At exactly 0600 hours on the morning of November 24, 1964, as the sun was breaking over the former Belgian colony of Congo, five four-engine turboprop Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports appeared only 700 feet above the Sabena airport on the outskirts of the city of Stanleyville. As the first Hercules, with 'U.S. Air Force' stenciled in large block letters along the fuselage, approached a narrow swath of grass alongside the airport's main runway, navigator First Lieutenant John Coble called out 'Green Light' over the aircraft's intercom. Immediately, the co-pilot, Captain Robert Kitchen, reached down to the panel by his right armrest and flipped the paratrooper jump lights from red to green. As the lights in the cargo compartment changed from the red 'Prepare to jump' signal to green for 'Go,' Colonel Charles Laurent, commander of Belgium's crack Régiment Para-Commando, leaped out into the cool, moist dawn air, followed by 64 other troopers into the African skies. Dragon Rouge, the most ambitious peacetime military operation ever performed by the government of the United States up to that time, was on.
Events of Thanksgiving week of 1964 in Africa were the direct results of years of political unrest in the Congo, which began within days of Belgium's declaration of Congolese independence in 1960. An outbreak of fighting in the newly independent country led to United Nations intervention as USAF transports under the control of the 322nd Air Division, U.S. Air Force Europe (USAFE), airlifted a peacekeeping team made up of military personnel from several nations to Leopoldville. For three years, the UN peacekeeping force remained in the Congo, supported by American C-130 and Fairchild C-124 cargo planes.
Within weeks of the withdrawal of the UN force in the summer of 1964, fighting again broke out in the Congo. Christophe Gbenye, a Marxist who declared himself 'President of the Congo,' led a rebellion of fierce tribesmen calling themselves Simbas-'lions' in Swahili. The rebels soon captured large sections of the northern half of the country, leading foreign governments, including those of the United States and Belgium, to urge their citizens to flee the threatened areas.
To combat the rebellion, Congolese President Moise Tshombe recruited a fiery South African soldier, Major Michael Hoare, and gave him authority to raise a mercenary army of white Africans to assist the black Congolese army. Hoare would become a legend in the world of the professional soldier; during World War II he had fought in Burma with Brig. Gen. Orde Wingate, then became a professional soldier after that conflict. With his reputation already made from leading an earlier band during the Katangan secessionist revolt-in which Tshombe had been a participant-Hoare had no trouble training a 300-man unit of mostly South African 'mercs' that he dubbed 5 Commando. Hoare, often called 'Mad Mike' by those who knew him, enforced only two rules among his men-that they shaved and refrained from drinking before battle. Aside from that, he 'cared not a whit' what they did.
Tshombe also turned to the United States for assistance. Lessons from World War II, Korea and the French Indochina War indicated that air support and air transportation were crucial for combating a large rebel force. President Lyndon Johnson responded to Tshombe's request for aid by sending Joint Task Force (JTF) Leo, a United States Strike Command task force consisting primarily of three Tactical Air Command C-130s and support personnel, to Leopoldville. The transports were from the 464th Troop Carrier Wing, based at tiny Pope Air Force Base (AFB), adjacent to Fort Bragg, N.C. A platoon of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division provided protection for the C-130s while they were on the ground at remote African airstrips. A fourth C-130 was part of Leo, a 'Talking Bird' communications package that allowed long-range radio communications between the task force and Strike Command headquarters at McDill AFB. Fla., as well as the Pentagon, the State Department and the White House.
Another aspect of U.S. aid was a mercenary air force made up of North American T-28 Trojans and Douglas B-26 Intruders flown by Cuban expatriate pilots in the employ of a civilian corporation under contract to the Central Intelligence Agency. The Congolese air force consisted primarily of World War II-vintage North American T-6 trainers, which like the Cuban-flown T-28s, had been converted into attack planes.
In August, the Simbas captured the city of Stanleyville with its large concentration of Europeans and Americans. For a time the whites were treated relatively well. But later, with additional American-supplied firepower and airlift support, the Congolese army made steady gains against the rebel forces. As the Simbas saw the tide begin to turn against them, their radio station in Stanleyville began denouncing the United States, accusing it of sending combat troops to aid the government forces. Rebel hostility caused fear for the safety of whites in rebel-held territory, especially after news of atrocities performed by the revels against their own people reached the outside world.
While the whites were under a semblance of protection by the rebels, Stanleyville's black residents were not, and a reign of terror began as the Simbas systematically tortured and killed prominent Congolese. Then, evidently realizing that the whites in their territory could serve as bargaining chips, the rebels began taking hostages. On September 5, U.S. Consul Michael Hoyt was taken into custody, along with other members of the consulate staff, and thrown into the city's Central Prison. Other whites were seized. Some were thrown into the prison with the Americans, while others were held in the Victoria Hotel. Over the next two months, the Simbas arrested foreigners from as many as 20 countries, placing them under custody in hotels, prisons and military bases. The rebels began making threats that the hostages would be killed if the United States did not withdraw its support for the Congolese government.
In late October the rebels accused an American medical missionary, Dr. Paul Carlson, of being a U.S. Army major on assignment for the CIA. Carlson, with the Protestant Relief Agency, was a medical doctor who first went to the Congo on a special six-month mission, then returned in 1963 with his family. Less than a year later, after having sent his wife and four children to safety in the Central African Republic, Carlson was seized by the Simbas because (1) he owned a radio, (2) he was an American and (3) the rebels wanted hostages. Over the next few weeks, Dr. Paul Carlson's name would be featured in the world's headlines.
With the fate of the white hostages in doubt, the United States and Belgium tried to negotiate with the rebels. At the same time, they began planning various means of military intervention, even as the Congolese government forces launched a major offensive toward Stanleyville. Several possible schemes were put forth, including a large paratrooper assault by members of the 82nd Airborne Division, supported by heavy tactical air strikes. While military forces in the united States worked on the larger plan, the U.S. military command in Europe came up with a less involved one, calling for the use of a small force of paratroopers begin airlifted to Africa for the rescue. That plan, formulated jointly by the United States and Belgium, was given the French code name Dragon Rouge ('red dragon').
On November 15, Brig. Gen. Robert D. Forman, commander of the 322nd Air Division, was given word to begin preparations to airlift a force of Belgium paratroopers to the Congo for a possible rescue attempt. Forman's command had supported the UN peacekeeping forces in the Congo from 1960 until early 1964. During those years, however, the 322nd had undergone some changes. Previously, the division had been directly under the commander of USAFE, but a reorganization of American forces in Europe led to the transfer of the division's transfer to Military Air Transport Service a few months earlier.
Permanently assigned C-130s had been replaced by temporary duty aircraft and crews from Tactical Air Command units in the United States. In 1964, two TAC wings were supporting rotational squadrons at Evreux Fauville Airbase, France, the 317th and 464th Troop Carrier wings from Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, and Pope AFB, N.C. Rotational Squadron A, or 'Rote Alpha,' was made up of Pope personnel who flew the newest version of the already proven Hercules, the C-130E, while Rote Bravo was manned by Lockbourne crews and equipped with the older C-130A.
General Forman called Colonel Burgess Gradwell to Chteauroux to brief him on the upcoming mission. Gradwell, commander of Detachment One, 332nd Air Division at Evreux, would have command. Dragon Rouge, as the Americans would come to know the mission, would involve a 14-plane airlift of 600 Belgian paratroopers to Africa. Since the E-model of the Hercules featured special long-range fuel tanks, Rote Alpha would provide the planes and crews. When Gradwell got back to Evreux that night, he called in Rote Alpha commander Lt. Col. Robert A. Lindsay and the TAC liaison officer with the division, Colonel Gene Adams. Wheels were set in motion for the mission.
