We all volunteered to do something that only a year or two before we could not have even dreamed that we would be doingsomething that only a very few could ever experience; something for which only a very few could even qualify. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. magazines, a membership directory and a calendar each year and periodically publishes Myth: Most Vietnam veterans were drafted. Most 18 year olds only think about girls and what they can get from them. The VHPA is a social organization only and The terms Protective Armor and Helicopter are mutually exclusive. 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. Also passed from President to President is a plaque with past Presidents' names on it. As explained by Peter E. Davies in his book UH-1 Huey Gunship Vs NVA/VC Forces Vietnam 1962-75, many US Army pilots volunteered for combat simply because they wanted to fly the UH-1. You can only download this statistic as a Premium user. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. It is By contrast, there still are 78,000 unaccounted-for Americans from World War II and 8,100 from the Korean conflict. Three of the five newest democracies are former Soviet republics: Belarus (where elections were first held in November 1995), Armenia (July 1995) and Kyrgyzstan (February 1995). 86% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasians, 12.5% were black, 1.2% were other races. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Dustoff 7-1-1, were going down over the sea. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the You were way more mature for your age than 99% of the young men today. dont care. . rotary wing aircrews that flew in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam Era. [Nixon], The Vietnam War has been the subject of thousands of newspaper and magazine articles, hundreds of books, and scores of movies and television documentaries. But as the Army would have it, during Friday night formation of the middle weekend of gun school, 24 of us, including 12 in the gun school, received orders to attend MedEvac school at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, immediately after graduation. You will meet and hear the stories of three U.S. Army helicopter pilots who flew missions in Vietnam in this video. UH-1 Huey Gunship Vs NVA/VC Forces Vietnam 1962-75 is published by Osprey and is available to order here. Over 900,000 patients were airlifted (nearly half were American). [Houk]. 5. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. Otherwise, if we got tangled up, it could cause the aircraft to crash. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Thanks for the memories. Thank you. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot 02.12.2021 hartford basketball roster 2021 jack flaherty contract bulls statement jersey 2020 is required reading in many colleges, High Schools and military units. One pilot lost a testicle to a .50-caliber round and was able to father only 44 children (at last count) after returning from overseas. n.. 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!. San Antonio, Texas 78208-0091, Copyright 2023 DUSTOFF Association | Powered by Barefoot Pixel, USAAAD conducts life-saving rescue of two civilians near Mount Adams. 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]. Your email address will not be published. $99) To contact the magazine editor aviator@vhpa.org. Wainwright Station He was an assault helicopter pilot, in other words a gunship pilot. Age 75 to 79 --------$100.00 May 18, 2021. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. We lost a lot of Pilots but we also lost a lot of Crew Chiefs and Door Gunners. [McCaffrey], Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. . 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. One out of every 10 Americans who served in Vietnam was a casualty. However, these same 18-year-old young men attended flight school and were given responsibility to operate a multi million dollar helicopter. Topics cover the entire spectrum from Vietnam to . From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 South Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. 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. [Nixon]. 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. Average age of 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years. [VHPA Databases] Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Databases. Hello, I enjoyed Reading the blog. In fact, after the 5-year post-service period, the rate of suicides is less in the Vietnam veterans' group." Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era (1961-1975). 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. I cannot talk about how tough flight school was, nor can I state what the washout rate was because I did not go myself. I suppose we would have survived; we had water wings! A third tradition is a bottle "The aviation units were the sole combat element of the U.S. Army that did not come. It was called "shell shock" and other names in previous wars. "Average age of active pilots in the United States from 2002 to 2020, by category*." Crew Members Association http://vhcma.org/. I arrived in Vietnam on the 4th of July 1969, barely 21 years old. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. No American had involvement in this incident near Trang Bang that burned Phan Thi Kim Phuc. Have you ever heard the expression, He was flying the aircraft balls out? That was us. sent to. I think I can make it back! was his last message as the aircraft caught fire, rolled inverted and crashed in flames, killing all on board. Over the course of the war, some 12,000 helicopters of various kinds saw service in Vietnam. [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. [1] "Vietnam helicopter pilots describe the war from the cockpit," YouTube video, posted by "Military Times," April 18th, 2018. 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. I told my roommate, This is it. Small, two seat TH-55 Osages were also used. Most Agent Orange contained .0002 of 1 percent of dioxin. Myth: Agent Orange poisoned millions of Vietnam veterans. 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). 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. [People], The evacuees were Vietnamese not American military. University. Click here to view the US Army educational video, "A Day in the Life of a Helicopter Pilot," circa 1967. By the end of the war half of them had been lost. . 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. They were the ones who flew the troops into and out of battle. When they saw one flying balls out, they knew it was a Dustoff on an urgent mission. 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 was NOT the U.S. Embassy. Those Hueys were their horses and they rode into battle en masse, to deliver their troops and evacuate the wounded. m.. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. herriman high school soccer roster. You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature. In, Federal Aviation Administration. Here is an example done at the 2005 The tactical situation is such that the ground troops cannot get the dead or wounded to a secure open area for evacuation. 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. He dropped to the deck a couple miles out and then screamed up the hill at 120 knots and tree top level, trying to sneak in past the enemy. 