This is Jocapa gas number two. Seventy five with ECHO Charles and me Jocker, willing good evening echo, building I have thought about writing this. For the past forty eight years as I wrote, I felt it was important to relate to those great soldiers that made this such a great company. We heavy journey in life with many cross, roads, curves and offshoots the synergistic effect creator. individual journeys coming together at this point in time, at this location created organization that true stood above the rest, I would even organization ebbs and flows with quality of the leadership and the dedication personalities and expertise of the individuals present at a particular time. During time period. I witnessed the

synergism of the unit only increase further with each passing month. This story, important, so that people know who the helicopter crews were and what they were. To do and did in ninety, sixty four sixty five, the army ramped up the warrant officer candidate programme to meet the expanding need for helicopter pilots in Vietnam, free one thousand nine hundred and sixty five and one thousand nine hundred and seventy one. Forty four thousand warrant Officer Cadet were awarded flight wings. Most who graduates and so had some college, the Abbe age of pilots, crew Chiefs door, gunners. was twenty years old, badly needed. They were trained, quick

we and given enormous responsibility to maintain a very complex piece of equipment or aircraft we're not a sophisticated as the machines today, but the which one d and the? U each one h models were exceptional forgiven. war courses, without which this war could not have been waged of the fire thousand you each one. Helicopters that went to Vietnam, starting in nineteen sixty two over three thousand three hundred orders were destroyed in combat this declared war also could not have been waged with the young men that supported maintained and crude these aircraft. average age of pilots and crews twenty years old, three thousand

Three hundred out of five thousand helicopters were lost in combat, and that is a little exe. from the introduction of a book called undaunted valor and assault helicopter unit in Vietnam, one thousand nine hundred and sixty nine to nineteen. Seventy. The book was written by Colonel Matt Jackson, who served as a? U H, one also known as the Huey pilot in the twenty seventh assault helicopter battalion in Vietnam. also continued on in the army after Vietnam becoming an infantry officer and events, commanding a battalion during the First Gulf WAR and the largest air, result in history with the hundred first airborne division, and it is an honour to have Colonel MA.

Jackson here with us tonight to discuss his experiences and share his lessons. Learned. Colonel banks will come in on Nike Jackal for her it's a pretty awesome to read your book and then be sitting here talking to you and before jump into the book. Let's talk about because the book, the book, pumps right into the basically you and listing in the army. Let's, let's go back a little bit further. That's where you were born in in in in the Navy yard in Brooklyn and dad was a was in the navy. Yes, yes, born devastation at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, nineteen, forty seven he had been on submarines during the Pacific is for ship was a Lexington. Still like it went down, and then he decided to transfer the submarines at that cuz. He felt they were safer than receiving dive bombers, so so so he was on. He was on the court. He was on what shipping, in the battle of Coral Sea to Lexington

went down. He got recovered by one of the other vessels. Here he was in the water for about six hours, for he got picked up by a destroyer solved. Any transfer of when it got out keep my back and transport over the submarine service he thought that the submarines would be safer. He didn't like aeroplanes, man so there. I was born in Brooklyn, Navy ART and every three After that, for the rest of my life until I joined the army, we move to a different place, constantly moving around dad jump from one summary to another Norfolk key West pulls ITALY, Yokohama, Japan, Coups May Oregon. So quite extensive travel as a kid. Dad. Was it wasn't, MR guy? In the beginning he started as enlisted. He was a master chief. nineteen years in and then through. The elder Yo Programme got promoted to a lieutenant J G and state. In till he made them commander and he got out nineteen. Seventy three

he was commanding the Navy Basin Coups Bay, Org and what was your dad like me? What's goin on appointments all the time when you are grown up or was that like yeah he's got a lot, but in those days the old diesel subs ego after two or three weeks and then he be back in and Mama through Stan. You know, I'm and it was a shoe spatula bell to back of her hand, but dad was despite area and from a very young age. I was too, that you say yes, sir. No sir, yes MA am no man and don't you dare caught lying. There was none. My dad matter than a catchy line. I would get a spanking, never got beaten, backed up little. Fanny got worn out a couple of times by dad. I learned real quick, but he was a good man, so small and so you're you're travelling around. All these different places are you play sports? What's what site? What would your Hobbes when you're grown up hunting dad taught me? shoot when I was seven years old and end

can't. We had we beyond the weakens out hunting, someplace squirrel hunting or deer hunting, that was we live in Virginia in Connecticut, in ITALY. I learned play soccer because all my friends were Italians and and I learned speak very good italian. You are come up my house and now a sector where small, italian, but would guess, played a lot of baseball, softball Whenas kid typical kid things. typical kid things, and so would you do with? Where were you when you graduated, when you graduated from high school, in Yokohama, Japan and the Learned I learned to play football because we had have every high school kid playing in order to have a team, all the boys plain anyway and that's our learn. Judo to Judo. Lessons was a rate dakota on End during my time in Japan we were there for two years. In there I found a very enjoyable servant well. When you graduated high school was your dad looking at you ready,

throw you out enable you turned eighteen, I go. You go figured out now. Well, dad dad said today I gradually sits on you have three choices: you can go to college you'd, go to work or you can go in the military, but the operative word is: you can go over two days after after our gradual high school, went back to Oregon, got a job on the login crew set and jokers and then went to for for year, Next summer I shipped out on a merchant oil tanker. The this american trader did two trips to from open out Saudi Arabia on an oil tanker, and then back and did another your college and it was a pretty worthless here. So was somewhat years this. This is in its at once Knowledge is sixty five and sixty six. I went out on the merchant mariners and then, when I came back, sixty seven was worthless year and at the industry seven dad was come back in Japan away little discussion about my future

to go back and emergent mariners. He said if you do, that, you never go back to college and he was right. I wouldn't I loved the merger Mariners Anna camera join the marine corps. He said you join them rank or their antics. Both the hospital extract, my put Herein acts. I thought this conversation is going nowhere for to offer to, and he said, look at you ve got a private pilots, licence, Why don't you go into that army one officer flight programme, so the next day I went down signed up for you. You have Your private pilots licences already. What was that I mean how come you did that? Were you just interest where, like flying, he had the first two years I was in high school willing coups may organ. And I got a job workin out the airport, refuel and aeroplanes and instead again paid in cash. I get paid in flying lessons. So by doing that, I was really get my private pilots licences just We went to Japan, so you like flying and your dad says your dad knew about this worn off your programme. Did you

recognize what was going to happen with its worn off the programme. I mean wheat within that introduction that I just read. You know you're talking about the fact that they needed they needed pilots. They pilots for a reason I mean there. They were loose numb and did you just think? Ok? Well, that's! That's! That's a path I'm gonna take. I thought I'm getting out of college. I really do big picture about real what was happening over there would see, and on tv you know, but now I just I was terminals getting out of college one where the other- and that was the path to get out of college right then and herself I joined up so this book. daunted Valor Darzac There is actually three books. It you ve written called under. did Valor the first one. Is this one and assault helicopter unit Vietnam? The next one is called of honour and then Lamb song, seven nineteen, that's volume, one two and three so This book you eat were you explain to me or

The way that I understand it is that this first book volume one year the lead character, even though it character as a different aim: Dan Corey, that's death. This is your story. That's correct! and I mean it's real, I mean if you're trying to cover up you didn't do a great job every day and authorities dad was a mass of GDP, gave an officer didn't he grew up in all these different places, and so you didn't yogurt is a reason why you said you know what I'm gonna change my name in this book. It just goes. My attorneys said it. You want change your name. You dont want to use your real name in the book. So its reasoning, I come up with New Corey, you did? You pulled the inquiry out of anyone without a name that meant anything. Corey was good friend of mine in college and Dan I just gonna, pull that whenever a year or so right on so We're gonna jump into this first book here a little bit and well. Here we go first chapters called

begins, it says raising our right hands. We all took the oath of allegiance. Those of us there. Or flight school wannabes were escorted to awaiting cab. That was to take us to the airport we weren't there were an I wore protesters blocking the front door, so we went out the back through and abandoned storefront instead of bans playing as we went off to combat as our grandfathers that experienced, we were sneaking out the back door. That's correct is back and see this with in February, Sixty eight and important worry at that time, as today they had demonstrators said the map station all in front of the map station. So what they had. the map station had a back door that went through an abandoned storefront and they would take us in and bring us out through the back door so that we do not put up with protesters around

yeah and you said, is your grandfather at your grandparents went off to war, but is actually your parents, your dad who went off to war? Well, my dad and my grandfather. My grandfather was in destroyers in war war. One served in the Navy back then, and I went to the big wars, fast forward a little bit you get taboo camp highlight this one sex who kept the hill. Was a hundred yards dirt and gravel field, with a steep slope of fifty feet. At one end, we were lined up by squad and for ranks of ten on command. We had to crawl to the top of the slope when I reached the my hands knees and elbows were raw for the next three days. We revisited the hill each evening. for child on the third day. I was really feeling sorry for myself. Suddenly I had to come, Jesus moment: hey dumb, ass You volunteered to be here. You weren't drafted you quit college and volunteered for this shit. So stop your crying and suck it up. Here.

It was they who was there. He was I'm afraid they now you as a seal sitting near your chuckling, because you think my God, what about your wimps going about health, but the much guys it just gotten Muslim, redraft ease and the We are in a state of shock as efforts of the very first day and basic training. We spent five days in reception station and the treaty. So nice, and then you get over to the company and, oh, my God, the drill Sarge were devouring us So we started this here and I'm thinking- oh my god. This is the ice, kill him. My niece was all stones, Misa, gettin torn up hands, gettin torn up, and on the third day I had a premonition came sucking up. So so on a boot camp with just everyone just normal. Everyone is going in the army. Oh yeah, yeah yeah there's no special treatment because you're goin in this one afternoon I am no basic training. Was you throw with everybody draft these National Guard reservists regular.

Army guys enlisted and you all went to Fort Puke Louis for POP Louisiana, fast forward a little bit. You get done with basic training and look you got all this is the thing I always have to make this statement. I'm not reading the whole book people if you got. At the book to get all of it but observe when it might sound like it's. Been around. It is jumping around I'm just general through sanctions. The stories you gotta, you gotta, put your great stories in here and and just the lessons learned ominous fast forward, a little bit. You get done with basic training, and then you Pre flight- and you say, based training, Taunus discipline, pre flight is going to teach us attention to detail, Cadet Brady Trade. The eighteen hundred briefing welcomed a pre flight, I'm a hold over from a previous previous class. So me, and the other cadets were directed to meet you and get you settled in after tomorrow morning. We're just like you and in this with you first for me, will be at zero, five thirty and it will be frightening. Our tack often

are worn officers will finish their flying towards in Vietnam now their baby sitting us instead of being instructor, pilots and they're, not happy about it. You can expect you're asked smoked in the morning. Nothing you do make them happy so be prepared for this mission. in time going through this and I'll try to laugh my way through tomorrow morning, because it's the only thing to do. He explained cats It could do they dig smoke too said. First morning effect they smoke this all the way through pre flight and the big thing pre flight, if we didn't realize at the time, was attention to detail because the quickest they never get killed in a helicopters are broken safety wire or a bolt that that's turn slippage marks aren't lined up. So that's what they're adamant about their pre flight is techies stationed in detail. How much detail at the end of the third week, we had to take our built buckles. Apart are brass belt buckles and We in the inside to get the penicillin out or they be terribly book but buckles Part of your shoes, your low quarters,

She had to be sure and take a black Nigel marker and go around the. side to cover up any anyhow stitching that it turned white. Your uniform. She had take black magic more on your uniform or you named tax rates and make sure that that thread had turned any white toothbrush. You bet sure, there's no left over toothpaste inside that toothbrush was all all kinds of things that damn that they went through an end it paid off. I mean it really paid off once we got the flight line that the idea of attention to detail: yeah the yeah. That's it that's it. If your man went to Navy boot camp- and I don't think it was a strange into that, but again. It's all the same thing attention it details huge and I remember they have the drill instructors it at offshore cannot school. They have a day walk around the metal ruler in their pocket and they measuring Europe

folded, underwear to make sure that they are whatever it was four and three quarters inches by foreign. Three currencies: perfect square! That's what it's gonna be in doubt. You fail tension in Egypt. refers, was rolled underwear nine inches long ago so and they they had rulers and fading like it, you'd come back and that barracks torn apart bids, be upside down. Mattresses upside down everything out of foot, lockers and tack officer be stand there waitin, for God help you up again. hate too fast forward through so much good stuff, but I have to go on a flight school did get a pay raise come to flight school as we are promoted from e want or ie to private tv. Five sergeants are went from ninety eight dollars to two hundred twenty five dollars a month. Almost all extra pay went to two things: haircuts and laundry bills every day

half a day on the flight line in a flight suit and with those great flight suits of over from the six at your force. Work Navy, worn Orange one of the other half the day, urine fatigues starch fatigues and they better not be broken off from yesterday. You better be breakin starch every day and they were so bad that you had a work at getting your leg down parents or your arm down the sleeve I mean it was. It was brought starch led by God, you had to do that every day in between here That's in the laundry bill there, what you pay rates right there so that lasted willing. I know you're in the army until the nineties, but when I came in the Navy and when I got to seal team, I when I was going through six. Your training same thing, which is freaking crazy, because that is most pointless thing in the world have combat unity. Arms starched. I think it was the marine corps. God bless, him was the first

With that I saw where they said. Look you? U dont starch those uniforms and they started just looking like normal clothes, which was, I remember when the army got away from it. I think it was in the the mid seventies that no you don't need to start. fatigues anymore than definitely one. The the beady use came out. It was big, no known to get those think starch so well. I was glad to see that I wish the Navy wouldn't know MAX. I had starts be used for the first ten years of my career, absolute as very fact, my son was going through some mild gear, the other dating this put picking up a bare by two pair Panther freakin, twenty or thirty years old, and here still, you could put em on inspection ready. They it's over arching boom once we completely fleet pre flight training, we entered primary flight training at any time in nineteen sixty there were ten flight companies in session. You ended up you, you

pick. While you, I guess you draw what can a helicopter to fly now? You're told you get your old and you get the teach. Fifty five love that aircraft looks like looks like kind of a. Dragon fly. Look here: it's the this is bought. The army bought them right off the shelf from Hughes Aircraft In civilian, Wurlitzer, Hughes, three hundred You started the engine up, then you engaged the clutch which engaged eight rubber bans that turn the main road, and so we got that gone for he had got down for the thing. Had a tough our down here in Texas in the summer, the always thirteen and the twenty three together to training aircraft barely get off the ground, th fifty five, which spring off the ground. So it was just a great aircraft to fly. I loved it also mom. About two months into our flight training. We returned from a flight line. We are told to get in company formation right away once all too

seventy five of us were assembled, as we have heard about If I drop out the class this point, our company commander came forward and address the class one of our fellow. classmates crash that day and was killed. That was some none of us had considered at this point our training, his death would not be the last either another student and is Instructor were killed in MID air collision with another aircraft phone by someone from another class. How they work a lot more merit. Mid air collisions. Always amazed me little bit of awake, well, it was here he had roughly round five hundred aircraft at eight, in the morning, leaving and back in that eleven o clock and then leaving again at one o clock and come back at five o clock ammo. reform by students so students had anywhere from Ten hours to fifty hours were less. He got up to you. I got hundred hours tone. Why you're in fright school early flight school First Asia,

So you had a lot of experience at their runnin around and not that big of an area and why we didn't have a lot more air meteors. I have no idea the the once do the first is that we lost, he flew into a cloud and we haven't had any. Whether instrument training. Yet that point, while he went in the cloud people, it's We came out it upside down whose inverted and you just don't. Inverting helicopter doesn't work that he got killed that way than the other one was a student, an instructor and another aircraft slammed into them. We lost them there. Those are the only to then I knew about. There are others that they did happen and other flight classes, but we are kind of fortunate. We started out with three hundred and fifty. We graduated, I think, one, one fifty somewhere that neighbourhood there. Get done with that, its onto advance, flight training. This was a kind of headed,

there's a good leadership lesson here that I wanted to jump into this your approaching the end of our instrument, training when we returned to the barracks from the flight line the night prior to media allergy, meteorology exam, Mr Clinton wasn't have, with the condition of the barracks and a guy on a rampage aided by a bottle of Jack Daniels. Beds were overturned while locker contents were flaunt were lying on the floor. The fire hose was spring water and the content of everyone's foot. Lockers were everywhere, except in the foot lockers. He was a tirade one that was singled out. Mr Clinton was parading him Evidently they could. I was responsible for his five o clock shadow. Mr Clinton told the cadet to get into the push up position once there he placed a razor on the foreign fond of him and told him to shave. The cadet looked scared and I was mad. I've had enough of Mister Collins cry

With all respect for his rank that I could muster, I stepped forward and gotten cleanse face, sir. You drinking and you are drunk if you do not leave this minute, I'm going straight to the company commander and have him resolve this situation now. Leave I shouted there was dead silence, Mr Clinton, just therein glared at me with his bloodshot eyes, everyone was watching. Finally, he laughed and staggered out of the barracks everyone, including me side, with relief. We spent most I'm getting the barracks back in order and no one had not opportunities study for the weather exam. It showed the next day The exam was in the morning when we return to the barracks. After flying. In the afternoon, we were immediately informed by the company first sergeant that we were all restricted to the barracks until further notice- and I wish to report the company commanders office when I arrive, the senior officer from the Weather Committee was present as well. I was too sit down. Could at Corey do. You know why I have restricted the company and called you hear the company commander asked like I was so

clairvoyant, and I could read his mind this first time I ever spoken to the man again, dad words of wisdom came to mind no sir, I replied knowing wasn't the time to be a smart ass, it appears Cadet Corey, that most class failed, the weather exam, we no why he stated. Oh shit, most of them, ass, which includes me to akin as class leader was my fault. Didn't you see, for the exam last night asked whether committee instructor, who didn't look happy. Why do nice back that shit role downhill here and it was coming height at me. However, I was a! U turn for this shitstorm, no sir. We didn't study. Last night we had a party. Instead, I reply Their eyes bulged and I thought both men were going to drop dead from heart attack. You did what gag becomes commander, you had a party the night before the most have one of the most Exams in this course you realized, but by having a party and feeling that exam you could, all flights could be sent to infantry immediately, yes,

replied and let them stew on this revelation now the weather doktor at a grin on his face. He turned to the company commander. Well, I guess the problem. With the instruction, both the discipline of these cadets beginnings. What's going on here, somewhere above their level, the shit it hit the fan and somewhat high up was looking for somewhere to lay the blame. The army needed helicopter pilots at this point had said considerable money, training. Eighty cadets the army couldn't afford to wash out. Eighty could at one time the company commander wasn't looking to good right about now. Could Corey. Why in the hell, would you have a party the night before your exam, sir had no choice. I answered sheepishly. I was beginning to joy. This I'd put around the military long enough to know when people were to state a panic over something that, terribly wrong o dad. You taught me well what the hell do. You mean you had no choice: the company commander, Sir, when we returned from flight line last night, Mr Clinton had torn apart the barracks to include turning on the our homes and told us to get the mess cleaned. Up before morning, we had a barracks

meaning party to get it squared away and not took until midnight light out like with a twenty two hundred, but we worked on stuff until dark until we had taken care of only the married men had a chance to study last night, you're dismiss Connect Corrie and there you go so you, you you then up there you go to the company commander. Then you end up with a battalion commander and confidant fire and the school commandant. Finally,. You end up all assembled the baton, commander comes out, I'm lieutenant Oh bar low you're Battalion Commander have not met most. Do you normally do not meet cadets until graduation? However, because this incident I have met some of you and thought I should meet all of you. What you have experienced is not typical of the treatment. Cadets change been made. The first be

that you have a new company commander, major kid or will be your company command of the remainder. Your training, Mr Clinton, started first class moron will no longer be your tax, either major killer and turns it over the debt to back up a little bit. at last got a bad wrapped. The for the very first day we showed up at me in another guy, we had flown into Savannah the night before so There are twelve hundred our report him and I got there at about eleven. So we we report on time, the rest of the guys they all flew in on a flight that was supposed to land at eight o clock in the morning, but didn't because of the weather. So they all rode up an hour late, so that set Clinton off and for weeks, we never got a pass to get off the base where every other class, blanket passes on the weakens, and so Clinton and in the man had a drinking problems who was in the first instance with him, but this is the one it broke camel's back when he went. He went through that

that whether exam is, as I said, the book you can afford it- seventy nine guys right now. Somebody was gonna go ballistic over this, so it worked its way up in. Thank God. We got to the brigade Commanders Office and they me, they said the. Why do you think Mr Clinton did that? I said well, sir, because he was drunk, will the three them looked at me like. Do you What you just said, you accuse an officer of this a little bit older than most cadets, I joined the army. I was twenty one day I came in and all the classmates they were. Nineteen twenty year olds, been around the military, all my life. I had an idea how things worked, so I've squirrels. plainly trump cards nets, and that's where I played the Trump card was with them for gay commander no over the next. nowadays. I called in every

They call him three guys and they'd asked them the same questions it and everybody back. Like my comments up. So we got Mr Clinton got rid of Mr Clinton bit of sergeant Moura and a username sergeant moron I never the guy who speak he had. He had tattoos when I'm everywhere before tattoos were popular, and so I don't know anything about the man outside of you never said anything separated, it was more, but then, after that we wanted to our advanced training. We transition was the following Monday morning and things went along really well after that. With the new major kit him, it was a user great guy how'd you like that Huey. When you started fine, I loved it. I still love the Huey to this day who is a fantastic aircraft, had plenty of power? Even the delta models had plenty of power, they were forgiving, they were just as they were dream the fly and they still are.

