Thread: Vietnam Vets, sign in please.

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Viet Nam era vet, USN on sub tenders got out Feb. 71. Just being in the service at that time was not the best of times.
Too many guys lost.........

In country from July 1970-July 71. B-Battery 5/42 FA II Field Forces, Bein Tuey Provence. Fire Direction Center.

Crazy, u were in country just a month before i left, i went in June of 69, in country at Camh Rahn Bay, with 1st cav orientation at Bien Hoa, then 1st to Tay Ninh in III Corps to 229th Aviation 1st Air Cavalry Division, 1st in A company crew chief on H and D Model Hueys, next to HHQ Co crew chief on OH56 and OH6 Lochs, next to D Co Dau Tieng crew chief on AH1 Attacks, and last to B Co Dau Tieng, crewed D and H models for a time and finally a M Model Gunship( and M model Gunship is a A,B,or C model huey that has been converted to a gunship platform; in my case, 4 rocket pods, 2 per side with 17 folding fin assorted rockets ea pilot controled on the right, AC controled on the left; 1 20mm Cannon door gunner controled on the right; 1 6brrl 4k round per min 7.62mm Joy stick Crew Chief(me) controled and 1 40mm 200 round grenade Launcher attached to my air crafts nose, also AC or left side controled; AC=Aircraft Commander, he is Air Craft or MISSION commander, while i as the Crew Chief am actually the AirCraft commander, Air craft is signed out to ME as the chief, and MY name is headered in and on the air crafts log book, in Army aviation the crew chief is to the air craft what Mr. Scott is to the starship Enterprise, Chief Engineer, on all but the AH1 and Apache attacks the crew cheif is part of the flight crew)
In B Co as a the cheif on the M model gunship i was TDY assigned to Boo Bopp fire support base as close artillary air support and FAC support, as well as Song Be in the same roll, i was also TDY to Cu Chi as air support for a Company of CH 47 Chinooks, 2 of which were also Gun Ships. While in D company i was TDY also to Tahn Seu Neiut AFB(Saigon) as Crew Chief on an army detachment field hospital medi vac H model Huey. Medi Vacs at that time were only allowed to have the flight crew carry side arms, even medic could NOT carry side arms and the air craft coulsd not have ANY offernsive armament attached to or in it... thus of all my missions in Nam this was the one which produced the MOST trauma and the one i cared for the least, tho at the same time it was the most rewarding.
I came home short of my intended 18 month tour, at the time after completeing ur 1 year committment tour u could extend ur tour by 6 months at a time, i lasted a couple months into my 1st extension which ended when i was shot down and wounded during the ; supposedly didn't happen; Ho Chi Min trail interdiction operations in Cambodia, tho there were also supposedly didn't happen operations against the trail in Laos as well.
Welcome home brother and fellow Vet Crazy. From one vet to another, thanxs for ur brave and honorable service in whatever capacity u may have served, where ever u may have served.

Been off the grid for awhile and just chkd in on the site to see what was going on. Served in Country in 64-65 and 68-69 with a n F-100 sqdn, first as a Crew Chief then as a flight Chief with the F-100F "Misty " project. Retired Air Force Msgt, 22 years in Maint.

From a fellow vet, May 69 thru august 70 with the 1st ir Cavalry Division's 229th Aviation as a FE(crew chief or flight engineer) a belated but heartfelt WELCOME HOME DON.

Hi guys,
Lurked around hot rod forums for a while, I'm going to build a car when I retire.
Anyhow, 11Bush, 1/12th 4th Infantry, 1969-1970. Enjoyed the topic about other vets. God bless.

I spent my in country time at Phu Bai, Quang Tri, Camp Eagle, 125th ATC 1970-1971. lots of memories, think about it alot.

