The artillery barrage went over the area quickly; a couple shots and done, but it was a preparation fire. As the smoke cleared and Tony pulled himself up from where he cowered in terror, where he'd dove for shelter in a desperate instance of knowing he was on the receiving end of incoming fire, he heard the sound that every infantryman in Vietnam wanted to hear.

Whoop-whoop-whoop, the blades of hueys, bringing in the fire; the sound of machinegun and rocket fire from up above suppressing the enemies in the area -- it was hard to tell where the enemies were but apparently the helicopters had guidance. 

Tony didn't have smoke to pop. He didn't have a radio. He didn't have a lot of things, but he managed to find his way into a clearing, and started waving his arms at the birds circling over head, the door gunners with their pigs (note: M60 machineguns) thundering away at targets of opportunity.

They could see him and they weren't shooting, so that meant that they were friendly...

Tony dared again, yelling, "THIS WAY!" for the others to hear, if they were indeed around, "HURRY!"

He didn't want to be left behind, and he didn't want to leave others behind.