USAF Jolly Green Giant Collection: Fallen Hero's / Jolly Green 17 / 40th ARRS / HH-3 / Jolly Green Giant

25th December 1968

Jolly Green 17

40th ARRS

HH-3E

On Christmas eve an F-105 ( Panda 01) went down between Ban Phaphilang and Ban Kariai Pass. Rescue HH-3's attempted a rescue however due to night approaching the rescue was delayed & the helicopters were ordered to RTB.

At sunrise Jolly 17 returned to the search area. As they came to the rescue area they saw a pilot hanging from his harness from a tree. Doug King the PJ volunteered to be lowered to pick up the pilot. He found the pilot had been killed & loaded his body onto a stretcher. The crew began winching the both up when the enemy opened fire. Doug called he'd been hit pull up, so the pilot fearing the helicopter could crash killing them all pulled up, hoping they could be pulled through the trees and then winched aboard. However the cable snapped & the airmen fell back to the ground. Doug then made one last call "Jolly get out of here, they are almost on to of me". Badly damaged the H-3 was forced to depart. The crew were unable to fire at the enemy as they were too close to the downed airmen.

After two days of searching both crew were reported as MIA. While listed as MIA Doug was promoted from A1C to Chief Master Sergeant.

On the 15th May 1978 Doug was declared KIA and awarded the Air Force Cross, Silver Star, DFC, Air Medal & Purple Heart.