Isn't it great? Oh, I guess it's not too crazy. May I join the Navy and nineteen ninety and- soon had here, is understood. He was right now, the army's put all layers, and you see him sort of our marine corps. course gonna different Huey. They got a big beefed up one mocha muscular thanks twin engines, and I'm not sure if it's got four router blazer just too, but they ve got a beefed up Huey, that's much much bigger than the army's ever more. So it's great aircraft. I mean why wouldn't still be using today. I don't know I'm not gonna Blackhawks, now her their way, bigger than ever their way smaller than a black hawk there. Oh yeah yeah tiny. We get the we can get six combat troops besides the crew crew, for aboard and had power to be able to do things and stuff like the black hawk, and we assaulted into a rack. Backdoor and desert storm, There was fifteen guys my aircraft with me and my arm.

He owes my friend and I have one squad of instrument with memorial and answer much more power, much more from much faster crap. It was an aircraft, the black hawk. I was on the test bed, for They were designed? in case? We went in the war, the ram and that's that's right, What we are looking to us for aircraft it could get. The attitude of the mountainous out and mountain altitude Round ran to replace the Huey, and the black hawk was the that the choice over it favours too. There was a Boeing. Put, proposals for the new tasks and its course he put a proposal for the youth ass. It was called you test at that time. The utility tactical transport system and Sikorski one at one, so and it seems like when you look at the the Huey. It's like a friggin nineteen. Sixty nine Also car, just in terms of hey, that's the engine. Theirs You will see that the aircraft now the helicopters there's someone

computer parts through its act when you open up the the hood of a car nowadays, No one thousand writers all do what you get. You can fix any of it. Red. Should you look? Do you look at the huge who's, the guy crew in the Huey? The guy was nineteen years old, maybe twenty and he was the crew chief and what kids did with those engines was just amazing. They work Ottoman yelled I was up. Let the most dangerous thing you could do is let the pilot up their round the engine. Microwave- wouldn't dare do that, but these kids today really maintain those things. Well, what would they couldn't do it? praetor level at the crew chief level. They wanted the maintenance level, which is right there with our unit, and they were all nineteen and twenty euros noon. The sheet metal work in the electronics. Will I took a bullet through the year through the wiring bundle. One day The warring bundle was about that thick and it was maybe thirty five feet the white wires in there and I saw a kid sit down and sit there

with each one of those wires back properly to each one of them. Together get the communications in the electronics all working to me it was a bunch, a spaghetti. so fast forward a little bit. Let's get a book to Vietnam the flight from Fort Loose. Washington of Vietnam was fourteen hours in the two hour. Stop at Yokota AIR Force Base outside of Tokyo, Japan. The play was a commercial airlines contract by the government. Most air force transport aircraft were carrying cargo cargo, not pastures. We re the camera bay. Vietnam, in the dead of night jumpin forward a little bit you get to where you going. Cheap, came this and look in order to get. There are gonna bypass. All the budget. Stop at the book a cheap came to stop in front of me with a hat. Was captain driving you, Mr Corrie? Yes, sir, I snapped region

tension and saluted and saluted you trying to get me shot deemed cypresses you're doing that are to be the one. That's gonna get shot, don't you I don't have a hat on for reason. So get your shit. Let's go, he said the disgusted tone. Sorry, sir. I taught my duffel bag into the jeep and climbed in Extended his hand and grinned there's no snipers you're, just not scare the crap you I've got good night operations, officer for our Mary band. Welcome to the chicken coop the chicken coop is the company location, and this year parking area and it is the chicken ten are Colson chicken man Chicken began your call sign. I responded that artists are still the courage in the hearts of our troops in fear, in the minds of the enemy. Why couldn't be something bold and dynamic? I thought chicken man, Sir but we can buy that call sign. I asked the because scientists drumstick theirs. be the radio show in the Chicago area. Now it's on armed forces, radio, in Vietnam, about a wicked white wings.

warrior called Chicken man summit. Episodes are hilarious. When the unit First came to NOM, we were the hoot owls and the name has changed several times over the years to Apache and lucky shot, one thousand nine hundred and sixty six sidewinder and swordfish in nineteen sixty seven and drumstick in nineteen sixty eight, some of the Warren officer decided about six months ago to start using chicken man call sign and it's pretty much stuck so now, it's the unofficial call sign for the unit I was starting to like this chicken man call sign now the that did, you gotta gotta, to understand off, suspect there again there all nineteen year old somewhere eighteen twenty year old,. and its sixtyth, so you know what you got out. It's cool your hair regulation, kind of slew, then you're trying to grow a mustache when you normally haired grow a moustache and what are they gonna duty? A bench?

dog tags, singular Vietnam you're already there so boring, here's, what kind of a rebellious bunch to the army, where the worn officer Protection Association that if someone was gone right knee and at all a war to get together and bitch about it, but do so when they, when they came up his name drumstick everybody did they all thought, oh my god, what a stupid name and then chicken man SIRI, started on a if the end and that then it stuck, and even after they changed the name drumstick. Officially. Bob Bob Bob Jack. Man took a man, we still get, the chicken may call sire, we never gave it up like on the front of the book there. It's got a picture of the aircraft, Chicken on the nose and we never took the chickens off the nose awesome, so you're, going through kind of in Doc, What's going on there, and and finally, we get it How much? How much flying are we getting? I asked

every new, be ask that question. Captain Goodnight chimed in your all the fine you want more than you can handle they'll, be when you go to bed with your butt, cheeks hurting and are still be hurting when you wake up and you have another twelve to fifteen our day ahead of you some days, you twenty hours in before you shut the engine down. Normally You get a hundred and forty hours for the month. You get a two day stand down. If I don't need you. He explained is another individual walked in this is Lou price he's going to show you where you can set up housekeeping Lou price? probably absolutely what the best helicopter pilots avenue lose. twenty one years old. first. Mission in Vietnam was about six at eight months before I got there and it was ended. The Asha Valley he flew in and he walked out, causes aircrew landed upside down and he had a punch his way through the greenhouse bubble, There were shot down going into aircraft rolled Lou,

left after the year and the book. As you say, he came back but eight months later he said Vietnam was a lot safer. They been instructor flight school and look stayed for their next year and he had discharge from the army and was still in Vietnam, they had it. The marine escort Armenia and P escort come and get him and taking back and was because The first cab division had left. All of our personal records had left and so they didn't know how much time anybody had left in the union so Lou just he was enjoyed it flying is beer drinking them find his helicopter drinking. His beer had nothing better to do so. Who'd. You stayed five. They had bring an Mps up to get him out of there. Lou he laid out, and at last I heard who had been a financial adviser to a major corporation before he passed away, but he was a great pilot,

You did noted here that there is a let the latest led. Zepplin song was playing on a real red, real tape where earlier is wireless, Agnes exerts Iverson, whose eighteen years old and He listens to Metallica. So much when I was thinking about this, the first led Zepplin Album came out like nineteen sixty eight. I was born a night seventy one and and when I grew up, let's Zepplin seem really all right. They seem so old. I mean I, I love lads apples, but they seemed like they were way before my time. Well, my son was born in two thousand to the first tat. Look album came out in nineteen. Eighty three It's also work away before he he's way older than me Look we eat much much further wave metallic is beginning, and I was from Lebanon. Opening me no

crazy Alla time goes by, but you guys were there in that in the thick of it. Listening to some Zepplin has your son ever hurting gotta dvd, oh yeah, oh yeah, I love wait longer. I still I still playing around the house. My wife looks meeting us our and have one of those moments at this. Is always a good good thing to do here, just kind of talk about the characters. The pilots were mixed bag. Most the worn officers fell into one of three categories: either Highschool graduates, college dropouts or former Anzio they're gonna fight school. Most of the warrants were afterwards with girlfriends back in the states, except the old guys who were merry with wives and two kids back in the states, but commissioned officers you call them real live officers or are as follows: as warrants referred to them, we're ok graduates, but notice any west pointers in the unit. You could spot them by the large ring on their finger. Hence the nickname ring knockers. Although no one did e t. There were no overweight. Pilots most were attend.

To grow moustaches with limited success. We are hoping to baby faced most of it chiefs and maintenance personnel were volunteers who had in did rather than waiting to be drafted, there were twenty. Draft ease the most and Were door gunners would volunteer to extend for door Gunnar duty to cut their draft time short or to put more money in their pockets before going home all were prior grunts. They were all good soldiers, There was an occasional, drunk and disorderly and may be an occasional pot use, but I couldn't recall any specific cases of a lack of discipline if tat was being hoped, it was kept pretty quiet and infrequent the crews that the crew the unit produced their fantastic kids. The door gunners They were most of those guys guys, I think, think better better, be was thousand infantry guy who volunteered to come and serves nor Gunnar and they are an essential part of the aircraft. Not only They take care the guns on aircraft, they also assisted the crew chief and cleaning the air.

ever run in the engine stuff, like that. The pilots As I said, your college dropouts most of US oh guys in the old guys they were try to give them the easy missions, but they never took em. They step right up to the plate, like everybody else. Fortunately, we lost. Two or three guys. In my time there they were married men, my room Dave Hannah, another two and two other guys that then I knew real well and we lost, but both of them were married, guys, the crew chiefs, although those guys gaunt they had enlisted for crew chief duty and EDGAR today the main its course and came back over really of great bunch guys. I still keep in touch with several of them. Commission officers, the are realised the real lime officers is worn offices referred to them most pretty good guys. We have one or two that were.

Less than stellar. Let me put it that way, but most them were really really pretty good. Are our main I mean it's officer was fantastic and I still communicate with him quite frequently. did the operations officer eight. I talked to him a lot. He was good even our previous operations officer, who left the day I got there. Howard Burbank piquant Its upper reunions everything's a great guy, so mostly officers fantastic and an easy to work with in the unit aircraft commander did make a difference which rank was you had the earth deceit to be an aircraft commander and it took four. It's a flying time and a vote. A coffin by all of the existing aircraft commanders before you got that honor did make it, which, if you are worn officer or if you are not real? Oh, if you didn't cut the mustard, get molest seat and they held that pretty pretty pretty daddy through my entire time there was- and it was good there is.

Respect for aircraft commanders. Everybody understood how, If you are not alone, you're gonna be in the right seat until you get voted to be in the left, c and D worked well as you're gonna learn the the the row What's going on there you're talking to you guys sergeant First class Robertson like like an ops guy gets you guys called him pops. Man didn't. He lay some stuff out for you what our most of the missions that we fly asked. Sir, it's a bit of everything you may start today off flying ashen trash resupply for battalion, followed by being part of a six to combat assault, followed by flying night Hunter Killer or chalk chalk, Cha Cha, asked command and control. The tank manner will jump a board with it. that's usually a fire sport offshore and fly around the circle circle around a unit in contact the time commander directs artillery fire boring his health you generally. What's this, two I asked a sixty five.

Six using two cobras the card which will come from our delta company on the other side of the chicken pen. they refer to their areas, the snake pit and Hunter That's a fawn one, three aircraft, a cobra flying it about thousand feet a few weeks. Flares flying about a thousand feet fallen? the cobra and a huge flying between the ground and five hundred feet. Nice slow with whites answer. Charlie can see you and shoot you the low birth. Quick with fifty calibre machine gun, replacing one of em sixty guns and asserts light with a low angle, with a low light intensity night vision, scope on top is mounted in the cargo door if the low see something or get shot out the cobra roles, hot on it and the fleet aircraft are dropping flares. Cobra can see targets once more coffee. Yes, please, How do you get our? How do you get? How do you get missions during night and generally before twenty hundred hours. The maidens actual tell us how many birds we can put up for the next day we pass out too,

alien, sometimes around zero. Two hundred battalion start sending the missions to us. Captain good night comes in about zero. Four hundred in assigns the pilots and missions and which our waking everyone. Up. Generally, we get the birds in the air at first light. Most the birds are instrument. so that can be a problem in the monsoon season which will begin in about three months. When do I to fly at home. think it and that's good joy sitting on the ground for as long as you can post Koane, because once you cleared you'll get all the flying you want and then some here you dig it up. flying who ordered the answer. That was one thing that was interesting to me. I guess I kind of new it, but not this clearly, you view. Do you guys did everything you it was logistics runs whether with support and assaults. You were doing everything did every the thing you didn't do as operators gunship, because we weren't quickly gunship, there's aircrafts piss before but everything else in medevac it wasn't common for the switch

to fly met of admissions unless it was really an emergency, and why is that? Where we didn't weren't equipped with medics or any medical supplies on board. We had little first aid gets net was about it, so they would they get the metabolic birds to come in it and take your them. They had met birds and dust off desktop, that birds were part of the First Cavalry division and the hundred first airborne division. They were equipped with guns had the big Red cross on the side, but they had guns on board dust off. the Red Cross on the side, but they had no and they were part of the forty fourth medical brigade. So when I was difference between the two and people here, the term dust off formidable. Which one was which now that's ever the difference between them. the only time I ever flew met. A back is one. I was actually support in a ground unit, log mission and they got hit at the same time I came back in and they threw on bunch guys were wounded and I flew them

but that was about it for metabolic mission, the missions we didn't like that medevac Wooden fly his Polina bodies out better back, wouldn't touch of a body we had to fly those out. So we did those everything else. We did it all resupply, Cnc, nine hundred killer, love, nine hundred killing at five p m but I didn't want to fly that flare bird one bit sure the low bird, the one. That's the bait yeah, that's like What I like that one the flare bird he just orbit around up there. He dreams get bored born in nothing is he's carrying twenty one, million power candles. there is huge, huge flares gonna, take a trace around, takes a trace around at birds burnt and big fact. They carried them and fitting a gown drums out on the skids that were held on by straps so that they did take around they take the machetes cut. Those straps and dropped, drag and drop all that stuff right away. So I never will

flight flare below bird. I love flying a lower and I was fond bait date. fast forward a little bit. Sleep came quick and dropped a pleasant thing as I had bidden country, the long enough to have bad dreams as I slumbered. I began to dream about the jet I heard coming for coming in for landing on our air. Drop. It was getting louder and louder and holy shit jets. Can't land here I was on the floor of our tent with everyone else when the rocket impacted behind our tent, followed by a second impacting the vip landing tad behind the majors ten incoming, I heard a grab my frock jacket and my helmet. I was running half crawling to the bunker, my box or shorts when another rock impact with a flash sprang. Shrapnel. Diving the door, the bunker I ploughed into someone in total darkness of the bunker gotcha

to the other side. Hey watch it man, someone said anyone seen the new guy. I recognise lose voice, overhear Lou I answered this year. Rocket attack new guy. He asked Yeah I've only been here two days is this common. I asked you up almost night. We add, since this is your first, you get to buy the beer Ghent. Are the refrigerator stock. Tomorrow morning, when we come back in the Yes, the sounds of laughter could be heard over the sounds of impacting rockets and secondary explosions any time you did something. For the first time you had a bike, the bookcase beer that- and that was the cost of learning, so a bottle beer, just like everybody else's first couple of months ago when twenty two rockets data they weren't accurate boy, they would sure wake you up and just now create havoc for your evening are always trying to shoot at the runway or at the chicken coop snake. Pity area and I M almost why we lost an aircraft want slam in there

the mortars they were accurate and we did like the mortar rounds in hand, bring it up later on the other orders data, the barber, our barber was the one it was registering the mortar rounds on as well. Kc Bier, so yeah. That was, I don't know. I don't know when that. I don't know where that came from, but when I got the seal teams same thing, you first, I'm jump in court cases being only first, I'm due to foster a court case, a bureau your first time. What are you know? First, I'm shoot in an empty five. You up, ok severe, so they got their beer out of us river. The air at last. you're flying and you get that you get that, aircraft turned over to your goddamn. Your turn allows Dan Intoning action first basis. I have the aircraft Tony you have the crafty responded indicating he recognized. I had positive control the aircraft with my left him

on the collective right hand, on the cyclic my whole hand. I started coming up on the power, The aircraft broke ground how she had screamed the door. Gonna work on a tie, wield the crew chief as and I was shooting my pants, you do not get off Tony said to the crew. They were laughing their asses off. Also, can we The new guy they did it make we, of course they did it every new guy too. So, like a set, the creature, I endorse his errand monkey jokes and if they, if they can jerky chain they jerky chain, all good fun now suffer talk about doing combat rotations loved. It so explain, rotation and then what what gets different on there on the combat our delegation in flight school, they teach you how to do The standard army issue oughta rotation, one thousand feet over the protein. The runway chop, the throng,

Poland, those back to a sixty, not airspeed, but the collective down completely. Let the aircraft false seventy five feet: grant you flare the aircraft and pop the collective as aircraft used to settle he's level skills and commitment the rest, the power to set it down on the ground just I do not irritations so the purpose of an auto rotation, as you have some somethin wrong, where the aircraft the engine question quits and you you can in land and aircraft, you can land a helicopter safely, Europe without an edge Gatsby. Equally, the momentum of the helicopter blades, that's right there just spinning and they keep spinning. They ve been spending really fast and then, as you I'm down does the did the air keep them? as you can learn, keeps him for spending effect. When you exclude that flare, you ve got a pop there, like that or you gonna get an over speed on your road ahead. So you pop the collective and that that keeps from the Otis Beaten, Goin out, you wanna keep your Roeder in the green

sixty six hundred our pm and construction of three hundred and thirty five are three hundred and forty five hour Pm Indians at sixty six. So you keep it at three. Five, when you flare you're gonna go well above the three forty five. She popped their collective and then but you said earlier craft down and then, when you get to about four feet off the ground with the rest of it is level diskettes easy set down. You dont want to try it Air shoot out of a helicopter with no engine you make it beat upon the blades. So no nobody a parachute to exit the helicopter in an emergency, a combat, auto rotation, there's a thing in the called the dead zone and pilots have no. The deadline is a certain area that, if you do airspeed an altitude, airspeed or altitude. You're gonna die. you want to have airspeed or you wanna have altitude if he can have both you're better off, but you have to keep one of those the combat order, rotations, especially the low level one. You come in a tree top level at ninety, not serious,

and chop the throttle right then edged just start your flair and just as the aircraft comes over, where you want to touch down, you keep the flare going, keep the flare gone, keep the flare gone and pull the power and set it down. I love download low level Eleanor patients who are so much fun Then you get these advanced stage, you do the one eighty oughta rotation thousand feet chop the throttle, take the aircraft turn it tight turn and come down or what I was taught fire guy. That was a test pilot at the they'll help after a thousand feet chop the throttle zero. The airspeed do a pedal turn punch. The no straight The ground build up your router r, p m and just do a normal touchdown, and you can do that at three. Sixty two and three sixty save me. One time are you.

