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Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." I can personally remember one time when we were pinned down due to superior enemy fire from a tree line and a weapons platoon helicopter (Cobra) sat just off to our right and lit up the tree line with such superior fire that the enemy was destroyed. [People], The person who can be seen aiding the refugees was CIA operations officer, Mr. O.B. [VHPA Databases] Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Databases. The Scout Pilot. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. Small, two seat TH-55 Osages were also used. Helicopters were used in more than 850,000 medical evacuation missions and were responsible for boosting survival rates for the wounded. reunion. It was called "shell shock" and other names in previous wars. This is a true testament for any theater! To retrieve the data click on 2020 Active Civil Airmen Statistics. Army Flight School was about 9 months long, this was the shortest calendar time. The great majority of these efforts have erroneously portrayed many myths about the Vietnam War as being facts. Please use the membership application form to submit This statistic is not included in your account. z.. Pucker Factor is the formal name of the equation that states the more hairy the situation is, the more of the seat cushion will be sucked up your ass. http://www.air-america.org. The picture of a Huey helicopter evacuating people from the top of what was billed as being the U.S. Embassy in Saigon during the last week of April 1975 during the fall of Saigon helped to establish this myth. In action, gunships sometimes left their lights on for night missions, for according to another Huey pilot, We had a doctrine that wed rather have the enemy shoot at the gunship than at the lesser armed slicks.. . Please call HQ on 800-505-VHPA (8472) to sign up to be a life There were no Americans involved in any capacity. Restraining the military in Vietnam in hindsight probably prevented a nuclear war with China or Russia. I will always thank Warrant Officer Study for his late-night, picture-perfect landing on the round end of the boat. approximately 40,000 who served as helicopter Average Age Statistics of Pilots: Are We in a Pilot Shortage? It is a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the same time. its on the ground . No matter what the enemy threw at them, they never backed down. The further you fly into the mountains, the louder the strange engine noises become. Jurez y 18 de Marzo Col. Centro, C.P 96360 Nanchital, Ver. . It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. [VHPA 1993] Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association 1993 Membership Directory page 130. i.. Chicken Plates are not something you order in a restaurant. The total of non-pilot crewmembers killed was 2,704, according to records of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots' Association. They could often see what we could not and helped keep the enemy off of us and to even the odds for us, so to speak. In June of 1967, Marine officers destined to become fixed-wing pilots began reporting to Air Force bases for flight training. They were the ones who flew the troops into and out of battle. At least, I believe that is how I would have felt had it been me. Generally, someone is badly wounded in jungle or mountainous (or both) terrain where a helicopter cannot land on the ground or even close to it. Can I pick up Armed Forces Radio on it? My opinion is that he was as afraid that he could not complete the mission, as much as he was afraid to die. [Parade Magazine]. I tried to use the opportunity to prove to myself that I could accomplish the goals I set for myself and do them well. Age 65 to 69 --------$250.00 Five Thousand pilots and crews lost their lives and 3,258 Hueys alone were lost during the war. Terry Clark? Published by on October 31, 2021. Scared that maybe, just maybe, youll fail your mission where someone else just like you would have succeeded. If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone. I suppose that is what kept most of us going in the daily risk of flying helicopters in combat in Vietnam. Otherwise, if we got tangled up, it could cause the aircraft to crash. In fact, not at all, since we usually flew with the doors open, even at night. I can throw a rock in there, its so close! was the rest of my thought. Helicopter Combat Pilots In Vietnam: Heroes One and All As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. The early (65-68) Weapons Team was made up of two pilots, crew chief and a door gunner. Burkett and Glenna Whitley, Verity Press, Inc., Dallas, TX, 1998. . on VHFCN (http://www.vhfcn.org) , Heli-Vets and FaceBook also another FaceBook site. You will get a clear sense of what they were up against and how they conducted themselves. We lost a lot of Pilots but we also lost a lot of Crew Chiefs and Door Gunners. Warrant Officer Candidates (WOCs) then progressed to Fort Rucker, Alabama, or, from 1967, Hunter Army Airfield at Fort Stewart, Georgia, for advanced flight training and instrument flight instruction. THE UNITED STATES DID NOT LOSE THE WAR IN VIETNAM, THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE The terms Protective Armor and Helicopter are mutually exclusive. How to get a day off of work or which college offers the best ability to party. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. It is dedicated to the fulfillment of advertising and other information. We put him in the back of the cargo compartment with his M-16 and a helmet, hooked him up to the intercom, and we were off. The DA-4733-DSC should not be confused with the much more common DA-4734-GSTT (Gunship Sized Tiny Testicles), where other pilots made up for their lack of size with big guns and big wrist watches. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. The emotions are almost indescribable, but there was one more feeling: relief from being so scared! We risked much in a totally dark valley that night, and there was no doubt that someone appreciated us. The last American troops departed in their entirety 29 March 1973. 2160250. buzz lightyear of star command complete series (Three years for only 10 to 20 minutes of that time exposed to hostile fire. webmaster@vhpa.org Average age of 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years. I logged 205 hours in Flight Training. Copyright 1995 - 2018 Gary B. Roush, 242 ASHC Muleskinners, May 1968 - May We took no hits on that mission, and as we lifted out of the landing zone, the fact that we cheated death again left me with all the exciting feelings I mentioned at the beginning of this article. has no political agenda as is our brother organization, The Vietnam Helicopter The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. applies to subscribers): Age 80 and above ---$75.00 Flight training was preceded by grueling infantry instruction at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort Polk, Louisiana, where recruits, predominantly volunteers, learned through Basic Combat Training that they were primarily soldiers, with a secondary role as helicopter crew members. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! When you crash, well try to recover your bodies. Crew Members Association http://vhcma.org/. He he he he . Updated: 7 February 2018 A paid subscription is required for full access. There is an explanation Whether their responsibility was to fly the troops into and out of battle, become the Medical Evacuation bird when required, be the forward eyes of the ground troopers or provide them fire support when needed. Values are as of December 31 each year. In reference to Mr. Walker, would he also be the same pilot that was nick named, Baby Huey in Vietnam? On 11 December 1961, the USS Core (T-AKV-41) docked in Saigon with 32 U.S. Army Piasecki H-21 helicopters and 400 crewmen of the 8th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter) and the 57th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter). Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Vietnam seldom flew above 1,500 feet which is traffic pattern altitude for It would instantly cut the cable should any part of the lift apparatus get snagged in the trees or in any other emergency situation. No matter what the make up of the team was they flew in helicopters that were made with the intention of dispensing a superior amount of fire power on the enemy. The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and schoolteachers. Vietnam Helicopter Flight Crew Network (VHFCN) I found a can of olive drab (OD) spray paint and . . Also passed from President to President is a plaque with past Presidents' names on it. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. What is important is what you are doing-NOW-to solve our problem. More Scout Teams were lost because of this than any other helicopter team. ag.. Okay, so the Hueys were extremely reliable, and I still love those incredible machines, but for the moment let us discuss navigation equipment on a Huey. I can tell you what in my opinion made the best pilots. It turned out to be the best thing that happened to me, even though I was wounded before the year was out and sent home before my tour was over. The South Vietnamese ran out In addition to an annual reunion held around July 4th, members keep in touch informally "The problem is that those who think the Vietnamese haven't cooperated sufficiently think there is some central repository with answers to all the lingering questions," notes Gen. John Vessey, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Reagan and Bush administration's designated representative in MIA negotiations. As mentioned earlier, there was little protection from weapon fire for the pilots, and with body parts exposed on a third seat, we were especially vulnerable. Mortality studies show that 9,000 is a better estimate. On the ground, the troops would look up at Hueys flying over. I enlisted in the (WOFT) Warrant Officer Flight Training. $36/year subscription. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. A dead man, meaning, he should never have made it back because Dustoff aircraft were unarmed MedEvac helicopters with red and white targets (crosses) painted all over them and flew single-ship missions. You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. . Here are some facts to clear up that poor job of reporting by the news media. Occasionally, the gunner and crew chief had to exit temporarily to reduce the weight sufficiently for take off. of fuel, ammunition and other supplies because of a lack of support from A hoist mission was just the opposite. Myth: Most Vietnam veterans were drafted. ah.. Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. I knew that if Don got in trouble on the approach, I could not be of much help because of the gunshot wound in my left arm, but we were Young and Stupid and we made it. Yet undoubtedly every plane in Laos carried opium at some time, unknown to the pilot and his superiors. .j.. Click here to view the US Army educational video, "A Day in the Life of a Helicopter Pilot," circa 1967. Heroes in Hueys: The Pilots and Crews of the Vietnam War Membership is open to all helicopter pilots who flew in Being scared in the sense of risking ones life for others, for sure, but also a sense of being scared that you will not be up to the standards of your fellow pilots. Add to that, it is also the most unforgiving mission flown in a helicopter. U.S. active certificated pilots - average age 1993-2020; . The third seat was for our testicles. History of the founding of the VHPA written by The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand stayed free of Communism because of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam. plaque made from the mold for the AH-1G prototype collective grip. Most Agent Orange contained .0002 of 1 percent of dioxin. Traditions: The VHPA has developed some traditions over the When I found out that I was assigned to be a MedEvac pilot, I was devastated. Our single-engine UH-1H Hueys did not float in the water very well. If we waited for gunship support, it may be too late for the wounded, so most times we tried to sneak in and sneak out (if thats possible in a clattering helicopter) and complete the rescue before the enemy had TOO much time to shoot us up . average age of vietnam helicopter pilot - madinahmining.com keep your tail straight . Profit from the additional features of your individual account. There were many of the Warrant Officers that were in their 18,19, and 20s. Myth: The domino theory was proved false. . Categories . It was a fact that Dustoff crews had three times the casualty rate of other helicopter crews. members without the express consent of the member. by | Jun 5, 2022 | curtain suppliers in dubai | riverside cafe medicine park, ok menu | Jun 5, 2022 | curtain suppliers in dubai | riverside cafe medicine park, ok menu [Westmoreland] Approximately 70% of those killed were volunteers. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. I used to laugh at the occasional Huey slick driver who flew out to let guys from his unit use the shopping facilities on the ships. Soviet Union. [Parade Magazine] August 18, 1996 page 10. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. The second pilot you will meet is retired CWO2 Allan Potter. There was a down side to the over-sized appendages, however. Uh, thats a can opener for those of you who arent military. If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again. (So I guess that makes three Young and Stupids. Read the latest issue of the Friends of the Vietnam Center Newsletter and subscribe to recieve future newsletters. American-owned airlines never knowingly transported opium in or out of Laos, nor did their American pilots ever profit from its transport. [Westmoreland] Source: http://www.vhfcn.org/stat.html Since I first heard the phrase that is the title of this article, it struck me that those words were exactly what we did as kids flying helicopters in Vietnam. Would love to chat with Bruce Huffman. It is average age of vietnam helicopter pilot - lebel-minsk.by to Europe and both have since died. Age 70 to 74 --------$150.00 I guess that woke him up, as the next thing I heard was his rifle plugging away at a mound of dirt just outside his door and about 30 feet down. In, Federal Aviation Administration. Please note: This But come look for us, will ya? Thank you for your service. l.. Always smiling and never hurt anyone, I would guess. We especially were concerned about the troops we were there to support. The additional weight of patients on the end of the hoist as they were lifted off the ground further complicated the stability of the aircraft. The UH-1 evolved from a 1955 US Army competition for a new utility helicopter. Flag, John A. Jelich, Wisconsin, Cecelia Jelich Frost, Killed in Action, Rosary, KIA, Gold Star Family, Gold Star Wife. [Nixon]. Helicopters in The VHPA