We especially were concerned about the troops we were there to support. fund has been established at the Vietnam Center and Archives at Texas Tech trina daughter instagram 97887 65581; music city drum corps staff saiservicecentre2020@gmail.com The Vietnamese pilot who dropped the napalm in error is currently living in the United States. If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home either. We must now hover over the trees or rocky terrain, while we let out up to 150 feet of quarter-inch cable with a jungle penetrator or a Stokes litter attached to it. 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. Required fields are marked *. How old was the average helicopter pilot in Vietnam? One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. $36/year subscription. Oh, were we Young and Stupid on hoist missions, too; the second Y & S thing we did! We risked much in a totally dark valley that night, and there was no doubt that someone appreciated us. is passed from outgoing President to incoming President at each reunion. 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. The last American troops departed in their entirety 29 March 1973. And two are in Africa: Tanzania (October 1995) and Guinea (June 1995). The South Vietnamese ran out After that initial post-service period, Vietnam veterans were no more likely to die from suicide than non-Vietnam veterans. members without the express consent of the member. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. UH-1 Huey Gunship Vs NVA/VC Forces Vietnam 1962-75 is published by Osprey and is available to order here. In fact, after the 5-year post-service period, the rate of suicides is less in the Vietnam veterans' group." Owned and operated by CharityUSA.com, LLC. [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. Although the percent who died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. . If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone. . The UH-1 evolved from a 1955 US Army competition for a new utility helicopter. Company pick-up truck, I was told I didnt pass the depth perception portion of the eye test and would not be issued the license. 66 founding members. If you have not been there and done that you probably will not understand most of this. Vietnam Helicopter Memorial: Veterans Fight Bureaucracy | Time It took all of our skill and luck to avoid flying into the valley walls as we stuck our heads out the windows to find our way to the LZ without balling up the helicopter. Also, it has been incorrectly reported that two of Kim Phuc's brothers were killed in this incident. No this is Pat Bieneman I am the owner of this site. About 12,000 U.S. military helicopters spent 7.5 million hours above Vietnam, flying 2 million missions. confidential. Heroes in Hueys: The Pilots and Crews of the Vietnam War I have no idea who he was, but we logged his flight time as PP: Patient Protector.. The rest of the mission went as expected with no more surprises. They also acted as medical evacuation helicopter pilots when needed. Please do not hesitate to contact me. "Average Age of Active Pilots in The United States from 2002 to 2020, by Category*. [McCaffrey], The oldest man killed was 62 years old (TAYLOR, KENNA CLYDE). 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. 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. I never forgot the reverence with which that statement was made, as I began to form a survival plan of action in my mind. [McCaffrey] $99) To contact the magazine editor aviator@vhpa.org. How to get a day off of work or which college offers the best ability to party. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact. 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. 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. My opinion is that he was as afraid that he could not complete the mission, as much as he was afraid to die. War is brutal and not fair. 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. 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. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. 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. I can tell you what in my opinion made the best pilots. I already knew the difference between port and starboard, and it wasnt that hard to figure out beam and quartering approaches. Recent reports in the news media that an American commander ordered the air strike that burned Kim Phuc are incorrect. That was us giving you covering fire! he replied. ac.. Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad ideas. through mini-reunions (local get togethers) throughout the year and through the Internet Those of us lucky enough to come home learned from the experience and were, without question, changed men, no longer wide-eyed boys. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot - mail.germenergy.com 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. 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 UNITED STATES DID NOT LOSE THE WAR IN VIETNAM, THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE . Membership is open to all helicopter pilots who flew in 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.. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy. What is important is what you are doing-NOW-to solve our problem. How could we lose a war we had already stopped fighting? It was finally time to find out if we had the gonads to be combat helicopter pilots. We honor the memory of all those who lost their lives in that service. (So I guess that makes three Young and Stupids. As a group, we helicopter pilots did what we had to do and then some. When I found out that I was assigned to be a MedEvac pilot, I was devastated. View complete answer on zippia.com Hello. A little more than 12 days later, Operation Chopper commenced. American-owned airlines never knowingly transported opium in or out of Laos, nor did their American pilots ever profit from its transport. . was typical of the continual commentary from the enlisted crew members. Flag, John A. Jelich, Wisconsin, Cecelia Jelich Frost, Killed in Action, Rosary, KIA, Gold Star Family, Gold Star Wife. We grabbed some unsuspecting Schmuck and told him to get his weapon and some ammo and run with us to the aircraft. "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. Most Agent Orange contained .0002 of 1 percent of dioxin. an.. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. b.. Age 70 to 74 --------$150.00 As he entered the crowded car, he said, Ballroom, please.. . (May 18, 2021). 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. Please use the membership application form to submit U.S. active certificated pilots - number 1990-2020, Worldwide aircraft fleet age by region 2020-2030, Air traffic - passenger growth rates forecast 2019-2040. w.. applies to subscribers): Age 80 and above ---$75.00 The average age for helicopter pilots in Vietnam was in the area of 22 years as I recall. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. .j.. Uh, thats a can opener for those of you who arent military. . The Vietnam War helped medical progress in this area. Vietnam War Facts, Stats and Myths - US Wings Please call HQ on 800-505-VHPA (8472) to sign up to be a life The gunships that were escorting him told Al to put it on the ground right away because of the serious leak. The most common ethnicity of helicopter pilots is White (82.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.8%), Unknown (5.5%) and Asian (2.7%). [Westmoreland] Approximately 70% of those killed were volunteers. keep your tail straight . Your email address will not be published. It was a small price to pay for the successful completion of our daily rescues. looking good. 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. In the movie We Were Soldiers and Young the Lift Pilot was portrayed by Snake and To Tall. 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). rotary wing aircrews that flew in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam Era. 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. 5.5% of all helicopter pilots are women, while 94.5% are men. only 10 to 20 minutes of that time exposed to hostile fire. 