Like how many times when you, when you start trying to do the combat auto rotation. How many times do you try this before you ve got it that three or four times you do tat, you do enough Otto rotations in flight school. It you ve got the bay. We're not irritation down pat and you go up in an experience pilot now run you through couple times. You you'll have no problem, then again too When you become a penny, see you, irritations. Whenever you want, you don't have to worry about instructor pilot sit next year and we would do that. We would go out and overcome good night after emission. Let's do not rotations cushats modifications, so you practice those things constantly when you're coming back in, but now they don't even teach touch download rotations emerald like. Why is that I have no idea. What do you do if you lose power

I think they teaching the auto rotation, but they make them put the power in before they get to the ground, and it said it down, but the I had heard that they don't they don't teach touchdowns any more than don't take them. Take them all the way to the ground. How much does a? How much does an Hhr the cost, oh god, if it emerges, that view is a unique I didn't get by arguing for about five hundred thousand. What about? Not only what about this time period on the time period think there to fifty two and fifty thousand worried what your best guess on a black hawk. Probably somewhere in the neighbourhood of that eight or nine hundred thousand. That's just a guess: yeah! That's where cheaper than I thought I'd one after another. The check out the I'm, not I'm not sure Roger seems like the Huey was way way way. Cheaper oh it is there's not a sophisticated about here I made Angie was simple: thirteen engine, a great engine, but nothing that no complicated

pewter electronics in it. He had just standard. light instruments and none of those computerized North computer chips, very simple aircraft to work on, and a simple aircraft and it was an amazing aircraft to fly. It would take so many hits that and it still keep going that the biggest I saw was a friend of mine now has bill. Has he got hit and covered it and one of the books I forget which, when it's he had a hundred and seven bullet holes in his aircraft, one of which was a de calibre round that went through the year. That frame right above the pilots head factor one of her I'll canadian lieutenants. He had got shot in the arm. Wine and he leaned forward? And when he did- fifty cowled around hit the the post If he had no leaned forward, you D hit him in ahead, but does he have any hundred seven rounds and aircraft in the aircraft still flu,

Another thing that you do over there is the combat. Take off. Yes, what's the combat take off all about care, nice, nice flight school type helicopter take off. Is you come to a three foot hover You pull your power, you drop your nose and you climb had a nice rate. A climb, combat helicopter, take off you pull at power in and you show that knows over. At the same time and sue you come on out there like a bad out ahead, it's. No, this three foot hover stabilizing go aid is pushed role. The nose over give it full and get out of there. As quick as you can end up the first couple times, you do it Her new guide scares you because you think you're gonna hit the road or blades on the ground in your role it over so far, but the comforts clearance. Do you have? No, you got your front, roto birds, six or seven feet. Easy, no factor, yes, no factor,

back to skip. But when you sit near you normally looking at it, does it not their fifteen feet and obstinate six feet off the grinding a hook scare, the crap out here. you say here Dan yes, you can advise Dan don't fly without a map. I know where you are at all times on that map. If you go down, you can have a lot of time to figure that out. This is not coughing. Is you guys doing land now of all times? Yes answered you're, not you not looking at. kind of instrument to know where you are, and I guess compass, they d you had a d b and debate Non directional beacon there one in ten in we had one like a and I believe there is one of its song Bay He had to do this reproach you're going to do it and indeed be approach, Rhodesia approach, but that was it so Do you really need to know where you rat at all times and have a good idea where you were you were you flying in a

small enough area that you ve got to know everything just really easily from life. They obtain it was probably eighty ninety miles from obtaining across the lawn. The board was probably another hundred miles and then back down, like. I was probably another eighty miles. So that was not the area you work in it, so you had a bunch of geographical. France's there, there's that road, there's that mom there's out whatever the river to the average The funny thing was three core theory. We Florence was pretty flat. education, wise but attain in It was a mountain there that look like an extinct can. I wasn't, but it just is big tits taken up in its song Bay was another one sittin there. So if you those two. You knew exactly where Europe can then, There's thunder road at one of the Middle EAST. Had a pretty good idea where you you read at all times: you're automation you're out their fast forward. A little bit you're still learning as well

to pass over the intended landing point. Mr leak went into education mode. Ok, the smoke tells us almost no winds. That's not gonna be a factor. The trees on the south side look lower than the north side. The units on the south side as well so we'll make final approach over the south side. Never make your approach the same twice: in a row. If you can help it. Always the approach from a different angle, each time. Turning into five at the last minute. If you can you make the approach, you may approached the same. Each time and Charlie will fire your ass up, got it got it? Yes, the, The big ales ease He had a lot of options. Word came critical was renewed. Into a smaller elsie or a hover hold that you're gonna resupply act. If If you came in the same way three times in a row Charlie's, We get a smoke in the third time. You always tried to come in a different way. A different angle. You gotta, to keep my which the lowest approach path. I can use special if you had a heavy aircraft,

the wind blowing. I want to come into the wind and becoming a lowest path so lotta times. That would dictate that. Maybe the final turn would be the same, but you coming from the left side? You wanna come in from the right side. If you could, you come in from it don't you come in with the women into a tunnel term, although that seldom very happened so didn't you. Did not want to have the same approach, the same path. Every time, When I was home on leave after my year there Somebody was using my aircraft when it I have a whole the same way three times and the third time Are they got him and we lost here? I've lost the crew and lost everybody on board. You know it's as you. As you mentioned, the weight of the aircraft or one thing there, really gotten appreciation for. And I noticed that you know I would get out of helicopters you could see. You know the helicopter move a little bit depending on what can a helicopter was, but you know drive a car you, if you put

I want to tell them you put two or three hundred four hundred pounds into a car. You don't really noticed you have to put a lot of weight into car before you notice. Takes a little longer to break. You know, maybe fear if you throw a bunch of you, know, two thousand pounds of bricks into the back? Your pickup truck, you notice that, but the hue You guys could notice the weight. You know three hundred pounds is is is a lot different and you have to be it You guys were so attuned to those aircraft, the the weight and balance. We we're in a hovering over three hundred pounds off the one side, you're gonna notice, that you noticed it special guy start jump. Another aircraft, you notice the rocking in it a lot of times going into an agency for the first time on a resupply. I would try to take thirty Water Kant's there gave me a good sized load for that trip. It also gave me a load light enough that I could see how the aircraft was handling based on the Conditions on the approach

There was one time I got: no and Elsie only had ten war cans on that's how bad that whole was but more, the time. Thirty water Kansas good then went back second time, and if I could take more than thirty Water, Kansas Mammal, we throw that on as well, but you always had it careful in the crew chief was really the guy responsible for this. to where the weight and malice was that making sure that he put too much weight up Where did the pilots keep trying to keep it all back back soon around the transmission. Well, in the center of the aircraft. Another little section here, sort of about what what life was like over for you guys it was obvious the rear echelon, lived a lot better than those closest to the front action. We good as aviator, certainly much better than the grants, but these rear echelon mothers ramps as we call them, were living the life

there was always had been and always would be, some animosity between those on the front lines and those in the rear. Those in the rear areas enjoyed levels of comfort, only imagined by those on the front, clean sheets, hot chow, good boots and these were just some of the perks besides never getting shot at and although bitching how tough they had it because of the paper cuts he received. History shows General Eisenhower wanted Paris to be an hour in our centre for the from my troops. Just after was liberated a hundred and fifty three and rents took up residence and he could do nothing. You dislodge them some things. Never change can I still haven't changed to this During desert storm, I was, I was out there with my battalion it, where jungle boots were used, gluten causes the holes up on the side to keep the sand out, and it got to the point: where were using duct tape to hold the boots together, cuz, they were just getting torn apart in the Flint and up shows some ribs from the back in and they ve all got brain

new desert boots. We never got desert boots the whole time where there were frontline infantry, and so it hasn't changed, and it never will change here. You're always gonna. Have that argument? A perfect example. Is you look there the movie glory about the fifty fourth Chusest effort you regiment and what was their big complaint boots? It hasn't changed. Still arguing about boots in the military. I have. I have a leadership consulting company, the name of the leadership consulted consulting company is echelon front. there's a very specific reason why we customary wanted, even though lighting what, where more talk about what leadership is like from the front? Yes, frontlines, not what it's like. In the rear, with the gear that's right, but that we used to say nothing too good for the of tree. So the afternoon nothing check next section

called reality. Sets in that evening is fast forwarding, That evening we were in our tent discussing that day's activities. The assistants, these system in its officer, came in looking for a beer, hey John how's, it going, I ask me a beer and I'll tell you how it's going one of the Their pilots opened refrigerator handed MC called one. We have thirteen for twenty one aircraft shocked to shit too to be evacuated back to the states, their shot up so bad to fifty one and two twenty eight. the remaining eleven. We have an estimated three thousand hours of work ahead of us to get them into flying condition. Tomorrow a total of six aircraft that we can put into the air, as I already had to in for periodic inspections. First of those shot up today will be up the day after tomorrow and that seven forty I only only need twenty four hours and maintenance to solve that one. I can tell you that maintenance platoon is not gonna. Get me sleep for a few days. I signed we thank God. I wasn't a maintenance softer again just point out that the

teamwork, that it took to keep these birds. Wine was immense, immense immense teamwork. Deep up, everything comes on the pilots to make sure that we weren't messenger aircraft up with with trees icon, rollerblades or tail wrote a strikes on on on bushes that there was a bad factor that happened. pay attention, you been the skids on a stump or on a log where you put your head, the bottom, the aircraft from stump citizen. but upon the flight crews. First of all, make sure you know greedy aircraft up Gaza guys when we got in situ since they have more than enough work to keep them busy. Another kind interesting thing here. At this time, we had no standardized markings on the noses of our aircraft. The pilots doors had a green triangle with a lightning bolt through the triangle, but that was all across the nose. each the aircraft, commanders and crews generally put their individual pet name on the nose iron butterfly, green Lantern, devils advocate and hard luck to name a few

we had some really good. We had a really good nose. Art artist, sergeant scoville, who, who was kept busy some unit a bit more discipline in a standard emblem on the noses of the aircraft which it has eventually got the chicken we eventually the chicken MIKE Scoville He is now a famous artist in and in South West America pigs he's out there and still does great art work. I've got a couple of his pieces and he keys with that, but at that time our union had an assortment, of nose, art and it's gotta is got change. His great book that guy John Brennan, just published this Second, one Knows art of aircraft and cut all lotta units that had no sardonic. Both my birds are in. There Would you have on your birds? Were the first one had the chicken and then ahead too hard luck? So what was that was the nose art for hard luck

It was a calf patch with chicken, in the middle of it, drawn in hard luck right across the top I'll. Send you a picture of you, that's all This is another interesting thing in this is this: is I was going to bring this up early as you talk about why it's so important to have confidence in the air Commander as Louis bring us in a position as chalk six, he asked how much formation times you have just what we got: school in a couple hours. The other day I replied without looking in his direction. Dont tell me this is your Combat assault- ok, I won't, but it is oh I see it's gonna be a long day. He took a breath oak formation flying here isn't like flight school. He said ass. He moved closer to the right side of chalk. Five in mother rocker, which is where you guys go way to go and mother rocker. They wanted to rollerblade wits between aircraft. Here we fly at one to one half Roeder from the other. He was going for the half rotor disk.

And my pucker factor were starting to suck the seed up. My ass, I looked back at chalk. Seven! Oh shit he's going for rotor distances. Well, Lou calmly smoking his cigarette and continuing to lecture while he held the cyclic Cyclic in his hand? x and middle fingers. The one thing you do want to do is overripe rollerblades, o trust? He buried happen. Ok, gotta, he said I responded, I got it and I wish I hadn't we started sliding back to a two rotor blade distance chalk. Seven call us hey chalk: six did the new guy just take it great. Now the entire for formation, new added yeah any shooting at his pants. Now, wasn't true, but it wasn't far from the truth. Ok, let's closer up and get the formation. I pulled in some more power and unease that aircraft forward good just hold it they're lucid and I immediately started drifting back now. Get back up. Their formation fly to be truth.

I didn't like formation fly, I didn't like it and flight school already than my written about it. I wanted to be I really to be a dust off pilot because thus up didn't fly formation, so that made me but then they said no you're going to lifting and oh hell. I'm had to learn how to fly formations ahead formations. It was not easy for me to get in there with Lou. I formations, but he is such a good pilot and such a good and common structure and it may be because easy drink a six back in the morning before you got an aircraft, but anyway he was really good and read set made at ease and probably after about five hours I could get in Iranian, be comfortable flying at one wrote a blade out in any look I go through about how he me about you how to get judge distance, how to judge where you're gonna be how to keep yourself out of it. Women in Elsie's and snuff really really a good pilot, but they had at that half wrote a blade,

its net skeered eleven, but Jesus enemy. You have a section here fast forward, a little bit you're talking about it's a good conversation. As you know, I tend to bring things back to leadership and as a good conversation, you have about leadership in here and it starts when you talk about the current company, man that you have at this time, and the question is: have you ever seen him in the cockpit or on the flight line or out of his tent? When you do please, please let us know it'll be a first said Mister tall over the other seconded that comment. How come I The ceos honest third tore over here his This was an adviser in the early sixties and a second wasn't sixty five as an aviator, pretty rough assignment. He took a couple hits in the craft and on his body he's paid is dues. He only has another couple of months and command and then I'll, probably move up to battalion or brigade staff he's all right. Just doesn't care to fly anymore, responded, Mister Tolliver well,

what makes a good flight leader. I asked as I open another beer for myself and others. Mr Reynolds Field, that fielded that question here the unit for about seven months considering extending, but not for our unit? No one seemed to do that. standing. Your tour was a rare occasion in Vietnam, even in those units at appeared to have high morale and good leadership, a good flight leader must be a good pilot first be a good pilot and Noah's aircraft know what limitations are and how far he can stretch them. He must be a good aircraft Commander, taken care of his aircraft and his crew. Just because we officers doesn't mean we can help the crew. Take care of the aircraft. Did you notice when Captain Bulk landed the first thing he we leave the aircraft to his crew and beat feet to the club forbear instead of stay behind and help them sweep it out and post flight it. No, he left, to have his co pilot for today and the crew self centered Bastard

because he's an oral low. He thinks he's too good to get his hands dirty you thinking Phil Sandbag, to build the bunker, not him or any of the hour allows for that matter. Jamieson stood there that day and supervised. While everyone else did digging and stack it. ok, Reynolds, that's enough! Venting interjected, Mr Tolliver. Besides being a good pilot, Aircraft commander of flight meter must plan, coordinate and anticipate the mission once he gets. His brief ground commander, he needs do a week on flight over the Elsie, your pc. He needs to judge how many aircraft will fit in and what or maybe we'll work so we're not doing last minute. Dick dance like we did today. Bullock, never if you recall, and that's why we're dick dancing in the kills own. Once he's done, we want. I reckon he needs to coordinate with the ground commander on what formation will be, so they can plan accordingly needs to court with the attack helicopters. If it's going to be an insertion he needs

coordinate with the aircraft commanders and let us know, what's what any needs to anticipate, what all can go wrong and have a plan for that as well. Be it in aircraft breaking before the mission or ground fire on the Elsie, your pc? Yes, aircraft commander in leadership was so important I found out recently that the committee, do that we had before the current cuckoo man I talk about near was worse than the current company command. And the current copy commander he just not interest in being the company commander or or or exercising leadership leadership, unit was from the are allows us from our durations officer in one of the between leaders, one of you between leaders who are mentioned in there did not exercise leadership and very sound. You ever see him exercise leadership and it's pretty much up the operations officer in this one other between leader that that really took things by the horn. Were the flight leaders in real

Guided is pretty much that's weather, There's nobody ever read re up for the union. Them around the unit. Wasn't that good at the time it was. It was good with the worn off surgeon and the crew cheese, the stuff that as well A eunuch cohesion goes, it was lacking the You mentioned something a near about the the flight leaders. If you have flight leader that was screwed up. everybody's lives. We're gonna be in trouble and on this one mission there that bullock was the flight leader. We got a bunch of aircraft shot up. That was marched six and I think we went in with some like seventy aircraft. One broke before we got there. The other. When, in the Elsie had a going to tune to the environment, nor wait force. we ran it against NBA we're gonna be will be saved and worry about them. They couldn't shoot for ship, sorry, but the date they couldn't hit there there ass, with both but does the envy. I knew how to shoot at a helicopter. They did a good job of student but you're. The lead

It was important and a just war, lacking when I first got there does that That's an area that that I skipped over you It's real obvious! You know when you look at it you're thinking. Ok, how long is gonna take us to put two birds at a time multiple lives in a row before the me goes. Ok, we'll wait form! It will hit him next time they come in. Here. that Lahti Summit, let you in on the first lift and then the sea lift that's when they open up on. You were the third lift you If it was an extraction, you could expect the third. Coming out to take fire. last position? You want it was number six in a sick ship lift come out of it. Ship Elsie gives you read it. Every bit of their just wait for you: if they could not, aircraft down, then what happens? Is they ve got it does reach thrown in everything. Everybody's got to come back and you got a pie along you better have a plan ready for it, and I have a plan ready for it. There's a crew going to get killed.

you're talkin about the contingency of hay. One of aircraft might go down before we can take off. That's right remain its problem. If you dont have some kind of contingency and that's a another, that will get into, but the idea we have the aircraft commander, whose obviously in charge of singular aircraft, but then you ve got the flight led. That's leading the whole operation, that's in charge of it overall and death. the person and have to account for all these different things. To answer That's right. Usually he would go out flight leader. We go about an hour before everybody else. Get the coordination with the ground, commanded, none, the artillery etc do his recon of the Elsie makes ring What formations gifted make sure the ground commander knew it for me. can he need to have his troops into pick up and he knew but formation you're, gonna drop them off goes out and make a difference in his ground assault plan. all that coordination how to get done? You have a flight leader that was on his toes debt to do that kind of stuff usually when I got there

only the our roles are alone could be flight leaders, worn officers. We were technical officers, not tactical officer, so worn officers worn allowed to be flight leaders. When I first got there here's a mission that we hadn't talked about. Yet what's a sniffer mission, I asked This machine picks up ammonia, which bodies gave often this he in the form of aspiration when the machine gives off a reading of MAX the operator. We'll call our call out MAX Mark which means he has a large group giving off a lotta perspiration, and we should indeed engage problem. First problem is not only do humans give off ammonia, but so do monkeys so we'll probably shooting a lot of monkeys. Second promise in order for this to work will be flying it too, top level. Sixty knots that you called risen from a low bow, we'll be one thousand feet, and following us and will engage if we

call for fire or taking fire bobbin. Bob informed me you're shitting me right we're going to fly at tree, ah, but only sixty, knots you not Bob said with a grin, so that's an interesting here the sniffer missions, her favorite, their interesting of the fur Am I took a hit near craft reply to login the guy ran out MAX Mark at about that time. A claymore in the top of the tree went off and the like, I'm shot Was it the front of the aircraft so but I am sure that more monkeys died. Then NBA from the sniffer mission stay the truth. It was Here's something that you mentioned before sport is a bit like an. I walked back to the aircraft and saw that I had that it had a light load of ammo morning. Missions usually meant picking up empty water and murmured cans from the night before and taking ammo in for the day ahead has restarted aircraft Dave asked have you done? Any hover holds yet

just around long bean I understand, isn't much compared to this area replied. He says back you're about to since the scariest thing about flying in Vietnam. Yes, yes, Rational talk to us about doctors about hover, whoever holds long been veggie shhh around long. There was the big Trees are only about thirty feet where scattered out yet brush and stuff like that, so it was, it was pretty open, terrain, fine and Elsie pretty easily nothing to it. belong the cambodian border. Song Bay region that we flew in a great deal there. It was different there. It was triple canopy jungle the trees are about three hundred feet high and it was passed, There was no Elsie's, they get an l z, you either a bomb crater from an air strike or the bring in a daisy cutter in fifteen thousand lb bond that had chains weld around the outside of Casey. They drop it from a c one hundred and thirty on a parachute

a probe on the end of it and it would come down when appropriate, granite thing would go off would make a nice one ship helicopter Elsie. It would clearly not every tree every stomp everything just beautiful but most of the time you didn't get that you got the bomb crater from a be fifty to strike to go down, and so You come in and I think you are you. Are you got a load on board thirty water? Can't you and, I think you're. Looking for the wind, you want to land in the wind turn into the wind and you start down. You're at a hover in your hovering down three hundred feet. the eyes. In the back of the crew chief door, Gunnar and you're, telling you bring your tail right, bring your tail left drop down, stop come right, come left start down, stop move your tells the left, and you worked your way down through the trees to get to the bottom at all, there were times I would look up through the greenhouse window and I could the sky. These

Wander make us come down. We'd slide around drop down among Extry, limp slide back, the tree limit start back down turn the tale boom slide down. Some more It takes all the eyes. All's eight eight eyeballs, an aircraft, brunette aircraft down those holes are you work. With the same aircrew all the time. Yes well you're, the only person it was the same would be the coup de right seat pilot aircraft coming, this flu left, see right, seat, right, see, pile flew the ear, There were the new guys and we wrote- new guys through through the aircraft manners, but be me, my crew chief, my dog, Gonna be always the same, and that's the followed out Copilot Pilot Copilot Door, gunning for Gunnar Kerchief So here you know exactly when this guy says left a little, but you know what that means: yeah effective, they would have to say, Mr Jackson, come live your other left, so arrogance, screw up. Ok,

yet it sounds freakin scary, you haven't some out some child and captain Bullock. What's cap n bill, its position was one opportune later showcase region of tuna leaders and he's got he's doing some introductions. He says this is lieutenant we'd. He said indicating the new pilot. Lieutenant we'd was tall. Monkey with long blue Herr, reminding me of California surfer, which he claimed he was during his introduction. We didn't pay much attention Someone asked him for his first name. Richard was his response Luke, let that one go looking at them. Or of us. He said Prob, probably loud enough to be heard by the group, lieutenant Dick we'd rigour keep it in all three of us were in hysterics, Lou maintained a straight face, standing up and turning to lieutenant Dick. We do introduce himself welcome, sir, Lou price heading back the states in a month he said and left them

saw lieutenant Dick we'd with Vietnam on his first tour and he would prove to be a cocky guy if he wasn't in charge of something he tried to make himself in charge and a one more than one occasion was put in its place by a flight leader or an aircraft commander here the unit before I made aircraft commander sorrels fortune. I never have to fly with an air. He was Those lieutenant set the thought because he was a lieutenant. He would be in charge of the aircraft it it, took him a while the realise at no, you don't get to be in charge of the aircraft until your voted charge of the aircraft. So We had many many times with lieutenant decreed the night, the Hunter killer missions, you already you're too kind of brief what those were and that you preferred to be the bait. I would much rather be debate. They there There are good missions a lot of time. She flew them down rivers. So you be flying along an end. One of the reasons because you knew if you had an engine failure, you be better.