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. I promised myself that it would never happen again, and it didnt. Mine were draped over the back of my seat, along with my M-16 rifle. The Scout Team would search for the enemy and then have the Weapons Team come in and destroy the enemy. [People]. on 29 April 1975 from UPI's offices on the top floor of the Saigon Hotel which 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. [Westmoreland] Source: http://www.vhfcn.org/stat.html This freed Marine quotas at Pensacola which could be used to . Occasionally, the gunner and crew chief had to exit temporarily to reduce the weight sufficiently for take off. After that initial post-service period, Vietnam veterans were no more likely to die from suicide than non-Vietnam veterans. . [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. The further you fly into the mountains, the louder the strange engine noises become. Ground troops typically did not enter a sprayed area until four to six weeks after being sprayed. If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone. It was a rare breed of man whobecame a Scout Pilot. to Europe and both have since died. Walking is better than running. . c.. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy. There was an adrenaline high, too, and a tremendous sense of accomplishment that I have yet to experience since flying my last mission in Vietnam. about halfway down . g.. The Vietnam War was the turning point for Communism. Correspondence relating to commercial purposes or solicitations shall only be Thank you for your Service and Insight! I have posted your reply to Steve on here so he will be able to read it. 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. It called for release of all U.S. prisoners, withdrawal of U.S. forces, limitation of both sides' forces inside South Vietnam and a commitment to peaceful reunification. From a military standpoint, it was almost an unprecedented performance. [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. ab.. Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. In retrospect, I think that is what happened to one of the pilots in our unit a few months after I left. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand stayed free of Communism because of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam. It is dedicated to the fulfillment of [McCaffrey], MEDEVAC helicopters flew nearly 500,000 missions. In all, a very scary time for our country. k.. The pilots who were flying this helicopter, . A hoist mission was just the opposite. was several blocks from the Pittman Apartments. Innocent people get killed. I then realized that ole PP back there was just sitting in the hell hole taking it all in, not doing a thing! e.. Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover for you. [Westmoreland] Approximately 70% of those killed were volunteers. [McCaffrey], The oldest man killed was 62 years old (TAYLOR, KENNA CLYDE). . [McCaffrey], 87% of the American people hold Vietnam Vets in high esteem. Jurez y 18 de Marzo Col. Centro, C.P 96360 Nanchital, Ver. In reference to Mr. Walker, would he also be the same pilot that was nick named, Baby Huey in Vietnam? Epilogue: Most people who see photos of Dustoff Hueys in Vietnam observe only the outside of the aircraft. This famous picture is the property of UPI Corbus-Bettman Photo Agency. The Vietnam Helicopters Memorial Tree was dedicated in 2015 and honors the helicopter pilots and crew members who died while serving in Southeast Asia from 1961 to 1975. Correspondence relating to commercial purposes or solicitations shall only be a31 road closure alton; cdw insurance for rental cars; hygro cotton bath towels; Hello world! . was typical of the continual commentary from the enlisted crew members. The average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 44 years old. When sprayed on dense jungle foliage, less that 6 percent ever reached the ground. come left . I knew that if Don got in trouble on the approach, I could not be of much help because of the gunshot wound in my left arm, but we were Young and Stupid and we made it. an.. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. I was okay to fly helicopters in the Army, but not to drive a jeep! Mortality studies show that 9,000 is a better estimate. come right . They were utterly selfless and courageous warriors on our behalf. Average age of active pilots in the United States from 2002 to 2020, by category* [Graph]. rules. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE I LEARNED AS A HELICOPTER PILOT IN VIETNAM. how to unhide mouse cursor windows 10; Were about five miles out. Five miles out from where? The Vietnamese pilot who dropped the napalm in error is currently living in the United States. My opinion is that he was as afraid that he could not complete the mission, as much as he was afraid to die. aircraft in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era and inform them of the existence of the Please support The Veterans Site by adding us to your ad blockers whitelist ads help us to provide food and supplies to veterans. In order to be Old and Wise, one must first be young and stupid. The UH-1 evolved from a 1955 US Army competition for a new utility helicopter. To retrieve the data click on 2020 Active Civil Airmen Statistics. Five minutes or more seemed like hours while we sat in the air over the ground troops, taxing every bit of professionalism we hadand the reader better believe we had the utmost professionalism. Nighttime was even worse. 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. 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. Every helicopter flying in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. tail number N4 7004, were Bob Caron who lives in Florida and Jack While there are still officially more than 2,200 cases, there now are only 55 incidents of American servicemen who were last seen alive but aren't accounted for. . The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and schoolteachers. The domino theory was accurate. . They explained the trajectory of the weapons fired from an aircraft, especially when firing in a turn., Fort Rucker trained 120 aviators on its gunship aerial weapons course for the UH-1B in 1965. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot. Register in seconds and access exclusive features. Drinking and how not to get caught. It can be expressed in its mathematical formula of S (suction) + H (height) above ground) + I (interest in staying alive) + T (# of tracers coming your way). Another tradition started in 1988 is a "Cobra" Uh, thats a can opener for those of you who arent military. 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. He he he he . to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. [Nixon] Atrocities - every war has atrocities. 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. He was not strapped in. It The American military did not lose a battle of any consequence. Myth: The fighting in Vietnam was not as intense as in World War II. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Refining close formation skills was an immediate requirement, as airborne assaults could involve a tight gaggle of up to 40 helicopters, including ten gunships. Yet undoubtedly every plane in Laos carried opium at some time, unknown to the pilot and his superiors. The emotions are almost indescribable, but there was one more feeling: relief from being so scared! It was finally time to find out if we had the gonads to be combat helicopter pilots. Is this the Steve DaCosta who was friend of my brother W.O. In fact, we all did well. 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. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. One point I want to make is the the Crew Chiefs and Door Gunners were the and are still the best as well. of fuel, ammunition and other supplies because of a lack of support from 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?. I did well enough to make the school, along with about 25 of my classmates. 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. Vietnam seldom flew above 1,500 feet which is traffic pattern altitude for Obviously, I was wrong, but I did not know it then. In closing, I would merely like to state that I am able to write this today in large part because of luck whole lot of GOOD luck and a little bit of good humor. 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. Sometimes, being good and lucky still is not enough. ai.. Life member rates based on age are as follows (also