When chuck gross left for vietnam in 1970, he was a nineteenyearold army helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school. Oct 4, 2015 haunting images of uh1 helicopterpilots from the vietnam war. Memoir of a combat helicopter pilot in vietnam english. A scout team consisted of a pilot, a door gunner and an observer. First mission as a combat helicopter pilot in vietnam full. Members of the 61st assault helicopter company plan to build a librarylearning center in bong son, near lz english. The attack helicopter embodied by the hueycobra, was also used for the first timein warfare. There was a story about the sad event in the dallas morning news titled. Vhpa 1993 vietnam helicopter pilots association 1993 membership directory page.
To help in understanding the above numbers, the first 80 hueys are missing a letter for some unknown reason. While the majority of images depict the huey, the book includes several other helicopter types. Related web sites vietnam helicopter pilots association. Army mos codes, vietnam war era the military yearbook project. Marc cullisons book on his experiences as a helicopter pilot in vietnam is lean, propulsive, and spares the reader nothing. Tomb was the only vietnamese pilot named in the game, and i was curious, like many others before and since, to learn more about this mysterious aviator. He spent his entire vietnam tour with the 71st assault helicopter company flying uh1 huey. Is there a list of helicopter pilots who served in vietnam. That phrase has never been better used than when describing the young pilots who flew the huey helicopters during the vietnam war. Thats all services, but only counts the united states. Memoir of a combat helicopter pilot in vietnam english edition ebook. Each team consisted of 2 h helicopters and each had a pilot and observergunner onboard. Slick drivers had a mission that was very different from a loach pilot s, which was different from a gun driver and that varies with snake or uh1 bcm airframes or a dustoff or hook guys incountry life. This isnt a rahrah book, but rather an honest account of one mans experience in vietnam.
Statistics about the vietnam war vietnam helicopter pilots. I recently wrote a book about my experience and it. A vietnam helicopter pilot s war story north texas military biography and memoir series book 1 by chuck gross 4. The vietnam army helicopter pilot charlie troop 1st.
How old was the youngest army helicopter pilot to fly in the vietnam war just curious i was 19years seven months old when i arrived in vietnam as wo1 after a year in nam and several medals including the dfc and a purple heart when i got home i wasnt old enough to buy a beer lol. Apr 29, 2018 generally it was desired in the beginning to use comissioned officers but the demand for commissioned officers exceeded supply. It was the pilots mission to fly as low and as slow as he could allowing the observer and the door gunner to watch for signs of the enemy or to allow the enemy to fire at them. The dedication ceremony for the vietnam helicopter pilot and crewmember monument at arlington national cemetery. I recently wrote a book about my experience and it is now a best seller on amazon. Best vietnam helicopter book general helicopter forum. The vietnam helicopter crew monument home facebook. Black cat 21 is the story of one pilot who made it home and the valiant men he served with who risked their lives for the troops on the ground. On a hunterkiller mission in south vietnam, scout helicopter pilot hugh mills spotted an enemy bunker and reported it to the accompanying helicopter gunship.
As such, i served as an attack helicopter commander in both air cavalry and attack helicopter units during, and post, the vietnamera, and having served. Earles was a helicopter pilot, primarily flying loaches in hunterkiller missions accompanied with gunships. Surviving vietnam with the 101st airborne division english edition. First mission as a combat helicopter pilot in vietnam full version.
As a young man, he dreamed of flying helicopters and the u. Helicopter pilots in vietnam were among the hardiest of the whole bunch of us. Where huey pilots trained and heroes were made history. John dean, an aircraft commander flying slicks with the 121st assault helicopter company, recalls a day in late 1967 when he made 15 trips to haul out 36 wounded from the 199th light infantry brigade who had been in a firefight near long binh. Vietnam helicopter pilots describe the war from the.