I'm going into the river that you would in the jungle, so we always fluid brightest right along the the tree line there. But you fly long. It was interesting. Europe can for somethin you more just born a whole, the sky like the the colbrand, the flagship or yet, same crew, a time, Usually the guys we're on the search light in the starlight scope. That was usually somebody from the supply room or one kids out of maintenance and wanted to go out and do something besides as normal job, so they would jump up and volunteer for that. The nine hundred killer mission that crew the mission for a month, so when everybody else was out flying in the daytime, we'd be sleeping, they came back in that's what we're going back out. So you got to work. The use the same units? And you got to know that the brigade staff at the second brigade theories, nature, workin got a good relationship with them. At that carried over once you back on day shift with these guys did you feel like safer, because your fine at night and it

hard to see alligator, neither with a little bit a little bit but yet again to you know, you know you're out there trying to China. We flew at the door. Pilots, doors open off, took those off the aircraft. Why wiser? Because equal the pilots, we carry an m. Seventy nine grenade launch on his lap. and we'd fired at the door. If we need to stop- and Ngos is just kind of nice bills- look out there, I couldn't conflict the doors off during the day for some reason, but we like flying it a night like that to an end quote an example, you talked about three times out there to get the fifty down the back. You got what a cobra gunship as well. with all their munitions, but you guys bad make sure you have those m. Seventy nine answer I asked in gets right. We have fifty on one side of sixty on the other in the two m. Seventy nine seven lapse we one and we got in trouble and it with more the cases where we are. flew the mission three times the same way we are coming back. We

we'd, flown twice up and Song Bay on the river, though at the first night, one way through the second. In the same way, the third night thought its change up so he came around and we fluently opposite direction were coming. and the cobra starts at me. Your taken fire and my crew he looked behind as he says. Yes, your were taken. Fifty one, five minus you could tell us fifty one because it looks Flaming basketball coming back and the cobra starts to roll hot and their fifty one opens up in front of me and then a third fifty an opened up on the other side of the river and that's the way they would do it. They said a three hundred and fifty one to try to catch you in the middle of the cone and they were set up perfect if I've been coming from the other direction. I've been writing between two them easily, but ass, it was one gun was position. The flagship dry This flares manoeuvred spotted all three of them and the code, went to work and my crew chief, which was our company commander at that time offline. His fur

nine hundred mission, he was on the phone. the artillery up so the next day they were not found. What the results were in. And then to the mission went to another unit. I warned them about that they did the same thing I did and the third day they got fire. And they were ready with the artillery and the next day they went on pick that pleased about guns in about twenty one body. So are you getting shot fifty one cows that is green tracer coming out. She ass soon ass, the weird thing and I've talked about this or some other guys in Vienna. That word, Vietnam is for us. Everyone has read tracer now, so you just its credits, it's a different. We don't have that distinguishing characteristic of green tray screen treasures and they look like flaming basketballs at night daytime. It look like ya, flaming part bob. At night there was a basketball comin up me. Just

Oh, my god, it was no doubt your mind, but we'll shoot nature little love leadership. Here, major Anthony should get a new. A new company commander. Major Anthony now the new company commander just stood there looking over us and we had him. No one said anything until we finally told us take our seats, He then went on to give us his philosophy on command and how he expected the unit to operate an hour an hour later in the club. Some discussions took place about what had been said. Mike said Dan. What did you get out of the major speech on run, wondering if I heard wrong what heard was: don't do anything that's going to jail. Four guys. My success in command and we'll get along fine do so and be unmerciful upon you yeah. I heard that too. Or has agreed I can you do know I've seen commanders like this. When I was a kid with some Dad skippers having a command is a

The mandatory is mandatory for successful career, especially the higher up you go, however. Engine and leading that command effectively and efficiently is what's important, some off is viewed as a threat if their support its do anything that would reflect badly on them. Major Anthony strike me as that type we'll just have to wait and see. I guess, and he did not proven wrong. He was really afraid it we're gonna, ruin his career and his last comments when he finally gave up command was well. I don't. you guys to ruin my career anymore. So wonderful, I never fly, a mission combat mission heedful yeah sure trash going down. gone to the p excess stuff like that. They move. His tent cause. intense at that time. He moved his tent out of the flight lie sit there in a chair and when used for Cyprus to launch he check your times off If you launched late, you're gonna hear about that night when you got back in, but he was very very,

fearful of his career and I'm sure that his career puppy ended, disastrously form. I hope on April sixteen nineteen sixty nine hours flying with Mr Driscoll Return from a long day in convoy as either in convoy We are flying resupply of one of the three battalions it was late. In the afternoon the sun was setting. We were moderating modeling before radios when we heard the made a call made Mayday Lobo one three is going down. Mr Driscoll, a cobra just Do the bamboo at three o clock said our crew chief specialist Grossman, Lobo three got off one all before you ploughed into the bamboo, he was in a dive on a gun, run and pulled out too late, only being able to get the nose the aircraft up, but not enough to stop his downward motion. He crashed into ten foot high bamboo the aircraft over on its side. He was on top,

when envy a bunker complex quickly. Mr Driscoll too trolls for me at all. the plot our location and get out an additional made, a call which I did alerting everyone where we were. While I did that Mr Driscoll made an approach into a small clearing, he'd, spotted close to the down to aircraft and landed. It was just big enough for us to fit into the fire. thing, I noticed, was the envious bunker opening not ten feet from my door. I drew my third caliber pistol and pointed at the opening expecting someone to open fire at any moment. The down crew were struggling to get the many guns off the front of the cobra when they began to. in small arms fire specialist Grossman Open with the m. Sixty machine guns, shooting it nothing specific, but in direction of the enemy fire as specialist Leonard our door, Gunnar? I caught my third eight and waited as soon

the down. Pilots got the many guns off the down cobra. They ran to our aircraft and Mr Driscoll pulled power to get us out of their as both gunners were firing, and I emptied my thirty eight at the bamboo worthless weapon, the down pie Thank does profusely for saving their botz as they occupy, the other side of the chicken pen, their seo came over that night and Bob drinks for us at here club, since we no longer had one he vited major Anthony who decline to drink with us, but nature. We didn't fly the next day a few months later, I came in from my flight and lying on. My bed were orders for an air metal with v the down aircrew put. in our crew for the award. There was having our seo, could do about it, but instead of presenting the awards to us in front of the entire company, he simply put them on our beds or at least have orderly, room clerk? Do it

did that as well for the crew chief and the door gunners awards, the man held grudges, his last words to anyone he depart of the unit after six months was something to the effect of he wouldn't have us around to ruin his career. I think he may have done that on his own, so His late his leadership style when he first got there that first night- and I put this in the book- He came into the club, which was our we had. A big JP medium tents were club was that he came in and ass, thesis Hemi, who, whose final more by to the guy, raise the Harrison gentleman no drink. Twenty four hours for you fly interface gone, wait a minute. We fly every day and analysis, point army or policy was you would not drink twenty four hours for you fly or smoke within fifty feet? The aircraft worn officers. Does it meant unions smoke twenty four hours

we flew or drink within fifty feet the aircraft back, but he didn't go along with it. So he shut the club down and That way there he could say. If somebody crashed, he could say, hey it's. It's me. policy. They violated my policy because they drank the night before so they couldn't blame him swayed was well Victoria Coburg commander invite us over so we went over. There are public made, it wouldn't go. He made sure we didn't fly the next day, but the but dear dear just the way that man was ok. I am glad that the horrible leader, but damn going into that Elsie landed on top of envy bunker complex grab in those guys been. May him that's yeah choice made you don't leave somebody behind them kind of one of our models. Was you don't leave but behind he saw the cobra go down. We didn't was a bunker complex to wig gotten the ground there with them

look over, and I see this opening their and I've got this worthless pistol that you couldn't hit a thing with, and but that's what you do can we did that many times over as it you're going to some place it because at a crew down you, you go and get the crew out Jura Craft taken. He hits on that one now integrity hits on that. No that's just what you're doing no time to think about it. Now, no time to think about it If you thought about it, you d never become a helicopter private start way. You know I had a guy by the name of Dean LAD, who is a marine corps officer in World WAR too, and he was going. to tar? What to indeed already been into a couple other islands I mean he was a he just combat, combat combat now he's gonna, Darwin and others shelling in Theirs machine gun fire, and I asked him

so when you get now, this is as they realise at tar away. You know they they hit the coral reefs, not gonna walk eight hundred yards in theirs, freakin japanese machine gunfire come and I said well, you know when you, when you realize you have to walk, were you thinking I might get shot or whatever is acknowledged. That would happen to me happened. Somebody else and that's pretty much what everybody everybody says like its it might happen and he ended up getting, shall you know, get got shot in some I'll survive, but the attitude, like well. Look at be dangerous for other people, but not for me. I think I think A car parts for large extent had the same attitude: girls, hey, wait sooner draft go dance, can be somebody go down, but has actually been made hand you just you just didn't think about that happening to you. If you did, you probably wouldn't finish the mission years gonna say: maybe you get a guy like yours earlier company commander, who had deployed already, who had done a tour over there and he had seen combat take taken, hits to his body and to his aircraft, and eventually you realize all this market is

doesn't maybe you're lucky. I think I am, and I was gonna sit back here. I'm not invincible, sir, and I can see that but with an old guy like that, but young guys and that's recently have young guys. A helicopter pilots encroaches set young guys just don't have any fear. Maybe we're not smart enough to have fear. Oh yeah acts absolutely fast forward a little bit throughout the spring and summer of nineteen. Sixty nine enemy forces attack fire basis along the border. Their tactics are always the same waiting until after midnight. The enemy would commence their attack with mortar and rocket barrage in concert with Zaparos attempting to penetrate the wire followed by infantry waves. Attempting to penetrate the perimeter Elsie Grant was a favorite target these attacks several times between February May, Elsie Grant experienced major attacks. The first in February saga, tell you commander, Lieutenant Colonel Gore VAT killed when around hit the talk, he was seriously wounded but refused to leave the battle. The enemy manage to penetrate the perimeter wire

Fighting was fierce to include artillery lowering the tubes and firing point blank into the charging enemy with Anti personnel, shot Blue MAX gunship recalled in, engage the fall One enemy, as well as pursuing those attempting to retreat in May. Elsie Grant was under attack again simultaneously convoy. Elsie, Jamie and Elsie Phyllis also came underground assaults that night the enemy wanted. First Cavalry division out of three core region, which was not going to happen in eight days. They start stepping up the fight back then in hit NOS three Elsie's at the same time that that had everybody up unscrambling, we got pulled out in the middle of the night to start flyin resupply on their hands, be careful when you took the Reese play yet you're trying to go in there where the NBA at around that wire so looking to see were mostly shootings at and you come in most time. You come in fast and low and kick out and just

that's the way. The grunts, when I say, didn't, want to have to run out there to grab a more grab your aircraft, but then daylight came out their needs go in there and start get more the resupply and bring it enforcement and talk, We did one night combat assault that we brought reinforcements in and we put them, but two clicks out and they were catching the enviers, the NBA we're trying to get back to Cambodia, but the idea that they started picking up pit knows fire basis. Pretty art fast forward a little, but we had a new commander arrive in August. Who was a major improvement? Major Bert Saunders maintained their rights on yet, he was a leader and we ignited almost immediately. One of his first actions was to allow us to hire hooch maids previous commanders wouldn't hear of it. So we cleaned our own tents. Now, had huge maids that would come over from the village and clean out our rooms. Do our laws green shine our boots in an hour?

to raise morale, major Saunders, directed that one who would be turned into an officer into a club for the the members of the union. There wasn't another, there wasn't another empty huge available, so he directed that the officers should build our own club. We an engineer oral. Our pilot and heed be designed for the commanders approval with a design we then began scavenger Hunt for building material, and before long we haven't officers club the brigade near brigade headquarters poured a concrete floor for us in return for some flight time for their projects time Sanders got there. We moved out of the GPA medium tents. to the other side of the chicken coop. At the other side, the chicken pen and took over some would buildings that we're Hutus and that's when Saunders that ok, you can have huge maids now, but he settled right now, but not any sex go along with the huge mates

and so the guys we're pretty admin about watching at that there would be no boom boom girls and that that increasing significant right there buddy said: ok, there's an empty hooch, treachery and club. Professors, if you want when you build it yourself and weed. the engineer officer you drew the plants, for we start scavenging and scavenging stuff up I seem to remember a palette of of tin, coming flying in one day on the bottom of the helicopter delivered, but it was a great deal but they had. I am Stone BAR that in locate and a rubber tree plantation taboo, cutting down a rubber treat. You didn't dare cut down retreat fact. You can run military operations in the in the plantations, arbitrary plantations, so we the bar at a stone and it went from the wall to

tree in the middle of the club. I mean it was a nice lookin bar. We got no it that, regrettably pictures of it. I wish I did. I don't, but we had to tree grown up through the middle of the roof, and so we we built our club. was sheet metal on the outside of tin roof. We had a big cargo parachute that we requisition one day spread out over the top the for extra shade. We put, we got to those parachutes, we put one over the illicit club as well, so the guys could sit outside and enjoy themselves outside the night Club and pleased to have the pilots would be over there and then a lot of the other pilots from other units are the engineer button brigade their headquarters, guys come on. When the metabolic nurses would come over to us both prenatal place. So this is what called what would we call the club, the club, the chicken coop only out is called the chicken house, the chicken house

we had a chicken. Your mascot was a rooster for a dollar. You could buy the resource. A shot of scotch a rooster would not drink beer, he drove it, would drink, Scotty, drink scotch and that was issued by a shot. A scotch for dollar from from Samar, barmaids, she'd, set it down form of the rigid walk over hates it there and drink. That's got about to those that good work anymore, but it was funny as hell Watch Annette Rooster. What was a roosters Mary rooster the seals. It's your team, tutoring Vietnam, had had a monkey that they brought home from Vietnam. I got and they have on the quarter deck and it was like the most ornery evil monkey, the monkeys name was Jacko. If you read the partner in our book about the monkey, didn't what about it, One of our pilots p, oh yeah, yeah yeah. I've already took it in the aircraft. Eighty I gotta go

the guy's, a user rights pilot they had in Vietnam. Had these monkeys, your gibbon monkeys, they'll, think it pretty near big. Oh, he bought Wanna dominance, cut small and brought out to the aircraft. Thank God I was not the aircraft commander that day, so the monkey sitting near and them he's jumping on his seat. He jump over the aircraft commander, Seton any climb up on the first aid kit by air. commander scurry VON over first aid kit troops jump on board. Therefore combat assault may think this is funny watching the monkey run back and for two minutes out: cobras role, hot one minute out the door gunners open up and when they opened that monkey opened up with his balls, and is this all over the pilot all over the aircraft commander scream at us, fighting aircraft manner reach up, grab him granted by the neck and about two hundred feet up tossing

monkey out the window. I don't know he learn. Other skydive without money was gone, but nobody would go near the crew that data stuck so mad legacy. fast forward through by just after some stories in here you gotta read for sure that's one of em the other one, as I was thinking that the monkeys and I'm not gonna covered today, but the guy's, a colony and that there be an attack, their surrounded and all this stuff, and you guys got over top and said you are surrounded by unless these, how did he tell you, lose your uncle exorbitant waiting, wonder equating want it, but the charter is a brand new school patrol leader. It was a nurse team out there. So We just want a hidden, ok engaged the monkeys and they able to any Algeria. So we got back into the brigade talks at eight. What but

port you get on the energy situation. There might not quite be true. Next up, Ralph? Was a good aircraft commander, a quiet man? He was the youngest pilot, the outfit as he joined the army right out of high school. He was not a drink or spent his evenings working on college correspondence courses. His mission for that day was flying cnc the divisions, engineer battalion commander the engines, Battalion Commander wanted to fly out to wear his engineers, we're working on various projects in the AOL Cedar Progress not unreasonable as they were scattered all over the ale, improving road building, a school and supporting peace. checks on the various fire basis. The data rough normal and they were visiting the various locations. However, just after wants things changed the colonel wanted to go on a red some areas Ralph defy those areas and b and proceeded to fly between convoy and Song Bay, the colonel,

focused on looking for clearings. Finally, he Ralph to take them down and landed. One Ralph, as for the frequency and call sign of the union the clearing, so he could contact them prior to landing, especially as and see any one in the clearing the colonel came an excuse for why he couldn't pro. The information it told raft just to land. Ralph insisted on a call sign of frequency before you take the aircraft down the current became irate, but weak used, Ralph of being a coward that was when things exploded Ralph reached up. Yes connected his helmet from the intercom system, took the controls from the co pilot and headed back to camp. Go Gore. Vat, the colonel, was live. It Ralph, didn't care, didn't care, reaching core Rad machines, namely that go back, and that's named after that. The Danube pinnated manner there there was killed during that assault, Ralph did at the engineering pad and told the colonel politely but firmly to get out of his aircraft?

called our battalion headquarters on the radio which was being monitored by almost every pilot from the battalion and told them tat. He had just tossed the end task engineer six out of his aircraft and would return the base to say the least. Shit was about to hit the fan not call on the radio alerted every aircraft on the frequency as to what had happened however, someone's all rafts position in this and nothing came of it at least on four Ralph yeah. You talk about egos, the engineer had an ego and he was out to make himself of a name for himself and the division. He was a fairly new guy. and he would do that. Didn t try to get an aircraft good manage a clearing without Anybody being in the clearing to protect them round was smart enough to say no alpha coward, bad mistake: Ralph had already had a silver start. This point handed we're flying cross. This

engineer. Bhutan commander did that to my roommate and my roommate flew into the clearing, then came out, the envy awaiting form and everybody was killed, so did exactly the right thing with this guy because of you ego, want impress everybody knew that, Did you talk about that here? Exactly what happened when I read this is fast forward a little bit when I returned from my mission that evening major Saunders Approach, my aircraft, that, as I was shutting down Mr Corrie, wordpress, he said: is proxy opened my door The major were standing in front of my aircraft and had approached me. Yes, sir, I unstrapped climbed out came over to him. It's Mr Corrie announced that a damn. What did I do wrong? Let's walk.

Mr Croup recalled over his shoulder, dress, Michael Violet, sir. Would you grab dance gear and put it there it put in his room? Please? Yes, sir, he called back with a question to look on his face. We walk half way back to chicken coop with nothing said between us, but were angling towards his huge. Finally, he said Dan. I have some bad news day why you were shot down today, I'm afraid the entire crew was killed. Why was Dave's Copilot for the day and fairly new to the unit I felt like I had just been got pinched what happened, sir, as does anyone could tell, was supposedly flying from Kwan, Lloyd, Abu Dhabi, the engine the colonel had again gone on a recon and convince Dave to land in a clearing. A scowl team happen a fine aircraft sitting there. It was awful that someone had landed the aircraft before the enemy open fire with some heavy weapons, as the only damage to the aircraft was in the cockpit and transmission and none in the engine or belly the sky.

dedicated a normal landing Dave and why I was still strapped in their seats and sergeant Alford. The door Gunnar was in his as well. The crew chief, however, was found about a hundred yards from the downs aircraft. It appeared that specialist Collins fought as empty as empty five. Six showcasing were around him, but not a weapon. The aircraft was booby trapped Carlos staff were dead in the back of it. Been no friendly soldiers at the location, damn that son of a bitch has got more aircraft shot up than anyone. Damn his sorry ass and now he's gotten people killed. At least two sorry? Ass was one of them bastard major there's just let me rant while he opened a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Johnny Walker, scotch filling to class glasses. He handed one to me and raised his own too comrades, to Dave why a Alford and comments A few days later, I was sitting in my room writing a letter.

When my new roommate away Richie came in from flying. He looked will do as he grabbed a beer and tossed his flight gear on the bed. What's up Richie, I asked just a bad day, sir. I first crash and it was not pretty said finishing off the first beer and opening the second, happened was a one of ours. I asked no, it was a Charlie company bird and one of them which was in my fight class. I just been talk, him before we launched and now him screw or dead hit a tree. Damn were you under fire? No, we were coming out of Elsie, which we had been in four times already, and the blade on the right side hit a tree it about seventy five feet. Rotor blades came apart, they crashed and burned. No one got out. Damn sorry, when who the pilots let's see worn off Sir Thomas Black. Was in flights, go with me one afternoon this Barney was the AC specialist Marcin shall be. Was the door Gunnar and the crew chief with specialist? Robert Lazarus, I just

met them not an hour before. When I went to talk to Tom Opening Beer for myself I raised it and tapped riches beer in a toast to absent comrades a few nights later opportune leader came walking down the hall. The ceo wants DC everyone in the club. He said we started having not weigh the seal, did not look happy Jack we'll take a seat after you get a beer. He enough to say that twice after having receded and holding a cold one. The major raised, his beer to absent comrades. The look of shock dread was on everyone's face. We all stood and raised our drinks to absent comrades. We all repeated in chocolate, they are still wondering who'd. We lost. motioning us to sit down the major looked over every one before he started to speak. Charlie company lost a crew last night, They were on a night mission out of Elsie buttons and ran into bad weather. Zero! Two hundred hours they attempted to take off in the fog

the grants on a perimeter said they had all the lights on, so they could see them in the soup. The aircraft got to about two hundred feet, Then it crossed a perimeter wire it as it Superman a riot wire. It appeared to rule ninety degrees and crashed in the trees on the perimeter. The whole crew was lost, that period of time we started, loosened crews and, We knew a lot of the crews and the other units because we flew lot together times. I have made me a eunuch put for birds up for lift and you get tat put to your birds with them see you got to know the other crews in the other pilots as well, that this period When Saunders got there, that's started losing a lot of birds and it kept right on up for the rest. The time I was there, the night birds the EU had minimum men instruments for whether fly and if the guys do practice there whether fly there were rusty at it and tried pull off from the fog debts. Like what happened there?

wasn't on his instruments that tighten lost control, the aircraft hidden, a tree that happen freedom, in fact my last mission, one of my last missions, one of our birds retreat at about seven five feet up in and we got one guy out. We didn't think he would make it, but the last summer I have which, with him at the congressional Golf club in Washington, Dc Haiti pull through coma for six weeks, but the he looks Gooding. He said the neck down. He said I'm one big scar, but from the face up look John looked pretty good, so then the thing is, I think, a lot of times. People I understand I mean when when this stuff is happening, the war goes on Oceana tag. Ok, to have a mission to do we're still gonna get the bird spun up were stolen about do our job that you still you gotta put a binding at that time I don't know how it was another units, but at that time, in our unit we

did have a memorial service when somebody has lost the just Why left we had a guy that we all love, dearly, accrue chief and we're on a combat assault. He got shot in the arm pit where the chicken didn't cover the armpits and he D we had a memorial service for him, than anybody else. We lost the memorial service was get drunk in the club that night. So a lot of us just didn't have any any good thoughts about when we left their themselves. It is good to see good good to have a year a drunk fast anyway, with the guys fast forward, a little bit my crew. When I arrived at the aircraft and conducted our pre flight good morning, Posey how she look, I asked my true chief: all goods missed. It MR see answered ass. He closed the engine, calling go and how the guns enabling us my Gunnar cans animal this morning, Mr Curry, were good. Mr Corrie were good. He responded

climbed up and looked over the road ahead. While my co pilot for the day, worn officer RON Fender, did the walk around inspection and tailor all appear to be good, we strapped in started the engine and waited ready ready to assume the mission, if called upon hey one niner to seven, is down assume his mission in Contact Badger six when you reach convoy for further instructions. Flight operator and start Roger three India, one nine or has it I started point- ok, ok, guys common out about this time. I saw chip rumble chicken. two seven along his co pilot, worn officer Macartney weaving to me and running over. I set the aircraft back down. Jumpy I'm scared. Next to my door, chip asked Hey Dan Omelette I'm pilot for the month. Let me take the mission he just right. From a seven day on our trip to Hawaii and headed for much for the past month, you got I said, is wrong and I unstrapping and climbed out. Turning over the aircraft aircraft, a chip and Macartney, we

she's they hovered over the chicken pen and onto the runway. We were walking back to operations when they started down the runway, disappeared behind the trees reaching operations. We went in first class first class Robinson was crying. He sauce and immediately got a shock. Look on his face. Oh my god, whose fine you're aircraft he asked. I told him why what's the problem They got off the runway and were climbing out when the road or head came off, they're all dead, I was stunned and suddenly sick to my stomach outside I threw up wrong drop to his knees and start and stared at the ground. I went back to my room and just sat on my bed. Thirty minutes later major Saunders Stock Stop by Europe, Danny asked. I don't know, sir. I checked out head in it all look good one I don't know, but the accident Investigation Board will figured out you just take it easy. He left but about an hour later he was back Dan. I hate to ask you, but can you take a mission? It seems