Before Dragon Rouge could be launched, the aircraft and crews had to be recalled from their normal missions throughout Europe. By the evening of November 16, all 15 Hercules were back at Evreux and the crews were on 'crew rest' for an 'important' mission. At 1740 Greenwich Mean Time-'Zulu time-on November 17, the first C-130 took off from Evreux, bound for Klinebrogel, Belgium. Aboard the first plane were Colonel Gradwell, Captain Donald R. Strobaugh, commander of the 5th Aerial Port Squadron (APRON) combat control team, and sergeant Robert J. Dias, a radio repairman with the 5th APRON. Like the C-130 crews, Strobaugh had been called back to Evreux from duties elsewhere in Europe. Other than certain key officers, no one aboard the airplanes knew where they were going until after they were airborne with no problems requiring them to turn back. Each navigator had been given a sealed envelope, with instructions not to open it until the airplane's altitude exceeded 2,000 feet.
At Klinebrogel, elements of the Belgian 1st Para-Commando Regiment, including the 1st Para-Commando Battalion, a company from the 2nd Battalion and a detachment from the 3rd, were loaded aboard the C-130s, along with their equipment. At 2240Z, the first Hercules departed Klinebrogel for a fuel stop at Morn Air Base on the southern coast of Spain, then on to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. The first airplane arrived at Ascension at 1310Z on November 18.At Ascension, Captain Strobaugh instructed the Belgians on the use of the PRC-41 and PRC-47 radio sets he had brought for Evreux for communication between the men on the ground and the planes overhead. He also instructed 21 Belgian jumpmasters on C-130 jump techniques-few of the Belgian paras had ever jumped from the Hercules-then supervised as they trained the remainder of the force.
For the next three days, the joint rescue force waited while communications were passed back and force between there and Washington by a TAC C-130 'Talking Bird' that joined the mission at Ascension. On November 20, a special briefing of the various commanders was held to determine exactly how the assault was to be performed. Once it was firmed, Captain Strobaugh transmitted the plan to Washington. At 1800Z, the force was put on alert; 30 minutes later, the launch order came over the teletype. Ad hour later, at 1935Z, Chalk One (tactical airlift missions are designated by 'chalk' numbers, after the practice of numbering loads with chalk) departed Ascension bound for Kamina, an airfield in the southern Congo, with the other 13 C-130s right behind.
At daybreak, the first Hercules arrived at Kamina after a nine-hour flight across part of the Atlantic and halfway across Africa. The field was obscured by fog, but English-speaking air traffic controllers directed each plane to the airport in turn. Once the force was on the ground more briefings were held, including an update on the mission's status by Colonel Clayton Issacson, commander of JTF Leo and now in overall command of Dragon Rouge and other activities in the Congo. Then the Dragon Rouge force went into another waiting period while Belgium and the United States continued their efforts to win the hostages' freedom through negotiations.
On Monday evening, November 23, the rescue force relaxed at Kamina while watching what one critic in the crowd described as a 'terrible movie' in one of the hangars. At 2230Z (2030 local time), the teletype machines in the 'Talking Bird' began clattering as messages came in from Washington and Brussels. Dragon Rouge was on, with takeoff scheduled for 0045Z, so as to arrive over the Stanleyville airport at dawn. The first C-130, flown by Captain Huey Long's Standardizations/Evacuation crew from the 777th Troop Carrier Squadron, lifted off form Kamina's long runway right on time, followed at 20-second intervals by the other 11 planes of the assault force. The sixth airplane in the formation, piloted by Captain William 'Mack' Secord, lost a 20-man life raft from a wing storage compartment after takeoff. Secord left the formation and went back to Kamina for a spare airplane. The rest of the Dragon Rouge formation proceeded northbound at high altitude, following the Congo River, descending to treetop altitudes as the planes neared revel territory.
Nearing Stanleyville, lead navigator John Coble led the formation south of the city, still at low altitude, so as to approach from the west. As the formation reached the one-minute warning point, two B-26s made a low pass over the airport. Laurent and 299 of his men jumped over Stanleyville airport exactly at dawn.
The jump plane crews were briefed to expect only small-arms fire over the airport. Instead, they were greeted by tracers from Chinese-made 12.7mm antiaircraft machine guns. In spite of the unexpected fire, the American pilots held their course as they dropped their troopers right on the narrow drop zone beside the runway, then came back around for another pass to allow the 20 jumpmasters to exit, along with the bundles of extra equipment. Only the first five airplanes in the formation dropped at that time: Dragons Six and Seven were rigged to either drop or land with equipment (Secord's Dragon Six had gone back to Kamina and was still en route), while Dragons Eight, Nine and Eleven orbited nearly, their troops at the ready to jump in if needed, or land when the field was secure.
Once on the ground, the Para-Commandos began rushing to secure the field so rescue force aircraft could land. Within 30 minutes the Belgians managed to eliminate all resistance at the airport and within 10 minutes had cleared away about 300 water-filled 55-gallon drums and 11 wheel-less vehicles that had been placed on the runway as obstacles. To Captain Strobaugh, who was serving aboard Dragon Nine as jumpmaster, the Belgians' efforts were 'nothing short of miraculous.' At 0450Z, the first C-130 landed at Stanleyville and discharged a load of equipment and troops, then took off again to fly to Leopoldville-where the drop planes had already gone-for refueling and to await word to return to Stanleyville and evacuate refugees. Dragon One remained overhead, serving as a command ship for Colonel Gradwell. Colonel Issacson also made an appearance over Stanleyville in one of the JTF Leo aircraft, using the call sign 'Dragon Chief.'
After Dragon Seven landed and took off again, Dragons Eight, Nine, Eleven and Ten followed in that order. Each crew offloaded their troopers and then took off again for Leopoldville; no more than three airplanes were to be on the ground at one time. The last two planes, Six and Twelve, flown respectively by Secord and Captain B.J. Nunnally, were told to remain on the ground to bring out the first hostages when they were brought out of town. Dragon One continued orbiting over the airport at 2,000 feet. Navigator Coble was uncomfortable about being so low over a combat zone; he had served four temporary duty tours in South Vietnam flying C-123s. The rest of the crew laughed, calling him 'combat happy'-until they suddenly felt and heard the sound of bullets striking the airplane. Seven rounds hit the Hercules, knocking out hydraulics and leaving two large holes in the wing fuel tanks. With Gradwell's approval, Long headed his C-130 for Leopold for repairs.
Once the airport was secure, the Belgian rescue force headed for downtown Stanleyville, where the hostages were known to be held. The hostages themselves were awakened by the wounds of the battle at the airport and the alarmed Simbas who came after them shouting: 'Your brothers have come from the sky! Now you will be killed!' Dressed in manes of monkey fur and feathers, the Simbas bashed down the doors of the Victoria Hotel with spears and gun butts, and then roughly hustled their white hostages out into the streets. For more than an hour, the hostages had been hearing sounds of airplanes engines and gunfire while others not in captivity saw parachutes falling form the sky over the airport. Knowing that the Simbas had threatened to kill everyone under their control in the event of a rescue attempt, they were fearful.
Now the Simbas ordered the 250 whites from the Victoria out into the broad streets of the city and began marching them toward the city park and toward the Patrice Lumumba 'monument'-a large photograph of the late prime minister-where the rebels had already slain more than 100 Congolese during recent weeks. The hostages still entertained some hope; they were being marched in the direction of the airport, leading some to believe that the rebel commander intended to turn them over to the rescue force unharmed. Then, rebel-operated Radio Stanleyville shrilled out a message: 'Ciyuga! Ciyuga! Kill! Kill! Kill them all! Have no scruples! Men, women, children-kill them all!'
