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in the affirmative. At 0325 the aircraft called again saying he had reports of enemy contacts in the area. Mr. Stark recalls, "I noticed sporadic tracer fire northwest of the helicopter tower, but I was not duly alarmed. Minutes later, when a C-47 departed from Tan Son Nhut and drew heavy ground fire, I realized that this was not nervous guards, but actual enemy contact." Tan Son Nhut Air Base was under attack!

This attack was one of many similar attacks which were launched against military installations and population centers throughout the Republic of Vietnam. These attacks marked an all-out Communist offensive that continued throughout the Tet holidays.

Within three minutes after the alert at Tan Son Nhut, two "Razorback" fire teams consisting of four armed helicopters from the 120th Assault Helicopter Company were airborne and attacking the enemy. Major Ronald K. Kollhoff, commander of the 4th Gunship Platoon from this company, said, "The extent of the enemy buildup was surprising. When it first started we expected a small token diversionary force—a suicide squad—to divert attention from an expected mortar attack. But after a while it became evident that the VC wanted to actually take Tan Son Nhut very badly."

Major General Robert R. Williams, Commanding General, 1st Aviation Brigade, and his house quest, Colonel E. Pearce Fleming, Jr., were sleeping in the Long Binh BOQ when the alert sounded there. Within minutes they were in a command Huey checking into the 12th Combat Aviation Group control net. There were attacks taking place in several areas of the Long Binh-Bien Hoa perimeter and a number of gunships were already airborne and were being directed to targets. Colonel Fleming reported, "I was impressed with the professionalism of all hands that I observed and heard during this period of the Tet offensive. The calmness and the voices of the men on the radio made you think they were merely calling for landing instructions at a peaceful U.S. airfield, and yet they were continuously in action for hours on end. When the sun finally came up on the morning of 31 January, I was surprised to find that the VC were continuing to stay and fight."^[1]