From thisdayinaviationhistory.com: 24 October 1969: The Rescue of MISTY 11.
Northeast of Saravane, Laos, MISTY 11, a U.S. Air Force North American Aviation F-100F Super Sabre “Fast FAC”—a jet Forward Air Controller) was designating targets along the Ho Chi Min Trail for ground interdiction strikes when it experienced engine failure due to antiaircraft fire. The stricken aircraft quickly descended to less than 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the terrain. The approximate time was 8:00 a.m. A MAYDAY was broadcast and the two crewmen ejected at low altitude. They parachuted into the jungle-covered mountainous terrain. MISTY 11 Alpha, 1st Lieutenant Alvin Donald Muller, and MISTY 11 Bravo, Captain Jack K. Clapper, were separated by about 800 yards (732 meters) due to the programmed delay in the ejection sequence between the front and rear ejection seats.
The survivors’ position was in a small valley formed by two ridges about 100 meters long oriented north and south. At the north end where the ridges joined, a road was cut 20 meters from the top of the hill. MISTY 11A was on the east side of the valley and MISTY 11B was on the west side.
Each was equipped with a battery-powered radio and was contacted by an airborne Forward Air Controller (FAC), a North American Aviation OV-10A Bronco, NAIL 07, who had heard their pre-ejection call and was working in the area. The FAC said that he would notify Search and Rescue. MISTY 11A (Muller) informed MISTY 11B and the FAC that his leg was badly broken. MISTY 11B (Clapper) was unhurt.
Less than two hours from notification, two Douglas A-1 Skyraiders—call signs SANDY 11 and 12—and two Sikorsky HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopters—JOLLY 28 and 04—from strip alert in Quang Tri were on scene.
The helicopters went into orbit. One Jolly Green, referred to as the “low bird,” would make the rescue attempt while the second, the “high bird,” would remain in a 3,000-foot (914 meters) orbit as backup. Before sending in JOLLY 28, the two A-1s trolled the area, but their repeated passes brought no response from enemy ground-fire. It was determined that Muller should be rescued first because of his broken leg and at about 11:00 a.m., JOLLY 28 descended toward MISTY 11A.
The terrain in the SAR area was rolling foothills with elevations varying from 1,500 feet MSL (Mean Sea Level: describes height above standard Sea Level) in the ravines, to 2,500 feet MSL on the hilltops (500 to 833 meters). The vegetation on these hills varied from dense triple-layered canopy jungles to open areas with tall jungle grass. The entire immediate area around MISTY 11A and B was defended by heavy small arms and automatic weapons as close as 50 feet to the survivors. The proximity of hostile forces to the survivors severely restricted the type of ordnance which could be delivered to protect them. There were scattered variable broken cumulus build-ups in the area with tops to 9,500 feet MSL and bases varying from 2,000 to 3,000 feet AGL (Above Ground Level: describes height above the ground). Visibility below the clouds was excellent.
Lieutenant Butchka, in the “high bird,” JOLLY 04, watched his good friend, Captain Charles Langham, descend for the recovery. JOLLY 28 entered a hover over MISTY 11A and lowered the “PJ,” Don Smith, by hoist. The PJ immediately had the downed airman on the canopy penetrator and gave the cable-up signal. Less than a minute had elapsed. When the penetrator was approximately 10 feet off the ground, the helicopter came under attack.
Butchka saw three sides of the blind canyon twinkling. It appeared that enemy forces had used the downed F-100F crewman as bait for a “flak trap.” The Skyraiders rushed in to suppress the fire, but the opening enemy volley had shot the hoist assembly off its mounts, sending it crashing into the flight engineer’s chest and dumping the PJ and MISTY 11A back on the ground. Realizing the hoist was inoperative, the flight engineer, SSGT James Smith, hit the switch shearing the hoist cable and yelled to Captain Langham to transition JOLLY 28 to forward flight.
Above, Butchka punched off his auxiliary fuel tanks and went into a plunging autorotative descent. Seeing Langham’s aircraft smoking and streaming fluid (was hit in the main gearbox and was losing oil pressure), Butchka told him to put the helicopter on the ground. Langham searched for a clear spot and put the aircraft into a small punch bowl-shaped valley. Langham and crew jumped out of the helicopter into the elephant grass, looking up for high bird. They did not have far to look. Butchka’s helicopter was in a 25-foot hover on the left side of Langham’s helicopter with its hoist cable waiting. Butchka expected ground fire from the enemy at any moment. During the swift pick up, the helicopter shuddered with a jolt to the right side. The aircraft’s skin was holed with a gash eight inches long by two inches wide.
