"Pogo" Hunter who died in 1995. Myth: The war was fought largely by the poor and uneducated. Please use the membership application form to submit Search: Average Age Of Vietnam Helicopter Pilot. I and many more just like me can only say Thank You for all that you did. American-owned airlines never knowingly transported opium in or out of Laos, nor did their American pilots ever profit from its transport. VHPA and encourage all eligible individuals to become members. 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. Epilogue: Most people who see photos of Dustoff Hueys in Vietnam observe only the outside of the aircraft. You will get a sense of what that was like from listening to his stories. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. applies to subscribers): Age 80 and above ---$75.00 There, the new guys learned how to apply their recently found skills to combat situations. . was typical of the continual commentary from the enlisted crew members. Most of our Door Gunners and Crew Chiefs were also 18-21 years old. Myth: The American military was running for their lives during the fall of Saigon in April 1975. Values are as of December 31 each year. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. [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. c.. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy. Myth: The domino theory was proved false. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy. [McCaffrey] Speech by Lt. Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, (reproduced in the Pentagram, June 4, 1993) assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Vietnam veterans and visitors gathered at "The Wall", Memorial Day 1993. The Scout Pilot. The total of non-pilot crewmembers killed was 2,704, according to records of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots' Association. As a group, we helicopter pilots did what we had to do and then some. No this is Pat Bieneman I am the owner of this site. Running is better than crawling. It was a rare breed of man whobecame a Scout Pilot. [The Wall Street Journal] The Wall Street Journal, 1 June 1996 page A15. I logged 205 hours in Flight Training. confidential. on VHFCN (http://www.vhfcn.org) , Heli-Vets and FaceBook also another FaceBook site. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. "The CDC Vietnam Experience Study Mortality Assessment showed that during the first 5 years after discharge, deaths from suicide were 1.7 times more likely among Vietnam veterans than non-Vietnam veterans. We especially were concerned about the troops we were there to support. Don S. the last (in-country) Masher33, 1971, It is not easy to read this stuff. The second pilot you will meet is retired CWO2 Allan Potter. [Westmoreland] Source: http://www.vhfcn.org/stat.html The American military was not defeated in Vietnam. The longer you stare at the gauges the less time it takes them to move from green to red. 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. Chart. I can tell you what in my opinion made the best pilots. [Burkett]. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. 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 . average age of vietnam helicopter pilot. Their stories are extremely compelling. t.. As an elevator at the reunion hotel was transporting me and other attendees to the Saturday night banquet, another Dustoff pilot stepped on from his floor. sent to webmaster@vhpa.org whereupon Maturity, self-confident, bravery, willing to take chances, courageous, and yes fun-loving are the attributes that make a great pilot. The early (65-68) Weapons Team was made up of two pilots, crew chief and a door gunner. Steve DaCosta, Cavalier15, June67-June68. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. He he he he . 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. Background [ edit ] On 11 December 1961, the USS Core (T-AKV-41) docked in Saigon with 32 U.S. Army Piasecki H-21 helicopters and 400 crewmen of the 8th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter) and the 57th . . Click here to view the US Army educational video, "A Day in the Life of a Helicopter Pilot," circa 1967. rotary wing aircrews that flew in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam Era. They were immensely important to the troops on the ground as aerial fire power. Federal Aviation Administration. No American had involvement in this incident near Trang Bang that burned Phan Thi Kim Phuc. 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. 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. Mailing Address:
Number of helicopter pilot licenses in China 2014-2019; Global share of pilots whose mental health was affected by the pandemic 2020 ; All of these, however, are preferable to cold rice balls, even if they do have the little pieces of fish in them. He was an assault helicopter pilot, in other words a gunship pilot. k.. Its just what they do. Hello, I enjoyed Reading the blog. I graduated from Flight Training 2 day short of a year. By contrast, there still are 78,000 unaccounted-for Americans from World War II and 8,100 from the Korean conflict. Accessed March 04, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/919100/aviation-industry-average-age-of-active-pilots-in-the-united-states-by-category/, Federal Aviation Administration. 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. . In other words, it took a man with a huge pair of Brass Balls but with the ability to know when to use them but with the brains to know when to hold them. Age 75 to 79 --------$100.00 Your email address will not be published. And two are in Africa: Tanzania (October 1995) and Guinea (June 1995). When we were on short final approach over the landing zone, I heard small arms fire and my brand-new Crew Chief yelled Were taking fire!, I pulled power into the rotor system to get out of there as quickly as I could, when the radio operator on the ground called out Dustoff, where are you going?. The pilots who were flying this helicopter, Myth: A disproportionate number of blacks were killed in the Vietnam War. Age 59 and below --$450.00. Information contained herein shall not be used for commercial v.. A free fire zone has nothing to do with economics. If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home either. "The aviation units were the sole combat element of the U.S. Army that did not come. They could often see what we could not and helped keep the enemy off of us and to even the odds for us, so to speak. 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! Later, the crew became a two-man pilot team. After the first of the two injured soldiers was hoisted on board, the din of the covering fire began to register in my head. Those of us lucky enough to come home learned from the experience and were, without question, changed men, no longer wide-eyed boys. From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. As MedEvac helicopter pilots, we flew the only Army Hueys equipped with the electric hoist/winch. Nighttime was even worse. Obviously, I was wrong, but I did not know it then. tail number N4 7004, were Bob Caron who lives in Florida and Jack 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. Thank you. come left . While in themselves those landings were not stupid, the way we got there was! 