and accordingly are promptly taken care of. Still right on schedule, the Vietnamese troops unload at the landing zone. Helicopters continue to prove their value in operations in South Vietnam. 10 kilometers north of Phla Kuu, a Chinook helicopter has crashed while supporting a combat field operation. The recovery of this aircraft begins as another CH-47 writes the fuselage so mechanics will be able to dismantle its engines. The date is July 27. All wreckage from the downed helicopter is to be removed and returned to the maintenance area at An K. Members of the recovery team begin removing the heavier parts to lighten the fuselage for later airlift. The task of dismantling the aircraft is made particularly difficult because of damage to the parts. Engine parts are taken to a waiting cargo helicopter and loaded aboard as items of freight. For this recovery operation, 10 men have been dispatched to the scene of the crash. Some of the men begin gathering up the scattered pieces of wreckage and loading them aboard the waiting Chinook. Meanwhile, another cargo helicopter is busy removing the rear transmission by means of sling load. Before the day is over, there won't be a trace left of the crash. Finally, a CH-54 flying crane appears and starts to pick up the stripped fuselage of the Chinook. Here again, the load is handled by sling lift as a huge chopper begins to rise vertically. A ribbon parachute is deployed to stabilize the ponderous load in flight. Then the flying crane climbs ever higher over the mountains. The long airlift nears its end as the flying crane begins descending toward the maintenance area at Ankay. The wrecked Chinook is expertly eased into position near the base repair facility. The hookup is released and the mission is completed. In another type of helicopter support, an artillery unit of the Royal Australian Army is aided in moving a field piece. Located at Ndwit, 32 kilometers east of Vung Tau, this battery is moving its guns from one location to another in the field. The U.S. Army helicopter is from a base in Vung Tau. With the artillery weapons sling loaded, the American helicopter quickly hauls it away, whisking it over the treetops as the Aussies watch it go. The gun arrives at the new battery site a few kilometers away in a matter of moments. As the Chinook sails away toward Vung Tau, the Australians take over and ready the gun for action. At Tinine Airstrip, 88 kilometers northwest of Saigon, a shipment of radio communications equipment is loaded aboard a Huey. The shipment is bound for Nui Ba Den, the Black Virgin Mountain, where a special forces radio relay site is situated 16 kilometers from Tinine. The summit, where the American outpost is located, is the highest point in the third core area, and today visibility is poor. Despite the low hanging clouds, however, the chopper goes in to deliver the badly needed radio equipment. The rest of this mountain below the summit is controlled by the enemy. The men of the special forces camp immediately unload the new equipment. These people must be supplied by air almost daily so they can continue to hold the strategic mountaintop and maintain line of sight radio transmission service. When the mission is completed, the Huey takes off from this 3,200-foot helipad to continue its duties. Perhaps the most vital function of the helicopter in Vietnam is the aerial resupply of troops in the field. Here at the Camp Holloway Army Airfield at Pleiku, choppers are loaded with rations and water for troops of the 25th Infantry Division during combat operation Paul Revere several kilometers to the north. These aerial resupply deliveries are often the only means of keeping the troops supplied during jungle operations. This means flying deep into enemy territory and the air crew is constantly on the alert. The weapons platoon receiving the supplies is located about 12 kilometers from the Cambodian border and is badly in need of this delivery. No sooner does the chopper touch down than the hasty business of unloading begins. With fresh food, water, and ammunition, these infantrymen are now able to carry the operation to a successful conclusion. To the familiar strains of when the Saints go marching in, elements of the 2nd Brigade 4th Infantry Division arrive in Vietnam on 7 August. Led by commanding officer Colonel Judson H. Miller, the first contingent of troops march ashore past the Korean Tiger Division Band. The 4th Division is most famous for its D-Day landing on Utah Beach during World War II. Rows of welcoming Vietnamese women wait to shower the men with garlands of flowers. On hand for the occasion is Army Chief of Staff General Harold K. Johnson and commanding General William C. Westmoreland who officially greets the troops. Colonel Miller, officers and men of the 4th Division, I welcome you to Vietnam. The Vietnamese are fighting for the same rights and freedom that we in the United States fought for in 1776. In this struggle, we are joined by many of our allies. As soldiers of the United States Army will fight side by side with members of the armed forces of