with more leadership than many seniors could muster. They were a pair, and the catalyst. five-zero-yankee… Burger was all that noncommissioned officers should be…young, brave, smart, handsome, practical and loyal. They made Thunderball run.

"Five-zero-yankee, this is Cougar six-five. Dolphin (The 174th Assault Helicopter Company) reports that your resupply bird picked up some ground fire north of your location."

"This is Thunderball six. What coordinates?"

"This is six-five. Vicinity bravo-sierra-eight-zero-zero-four-six-zero, about five minutes ago."

"Six-five, this is five-zero-yankee. Roger. We’ll check it out."

Hocker sent a section of three tanks north toward the area of the ground to air fire. No sooner had they arrived than the lead tank spotted two enemy soldiers running along a trench and opened fire, killing one. Almost on signal all three tanks were raked by automatic weapons’ fire. A fight was on! The M48s swung into action. The screech and rattle was deafening as Thunderball answered the call to battle. Amidst the dust and diesel, the "dinks" were there. The Second Company, 97th V. C. Battalion was ready to fight.

"Six-five, this is five-zero-yankee, CONTACT! Receiving heavy automatic weapons’ fire from the north and northwest. How about some Aloha birds?"

"Six-five. Rog. Got location?"

"Five-zero-yankee. STANDBY."

"Eight-one-two-four-five-five, over.

"Six-five. I gotcha. On the way."

"Five-zero-yankee. Thanks, out."

Hocker, realizing that heavy automatic weapons fire meant at least an enemy platoon and probably more, deployed the remainder of his team north to join the three tanks fighting.

Meanwhile slowly boring holes through the sky with his "birddog" was the brigade forward air controller, Major Smith, USAF, better known as "Helix two-two." Monitoring all radio nets with eagle eyes straining earthward, he seldom missed the action…whenever possible directing his high-flying far-reaching silver-blue jets screaming at a target to leave the ground smoking and pockmarked with instant swimming pools. Smitty loved a fight!

"Hello, down there, this is Helix two-two. What’s all the rumpus?"

"Helix, this is five-zero-yankee. We’ve been getting sonic automatic weapons fire from the north and northwest of where those three tanks are. How about taking a look?"

"Yankee, Helix here. How about having your lead tank pop smoke?"

"Rog. Helix, Smoke on the way."

"Five-zero-yankee. Helix here, I got your smoke. Identify Red?"

"Helix, this is five-zero-yankee. That’s affirm. North and northwest of that smoke is where the fire is coming from."