They took a lot of casualties but they always seemed to be there. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A good example is the magical mystery tour, an ah1g serving with d company of the 229th assault helicopter battalion, bearcat, in 1972. Pilot clyde romero, 19, rests between flights at khe sanh in february 1971. Pilot was seen to throw up his hands and slump forward over the controls and the ac subsequently crashed, rolled over on its side and burned yc752591. The true story of a vietnam helicopter pilot and his crew. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The vietnam war helicopter casualty statistics vietnam helicopter pilots association 2000 vhpa posted on 11052003 6. Many of these brave men went from high school to flight school. Total helicopter pilots killed in the vietnam war was 2,202. Stan corvin served two tours of duty in vietnam as a pilot.
As the cobra pulled out, tracer ammunition came at it from a different location. Altogether this is a worthy addition to the osprey stable, especially for those of us interested in the vietnam war. Mar 11, 2008 hit upon a e book referred to as chickenhawk, written by using bob mason and available on e bay or amazon. The story of a helicopter assault pilot in vietnam by. With terrain hostile to trucks and armored vehicles, the helicopter became the primary means of moving troops and keeping them supplied with food, water, equipment and ammunition. It was a rare breed of man who became a scout pilot.
The book chronicles his enlistment, flight training, deployment to and experiences in vietnam, and his experiences after returning from the war. The author, a huey pilot in vietnam describes the remarkable tactics necessary to get the relatively fragile huey helicopters into landing zones. Masons penetrating look at his 196566 tour as a huey pilot in the 1st cavalry division airmobile contains reconstructed dialogue, which works well in depictions of his many dangerous missions zooming in and out of hot landing zones. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading 19 minutes to live helicopter combat in vietnam.
Prior to 1957, there were three xh40 prototypes and six yh40 test helicopters manufactured. Apr 23, 2018 over 12,000 helicopters army, navy, air force, marine corps carried the fight to the enemy. According to research by the vietnam helicopter pilots association there were about 12,000 helicopters that served in the vietnam war specific tail numbers for 11,827 from all services, out of which 5,086 were destroyed. In the vietnam war, 2,197 helicopter pilots and 2,717 crew members were killed. The rok troops republic of korea referenced was the tiger division.
A visceral vietnam helicopter pilots story, but from a rarer perspective. During the battle, he flew 22 missions in an unarmed helicopter into enemy fire to evacuate more than 70 wounded and bring ammunition and. Mills got out of the way and the cobra attack helicopter moved in to fire rockets at the bunker. Us helicopter pilot in vietnam warrior book 128 by rottman, gordon l. Located in northcentral texas, the school, which ran from 1956 until the end of the vietnam war in 1973, was an essential part of the pressure cooker process that transformed anybody who qualifiedfrom teenagers to grizzled combat officers. Protected by little more than an armoured seat, operating in terrible conditions and flying long hours these brave men led hard, dangerous lives, and casualties were high.
Vietnam war helicopter attack outfit combat footage. Many different helicopters were used by all services in nam chinook, loach, cobra, sea stallion, huskie, skycrane, and the jolly green giant, among many others. In vietnam, these helicopter scouts saw combat up close. Over 12,000 helicopters were used in the vietnam war, which is why it became known as the helicopter war.
This book examines the range of duties helicopter pilots carried out in vietnam, from airlift, medevac and firesupport to landing in high volume crossfires in hot lzs. All loss of life is tragic, god rest the souls of the brave people who died in the recent shoot down of a ch47 by iraqi criminals. I find myself disheartened by the lies of the impostors even over my disgusts of them. Pilots came in thousands of feet high and then had to risk the helicopters structural integrity by tightly spiraling down to avoid taking fire from outside landing zones. Early on the morning of may 15, 1967, a familiar drone returned to the skies over vietnam. Begun as a series of attempted letters to the department of veterans affairs, this compelling memoir of an aircraft commander in the 116th assault helicopter companythe hornetsrelates his experience of the war in frank detail. Flying the cobra attack helicopter in vietnam by randy r.