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. 58,169 were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.59 million who served. 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! 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. Their stories are extremely compelling. dont care. See an example of our magazine, The Here is an example done at the 2005 We know that it was a .50-cal that got him and not an AK47 bullet because an AK round is not big enough to shoot off the balls of a Dustoff pilot. During a hoist mission, we flew with one finger on a button on the cyclic stick that operated an electric solenoid. reunion. [The Wall Street Journal]. 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. 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). We always at least tried to complete the mission and felt that we let someone down if we didnt. [3], Battlefield Viet Nam Episode 5 "The Undeclared War", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Chopper_(Vietnam)&oldid=1133354489, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 10:36. u.. Everybodys a hero on the ground in the club after the fourth drink. In June of 1967, Marine officers destined to become fixed-wing pilots began reporting to Air Force bases for flight training. Myth: Most Vietnam veterans were drafted. These three represent all of out Vietnam War helicopter pilots. Access to this and all other statistics on 80,000 topics from, Show sources information Shoot, I had NO idea! They could rotate around a battle site from above, unleashing punishing weapon support from above. Congress while the North Vietnamese were very well supplied by China and the Please support The Veterans Site by adding us to your ad blockers whitelist ads help us to provide food and supplies to veterans. Otherwise, if we got tangled up, it could cause the aircraft to crash. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot - nanchital.gob.mx I tried to use the opportunity to prove to myself that I could accomplish the goals I set for myself and do them well. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Age 59 and below --$450.00. After the first of the two injured soldiers was hoisted on board, the din of the covering fire began to register in my head. A third tradition is a bottle When you crash, well try to recover your bodies. In order to be Old and Wise, one must first be young and stupid. 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. All rights reserved. Published by on October 31, 2021. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. Innocent people get killed. In my mind, the only way I would. By 1967, 600 pilots were being graduated per month. Instead of landing and changing seats he tried to do it in mid air. [Houk] Testimony by Dr. Houk, Oversight on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 14 July 1988 page 17, Hearing before the Committee on Veterans' Affairs United States Senate one hundredth Congress second session. how to unhide mouse cursor windows 10; address changes for the directory and use the comments form to 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. (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. designed as a helipad. 5. If you are wearing body armor, they will probably miss that part. 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. g.. The Pilots of 1st of the 9th Cav were and yes still are the best. years. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The radioman on the ship would tell them Cleared for a port quarter approach. The silence on the radio was the proverbial pregnant pause, and I could imagine the conversation inside the Huey cockpit. 2160250. buzz lightyear of star command complete series More Scout Teams were lost because of this than any other helicopter team. I just tapped him gently on the shoulder and whispered, Hey, Buddy, Im as far back in the elevator as I can get now. I knew what he was really saying. I enlisted in the (WOFT) Warrant Officer Flight Training. It was a well known (and very true) fact that during an emergency exit from an aircraft, if you dont have it strapped to your body, you wont take it with you. Not only were we not found to be lacking as youthful aviators, as a whole we far exceeded the expectations. It Read the latest issue of the Friends of the Vietnam Center Newsletter and subscribe to recieve future newsletters. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Dustoff 7-1-1, were going down over the sea. 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). It has been said many times by Navy and Marine jet pilots that landing on an aircraft carrier is like landing on a postage stamp. If you ask people who live in these countries that won the war in Vietnam, they have a different opinion from the American news media. San Antonio, Texas 78208-0091, Copyright 2023 DUSTOFF Association | Powered by Barefoot Pixel, USAAAD conducts life-saving rescue of two civilians near Mount Adams. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot - saiservicecentre.in Many times these brave men had to deliver or retrieve the troopers into or out of areas where enemy fire was heavy. (One has to realize that there was virtually no protection for the pilots from the front and little from the sides or underneath.) h.. As soon as he stepped from the left side to the right, the aircraft tipped. The second pilot you will meet is retired CWO2 Allan Potter. We will never forget you, or the sound of your rotor blades off in the distance, coming to our aid. 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. They will always be our heroes, our Angels in the Sky.. 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. The Vietnam In the last decade, 69 nations have held multi-party elections for the first time in their histories. website may contain information that VHPA considers proprietary and You only have access to basic statistics. Myth: Air America, the airline operated by the CIA in Southeast Asia, and its pilots were involved in drug trafficking. Marine Corps could barely maintain Helicopter Pilots He he he he . 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. Over the course of the war, some 12,000 helicopters of various kinds saw service in Vietnam. Restraining the military in Vietnam in hindsight probably prevented a nuclear war with China or Russia. 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. come forward just a little . My father mentioned a pilot and I was curious if this was one of the same. They were immensely important to the troops on the ground as aerial fire power. [Nixon]. The VC knew the points in an assault where the helicopter was most vulnerable, so thorough prepping by gunships and strike aircraft was essential. The platform is the top of the elevator shaft for the building and was not First, one has to understand what a hoist mission is and why we did them. And what was even stupider, I suppose, was the fact that if the doors were closed when we reached the water, we opened them so we could get out easier if we did go down. 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. 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. 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. Categories . Oh, Sugar! (Not my exact word.) [All That We Can Be]. I arrived in Vietnam on the 4th of July 1969, barely 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. Age 60 to 64 --------$350.00 As an example, heavy 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. . If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, youre about to be surprised. It would instantly cut the cable should any part of the lift apparatus get snagged in the trees or in any other emergency situation. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. Many of these brave men went from High School to Flight School. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. Show publisher information The average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 45 years old. 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!. Many men volunteered for the draft so even some of the draftees were actually "Pogo" Hunter who died in 1995. x.. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better.