Colonel Joseph Opepe, who had befriended some of the hostages, tried in vain to stop the Simbas from carrying out the orders screamed over the radios. Many of the Simbas were drunk from a mixture of alcohol and hemp. According to some survivors, the signal to fire came from a deaf-mute ex-boxer known as 'Major Bubu,' who served as a personal bodyguard to rebel defense minister Gaston Soumialot. Whoever gave the word, the rebels suddenly started firing into the assembled hostages with rifles and automatic weapons. The firing was not random-the rebels deliberately chose women and children as their first targets. One of those who fell was Dr. Paul Carlson, shot as he tried to run to safety.
After an initial volley, the rebels temporarily ceased firing. Marcel Debuisson, a Belgian engineer, heard them say, 'Now we'll turn them over and finish off the ones left alive.' Debuisson prayed for a miracle and his prayers were answered. 'To my amazement,' he told news reporters afterward, 'It happened. Round the corner of the square walked a single Belgian paratrooper, submachine gun on his hip.' The rebels saw the Belgian red beret as well; immediately they turned and fled.What the Belgians found in Sergeant Kitele Avenue was not a pretty sight. About 30 whites had been killed, while dozens of others were wounded. Two Americans were among the slain: Dr. Carlson and Phyliss Rine, a missionary from Ohio. The sight of the bloodshed left the Belgians angered, as would be the white mercenaries who came into the city a few hours later, spearheading a ground assault from the east. For the remainder of the afternoon, it was open season on Simbas in Stanleyville as the rebels paid in blood for their folly.
Back at the airport, the situation was still far from calm. More than 300 rebels occupied positions near the runway. As many hostages were freed, they were returned to the airport for evacuation. The first group arrived at the airport around 0945 and was loaded aboard the two waiting C-130s. The most badly wounded were loaded on Dragon Twelve, the hospital plane. Many of the hostages were wounded, while all were terrified and in a state of shock. Captain Mack Secord took off first with what he reckoned as 'around a hundred' hostages aboard. As he taxied for takeoff, the plane passed by a clump of elephant grass. Three Simbas leaped from the grass and ran alongside the plane, trying to force their way inside, although nobody aboard it was aware of it at the time. One of the rebels fired a burst from his submachine gun straight up into the wing. Secord took off with fuel streaming from the wing and headed for Leopoldville, where he landed with no flaps, no prop-reverse and on only three engines.
Although the Belgians spoke English, they were not used to speaking with rapid-talking Americans, many of whom were Southerners with distinct accents. To eliminate possible confusion, Colonel Laurent asked Captain Strobaugh and Sergeant Dias to take charge of communications with the American aircrewmen and radio operators.
With the airport secure and the freed hostages beginning to make their way there, Strobaugh requested an airlift to take them out, along with air support for the strike forces. In addition to the American C-130s, Belgian Douglas DC-6s joined the airlift. Several airplanes landed with bullet holes received while on landing approach. Periodically throughout the day, Strobaugh had to direct aircraft to orbit nearby while the Belgians repulsed attacks on the airport. As the last C-130 of the day landed at 1545Z, impacting mortar rounds signaled the start of a 150-man rebel assault on the west end of the airport. The Belgians repulsed five separate attacks as the airplane landed on the east end of the runway. Thirty minutes later, a Belgian DC-6 came in with a damaged engine that forced it to remain on the ground overnight.
Rebel opposition continued in the vicinity of the Stanleyville airport on November 25 as snipers took potshots at Belgian and Congolese national troops. Early that morning, sniper fire killed one of the Belgian officers from the stranded DC-6. Less than an hour later, a sniper's bullets hit the control tower. On the 26th, the evacuation of whites and some Congolese from the city resumed. Over the two-day period 41 sorties by the American C-130s and Belgian DC-6s brought out more than 1,800 American and European whites, as well as some 300 Congolese.
Late in the evening, seven C-130s flew into Stanleyville to pick up troops for another rescue mission to the town of Paulis, 225 miles to the northwest. Early on the morning of Thanksgiving Day, the seven-plane flight took off on Operation Dragon Noir, a repeat of Tuesday's mission. Arriving over Paulis at daybreak, the crews found their objective enshrouded in fog. The Belgians jumped anyway, making their descent into mist that obscured the ground. Every trooper landed on the designated drop zone. As soon as the fog lifted, the C-130s began landing on the dirt runway, their propellers stirring up a thick red cloud of dist as the pilots brought them into reverse after touchdown. The scene was one that would be repeated by many of those some crews in the same planes in Vietnam, where American involvement was starting to escalate. One pilot, Major Joe Hildebrand, reversed his prop while the plane was still airborne; the resulting hard landing flamed out all four engines of his 'Herky-bird.'
At Paulis, the paratroopers found the condition of the hostages to be as bad as-or worse than-at Stanleyville. An American missionary had been systematically tortured and beaten until death mercifully brought relief. Meanwhile, back at Stanleyville, the Belgians and mercenaries who made their way into the city shortly after the parachute assault found more white victims. A missionary family from New Zealand was brought to the airport. The father had been slain, the mother cut with machetes, while the two young daughters had scalp wounds inflicted by the Simbas. Only the two sons were spared injury.
Such senseless carnage caused the mercenaries and even the well-disciplined Belgian paratroopers to lose their restraint. Most rebels they encountered were slain on the spot. Congolese government soldiers frequently exhibited the same lack of concern for human life as their brothers on the other side, in one case kicking to death a Simba 'priest' captured near the airport.
On the evening of the 27th, the last Belgian troopers were withdrawn from Stanleyville and flown to Kamina to begin the first leg of their journey home. Their departure was somewhat premature, largely due to a huge outcry of discontent in the Third World over Belgian and American intervention in Africa, as demonstrators made their feelings known. Sometimes the demonstrations got out of hand, as in Cairo, Egypt, where the new John F. Kennedy library was burned to the ground in protest over the white presence in Africa. A well-organized propaganda effort in Communist and Third World nations placed the blame for the atrocities in Stanleyville on American and Belgian shoulders. Some nations, including China, pledged aid to the Congo rebels.
But even though the fighting in the Congo would continue for several months, with many white still to be slain by the rebels, Operation Dragon Rouge was over. On the morning of November 29, the rescue force departed Africa for Ascension. From there, it flew to the Canary Islands, then on to Melsbroek Airfield, outside of Brussels. There the rescuers were welcomed home by several hundred high-ranking officers, news reporters, television camera crews and relatives. King Baudouin received the Belgian paratroopers and American aircrews at a review on the flight line, and presented Colonels Laurent and Gradwell with the Order of Leopold II. After the ceremony, the Americans were taken on a tour of the city. Later, the American crewmen would all be awarded Air Medals for their role in the mission, while the 1964 McKay Trophy, an annual award for the most meritorious flight of the year by U.S. Air Force planes, would be awarded to the Dragon Rouge force.
For the American and Belgian military personnel involved in Dragon Rouge, the operation was one that all would remember with pride. Even thought the rescue was not without cost to the Belgians, the mission had been an overall success, resulting in the release of hundreds of hostages who doubtless would have been killed had it not occurred.
Kentucky-based contributor Sam McGowan flew C-130s as a loadmaster with the USAF in Vietnam. For further reading, try Save the Hostages! by David Deed; and McGowan's own book, The C-130 Hercules Tactical Aircraft Missions, 1956-1975.
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My father was a military motion picture photographer assigned to accompany the bperation to rescue the hostages. The results of his work were put into an Air Force newsreel titled "Airlift From America". I checked out and viewed this film in the late 60's when i was in the service. I have been trying to find it again. My fater is 83 years old now and has never seen the film himself. But the stories he told were hair-raising.
If you know or can find out how to get a copy of this newsreel piece, please let me know. i would love to get a copy to show him before he passes.
thank you
Bill Young
Bill, post your email so I can send you the information.
Hi Brian,,
I am member of a group of these who survived Stanleyville 1964 …I was there too as a member of the Ommegang and low beam operation.
May I request you kindly to give me some particulars about the movie of William R Young's father, is it possible to have a look at it on a site , or to purchase it ?
