On Veterans Day, I Remembered Linden Eiler

On Veterans Day, and many other days, I remember Corporal Linden Eiler of "C" Company, 228th Av Bn, 1st Air Cavalry Division.  On April 25th, 1968, Eiler had volunteered to assist a CH-47 Chinook (#080) crew in retrieving a UH-1 Huey helicopter that had been shot down during the 1st Cav's initial assault into the A Shau Valley in northern South Vietnam. 

This had been a major operation.  The North Vietnamese had been in control of the valley for a long time and were well-prepared defensively.  As they hovered over the downed Huey to attach a sling to lift the chopper out, they were ambushed.  NVA forces opened fire on the Chinook and it crashed killing four — including Corporal Eiler.

At our home base at Camp Evans, some 12 miles away, we were living in 12-man tents.  Eiler had the cot directly across from mine.  He was a country boy from Indiana, and a good soldier.  He wanted to fly.  He was 21 years old.  I was 20.  

I knew the other 3 boys from "C" Company - McManus, Delp and McGee.  They were great guys, and with my friend Larry Higginson from Company "A,"  they are still with me, still 20 years old, still laughing and joking and telling stories of home.

But Eiler has a special place in my mind, because he had taken my place.  The mission that cost him his life had originally been set for the day before.  I had volunteered for that mission.  That previous morning, I had grabbed my frag vest and M-16, climbed aboard "Zero-Eight-Zero" and sat waiting for takeoff.  We waited for over an hour.  Then word came down that the mission had been scrubbed due to low clouds over the A Shau Valley that limited visibility.

The next day, April 25th, they asked for new volunteers.  In my stead, Linden Eiler grabbed his frag vest and M-16 and climbed aboard #080.  I shielded my eyes as I watched the Chinook, in a clear blue sky, lift off and head for the valley.