Gray....I assume you were in the left hand seat at the time....thus requiring you to use your right hand to hit the Idle Detent Release Switch that is located on the right hand seat collective. Which would also explain why there was no hand on the cyclic while that was done. (Just want non-Huey pilots to understand the situation you were faced with.)
To what benefit did your Army training benefit you during this event? Do you advocate that kind of training when possible?
Excellent flying!