It we'd is too upset to fly his mission him and is brought back. His aircraft. Lieutenant we'd was close to chip the aircraft commander. Yes, Sir I picked up my gear I'll walk out with you. I want you to see I want to see just how upset he is the major and I walked together to the flight line. We did say watches there wasn't a lot to say. I didn't expect what came at me. Lieutenant we'd saw me. He threw his helmet on the ground and came out. Be you son of a it Corey? This? Is Damn fault major Saunders stepped between US lieutenant. Stop right. There get your shit and go to your room. Not another word you hear me now go turning to me. The ceo said Dan forget this and get with the mission this one over, however, that night at the club lieutenant we seated allow be bowed mouth me I'll, go as he was lieutenant. I was just a warrant by finally had enough hey Lieutenant Dick we'd, with all due respect for your rank, go to Hell. I knew using his full name as modified by the worn officers, would piss him off, and it did with that here,

up and headed straight for me, I was off my bars to an eager to get it on with him looking forward to hurting him. I was a broader but could hold my own in a fight just before he got to me Captain Armstrong, opportune leader, step behind him and jerked him off his feet. Don't you dare move lieutenant. Captain Armstrong was in the tree officer of considerable struck size, very tall and very muscular. He was in no nonsense, man, Mr Corrie. I think you should retire for the night now he told me yes, sir, and I depart, at my room in the worn officers huge after any, aircraft, accidents and accident investigation is held. My co pilot was interviewed, as were the assistant maintenance officer and myself. The crash sight was well was examined as well the road ahead was flown. with General aviation support facility at VON too and examined the results were didn't indicated that the road ahead is not come off, but it failed the road or head that had been put on the

craft. The night before was rebuilt one during the rebuilding. The bolt calls for the bolts that hell the pitch change. Horn had been cleaned and re sized one millimetre. However, the same. Original bolt sizes were installed upon the: U S: S, Corpus Christie, floating aircraft, overhaul facility. Those original bolt were one millimetre, two small between asked flight and the take off the bolts holding pitch, change horn had failed The stress and the result was a loss of control over the blades, making the aircraft unstable in flight. The investigate im bored found that there was no way to the assistant maintenance officer or I could have found the problem as the bolts hadn't twisted out, but it simply and instantly torn out the bolts ever found, but the condition of the bullet holes told the story easy for them to say, but this would hardly

every day. I couldn't help but think that it was something I should have caught on the pre flight. It could have been me and my co copilot we combat close. Yet I want that that it- and it is hard to me for a long time. I lost Posey, Alas Quinn and it was a close- that death. that we almost bought the form, the main its officers flown the bird the night before after they put the road ahead on it. Paul seemed well and we ve got out there in the morning and looked at it. I did the road ahead, the safety wires role and place? The slippage marks were all lined up in everything, look good and but when she went out he pull full power when it came off the end of the runway. Those four bolts that hold that pits change worn on. They just blew out and up. They said when they

Maenas officer Tommy's, and when we took it down the mountain they looked in there, they could see whether the threads had just been ripped apart. They hadn't they hadn't been screwed down pig just where the bolts exploded out of there. So we lost the crew Lawsy aircraft. Talk about some other missions that you did you talk about doing some sigh offs missions, which like me, do saps missions why's, that while I did at one side mission and- and I was just after David died. It was just after Chip Macartney. We killed and they say you're getting about their flight assassination. Okay, so they put these big loudspeakers and the sight of the aircraft and is it means CAP n jumps in and they see. Ok, got this crossroads. So we fly to this crossroads, where twenty five hundred feet

we're flying around this guy's in the back of the aircraft sing song vietnamese language for to his right to hoist you trying to get the morphine he's a surrender, so my crew chief Lovelace at that hey look sizes, hey Mr Corrie. Hazel bunch I stand here and in the bamboo there did entrenches right alongside the intersections, so look over there. I thought well shit here. They I envy hey manner and I turn to the american sergeant Lusitania. You think those guys can hear from us Bonaparte twenty five hundred feet which likes to go down the law, because Mr Corrie, nobody, a flight. Fifteen hundred fifteen herds, idea how taken fifteen hundred so as I'm lower and aircraft down to fifteen hundred flying this orbit around these north vietnamese guys, I turned my cope eyes. It gets they artillery on the wine. He calls up Song Bay Audiences Fire mission standby. it gives them the coordinates. Everything we get down here, sure enough. Envious start shooting up at his side, I said were taken fire pieces

Is he aware, Mr Brigitte? You need to go back on this and that we need to get a further out so move that'll a bit further. Will they kept shootin? Let's, when I call artillery in autumn and the vietnamese captain in the back. He just went ballistic. Yes, they're supposed to surrender nicer! Well feed. Adam now, they're gonna be more willing to surrender effort. We can invest more pillory. We did we put about twelve rounds in near on top of these guys, and after that, and these guiding one argue anymore, but we back the american captain charges. Sobs programme came up. Mrs organised crest scratches not as a failure and, as I said, pay enough- they treating first and I was protected my crew in your crews. Well sized he just kind of laughed at many tapping the choices ya gotta stay, I hated saps missions This was crazy. Your bad was still in the navy at this time and he is now an officer and he's in Freakin Saigon yeah he's living well

That is why the rough says one Remsen Saigon well does The cap reform world war. Two observers- I got no rope rather than the joys of private. I got. Someone asked look man. I said Acer Missus Sanders still, I said, and he was there's gettin cordially and of his tour, so I say: hey my dad inside gone? Did he fly three days with me or something like that, and I thought centres that they'll know base it. Europe bring em up, ok, we'll bring em up, so dead came up, I picked him up inside. I jumped in the front seat were footwear before you get there when you're in Saigon, under you went to a officers club with him Folia and they come to kick you out. I will add your going to the officers club. You see like a bunch of nice pistol. I end up on the wall and you're nice and carried the unsecured knows watching them in your thinking. Well, that's doesnt seem very smart. If so, then you sit down havin some lunch with your dad. They kicked him They kick you out, because you're not

feel great officer stretches a familiar lieutenant commander above so they can on your way out some those weapons where, with you So you end up with a nice and of that thirty caliber pistol that wasn't very effective. You end up with a forty five, a nice nineteen eleven, I'm sure now and not that's quite this right way. Let's just say that when I got back to Light K, I had a brand new forty five. Ok, so your dad ends up freaking common up hold your dad at this point. Danced they are about forty three forty four hunger he's in the game area is in the game is, I think he was he was about fifty when he retired from the Navy in this is three years before he retired from the Navy. Such a slight forties occur

he came up and what was he doing? What we see some kind of liaison or some now now he was in jail. Six iraqi had course communication, sir, and I guess say it now my class anymore, but he was working. The communications plan for the repatriation of p, O Debbie's God Is- is he was doing the time so were so. He came up the like ay and Smith spent about three days with its flues. My occur chief or where's my door, Gunnar fear, but my crew chief some time off, but it did good eighty eight had have his ass chewed little Betty S or what so tell us about the first gunfire Yoda. That's a good one, Europe flying along their end, his work. Work in the elder reason and he's doing good, clearness and clearness ass. If I guess we got the troops on board, It's all get on the aircraft and dead. Uniform is the same as ours fatigues and he had its major is lieutenant. Manage leaf on your, which is just a little smaller than the army major leaving the grocer back there in the back.

all of a sudden. Some starts Poland on my collar and look over. This is grunts boycotting Gus, hey, Sir, what your rank. I'm a double to wine. He goes down that major back you screw up procedure nor none are so it's not my daddy's. Why with this, so they thought that was pretty cool, Are we going on this combat assault, we're a chop five or six position and we're going in a staggered rights formation. So you got one aircraft in front of you. You got one off the side, six minutes artillery goes in the artillery cuts off two minutes out: cobras role, hot one minute out door, gunners open fire. And right away. We start seeing green tracers, and I hear my crew achieves gunfire in, but I dont here my dad's unless it dad open fire, nothing. I'm thinkin, oh shit he's been hit and I turn on my shoulder and look

standing on the skids. He's got his monkey harness on any taking pictures out in front. I got on that re gonna Intercom is a dead. Get your ass in here get God gun he gets on the girl. We got back. We have discussion about crew chief duty to do a dog on yoga any My mother decision, I've had a lot of questions in my native career, but that's the worst one I've ever had and he took it not I'll give credit. He took it quite well and he came back Louis about three or four times that crazy? I like this, what this guy say she had been your dad says he says I noticed one thing different about those air force: pilots from you guys, airports. Pilots seem to be going and always in a positive mood for you guys, who always seem withdrawn and pensive he explained, and then europe-

dad and AIR Force pilot is that way, because he flying machine that wants to fly and if left alone will generally fly quite well on its own addition compared to a helicopter. An airplane has very few moving parts that can cause serious malfunction. On the other hand, helicopter pilots fly a machine that does not want to fly and only does and does so by the interactions of the pilot to balance for forces all opposed to each other, Plaza Alex. Europe has a lot of moving parts, any of which breaking can and cause a major disaster. Helicopter pilots are moody because we know something is going to break. It hasn't done so already. That's right, that gave the old man something to think about it. flown with one of them today when it came up like hey, we had a year over ten squadron that fluid the Broncos and We got him a ride in one. Anyone out fluid dummy we were the captain Rider and Australia. Captain was an exchange officer and he thought that was pretty cool out their flying with those guys

and so it came back in that night. That's when this. This conversation came up about now that the fighter pilots, they're, just jovial unhappy and said: are you guys, you're, gonna moody and down at the nonsense, and that's why we fly sunlit doesn't want to fly Harry Reasoner about Tina. Seventy three wrote a great article about helicopter pilots in helicopters is its kind along that same line is what the what dad nice rotation was your words, like you said, a plane you, and you can let go of the stick and it'll kind of just crews for awhile it'll fly itself, but a headache we're not that's out it s not happening. That's not have. They have now help after that do have an auto pilot on em. in those days d, like all those controls and Huey no tell him where she's gonna go

fast forward a little bit. You get eventually get orders and you're gonna go to Fort word, which to use, sounds Craigs up by Monterrey, and you start like thing at home on California, I'm an agreed yeah, awesome and then you start asking people what the deal is, and you start here and that its actually horrible to be there. Expensive, his howl and the high school kids are driving around in Jackson, Mercedes End and you're gonna barely great by the elder, afford or anything is worn off. Sir, and So you figure out or camera trying it. My orders changed and you go talk to your ceo and, and you say, hey, can I get my my orders. Change these acknowledge can't hear we think I'd think I'm magic, and then he says now wait one. There is a way you can change. Your orders now is there is how you can extend for six months and stay enough. He was grinning. Did he asked can I do with my hour of all. I wondered, Sir,

kidding hell. I've already had my cherry busted had a door, Gunnar wounded, had hydraulic failure and a compressor stall added that I'm over thirteen hundred hours a flying here I didn't mention the aircraft gone down with it, change. Horn failure, the one eyed almost written in he knew that it was on the scorecard without me, mentioning it yeah right some time, but that's only, but that's it. Matures you have think about it and he headed to the bar. Yes, and I really thought at the time I thought why just change my orders, not a problem, but not wasn't, but the him enough. India, between leader lieutenant you Beauchamp, were Captain Beauchamp. They had probably already work this out ahead of time on thinking they didn't. if they do with begin orders to art, but put the idea, my head to extend and, this time. We had not had guys extending voice for our union

it's all. I said: ok, yeah I'll, extend I'm thinkin I'll, go to omit evacuate words. What you're gonna wandered did their work is not a problem. Four million, because information but then bow Camp is so they, so they get you to extend and negotiated a day say less near you, gotta met a vacuum, it'll be in the rear. With the gear you known, UNICEF, to fight that our citizens be nurses there in the whole nine yards. So you agree, it seems idea, you're, not gonna, get it already go back to someplace. Once you get orders, you you back to some place better than ORD answer. You get that extension ghip and and then you guys could go out to do some drinking and- and now you guys, are drinking hard and go to book after about an hour of this, a company about an hour, but people feeding you drink. The company clerk came up to me in the officers club and asked me to sign some papers. What's his for, I have to with slower and blurry eyes I was becoming is drunk as our rooster who frequented the glove tonight. We sped Scots, damn rooster would not drink beer, expensive taste or racism.

paperwork. I need your signature for on the extension. He said, and I find it without another thought I thought I had submitted everything ass. He left the are allows, excuse themselves slapping each other on the back and laughing their asses off do nicely. I found out what was so funny the major wanted. All the pilots in the club for meeting and he goes in there, he announces that data I am happy to announce one of our chick has decided to stay in the coop, Mr Corrie, as graciously modified his extension to remain with us instead of going to a matter back unit. Thank you, damn that's what God, you're drunk and are you signed papers to stay on I didn't mean that right, daddy announced will look who's in the new instructor pilot and one of them let's asked not need just kind of green and looked around us core is the new instructor pilots to tell us about the instructor duties had instructed duties, you re the unit instructor pilot and in Europe. Boys too, when a new I showed up in the unit they flew with you, there first orientation,

white would be with you and then frequently five EU, then well major decided that, since I was going to take my extent leave and about a month and a half he wanted me to fly with new pilots. Only so a pilot that would come in and we had who come in right away. Almost mister. I forget when journalists need the other was due moss, but I Why, with one on one day and fly with the other when the other day and vice versa, daisy, flying with may they before, with another. I see that was my job to teach them. Combat flying, combat Irritations combat take off how to get rid of her whole those sorts of things. you're still doing your normal missions, oh yeah, what he does not lie with the new gas. If you just leave you fly the normal missions just now. You got really new guys line when you're right seat, on May fourth, one thousand nine hundred and sixty nine two aircraft from our sister Company Company B junior formation with a second aircraft in a right ashalon to the first

second aircraft attempted to pass the first aircraft on his right side. There was a miscommunication between the two aircraft resulting in MID air collision. All crew members on both aircraft were killed. You have got. You flew formation flew by s opaque, but if the epidemic we're gonna do something outside of the the norm: formation flying like, In the past, somebody on the opposite side, you had to be communicate with them too, so that everybody understands you're gonna do anything there was a lack communications with these two guys in one flew right into the other arm You have to worry about getting shot at yet to worry about the aircraft main it's very. And had a worry about somebody flying into the air. I was telling you earlier that pilot was never

My kind of thing like I have no desire to be a pilot. That's one! That's a black couple: the restrain their unlike relying on some big big machine with a bunch of parts that hours that's gonna. Keep me alive. Keep my friends alive. I like that It's just a matter of trusting each other. Like I trusted a hundred percent the guys in our unit that I flew with ninety percent, the guy's and other units I didn't fly with so, but you trust in Bonn built up. Monks, yo. You know your when's, the same flight schooled YO understood that what, with the different formations war, and so you didn't do anything radical and even when we would fly in, our company would fly their company because, I flew by Anne S, o p. We had a system, we understood the system, so things are relatively safe. It's when somebody would go do something like this. That's out of ordinary that that people got killed yard, and this is because everyone's rely on each other's so much any similar systems. If somebody, if someone

outside its is, if the job is outside their capability like it's a non starter. That's why I like what what I like, what you guys had with the with the ac What is to be an aid and aircraft commander? You had to get the thumbs up from the other agencies, theirs and their that you can't compromise could its truly putting everyone out at rest s right, everybody fast forward, a little coming around me into the valley. I climbed up the ridge and popped up looking south right down the runway, this just out on another freakin mission, which are done all the Times sniffer mission, on the left, specialist Lindeman started shooting the snow. team. Let loose with forty millimeter round are not under the bamboo and beyond the edge the runway was a regular village of envy soldiers lying around somewhere in uniform some lying in hammocks. Some cooking chow tables were made out a bamboo as we're chairs. They were totally surprised as where we end this is their their occupying an abandoned,

yeah. So that's why you see in airfield and there's envy right there Lobo on my left in the bamboo fire, I screamed as I increase power and airspeed rapidly staying loaded the ground. I had never seen so many enemies soldiers before as soon as I spoke to point, seven five inch rockets were slamming into the bamboo and as envied troops ran and dough for Cover Lobo was firing ripple effect automatically launching twenty eight rockets with just one pulled the trigger and punishing the target. That is gone opened on the tree line on my left, as we were, hauling asked down the runway as we clear the abandoned S, F, camp and runway. We stayed low level until we are confident we could climb to outdo, do not get hit by a fifty. cow machine gun, but something wasn't right and in the view of the aircraft the cyclic felt stiff and was getting stiffer. Mr Corrie, we have a problem: the housing for the push pull to be shot away in each time you move the sick. Cyclic control Binding the rods can you fix it?

surprised at how com I sounded when I was shooting bricks here. No sir, I could but the tubes, but then I would be flying the aircraft from here he said. Well, what are you just slowly descended find a clear area that we can do a running landing into you be able to write, raise the nose. But we are one time move not to become by attempting to lower the nose, ok can do this running landings were practised and the further south. I flew the better terrain. For this are run. We would be nice, but the closest with saw bay and it was laid out EAST to West, whereas I was flying North south that going to work. I start looking for an open area. What about the road Bruce said he was now. his third cigarettes inside taken the controls? Danny better save a couple for me. I fought in the since we could see a straight stretch, but the trees were closed and the sides were lined with bamboo, it's gonna have to do. I want everyone up forward and seat belts on Lindeman, make sure everyone strapped in tight, as I got to tell top level with the road under that

in bubble I started using up on an I started, using nose up slowly, the airspeed began to bleed off eighty Seventy, not sixty knots and our speed continue to drop. We were slapping the tops of bamboo stocks. Now twenty not ban boost. Were breaking off and I could feel the main wrote Roeder buffering as we hit. vegetation. Didn't want to know what kind of vegetation at this point. Just don't let us The hardwood tree trunk and rip the road or had off at twenty, not the skids, touched the ground over sliding long steering with the panels to maintain a straight line broken boo, was whirling about as if it was in a tornado. As the aircraft came to a stop. I was shutting the engine down while Lindeman Dietrich had the gun in hand with belts of ammo in their arms and and we're on asking the aircraft, as might landed right behind me, he'd and worry about tree limbs. One look at my rollerblades told me that I had cleared out everything for him as if a giant lawnmower had passed over the bamboo field, as might flew by us back to Song Bay

Dietrich had asked the question that I knew was coming: hey mister binkie was at your first time. Shot down Bruce, walked into a yeah. I've only been in country a couple months. Thank you, Sir you're buying the bearded night. I considered it sooner defy should speak up as well as it was. My first then MIKE spoke up, hey Mr Corrie, that forced to his net there'll be law the free beards night guys. I started a protest, but to no avail. Yet we have them they took her, which have one round hats. All at here is but a hit right on the housing for the year. The push pull too for the for the cyclic so every time I move that psycho. I can feel a start in a bind out. My dear dear try to move it left or right as I did not want the aircraft in return, and I just I just get moving forward and back and funding just follow straight stretch. Rodin said: ok, let's, let's go down the road and we just running landings all the time, so that was no dialogue. We just worried that I wasn't gonna

That knows far enough back up to slow the aircraft down a lasting. I wonder why do you do in sixty slide down that road, and my skids make sure we had enough room to the east. Nose up and keep that aircraft from sliding do fast, but does MIKE Mike good out. He heard the made a low put out a made a for me as well and they got in Four hours later she came in pick. The aircraft Upton flew back to like a year that that's what's crazy, you these helicopter you get shot down and you just leave the bird and then a siege. Forty forty seven would come in strap on the thing out and taken out well, what would happen is it a bird would go down and, firstly, the night calf. They always had a rapid reaction force is called their blues and they would that rapid reaction force into worthy aircraft was, if it was salvageable, said, security yet set security, and then they took the aircraft up to a siege. Forty seven and forty seven would pull your craft out flight back to its own base and that's what they do.

this one. They replaced the wrote a blades, they are applied the Bell Housing on the bottom, and that was it two days later that Burma's backup flyin again now when you would do you get up. Do you stand used own bird dog all the time. Are you always find the same bird? Yes, unless it's down for maintenance for some reason, sound you get some other ran. A bird are now the birds a little bit different, bring much laid out the same meeting. There were a corpse about him, but nothing that you'd really notice. We had. We had outboard motors right for large Zodiac boats and they, even though their all from the same company nurse, was that we had names form I would also be just a little bit different temperamental, temperamental like this one I remember is called Frankenstein videos like the one that was. It was all a look It would never run, but it was the most reliable but you, but it's But for you you didn't care if you got a different bird, then hard luck, yeah, yeah! I'd! Writing!

