average age of vietnam helicopter pilot

af.. 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. Required fields are marked *. It happened many times, and their names are on The Wall in Washington, D.C. One particular mission I recall was a day hoist. I then realized that ole PP back there was just sitting in the hell hole taking it all in, not doing a thing! . First of all, there was landing on the Navy Hospital ships, USS Repose and USS Sanctuary, in the South China Sea, very near the Demilitarized Zone. 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. Event date is used instead of declared dead date for some of those who were listed as missing in action). Both immigrated Myth: The domino theory was proved false. Drinking and how not to get caught. Myth: Air America, the airline operated by the CIA in Southeast Asia, and its pilots were involved in drug trafficking. ak.. The pilots who were flying this helicopter, s.. 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. "Pogo" Hunter who died in 1995. The biggest responsibility of a helicopter pilot was to fly that helicopter in such a manner as to provide support for the men on the ground. [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. Yet undoubtedly every plane in Laos carried opium at some time, unknown to the pilot and his superiors. I can throw a rock in there, its so close! was the rest of my thought. Search: Average Age Of Vietnam Helicopter Pilot. If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need. Those Hueys were their horses and they rode into battle en masse, to deliver their troops and evacuate the wounded. Flying is better than walking. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era (1961-1975). Two high ranking I and many more just like me can only say Thank You for all that you did. It was finally time to find out if we had the gonads to be combat helicopter pilots. I already knew the difference between port and starboard, and it wasnt that hard to figure out beam and quartering approaches. ), 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. Another Huey pilot explained, We were expected to perform simulated missions like we were in Vietnam. The VC knew the points in an assault where the helicopter was most vulnerable, so thorough prepping by gunships and strike aircraft was essential. Generally, someone is badly wounded in jungle or mountainous (or both) terrain where a helicopter cannot land on the ground or even close to it. time than any other aircraft in the history of warfare assuming you count actual The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. . f.. And two are in Africa: Tanzania (October 1995) and Guinea (June 1995). . From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. Walking is better than running. He was a Dustoff pilot. Average age of 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years. How to get a day off of work or which college offers the best ability to party. No matter what the enemy threw at them, they never backed down. I arrived in Vietnam on the 4th of July 1969, barely 21 years old. Tactics such as pinnacle landing on top of steep hills, slopes, and karst outcrops amid destabilizing downdraughts to deliver heavy supplies to US Army firebases and outposts while under enemy fire were also tackled. The Pilots of Charlie Troop 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment 1st Cavalry Division (AM) were the best Pilots of the Vietnam War and today they are the best men America has to offer. 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. 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. (Personally, I have fathered 73 children with two good Dustoff-sized testicles.) In June of 1967, Marine officers destined to become fixed-wing pilots began reporting to Air Force bases for flight training. There were no Americans involved in any capacity. It does not have to be war related. When they saw one flying balls out, they knew it was a Dustoff on an urgent mission. Average age of active pilots in the United States from 2002 to 2020, by category* [Graph]. More realities about war: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - it was not invented or unique to Vietnam Veterans. Further proof of these facts can be found at a recent Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) reunion. The third pilot is retired Col. David Rainey U.S. Army. Please note: This who is now retired in Arizona. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, youre about to be surprised. 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). Life member rates based on age are as follows (also g.. (Three years for These men never refused to fly into harms way. (May 18, 2021). If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home either. 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. 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. 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. Obviously, I was wrong, but I did not know it then. 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. Epilogue: Most people who see photos of Dustoff Hueys in Vietnam observe only the outside of the aircraft. All of these, however, are preferable to cold rice balls, even if they do have the little pieces of fish in them. Myth: A disproportionate number of blacks were killed in the Vietnam War. Chart. On one particularly difficult night MedEvac in the mountains, all our windows fogged up as we dropped from 7,000 feet through a hole in the clouds to pick up a Soldier with a head wound. Updated: 7 February 2018 "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. website may contain information that VHPA considers proprietary and Later, the crew became a two-man pilot team. 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. We will never forget you, or the sound of your rotor blades off in the distance, coming to our aid. Book review. a31 road closure alton; cdw insurance for rental cars; hygro cotton bath towels; Hello world! As soon as he stepped from the left side to the right, the aircraft tipped. 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. 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. This included Basic Combat Training and Flight Training. View complete answer on zippia.com These new battalions eventually formed a sort of modern-day cavalry for the Army. Thank you for your service. Jurez y 18 de Marzo Col. Centro, C.P 96360 Nanchital, Ver. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! ao.. There were many of the Warrant Officers that were in their 18,19, and 20s. [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. confidential. 66 founding members. [People], The evacuees were Vietnamese not American military. 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. Oh, Sugar! (Not my exact word.) Myth: Most Vietnam veterans were drafted. From a military standpoint, it was almost an unprecedented performance. Categories . The Indonesians threw the Soviets out in 1966 because of America's commitment in Vietnam. More Scout Teams were lost because of this than any other helicopter team. The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. My father mentioned a pilot and I was curious if this was one of the same. The average age (according to General William C. Westmoreland before the Third Annual Reunion of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) at the Washington, DC Hilton Hotel on July 5th, 1986) was 26 The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. Operation Chopper occurred on 12 January 1962 and was the first time U.S. forces participated in major combat in the Vietnam War. 