Lest We Forget: The Kingsmen, 101st Aviation Battalion, 1968 [ILLUSTRATED] (Mass Market Paperback)

by William C. Meacham (Author) "It was the strangest feeling..." (more)
Key Phrases: old fire support base, light fire team, log pad, Kingsman Two-five, Camp Eagle, Windy Guard Six (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It takes a special kind of man--and a special kind of courage--to routinely risk one's life for others. . . .

Lt. "Wild Bill" Meacham was a former enlisted man turned UH-1 pilot assigned to Bravo Company, 101st Aviation Battalion, an assault helicopter company whose liftships were called the Kingsmen. Meacham quickly learned that the fighting in Vietnam wasn't confined to hot LZs: He killed nine enemies on the ground during the Tet 1968 defeat of the VC.

Bravo Company carried troops and supplies for many units, but Meacham preferred flying insertions and extractions for the LRRPs of the 101st and for the men of SOG, whose operations frequently took them into Laos. From combat assaults in Cu Chi to night operations in the enemy-infested A Shau Valley to hot extractions from Laos, Meacham engaged in some of the most dangerous flying imaginable. As he hovered a few feet off the ground in LZs exploding with mortar shells and crackling with AK-47 fire, it was often only Meacham's relentless daring and calm hands at the chopper's controls that kept the men on the ground from the enemy--and certain death.

The Kingsmen were held in the highest esteem by LRRPs and other special-operations forces throughout Vietnam. This heroic, harrowing, and utterly absorbing account is a powerful tribute to those men and their fearless reputation.

From the Inside Flap
It takes a special kind of man--and a special kind of courage--to routinely risk one's life for others. . . .

Lt. "Wild Bill" Meacham was a former enlisted man turned UH-1 pilot assigned to Bravo Company, 101st Aviation Battalion, an assault helicopter company whose liftships were called the Kingsmen. Meacham quickly learned that the fighting in Vietnam wasn't confined to hot LZs: He killed nine enemies on the ground during the Tet 1968 defeat of the VC.

Bravo Company carried troops and supplies for many units, but Meacham preferred flying insertions and extractions for the LRRPs of the 101st and for the men of SOG, whose operations frequently took them into Laos. From combat assaults in Cu Chi to night operations in the enemy-infested A Shau Valley to hot extractions from Laos, Meacham engaged in some of the most dangerous flying imaginable. As he hovered a few feet off the ground in LZs exploding with mortar shells and crackling with AK-47 fire, it was often only Meacham's relentless daring and calm hands at the chopper's controls that kept the men on the ground from the enemy--and certain death.

The Kingsmen were held in the highest esteem by LRRPs and other special-operations forces throughout Vietnam. This heroic, harrowing, and utterly absorbing account is a powerful tribute to those men and their fearless reputation.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Ivy Books; 1st edition (December 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804119171
• ISBN-13: 978-0804119177
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #624,867 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lest We Forget, December 1, 1999

By	Thomas J. Turck (Dickinson, ND) - See all my reviews

The book is well written and an accurate portrayal of the helicopter war. It is a good read and should be of interest to veterans, military and history buffs, researchers as well as anyone else interested in the Vietnam War. I was a helicopter crewchief and flew with Bill Meacham in Vietnam.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lest We Forget, December 20, 1999

By	"roadrunner6" (De Queen, Ar. United States) - See all my reviews

I have just finished reading this wonderful book. Having been a RANGER in the Nam , and having worked with some of these brave helo-pilot of " DELTA TRIPLE NICKLE' in the Delta area, I think Wild Bill did a very good job of informing whom ever reads this book of just how it was.

Two- Five I salute you, and thank you being the type of human being that you are. Road Runner Six Out

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Men of Valor escape to fly another day!!, January 11, 2002

By	"bandit32" (Tulsa, OK USA) - See all my reviews

I Corps, in 1968 and especially Northern I Corps, was an area that could be called "Ground Zero"in the Vietnam War. The presence of large concentrations of Liberation troops and NVA in the Laos/Vietnam border area was huge. They were well trained, well equipped and possessed mobile anti-aircraft weapons which were devastating for helicopters of the Kingsmen and the 101st Aviation Battalion. "Lest We Forget" is a great story of "cheating the odds" while flying exclusively for the grunts and LRP's for the 101st Division. However, let us start at the beginning....the bloody beginning.

Bill Meacham, alias "Wild Bill" Meacham, began his year long tour in Vietnam assigned to the 17th Assault Helicopter Company at Long Binh. Even before he sat in a cockpit for his in-country orientation, he was tapped to be the investigating officer for a gunship incident deep within the jungles of III Corps. The distasteful job led Bill to realize that Vietnam was truly a dangerous place and he was knee deep in "reality."

The very first month with the 17th, Tet of 68 erupted everywhere across Vietnam. Bill came face to face with NVA, in the wire, all-around the 17th compound for a bit of nighttime excitement. Never one to sit idly by and let himself be killed, Bill took the aggressor group under fire, killing almost a squad as they raced across the 17th's compound. The onslaught was finally halted and the story of Tet 68 became one of slaughter for the enemy. However, the US media never really saw it that way. Bill Meacham couldn't believe he was knee keep in ground combat. He was supposed to be a helicopter pilot!

The nick name "Wild Bill" was not yet coined for William Meacham as the 17th Assault Helicopter Company was uprooted and shipped to I Corps. There they would join and be re-designated, Bravo Company of the 101st Airmobile Division's 101st Aviation Battalion. Still proudly know as the "Kingsmen", the unit faced new challenges and threats within the mountains and weather of North I Corps. And, for the next year Bill and his buddy W.T.Grant would slowly but surely be consumed by the "meat grinder" as they experienced days and days of the same old thing....bad weather, NVA and long, long hours of flying.

It didn't take "Wild Bill" Meacham long to realize that he was best suited to working closely with the LRP teams of the 101st Div. He and W.T. Grant made many good friends and comrades with the LRP's as they concentrated completely on the tricky and specialized work of the LRP units. Their flying skills were quickly recognized by the LRP's as "just what the doctor ordered" and they were assigned almost exclusively to fly for the them. Together Bill, W. T. and the LRP leaders formulated many techniques which proved to be most effective in getting the job done, yet keeping everyone as safe as possible, under hazardous conditions. Higher HQ's basically left them alone to performed their missions almost in their own world. That is not to say they had it easy, just that they were very good at the job. No one within the LRP leadership wanted anyone else...they were the best!!

"Lest We Forget" is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Throughout the book, William Meacham allows the reader to "tune in" on the radios and tactical frequencies to hear the tension and terror from the LRP's on the ground. He also lets the reader hear the commo between he and his wingman, Grant. You will "feel" the sweat dripping from inside his helmet as it burns his eyes. Your gloves will become wet as he hoists LRP team members out of the jungle with a 120' long rope, called a McGuire Rig. You will ride to the hot PZ to extract the "whispering" LRP teams as NVA watch and fire from a tree line only yards away. Yet, most will be extracted safely! "Wild Bill" Meacham will live to fly another day! What a ride! What a book! What a story!

Tom Payne
VHPA
Sec/Treas.