Major Charles W. Bond had the honor of being the 500th save.
With the men safely on board, the next problem was getting out of there. Butchka did not want to go back out the way he came because of heavy enemy fire. Weather was hot and humid, pressure altitude was high, and the only other way out presented him with a vertical face rising about 130 feet. It was decision time. Butchka said; “I headed for the face, pulled every bit of power I could (‘pulled the collective to my arm pit’ was the description in another interview), and with a little bit of airspeed drooped the rotor to 94-percent — and just cleared the top.” As he eased over the ridgeline, the JOLLY immediately came under heavy ground fire from a different direction. SANDY lead hadn’t reported anything because he didn’t know where Butchka was. Miraculously they were not hit. However, JOLLY 04 “caught his blades in some trees and is requesting escort out of the area.” A forward air controller, COVEY 297, escorted JOLLY 04 to Lima Site 61, an Air Force TACAN navigation site at Muang Phalan, Laos.
Don Muller, Col USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on November 16, 2010.
COL. DON “DEVIL” MULLER
Col (USAF Retired) Don “Devil” Muller took his final flight in to the majestic blue skies on the 16th of November, 2010. Col Muller was a highly decorated combat pilot with over 4300 hours of flying time in several different fighter aircraft. Col Muller flew the F-100, F-4, F-5, and F-15. In addition Col Muller flew both the Mig 17 and Mig 21 with the famed 4477th Red Eagles, Tonopah Air Base, Nevada. Col Muller’s awards and decorations include two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts, Eleven Air Medals, an Aerial Achievement Medal, the Legion of Merit, and numerous other service awards and citations.
Col Muller was born on the 13th of October, 1943 in Evanston, Illinois to the late Alvin and Elizabeth Muller. He graduated high school from Loyola Academy in Evanston and went on to graduate from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. He earned a Master’s Degree in Science Systems Management from the University of Southern California. He was also a graduate and instructor of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) while on exchange duty with the US Navy. Col Muller’s assignments ranged from the Pacific to Europe, in positions from Combat Pilot, Operations officer, Group Commander, Air Division Vice Commander, to Major Command Director of Safety, USAFE.
Don was an active member of the Bay Point community, past Commodore of the Bay Point Yacht Club, and past President of The Krewe of Dominic Youx. Besides his passion as a fighter pilot, he loved boating, being around friends and family, and attending football games at the Auburn University, as he would always say in passing, “War Eagle.” Most of all, Don was a social guy. His best times were with his family, friends, and a single malt scotch.
Col Muller is predeceased by his parents and his sister Diane Muller. Col Muller is survived by his wife, Joyce of 43 years, daughter Valerie Reno and her husband Joe, his son Jeff and his wife Jennifer, and 5 grandchildren, Alli and Alex Reno, and Kayley, Hayden and Bryce Muller.
A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church Saturday, at 12:00 Noon, November 20, 2010 with Fr. Ted Sosnowski officiating. Interment is to be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Warrior Beach Retreat, Inc. (www.warriorbeachretreat.com) in Col Muller’s name.
Don is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Lucky Devils Prove Luck In Dual Bailout, Pickup
(Phan Fare, The Happy Valley Weekly, February 13, 1969)
“They call themselves “Lucky Devils,” these Air Force fighter pilots of the 614th TFS Luck surely was with three Lucky Devils recently when they flew a “routine” mission against the Viet Cong.
“Our target for the day was enemy bunkers in IV Corps, about 60 miles west of Bien Hoa,” said the leader of the two-plane flight. Speaking was Major Norman H. Rushton. With him on that mission in an F-100F were Captain Gerald G. Potter, who was ‘breaking in” 1St Lt. Donald Muller, who had just arrived from the states.
“I flew the first attack pass,” Major Rushton said of his 118th combat sortie in Vietnam. Lieutenant Muller’s “F” followed Rushton as they swooped down and released their weapons.
“Then it happened,” the Lieutenant said. “The plane was ripped by a violent explosion just as we were pulling out of the dive over the target.