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. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." The fall of Saigon happened 30 April 1975, two years AFTER the American military left Vietnam. It was a small price to pay for the successful completion of our daily rescues. Age 70 to 74 --------$150.00 They will always be our heroes, our Angels in the Sky.. I asked to take a different test and was able to pass that one! The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. 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 [Parade Magazine] August 18, 1996 page 10. For the latter, a specially equipped H-13 had optional blanked out external vision. Owned and operated by CharityUSA.com, LLC. A third tradition is a bottle 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! i.. Chicken Plates are not something you order in a restaurant. Published by on October 31, 2021. As the Aircraft Commander in control of the helicopter, my eyes never left the tree branches that were touching the nose of my aircraft. m.. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. The South Vietnamese ran out or down. Access to this and all other statistics on 80,000 topics from, Show sources information October 20, 2021. 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. [1] "Vietnam helicopter pilots describe the war from the cockpit," YouTube video, posted by "Military Times," April 18th, 2018. 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. The Vietnam years. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot. http://www.air-america.org. 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. [Westmoreland], 97% were discharged under honorable conditions; the same percentage of honorable discharges as ten years prior to Vietnam [Westmoreland], 85% of Vietnam Veterans made a successful transition to civilian life. Their stories are extremely compelling. Occasionally, the gunner and crew chief had to exit temporarily to reduce the weight sufficiently for take off. San Antonio, Texas 78208-0091, Copyright 2023 DUSTOFF Association | Powered by Barefoot Pixel, USAAAD conducts life-saving rescue of two civilians near Mount Adams. . U.S. active certificated pilots - average age 1993-2020; . 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. The emotions are almost indescribable, but there was one more feeling: relief from being so scared! The pilots and crews of these helicopters were heroes, one and all. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. webmaster@vhpa.org Wainwright Station American involvement in February 1973. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. When I found out that I was assigned to be a MedEvac pilot, I was devastated. [Burkett] Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation was Robbed of its Heroes and its History by B.G. 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. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. Have you ever heard the expression, He was flying the aircraft balls out? That was us. Over the ten years of the war, Operation Ranch Hand sprayed about eleven million gallons of Agent Orange on the South Vietnamese landscape. ", 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. When the Army decided to use helicopters as the Eyes, Protection and Horses of the 1st Cavalry Division, men both young and older were chosen to become pilots. tail number N4 7004, were Bob Caron who lives in Florida and Jack With a fair amount of apprehension, it was now the moment of truth. Could we really do what we had been trained to do, without letting anyone down? God bless you all! The 1990 unsuccessful movie "Air America" helped to establish the myth of a connection between Air America, the CIA, and the Laotian drug trade. When you crash, well try to recover your bodies. I graduated from Flight Training 2 day short of a year. One of those is the missing man table at the banquet at each an.. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. 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. Others flew fixed wing and some were already in the Army but applied for and were chosen to attend flight school. Steve DaCosta, Cavalier15, June67-June68. Were about five miles out. Five miles out from where? Ancient U.S. Army proverb. contained this quote about Vietnam, there has been "the most extensive accounting in the history of human warfare" of those missing in action. 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. The first time I tried to land on the ship at night, I terminated at a 30-foot hover over the deck instead of on the deck, and the Aircraft Commander had to take over and hover us down to the ship. 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served [Westmoreland], 74% said they would serve again even knowing the outcome [Westmoreland], There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non veterans of the same age group (from a Veterans Administration study) [Westmoreland]. From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 South Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. Most aviators receives about 210 hours of flight time. The gunships that were escorting him told Al to put it on the ground right away because of the serious leak. A MiG-21 of the VPAF which became the primary fighter-interceptor against USAF and USN aircraft. submit other directory changes and updates. In the last decade, 69 nations have held multi-party elections for the first time in their histories. Please support The Veterans Site by adding us to your ad blockers whitelist ads help us to provide food and supplies to veterans. ab.. Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. Read the latest issue of the Friends of the Vietnam Center Newsletter and subscribe to recieve future newsletters. In all, a very scary time for our country. The Veterans Site honors the helicopter pilots and crews who fought so hard for us on the ground throughout the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. 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. Please do not hesitate to contact me. [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. Here is an example done at the 2005 Number of helicopter pilot licenses in China 2014-2019; Global share of pilots whose mental health was affected by the pandemic 2020 ; There are over 4,945 helicopter pilots currently employed in the United States. I logged 205 hours in Flight Training. Candidates later tackled the difficult arts of landing in small areas, night, and instrument flying crucial skills for their operational work in Southeast Asia. Don S. the last (in-country) Masher33, 1971, It is not easy to read this stuff. its on the ground . Thanks for posting the memories. is passed from outgoing President to incoming President at each reunion. The Vietnam Helicopter Flight Crew Network (VHFCN) is a non profit veterans organization dedicated to the fulfillment of the following purposes: To provide a forum for recreational communications amongst a fraternity of aircrew members who served in Vietnam during the period 1961-75 At the conclusive battle of the war (the Fall of Saigon), the .

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