I must say that, after reading several nonfiction books about helicopter pilots and helicopter warfare in vietnam, i had to keep reminding myself that this is a novel. As such, i served as an attack helicopter commander in both air cavalry and attack helicopter units during, and post, the vietnamera, and having served. The helicopter war and its effect on crews who fought it. The book chronicles his enlistment, flight training, deployment to and experiences in vietnam, and his experiences after returning from the war. Helicopters lifted troops, supplies, material, equipment, and vehicles. If youre looking for a swashbuckling account of life as a chopper pilot in vietnam, this is not the book. A visceral vietnam helicopter pilots story, but from a rarer perspective.
He spent his entire vietnam tour with the 71st assault helicopter company flying uh1 huey. What rank would a helicopter pilot during the vietnam war. Army helicopter pilot, ronald paye, shares his story about his time in vietnam, and how he and his colleagues work to preserve the history of the war. An epic novel of vietnam by anthony grey happens to be one of the best books on vietnam war. This is the definitive memoir about the helicopter war in vietnam. Slick drivers had a mission that was very different from a loach pilots, which was different from a gun driver and that varies with snake or uh1 bcm airframes or a dustoff or hook guys incountry life. Black cat 21 is the story of one pilot who made it home and the valiant men he served with who risked their lives for the troops on the ground. Protected by little more than an armoured seat, operating in terrible conditions and. The theme for the 2020 membership directory history section will be the 361st aerial weapons company in vietnam. Is there a list of helicopter pilots who served in vietnam. Best vietnam helicopter book general helicopter forum. Vietnam usmc od green ega marked utility cover 1969 contract size small cap hat.
Combat helicopter pilots in the vietnam war flew each mission facing the possibility of imminent death. Where huey pilots trained and heroes were made history. Tom marshall, the price of exit and his new book he is writing on lam son 719 the 1994 vietnam helicopter pilots association directory concerning lam son 719 joe kline in an article in vietnam concerning lam son 719. Before reading this book i had no prior knowledge of the role of helicopter scout pilots, now i am in awe of the sheer madness of these pilots. Marine corps usmc mitchell camo m1 helmet cover 1960s. Located in northcentral texas, the school, which ran from 1956 until the end of the vietnam war in 1973, was an essential part of the pressure cooker process that transformed anybody who qualifiedfrom teenagers to grizzled combat officers. To the limit is a true story about a helicopter pilot in the vietnam war. Vietnam helicopter pilot turns to smuggling drugs and. I was a combat helicopter pilot in the vietnam war in 1969. There are some very good ones that illustrate one guys experience in different facets. This isnt a book about thrilling combat episodes and boasting, as so many books about vietnam are. Bell helicopter built 10,005 hueys from 1957 to 1975.
According to research by the vietnam helicopter pilots association there were about 12,000 helicopters that served in the vietnam war specific tail numbers for 11,827 from all services, out of which 5,086 were destroyed. New 2020 denver reunion is canceled the vietnam helicopter pilots association vhpa is a nonprofit war veterans organization filed under section 501c19 of the internal revenue service. Napa county airport day september 7, 2019 september 7, 2019. City of walnut creek special recreation museum tour october 26, 2019 october 26, 2019.
He serves a 12 month stint there which was the normal length of service for. Of all the helicopter pilots who flew in vietnam, 95 percent passed through the center at wolters. Best vietnam helicopter book page 2 general helicopter. The total of nonpilot crewmembers killed was 2,704, according to records of the vietnam helicopter pilots association. In the vietnam war, 2,197 helicopter pilots and 2,717 crew members were killed. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and helicopter pilots. American forces got hit hard in vietnam in february of 1968 in what became known as the tet offensive. Johnson is highly decorated pilot due to his service in this war. Number of helicopters destroyed during the vietnam. Ed, of about 40,000 helicopter pilots serving in vietnam, some 2002 of us did not return.
Flying the h34 helicopter in vietnam for the united states marine corps. Rare vintage battle worn us army vietnam war embroidered boonie jungle hat. However, as we landed and started to taxi the aircraft to the side of the runway, we noticed that the soldiers were armed with ak47s and. The book appears to be more a platform for the author to vent his negativity and bad attitude than an accounting his exploits in the republic of viet nam. Bob ford invites listeners into the huey helicopters he flew on more than 1,000 missions when he and his men dared to protect and rescue. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Newman, commanding officer of c troop, 2nd squadron, 17th air cavalry regiment, 101st airborne division, operating in northern south vietnam in. The story of a helicopter pilots life was so overshadowed with his insistence on making sure the reader was fully aware of the authors poor attitude, a potentially good read was lost. Rattler oneseven puts you in the helicopter seat, to see the war in vietnam through the eyes of an inexperienced pilot as he transforms himself into a seasoned combat veteran when chuck gross left for vietnam in 1970, he was a nineteenyearold army helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school. As the cobra pulled out, tracer ammunition came at it from a different location. Oct 4, 2015 haunting images of uh1 helicopterpilots from the vietnam war. Usa patch vmo 6 helicopter attack reconnaissance vietnam war 45. Chuck hunting in the uminh from the book hits through the chin bubble. It tells the story of josephs first visit to saigon in 1925.
