No Man Left Behind: Rescuing One Soldier During Vietnam War | Navy SEALs | Wonder

[Music] in 1972 american airmen are shot down in the midst of an enemy invasion they land as 30,000 north vietnamese troops descend upon south vietnam rescue attempts by air and in tragedy but one Navy SEAL refuses to leave three Americans behind enemy lines in 1961 an elite team of Special Forces was created for covert operations on the sea air and land their missions have been kept secret for national security reasons who they are and what they do has remained shrouded in secrecy now based on first-hand accounts of classified operations these are the untold stories of the Navy SEALs [Music] on April 2nd 1972 the US air force II b-66 escorted a squadron of b-52 bombers over the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam the unarmed electronic warfare plane callsign bat 21 carried a crew of six [Music] and their mission was to seek out enemy missile batteries before they could strike the Bombers bat 21 detected an incoming surface-to-air mission by the potboiler repeat Sam let's take a look at it Sam uh flick vicinity of DMZ back to one got it tracking the pilot took evasive maneuvers right right please tap cleric hard right hoping a fool of the missile was on its way wait wait let's get the player the pilots struggle to control the damaged aircraft only one man was able to eject five others died inside Lieutenant Colonel Jean Hamilton survived but the 53 year old navigator landed behind enemy lines a North Vietnamese patrol had spotted his chute Hamilton's escape-and-evasion training took over he did not allow himself to be captured [Music] as an expert in US missile strategy his top secret clearance had given him access to sensitive information information vital to US efforts in Vietnam [Music] [Music] Oh mother though keep your daddy gonna 500 you [Music] yet evaded capture for the moment Hamilton used his survival radio to call in his position he was two miles into enemy territory and surrounded by enemy troops Casamayor head was the commander of the u.s. joint search and rescue center at the Nang airbase could quickly mounted an air rescue operation to pick up Hamilton retrieving the down flyer by air was risky but they had to get to Hamilton before the NBA did [Music] the Vietnamese Army or NVA had amassed a huge invasion force [Music] thousand troops infiltrated the demilitarized zone separating North and South Vietnam Hamilton was trapped above his position American b-52 has rained bombs on the attacking NVA forces two helicopters race to Hamilton's position they flew straight into an NVA anti-aircraft battery one chopper crash-landed the crew survived but the helicopter was a total loss another you he was hit hard three of the four crew members were killed newer head had just lost four men and two helicopters in an effort to rescue one man he suspended rescue missions for the night [Music] how many men he said how many men were in that Huey Hamilton was instructed to lay low until daybreak [Music] an envier listening post intercepted Hamilton's transmission Colonel Tran the commander of a North Vietnamese battalion assess the situation Americans were known to rescue their own he could use the downed pilot as bait to lure US aircraft into the area at dawn Muirhead deployed two forward air controllers to get a visual fix on Hamilton's position Clark and lieutenant Bruce Walker flew low and slow over the jungle they finally spotted Hamilton in the brush rock your wings so he's got a visual rocking the winds suddenly a surface-to-air missile Street flap flap wolfman ejected [Music] NVA troops searched the area where Clarke went down they came to within a few feet of his hiding place [Music] Walker was just a hundred yards away [Music] all right now Colonel Miller had faced the challenge of rescuing not just one man look three what happened just keep me posted right this time the colonel ordered precision airstrikes to take out enemy air defenses around the down flyers it didn't help the rescue choppers were pummeled with anti-aircraft fire six more Americans lost their lives in the attack [Music] Hamilton saw the choppers go down he was devastated in four days nine Americans had died trying to save him [Music] the intensity of the rescue effort tipped off Colonel Tran perhaps the airmen were important assets with valuable intelligence [Music] oh man yes sir the Air Force shut down the rescue operation no sir [Music] I understand sir too many men had already died thank you but Muirhead refused to give up with three lives at stake he had to figure out another way email atomic Carolyn knew her had contacted the tenant Colonel Andy Anderson the head of the joint personnel recovery center Anderson