Left For Dead

It was almost 21:00 hours on 29 January 1968, the night before the “Tet Offensive,” when Wendell Skinner’s helicopter crashed in Cambodia attempting to extract a Special Forces Long Range Patrol Team that had come in contact with a large force of Viet Cong and NVA. The LZ was a burned-out area in the jungle that was covered with ashes. As the helicopter made its approach, the ashes flew up around the aircraft, blinding the pilot, and he made a hard landing, resulting in the pilot being thrown through the windshield, still strapped in his seat, almost tearing his arm off. The co-pilot and door gunner were thrown against the dashboard and suf ...