Dustoff 73 tells the true story of four unlikely heroes in the rugged mountains of afghanistan, where medics are forced to descend on wires to reach the wounded and helicopter pilots must fight wind, weather, and enemy fire to pluck casualties from some of the worlds most difficult combat arenas. The vhpa defines southeast asia to include cambodia, laos, north vietnam, south vietnam, thailand, and the adjacent oceans. Mills got out of the way and the cobra attack helicopter moved in to fire rockets at the bunker. Bob ford was flying his uh1 d huey on three missions a day, doing medecav and combat resupply runs for marines during the battle for huthe marines were being encircled by the enemy and all the other pilots in fords small aviation detachment near the demilitarized zone had been killed or. Where can you find a list of names of all helicopter pilots during the vietnam conflict.
This book tells his most extreme stories in a way to keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat. How did us helicopter pilots in vietnam become so amazing. Chickenhawk is robert masons narrative of his experiences as a huey uh1 iroquois helicopter pilot during the vietnam war. Masons penetrating look at his 196566 tour as a huey pilot in the 1st cavalry division airmobile contains reconstructed dialogue, which works well in depictions of his many dangerous missions zooming in and out of hot landing zones. Special thanks are given to mike for his efforts to record history correctly, from a101 avn and all aviation veterans.
The book is a forthright, detailed story of the authors experiences as an army helicopter pilot serving in. Putzels book focuses on army helicopter pilot major james t. The first member of the prolific huey family, it was developed by bell helicopter to meet a 1952 us army requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter, and first flew in 1956. Bruce perry crandall born february 17, 1933 is a retired u. One of the most enduring and vivid images of vietnam is the helicopter. The book reflects on helicopter crews who searched the jungles of laos and north vietnam for downed u. A biased recommendation for a good vietnam adventure book would be jokers war love and helicopter pilots what could go wrong. An accidental helicopter pilot in vietnam and beyond. The goal of the vhpa photo library is to record, preserve and display. A vietnam helicopter pilots war story north texas military biography and memoir series book 1 by chuck gross 4. The scope of the vhpa includes all helicopter related units, material and personnel that served in southeast asia during the vietnam era 1962 to 1975. Virginia rose ii cobra transferred to vietnam helicopters museum august 14, 2019 august 14, 2019. Thats all services, but only counts the united states.
Low level hell is one hell of a roller coaster ride, following the exploits of a american scout helicopter pilot during the vietnam war. Begun as a series of attempted letters to the department of veterans affairs, this compelling memoir of an aircraft commander in the 116th assault helicopter companythe hornetsrelates his experience of the war in frank detail. Protected by little more than an armoured seat, operating in terrible conditions and flying long hours these brave men led hard, dangerous lives, and casualties were high. Ups and downs is a great read for any military veteran.
This book examines the range of duties helicopter pilots carried out in vietnam, from airlift, medevac and firesupport to landing in high volume crossfires in hot lzs. As a former vietnam helicopter pilot during 1968 and 1969, i found his book exciting and accurate in details of flying in a war. United airlines family day flyin october, 2019 october, 2019. I recently wrote a book about my experience and it. Chickenhawk a true, bestselling story from the battlefield that faithfully portrays the horror, the madness, and the trauma of the vietnam war. On a hunterkiller mission in south vietnam, scout helicopter pilot hugh mills spotted an enemy bunker and reported it to the accompanying helicopter gunship.
Air america s black helicopter, the secret aircraft that helped the cia tap phones in north vietnam by james r. He spent his entire vietnam tour with the 71st assault helicopter company flying uh1 huey helicopters. Rattler oneseven puts you in the helicopter seat, to see the war in vietnam through the eyes of an inexperienced pilot as he transforms himself into a seasoned combat veteran. An excellent book about huey pilots during the vietnam war. Helicopter rescues vietnam this book document the dustoff, medevac and other helicopter rescues flown by very youthful helicopter crews in vietnam. Over 40,000 men flew helicopters during the viet war. This book examines the range of duties helicopter pilots carried out in vietnam, from airlift, medevac and firesupport to landing in high volume crossfires in read more. The bell uh1 iroquois nicknamed huey is a utility military helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine, with twobladed main and tail rotors. The book tells the tale of robert masons time in vietnam as a pilot of a huey helicopter. Huey pilot recounts deadly combat missions in vietnam. I flew hundreds of missions during some of the heaviest fighting of the war. Helicopters arrive for opening of remembering vietnam. Vietnamera helicopters arrived and were installed on the grounds of the national archives in time for fridays opening of the new remembering vietnam exhibit the helicopters, provided by the north carolina vietnam helicopter pilots association, arrived after dark november 6, and were offloaded with cranes and moved onto the lawn, where they will remain through opening weekend. Soon after the war he wrote down his adventures, while.
There are plenty of those out there, most quite well written. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. The author who is from carrolton, georgia flew the uh1 iroquois huey in the 229th assault helicopter battalion with the first cavalry division from june 1967 through june 1968 during the vietnam war. Army officer who received the medal of honor for his actions as a pilot during the battle of ia drang on november 14, 1965, in south vietnam. Based on personal experiences in vietnam, hueya novel by jay and david groenoffers a moving, actionfilled war story of unmistakable authenticity. During the battle, he flew 22 missions in an unarmed helicopter into enemy fire to evacuate more than 70 wounded. Lew jennings flew over 700 air cavalry cobra gunship helicopter missions and received three distinguished flying crosses for valor.