Vietnam, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. The peoples of many other nations are watching what we do here. By your presence in Vietnam, you will represent not only the United States Army, but also the American people. After the General's address, the garneted troops board buses for Pinyon Air Base where they will be airlifted to Placo. The arrival of the 2nd Brigade brings American forces in Vietnam to an all-time high. 10 August, a farewell review in honor of the three-member mediation committee sent to the strait-torn Dominican Republic by the Organization of American States. The commander of the Inter-American Police Force, Brazil's General Alvaro Braha, arrives at the ceremonies accompanied by Ellsworth Bunker, U.S. Ambassador to OAS. They are greeted by Brigadier General Robert R. Linville, Commander U.S. Forces Dominican Republic. Ambassador Bunker and the two generals inspect troop elements from the Inter-American Force. Later, General Braha presents each of the committee members with a certificate of achievement marking completion of their assignment. Ilmar Penimarinho of Brazil, Ambassador Bunker, and Ramon de Clermont Duenas of El Salvador. On behalf of the committee, Ambassador Bunker expresses appreciation for the honors bestowed on them. Soldiers from the Americas pass in review before the committee members. The parade includes troops from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Brazil, as well as from the United States. Helicopters of the U.S. 283rd Army Aviation Company stage a fly-by with each chopper trailing colored smoke. A precision skydiving event by members of the U.S. Army Parachute Team winds up the ceremonies. Each member of the committee is presented with an engraved relay stick, a symbolic memento of the fine teamwork that has characterized inter-American operations in the Dominican Republic. Tonight the first group of men are returning to Vietnam after five days in R&R here in Hawaii. Master Sergeant Charles Meadows is the NCOIC of the R&R Center. Sergeant Meadows, can you tell me how the first group of men took to Hawaii on their first trip here? From all indications, talking with several of the men, they enjoyed themselves very much and said they would recommend it to their fellow men in Vietnam when they returned. Sergeant Meadows, how have you found support for this? Local support was 100 percent. The people contributed in every way possible by cutting the rates on their hotels, the shows and different things. They support it 100 percent. Thank you, Sergeant Meadows. This is Sergeant First Class Raymond Palluti and his family. Sergeant Palluti is from Hawaii. Presently he is stationed in Vietnam with a 502nd Aviation Battalion at Vien Long. Sergeant Palluti, what did you do here in Hawaii? Me and my wife went around visiting our relatives in the island. We also take advantage of that R&R card which they pass it to us when we arrive here in Honolulu, Hawaii, which I want to thank for everybody, Governor Burns, Admiral Sharpe and all officials who make this trip a success. Sergeant Palluti, when you return to your unit, do you plan to recommend Hawaii to the men? I personally recommend it. I think this is one of the most and a wonderful opportunity for everybody to meet now. Mrs. Palluti, what did you think of your husband's R&R trip here to Hawaii? Well, I thought it was wonderful that he could come home after being away 11 months and we all missed him and was sure glad to see him. This is Sergeant Emmet Higgins of Advisory Team 87 in Vietnam. He is present and advisor with the Vietnamese 10th Inventory Division. Sergeant Higgins, how did you find your reception here in Hawaii? Well, I don't know where ever one else expected such a thing. I did not and I enjoyed the people meeting this and I was just overwhelmed with many people out to see us. Sergeant, did you have much of a chance to use the facilities here at Fort Darussi? Yesterday I used all the facilities and all the services here and I want to really express myself to the people that really showed us around the area here. Mrs. Seberg and Sergeant Mavao and myself and the other two Air Force men really had a lovely time with the people and also I'd like to express myself to the Navy who is from the nuclear sub over here who took me to Kentucky fried chicken dinner yesterday. So you'll come back again if you had a chance? I will and I hope to come back in a couple of months. As the hour for departure draws near the R&R personnel returning to Vietnam are debriefed in the Fort Darussi auditorium. They are asked to fill out forms commenting on their visit to Hawaii. Heading for their airport buses the troops are entertained one last time by the music and dances of Polynesia. Dependents of the returnees have time for one last aloha. A roster check is made as each man boards the bus for Hickam Air Force Base. The wonderful holiday is over and many hearts are heavy in these final moments of farewell. Then the big Army buses roll and the R&R troops say aloha Hawaii as they return to the war against the Vietcong.