There would fly anything. How would you didn't like, though, is you got a different kerchief? always gotta different kerchief, indifferent gonNA has accrued chief and Gunnar always state with aircraft, they aircraft was now in its they were down for maintenance is well help me help me get the aircraft ready. So that's nothing. I didn't about his eye, learn different different kerchiefs, indifferent, gunners otherwise yards the aircraft were pretty much the same. Now. Are you your flight. This is analogue flying I mean this is your moving the stick and it's moving a piece of whatever kind. Bull, that moving something it's moving, a tube to move in a tube, but that's what it is, or this r r is a black. the same thing is a black hawk. Is it? Is it the log like that, what you're actually moving a gear somewhere moving a cable or moving tube. I think so, I'm not sure about the black hawk. but on the Huey it was was tubes. The only place you had cables was back in the back

and the tail boom, and it was a cable to cables. Two or four can't remember. Thing was to cables. It ran down the tale boom back to the tale router, but for the for the cyclic, the collective in the pedals? Initially, those were all pull tubes, air called proton mechanical. It's all mechanical mechanical dm. No theirs! Is there anything like power steering. The only thing that was that was the governor diffuse honor Huey there was controlled the throne. Control by a governor. So when she our dear craft up. You brought the throttle up all the way and the gulf would stop at at sixty six hundred r p m on the engine, and you had a gun. The controls which, if that went out then you had to fly the aircraft manually and you learn a flight manually with eighteen. Fifty five and flight school, but on the Huey that was really sensitive with that trying to fly that thing with the manual control on the throttle, but that's the only thing that was automatic

so to speak on the EU aims at Throttle control man. These are some like durable beast or they were they Huey the cobra gunship. The church we all trolley model gunships. They were just great. I mean Bell Helicopter built a great aircraft force and it did it well, the Hughes built the oil six, which you see those with the the image sixes now in an taskforce, one sixty the oil six guys loved the fly that thing, because if it got shot down, it crash the road had come off, the table come off and it role like an egg and so guys really big data in mind. They did my get shot down crashing, but their survive, ability rate was really good neo, which six aright, going back to the book. Here you take some leave and and what, while you're on leave, you know you got it boy got DC.

Baltimore area Dc Millennia mom was going to college at the university Maryland and then you know you, you spend some time refer with Mary. Sarah spend some time with Mary get to know her. And then let me give you a background Mary, what's hear about Mary, Mary dad would stay and in Morocco you're that my death, sixty seven there and I went back to Morocco, for Christmas, have sixty seven met me, one night in church, Morocco and Morocco there. What was her parents? Don't they were station at the same Navy makers was a communications base, so another maybe brought Navy bread and a the base is no longer there was at city, I e a buccaneer era, but I met her church.

for a ride. My dad's mg the next day- and it was it, and then, a year later, just forward to Vietnam came back and a network It's me. I saw her parents and everything, but she had already gone back. The states answer When I came back from Vietnam, the first time them you are all the way to Morocco, Mary they're married there, and so so I came back to stay mom said: hey where'd, you go see the summits and- and I said gap Miss Lytton Virginia Beach, with devastation on the cobbler SS three, forty four so yeah they become a cool. I to go back and seen off, so went down, are met her and we got kind hooked up them in that way. That was while you're on leave now two hours on my extension leaf got it? So that's rule you don't what kind of a mission accomplished their is stateside mission accomplished. You you, come back from leave and you you mentioned that you are ready to go back for me. The already go back and he was right to get back. I just

I was climbing the walls a little bit you get back there. Hey. I read in the paper in DC that an aircraft went down was of course no one said anything, but everyone looked uncomfortable. Finally, someone spoke up. Yeah was one of us was all he would say. Well, who was it? Did the crew get out ever We want. Ok, it was you aircraft, one nine, no one got out what what what happened I asked I was in total shop They were on a resupply over a hover hole, the Gooks open fire on them on their third past, and they crash of the trees grown said that they made each of their three approaches over the same ground. They had five new replacements on board. They're grunts got the aircraft and we're shooting Gooks in the cabin

the cockpit, who is the crew, it was ash as AC and new be tailor your crew chief Lindeman linen Zeiss, his name, Flint, linen and Dietrich were on board to sorry they told me, I didn't know the co pilot ride the day after I left to go home, the ac, like all our guys, was a good, my good man. He just received a dear John Letter from his wife telling him she was getting a divorce. I guess she didn't need to know that. I guess she didn't need to now. I raised my glass may join me to absent comrades, so eyes lit Lienemann Dietrich, who you just went through, that they're called a crash? doing what you death yeah? You went through that grassland landing you go home and both those guys get killed. If anything is that, so We was at near I'm in Washington DC. I'm really paper in the morning and its talkin about this helicopters shut down miles, north side, gonna. Think it

so unusual about that. I mean helicopters, gettin shut down all the time in Vienna and adjust the just kind of struck me hard, that would be there then I get down. I find that was my own aircraft. There's a chapter in here called stand down and it really points out that the importance of crew rest, you guys were run ragged wherever you go through one point where you you ve urine. airport helicopter, fine, you wake up, and you see that the that the person- well, I guess it's, the leopard. My call pilot is also asleep and the crews asleep that happened. We have pass. You got to the point where earlier you send the book enough yet opponent, forty hours, she got a couple of days now. for I was pushing oversight sixty hours and it got to the point. The pilots where the same boat. We are short of pilots, weird

our crew chiefs to fly the aircraft because it was getting desperate. So what we did was if we're flying a long leg, one pilot with sleep I'll stay awake, and so that's what we're doing oh, he was flying where come back at night, beautiful night to fly. That's why I said I'm going to I'm going to get some sleep. He said okay, I closed. My eyes right away fell asleep, while some so Wake up at a kind of walk up, looked around. And it may have been a one off. First, indications of a problem? Is a change in sound in the aircraft? yeah with suddenly the engines quiet, you know you got a problem, but there was just you really listen to sound an aircraft network that would take sums wrong. A whistling sound may use gotta, through the rollerblades, so some Just woke me up and I just sat there and just

look around. You really look great and I looked over at him and I thought when we're lookin at whose his head was down, and then I realized he's asleep and we just sat there and the aircraft flying not perfect, and then she chess- and I suspect what happened- is that he probably just let a little pressure off his hand and the psychologist ease forward a bit cause the no star drop and we start picking up speed and cup speed sounds gonna change. New aircraft are vibrate and then he walked. Looked over me. I won't get nice nap, so yeah, back in that night in the medical your came out in these they stood the whole unit now cause I was Third aircraft come in that day in the other two aircraft came in, and pilots both declared. That's it we're done so. The medical officer came out on the company commander came out on the ground of the whole union. He doesn't get now valorous unit award? Yes, yes, we gotta

uniform for the action on six March, sixty nine years and other things happens you're in for a briefing Mr Corrie. You and I will have three lives tomorrow and that should about but Mr Robert, you and I will fly together the day after to Morrow service robbers. Roberts responded looking at me and I had him. you two are going to be the next flight leaders, the policy bout, worn officers, not being flight leaders has changed. You will be first, if you guys want the assignment all the words in the room were smiling and talking awfully. My party leader was smiling and while captain we'd was he didn't protest north at any the commissioned officers? I never knew of the major spoken with them before the meeting or not. Yes, sir I'll take it, So you were you you alluded to that earlier, where the real The real life officers were the only ones that could be flight leads here, and now

like you were saying, you're, so undermine that they open up in you and one of the guy get to be the first worn officer flight, Yes, they change the policy because we're just we're so short of officers. We and have any experienced officers that were, to take overflight, led position, so the company commander here the brigade commander and say we gotta start listening there is more to it. I gotta get to warrants and are there are over overtime? months in the unit These guys know what they're doing you gotta. He had opened. The policy up in the brigade commander, Colonel suit check, really a good guy. He siege absolutely open it up. You said you were train in some of their crucial to become pilots, and I ve never make that transition, while you're in Vietnam, oh yeah, they can. They can take it We train them sufficiently the landing aircraft not huh running landing, but we always felt If somebody got shot, if both pilots got wounded, some is not to bring this bird back. So we train the courteous to do running landings. Microbes

was pretty darn good at it, and I want grew chief. I think it was Grossman came back and went to flight school graduate and flight school came back to normal pilot. Here we go another mission, a look, I'm covering eight the percentage of this book and is trying to figure out which one of these freaking crazy missions to to highlight it just is like Oh it's like a role. The dice pick, one they're all there knots. Here's one at age, minus one, the door gunners open fire, concentrating on the tree line as we touch down the grand started off the aircraft. That was when a sledge hammer hit the side of the aircraft one two times and then I lost count. The end, started winding down the road, p m started. Dropping as the engine r p M went to zero we're taking fire scream. Peters it was on his side of the aircraft and it was concentrated on our engine. His gun was being through ammunition, get out yelled and we began

on asking the aircraft? Talk too, is leading the rest of the flight out. We were now on the ground, with the grants. Peters was on his m16 machine gun. I told him to get down. No friend to sit in the gunners position and be a target to his credit. He did look he's gone with him down gamma was well. Specialist Lovelace was doing the same, the code coming in around for second pass and using the remaining rockets and forty millimeter ammo that they had rather Six was on the ground next to me and begin calling for artillery support, as the second flight crew flight came in you the artillery silence and the Anti aircraft gun that it worked us over as well. Small arms fire that was coming from the trees. We remained in the Elsie until the third lift and jump on an aircraft to get out all right. The baton commander, notified brigade than an aircraft was down in the Elsie. A recovery team was getting ready to come and get the aircraft and fly up five a controversy aged forty. Seven, a new engine would be installed that night and that graph would be flying in the morning, hopefully fine back,

waste turned me damn, Mr Corrie, your psychic with your feelings and not something I can escape the river hold a whole chapter, that's called psychic, so you had some kind of whatever EC sense about but things are gonna go well. I did the first. The first time I happened, I would add to the aircraft one day and just didn't. Have a good feeling got got shot up bad that day. and it happened this a second time. Third time I came out to the aircraft I asked Lovelace. I said how causing aircraft in it, because you got your feeling, don't you and I can't allied knows- I find a geologist- it's gonna be ok guys. I just got a strange real. That's feeling hit me six times and it just. I would go to the aircraft and I would just this feeling of dread for that day, and lo and behold he had hit. I just think of a believer in

supernatural by patron. Saint of Saint, does Padre peel and I just think Polypi was was watching over me bless me when I was a little kid and my thinking just watch over may say and hate be careful, so He was gonna. Ask you like what I preach you saint peel, but just we know that we get shot. I get a little more. Let me know if you're gonna hit me: that's so six times you had that feeling and each time you have that feeling we have, we got them living, shot out of us, then lose anybody. You ever have a feeling. I didn't and it didn't happen, yeah yeah, I had a guy. I had a guy named Johnny and great guy, but man,

Every time we rolled out. He thought he was we're all gonna die every time I go. He t smoked chains, maltese, legal, tonight's nights, or I could feel at this one. You ready you rhetoric that common every night, it matter what we're doing little logistics run. He goes, about this war bosses common like this charcoal you like, where this is going to get so I did gotta distraught added have say peel. I had John is they are all going to die. We had. I do you know what that guy went out on every single mission and, as a matter of fact, this is summer, disappointed to iraq- and our senior lit my senior enlist adviser said: hey man, you gotta, get, you know, get Johnny out of your men, get him on the first, because it takes the takes a couple weeks to get everyone flown home, and I said I asked

hey you got, you could talk, Johnny get him on that first burnt out of your man, he's gonna, you know he's these he's losing it and I'm not gonna wanna leave any goes. He doesn't. You need a unity data monoplane. And I said, I'm not gonna put him on a plane. He's not gonna want to leave we'll just ask him and I go our final. Ask him. So I got the Johnny one day, and I said I I said a Johnny Ola. First, first planes are head home, you wanna, be it in you only get you sit on that plane because fuck, you I was Roger that this jacket and a journal otherwise bird home, you know leggy used IE was paranoid, but he was doing job. They want to go home. What we had a year, we had a worn, so the commended the union he flew made aircraft commander. and never flew a combat mission. After that, as aircraft commander, he would he would take the aircraft out and in thirty minutes, you know he becoming backing complaining about something wrong with the aircraft. fi, they made him insistent, ops, officer,

his assistants, ops officer, but he never flew a combat mission against that fishing gaff ages. I would say yet and yellow streak eating their beds and only a yellow streak, but the as the difference Johnny had that bad feeling all time, but no yellow street there. He would write a rock and roll another one on April thirtieth Armed forces along with some. U S, forces crossed parrots. Beak indicates Boadicea the armed forces system of twelve infantry battalions and three ranger battalions, the: U S elements consent. It avi brigade from the twenty Fifth Infantry division, Tropic Lightning and too, Quadrants of armed cavalry operation, rock crusher was on your here. This is the first move, Your operation going into Cambodia because, of course the saw guys were gone in their though they were in there all the time on me,

first nineteen. Seventy zero seven ten hours company see two hundred twenty seventh. A h be inserted in in areas if a company to secure landing zone just across the bay inside Cambodia once a landing zone was secure. Six hundred and five hundred, five millimeter howitzers in three hundred feet five millimeter howitzers, which would support additional insertions throughout the area of operators, were brought in by sea forty seven helicopters later that day the sex battalion seventh gallery was inserted into landing zone x, ray marking the first american ground troops from the first revision to enter Cambodia throughout the day. First baton night cavalry flew reconnaissance missions, while elements of the two twenty seventh than to twenty ninth helicopter assault- advertisements, provided life support Arvin grants and the two twenty Eightth also support helicopter battalion. Vited, siege, forty, seven heavy lift capability for the movement, Artillery and other heavy equipment,

The evasion of Cambodia. Didn't I didn't know it was the night before project, one of the copy commanders office, main rattles, undo the cup of the two leaders, and he said the report. Eight drinks scotch were also look at each other like what this way how many of their was you. It was about eight of a snub. Romanians are one per got. One of her hat got it made its officer to later flight leaves head. He said. gentle, I can't they were gone, but we gotta, lift more and they made it So I ve been real stingy about witness. Take an aircraft He turned and made us ices what's availability, modern media services get twenty one to twenty one he's a good. They turn to two main issues here. Talk to do more I go down, you take the flight in I'm thinking what the hell

He turned a rentals nieces if Corey goes down, take the flight in ok, sir. He said I want you to get everyone in your pilots in your crew kerchiefs up and I want every aircraft pre flight it tonight. I want maidens to know right away if an aircraft got a problem. we're Cancun twenty one aircraft more morning. So next When we got up all the birds cranked up, Colonel Herb, the boss, the ceo he led the assault. We went up to a stage feel and we're sitting with our twenty one aircraft- and here came Bravo we were there. Twenty one and Charlie Company there. Twenty one ten siege, forty servants and we had all of the logos: never never twenty aircraft and we had the twin aircraft blue max and we're sinner gone. What in the hell we ve never seen this matter the tank merely shows up. He takes map board, he throws them canvas over them. Importances, gentlemen, we're invaded. Cambodia kerchiefs occurred

darkness all got up and left and went back and started cleaning guns and clean enamel right away, and we did we picked up. an orphan force and are we flew tree top level tank committee at three thousand feet. He was navigating tone jock one what is heading, wasn't Sarah and directly, artillery and the cobras and we flew at bath or maybe two hundred above the trees and punch cross the borders. We went across the board and it was a road peril. the border look now this guy in the egg and their catchy uniforms as far as you can see down the road, both sides, the roads, sling arms had there standing their color shocked at all these years. After passing over them. When hit the landing zone picked up take any fire going home. We thought now this great took a lot of I'll come back out across the road, but that was the first day of the cambodian invasion. We did three assaults at day potent vietnamese soldiers in though it was a big

then things got hot the next day next day the view waitin for helicopters- and we start taking a lotta hits next days. Said, sir it's kind of crazy. I was, I was kind of joke about Hollywood and Hollywood. You know they show like the pull tunes about to go in, and the commander shows up right as the birds are spent in says our I'd gents, here's where you're going and here's the mission. I was about how one realistic that is within reach? as did well yeah kind. Any second obliged brought it up because I've got to say writers any producer right now, and the screen writers are taking the three other taken, two books, the first two books and their rightness screenplay and Wanna things, I've told them. I says, look eyes, I do I want this to be typical Hollywood and they're good. I so rich graph who stood in making the mob. Do you, deeply lucky Luciano, Annette and again, Rocky College and Rocky owns a ghost Walker productions?

and then my producers Amy, so don't she's work with John Malkovich I'll Gibson severally these guys. So there there it's good crew, but I told em up I do not want this to be a typical Hollywood movie and I I've, given the list of mood to watch. This is good ones, and this is true I don't want these terrible one, so we ve had some some the discussions about what will be this movie and not in this movie. So but yeah Holly, Would this makes it look on a hot When you haven't s o p, you can say This will organs noon. Here's. How often do you don't take? It the discussion with it and in some That works out pretty well, it worked f well for me, for one exercise were found, Elsie of the up for reserve was sitting on my elsie and I grabbed the leaders grabbed the copy commander sat down pulled apart, you overheads,

flashlight answer. Ok, here's your new Elsie's any questions! Now, let's go so you can do So if you have a system and if you have a good working procedure, but the summit, if then Hollywood puts out is just here's one May day, made a dragon breath to three as bailing out going down the Senate, and there's the grid coordinates: you all are in the air wash the parish. You go down, so there's I bailing out of of one of these he's affordable observers. So what's even a weekend, there was aunt yeah, you know what twin tail Cessna. They had a push pool, I don't remember nomenclature on a bit. Was it wasn't the over ten, the EU is in one of those many want now, sir, there I punches out of his aircraft and do you Europe on this operation looking

watching his parish. You go down. Watch your track, as it goes into the jungle fine, you're, looking for it- and here we go asked in Beauchamp. Slid the aircraft over the pilot sergeant West informed him, sir. The pilot appears to be out cold he's just hanging there. He hanging in the tree there. Ok, we have to get him quip, Quick Captain Beauchamp said serving, ground for a place to land? There wasn't one as vegetation wasn't dance, but the trees were thirty feet high and close enough together that they didn't offer a clearing big enough to land in west. already climbed into the cabin area was preparing a two hundred foot Repel wrote that was maintained in the aircraft, sir. I can get him and with that he dropped the rope and was prepared preparing to go down. Ok, but in West was gone. He forgot to put gloves on in his hands were paying for that mistake. How am I gonna get him? He said more tools than any one particular Jamieson you, keep an eye on him and keep him covered? Captain Beauchamp said to the door Gunnar dropping this:

seventy feet or so west sprinted to the pilot, who still unconscious and hanging in the tree. Only a few feet off the ground. Small talk of graft grass and dirt were being kicked up around west as small arms fire was directed in his direction. Damn perish released overly son of a bitch dammit com on West screamed, hoping the pilot would wake give him some assistance. He did not gotta get a knife. pausing at a low crouch West waited a moment before he sprinted back to the aircraft, which were still at a hover engaging the envious position, as he ran west made a cutting motion, hoping the Gunnar, CO pilot, would recognise the signal and drop a knife they did taking up the knife. West didn't hesitate to sprint back to the hanging pilot cod free and throw him over his shoulder. Just then, in our peachy round slammed into the tree. The pilot had been hanging in with the past it over his shoulder and a fireman carry position western

For the aircraft and the dangling rope grabbing the rope, he wrap it around the pilot and himself and motion for the aircraft to take off west enough the tyre not but only had the rope wrapped around himself in the pilot because of his burned, hands west, couldn't climbed the rope, but pretty could hold on long enough to get safely back to ground as the aircraft climbed out and built up some speed, small arms fire continued happen. Beauchamp didn't fly, couldn't fly with any speed as the drag on western. The pilot would be too great and pull them off. The rope west was dangling about seventy feet below the aircraft which was flying over the jungle at two to three hundred feet. Helicopter crews did not have parachutes as asked, cleared the trees captain Beauchamp knows the aircraft over began. Picking up speed, all the while praying West didn't fall. Everyone well aware that if they have the engine failure or any other emergency western, the pilot survive arrive over a clearing, captor Beauchamp Captain, both

lowered the aircraft to place west in the pilot on the ground and then the aircraft. This is an answer clearing only about fifteen hundred metres from where they picked up the pilot detached the rope western Jamieson quickly loaded the pilot into the aircraft and departed for Elsie sent where the unconscious pilot was quickly transferred to a matter back aircraft that have been requested westwards, His duties is crew chief went on to receive he was, for the medal of honor is downgraded. Distinguished service cross and but twenty years and the army retired, is a command sergeant major at the Fort Eustace Virginia that some that's it that's it. That's a great story, in and the crazy stories just kind of continue. They they discuss continue throughout this book. Just incredible.

the heroics on every page. You end up getting commissioned unit Commissioner, the commission has an infantry officer while you're there D does. That is that orders that you get that you have to wait for dialogue, mission, while I was there, is an after officer battle. commission based on a totally surprised, eleven daylight sodomy, what what happened. I got I was getting calls that that morning I gotta call somebody said mister. I understand you're gonna battalion. So when you talk, Well, I'm not gonna battalion I understand you're gonna two battalions think that's impossible liked. I extended stay in the union. They are a little while later my platoon later Beauchamp jumped on my skids? Is I'm gettin refuel me the choices Dan I hit see leave now. and the good missions to us when you get up there and retain staff. Applicant crap, Mattoon, literacy and assist might be true, the day. I keep getting radio calls hey dance, Aren T leave home a home that night it gets to the good,

again I'm really dejected. I'm feelin data throw my gear in the room and recover the bar get a beer company. Walks, illnesses air, but you get a bare need your attention, so I'm thinkin milk ripe. So he gets any say. I got good news. I got bad news. Is that the first good news? First bad news, ok, hisses Corey come up here. Sidewalk journeys ya know correspond with us now what sixteen months damage yachtsman about that, sir. He says you know everybody one with them. You done a great job, Homer homer, but the time for you to leave so we're gonna, Miss Dan, but do we know you Fourth, and do great things, force graduations, so go back and get on my bars to him sit nanny now and for the Good NEWS. Is we got a new canoe guys arriving Scott about sixteen hundred hours flying time and a lot of spirits and that's what we need does a lot of experience here in the union. Let's welcome that Guy Lieutenant Corrie and upset narrative

