CH-34A of the 83rd Special Operations Group, with Hugh Cox and a 219th HS pilot posing in front of it in 1968.
There was an Operations 35 (OP35) that was the staff level of missions into
Laos , Cambodia, and North Vietnam. OP35 was the largest function in SOG.
This mission (in the photo) was in April 1968 to insert a "spike team" into
Laos. The H-34's were piloted by the 219th pilots. The origin was Phu Bai
(just south of Hue) and the destination was Laos.
"Spike teams" were the reconnaissance teams of approximately 8 to 12 men (2
to 4 US). If a target of opportunity was stumbled up by the spike team, SOG
could authorize a "Hatchet Force" to be inserted in these classified areas.
The Hatchet Force was usually a reinforced company of about 200 plus. US
Ambassador Sullivan of Laos was always suspicious of SOG's inflation of
forces going into Laos - the secret diplomatic agreement with Laos was that
only a "company" from SOG could be inserted. A US infantry company
traditionally had about 140 men.
This Ambassador Sullivan was the same ambassador who was in Iran when the
Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1978 or 1979 (I forget the date).
(Photos and comment: Hugh Cox)