“Controls were shaky as the plane just about flipped over, headed for the ground. Fire warning lights lit up the cockpit, and the engine started to become unglued. Lieutenant Muller struggled at the controls to get his plane over the nearby Song Co Chien river.
“As soon as we got there, I said, ‘O.K., it’s time to go!’” he continued. “Potter ejected first blowing the cockpit canopy. With the right side of the fuselage burning quite a bit by now, I took my foot off the rudder and punched out.”
As Major Ruston circled above radioing for help, both pilots were floating to earth about one mile apart, one over land, the other over the river. Captain Potter’s chute was torn badly enough that Muller could see the torn stripes of his buddy’s chute flapping as it drifted to earth.
“When I popped the canopy”, Potter said, “I started spinning backwards. The opening shock of the parachute blossoming jolted me quite severely. It might have been then that I got this bruised nose.
“I got my bearings and looked up at my chute canopy,” said Potter who had never bailed out before. “It had big holes in it which increased my fall rate. That was all right with me as I wanted to get into the safety of the water – but fast!”
“I could see people on the shore,” Potter continued. “People were yelling and I could hear gunshots. I got rid of my mask and popped my water wings. As I splashed down, I pulled the quick release of my harness, and the chute collapsed.”
He estimated he landed about 600 to 700 feet from shore. The weather was clear, but a 25- knot surface wind made the water choppy.
Meanwhile, Muller was anxiously pulling on his parachute risers in an attempt to steer his landing toward the river, but wind currents took him inland.
“Floating down, I could see four men shooting at me with rifles,” Muller continued. How close were they? “I could see that two of them were quite old-that’s how close!
“I landed face down in the mud of that rice paddy,” Muller said with a smile. “When I got rid of my helmet and chute, I looked up and there were those four running down the part at me. I radioed Rushton where to strafe and within seconds, just as they were about to run over me, vroom! Here comes Rushton like gangbusters.”
“I couldn’t see the enemy,” Ruston explained, “but Muller kept his cool and radioed exactly where he wanted those cannon shells tossed.”
Then Muller heard the message of his radio that gave him hope: “We’re on our way,” said the voic of the flight leader. “Hold on! Stay where you are.”
The army chopper pilot was getting ground fire as it hovered in for the pick up. “Can’t see him,” the chopper pilot radioed Ruston. Making another pass, Ruston rationed the chipper to “Land on the chute. That’s where he is.” Meanwhile, Potter was bobbing in the river attempting to paddle away from shore.
“I didn’t know if the people on the each were friendlies or not,” Potter explained. “Soon an Army chopper which happened to be in the area attempted to pick me up. It had no way to do it, so it left.
“Then another Army chopper pilot brought his bird in. Keep in mind that his craft is designed for land operations. He had such fine control that be brought it right down to river level. The next thing I knew, I could feel myself being pulled aboard.
“As we took off up the river, I could see people waving to us,” Potter concluded. The two recovered pilots reunited at Can Tho. There, they boarded an Air Force C-123 and flew back home. At this point I was unaware of where Lt. Muller was, but when the doctor finished examining me he told me that Muller was just down the hall being examined and that we should go to the flight line as there was a C-123 getting ready to depart for Phan Rang. Talk about a couple of “Lucky Devils!” I left the doctor’s office, looked down the hall, and there was Lt. Muller. He saw me and shouted, “G** D*** that was neat!” My response was, “You crazy fool. We were nearly killed!””
With the men safely on board, the next problem was getting out of there. Butchka did not want to go back out the way he came because of heavy enemy fire. Weather was hot and humid, pressure altitude was high, and the only other way out presented him with a vertical face rising about 130 feet. It was decision time. Butchka said; “I headed for the face, pulled every bit of power I could (‘pulled the collective to my arm pit’ was the description in another interview), and with a little bit of airspeed drooped the rotor to 94-percent — and just cleared the top.” As he eased over the ridgeline, the JOLLY immediately came under heavy ground fire from a different direction. SANDY lead hadn’t reported anything because he didn’t know where Butchka was. Miraculously they were not hit. However, JOLLY 04 “caught his blades in some trees and is requesting escort out of the area.” A forward air controller, COVEY 297, escorted JOLLY 04 to Lima Site 61, an Air Force TACAN navigation site at Muang Phalan, Laos.
