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http://www.thebattleofkontum.com/claw.htmlOn the 29th of April 1972, two NUH-1B helicopters mounting the TOW system arrived at Camp Holloway, Pleiku. These aircraft and crews were assigned to the 17th Combat Aviation Group. The aircraft used the call sign "Hawk's Claw". This was the first time in Army aviation history such a system was deployed to a combat zone.
The XM26 armament subsystem fired a tube launched, optically tracked, wire guided antitank missile which weighed 54 pounds. The effective ranges were 500 meters (minimum) and 3000 meters (maximum). The time of flight at 3000 meters was 14.7 seconds. One problem that arose was that the wire cutters did not seem to work properly. However, after thoroughly checking them out it was found that the gunner was stowing the sighting system too soon and the cutter would not operate with the sight stowed. There were three armament subsystems in RVN with two mounted on NUH-1B helicopters (SN 62-12553 and 62-12554). Each system carried six missiles. When the system arrived in Pleiku, there were 144 missiles in country, with 60 more inbound from the U.S.
The TOW package consisted of one NUH-1B, one UH-1H C&C, and two AH-1G escort gunships. Pending notification of a target, the TOW package was on standby at Camp Holloway or at Kontum on strip alert. Weather permitting, the NUH-1B normally flew at 3,000 feet (AGL-Above Ground Level) and engaged targets at a slant range of 3,000 meters. The C&C aircraft controlled the package, coordinated fire clearance and supervised employment of the recovery crew if needed. There were standing orders to destroy the system if it was shot down so it would not fall into enemy hands.
Tóm tắt là ngày 29/04/1972 có 2 máy bay UH-1B phiên bản chuyên dụng phóng TOW bằng hệ thống XM26 NUH-1B tới Pleiku, biên chế Tiểu đoàn(?) Không quân 17. Tại Nam VN lúc đó có 03 bộ XM26 thì hai bộ ở Pleiku, lắp trên 2 NUH-1B số sườn (62-12553 và 62-12554), mỗi chiếc mang 6 tên lửa.
Mỗi nhóm tác chiến TOW gồm có 01 NUH-1B mang TOW, 01 UH-1H chỉ huy và 02 AH-1G hộ tống.
Lệnh đưa ra sẵn là nếu NUH-1B bị bắn rơi thì phải phá hủy XM26 ngay lập tức không có các ông QGP các ông mang về cải tiến thì bỏ bà.
Tên tuổi và thành tích của các kíp lái
Military
LTC Patrick L. Feore Jr
CW3 Lester Whiteis
CW2 Scott E. Fenwick
CW2 Douglas R Hixon Jr
CW2 Carroll W. Lain
CW2 Danny G. Rowe
CW2 Edmond C. Smith
SFC Boyce A. Hartsell
SP5 Ronald G. Taylor
SP4 David W. Lehrschall
Civilian
Mr. Thomas E Zogorski
Mr. Dennis J. Camp
Mr. James J. Faulk
Mr. Kenneth W. Blum
Mr. James C. Follett
Mr. Hughie J. McInnish Jr
The crew members were organized into three operational teams:
CREW ALPHA
CW2 Lain
CW2 Fenwick
4 Tanks
4 APC
2 Artillery pieces
3 2 1/2 Ton Trucks
1 3/4 Ton Truck
1 51 Cal. Machine Gun
CREW BRAVO
CW2 Rowe
CW2 Smith
12 Tanks
1 POL
2 Bunkers
CREW CHARLIE
CW3 Whiteis
CW2 Hixon
8 Tanks
3 2 1/2 Ton Trucks
1 23mm Antiaircraft Gun
1 122mm Rockets site
1 51 Cal. Machine Gun
TOW A/C #553 - Crew Chief SP4 Lehrschall
TOW A/C #554 - Crew Chief SP5 Evans, W.
