And the answer is: There IS none! Sure, we had a compass and an Automatic Direction Finder, but in the event of an engine failure on the way to the hospital ship, this would have probably been my emergency call. I have posted your reply to Steve on here so he will be able to read it. American-owned airlines never knowingly transported opium in or out of Laos, nor did their American pilots ever profit from its transport. Online membership From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. He is the Founder and Editor of The Aviation Geek Club one of the worlds most read military aviation blogs. The American military was not defeated in Vietnam. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot. zatarain's chicken fry mix ingredients New Lab; brown service funeral home obituaries; orange high school graduation 2021; the dragon paper airplane; average age of vietnam helicopter pilot. They were immensely important to the troops on the ground as aerial fire power. [Home] [ReunionInformation] [Donations] [OurLegacy] [MembershipServices] [RelatedWebSites] Member Login. Shortly after arriving at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, I learned that those of us with the highest flight grades would attend a two-week gun school near the end of training, while the rest learned formation flying. DID after the U.S. Congress cut off funding. [2]:4, On 15 April 1962 the United States Marine Corps began Operation Shufly, the rotating deployment of Marine helicopter squadrons, associated maintenance units and air traffic control detachments to South Vietnam to improve the mobility of ARVN forces. only 10 to 20 minutes of that time exposed to hostile fire. EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE I LEARNED AS A HELICOPTER PILOT IN VIETNAM. Thanks for posting the memories. Maybe we could have used our survival radio once we were in the water or forced down over the jungle. 20002023 The Veterans Site and GreaterGood. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the The cables going out . f.. Boeing and Read More, I will say this - and I know a lot of other Navy guys that Read More, The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has not specified whether the weapons are intended for Taiwans Read More, Models of the F-19 Stealth Fighter started to appear in the eighties and were available Read More, The USAF plans to begin production in fiscal 2025, with the first E-7A expected to Read More, UH-1 Huey Gunship Vs NVA/VC Forces Vietnam 1962-75, Boeing, US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters Achieve 5 Million Flight Hours, Equivalent to Flying nonstop for more than 208,333 Days or 570 Years and Nine Months, Taiwan to get 100 AGM-88B HARM missiles and 200 AIM-120C-8 missiles for its F-16 fleet, USAF awards Boeing E-7A prototype contract: the Wedgetail will replace the E-3 AWACS, US Navy Nuclear Propulsion Plant Operator explains when a submarine reactor can be run at higher than 100% (and why the 105% on the reactor ordered in The Hunt for Red October movie would not be worth any risk to the ship and crew), Former US Navy F/A-18 pilot explains why although during his era the Hornet was the best airplane on the carrier his fun meter was most pegged flying the A-4 Skyhawk, The Stealth Fighter that Never Was: How the Secret Development of the F-117 led to the Birth of the Misleading F-19. As the Aircraft Commander in control of the helicopter, my eyes never left the tree branches that were touching the nose of my aircraft. 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. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot. Our single-engine UH-1H Hueys did not float in the water very well. They were Kim's cousins not her brothers. come left . Ground troops typically did not enter a sprayed area until four to six weeks after being sprayed. Tran Van Don and the head of the secret police Tran Kim Tuyen. The Army employed it in various roles, including that of an armed escort or attack gunship in Vietnam. godfrey funeral homes; pierre engvall giraffe; There was an adrenaline high, too, and a tremendous sense of accomplishment that I have yet to experience since flying my last mission in Vietnam. submit other directory changes and updates. The initial Army designation was HU-1, which led to the common unofficial nickname of Huey.. He was an Air Cav pilot, delivering and evacuating troops into and out of battlefields. The domino theory was accurate. Prayer may not help . 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. With a hot mike, everything that was said, every noise, every round fired, every grunt and groan was amplified and transmitted into everyones headset without touching any buttons. Myth: Air America, the airline operated by the CIA in Southeast Asia, and its pilots were involved in drug trafficking. Harnage, ", Federal Aviation Administration, Average age of active pilots in the United States from 2002 to 2020, by category* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/919100/aviation-industry-average-age-of-active-pilots-in-the-united-states-by-category/ (last visited March 04, 2023), Average age of active pilots in the United States from 2002 to 2020, by category* [Graph], Federal Aviation Administration, May 18, 2021. Ancient U.S. Army proverb. The first one you will meet is retired Army Col. Douglas Moore, a medevac pilot in Vietnam. Operation Chopper occurred on 12 January 1962 and was the first time U.S. forces participated in major combat in the Vietnam War. applies to subscribers): Age 80 and above ---$75.00 I wanted that top 20% and focused all my abilities and energy on making gunship training. 