Sir: as a Belgian -American who grew up as a teenager in the congo it is with great pride I read about this Operation, my father was the chief engineer of the belgian airline in nyc and in the congo. The lesson learned here is that indepedence for the Congo should have been a 30 year process, as a matter of fact I had the opportunity to talk with the last Colonial governor of the belgian congo on a flight to leopoldville back in 1969 and he agreed with me.Excellent article.
I was one of the 48 paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne (1-504PIR) that was assigned to this operation in August of 1962. What an experience I won't forget.
The Americans in the C-130 AC took along more than just
equipment and paratroopers! There were at least two USAF Air
Police Aircraft protection personnel to provide close in protection
on the ground in Stanleyville Airport. The scene at the airport
was gruesome at best. As the hostages were returned many of the
first ones were wounded and not just with firearms. The weapon of
choice for many of the SIMBAS was the machete. The orders were
to eliminate any SIMBA seen approaching the Aircraft. None did!
It was quite an experience and one that began the annealing
process for a 30 year career as an AF Security Professional.
I was one of those invisible aircraft protection speciaslists.
I am 66 yeras old and was a corporal in the Belgian Para commandos and took part in the operation . If somebody has some fotos or film please e.mail them to lcarrion@mac.com
Thanks.
I like to Thank Belgian, Americans and British plus their Armed Forces for Rescue of my Family and me from Stanleyville in Operation Dragon Rouge in 1964.
I was 8yrs old then and at present I live in London UK. I believe our Family was feautered in 'Pathe BBC News Reel' on the resue from Stanley Ville to Leopodville then. If any one knows how I can get a print of the News Reel ! Your help will be greatly appreciated.
You can e-mail me on: kantipatel777@btinternet.com
I have my Passport and Refugee Card as reminder of my being part of Congolese Upheavel.
Kanti Patel
Frmr Cllr & Deputy Leader of LBB London
Sure that I met you there at that time…I was 19 and …it was a hell overthere I am glad that you were still alive when we came trough the sky as flying dragons…my heart is still bleeding about what happened there..
rosez.v@hotmail.com
Viciwanja
Pleasure reading your comments, I am glad you survived too and are keeping well.
God Bless
Kanti
I would also all that were involved in rescuing our family during this upheaval. It has been so interesting finding information on the internet about all of this. I was one and a half at this time and my pictures was taken with a Belgian paratrooper and put on the cover of Paris Match magazine.
Hi Beth,
I am glad that you survived in these dark of the sun days. I remember that a lot of pictures were taken of me … in Stanleyville aswell as in Leopoldville … the pic you are talking about could be me … coz I was designed to take care about the rescued children … but I dont think I have that pic …. can you send me a copy ??? email is rosez.v@hotmail.com
..
does any body reameber my dad jim fuller under mike hoare i think 1964 5 commando
can any body tell me they new my dad the storys he told me when he was in congo 1964 he fought for mike hoare sign for 5 commando in 1964 in johannesburg as he live there best friend was jonny bradbury who also went to the congo at the same time and also both came back together his name was jimmy fuller.my e.mail address is markfuller97@yahoo.co.uk just need more info.there must be someone who new him as he past away a few years ago. thanks mark fuller his son.
My father John Ermlich was also a soldier under Mike Hoare's 5 Commando. Anybody remember him?
I was in the Congo in 1964 thru March of 1965. I was with 2nd Infantry Division, US Army. The time that I was there was chaotic and cruel. If you want to learn more, go to Leavenworth Papers Number 14 and search. This is a great credible site, as it was researched thru the Combat Studies Institute. There is more to the story than this site reveals, but this is a good site for understanding.
My mother,my 2 brothers and I took the very last plane a Dc 3 just the evening before Stanleyville was taken.My father Paul R Boude was the manager of Mobil Oil in Stanley,he was on a trip at Leopoldville.He managed to have Mobil Oil,the americans and some others to have a plane flown to take as many people as possible out of Stanley as he understood that it would be the last one to fly out .Upon his arrival ,he called my mother to have us being ready to leave.(in the last 3 previous days we had being squestrated in our concrete staircase in the middle of our apartment to avoid stray bullets).We got pick up and we were put in that plane with 3 others,the rest were congoleses.My father had told my mother that he was coming the next day.That did not happened until Operation Dragon Rouge came,thank to them. My father spent the next months there and had the Belgium consulate Patrick Nothomb under his wing as being a french citizen at the time was less dangerous than being a belgium or american,further more he was able to circulate in town and help with the food distribution.Now for what I understood my father help the belgium troops to reach simba armed positions as the military maps were not very accurate.For all that,my father was the recipient of one the highest belgium decoration the Order of Leopold 2.Thank for all those troops my father came back and many others as well and Iam greatfull for that.
I've been trying to figure out my Dad's role in Operation Dragon Rouge. I learned the day after he died that he was in the U.S. Army's Special Forces in the early 1960s. A few months after he died, I determined that he was involved in Operation Dragon Rouge. I determined this based on the stories he told my Mom. Basically all I know is that my Dad, Michael Albert (Mike) Haffner was one of five Jeep drivers assigned to get people out of hostile territory. He rarely talked about his experiences in the Army to anyone, especially his Special Forces training. I'm curious if there is anyone that remembers him or knows more about this mission than what is already posted on the internet.
R.I.P. …sir … respect for your father sir
I was there too
I was the maint. crew chief of the C-130 E
This C-130 E was the first airdrop/Mission
This Aircraft was the one that brougt out the doctor And His Slain companions .
sgt. page was my crew chief i was his asst,first job from training in 1964 i went to congo that time a3c with him i don,t know sure it was like to have some contact pope afb 464 oms delmar poore a3c
delmar poore 587 bear huff lp. pall mall tn. 38577 931 879 2956
The crew chief of first plane to drop the Belgiam Parratroopers
sgt. page was my first crew chief i was his asst. in 1964 i went to the congo with his plane i don,t know i don,t rember what happen then i'll look for old order i have delmar poore 587 bear huff lp.pall mall tn. 38577 poored@twlakes.net i was in the congo at that time anyone contact me is ok thank you god bless sgt. page
And just what were you doing, sitting on the bunk? There were two loadmasters on that airplane who were taking care of things in the back. By the way, I knew you when I was in the 464th OMS and later after I crosstrained to loadmaster and went to the 779th.
Operation Red and Black Dragon in Stanleyville:
I grow up in Katanga and after the secession I becaume a member of the 4thcomkat in 1960. In 1964 we had a joint operation…Belgian paratroopers and the Katangees Tigers(4thComKat) target Stanleyville and the liberation of 3,000 hostages. I knew most of the Belgian paratroopers and actualy they have a own site.
Was on covert operation with2nd Bat. 504 out of Fort Bragg, 82nd Airborne, was in Congo Aug-Nov. 1964. Anyone that might have been in that Batalion with me would like to hear from or anyone that was in Leopoldville or thereabouts, during that timeframe and served with operation Leo, please contact me.
I may have saved your neck. I put extra fuel on my airplane for the first mission. I did not like the smell of the fuel; So I put extra fuel on board. When my airplane returned one of the engines shut down due to fuel starvation in the fuel pits. Reguards TJY
I was a ground crew member of C-130 857. I was in the Congo during that time. Please reply. Regards TJY
Joe Haffner,
My father was also in operation dragon rouge with the sf. It is possible they were in the same team. If you want to contact me at latonhillpastor@millry.net
I hope I can help.
This was an outstanding article. I would like to contact two of the previous "posters" – T.E. Hebert and Norman P. Page – with some follow up questions. I would also like to hear from any other USAF C-130 crew member, ground crew, or USAF security personnel who may have been involved in this mission. Thanks. R. Thurlow, tlow52@hotmail.com
Hello,
My grandfather Louis was murdered on the 24 th in Stanleyville. He was a hostage.