was an expert in ground-based rescue operations Anderson arrived in Danang to assemble a team of South Vietnamese sea commandos [Music] for the dangerous rescue to succeed that you will need the best trained men available lieutenant Tom Norris a u.s. Navy SEAL had volunteered to lead the mission by 1972 Norris was one of a handful of Navy SEALs still in country to Train South Vietnamese commandos now Norris and his team would take on a mission that had already caused nine lives and a half dozen aircraft [Music] for Jean Hamilton Bruce Walker and Mark Clark Norris was their only hope in 1972 three American airmen were shot down over Vietnam they ejected safely only to find themselves trapped in the middle of an enemy invasion [Music] how many men lieutenant colonel Jean Hamilton was the first to be shot down how many men we got Huey lieutenant Bruce Walker was shot down a day later with lieutenant Mark Clark all three Airmen were now separated and trapped behind enemy lines [Music] every attempt to rescue them by air had ended in tragedy nine brave men had already lost their lives and one man had been taken prisoner lieutenant Tom Norris a u.s. Navy SEAL in a volunteered to lead a daring ground rescue with the help of petty officer nguyen van keet he assembled team of South Vietnamese sea commandos as key translated Norris brief of the plan all three Airmen were one to two miles inside hostile territory okay but your hand would have to slip past 30,000 enemy troops to get them out [Music] they didn't have much time [Music] the American Flyers had spent a week in the jungle with each passing day their condition grew worse starving dehydrated Hamilton hid from enemy patrols and hoped he would make it home alive [Music] [Music] two miles away Clark searched for Walker [Music] [Music] [Music] the NBA found Walker first if Walker was taken prisoner he would be interrogated and tortured like so many servicemen in his position he risked death to avoid being captured [Music] lieutenant Clark could only watch and harm there was nothing I do like the game girl [Music] [Applause] [Music] damnit I've ever done at the base in Danang Anderson learned of Walker's death gentlemen we've lost Walker [Music] the news hardened Norris's resolve the Navy SEAL was determined to rescue the remaining two Airmen before they were captured or killed aerial reconnaissance revealed that the cam low river provided a direct route west through the jungle if they could just get the fliers into the river they could get them out the team could only pick up one man at a time although Hamilton was in worse shape Clarke was closer to the river circumstances forced them to choose Clarke they would have to take the risk and hope Hamilton could hang on the mission would be coordinated from the air by a forward air controller captain Harold a key would relay communications between Anderson and his men on the ground like Clark and Walker before him a key had to fly his ov-10 aircraft dangerously close to the ground and within reach of enemy fire [Music] the forward air controller circled to get a fix on Clarke's position since the NVA was eavesdropping on his radio signal he relayed Clark's instructions in code now 3:8 this is bill one one do you copy Nicki based the code on things the pilot would recognize listen carefully nail 3/8 Bravo this is belt one one when the moon goes over the mouth in the state to twins at first Clarke was confused by the code when he put it together Esther Williams was a famous Olympic swimmer and movie star the snake was a river in Idaho Clark's home state traveling from Boise to Twin Falls meant he was to travel east by River [Music] [Music] [Music] at nightfall Navy SEAL Tom Norris and his team of sea commandos inserted south of Clark's position [Music] they entered the jungle who began the dangerous track to the rendezvous point Lieutenant Colonel Andy Anderson would coordinate the mission at a command post near enemy lines Hambleton was advised that Clarke would be rescued first he would have to hang on Norris and his team made their way to the cam Lowe River [Music] the further they moved into NVA territory the more enemy patrollers they encountered NVA soldiers passed within a few yards of Norris and the commandos [Music] [Music] the team couldn't afford to engage the enemy any gunfire would compromise the mission [Music] [Music] at the envier listening post a surveillance patrol briefed colonel Tran the American Air Rescue had abruptly stopped suspecting a new musky Tran quickly changed his strategy this time he sent out hunter-killer teams to find the Americans trapped behind enemy lines Hamilton watched the NVA deploy [Music] the colonel was exhausted he had been on the move for nine days he had