# SOGCast 045: Close Support for SOG. Don Engebretsen, The Skyraider. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fxvbej9dE0 Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/1fxvbej9dE0 Generated: 2026-01-30T10:03:53.07+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview A-1 Skyraider pilot Don Engebretsen recounts the critical January 5th, 1970 mission supporting RT Vermont in Cambodia, detailing how he defied a direct order from his flight lead to drop CBU-25 cluster bombs directly onto the team's position to break a devastating NVA assault, ultimately saving the wounded Green Berets. **Key Points:** - Don Engebretsen, a Skyraider pilot from OLA (Operation Location Alpha), flew support for RT Vermont on January 5th, 1970, a mission for which team leader Franklin Doug Miller later received the Medal of Honor. - The team was initially wounded by a tripwire explosion and subsequently engaged in heavy contact, leaving blood trails and equipment behind as they fought for survival against an estimated platoon-sized enemy force near a creek. - Engebretsen heard the desperate pleas of the ground team, including the radio call from Forward Air Controller John Lee and the team's radio operator Ed Bllythe, while monitoring three separate frequencies. - During his first pass, Engebretsen saw the smoke marking the team's position but his flight lead directed him far west; despite hearing his lead shout "Pull off. Pull off. Don't drop," Engebretsen chose to dump a partial load of CBU-25s directly on the rising smoke, fearing the lead's run would miss. - After the initial CBU drop, which survivors confirmed hit solidly and inflicted heavy loss, reducing enemy fire by at least two-thirds, Engebretsen flew six more passes, including runs with 500 lb napalms, sustaining the pressure for over two and a half hours until the enemy broke contact. - The first extraction helicopter, carrying Bobby Ross as co-pilot, received 40 bullet holes upon arrival at the designated 20-foot crater LZ, and team leader Miller yelled at them to leave due to the intense enemy presence. - Engebretsen originally wanted to fly jets like the F-104 or F-4 but was assigned an A-1 Skyraider during pilot training selection at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona, despite viewing the propeller planes as inefficient compared to jets. **Context:** This SOGCast episode features an interview with retired Air Force pilot Don Engebretsen, who flew the A-1 Skyraider in support of Studies and Observations Group (SOG) reconnaissance teams operating in Southeast Asia. The discussion centers on the critical CAS (Close Air Support) provided by the Skyraiders, specifically focusing on the high-stakes engagement involving RT Vermont on January 5th, 1970, in Cambodia, an area where fixed-wing support was previously forbidden for SOG teams. ## Detailed Analysis The podcast details the harrowing engagement of RT Vermont, led by Sergeant Frank Miller, on January 5th, 1970, in Cambodia, which resulted in Miller earning the Medal of Honor, largely due to the timely and aggressive support from the A-1 Skyraiders of OLA (Operation Location Alpha). The team was wounded early by a tripwire, then came under devastating automatic fire from a larger enemy force near a creek. Pilot Don Engebretsen, flying as a wingman with a two-plane flight, was scrambled and briefed en route. Engebretsen described the complexity of identifying the target in the dense jungle canopy, relying on visual cues like smoke from a Willie Pete marker thrown by Miller, though he also heard radio chatter indicating distress. He recounts the split-second decision where, upon seeing the smoke and hearing the team's desperate calls over the open FM frequency, he disobeyed his flight lead's command to abort the run and dumped his CBU-25 cluster bombs directly over the perceived target area, fearing his lead was too far west. This action, though terrifying for Engebretsen who expected to be court-martialed, immediately broke the enemy assault. Over the next two and a half hours, Engebretsen and his flight continued aggressive runs, using CBU-25s and napalm, effectively neutralizing the enemy long enough for the wounded team to reach a designated crater LZ. The citation mentioned that the Spads drilled over 50 enemy soldiers. The extraction helicopters later faced intense fire, with the first chopper taking 40 holes, but the sustained CAS finally allowed the team to be extracted, saving the lives of the wounded free world forces. ### RT Vermont Mission Context - RT Vermont, led by Frank Miller (1-0), included Robert Brown (1-1), Ed Bllythe (radio), and four indigenous Montagnards - The team activated a tripwire, wounding several members before engaging an estimated platoon or larger enemy force in Cambodia, an area previously without Skyraider support. ### Skyraider Logistics and Unit OLA - Engebretsen belonged to OLA, a small unit with 10 airplanes and 12 pilots, which developed its own tactics and universal loads to switch between SOG support and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions - Takeoffs at Da Nang prioritized SOG support flights, followed by SAR flights, despite being the busiest airport. ### The Decisive CAS Run - Engebretsen heard the team's desperation on the FM radio frequency while flying at high speed over 100-foot trees - He saw smoke but his lead was displaced west; disobeying the order to "Pull off. Don't drop," Engebretsen dropped CBU-25s, which survivors confirmed hit within 20 feet of them, breaking the initial assault. ### Sustained Engagement and Extraction - Engebretsen made six more passes, delivering napalm and CBU-25s over two and a half hours, completely disorganized the enemy ground force, and allowing the wounded team to move to a designated 20-foot crater LZ for extraction. ### Extraction Challenges and Post-Mission Revelation - The first rescue helicopter took 40 bullet holes, and Doug Miller yelled at the crew to leave due to the surrounding enemy presence, which included Chinese personnel observed by later recovery pilots - Engebretsen only learned the full scope of his actions and the gratitude of the ground troops decades later at SOG Association reunions.