I'm not facing them facing the barmaid in the tenant Corey. I do got the same last name as me is from I turned around, and everybody is looking at me and the old man looking pieces come up here, Lieutenant Cory. That's why I thought wait a minute to talk about me, so I couldn't walk up there and he congratulated me- and somebody put me in for a directive, first lieutenant saws first lieutenant the infantry. Now is there no such thing as it were? How do we not have first lieutenant pilot is that it does not have. Well see. At that time we didn't have an aviation branch. The army had there at all, the branches, but we didn't have an aviation branch and there were some policy. involved with that with the air force and they Not form the aviation branch in the army until about nineteen, eighty five and at that time you had a choice. If you are an, if drops sir, if you another branch, you could decide, you gonna, go the aviation branch or retain them.

tat you are in and I retain the after branches. I lost the Retina, my left eye just before that, so I wouldn't a fly anyway. So I just stating infantry. So back to the book a little bit mean to you get this commission you're you're, still conducting ah kinds of missions and jumping through all kinds of missions used to get short, meaning you close to heading home. Picking it up here I was in the chalk who position and it just clear, the trees and was really paying no attention to trot three who attempted to fly between two trees Cotter rollerblade on one yet to everyone's Harvey aircraft, slowly road to road, to the right where the damage blade made contact with the ground when it did. The rollerblades began to disintegrate, with peace flying everywhere. Soldiers in the back began falling out of the aircraft and they were found,

and they were the forger ones, as the aircraft was now descending toward the ground. As the right side impacted, the transmission was ripped from its mount and tore through the cargo compartment, as craft came to stop the engine we still running now. Would ever increasing R p M, as there was no road or to turn or transmission connected you began to spill across the engine at time aircraft aircraft were not with self ceiling fuel cells that would prevent a major fire. The aircraft began to burn. burn rapidly, as bill had been waiting for chalk three and four to take off he was the only he- was only light on his scared when the actually happened, his crew chief door door, Gunnar and Captain Head immediately doubt and ran to poor people out of the aircraft. Soldiers on the ground also move forward to assist lightning, and that was a call. Onawandah guys was attempting to climb out, but was dazed and having difficulty.

moving quickly to assist Lightning Captain Head was having difficulty as well as the fire was now in the cockpit and spreading rapidly the co pilot was zoomed in the flames, as was the crew chief, but Gunnar could not be seen. As whose under the aircraft having occupied the right side of the aircraft that day finally lightning was extracted from the wreckage and fire. Here. That's the story that you told earlier. Yet they are lightning that was his name is John Copenhagen. Great. In his nickname was lightning because just always kind of what kind of slow tie to talk a little on the slow side. But we all love him dearly and was really a grape two leaders well and but the other hit this tree and I was always worried about John and this this particular cried seat pilot flying together. Had there been an incident the month before with them flying together, they lay down some stops and there's just something about

this right seat pilot that the day I met him. I looked at him and said the skids not gonna, make it There is nothing about him. Tell me he wasn't carpet. He was using halfway. He's in pilot hues nice guy, but just something about it. They told me he gonna make it and so they had at first accident him and John, and I was it concerned about them flying together again, but I didn't make flight assignment so there's nothing. I can do about it and then had this happened, a hit the tree and we got John out. We didn't get anybody else out and John spent six six weeks in a coma and but he's doing quite well. Today, listen, listen, Marilyn report Merlin! I think it is but he's doing well. Some You say no one was in good spirits that evening. Everyone in both your there's club in illicit man's club. Wasn't it removed.

Even more when we were informed that the division commanders aircraft was missing in presumed crash, my good friend film, you say my medical Michael Michael, was the pilot. The division commander was major General Casey, a very much like division commander, very good guy Casey, She was a super. He had been the division, assistant, division commander and then moved up go whereas division commander had had been doing for a very long, but it was a guy that was always out there with us. You'd, be in an Elsie or you get back to me. your point and their case Being he be talking to you like. Ok, how to go what problems you got. How's housing, aircraft, running, Mendes, Workin, ok, He was concerned. He was. Our aim is what everybody considered good leader and we are all very much down. We found the crash into a mountain top bad weather

Then this happens. Lieutenant Corey, sir. You got your orders you're going home you report of two. Division rear no later than tomorrow. We have a bird waiting for you at fourteen hundred today to take it to ban how're. What would he talk out, sir. You are to report to division, rear casualty, assistance office, you basket packing fast it suddenly dawned on me bills. Parents had requested that I bring bills remains home, yeah, I was close with his family. I stayed there perform went to Vietnam Then, why came home on leave and before went back again? I stay with this mom and dad great great people up there. Lived in Monroe Washington outside US gnomish, here little there that had just gotten into the AIR Force Academy. Bill was really proud of of norms, and this happened. and they they had me, be the escort officer to bring bill home. You say arriving at the funeral home, this is after you,

back arriving at the funeral home. I made your bill was settled in for the night and then I was taken. His parents house and Monroe Washington, mom and pop wanted me to stay with them. Is considered me family to other key those were there with mom and pop. When I arrived after putty, bags away in the upstairs bedroom. I came into the dining room where they were all seated Dan. What are you drinking pop ass? I was much more drink or accept beer, but took us on the rocks. When I sat down mom place your hand on mine and asked what happened, he was a vip pilot, chooses for women, but I could see from the puffy eyes achieving crying. I tried to accept It is calmly in as much detail as I could. What had happened, bad weather bad maps, but I didn't the heart, to say that the generals probably find the aircraft generals could fly, but not in weather, and on top of that bill was an instrument raided either but could handle aircraft and weather conditions. Then the hard part came bills in the casket, but I

why's that it be a closed cast a casket ceremony. I said before taking a sip of scotch why's that asked pop. Well, there was an explosion and fire his body is in place, bag under glass case on the glass case is uniform with all his decorations, the glass cases held down by three hundred screws. The Ladys easy, but not the glass case. The rest of the evening were spent telexed good stories of bill from fight school and are one mission, Vietnam, together between drinks interior eyes, we got through the night. here the funeral came and bills sister duty arrived early with her husband and children to cook breakfast the right to choose was quiet and we all sat together in the front of the church. He was packed. Ro Monroe was a small town and everyone knew the Michaels

your stood and gave the eulogy praising the work being done in the community and for the nation. He said that was not afraid of death but love life. Helicopter crews in Vietnam were afraid of death. It was part of the job, but they love life. With some of this nations finest. When the preacher finished sick, army pallbearers came forward, hoisted casket and solemnly moved outside to the hearse at the grave site I lowered my salute and accepted the flag from the commander of the burial detail, securing a smart about face. I Dover mom thinking that this was one strong woman has. I saw no tears, stood in front of her. I knelt and said on behalf a grateful nation. I present this flag. That was what I have been instructed to say

But in my heart I had my doubts about this being a great formation. standing slowly. I came to attention and again raise the slow salute in the distance, the command for the firing squad could be heard in three. follies of seven rounds, each cosmetic jump as the twenty one gun salute was fired. on the last volley of the three the distance out of tat, was heard no one held back tears at this point I slowly lowered my salute turned on to the side my officials, duties, concluded. As many started to leave. I came back. Put my arms round. Mom and wept

like every other human error, and I weep to this day here that was that was kind of a hard hard period for me going through the the funeral with them. I pick norm up here. Near force ketamine. They gave him leave maternity leave and he was home for that and and struggled is first year through that academy because of this body through just fine. He became a sea one. Forty one pilot. Then he went to work for airlines and he's retire from that NASA he's doing well, stay in touch and Mama poppet. They ve passed away at this point, but the There was great guy, we got just fly together. One time had had a kick. It kicked day that day thinking he never flora, combat mission flying peace around that's all he ever did so. I picked him up went out to a fire basin. Attack manner there. He was crazies Hale, had our big red bow in the back

Tom and I never asked him why that was a boy, their nieces, hey you! How do you feel? How do you feel about drop bombs, message or Britain pretty not quit the drop on Gaza? You're a quick dropped bombs. He said Teddy feel, that's why I will do it. So we get up aircraft make this box, that's ants, in its sitting on the floor? In the other ends up on stance and in this box he's got six. Eighty one millimetre mortar rounds with aerial bomb fuses in the nose tape tight around the tales any and so well is we flew along two thousand feet and we went over these for crossing points on the river and as the as that, the crossing point came up through the pedals. I would say, Mark Mark, mark and the open the door on that box in these mortar rounds and fall out two thousand feet.

And it was just like a bombing right and we did is about four or five times a day built like that's crazy. This is great stuff didn't. We did a log mission that he'd never done before had never been done. How accurate within those is Doorn accurate. It was really really really pretty going good accuracy. Surprise eleven days, but of attack made ceases, ironically mortars in this range, but I want the envied think that we ve got guys pretty close to them that's the reason we are doing, and we did we have one combat assault and bill. Just here is when the day was over, flew back ten hours a day, but he really enjoy that day and then it was. It was two months later that the that he crashed up there. So so now, you're home from Vietnam and year the year now gonna become unemployed. You talk about your retina. When did that happen, happened, and eighty three ok, so you still could fly, but

Don't you, but you have to become an IMF travellers at how the island if drafts are so when I got home and went to fort bedding Did he have dropped? Her basic course went what Louis Washington took Command of Asia ineffably company up there and then on the night after division up that had been stood down, Mama they stood back up officer I was there as aviation officer for the first brigades goes back to fly again. Then it went too far meaning for the advance course went to Alaska. They are they taken you with your combat experience and thrown you sort of leadership position in these? Oh, yes, many commanders. I got to allow SK on they made me the operations officer for the aircraft squadron sums up there for that for here and then Friday night. I got a phone call San you! You need report the anchorage on Monday morning, We just relieve the company commander of the airborne companies are going to take him out of the airborne company wide to get relieved. I didn't ask that question

She has a key role in and take asserts, and are your company commander company commander variety of one of the airborne copies in Alaska how'd you like groundwork, I loved it. I loved groundwork I enjoyed flying Honestly one day was thinking whilst fly. You know, I'm I'm really the glorified greyhound bus driver and and I saw all the things it was to do in the army, and I want to do other things besides fly that helicopter, so when they You're gonna be an after officer. I had no complaints about then I love groundwork. Commanding that airborne company in Alaska people go thirty below zero. You gonna jump out of an airplane hack, let's jump, so I did that and then what year is it now? That was seventy eight I was committed. born copy. Seventy nine. It may be the operations officer, forty if drew battalion. I was how is the post Vietnam years in the arm? Terrible absolutely terrible

We didn't have any any ammunition train with fact the soldiers they would show Chapel Hill, in a training exercise, and I go: bang, Bang, Bang, zero dollars and thirteen cents, bang, Bang, Bang zero dollars and thirteen cents cuz. That was a of training rounds. Thirteen, rabbit. We didn't even have training round. It was really pay. Bad normie. We went through a period from seventy to seventy five, where we are drifting. Captains. and that just kill them around in the captain's ranks events courses? Seventy three there. Manning. We had ten too man classrooms on one side of the building tend to many class was on the other side of the building, all full, all of them: Infantry captains back Vietnam, and on one day they walked in and from being when a man class

Every one of those rooms went down to be in a hundred forty man class. Those captains were pulled out. told you have ninety days to get out can avert being sergeant one of the other while solid, and they did that for four years. so that really ruin them around the captain's ranks. So it now was not merely years after vietnam- we're not not good years in the army. Over for one more question about Vietnam, as I bring up a new order talked about it, but you said most the guys that you had most the cruelties. Most of that most of the support that won't flying. They were people that had volunteered was it was it if can be a door. Could you be a just assigned a door? Gunnar was as all those people, volunteers, dork industry, volunteers. May they have. And drafted, and then they volunteered for networking. That's would allow the more they are drafted into the infantry. They did a tyranny. Effort and then they volunteered can be a dog andreotti till. Could you tell the difference to someone else

crafty in someone. I was lifer. No, he really couldn't dearest. Add the guys are drafted. No peoples who are they had bad attitudes. I never thought they all had a good attitude. They were all in this together now what did happen guys at that were drafted? came back from the moment. They still had a year left. They would certainly Germany and then where the problems were all in Germany. There big time, morale problems here. What are you to do something about it: non by my dog tags. It got to the point in the early seventies, were the duty. Officers were with forty five here they have won its inner of their word. Duty officer was put stuffed in a wall locker thrown out a story window, yeah the morale in Germany and in the early seventys was not good at all, but in Vietnam, The very seldom saw a problem. I have one problem once an aircraft were any six just refused to go to the field

last I saw him the Mps Adam. They were driving away with him, but that was it. Now now in the in the seventies spring about bring us back time and just morale this horrible, it's it's tough! especially in the officers core, because because, while the risk going on guy doesn't always and have a job next month or not basing it on. How do you know if you're gonna get rift or not? If you don't, not performances numbers. It's it's it's. I would like to think it was based upon your efficiency reports, but at a guy. My class had distinguished serfs cross, they lifted him, what you get all of us all of us said the same thing: how the hell did he get rifted him he's got to distinguish, serves cross. This isn't seventy three and he got rifted one of the guys that I work with seventy five Charlie had he had. restart caught the silver stars. Purple heart Stinguished flying crosses, got rifted he's now,

he got out. He became the. I think, the eastern man, four Michelin tyres, but you didn't no, it was possible based on fisheries reports, and I think that at some point I made just said all these guys got great efficiency. Ports, we just gotta- have numbers now and If you are reserve officer up till now, many five Europe, definitely in the hunt to get ripped it Regular army officers didn't face that the next rift, seventy six alarming officers were in that boat to sell their adjust. It got bad there. You're, just keeping your fingers crossed basically yeah now to you got the army never has to go through. That again. Do not do you know off the top headline how much smaller the army got from nineteen. Seventy, two nineteen, seventy eight new- I don't! I know the massive downsize massive downsizing. I can tell you this: Today you could take all eleven Bravo instrument in the army and put them in our

hey stadium, and you still empty seats. The army is not nearly as big as used to bigger autonomy from coal is nodding club as crazy, today we rely a lot on the National Gardening Army Reserve and they really stepped up. They stepped up and desert storm. and a lot of the animosity that existed in the seven between the active army. In there in the army guard me, army reserves a lotta. They disappeared, thank God, Dern Desert storm, where I work for the National Guard all the time. In in Iraq, and they were friggin Oscar, their outstanding debt, outstanding priggish, they stepped up done a great job. I was the aviation adviser from Maryland for two years and We had an aviation maenas company that was fantastic. We took him down to brag every year, brave always want these guys come down work on aircraft form there just really super! So, sir, so this time. So you continue in kind of up through the ranks you become you. Do you, company, commander, tore what comes after that?

but a commander than I was an instructor at Thea Army managerial Staff College as a tactics instructor and then tagged, kicking and screaming. To go to Germany is an exchange offs from the german army for two years teaching tactics. interrupt Billy issues with german forces, then came back, went to four Campbell, Fuck, we got a phone call in the middle of the night and a guy call me, and he said this is personnel officer for the first airborne division. How quick and you get Here- and I said so. To be there in five days he said start packing stuff you'll be earned. Five ass, I turned around my wife is said to start getting stuff off the wall. For me to answer back the states and five day she started a laugh at me, twenty minutes the phone rang. It was my boss. You are really from that assignment, get the four Campbell as fast as you can't was that all about there were some come down

They needed media be there to be the brigade executive officer for the for the second brigade did you know someone? There was one of your friends, something didn't know anybody just just random. Is random branch branch pull my hat and now the hat and said four Campbell answer. What was your role than I was easy officer for the brigade, Second brigade, ok and then for two years and then I went over to command of a third battalion. Three two seventh infantry for two years had that during desert storm for talks about desert, storm it's a boring territories, certain sitting out there in the days in a week I had the test. worse at West Point training. Could for the summer and my so was Sidney's remnants Sunday newspaper says: hey what text I reckon Kuwait, so read that I say you know Billy. If they go into Kuwait, we're gonna go to war, and I think it was

weeks later, I was in the Wall Street drives in the New York Times and two weeks later the car, I turned a billion, is let's get out of here so right. We got the West point staff we planned out, what we had to get on that week had to get out of there We got the call on a Friday night to get out at West point. We were gone, morning and got back the cannibal had three weeks back a Campbell before we shipped out to do. Her head out the Saudi Arabia. Well, if, if so had attacked, We and eighty second would have been speedboats and thank God, he didn't attack it, but we went upset about sixty miles from the boy and we had a defensive position set up their nets. We sat from August two February January to January good time saw yes, it not there in the middle of the desert. Now less Europe time for summer, yeah yeah August made us appreciate when, when one February January world around, you are now freezer. Dale cavalier freezes at night, and so they are we,

up there and in just ran, go exercises and like we would back states knows. Is it was different We always training in force and woods and stuff like that, but we there. We should all right for a new virus, let's learn how to do this new environments. Are we spend a lot of time learning desert DEC? studying up on what the desert rats had done in world war. Two some stuff, that we receive Miss Eyre S about desert operations and just the practice in that stuff and the kids, the kids did great soldiers did fantastic and then now the war kicks off, and you did I get that right. When I open up there was the largest airborne I'll ever its largest air air mobile air, horrible assaults are aerosol ever be ended. well. I don't know aerosol does with helicopters. Airborne would perish your gift system largest era. So what the hell did that Quite obviously, as you know, I talk The book about we had six Hugh ease and attention nooks and all those covers other

that look small, because these were all Blackhawks agenda. Back on. You have any idea how many the soup. We probably had close eighty Blackhawks and eighty black all taking off at the same time and which from several different locations then joined up in the air and flew in for this thing and sure that the Iraqis that we flew over just kind of Serbs. We got we got in there and their reserves. There are four five positions that that were set, then that we wanted to right away and took over and Did we set up a big perimeter out there. So what we did you yes, flute into Iraq? Oh yeah, and then you hit the ground and were your view, can't asking was to secure some positions where our mission task was to secure this big area, there right away. They started flying in fuel blitz and we were securing lack of a better term again

gas station for the consumers and the Apaches the pattern, were flying out of their going after the iraqi tanks and stuff so weak. We sat there for maybe tat. Sat there for two days doing that, and then we flew out and went with another brigade to another location and secured that further gas station I wasn't stay shocked that we got that second location we are engaged in some Iraqis in my US three came up. sir, cease fire, some pretty talkative cease. Fire we're in the middle of contacting certainties. Fired. Word came now brigade with the ceasefire. As you go back and had called brigade for clarity, nation on that I'm not cease fire and right now, semi shootin at us and he came back. Is it cease fire? So we're after four days is things over and all the time so it was a cease fire because the war was over here and troops said the same thing. We're gonna be back here, sir we're gonna go What are we doing? We're gonna be

you're some day. We can't stop now and we did manage that taken casualties. I have one soldier dislocate shoulder that was it we'll take it the fact that it was kind of a kind of unique as one when I took command of the battalion. My training guides to the battalion, and they said in conclusion, we will Fourth, we will win the we will win the last battle of the next war and we will the entire war and will bring everybody home. I I was gonna bring everybody home alive, but I was happy to do that so that work that good when you are when you were getting ready during that argue, whenever the invasion kicked off. Did you were you thinking it could be a major battle and major casualties catch the eye. So I came in the Navy and nineteen ninety an hour Amber they were saying on the news gonna be forty thousand casualties in the first forty eight hours. This effect

our operational plans by last objective was airport Baghdad. We planted as far as where we were gonna go and so, when we get the word stop after four days were gone. What in the world has gone on, I have heard cause because right now, I'll put a shameless plugin, I'm right another book series on desert, storm and death. and I have found out my research that one of the reasons that we stopped was cause. Turkey did not want us to overthrow Surinam. Because today they felt was ya. Wanna keep the Kurds in check and Turkey said: don't go to Iraq. and then Schwarzkopf guidance was kick him out of Kuwait. Have any guidance supposedly them to go? after him in Iraq, so that some of the reasons we stop it. Yet we thought gotta, go all the way to Baghdad very disappointed that we didn't. Well, so would you do after? That was the next move. The next move is due to an hour

headquarters. That was was worth headquarters in the army, and I did two years thereafter I got promoted and then they said sorry in science, the Pentagon and I said I'll, take the option thank you very much. So I went hidden retired. Ninety three and now you have you have two sons: yes, two sons, both yet their sons are boys, her J J, He joined the Marine Corps reserves I was commanded when I first got command my battalion and I came home from field exercise at just kick. My butt walked in housing wife, Mary Standish, earns got arms crossing she's, a guess which are son. Did I'm thinkin. My son As far as I know, it's our son. I know that site J. Would you He goes simplify

I want you join the Marine corps he's dead, yet I join them. Recall reserves. I just is even in college and it uses just tired going to school. I'm gonna go in the reserves of drop out of school one semester I'll do my two weeks in the summer one week at each each each month and- and I just wanted a break- so I said: ok, it sounds good Perry stand in her, she goes, but what? If they have to go to war and I said very the Marine Corps Reserve hasn't gone to war, sits Korea, Nothin's gonna have barrier go there. Gave them were Thanksgiving Day, I'm standing on the iraqi Iraqi, saudi boredom abrogate commander flies. Any goes. You call homeless, I said yes, Sir there's a phone, we find every say and do not know. I am called home since we got here is You need to call home, we get you back. The eagle eye so what's happening. Is your sons, unit gotta? maybe he's on his way so

Today's three days before the year WAR started, I got yes go down to where the Marines Ratan got to spend the day with him and I'm sitting there as well we're leaving and I'm looking at him. I've gone and he's just a little kid. So I got I still talking. My brigade commander, Tom Hill ISIS Damp changes. Look like a little kid Tom slower, tat, mere laces. Everyone to you, too This is just one of those little kids. I got them, damn you right on the oldest Skynet battalion, he's right. There all punch, kids so but Jake aid through fine and then came back have to your Archie Sea Commission. Her are already see scholarship. I came in the armies and armor officer and now he's an o six. It headquarters in Brussels Chris. He did the same thing: quit college

join the army. I got a phone call from recruited one night, Saint, hey. I catch son here working to sign up for four years and I said no you're not getting assigned him up for two zero and Chris wound up back in my brigade. The first brigade hundred first scalper too got out one, Knowledge came back in on minorities who commission infantry and he just retired. Two years ago as lieutenant colonel. He got them was in the air for trade and then he got over it strategic intelligence. A good friend of ours, Lieutenant General Freedom, which Anne S F, guy, talk risk going into Stratton Tail and Chris done a lot of work in that debt arena therewith with you guys and some other people, so he just routine. Couple years ago, speck in and again doing the same job back in the same office, so he can't wait to get out of there come down to Florida you do after after retired two days, tired. I started as a real estate appraiser

friend of ours had an appraisal company and found out. I was retiring and said, want to come. Do this, so I went up there and saw it on the mountain thought yeah not to work for the government speck in the town that we want to live in makes a decent wage. Why not so went back a beard spent two years is an apprentice. Doing that and took my my exams passed. Those and just dont real estate appraising for twenty years or so, and then what What point did you decide even write books? We came down here in twenty down. Here we came to Florida, two thousand and sixteen that's when I finally said: okay, I'm fully retired sale, my boat down from Tennessee sales it over and my wife. Had a problem come up, you can get on the boat anymore made a thirty six foot sailboat. So I thought I'd be able to sell the sailboat she can't get on it. We're not going to

cruising as do about deliveries were Panama and Mexico, but she never went on, though some but anyway, so I didn't have anything to do and We went down to the. The d ve gotta see about this. This retina and we're talking to the guy, and he said something about Vietnam I broke down. I mean big time. And he said, have you been evaluated for PTSD and I said no, we'll get you evaluate it They sent me order the visa for an evaluation. I had always thought I hate to say this, but I thought PTSD was a bunch of bull. I thought it just a sham and. I'm sitting here with him, my wife and I'm crying.

