The McGuire rig was designed
by a member of Project DELTA to quickly lift an individual from the
jungle by helicopter. It was a rope 150-200 feet long with a strap
type saddle sewn to the end, it had two hold straps. The rider had
to hold himself in the rig and it was difficult to get into,
especially for wounded troopers. This device was conceived and
built by SGM McGuire and tested by the 145th Aviation Platoon. CPT
John W. "Jack" Green, III then a pilot with the 145th made the first
emergency extraction for Project Delta with a McGuire Rig.
(Photo:
Bob Mitchell
The STABO rig or harness
shown here with three 5th SFG NCO's. Both hands are free and use of a
weapon is not restricted. The soldier on the right is SFC Clifford
Roberts one of the inventors of the STABO extration harness. This
rig was tested at the RECONDO School on 281st aircraft but was not
actually used by Project Delta until early 1970. (Photo: "US Army
Uniforms of the Vietnam War," Shelby Stanton)
Attaching block, Ropes,
Ladder, STABO harness (Photo: "US Army Uniforms of the Vietnam War,"
Shelby Stanton)
An unidentified RECONDO Instructor shown
with STABO Harness
(Photo: "US Army Uniforms of the Vietnam War," Shelby
Stanton)
281st UH-1H #113 at the RECONDO School
training LRRPS and aircrew in Ladder Operations (Picture compliments of
Dennis Crowe Bandit 23)