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. From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. (the herbicide was called "orange" in Vietnam, not Agent Orange. [People]. m.. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. Damn Navy talk! The hospital ship would then radio to the helicopter again, Just come in from the left and land to the back of the boat. It always got an immediate Roger!. Five Thousand pilots and crews lost their lives and 3,258 Hueys alone were lost during the war. Show publisher information aa..Thus the term SHIT! can also be used to denote a situation where high Pucker Factor is being encountered. Age 65 to 69 --------$250.00 In all, a very scary time for our country. They were utterly selfless and courageous warriors on our behalf. keep your tail straight . As the Aircraft Commander in control of the helicopter, my eyes never left the tree branches that were touching the nose of my aircraft. ak.. 4.7 average based on 3 product ratings. That sinister-sounding term was coined after the war) Orange was sprayed at three gallons per acre that was the equivalent of .009 of an ounce per square foot. It required every skill we had. Those trainers were so small you could lean in them to make the thing turn. [McCaffrey], The oldest man killed was 62 years old (TAYLOR, KENNA CLYDE). Or, to hear veteran helicopter pilots describe their personal experiences in the line of duty, click here. ai.. I can personally remember one time when we were pinned down due to superior enemy fire from a tree line and a weapons platoon helicopter (Cobra) sat just off to our right and lit up the tree line with such superior fire that the enemy was destroyed. Both immigrated its on the ground . The additional weight of patients on the end of the hoist as they were lifted off the ground further complicated the stability of the aircraft. You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. . In fact, not at all, since we usually flew with the doors open, even at night. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, youre about to be surprised. . You were way more mature for your age than 99% of the young men today. Scared that maybe, just maybe, youll fail your mission where someone else just like you would have succeeded. The 1990 unsuccessful movie "Air America" helped to establish the myth of a connection between Air America, the CIA, and the Laotian drug trade. A third tradition is a bottle If we had been shot down on virtually any hoist mission, our high hover would not have allowed us to make a safe landing, and many would surely have died. It is dedicated to the fulfillment of Deaths Average Age Enlisted: 50,274, 22.37 years Officers: 6,598, 28.43 years [CACF] (Combat Area Casualty File) November 1993. 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 . Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican . In order to be Old and Wise, one must first be young and stupid. In the last decade, 69 nations have held multi-party elections for the first time in their histories. Sometimes, being good and lucky still is not enough. He was a Dustoff pilot. I cannot talk about how tough flight school was, nor can I state what the washout rate was because I did not go myself. Put some fire in that bunker! I yelled to Private Whats-His-Name. The Pilots of 1st of the 9th Cav were and yes still are the best. who is now retired in Arizona. U.S. active certificated pilots - average age 1993-2020; . Small, two seat TH-55 Osages were also used. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NEW 2008 HASBRO GI Joe Helicopter Pilot Wild Bill 25th Anniversary FREE SHIPPING at the best online prices at eBay! Many times when either our troopers on the ground or another unit was facing enemy fire these brave men would come in with weapons blazing either destroying the enemy or allowing the ground troops to attain and then maintain superior fire power. The Veterans Site honors the helicopter pilots and crews who fought so hard for us on the ground throughout the Vietnam War. This included Basic Combat Training and Flight Training. A dead man, meaning, he should never have made it back because Dustoff aircraft were unarmed MedEvac helicopters with red and white targets (crosses) painted all over them and flew single-ship missions. Mine were draped over the back of my seat, along with my M-16 rifle. Whatd he say? Hell, I dont know. As soon as he stepped from the left side to the right, the aircraft tipped. We sacrificed our youth and innocence; we achieved above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis. Shortly after arriving at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, I learned that those of us with the highest flight grades would attend a two-week gun school near the end of training, while the rest learned formation flying. On 11 December 1961, the USS Core (T-AKV-41) docked in Saigon with 32 U.S. Army Piasecki H-21 helicopters and 400 crewmen of the 8th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter) and the 57th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter). To all of the brave Pilots and their crews, I can say but three things. Another tradition started in 1988 is a "Cobra" I was okay to fly helicopters in the Army, but not to drive a jeep! 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. As a result, less than one percent of all Americans wounded who survived the first 24 hours died. It happened many times, and their names are on The Wall in Washington, D.C. One particular mission I recall was a day hoist. Over the ten years of the war, Operation Ranch Hand sprayed about eleven million gallons of Agent Orange on the South Vietnamese landscape. Most Agent Orange contained .0002 of 1 percent of dioxin. We thank God for these pilots and crews who fearlessly went into our hell on our behalf day in and day out, during the Vietnam War. Two high ranking He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force. . Flying is better than walking. Tran Van Don and the head of the secret police Tran Kim Tuyen. 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. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact. Prayer may not help . . s.. 01/09/2013. 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. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. Experienced pilots with proven records of successful, aggressive combat could be invited to join a platoon in a fire team of one or two gunships operating with a scout helicopter and escorting slick assaults. The U.S. Embassy and its helipad were much larger. You only have access to basic statistics. [Parade Magazine] August 18, 1996 page 10. For more information see XV, Issue VII. Most of the Commissioned Officers were older. An automobile accident or other traumatic event also can cause it. Average age of active pilots in the United States from 2002 to 2020, by category* [Graph]. A Scout team consisted of a pilot, a Door Gunner and an observer. Online membership These new battalions eventually formed a sort of modern-day cavalry for the Army. But come look for us, will ya? (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. The average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 45 years old. Those Hueys were their horses and they rode into battle en masse, to deliver their troops and evacuate the wounded. 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.