It, took me over there and I got value waited and they put me in a sixteen we programme with a psychiatrist and for about eight weeks we spent one day a week me crying have workin this thing, so one of the things he suggested he says you know what did your white everything down that happened while you in Vietnam etc. So I started writing the first book. at first. I started right it as an autobiography, and I thought what he'll nobody's gonna read this so as to make it a novel. So I wrote it as a novel and went to a reunion in twenty nineteen of our already four summit. Have been one so I took the book with me and presented there and the guy's loved it, and they said what about what about this or what about this? Why didn't you include this? So I wrote the second book and Did that put that out there and it said great reviews and then guys

call me a wearin lamps on seventy nine, the biggest battle and army Aviation has ever been in. Why to write a book about that several second book or the third book put that out now they Dave come back said where we love the third book. more of the wife's side what wives were going through in this battle going on their hearing about it. So right now draft and out of a fourth book dental there are becoming sometime after I get this. The series and I'm workin on now about desert storm Anyone who is who gonna guided you through the writing process. There's a guide name James Rosen, enjoy written a couple of books of a couple. He's got a bunch out there and He wrote one interview with a terrorist. He was interrogator and he wrote that any wrote a couple of days. my mommy has PTSD, my daddy has PTSD and he wrote those and I read one of his boats is he's. Gotta series call rigged and I read that, and

sentiment, email, saying, hey! I really enjoyed read your books, welcome My daddy lives around the corner from me and he called me. we said, let's go to Buffalo wings and we want to Buffalo wings human My mentor guide me through on how to write the process of how to get published in we publish on Amazon fix me up with a great editor. She's really good tries driver crazy, but the so he he's been kind and guide me along and then this while here about? We need to make a movie and and right now on that with the wood screenwriters in my my producer, any any idea when that's gonna come fruition. Where are we? hope and have the screenplay done by the end of the summer and the produces putting together the package that we're gonna start taking the studios, I'm just metals to be alive when we get it on the screens. It takes its about three to four,

your process on finding that to get a movie made. No, I think that's a minimum and the other weird thing about movies- are you can you can see screenplay tomorrow for millions of dollars and it can never get made you can do sit in someone, someone buys it from from you just sit there and that's the way it is sometimes. I would rather have made that make a million dollars, and I know people are gonna, go you're right. I Our story is important enough that it needs to get out there I've already taught to a couple of organizations what money we make on this. A lot of it is gonna, get donated back to Army Aviation Association, the wings of liberty, museum at it for Campbell the American, Hugh EAST Huey, Huey chapter, three sixty five. I mean these are the efforts that have been held me out and stuff like that, so

that's our intent is to get a lot. This money donated back to those that helped us. What's that's awesome go on for over three hours. Right now, I kind of reach wrap this thing up for people to find you- online. I know you have you have met Jackson books, dot com is that main place to find you. They can find us at Debbie Debbie not match action book dot com or on Facebook Matt Jackson, we're on book undaunted valor and up very soon. We are going to have a website for the movie gauss she sent me an email. Yes, I got to see her on Saturday and we will have that outcome and I presume the books all for sale on Amazon. That's where we work with her for publishing stuff yeah. What will have linked up, so people can do. We have a thing on our website called books from the podcast

We'll have all these answers? Are people delegate in and get the books? Echo is. Do you anything I do ok see now will now get to. My party has one he seemed off a quiet, wanna, ok, what's going through! Is why okay? So when you started working with the the screenwriters right in Europe like hey these movies? Don't follow this obvious, but these these you sort of care. What were the movies that you kind of can like that? Had some integrity with their per hectare? Ridge, that's great! one of the best ones is Hamburger Hill. I thought that was that was a pretty good production that that they need to focus on one of the ones I said no to was also Clint Eastwood,

where is the Marine Harper? Heartbreak are packed migration in african and nineteen? Seventeen, I thought was pretty good for those. Those are the three big ones at that. I focused on guys aren't looking at what about saving private same private lines? Definitely, that's! That's a great one, all right. What about Apocalypse now absolutely not what opportune couldn't we have produced a good one can attend going whenever simple to you never have Taiwan reprimanded what you haven't seen cobra. So I am cover you of course. So when you watch cobra attitude, but two the first good whence it came out your pocketbook how came out and the exact came out and said, Seventy five, and that with such, I do want to say word on the airman apps, ITALY, not annually, threw up watch in fact ever watch the whole thing I watch bids. Peace is here. They are just that told anyone see this thing, but between

mountain and it was pretty darn realistic. I love part where in hamburger he'll where they make em. Their teeth, since I arrived haven't, doesn't it switch off the airplane. We had a brush, her teeth so stuff like that was pretty realistic to to what was going on were apocalypse now was blown smoke. Will, when the jury, the joke that I forget who it was, who pleaded Can you said? Hey don't salute me. That was right. That was our operations officer when I got there yeah, ok, so that's from a scene from forest gum. By the way I would like to salute the area, except for he says it for real, yes, he did, you know, don't kill care, he has been seriously and forest come was made way after so that's interesting, I wonder if this some sort of a through

I know some blood or not I'll call Tom Hanks Epidemics can Gary's. We had years needs on the bar gas is pretty good briefing heavily ass. I like an aerial Bobby out. You can you cannot not like Garros Guy huge support. You gave one quarter of the military in America. You got anything else you want to have. No, you guys of my hope. I answer all your questions just get warmed up I will tell you of the three books. People ask me: that's ok, Euro three books, which once the best in my opinion lamps on some one. Nine, the best people have read that call me up, and he said I'm crying. Read this thing: it's intense and- and I warn you right now. If you thought the that seems in the first one was intense that when there is just unbelievable is absolutely unbelievable. What those guys went through in flying operation I just can't say enough down the bravery.

The determination that dedication loyally the courage you know, would be awesome as if fun, if you ve got friends or you know anyone that was there, and they want to come on here and talk about it in talk us through the book. Debbie awesome haven't would you like to have an at one time? We were all I m all at some point you. How are you If anyone wants to come on this with this that this part gases, for I will I will I know, I know the guy in particular that I will call him up and ask, would feel come talk to you about a gazelle. He wasn't it What party was part of the common tomorrow's agenda and they did a great job Courson every one of the units, the blue Dolphins, the Robin hoods that we're like hey with us one up there. They all just amazing what they did and how they did it. And you know when you go into a battle you loose in forty five days, six hundred aircraft eleven.

Your crew members and you still accomplish the mission. Just unbelievable, but they went through but yeah I will call one guy in particular land and sea. A field you'll come out and sit down with Europe. Open invite to anybody you send me there. The chair is waiting for them would be an honour to have more minutes. You know your time amounts incredible what they did, but as far as far as I can tell far, as I know what you, I did over their incredible and and Well, thanks for joining us today, and more important thanks for thanks for your incredible service. Your credible sacrifice- and We won't forget, we will let it we will, we will not forget what you all did and we will not forget your brothers that did not come on nothing

very much chuckle for have meant for those thoughts thanks for joining us or make you and with that Colonel Matt Jackson has left the building, and we are here ECHO Charles user. other guests, another another example of how much more we and do as human beings from the think something for us to think about, because we should want to do more in our lives. We should want to wish you wanna get better and better, check any suggestions on how we do that, the planning the part where you know how, when he was talking about forget that determine when they got a lower and they got up. You know when you got a dongle with Alexander. I felt that part making me kind of nervous like yeah

ginning, there's not a lot of times when I read stuff and actually didn't read those sections, because it was a lot of dialogue and the dialogue would be like pulled left, Palaestra tail, and you know just like this dialogue on back and forth. I got on to you think I could do the dialogue justice, so I just asked him to kind of describe what it was like, but yeah, crazy, crazy stuff. The whole thing just the fact that those helicopters are basically like a nineteen sixty eight view Abby bug me I'd like to get an engine. They got a steering wheel disruption there's not a lotta issues, no computers in this, yet just completely manually menu maneuvered there and he made a good point. Do that, like you, kind of don't think about compared to when he compared to airplanes where's like brother chapter is all you airplane time. We can sort of, let it crews. You know where the hell up,

sick man. You can tell that today, Burke Good tilted enough exactly either way. I call yes we're all improving trying later on the path to follow the path I used to, a model of where we are trying to improve, seen how quickly we could get through certain tat. All yea, like efficient, yeah, efficient, easy, getting more efficient approach to rushing it We do want to rush nothing or or do we not am I wrong? Should I should we rush? It Thank you. We could probably move more quickly more quickly and efficiently. I get it I know you think there's a bunch of people that are less like it or not. The novel They shouted off there. They heard

Jackson left the building their uncle. Let me give them seventy minutes of my time right now. The second is pressed upon his pocket book. I got you, I got you a look rural world and the path we may need some help combat. That will supplement our selves with supplement nation from you. see that right there that whole sentence did not need to exert wise, ragged exists and it hasn't. It is a massive value. First, a hooker look look around, but to give you some help, how'd. You know how they are clear. My when I'm sure I got absolutely clear that I am here to help. If you need help or or could use help from the saint. You don't remember me should tell us what we did and now. Ok, our animal retry ever hear of air, I knew nothing. I bring this on myself if I should just be totally silent, while

I don't know about how can we help ourselves echo through supplement haitian jock of you, there are problems with the joints or you don't ever worry about your joints anymore. Take supercool oil and joint warfare boom. You invite Indeed, three sup imitation, which is good for all aspects of health. If you care about that which we do cause we're on the path bomb Jack was at that as well. Also, you want some additional protein without malt and it tastes good how about that true put a banana in there, so I just don't say, also the discipline and discipline go which are at its core. I, like the fact that I tell you to hurry, and I tell you there everybody already knows all this, and you still tell this stuff to me like I'm hearing it for the first time, will you looking at me, like you, didn't, hear some Let us either didn't hear it or,

it's called a get a reminder. Ok, you seem single Riera Evans reminded goods you have some limitation? Look, I get the discipline go out. I was gonna go into this earlier off air, but the so if you drink energy drinks, no tradition, I don't care. If you get the sugar free one by its like at US in point, usually after the first one, if you taller, if you even into it after the first one you like brown honey, I can't do these anymore at least worked for a year body knows and they It tells your mind. This is not good. That is the point. Eight thereof yeah, it's like your body. No, your body with there's something wrong with this on Jacko discipline. Go it it Your body still knows your body knows it's good, you're bodies as hey. I could use a little more that so, if few listening to a four hour Vietnam lit scenario brother things just keep rolling with it with a smile of data.

Hey if you wanna get any this stuff, and you want to get it shipped to your house for free for the job of your dot com and then we knew subscribe. If you subscribe you to come to your house for free anything that you want in this category if supplement nation can also get the drinks are walla. You can also get the whole line at vitamin shop, jerk off your back and get some also origin. Usa. get the stuff there as well. Also jujitsu stuff it one we're doing our jujitsu. We want some new stuff and we ve just face it. We could with Colonel Jack's. We could again he train at the code of Conduct Judo. We could have gone down now, That's a two hour. Three, our part asked didn't even get there yet because that guy was common win, win, win lieutenant Dick we'd was common, Adam greedily right back. I was about to get judo toss. Right on his head. So I'm talking about Digital we're doing Digital, sir, but

or did you say, I'm saying if you you know you want to get some new Jujitsu stuff bone Nestor you get I made an American by the way I see it. I say by the way, but it's a fugitive, here's the thing off. Let's say: you'd need stuff beyond just you just like you your jujitsu stuff handled. You got the gay, you got the rash guard, you still my to go to the grocery store, you can wear the Gaeta grocery store, which you can, whereas american major not to mention, can native American made boots can get it all there and don't think one hundred percent work industrial like this that, but let's face it, there's some. I know you don't like the word fashion, but there's some fashion in there leave it to PETE. there's some functionary, ok, PETE Roberts bleeds over in some some situate scenarios put it this way. He added a significant amount of aesthetic value to both by the way, genes and boots. I don't

you just can't see their constant also function, Langen for like, like a city, he can't really concerned, but nonetheless, is there so, yes, origin, USA, that's the spot to get these items, also jockers doors, while jock restore these. Where you can get you, sure tat. They d Swimming pools freedom, good, deaf, poor, take the high ground hardware found a hard core rights. Condos eloquent somebody comes onto twitter. Graham and says you, make sure that says backed the book or you should make a shirt that says display of freedom or use make whatever right and we have to restore their gas Amory fond of every sure by any stretch, there's a bunch of Europe's her speaking of thinking of every shirt. So we ve expanded into a subscription scenario, and this is where we can experiment for lack of a better term with all other ideas for shirts every I'm pretty much. What's this thing called the short locker, that's a good name

what did you originally call african those long time ago? I forget that for dinner, you know if your mind, like I said it's a good little deal fun check that one out again chocolate store dot com. You like something, you know you can also subscribe to this part gassed. There's not just this progress. Also, there's Jacko unravelling myself and Cooper of Martyr made fame, Z, famous from ardor made in my mind, as you can Jackal, unravelling we're talking about a bunch of different things, historical things. Now they tied what's going on right now, ground. Progress got work at Bonn, gas have new episodes up there, also check out at the Jackal underground dot com jocund around our com. This is look it's what I've got. pay, while the I was a firewall unity corrective really pay. Want me what's agents fire was a security, think

Can you do with paying or anything? So we have a thing that you can pay across a dollars making sense a month. Basically, we are supporting this podcast. Your support, all these pot, guess that we're doing- and also. We have a contingency plan in case we get removed. For whatever reason or if we we hear that other platforms injecting advertisements into our podcast. We I don't like that. Of Colonel Matt Jackson, talking about find a mission of Vietnam have somebody at it. In a freakin advertisements. Are we don't want that? We don't want that. So that's why we made Jacko underground our calm. We also, we but a little additional broadcast on their just say. Thanks, So we appreciate, if you're, if you're, helping us out there, you're you're, how thus remain free, so go to go around our comic one help out there. We also a Youtube general, but you two general cause.

Charles, is a Youtube. Her technically here that technically so you know, hey gateways Rosy Youtube her and he wants you to subscribe to his Youtube Channel where he posts Youtube videos. First, first off, when you do generally called Jacques broadcasts and echo in there at all ever pretty much, maybe some of the titles. Yes, what's the difference between a Youtube or in some way that's posting Youtube. Videos augurs well. Yes, there will I get you gonna burn. You too, you know you tube, or is that that's their primary occupation is to be on Youtube, but then again, even that that that is it. I think. As far as I know, there are some really legit you tubers out there that make friggin awesome, stuff and posted fully. There's also a lotta youtube is out there. It is hard to throw

that same bucket with the awesome, the awesomeness, so they gear more in the bucket of like do no way with an executive. Anyway, I go good. I mean you're, you two Remy tumor. Now that our primary so technically we're not you two broken illegal channel, and it is, I think, its legitimate to check that. Also psychological warfare is an album that Jacko made. We made of Jacko telling you how to get through moments. A weakness has actually don't you Let me now is everyone I regard, you know why? Because we all have him from time to time seems ain't by that is where we, but you were you get Mp3S whether the Amazon Google play both the shrieking at a cost. Also you want visual representation. Your things hang on your wall. Basically gotta go to foot. Second, darker, my brother, Dakota Mire he's got a company maiden America making cool stuff to hang on your walk, which is legit bunch of books, got a bunch of books. We got the

we talked about today. The book we talked about today primarily was undaunted valor and assault helicopter unit. now. There is also volume to medal of honor and volume. Three which match action, Colonel Jackson said was the best of the three about about land song in seventy seven, eighty largest air battle, final spin. I have a novel coming out myself and it's a story. It's a book. It's It's a new form of writing. Am I allowed to do that? We don't know we all know from allowed to do it, but I did it to the story. If you want final sprint viewpoint that first, the dish boy that first, the disagreement reload yet everyone, the first a dish order, because the guess what the publishers thinking the publishers like what

You know you are you. Are you mostly but right? My books about leadership saw you know. What's this thing over here, that our continent, Enough Bernard in Britain and then we'll come out you'll be mad? Could you got the third a dish? Brutal? Shame just aim leadership, charging tax fuel manner because the evaluation protocols, discipline, whose freedom field manual way the warrior kid one, two three and four making the dragons about face. This is: to be a long list is certainly the original works extreme ownership and the dichotomy of leadership that I wrote with my brother leaf ban, also have echelon front, which is our leadership, can in company. We saw promptly You sure got national front dot com. If you want us to help inside your company, we have ie for mine, which is online training for leadership. You can get your whole organization into the game. Go to you my dog com, for that muster are leadership.

Events we are executed. We didn't given twenty twenty there the virus, and what not whereby I actually wanted twenty twenty and guess what happened. I got virus I gotTA had had Miss Rona and so on. Had this rona I could go spread of everybody. So we we didn't execute any in twenty twenty one: We are one hundred percent executing in twenty twenty one. Orlando may twenty fifth in twenty six Venus Phoenix August seventeenth and eighteenth and LAS Vegas October. Twenty eight and twenty ninth got extreme ownership dot com. Everything that we ve done has about these are gonna sell out too, especially because we got a little less people for source distancing and what not so less seats, so they can sell up if you wanna come got extreme ownership, Larcom asap we have ye have battlefield witches us for this, but

you want. The next thing we ve got up is us walking the battlefield at Gettysburg. This is a small number of people attending various Baltic. Thirty five people. So if you wanna come go, do echelon front darker! flash events. We consider that we can set up for the effort he acts. We do combat missions, simulated, combat missions to teach leadership, awesome stuff, If you want to help service members active unreal, If you want help their families, if you want help gold, star families check out, Mark Liese, mom mom only she got a charity organisations if you want to donate or you want to get involved, go to America's mighty warriors dot org and if you, on any more you just feel like you need more of my protracted pontiffs stations. or you need more of echo's confounding catechisms. You can find us on the uniforms for Twitter on the gram or on their facebook

echoes adequate Charles, my magical willing and thanks again to Colonel Matt Jackson for joining us and for writing these books, but most important for his service to America, and we will not forget the fallen soldiers of the two hundred and twenty seventh assault helicopter battalion Freedom is free and thanks to all the other men and women out there in uniform, who are always on watch and ready to protect and defend our way up. I find that includes not only the military but also police and law enforcement, Firefox paramedics, game, tease, dispatchers correctional officers, border patrol

secret service and all the other first responders. Thank you for protecting and defending us as well and to everyone else, remember the price that was paid for our freedom and in the book undaunted valor, there's a part that I did not read today. This is where Dan Corey his team fly to an out station to pick up some bodies of two soldiers that were killed in action and they arrive on scene and the two fold service men wrapped in poncho are loaded onto the old Huey WAR bore war, bird and Dan Corey whispers, a prayer that he had written. He says maybe sore with the angels on wings of eagles may. They were

over those they loved and those who love them. Maybe rest in peace until we gather for the final formation and that's all I've got for tonight and until next time. This is ECHO and Jacko out.