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. They gave us classes on what altitudes to fly to avoid certain types of enemy fire small arms or 0.51 cal. ag.. We all volunteered to do something that only a year or two before we could not have even dreamed that we would be doingsomething that only a very few could ever experience; something for which only a very few could even qualify. The movie and a book the movie was based on contend that the CIA condoned a drug trade conducted by a Laotian client; both agree that Air America provided the essential transportation for the trade; and both view the pilots with sympathetic understanding. That knocked the rotor blades off and the TH-55 went in., Successful candidates then progressed to the Contact Phase at Knox Army Heliport, Fort Rucker, for specific training on the UH-1B, C, and D, followed by the Tactics Phase at nearby Lowe Army Helioport, which prepared them for realistic combat conditions. Myth: Most American soldiers were addicted to drugs, guilt-ridden about their role in the war, and deliberately used cruel and inhumane tactics. Hello. The planes doing the bombing near the village were VNAF (Vietnam Air Force) and were being flown by Vietnamese pilots in support of South Vietnamese troops on the ground. The Pilots of 1st of the 9th Cav were and yes still are the best. The VHPA has a membership of over 16,600 (8,700 dues current) helicopter pilots from around the world out of the approximately 40,000 who served as helicopter pilots in the Vietnam War. You were a good friend and much appreciated by my parents. The VHPA is a social organization only and am.. Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. "We (Americans) had nothing to do with controlling VNAF," according to Lieutenant General (Ret) James F. Hollingsworth, the Commanding General of TRAC at that time. Average age of active pilots in the United States from 2002 to 2020, by category* [Graph]. Restraining the military in Vietnam in hindsight probably prevented a nuclear war with China or Russia. If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home either. The most common ethnicity of helicopter pilots is White (86.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.8%) and Unknown (2.4%). It was a rare breed of man whobecame a Scout Pilot. We are now Older and Wiser, and for that I am very thankful. Myth: Most Vietnam veterans were drafted. In addition to an annual reunion held around July 4th, members keep in touch informally Also, it has been incorrectly reported that two of Kim Phuc's brothers were killed in this incident. [1996 Information Please Almanac], POW-MIA Issue (unaccounted-for versus missing in action), Politics & People, On Vietnam, Clinton Should Follow a Hero's Advice, . . Age 70 to 74 --------$150.00 2160250. buzz lightyear of star command complete series Further proof of these facts can be found at a recent Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) reunion. I would never dispute that, but I would argue that putting a helicopter on the tiny pad of the hospital ship is like landing on a corner of that postage stamp. That was the unforgiving part. Parameters for authorizing operating a US Navy submarine reactor plant above practicable design limits is Read More, Additionally, 1.3 million of those five million flight hours were accomplished during combat. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact. Please note: This Later, the crew became a two-man pilot team. Profit from the additional features of your individual account. Deaths Average Age Enlisted: 50,274, 22.37 years Officers: 6,598, 28.43 years Later, the crew became a two-man pilot team. On what turned out to be his final mission, they were to pick up wounded on a mountain top, but got caught in heavy fire while making their approach. During his two tours in Vietnam, Col. Moore flew 2,752 combat medevac mission and transported 2,952 wounded men back to the medical help they needed. reunion. Myth: A disproportionate number of blacks were killed in the Vietnam War. This form number DA- 4733-DSC (Dustoff-Sized Cajones), was used to determine which pilots would obtain MedEvac training at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, upon completion of training at Mother Rucker. More realities about war: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - it was not invented or unique to Vietnam Veterans. It would instantly cut the cable should any part of the lift apparatus get snagged in the trees or in any other emergency situation. Information contained herein shall not be used for commercial The great majority of these efforts have erroneously portrayed many myths about the Vietnam War as being facts. After that initial post-service period, Vietnam veterans were no more likely to die from suicide than non-Vietnam veterans. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. Burkett and Glenna Whitley, Verity Press, Inc., Dallas, TX, 1998. With the patient finally on board, the Radio Operator with the ground unit Rogered our departure message with a Thanks a HELL of a lot, Dustoff!. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. [Nixon], The Vietnam War has been the subject of thousands of newspaper and magazine articles, hundreds of books, and scores of movies and television documentaries. Wainwright Station website may contain information that VHPA considers proprietary and If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need. [Online]. Publi le 12 juin 2022 par . [McCaffrey] Speech by Lt. Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, (reproduced in the Pentagram, June 4, 1993) assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Vietnam veterans and visitors gathered at "The Wall", Memorial Day 1993. The Weapons Team. Over the course of the war, some 12,000 helicopters of various kinds saw service in Vietnam. of fuel, ammunition and other supplies because of a lack of support from This statistic is not included in your account. Damn Navy talk! The hospital ship would then radio to the helicopter again, Just come in from the left and land to the back of the boat. It always got an immediate Roger!. As one of those troopers on the ground, I can honestly say how proud I am to have served with Brave men. They were heavily armed with mini-guns, machine guns, and various kinds of rockets. Also "Estimating the Number of Suicides Among Vietnam Veterans" (Am J Psychiatry 147, 6 June 1990 pages 772-776). t.. Required fields are marked *. We grabbed some unsuspecting Schmuck and told him to get his weapon and some ammo and run with us to the aircraft. 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. 