no food he had no weapons but he did have a radio [Music] Hamilton called in airstrikes on the enemy's position ready to copy [Music] [Music] and a six flyer yes responded as requested media charter sir the fighter jet pounded the enemy invasion force with 500 pound mark 82's Norris and his men heard the bombardment from two miles away [Music] the airstrikes distracted the enemy allowing Clark to move to the river NVA presence in his sector was heavy he could see in advance in common enemy troops [Music] [Applause] [Music] a half mile downriver Norris notified Anderson they had reached their rendezvous point he requested illumination flares from US warships floating off the coast Norris and his men waited for Clarke to drift into view minutes passed but there was no sign of Clark Norris began to worry he had been intercepted [Music] then he noticed movement on the water [Music] it was Clark [Music] the team moved in to intercept him an NBA Patrol cut them off [Music] Norris watched helplessly as the current carried Clarke away and toward the enemy Patrol [Music] a North Vietnamese army invasion force of 30,000 soldiers was on the move into South Vietnam two downed Airmen was stranded in the midst of the invasion Lieutenant Colonel Jean Hamilton and Lieutenant Mark Clark had evaded capture for nearly two weeks [Music] but the North Vietnamese were closing in [Music] u.s. Navy SEAL lieutenant Tom Norris led the mission to rescue both men they had narrowly missed lieutenant Mark Clark as he floated past them on the kamla River Clark was now traveling downstream toward an enemy Patrol this is the changing major Norris could not contact Clark directly he would have to relay instructions through Anderson at the outpost get for the south side of the snake and hold in radio me your position Clark was told to hold his position and wait for the Navy SEAL to come to him the fastest way for Norris to reach Clark was to grab my barking get you back at the observation post [Applause] he told keep to take the team back to the outpost Navy SEAL Tom Norris went into the river without backup Anderson monitored the radio awaiting norris's call [Music] in the pre-dawn hours of April 10th 1972 lieutenant Tom Norris pulled lieutenant Mark Clark out of the can low river [Music] the two men made it back to the forward command outpost Clarke was immediately medevac to Danang where he was treated for exhaustion dehydration and exposure [Music] for Anderson and Norris it was one rescue down and another to go now that would focus on getting Hamilton out the ordeal was taking its toll on the 53 year old lieutenant colonel [Music] ten days without food or water left him severely dehydrated [Music] his condition was critical captain icky circled overhead and gave Hamilton directions to a river [Music] once again my customers the colder the subject familiar to the officer as an avid golfer hammington movie land sound famous golf courses by heart this is bad 21 Bravo I need you to put yourself right in Roger that but I don't think I can put into the hazard [Music] about 21 palpable [Music] Hamilton had exhausted what little energy he had left [Music] he was unsure he could make it to the river [Music] the NVA continued to monitor the Americans communications although they couldn't decipher the code they were able to calculate the location of the forward command outpost mortars rained down on the outpost with each volley the explosions got closer and closer to the command bunker I told you to get your bunker take cover [Music] the army was quickly zero in position this is the chain gang we are under attack requesting airstrike the only man who could save Colonel Hamilton who are now under attack [Music] Lieutenant Colonel Jean Hamilton was trapped behind enemy lines weak from hunger and dehydration he had evaded North Vietnamese patrols for over a week his rescue team was pinned down by enemy mortars Navy SEAL Tom Norris called in an airstrike dangerously close to their position the response was swift and deadly the enemy troops were decimated but the NVA and accomplished their objective the outpost sustained heavy damage several South Vietnamese sea commandos were killed [Music] Lieutenant Colonel Andy Anderson the mission commander was seriously injured [Music] the wounded were medevac to Danang [Music] only two men emerged from the attack unharmed Navy SEAL Tom Norris and petty officer Keith there was no time to assemble another team Hamilton wouldn't live that long Norris and keep him after him alone they had to travel over two miles into enemy territory [Music] moving on foot wouldn't be fast enough if they wanted to get Hamilton out alive they found their solution in the rubble of a bombed-out fishing village the only