Sgt. Chuck McGrath had been in several “hairy” missions before, but nothing like this one on June 27, 1972. McGrath would use his body as a shield to protect the injured Aikman from enemy fire. He would have to expose himself in the open, under intense small arms fire to direct the back-up rescue helicopter for the pickup. Once onboard the rescue helicopter McGrath knew there was still the chance that they might lose Aikman to his injuries. That wasn’t going to happen while McGrath had any say in the matter.

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