I scanned this for you from my November/December 2020 issue of VFW magazine. A POW raid that I was not aware of until years after our war. – Bear
Daring POW Raid at Son Tay by Al Hemingway
Roger, we knew about the raid the next day. It was all in the news. The press loved telling about “another Nixon failure.” Years ago, I read a book – I think the name was “The Raid.” It said Simmons wanted to go within 2 months of when he hatched the idea. Then all the agencies got involved, and briefings dragged on and on. Book says he had to fight to get decorations for the men afterward.
Book also said they PLANNED to crash-land one helicopter inside the compound to be sure they got inside. This story portrays an accident. I think those inside raiders were flown out in a Chinook. Another problem: No one accounted for the growth of the trees in all the months the raid was delayed, hence they were much taller than expected.
This story seems to say a second copter landed inside. Not so in the book. Also implies that all the soldiers killed at the wrong-landing location were Chinese.
Who knows what is true.
Spur 3, Chuck Oualline
From my years of involvement with the POW/MIA issue, each time our military shared their plans with the CIA or State Department the operation went sideways.
Please remember, ALL cross-border operations into Cambodia and Laos had to be approved by our Ambassador of that country!!
To this very day, I’m very skeptical of the State Department!!