Could someone email me some photos or footage of the rescue?
charlotte_sas@hotmail.com
Yes that was a long time ago,I was a member of 5 codo,joined in Joburg,flew to Kamina base did same training,flew on board a C130 (with NO markings….) landed in Bunnia,more training,and of we all whent ,in jeeps,trucks,one blitz truck(with the mortars) to start our operation,towards Paulis,on to Aru (not Arua,that is in Uganda) on to Faradje,(near the border with the Sudan etc etc.that took care of my 1st contract.R&R in Joburg resigned again,flew to Albeertville,camp on the outskirts of town,left by barge towd b y the old "Ermes" on to Cementation,for a few days then on to Barraka,and eventualy Fizi.Lost a few mates (KIA) I whent on to serve in the Rhodesian Special Forces.
I am prepared to conrrespond with genuine ex figthers,not bullshiters,
Cherrs Manny
Bom dias Manuel, Al Venter here. I am working on the Congo operation for a book and would like to talk to you, however briefly. Can you please contacrt me at venter.al@gmail.com?
i am proud to have served with 5 cdo under the comand of thegreat mike hoare and john peters would welcome new fromold members regards harry
Harry,
Do you remember Alan Gibson,
rgds
frederick
hats off to harry
Im John Peters Grandson and i would really appreciate knowing what he was like serving under his command, and if you have and photo's of information about him that would be great.
Thankyou M.Peters
harry james email adress jam 9082 @telus.net
Thank you for posting this piece of history.I was cryptographer on Talking Bird working the encryption and decryption of messages from State Dept and our aircraft in Ascention and on the ground at Kamina and I can tell you both our equipment and our fingers were worn out by the time we handled all the Flash messages.. Alot of heros that morning with the air drop into Stanleyville and alot of memories that still keep us awake at night even after all these years..
Clyde Cummings, USAF Retired
Clyde: I found a bunch of crystals on the floor of my airplane about the time the radios went down as spoken of in the Leavenworth Papers #14.
I returned the crystals to the Belgians. I was told latter that I had the future of the Congo in my hands. This happened at Leopoldville. Can you conferm this
Tom Young.
Reply to comment 23.1; I did not check the of follow up comments via e-mail.. Thank You
can anyone tell me if John Peters 5th cdo is still alive I was a helicopter pilot in Albertville
Thanks
@terry peet
I dated John Peter's daughter many years ago (late 1990's). He had been dead many year then – his daughter was still young when he died, and she was raised by Peters CIA handler in Ocala, Florida. She had lost contact with her biological mother, but was in contact with Peters 2nd wife, who lives in Perth, Australia (I believe his first wife is also in Australia). She subsequently got back in touch with her mother.
I haven't been in touch with her for many years, and am reluctant to give too many personal details about her. She was Peters only child. She is now married with a family.
my handler was Jim Lassiter and he lived in Florida .I also knew Peters first wife your girl Friends mother presumably .Anyway thanks for coming back to me Best regards Terry Peet
my e mail is teejat@hotmail.com can u contact me please Thanks Terry Peet
If you're talking about the Yorkshireman John Peters, he did pass away in his 50s, due to a heart attack I believe. His first wife was in fact South African, to whom he had 2 children with. Both of these children are in their 50s now and are living in the Midlands, UK.
I joined 5 Commando in November, 1964, and fought with Mike Hoare and John Peters. At the time I was the only New Zealander. Met John and his wife Peters in Singapore in 1969-70, and he and I with our wives were at Jack Erasmus’ wedding there. I lost touch when I moved to East Pakistan/Bangladesh. I heard recently he’d gone to Thailand after Singapore. Would appreciate any contact address for him.
Regards
Hello i would really appreciate it if you had any further information into John Peters life. Your 'ex-girlfriend' is infact my auntie who i still meet on occasion.
attn. james w colburn…2nd 504 82nd airborne div. fort bragg nc.
saw your comment on this page of history…I was one of the few out of bragg on this detail…..I was one of the few from A company 1st 504..If I remember right they only sent 5 out out each company of the 1st and 2nd 504.. It was a mess, but I was with some of those bel. troopers and they did kick ass..I also love the cuban flyers that gave support..then went right into the targets like they didnt care if they went down or not..It's thing's you don't think about, or don't want to think about…we had so many people on the c 130 we did'nt know if we could take off sometimes..of all the shooting and panic, the smell of fear and body's got to me even more..If you respond maybe somethings you remember would bring some of mine back, no that I want to think about this shit..Buy if it helps you in any way we can shoot the shit about it….went to the Dom. Rep. after that too.. take care..Airborne,,All the way
Manuel Arevalo:
My father, Thomas "Pete" Ray was one of the 4 American pilots killed during the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion. During the 18 year mission to bring him home, I became close the the Cuban-American community and continue to be a major part of my life.
Currently, I'm assisting the Cuban Exile Veterans of the Congo and their families perserve their legacy. I've started a FaceBook group (Makasi Legacy / Cuban Exile Veterans of the Congo). I would very much like to learn about your experience with them in Operation Dragon Rouge.
Janet J Ray
Manny Carvalho – you didn't leave an email address for people to contact you.
shocked to read comments re john peters my sypathathy to hisfamily harry james
Re Mike Hoare
I am Mike Hoare's son, Chris. I would like to hear from any former 5 Commando mercs who knew Mike and fought with him, as I am researching a biography on Mike's life. Many thanks,
partner@iafrica.com
I was a paratrooper ,RTO, with US Strike Command ,Operation Dragon Rouge JTF Leo 1964-65. I have some pictures I would like to exchange with someone . Airborne Gary
Good day to you
I am a retired soldier currently researching for a book on the military operations in the Congo during this period. I am looking for photographs of Operation Dragon Rouge and Noire as well as other military operations. I would be most grateful if you could sympathetically consider this request for high resolution (500kb to 1Mb) copies of your photos. I will give the necessary credit in the book and provide you with a signed copy of the publication once it is published.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Chris,
Glad to know that you are Mike Hoare' s son.
I knew your father very well. I grow up in Katanga and participated on the operation Red and Black Dragon. I was a 3 stars captain in the Katangees army and I took a long time care about the protection of the family of general Muke, chief commander of the Katangees Army.
I knew also very well two collegues of your father…commanders Jean Schramme and Bob Denard.
If you want to contact me my email is rosez.v@hotmail.com
To Gary Hebert and Manuel Arevalo
I have been researching the US military involvement in the Congo for many years and would very much like to get in touch with you. Please contact me at
leif@leifhellstrom.com
/Leif
I was friends with a merc called Jimmy Duggan, who fought in Katanga etc. He had about 12 passports, so what name he used as a merc I can't guess! Small muscular man, blond hair, always running everywhere. Had a bit of a temper and spoke several languages, including some African dialects. He was mates with Schramme, Marc Goosens (my blood-brother) Rennie (Rene, the Belgian medic, can't recall his real name anymore, we always called him Rennie) Rolf Steiner, J-B Ianarelli, Georgio Norbiato, Siggi Mueller and his friend Christian, Maurice Lucien-Brun, and Johnny Erasmus. Also knew Peters, Williams, but Hoare avoided him (let's just say Jimmy referred to Hoare as being a suitable name!) Hoare and Erasmus (Black Johnny) I never met, but I knew all the others and many more besides. All these guys were in Forsyth's books, as he was using events they took part in, he was their intelligence officer! Know Freddie, too, but he refuses to talk to me. I rewrote his bestseller, The Day of the Jackal, now twice as long, he read it, but pretended 'not to remember too much of all that, anymore'.
Would love to find out details, photos etc., anything on Jimmy, in case I can add it to the book. Anyone wanting to read the book can have a free copy, I can send it as a file via the www.