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). the following purposes: To enhance and accredit the cohesiveness, esprit de corps, and traditions of valor of Crew Members Association http://vhcma.org/. . [Nixon] No More Vietnams by Richard Nixon. On the ground, the troops would look up at Hueys flying over. I cannot talk about how tough flight school was, nor can I state what the washout rate was because I did not go myself. 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 . Knowing that my depth perception left little margin for error on the night approaches (especially), I had to totally concentrate on what I was doing and not relax for a second until we were down on that rockin and rollin ship. "The aviation units were the sole combat element of the U.S. Army that did not come. [The Wall Street Journal]. How could we lose a war we had already stopped fighting? fund has been established at the Vietnam Center and Archives at Texas Tech . Then I did another Young & Stupid thing. From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. The total of non-pilot crewmembers killed was 2,704, according to records of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots' Association. who is now retired in Arizona. Scared that maybe, just maybe, youll fail your mission where someone else just like you would have succeeded. Whatd he say? Hell, I dont know. Correspondence relating to commercial purposes or solicitations shall only be Uh, thats a can opener for those of you who arent military. Steve DaCosta, Cavalier15, June67-June68. Joe Treen, People.com, 21 April 2000. Those brief and simple heartfelt words meant more to me that night than anything else ever said to me during my entire tour. By Phil Marshall, DMZ Dustoff 711, 237th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) Camp Evans and Quang Tri, Vietnam 1969, published in Association of Naval Aviation, Cape Fear Seahawk Newsletter, July 2012, Vol. 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. 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. No this is Pat Bieneman I am the owner of this site. come forward just a little . Recent reports in the news media that an American commander ordered the air strike that burned Kim Phuc are incorrect. 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. Three of the five newest democracies are former Soviet republics: Belarus (where elections were first held in November 1995), Armenia (July 1995) and Kyrgyzstan (February 1995). . You were way more mature for your age than 99% of the young men today. plaque made from the mold for the AH-1G prototype collective grip. Age 60 to 64 --------$350.00 One point I want to make is the the Crew Chiefs and Door Gunners were the and are still the best as well. * Includes pilots with an airplane and/or a helicopter and/or a glider and/or a gyroplane certificate. What is important is what you are doing-NOW-to solve our problem. As MedEvac helicopter pilots, we flew the only Army Hueys equipped with the electric hoist/winch. Chart. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. Although many of them had experience of fixed wing aircraft, very different challenges lay ahead when it came to learning the sophisticated, coordinated control techniques required for rotary wing flying. November 14th, 2013 at 5:45 pm Dave Shannon (crewmember, 92nd AHC) Says: I always liked the subdued look of combat zone attire, as opposed to anything shiny or glittery. For the latter, a specially equipped H-13 had optional blanked out external vision. Age 75 to 79 --------$100.00 Myth: The United States lost the war in Vietnam. When I returned to the states later and applied for my military drivers license so I could drive the. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. Here is an example done at the 2005 Keeping with the VHPAs tradition that the History Sections theme becomes the theme for that years Membership Directory, the 2023 Membership Directory (D2023) will be a history of U.S. Air Force helicopters in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War (1961 thru 1975).Read more about the planned U.S. Air Force helicopter Vietnam War history sections. U.S. active certificated pilots - number 1990-2020, Worldwide aircraft fleet age by region 2020-2030, Air traffic - passenger growth rates forecast 2019-2040. Always make sure someone has a P-38. was several blocks from the Pittman Apartments. There is a reason why these medevac pilots were called our angels in the sky. We who fought the enemy face to face on the ground, whether infantry or recon, knew that if we were wounded, these guys would do anything necessary, face any danger the enemy could present, to get us out of hell and back to the care we needed. The pilots and crews of these helicopters were heroes, one and all. [People]. survive the 365 days in Southeast Asia was to be a gunship pilot, blazing my way back to the states, defending myself with mini-guns, rockets, and grenade launchers. magazines, a membership directory and a calendar each year and periodically publishes h.. Show publisher information Myth: The domino theory was proved false. See also The History of the Ranch Hand Epidemiologic Investigation. It happened many times, and their names are on The Wall in Washington, D.C. One particular mission I recall was a day hoist. In other words, it took a man with a huge pair of Brass Balls but with the ability to know when to use them but with the brains to know when to hold them. 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. If I had gone down over water, I would not have grabbed the wings either, because not only had I never tried to inflate them, I had never even tried to put them on. Your email address will not be published. x.. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better. Always smiling and never hurt anyone, I would guess. Vietnam seldom flew above 1,500 feet which is traffic pattern altitude for The third seat was for our testicles. historical reference directories, CD-ROMs and DVDs. aircraft in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era and inform them of the existence of the 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. Most aviators receives about 210 hours of flight time. it will be forwarded to the appropriate VHPA representative. Phil Marshall, DMZ Dustoff 711, 237th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) Camp Evans and Quang Tri, Vietnam 1969. on VHFCN (http://www.vhfcn.org) , Heli-Vets and FaceBook also another FaceBook site. The Vietnam War was the turning point for Communism. Shoot, I had NO idea! You will get a clear sense of what they were up against and how they conducted themselves. . They were utterly selfless and courageous warriors on our behalf. I was okay to fly helicopters in the Army, but not to drive a jeep! While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. . They also acted as the means of supply of ammunitions, equipment and food. 75,000 Vietnam veterans are severely disabled. The pilots who were flying this helicopter, I wonder how many grunts would have gotten on the hoist had they known that. ao.. Many of these brave men went from High School to Flight School. 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. ), Once out to sea, landing on the ships was an interesting experience, especially when the decks were bouncing up and down like a fishing bobber with a carp under it. Back home in the real world, my buddies were at the drive-in, drinking beer and looking for a carload of girls to flirt with, just as I had been doing a year or two before. tail number N4 7004, were Bob Caron who lives in Florida and Jack Thanks for the memories. However, these same 18-year-old young men attended flight school and were given responsibility to operate a multi million dollar helicopter. In 2009, the US Congress changed the mandatory age of retirement of airline pilots from 60 to 65 in a bid to solve the pilot shortage problem. "No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. bombers and were always exposed to hostile fire even in their base camps. Would love to chat with Bruce Huffman. And two are in Africa: Tanzania (October 1995) and Guinea (June 1995). A third tradition is a bottle After the first of the two injured soldiers was hoisted on board, the din of the covering fire began to register in my head. It wasnt easy, and I will now confess that my depth perception almost was not good enough to pass my initial flight physical, but I made it. story building where the CIA station chief and many of his officers lived, located at 22 Ly Tu Trong St. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). I then realized that ole PP back there was just sitting in the hell hole taking it all in, not doing a thing! Federal Aviation Administration. How to get a day off of work or which college offers the best ability to party. [VHPA Databases] Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Databases. Both immigrated Myth: The media have reported that suicides among Vietnam veterans range from 50,000 to 100,000 - 6 to 11 times the non-Vietnam veteran population. By the end of the war half of them had been lost. Americans who deliberately killed civilians received prison sentences while Communists who did so received commendations. If so glad to know youre well. I can tell you what in my opinion made the best pilots. Five Thousand pilots and crews lost their lives and 3,258 Hueys alone were lost during the war. (CACF and Westmoreland), Sociologists Charles C. Moskos and John Sibley Butler, in their recently published book "All That We Can Be," said they analyzed the claim that blacks were used like cannon fodder during Vietnam "and can report definitely that this charge is untrue. When I read the quickly handwritten sheet for this particular mission, I knew before we left that it was going to be an insecure hoist. on 29 April 1975 from UPI's offices on the top floor of the Saigon Hotel which I suppose that is what kept most of us going in the daily risk of flying helicopters in combat in Vietnam. d.. 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. In fact, after the 5-year post-service period, the rate of suicides is less in the Vietnam veterans' group." Soviet Union. designed as a helipad. You will come away from this video with a real sense of the quality of heroism that every one of our Vietnam War helicopter pilots displayed on a daily basis. The Veterans Site honors the helicopter pilots and crews who fought so hard for us on the ground throughout the Vietnam War. or down. We still got there in a hurry, but once there, we hovered over the trees like a target at the County Fair 25-cent target-shooting booth. Walking is better than running. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Dustoff 7-1-1, were going down over the sea. I logged 205 hours in Flight Training. One guy was 19, while the oldest (not counting our Commanding Officer) was the 28-year-old XO, Army slang for the second in command, Executive Officer. The tactical situation is such that the ground troops cannot get the dead or wounded to a secure open area for evacuation. Servicemen who went to Vietnam from well-to-do areas had a slightly elevated risk of dying because they were more likely to be pilots or infantry officers. . Fournisseur de Tallents. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. 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. Loud, sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention. The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. May 18, 2021. Information contained herein shall not be used for commercial pilots in the Vietnam War. 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. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. [1996 Information Please Almanac], The 140,000 evacuees in April 1975 during the fall of Saigon consisted almost entirely of civilians and Vietnamese military, NOT American military running for their lives. 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. q.. Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day beats the alternative. keep your tail straight . b.. Innocent people get killed. sent to. I can throw a rock in there, its so close! was the rest of my thought. . to Europe and both have since died. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. directory for dues current members. Every helicopter flying in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. 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. The platform is the top of the elevator shaft for the building and was not