Tet 1968, Tan Son Nhut Air
Base, we are flying into the
inky dark in seconds looking for mortar tube flashes, but
what we see is a sea of little lights showing thousands of
NVA and Viet Cong heading for the airfield, the lights stretched
out into the night. I don't scare easy. This sight was unnerving.
I knew the men in the BOQ were
almost surrounded and trapped inside with no weapons. I could
hear them on the radio, so we loaded cases of pistols, clips,
rifles, and ammo. We had to hover over the roof and drop the
heavy boxes, right through the roof to the men below, while
a Playboy Cobra gunship flown by Roger Cameron flies
cover for our exposed hovering helicopter. The NVA open up
with a .51 cal and hit the cobra killing the pilot, Roger,
who was one of my roommates from Flight School Class 67-3.
It is starting to be a long day. We land right behind the
new Cobra, Doc checks Roger, we put him in a body bag and
got right back in our helicopter and went back to work just
like every one else. Every man that could fight, was in the
fight.
[Read the whole story about the battle in which Roger
died at: Tet
'68
Official
Information:
CAMERON,
ROGER SLETTEN, WO
Army - Reserve
23 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on 10/10/44
From PIERPONT, SOUTH DAKOTA
Length of service 2 years.
His tour of duty began on 05/07/67
Casualty was on 01/31/68
in DINH TUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Religion - LUTHERAN & MISSOURI SYNOD
Panel 36E - Line 1
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