The cargo door on the back of the C-130 Hercules is now fully opened. The whistling wind combined with motor noise from four powerful engines makes it hard for anybody to hold a normal conversation and needs to shout over the deafening roar. The bay contains an elongated honeycombed platform loaded with crates of much needed ammunition, rations, medical, and other supplies for the Special Forces fire base.

As in every LAPES delivery, there will be no stopping once the pilot starts his low pass. He will try hard to maintain two to ten feet off the ground, keeping his speed high at around one hundred thirty knots, or one hundred fifty miles per hour.

As soon as there was sufficient drag from the main parachutes that followed the drogue, the locks would automatically release the platform, quickly pulling it out. Very much like a ski binding’s release, these locks will allow the payload to make its departure from the belly of the airplane.

Inbound and approximately 900 feet out from the double panels, copilot England clicks on the intercom and calls the load-master in the back.

“Standby – Ready-light.” As soon as he sees the red signal light turn green, the load-master acknowledges.

“Ready-light on.”

The copilot then hits the deploy switch and transmits, “Drogue Deployed.”

The load-master watches the fifteen-foot ring slot chute eject into the air stream. And glancing down, can see the cargo platform still being held secure by the H-Block.

“Drogue okay,” he answers.

Three hundred feet beyond the double ground panels is a single one. This one panel marks the load impact zone and three hundred feet after that, is the panel that signifies the load slide area. Being part of the Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System, the panel spacing on the airstrip allows the pilot to deliver his cargo on the ground in exactly the right place.

“Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Green Light,” transmits the copilot, signaling release of the payload through the H-block connection as the airplane gets lower. The cluster of ‘mains’, twenty-eight foot parachutes, extract from the deployment bag as it gets pulled out by the drogue chute outside.

Pilot Hausman grimly controls the airplane at a ten-foot altitude above ground level. He focuses on maintaining stability, realizing the margin of error is very small at that altitude and high speed. Having done this before, he is fully aware the panels on the ground will guide him for a successful delivery as the ‘mains’ deploy.

Throughout the run, the captain keeps a nose-down pitch on the aircraft – fighting to keep the airplane level as he feels the payload slide out of the back. Then pilot and co-pilot hear again the load-master’s voice on their headsets.

“LOAD CLEAR.”

Hearing the ‘Clear’ transmission, flaps are immediately retracted and maximum power applied. Then Captain Hausman calls out, “Gear Up,” as he eases the controls towards his chest. He needs to get out of range from ground fire as he approaches the end of the field.

At this same moment, GIs from the firebase are running to the strip that’s a few feet away to grab boxes of much needed supplies. They know Charlie will be concentrating on the airplane, and every move is automatic. Charlie is what the GI’s called the enemy.

As the C-130 angles up, the crew hears familiar popping sounds on the Herk’s body. Charlie had already heard aircraft engine noises, and knew camp defenders would try to protect the airplane. They were also prepared to withstand the rain of fire from the edge of the camp above them.

Pilot and co-pilot glance at each other. They can tell something is wrong with the main landing gear after the captain gave the “Gear Up” order.