At least, I believe that is how I would have felt had it been me. Obviously, I was wrong, but I did not know it then. How old was the average helicopter pilot in Vietnam? - Quora 01/09/2013. . 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. [Online]. A MiG-21 of the VPAF which became the primary fighter-interceptor against USAF and USN aircraft. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Aero Bonus 320085 1/32 Us Army Helicopter Pilot Vietnam War 1960-1975 at the best online prices at eBay! There were many of the Warrant Officers that were in their 18,19, and 20s. 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 . He he he he . Terry Clark? Their stories are extremely compelling. 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. no, seven! on VHFCN (http://www.vhfcn.org) , Heli-Vets and FaceBook also another FaceBook site. Many men volunteered for the draft so even some of the draftees were actually of 21 year old Scotch purchased in 1971 by Brian Novak one of the original [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. Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. was several blocks from the Pittman Apartments. While there are still officially more than 2,200 cases, there now are only 55 incidents of American servicemen who were last seen alive but aren't accounted for. When sprayed on dense jungle foliage, less that 6 percent ever reached the ground. c.. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy. ao.. it will be forwarded to the appropriate VHPA representative. [People.com] Vietnam 25 Years Later, by Otherwise, if we got tangled up, it could cause the aircraft to crash. dont care. Thanks for the memories. Read more about the planned U.S. Air Force helicopter Vietnam War history sections. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. The Vietnam War helped medical progress in this area. The last American troops departed in their entirety 29 March 1973. 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. There are over 4,945 helicopter pilots currently employed in the United States. Fast Contour flying as close to the ground as possible to avoid ground fire was also mastered. 5 Stars . The night I was wounded, my new co-pilot Don Study put us right on the deck, but all the while I had visions of my first 30-foot hover when I was a Funny New Guyan FNG. They explained the trajectory of the weapons fired from an aircraft, especially when firing in a turn., Fort Rucker trained 120 aviators on its gunship aerial weapons course for the UH-1B in 1965. We were an easier target during the day, but unlike at night when we kept all the lights off, we could see what we were doing! Steve DaCosta, Cavalier15, June67-June68. 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). The Vietnam Thank you for your Service and Insight! n.. "The aviation units were the sole combat element of the U.S. Army that did not come. . The Vietnam War was shortly after China got involved in the Korean war, the time of the Cuban missile crisis, Soviet aggression in Eastern Europe and the proliferation of nuclear bombs. How old was the average helicopter pilot in Vietnam? San Antonio, Texas 78208-0091, Copyright 2023 DUSTOFF Association | Powered by Barefoot Pixel, USAAAD conducts life-saving rescue of two civilians near Mount Adams. Vietnam Veterans were the best educated forces our nation had ever sent into combat. Always smiling and never hurt anyone, I would guess. [Home] [ReunionInformation] [Donations] [OurLegacy] [MembershipServices] [RelatedWebSites] Member Login. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Aero Bonus 320085 1/32 Us Army Helicopter Pilot Vietnam War 1960-1975 History of the founding of the VHPA written by All through flight school, we were taught by gun pilots, slick drivers, scout pilots (although not as many of the scout pilots, they had a high loss ratio), and oh, yes, ONE Dustoff pilot. [2]:3, The helicopters transported over 1,000 Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) paratroopers for an assault on a suspected Viet Cong (VC) stronghold 10 miles (16km) west of Saigon. 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. [1996 Information Please Almanac], There were almost twice as many casualties in Southeast Asia (primarily Cambodia) the first two years after the fall of Saigon in 1975 then there were during the ten years the U.S. was involved in Vietnam. Topics cover the entire spectrum from Vietnam to . 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. Translation: There are bad guys all around, weve got wounded, get in here NOW before they die or we have more wounded, and you have to come back again. If we didnt do it, the next guy would, and we would have been found to be personally lacking what it took to complete the mission. 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 average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 44 years old. The total of non-pilot crewmembers killed was 2,704, according to records of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots' Association. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. XV, Issue VII. Flag, John A. Jelich, Wisconsin, Cecelia Jelich Frost, Killed in Action, Rosary, KIA, Gold Star Family, Gold Star Wife. 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. Business Solutions including all features. Profit from the additional features of your individual account. Further proof of these facts can be found at a recent Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) reunion. If you lose you . Refining close formation skills was an immediate requirement, as airborne assaults could involve a tight gaggle of up to 40 helicopters, including ten gunships. story building where the CIA station chief and many of his officers lived, located at 22 Ly Tu Trong St. The Naval Air Training Command, located at Pensacola, Florida, could not train enough Marine helicopter pilots to bring the units in Vietnam up to strength. I wont make it back.. I can throw a rock in there, its so close! was the rest of my thought. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Dustoff 7-1-1, were going down over the sea. From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 South Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. Without the helicopter it would have taken three times as many troops to secure the 800 mile border with Cambodia and Laos (the politicians thought the Geneva Conventions of 1954 and the Geneva Accords or 1962 would secure the border) [Westmoreland], Approximately 12,000 helicopters saw action in Vietnam (all services). Copyright 1995 - 2018 Gary B. Roush, 242 ASHC Muleskinners, May 1968 - May [McCaffrey]. But this time he definitely took hits in a .50-caliber crossfire, and as he peeled off from the mountain, fuel was streaming from the aircraft. More realities about war: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - it was not invented or unique to Vietnam Veterans. I logged 205 hours in Flight Training. The South Vietnamese ran out [Nixon]. Congress while the North Vietnamese were very well supplied by China and the The VC knew the points in an assault where the helicopter was most vulnerable, so thorough prepping by gunships and strike aircraft was essential. There is an explanation We especially were concerned about the troops we were there to support. You were a good friend and much appreciated by my parents. 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. Helicopters needed far more hands on piloting than fixed wing types. To all of the brave Pilots and their crews, I can say but three things. trina daughter instagram 97887 65581; music city drum corps staff saiservicecentre2020@gmail.com Search: Average Age Of Vietnam Helicopter Pilot. Another Huey pilot explained, We were expected to perform simulated missions like we were in Vietnam. ag.. If you are wearing body armor, they will probably miss that part. So, were we really Young and Stupid? The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter Warrant Officer Shelly Berryman flew Huey helicopters in Vietnam War But it also exposed American servicemen and women to a chemical that now has them dying on average 13 years earlier than their counterparts who did not serve in . Yes, most definitely young, but stupid? Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era (1961-1975). Five Thousand pilots and crews lost their lives and 3,258 Hueys alone were lost during the war. War is brutal and not fair. It is dedicated to the fulfillment of NEW 2008 HASBRO GI Joe Helicopter Pilot Wild Bill 25th Anniversary FREE Even the AP photographer, Nick Ut, who took the picture was Vietnamese. Warrant Officer-1 Al Gaddis was a tall, curly haired kid as I remember him. 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). As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. If you have not been there and done that you probably will not understand most of this. al.. In all, a very scary time for our country. ad.. . . Jurez y 18 de Marzo Col. Centro, C.P 96360 Nanchital, Ver. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact. The VHPA publishes six As they entered a one year combat tour, many pilots heard the ominous rumor that the average life expectancy of a US Army Aviator helicopter pilot in combat was only 19 minutes. 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. (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. [Westmoreland], Democracy Catching On - In the wake of the Cold War, democracies are flourishing, with 179 of the world's 192 sovereign states (93%) now electing their legislators, according to the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union. 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. 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. (Three years for Five minutes or more seemed like hours while we sat in the air over the ground troops, taxing every bit of professionalism we hadand the reader better believe we had the utmost professionalism. If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need. Annual car sales worldwide 2010-2022, with a forecast for 2023, Number of cars sold in the U.S. 1951-2021, Battery electric vehicles in use worldwide 2016-2021, Annual gas prices in the United States 1990-2021, Automotive industry worldwide - statistics & facts, Motorcycle industry in the United States - statistics & facts, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. My father mentioned a pilot and I was curious if this was one of the same. 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. ah.. Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. Later, the crew became a two-man pilot team. of what you can do online at https://www.vhpa.org/memhelp.htm#ODA, To preserve the legacy of all Vietnam Helicopter Pilots, an endowment As an example, heavy Innocent people get killed. They also acted as the means of supply of ammunitions, equipment and food. Operation Chopper occurred on 12 January 1962 and was the first time U.S. forces participated in major combat in the Vietnam War. Army Flight School was about 9 months long, this was the shortest calendar time. The third seat was installed in our combat aircraft to accommodate the well above average size of our family jewels, which were required to complete most of the missions we flew in Vietnam. Based on the data, more than 30% of the current for-hire pilots fall within the age range of 50 to 64. Most of our Door Gunners and Crew Chiefs were also 18-21 years old. Only a few privileged people, other than the crew members themselves, know an obscure fact that there were actually three seats in the cockpit of a Dustoff helicopter, rather than two seats, as mounted in all other Hueys. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, youre about to be surprised. a.. Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if this is a good idea. website may contain information that VHPA considers proprietary and designed as a helipad. Put some fire in that bunker! I yelled to Private Whats-His-Name. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. ai.. In UH-1C gunnies, a pilot had to master taking off with a 1,000lb overload, persuade the aircraft to hover at an altitude of just three feet, and then dip the nose slightly to achieve forward movement basically skidding and bouncing along the runway to develop enough speed and lift to rise higher. U.S. aviation industry - average age of active pilots by - Statista Use Ask Statista Research Service. 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. 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 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. I promised myself that it would never happen again, and it didnt. [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. It happened many times, and their names are on The Wall in Washington, D.C. One particular mission I recall was a day hoist. [1996 Information Please Almanac], POW-MIA Issue (unaccounted-for versus missing in action), Politics & People, On Vietnam, Clinton Should Follow a Hero's Advice, The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. volunteers. No this is Pat Bieneman I am the owner of this site. The rest of the mission went as expected with no more surprises. Did you know the average life expectancy of a US Army Huey pilot in approximately 40,000 who served as 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. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! 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. I dont think so. Recent reports in the news media that an American commander ordered the air strike that burned Kim Phuc are incorrect. [Parade Magazine] August 18, 1996 page 10. Is that AM or FM? The Air Cav was just what the name implies. Click here to view the US Army educational video, "A Day in the Life of a Helicopter Pilot," circa 1967. The Vietnam War was the turning point for Communism. A little more than 12 days later, Operation Chopper commenced. g.. "Average Age of Active Pilots in The United States from 2002 to 2020, by Category*. He was not strapped in. Without that commitment, Communism would have swept all the way to the Malacca Straits that is south of Singapore and of great strategic importance to the free world. 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. I had no idea of the satisfaction, pride, sense of accomplishment, and even elation that I would feel in the next six months. . [VHPA 1993], The helicopter provided unprecedented mobility. Age 70 to 74 --------$150.00 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. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Vietnam Helicopter Memorial: Veterans Fight Bureaucracy | Time m.. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. The domino theory was accurate. He fell right through the rotor blades. Our single-engine UH-1H Hueys did not float in the water very well. As I look back on my own experiences, two things stand out in my mind that I consider young and stupid.. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy. 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. 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. Even though I had yet to fly my first hour of combat, I had already done many incredible things that my high school and college friends could not even dream of. The fall of Saigon happened 30 April 1975, two years AFTER the American military left Vietnam. We dont have any place for you to land, so just hang your butts out in the open sky for several minutes so any kid with a bow and arrow can shoot you down, and Gee, those red crosses on your helicopter sure make great aiming points, dont they? 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. I am so very proud to have served with them. 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. (So I guess that makes three Young and Stupids. One pilot lost a testicle to a .50-caliber round and was able to father only 44 children (at last count) after returning from overseas. We lost a lot of Pilots but we also lost a lot of Crew Chiefs and Door Gunners. fund has been established at the Vietnam Center and Archives at Texas Tech I have posted your reply to Steve on here so he will be able to read it. Whether they took hits at this time or not is speculation, but he tried another tactic. 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. Mine were draped over the back of my seat, along with my M-16 rifle. [McCaffrey], The oldest man killed was 62 years old (TAYLOR, KENNA CLYDE). .j.. 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. [All That We Can Be]. The BSR (Bang Stare Red) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. I will always thank Warrant Officer Study for his late-night, picture-perfect landing on the round end of the boat. tail number N4 7004, were Bob Caron who lives in Florida and Jack . Oh, were we Young and Stupid on hoist missions, too; the second Y & S thing we did! The VHPA is a social organization only and rotary wing aircrews that flew in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam Era. If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone. survival radio, whats that? Don S. the last (in-country) Masher33, 1971, It is not easy to read this stuff. Over 900,000 patients were airlifted (nearly half were American). 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. We HAD no survival radios in those aircraft. We believe that the Huey along with the Huey Cobra have more combat flight theyre on the penetrator . Scott McBride CW4 152HH AH-64D Apache Flight Instructor, Charlie Troop 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment, The Troopers of Charlie Troop 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). The Scout Pilot. . "In all the years we've been working on this we have found that's not the case." solicitation purposes, or any correspondence related thereto. [2]:3, This operation heralded a new era of air mobility for the U.S. Army, which had been slowly growing as a concept since the Army formed twelve helicopter battalions in 1952 as a result of the Korean War. In Vietnam, pilots frequently encountered fog and monsoon rain, which severely tested their blind flying skills. If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again. Here are some facts to clear up that poor job of reporting by the news media. sent to webmaster@vhpa.org whereupon A third tradition is a bottle Number of helicopter pilot licenses in China 2014-2019; Global share of pilots whose mental health was affected by the pandemic 2020 ; Most were 19 or 20 years old, with a few experienced old men per platoon in their late twenties. bombers and were always exposed to hostile fire even in their base camps. From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. its on the ground . In fact, not at all, since we usually flew with the doors open, even at night. Whatd he say? Hell, I dont know. https://www.vhpa.org. The average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 45 years old. In, Federal Aviation Administration. 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. 86% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasians, 12.5% were black, 1.2% were other races. It was an average age for most of the other Army helicopter pilots I flew with in the 237th Medical Detachment in northern I Corps near the DMZ. It was finally time to find out if we had the gonads to be combat helicopter pilots. http://www.air-america.org. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much.
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