I traced Jimmy Duggan to Boxburg in J'burg SA, where there was an estate where several ex-mercs lived, but as I don't know the name he's using I can't send him a copy of the book. He looked like an older version of himself, still very strong but white hair, still gets drunk in Siggi's old bar, still gets into fights, still wins!
Thanks for any help anyone can give me.
sverre_helgesen@hotmail.com
I lived in Katanga form 1952 to 1965.
I was a very first member of the 4th Commando Katanga(4thComKat) that became the 5th Commando Brigade (5th ComKat) under major Mike hoare.
I participated on the secret operation Black and Red Dragon in Stanleyville under the US flag.
I was asked by a CIA crew to join the Katangese Tigers to participate on the biggest rescue operation ever in military history.
I agreed and I was placed under the direct commantment of major Mike Hoare in the " Ommegang" part of that operation.
We helped to liberate 3,000 US , EU and others hostages out of the hands of rebels. The whole world called us mercenaries, but most of us were born in Africa or came very young to Africa, living there as in a new homeland. I joint the operation with the only purpose to be a withness of it and to be a guide and translator, because I knew the rebels languages. I never had a waepon in my hands during the operation..that I only can qualifie as Genocide
Hi – ref the 4th Commando Katanga, I have what I assume is an arm patch that would be sewn on to a uniform that says 'katanga' in a red/white/green shield with 4th Commando under it. It was given to me by my uncle who was in Rhodesia in the late 50's /early 60's. He said while he was in the the Rhodesian Army Reserve he and others moonlighted with the 4th Commando and that he knew Mike Hoare. I had the moonlighting bit confirmed by an ex member of the British South African Police last year as being something that was definitely done but until I saw the above post by Viciwanja to be honest, I thought my uncle was embellishing things about being with Mike Hoare. All interesting stuff.
I remember that I have given some katangees uniforms to a good friend of mine in Northern-Rodhesia. I was one of the fameous Tigers( 4thcomkat)in that time.
His name was Robert Stell, a police officer, could that be your uncle?
If he is, I just can tell you that he wad my best friend in that time.
If you want a contact with me my email is rosez.v@hotmail.com
respect for your uncle sir .
Hi,
Do any of you remember Alan Gibson
I was with the 2nd Infantry Division out of Ft Benning, GA. I met a 5cdo in Leopoldville who i made friends with. We flew several flights into Bunia, Kamina, Stanleyville, and more. His last name was DeBayne (not sure of spelling). He was out of J'burg. If anyone knows him please contact me. I also met two mercs whose home was out of Ohio. I dont remember there names, but it facinated me that they were Americans who were mercs. If there are any other 2nd Infantry men out there, please contact me. According to records, we were never there. Ha!
you are right about the records there was never anything in our file to show that we were there.I still remember the small compond of barracks ust south of the airport.my squad put the trip flares in the broom sage field around the barracks.hell they were air conditioned.better than we had on sand hill at Benning.feel free to contact me kenrooker@yahoo.com.put[ second to none] in the heading
kenrooker- Your e-mail is not working for me. Contact me if you can. Did you eat at the terminal. The French Fries where great.. I had drinks with the man in question at Trinidad. He urged me to reenlist and not stay a civilian and breed like flies. Tom Young
Film footage from Stanleyville is on the net. Check http://www.troopcarrier.org for links.
Thanks for your replies vis Mike Hoare and Peters
My Biography will be out lat 2011 called Renegade Hero Not my choice of titles but there are some real heroes mentioned in the book
Best wishes to all Afreaus
@Terry peet
Yes that was our name overthere….Affreux…(Awful)…
always been proud to bear this name …
Do you have some info about the dead of the UN Secretary General
Dag Hammarskjold in 1961 (that year I became a member of the 4th commando Katanga)… ( http://www.un.org/Overview/SG/sg2bio.html ) …
When I was in Ndola (Northern Rodhesia) I got some hot information that this was an act of the CIA .. the secret services of South-Africa should have papers about that…but the whole affair disappeared in the cover-up…
My friend, Bert Hayes, was a flight Engineer on one of the C-130 transports. He got to nipping the wine one evening and telling stories. He told me that when they landed, there was a shed of rifles along the edge of the runway and that the crew chief told them that if they could get off of the plane and back on before the hostages were ready, that they could take whatever weapons they wanted. He brought out an old 1903 Springfield 30.06 and gave it to me. I will forever cherish the rifle. If anyone knew Bert, I would like to know.
This story does not make sense. The crew chief was a ground crewmember who took care of the airplane when it was on the ground and had no control over anything. The pilot, the aircraft commander, was in command of the crew. I doubt if there was any kind of shed on the side of the runway – runways are as the name implies, a long strip for airplanes to make their takeoff run. There might have been a building somewhere around the ramp but the pictures I've seen show a very small airline terminal and not much else. I was at Pope at that time and the name Bert Hayes doesn't ring a bell although that doesn't mean anything. There was a lot of trading in weapons in the Congo but it was with the mercenaries. Crews from Pope also operated Operation LEO, which was an ongoing mission that started in mid-1964 and continued until August 1965. LEO crews supported the Congolese army and the mercs.
It could be that I mis-understood or mis-remember some of what he was telling me. I assumed it was a crew chief, but I have never been in the militarty, so, I guess he could have been talking about the pilot/commander. And I just had the shed pictured along the runway somewhere.
Jeff, drop me an Email at semcgowanjr@aol.com. I'm in touch with a number of veterans of both DRAGON ROUGE and LEO and some of them may know him. This story sounds more like a deal with some of the mercs. There was a lot of trading going back and forth between the C-130 crews and the mercenaries. A lot of peope brought back weapons from the Congo.
Actually, the flight engineer – they were called flight mechanics in 1964 – were the senior enlisted man on the crew. Normally a C-130 crew consisted of two pilots, a navigator (all officers) a flight mechanic and a loadmaster. An additional loadmaster was included on the DRAGON ROUGE crews. The 82nd Airborne had troops in Leopoldville who went out on missions to provide security for teh airplanes. Based on what someone else posted, there may have been some Air Force air police security personnel who went down from France on the DRAGON ROUGE/DRAGON NOIR force, although I have never heard any of the crews who were on the mission mention them.
I am compiling preliminary reference material for a book I am writing about "Red Dragon" for Osprey Publishing (London) for their Raid series (due out sometime in 2013). As I thought the book might be a good way to put out some unpublished/under-seen photos of the conflict I thought I would see if anyone might like to contribute any digital copies they might have. If so I would need to be granted the rights by the owner before any image can be published. I would of course assign proper credit.
To provide a bit of background for me, I have worked with Osprey before, so if there are concerns about my credibility, etc. you can check with them. The same thing with Casemate Publishing. My military history books are also on Amazon, B&N, etc. if that helps
Any questions please ask.
sdkfz1822002@yahoo.com
Thank you,
Dave Higgins
Columbus, Ohio US
The book Renegade Hero is due out 16th June .Amazon is showing the cover right now if anyone is interested
Old Congo hands will recognise some of the incidents
Take care
Terry Peet
togheter with Juan (Jean)Ubaghs,I served in 1964/65 as a vollonteer/private ,doing national service – in those years-in the 12 Cie , platoon B from the 2 Commando Battallion ,Flawinne (Belgium)we're born in the same province (Limburg) and we speak the same Flamish language.
both we participated in the "Dragon Rouge Operation 24 November Stanleyville-Congo-..American troop carier wings C-130 .commanded by USA Colonell Gradwell .brought us ,taking of from Kleine Brogel =airforce base in North Belgium.the night of 18/19 November '64.