is a social organization only and Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. We HAD no survival radios in those aircraft. Communications with the Executive Council Oh, were we Young and Stupid on hoist missions, too; the second Y & S thing we did! (Personally, I have fathered 73 children with two good Dustoff-sized testicles.) If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, youre about to be surprised. When the Army decided to use helicopters as the Eyes, Protection and Horses of the 1st Cavalry Division, men both young and older were chosen to become pilots. The pilots who were flying this helicopter, b.. "The CDC Vietnam Experience Study Mortality Assessment showed that during the first 5 years after discharge, deaths from suicide were 1.7 times more likely among Vietnam veterans than non-Vietnam veterans. In all, a very scary time for our country. 01/09/2013. The claimed flying aces of the Vietnam War, pilots who shot down five or more enemy aircraft, include 19 North Vietnamese pilots (six MiG-17 and 13 MiG-21 pilots), [1] : 228 and five Americans. The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. That sinister-sounding term was coined after the war) Orange was sprayed at three gallons per acre that was the equivalent of .009 of an ounce per square foot. As explained by Peter E. Davies in his book UH-1 Huey Gunship Vs NVA/VC Forces Vietnam 1962-75, many US Army pilots volunteered for combat simply because they wanted to fly the UH-1. That was us giving you covering fire! he replied. The VHPA publishes six . Reunion dates and locations have been announced for the following units: The latest quarterly issue has the agenda and registration details for Vietnam War conference scheduled for March 2-4, 2023 that will focus on the year 1973: The Paris Peace Accords and the Allied Withdrawal from South Vietnam Also included are updates on the Oral History Project and volunteer opportunities.Stay in touch and help us preserve your legacy. Trainees (known as candidates) then commenced the nine month long US Army Primary Helicopter School course at Fort Wolters, Texas, where they endured some extremely robust Preflight training as potential warrant officers. . His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. Myth: The United States lost the war in Vietnam. g.. ad.. I told my roommate, This is it. When we, as students, first began training in Hueys at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, our Instructor Pilots (IPs) were required to fill out a Department of the Army (DA) form if our testicles were too big to fit comfortably in the standard front seat of a Huey. Member No American had involvement in this incident near Trang Bang that burned Phan Thi Kim Phuc. In the movie We Were Soldiers and Young the Lift Pilot was portrayed by Snake and To Tall. Its just what they do. My father mentioned a pilot and I was curious if this was one of the same. I am so very proud to have served with them. The Vietnam Helicopter Flight Crew Network (VHFCN) is a non profit veterans organization dedicated to the fulfillment of the following purposes: To provide a forum for recreational communications amongst a fraternity of aircrew members who served in Vietnam during the period 1961-75 At the conclusive battle of the war (the Fall of Saigon), the . It was finally time to find out if we had the gonads to be combat helicopter pilots. Correspondence relating to commercial purposes or solicitations shall only be . For more information see a31 road closure alton; cdw insurance for rental cars; hygro cotton bath towels; Hello world! Laura Ungaro, I enjoyed reading this very much, many good memories were recalled. 79% had a high school education or better. The tactical situation is such that the ground troops cannot get the dead or wounded to a secure open area for evacuation. 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served [Westmoreland], 74% said they would serve again even knowing the outcome [Westmoreland], There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non veterans of the same age group (from a Veterans Administration study) [Westmoreland]. Even the AP photographer, Nick Ut, who took the picture was Vietnamese. A "DUSTOFF PILOT" - DUSTOFF Association herriman high school soccer roster. Operation Chopper (Vietnam) - Wikipedia member. Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association - VHPA I wont make it back.. al.. Required fields are marked *. Chart. Learn how your comment data is processed. and flew his bird to the top of Monkey Mountian. Candidates later tackled the difficult arts of landing in small areas, night, and instrument flying crucial skills for their operational work in Southeast Asia. As well as prepping an LZ ahead of the slicks, gunship pilots could also warn crews flying troop carriers of threat areas, and advise them of enemy guns to avoid as they lifted out of the LZ. was several blocks from the Pittman Apartments. [McCaffrey], 87% of the American people hold Vietnam Vets in high esteem. "No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. You will meet and hear the stories of three U.S. Army helicopter pilots who flew missions in Vietnam in this video. Helicopter Pilot Demographics and Statistics In The US - Zippia Without his heroic actions that day we, the Grunts, would have been in severe situation as we were running out of food, ammo and our radio batteries were almost dead. Magazines are included with VHPA membership and are available to non-members with a Others flew fixed wing and some were already in the Army but applied for and were chosen to attend flight school. I then realized that ole PP back there was just sitting in the hell hole taking it all in, not doing a thing! Thanks for the memories. XV, Issue VII. As one of those troopers on the ground, I can honestly say how proud I am to have served with Brave men. No matter what the make up of the team was they flew in helicopters that were made with the intention of dispensing a superior amount of fire power on the enemy. n.. I think that some of us changed for the better, but some of us did not. dont care. Maybe we could have used our survival radio once we were in the water or forced down over the jungle. the following purposes: To enhance and accredit the cohesiveness, esprit de corps, and traditions of valor of First, one has to understand what a hoist mission is and why we did them. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. On one particularly difficult night MedEvac in the mountains, all our windows fogged up as we dropped from 7,000 feet through a hole in the clouds to pick up a Soldier with a head wound. Operation Chopper occurred on 12 January 1962 and was the first time U.S. forces participated in major combat in the Vietnam War. The most common ethnicity of helicopter pilots is White (86.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.8%) and Unknown (2.4%). There is no such thing as a fair fight-only ones where you win or lose. Then I did another Young & Stupid thing. Larry Clark and Mike Law in 1990. The average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 44 years old. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot - saiservicecentre.in . For the latter, a specially equipped H-13 had optional blanked out external vision. After training, they entered transport or gunship platoons referred to simply as slicks or guns. Most would complete at least two combat tours. . . Book review. trina daughter instagram 97887 65581; music city drum corps staff saiservicecentre2020@gmail.com You were a good friend and much appreciated by my parents. An automobile accident or other traumatic event also can cause it. First of all, there was landing on the Navy Hospital ships, USS Repose and USS Sanctuary, in the South China Sea, very near the Demilitarized Zone. When we were on short final approach over the landing zone, I heard small arms fire and my brand-new Crew Chief yelled Were taking fire!, I pulled power into the rotor system to get out of there as quickly as I could, when the radio operator on the ground called out Dustoff, where are you going?. Wainwright Station With a fair amount of apprehension, it was now the moment of truth. Could we really do what we had been trained to do, without letting anyone down? The average age (according to General William C. Westmoreland before the Third Annual Reunion of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) at the Washington, DC Hilton Hotel on July 5th, 1986) was 26 The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. He was an instructor pilot at Downing Army Airfield at Ft. Wolters, Texas, in May of 1968. Always make sure someone has a P-38. Currently, you are using a shared account. Statistics about the Vietnam War - VHPA Experienced pilots with proven records of successful, aggressive combat could be invited to join a platoon in a fire team of one or two gunships operating with a scout helicopter and escorting slick assaults. ai.. Hello, I enjoyed Reading the blog. . Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations which, in turn, is better than cold C-rations which, in turn, is better than no food at all. I have no idea who he was, but we logged his flight time as PP: Patient Protector.. it will be forwarded to the appropriate VHPA representative. Their stories are extremely compelling. The Wall), Center for Electronic Records, National Archives, Washington, DC, [All That We Can Be] All That We Can Be by Charles C. Moskos and John Sibley Butler, [Westmoreland] Speech by General William C. Westmoreland before the Third Annual Reunion of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) at the Washington, DC Hilton Hotel on July 5th, 1986 (reproduced in a Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Historical Reference Directory Volume 2A). With the front of my Huey still kissing the tree leaves and my crew keeping me posted as to what was going on, I took a quick, curious look out my left window to see where the friendly fire was impacting.