When the army decided to use helicopters as the eyes, protection and horses of the 1 st cavalry division, men both young and older were chosen to become pilots. Of all the helicopter pilots who flew in vietnam, 95 percent passed through the center at wolters. The army decided to expand the warrant officer recruitment process to fill the need for rotary wing pilots. Vietnam war helicopter pilot to receive medal of honor.
The book begins with masons training at the armys primary helicopter school at fort wolters, texas. There are some very good ones that illustrate one guys experience in different facets. Mystery of missing us helicopter in vietnam solved telegraph. How did us helicopter pilots in vietnam become so amazing. There are a total of 24 vietnam war helicopters 1955 1975 entries in the military factory. Dec 15, 2017 a vietnam war pilot has told how he ejected from his stricken jet over the jungle but returned to base to continue flying in a new book detailing the experiences of airmen during the conflict. In vietnam, these helicopter scouts saw combat up close cobras and loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. Army aviation unit in vietnam founded 1 october 1965 awards. Helicopter crews accounted for 10% of all combat deaths in vietnam. Number of helicopters destroyed during the vietnam. Sep 12, 2017 montgomery college student, jacob ehlers, interviews vietnam war veteran larry earles.
Vietnam saga is also a story about the meaning of life. Rattler oneseven puts you in the helicopter seat, to see the war in vietnam through the eyes of an inexperienced pilot as he transforms himself into a seasoned combat veteran when chuck gross left for vietnam in 1970, he was a nineteenyearold army helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school. George nolly served as a pilot in the united states air force, flying 315 combat missions on two successive tours of duty in vietnam, flying o2a and f4 aircraft. From the time of the first major commitment of helicopters to vietnam on 11. An unarmed helicopter pilot who flew through a hail of bullets to rescue 70 wounded americans in one of the fiercest battles of the vietnam war was awarded the medal of honor on monday, 41 years. In vietnam, the united states relied on the helicopter as never before. Choose from thousands of designs or make your own today. During the battle, he flew 22 missions in an unarmed helicopter into enemy fire to evacuate more than 70 wounded and bring ammunition and supplies to us forces. While in the air force, george received the tactical air command instructor pilot of the year award.
What rank would a helicopter pilot during the vietnam war. Vietnam pilot reveals how he was shot down and ejected. I was a combat helicopter pilot in the vietnam war in 1969. After reading this book, i purchased more copies as gifts for friends who have interest in military and aviation books. A flock of american uh1d huey helicopters, including one piloted by major charles kettles, roared. Slick drivers had a mission that was very different from a loach pilots, which was different from a gun driver and that varies with snake or uh1 bcm airframes or a dustoff or hook guys incountry life. Vhpa databases vietnam helicopter pilots association databases. Mar 17, 2018 jim little, a helicopter pilot in vietnam.
Vietnam saga is a very personal story of stan corvins often perilous times in the us army as a twotour combat helicopter pilot in vietnam. His flight missions are often the least grueling parts of his experience. This book examines the range of duties helicopter pilots carried out in vietnam, from. Number of helicopters destroyed during the vietnam war. The story of a marine grunt in the first battle of khe sanh april 1967 duration. The helicopter and its fourman crew failed to return from a routine mission in december 1965, soon after braving enemy fire at the battle of ia drang. Army officer who received the medal of honor for his actions as a pilot during the battle of ia drang on november 14, 1965, in south vietnam. I served in two different units at lane ahp near an son. Mcnair was himself a helicopter pilot during the vietnam war. Chickenhawk is robert mason s narrative of his experiences as a huey uh1 iroquois helicopter pilot during the vietnam war. Bruce perry crandall born february 17, 1933 is a retired u. A vietnam helicopter pilots war story north texas military biography and memoir series book 1 by chuck gross 4.