My cie with only 5 month's Commando training and only 5 Parachute jumps we made at that moment. but wearing our GREEN BERET .. wash attached to the 1Para Battalion (Red Berets) lads with 11 months training and being "Full Para Winged"(in the Belgian Para Commando Regiment we had 3 Battallions , those years..two Bon's were wearing RED BERETS , only one Bon wearing the " GREEN BERETS" SINDS THEY WERE CREATED IN THE UK IN 1942 DURING WWII… so we kept that early tradition while all of this units ,had to make and pass… the same Para Commando training…
We made a Fuell stop at the Canarian Islands and arived in the afternoon on the ASCENCION ISLAND .STAYING IN STAND BY , AND DOING EXTRA TRAING (Jump drill from Herculesses and so on ) In Belgium we still jumped from C-119 Flying Boxcar..
after a few day's we toke of on ALERT for Kamina =Former Belgian AirForce base(Katanga ) the early morning of 24 November '64 the "Red Dragon was Airborne for the Stanleyville"
My cie was to support 1 Para , jumping if nescecairy aswell on the airfield of Stan.. in case there should have been too much ressistance from the Simba's , making it impossiblle to clear up the obstructed airstrips . for giving opportunities to the following craft's to land..
cause 1para did their job very well , the first c-130 ,I was sitting in ..after the cancelled "Go!' to jump ..touched the ground…
asap in Infantry style directing for our targets..so to liberate hostages,and giving them support and cover during their advance back to the airfield ..
3 day's we stayed in Stanleyville, the second day a take of for my 12 Cie Commando was planned to jump on Bunia(operation called GREEN DRAGON- OR DRAGON VERT) BUT THE PLAN WAS CANCELLED ON THE VERRY LAST MOMENT.. during the time 2 Cie's of 1Para Bon where parachuted again for a second operation in Paulis..Called Dragon Noire..( and as far as I know..NEVER in history of Airborne troops…the SAME para's jumped in an operation ..in LESS then 48 Hours..) yust as far as I know about it…..
27 Th November '64 we all regrouped in Kamina , and toke of again , the next day , for one more night to spend on the ASCENCION ISLAND .to arrive in Belgium the 1/12/1964..making a Tikkertape Parade in Brussels our Capital City
Two young 1Para lads19 years old ,lost their young life during the resque of other people,and 1 Belgian Airforce Seargant was killed in the Stanleyville ,also several shot wounded Para's or Commando's , had some medicale care recieved in leopoldville (Kinshasa)
Jean and me wented back to civic live in August 1965..keeping our memories untill today.I did met him again ,20 years later ,24 November 1984 during a "Congo Veterans Reunion "on the Citadel of 1Para Battallion in the City of Diest.. sure we had a few Beeeeeers together..
meself ,I rejoined The Para Commando Regiment in April 1969 untill ,
1987..participating one more time with my 1Para Battallion(serving as Corporal-chef) in a Mortar Team in a kind of the same style as the one 14 years before (An Armed Humanitair Resque operation )= an operation called "Red Beam" on 19 May 1978 in Kolwesi (Shaba/katanga=Zaire/Congo)…Grouping together with nearly our entire Para Commando Regiment and the 2Rep..the Parachute Regiment from the French Foreign Legion..but this is an other story…
my single son Olaf has been serving in 1Para Bon sinds 1989.. He participated in 4 African(Congo Kishasa, Congo Pointe Noire, Somalia,Ruanda ),,,actions with his 1Para Bon from Belgium..(always wearing his RED BERET ..for PEACE MAKING… not a Blue United Nations Berets.. for PEACE KEEPING..
My beloved 1para Bon . unfortunnaly..it.becamed desbanded sinds last year 28 August 2010.. desbanded by very stupid and aspecialy unrespectful politcians ,
and certainly acompagnied by very yallouse Staf members…shame over them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Para Commando greetings TO ALL OF YOU !!!
Bekkers Richard ( Thailand )
Nice to hear your story Richard… in that time I was in the schoolcie at Flawinne as a candidate officer (red beret) …. and I made almost the same traject as you … except that once we arrived at Kamina I went to Stan with the 5thComKat together with a few guys of the CIA ….. before that I was already a member of the 4th ComKat in the Katanga army … I grow up in that Country…
Viciwanja
In your 9/22/2011 post you mention being in contact with "a few guys of the CIA." I would assume this was the CIA Low Beam Team of Cuban exiles led by Rip Robertson using the code name Carlos. I'm in contact with the surviving members of this team and would like to communicate with you concerning your memories.
Please place Congo in the title of any email you send.
Janet Ray
http://www.wingsvalor@aol.com
Five planes dropped at Stanleyville, and four at Paulis two days later. Kitchen was a lieutenant, not a captain. The crew eliminated to get the drop planes down to four was that of a major who dropped out of the "close look" formation, i.e. got momentarily lost during the flight and took awhile to find his way back to the formation The modified B-26s that were to be something of a fighter escort also got lost on the way to Stanleyville and needed a DF steer from the C-130s to find the place, which was an airport with a concrete runway south of town. That runway was covered with metal drums, overturned vehicles, etc. to keep planes from landing. As the planes approached the drop point, which had us heading down the runway as there was just enough light to barely see, a tremendous barrage of tracers from at least one .50 caliber quad four and several other machine guns opened up. Since it was still basically dark, it looked worse than what the guys in the Baghdad hotel saw at the start of Desert Storm, but by the time the last of the five C-130Es dropped, however, the fire had stopped, such that the last airplane (with me in it) took only one hit. Realize that a C-130 has a wingspan of 110 feet, we were 700-800 feet above the ground, and we were doing only 120 knots indicated (the Belgian commander had negotiated our normal drop speed down five knots, which the AF commander should have resisted) – making us sitting ducks. I was told later that the guns had been sighted for a thousand feet over the runway, which saved our hides because most of the fire went over us and most of the hits were in the wings. Presumably the Simbas fired a long burst and then fled for their lives, which the Belgians summarily dealt with. We made a second pass eight minutes later (it takes that long to make a 360 in a C-130) to each drop a jeep with a Browning machine mounted on it and its crew off the ramp. As the plane I was in was the first to land back at base, we got to see the other four C-130s taxi in with tires shot out on one side and the wing on that side drooping, and/or with fuel spraying from their wing tanks in a stream like you get when you take the nozzle off a garden hose. The ground fire at Paulis was not as intense. The Simbas were ready for us at Stanleyville, because the BBC announced while we were on the way to the target that negotiations had failed and military action was imminent. It's a pity that we couldn't have dropped while the negotiations were still open. The Belgian troops were serious young guys who we got along with very well. I swapped my AF cap for the maroon beret of the lieutenant in charge of the troops in my plane. At the party thrown for the troops and crews in Brussels, I accidentally learned that a mother attending the party found that her son had been killed. She had come expecting to welcome him back. She broke down when told. Also, on the way back from the drop, someone reporting to someone in DC (probably the NSC), when they were told that the code books they had were out of date and useless, broadcast in the clear that the mission had been a success – a real no no. The second most exciting part of the Stanleyville drop, after the tracer barrage, was the plane losing the generator powering the essential bus, which has the cockpit lighting on it. That meant everything was suddenly black inside the plane and with no lights outside for reference in darkest Africa. After about ten seconds the flight engineer (and they were called flight engineers in 1964) switched the essential bus onto another generator and we tooled on with lights. On the way back to Brussels with troops aboard, my crew refueled at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. As we made our approach in weather, the radio beacon on the beach failed to swing as we passed over it, and we could have crashed into mountains higher than our altitude a few miles west. As it happened, we broke out of the clouds with higher terrain several miles left and right of us. This was the closest to disaster. other than from ground fire, I came to in my 22,000 hour plus flying career, military and airline.