thing left intact was a sampan [Music] the two commandos disguised themselves as fishermen [Music] they quickly pushed off moving towards Hamilton and into the heart of an enemy invasion [Music] Hamilton situation was desperate after ten days without food and water he was disoriented and could barely walk captain aqui had no choice but to airdrop a survival kit exposing Hamilton's position where's our kid Angel three two one Bravo I have your drop cannon psyched hung up in a tree about fifty yards from your position can you get yeah yeah I think I could see it Hambleton headed for the survival kit [Music] [Music] but an NBA patrol got there first Norris and keyed made their way west on the Campbell River they stayed alert for enemy troop movement along the banks as they rounded a bend in the river they passed an enemy gun emplacement [Music] the NVA soldiers were asleep [Music] [Music] the disguised commandos landed near Hamilton's last reported position they calmed the banks of the river searching for the downed flyer [Music] there was no sign of him Norris and Keith widened their search they finally found him Hamilton was still alive but barely he had collapsed just fifty yards from a massive NVA in Cameron [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the commandos hid him in the bottom of the sampan [Music] [Music] with Hamilton on board Norris and Keith set out the current would make the return trip faster but with dawn approaching they would lose the cover of darkness [Music] [Music] they passed the same gun emplacement [Music] this time the guards were awake [Music] their cover was blown [Music] the wrestlers were pinned down by enemy gunfire US Navy SEAL lieutenant Tom Norris and South Vietnamese sea commando un van keet journeyed into the heart of a North Vietnamese invasion force their mission to rescue Lieutenant Colonel Jean Hamilton the downed navigator had been hiding in the jungle for ten days when they finally reached him he was barely alive [Music] getting unto safety would not be easy as they ferried Hamilton in the bottom of a sampan that came under attack Norris lay down cover fire as keep raised for sure [Music] Maine red make a [ __ ] only every NVA soldier in the area was bordered to stop the sandbag the three men were trapped Nora said no choice but to order airstrikes directly on his own position [Music] a squadron of a-sixes responded [Applause] as Norris waited for the bombardment he could hear the NPA closing in on their position [Music] voices echoed on the water making it impossible to pinpoint the location of the enemy Norris and key needed an airstrike and they needed it now [Music] interrogative you have action right Charlie open US Air Force responded with a surgical strike [Music] [Applause] at dawn the commandos reach the last leg of their journey with less than an hour to go the light of day left them without cover airstrikes have wiped out the enemy gun emplacement [Applause] by now every NVA soldier in the area had converged on the river they were surrounded Norah's desperately called for cover [Music] Amir I a once Andy dropped two and 47 smoke bombs too [Music] the smoke built quickly obscuring the river [Music] a few minutes later the sampan emerged from a mist Thank You Raj attack Norris and Keaton achieved the impossible they had rescued bat 21 Bravo [Music] and successfully ended one of the costliest search-and-rescue efforts in the history of the US Armed Forces [Music] on April 13th 1972 Lieutenant Colonel Jean Hamilton was medevac to harm hospital at the age of 53 he had survived eleven days trapped in enemy territory [Music] anytime if I could bring back another pilot while grateful Hamilton said it was a hell of a price to pay for one your life [Music] for his heroic efforts Petty Officer new n van Keith received the Navy Cross [Music] he was the only South Vietnamese soldier to receive the medal lieutenant Tom Norris received the Medal of Honor America's highest military decoration [Music] for lieutenant Norris the mission was not an act of heroism braving danger to save fellow soldiers was his duty [Music] part of a job he was trained to do as a United States Navy SEAL [Music] [Music] [Music]

Channel: Wonder

Views: 1,638,101

Keywords: Military rescue operation, Navy SEAL mission, Vietnam War history, Wonder, battlefield companionship, battlefield courage, combat experience, covert mission, daring mission, military dedication, mission success, never leave a soldier behind, recon mission gone wrong, survival instincts, tactical team, true bravery, war comradeship, war documentary, war stories, wartime camaraderie, wartime drama

Id: sbH93xtVw3E

Length: 49min 53sec (2993 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 31 2020