It is a truelife story of soldiers who fought for freedom and often for their very lives. Based on a databasefrom the pentagon, we estimate that over 40,000 helicopter pilots served in the vietnam war. Sc vietnam veteran discusses time served as oh6a pilot duration. First as a warrant officer in 1968 flying loaches low level with a hunterkiller team out of chu lai. After graduation in may 1965, he eventually learns he will be sent to vietnam, making the trip in august with the 1st cavalry division airmobile aboard the uss croatan. The 89 best vietnam war books recommended by steve blank, amber theoharis.
Viet nam moments by john galkiewicz 281st ahc assn. Uh1 vietnam losses 197273 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 196365 date. Bob ford invites listeners into the huey helicopters he flew on more than 1,000 missions when he and his men dared to protect and rescue. The shocking story of the vietnam wars mystery fighter. This is the definitive memoir about the helicopter war in vietnam. Not a slick pilot almost helplesslessy dropping soldiers in, or the more helpless dustoff crews whod liftout the wounded out of hotter areas, this book extolls the virtues of the hunter killer and straight scout teams in their dimunitive helicopters who would locate the enemy meeting their fire and direct. The book chronicles his enlistment, flight training, deployment to and. Army warrant officer pilots vietnam, south lake tahoe, california. As a uh1 helicopter pilot flying in the jungle highlands of south vietnam. Scout pilot one of my assignments was as a scout pilot, one of our units mission was to provide 2 scout teams on a daily basis to our brigades infantry companies. Combat helicopter pilots in the vietnam war flew each mission facing the possibility of imminent death. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find.
Get your hands on great customizable vietnam helicopter stickers from zazzle. His unit was flying in support of south vietnamese troops fighting in laos. I flew hundreds of missions during some of the heaviest fighting of the war. Chickenhawk is robert masons narrative of his experiences as a huey uh1 iroquois helicopter pilot during the vietnam war. The book tightly held my attention from start to finish. Marines liked it enough to adopt it as the seacobra. This page is about the army warrant officer helicopter pilots of the vietnam war.
The book tells the tale of robert masons time in vietnam as a pilot of a huey. Speakers included several former vietnam war helicopter pilots and. Bell helicopter built 10,005 hueys from 1957 to 1975. In 1966, an american fighter pilot took off from the uss enterprise near the coast of vietnam, only to be shot down and captured by enemy forces. I enjoyed especially the parts of the book when he returned home, feeling some of the relief he must have felt, leaving behind the country we were trying to help with ambiguous results. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Vietnam pilot receives medal of honor us news military.
May 10, 2012 there is no best vietnam helicopter book. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and helicopter pilots. Over 40,000 men flew helicopters during the viet war. Army retired, 120th aviation company, august 1966 february 1968.
The impostors have repeated their stories of vietnam so many times that they believe what they say. Im sure most who followers are well aware the helicopter takes its name from the 1967 album by the. As a two tour viet nam warrant officer helicopter aviator, i can personally vouch for many of the details referenced in this account. Rattler oneseven puts you in the helicopter seat, to see the war in vietnam through the eyes of an inexperienced pilot as he transforms himself into a seasoned combat veteran. Vietnam helicopter pilots, crewmembers memorialized in. It is time to memorialize the sacrifice of vietnam helicopter pilots crewmembers who died in the vietnam war. He was the last air force pilot to complete 100 missions over north vietnam. However, as we landed and started to taxi the aircraft to the side of the runway, we noticed that the soldiers were armed with ak47s and. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order 1toz. Episode 1153 of the vietnam veteran news podcast will feature the sad story of a brave vietnam veteran who met with an untimely death in the palo pinto county jail not far from mineral wells, texas who he trained to be a helicopter pilot. I had also heard of the threat that the roks had made to the local villagers around. Warrant officer tom baca, a young uh1d huey helicopter pilot from albuquerque, was assigned to fly a chaplain from long binh to several nearby camps that day so mass could be said for the troops. Vietnam helicopter pilots describe the war from the cockpit. The story of an assault helicopter pilot in vietnam.
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