I beg to differ on what flight mechanics were called. I, too, was at Pope at that time and the official title was "flight mechanic" and FM was on the 781. The flight engineer term was not properly assigned to C-130 flight mechanics until sometime around 1967 when a new Armed Forces Speciality Code was established for the field and all existing flight mechanics were awarded it to replace the 431X1F or engine shop AFSCs they carried. As for Kitchen's rank at the time, he was reported as a captain in the AIRMAN article about the operatio that was published a few months after it happened. I remember him but couldn't swear one way or the other what his rank was. I started out at Pope in OMS in 1963 then cross-trained to loadmaster and went to the 779th. From Pope I went to Naha and it was just before I left there that the flight mechanic was changed to flight engineer.
I was a sgt in co a 1st bn 9th inf second div and I was in the congo in dec/jan 65. glad I found this site and good to read comment from my brothers that were also there.1/9 Manchu keep up the fire
btw does anyone remember the name of the asshole airforce Col.that was in cahrge.I'd like to have a chance to kick his ass.
I remember him well but can not come up with a name,will check files and find out. I was the pilot on an airland Had a whole in the right whick another crew member plugged with a broom handle. That Col you speak of tried to make our crew pay for the meals we gave to the hostages on the way to Leopoleville.
I joined 5 Commando in November, 1964, and fought with Mike Hoare and John Peters. At the time I was the only New Zealander. Met John and his wife Peters in Singapore in 1969-70, and he and I with our wives were at Jack Erasmus’ wedding there. I lost touch when I moved to East Pakistan/Bangladesh. I heard recently he’d gone to Thailand after Singapore. Would appreciate any contact address for him.
I would be interested in corresponding with anyone that was in the Congo/Central African Republic November 1964. I had family that was held hostage in Stanleyville. I wanted more information from people that were there first hand.
I'm involved in a project to reunite the Cuban Exile Veterans of the Congo and their families to preserve the history. The Cuban Exiles had to flee their homeland when Castro took power. They worked under the CIA in ground, navel and air divisions. The air division became know as Makasi.
Janet J Ray
wingsvalor@aol.com
Relatives of Congo War Pilots
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/Relatives-of-Congo-War-Pilots-Connect-on-Facebook-126858963.html
There were a group of Cuban exile pilots who flew in the Congo from 1962-1967 including supporting the rescue operations. I'm helping preserve their history and would very much like to communicate with those who were in the Congo or their families. You my reach me at wingsvalor@aol.com and use Congo for the subject line.
GO TO FACEBOOK AND CHECK " MAKASI LEGACY / CUBAN EXILE VETERANS OF CONGO"
THESE WERE THE PILOTS THAT GAVE COVER AND FOUGHT FROM 1963 TO 1966 IN ALMOST EVERY OPERATION IN CONGO , THEY WERE THE AIR COVER FOR THE 5TH COMMANDO / 6TH COMMANDO,
THERE IS LOTS OF INFORMANTION AND PHOTOS FROM CONGO FOR THOSE YEARS
YES CHECK WITH JANET RAY she is the founder of this group, very interesting lady, lots of knowledge.
My dad took part in the Congo operation his name was TSgt. O.T. Livingston would like to hear any details. I have old copies of his TDY orders. Have an old APR with operation Leo, Goldfire, and Cross Switch listed for 1964 to 1965 would love to get more info.
Does anyone following this thread have knowledge or a comment about C130 pilot / leader Ctlayton "Ike" Isaacson who participated in this operation??
I met Isaacon at a bar at Trinidad on our way to the Congo. He wanted me to reenlist and not stay a civilian and NOT "breed like flyies". I think I pissed him off. Contact me. View my shadow Box at airforce.togetherweserved.com/bio/hbar Its not complete yet. I think I saved his STAR and the lives of my air crew.
PROUD TO HAVE SERVED TJY
Tom, thanks for the info about "Ike" Isaacson! If you would like to exchange more info, please contact me at fairbairncj@gmail.com.
answer to K.C. Merrill,
if you are interested in corresponding with the most off people who survived Stanleyville 1964 please contact me on my email rosez.v@hotmail.com … I am not allowed to give you some links openly… by the way, I was there too…
operation Red and Black Dragon Paris Match 1964
Is there anybody who knows the name of the Captain on the cover holding an american child in his arms (named Beth).
Here is the link of that magazine …. there is something wrong with the color of the beret ….originaly it should be kaki green but somebody changed it in red …. I dont know why and nobody is able to give us the name of that Captain
here is that link :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Paris-Match-ancien-1964-Congo-tragedie-des-otages-/250899400067?pt=FR_GW_Livres_BD_et_Revues_Journaux_Revues_Magazines&hash=item3a6ac50583
I hope I am able to find the person who was holding me in the picture! I am wondering if we can upload pictures here. i would love to have that picture posted. My father was on the first plane that took off that we now know had Simbas shooting at them. He was held at the hotel and was in the line up to be shot when you all came around that corner! What a blessing you arrived when you did!
The name of that captain is Defreyne, he moved on to Stanleyville with the 5th brigade (Ommegang) of colonel Bem Vandewalle beause of this incedent ar november 21, 1964 …. The combat group left Dunga very early on next morning and progressed rapidly to his objective (Stanleyville), but the logistic team of “Ops North” fell into an ambush at Wamba and lt Glorieux was killed while major Génis and lt Passagez were seriously wounded. The helicopter H21B of cdt Brokken landed to evacuate them but major Génis succumbed to his injuries during the fly. He was replaced on the head of the logistical team by cpt Defreyne…. Actually I can not find out if the captain is still alive or were he ev lives … if anybody has more info plz let me know, or send a message to Beth Davis Taylor….
does anybody who was in Katanga between 1960 and 1964 remember sergeant Carlos Alberto De Oliveira Cruz (130239-1992) … he was a member of the Katanga army (Gendarmery) … He was on duty in the Portugees army and joined the Katangees army via Angola ar 1960/61…
If you have any kind of information please send to my email wich is :
rosez.v@hotmail.com
i jst finished reading the book 'the making of an african legend;the biafran story',written by frederick forsyth.it was so enlightening and has clearified otherwise aspects that which lead to the civil war that was played down.its really an educational piece.the exploits of the mercineries was the one aspect that held me spell bound.i just want to use this forum to ask about mercineries like Johnny erasmus,major georgio norbiatto,major steiner,fred hertz and the swedish veteran pilot count carl gustav von rosen.i would be very grateful if i could also get in touch with any of them or even mr forsyth.my email is don24life@yahoo.com.
Hi,
If anyone remembers a Geordie in the 5th Com who died in the Congo I would love to chat. His name was Frederick Alan Gibson.
Im his son and am doing all i can to get any onfo on him. He was recruited in Rhodesia.
Thanks
Fred
The only "Geordie" I knew in the Congo with 5 Commando was a former ship engineer and we were good friends. I was with him when he was fataly wounded and died hours later. I sent his wallet and all the personal documents he had with him to his wife. She was living in Australia, Perth I think.
Mike
video from newsreel
THE HORROR OF STANLEYVILLEYour browser does not support iframes.
When 'your browser does not support the iframes'.
–> http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=70274
Hello, i would like to speak to anyone who may have served with or has any information on the mercenary 'John Peters'. From what my family has told me so far… 'John Peter's' was a mercenary and lead a battalion of men called the 'Wild Geese', he was in the British SAS, the film 'Dog's Of War' was based upon his battalion and he had a mysterious heart attack even though he was more than perfectly fit and healthy, just as there was talk of the CIA's murder's from a pill which is untraceable and simulates what appears to be a heart attack. Several of the CIA's mercenary's had died from this mysterious heart attack…
'John Peters' was in-fact my (step) Grand Father. He raised My Father and My Auntie (as their father died) alongside his own daughter (My Auntie). This was when he married my Grandmother.
I find that this man is a soul part of my family and i would really appreciate it if someone had information, pictures or experience's with/of him that they would be able to share with me and the rest of his family he has left.
Sincerely, M.Peters
mattmoo101@hotmail.com