BTW, i sorta cheated myself outta some time served in country on some previous posts as well as gave myself time i WASN't there. 05/23/69 - 07/13/70 is the correct dating, i often used to count all of july, august and September since tho i derosed on 07/13/70 i was on canvalescent leave for the next 78 days resultant of the injury that sent me home, that bein a gunshot wound from an AK47 to the lower abdomen while hangin out the chiefs door of my Mike Model gunship, joy stickin a 7.62mm 6 barrel mimi gun set @4k rounds per min. Actually remember seein the muzzle flashes from below but not in time to swing n surpress same. Fortunately my aircraft was not forced into a forced landin on this occassion, only myself and my PETER PILOT were injured and i had an AC who was about the most deft UH1 Pilot i ever knew or knew of, the man could actually ROLL a UH1, loaded and ur not supposed to b able to do that. He actually gave me enuff rudimentary and totally illegal lessons such that i could do flight control well enuff for him to feel safe to let me out of sight of any superior officers and my PETER PILOT relinqhisin the right seat takin my cheif spot in the left door, My gunner didn't dare tell, and didn't even consider to, once told me that the more folk in the crew who could fly the aircraft at all the better he felt about it, same opinion as myself and my AC had as did all but 1 of my PETER PILOTS. OBVIOUSLY HE DID NOT last long on MY aircraft, in the US Army aviation the air craft is the charge of the Chief, crew chief or FE/Flight Engineer its log book is in HIS NAME and its upkeep, flight worthyness and rediness is the sole responsibility of the flight engineer even on those air craft where same is NOT a member of the flight crew like the AH1 cobra chiefs. If it ain't flight ready the chief better have a damn good reason why. on those aircraft where he IS a member of the flight crew he is FLIGHT OPERATIONS commander even if he is out ranked by everyone else in the crew and the AC is MISSION commander, AC=Aircraft Commander, and he is that even if he is outranked by everyone else in the crew. Bu if the chief wants anyone out of his flight crew in combat zones, that crew member is outta there, believe it or not, thats GOOD THING, since he is responsible for the aircraft he is deemed to b responsible for his crew members as well, as in he gets to RATE them, and a failed ratin for any crew member n that crewmember is outta there. Jus some background on my primary MOS, please guys, some of u relate some background on ur primary MOS and even ur secondary if ya like. my Primary was 67N10 Turbine engined rotory winged aircraft flight engineer... my 2cndary was 67N20, Turbine engined rotory winged aircraft repairman.

I spent 05/23/69 thru 07/13/70 in country as a helicopter flight engineer on OH53's, OH6's, UH1 A,B, D and H models endin on a MIKE model gunship flyin perimeter guard@ Dau Tieng III Corps. I was with the 1st Air Cav's 229th aviation battalion's A, B and Delta companies in Tay Ninh, and Dau Tieng with TDY juants to Song Be, Cu Chi, BooDop, Tahn Se Nueit and Bien Hoa bases.
Like a many of u i have a lot of vivid memories about my time in country and not ALL of em nitemarish or bad either. Some of the best times of my life and certainly among the most alive times in my life came while there. Lost a many friend and comrade durin n since for one reason or the other but yet still have those of u here and elsewhere with whom to share memories with who actually KNOW and understand what and where im comin from when i post, not to mention why. This affords me great comfort and peace believe me guys and i put THAT on all i love. Thanx a Million fellas for that AND ur service and from one vette to another, WELCOME HOME and may the best of ur past days b the worst of ur futures...AMEN ?????

I got drafted into the Army in Nov '65 and I ended up in Oklahoma in the post motor pool. Dirty job, but somebody had to do it. I'm glad to see that the newbie vets are getting a little (but still not enough) better treatment than we did.

AMEN to that wingman9, tho, as u say, STILL not as much as they deserve but far better than we did. I'm of the opinion that as much as we malign the press sometimes, they account for MUCH of the improvement in the way ALL vets are treated. They have done many an in depth as well as scathing review of the way vets are treated over the years since i cam home from nam.
BTW, even if u didn't actually get IN COUNTRY in NAM ur still a NAM vet IMHO, welcome home n thanx from one vet to another. Tho I volenteered for both the army as well as nam and tried to survive 1 6 month tour extension but didn't I do not feel myself or anyone of like military experience is any better or more patriotic than YOU are, after all, back then many folk broke camp for parts unknown when they got a draft notice, u answered and served with honor even in a dirty thankless job. Hats off to ya my friend.

Thanks and welcome home all !! A Btry 377th Arty Camp Eagle 1971

U.S.S. Segundo SS-398 in 68, U.S.S. Kidd DDG-993 in 90 and proud of it. I earned my opinions!

Thanx and welcome home to u as well whistler.
Ur absoltely right to b proud of ur service 26 roadster and u certainly did earn ur right to ur opinions, not only that u earned the validation of same as well.
As is the case with most all honorable vets i have yet to b in contact with, u guys are a great bunch and im proud to b counted among u because of that fact.

I was a little before Vietnam, 58-62 USMC. My bro was 1/9 in 67 USMC
"THE WALKING DEAD" He even made it back! Got a Cousin on the Wall, Michael Woodside
Capt in the Army. R.I.P. Mike.
Thank You Guys for a P.O.S. War. I think of it often.
Ron