VN Helicopter Pilots Relaxing After a Fun Day of Flying

S-W4EVER said:
I highly recommend the book "Dustoff - The Memoir of an Army Aviator" by CW4 Mike Novosel.
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There is a street on Ft. Rucker called Novosel, named after his father, I think. MOH. I knew Novosel, the younger in passing from my days there. They ended up together in the same MedEvac unit in VN.
 
My original enlistment was WOFT but got dropped during basic training when my eyesight didn't agree with my original physical exam. Still not sure if I should be thankful or upset I was dropped from flight school. Either way I went to Vietnam.
 
Retired W4 said:
...I knew Novosel, the younger in passing from my days there. They ended up together in the same MedEvac unit in VN.
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+1. They ended up getting shot down within a couple weeks of each other and then rescuing each other.

I remember the first time I saw Dustoff in action, the 377th in the ROK. I'd been in the Army for about a year (about 1974) when they responded to a medical emergency. As the skids hit the ground the door opened and the medic threw out a stretcher and blanket (to replace ours), we loaded the patient and they were gone, all in just a few seconds.
 
Retired W4 said:
There is a street on Ft. Rucker called Novosel, named after his father, I think. MOH. I knew Novosel, the younger in passing from my days there. They ended up together in the same MedEvac unit in VN.
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It was the Main Street that lead to the Officer's Club! Just inside the main entrance to the O Club this portrait of CW4 Michael J. Novosel hung.

novosel.jpg


I looked at it every time I walked in there and thought what a hell of a man! Notice those Air Force Command Pilot Wings on his right chest? B-29 Superfortress bomber pilot in World War II and Medal Of Honor MedEvac aviator in Vietnam!
 
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Back in '73, I was in a small aviation group at Hunter Liggett. We had a pilot that had been in the 174th AHC in '68. He had gotten a direct commission from W-2 to 0-something. When I knew him he was like a 26 year old O-3. Decent guy.

Anyway, what amazed me was the number of hours he said they were flying in '68. Fly out, get shot up, fly back, patch the Huey up, fly back out. Rinse and repeat multiple times a day.
 
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When I broke my back in an M60 accident out at the far ranges at Ft. Hood, the medic on the scene wanted to haul me back to the hospital in a Gama Goat. Fortunately the BN Medical Officer overrode him, and called in a chopper. Sure glad that UH-1 showed up, but I still wonder why they didn't close the door while the medics were cutting off my clothes. It was February, and I thought that I was going to freeze to death!
 
CQB27 said:
It was the Main Street that lead to the Officer's Club! Just inside the main entrance to the O Club this portrait of CW4 Michael J. Novosel hung.

novosel.jpg


I looked at it every time I walked in there and thought what a hell of a man! Notice those Air Force Command Pilot Wings on his right chest? B-29 Superfortress bomber pilot in World War II and Medal Of Honor MedEvac aviator in Vietnam!
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Ah yes, the O' Club at Muther Rucker. There was a time we flew around the clock. AM, PM, Night 1 and Night 2. The Club stayed open most of the night to accommodate us NH/NVG guys. Friday nights were standing room only. After getting off at 0530 some of my neighbors thought I was nuts drinking a beer on my front porch in Enterprise, but most of them knew. We were getting ready for the second hostage rescue attempt in Iran, which of course never happened.
 
Wrangler Rich said:
Sgt., I went to this sight thinking I may just see an example of some of my Unit's examples. Sure enough. They had an AH1G Cobra attributed to A Troop 7/1 Air Cav ( which was assigned to 1st Aviation Brigade) however, it should be attributed to C Troop the Comanche's. A Troop didn't have the "Shark's teeth" and our cowling had a rendition of Geronimo, an Apache.

WR

A Troop 7/1 Air Cav.
1970 / 1971
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Hey Wrangler Rich I was transferred from the 176th AHC in Chu Lai To A Troop, 7/1ACS, Vihn Long in Oct. 71 until the unit stood down in March 1972. I worked in the TOC as no one else knew how to do flight records; my secondary mos. Got to crew as a gunner a few times when needed.. I got to fly backseat loach, Uh and cobra once as our pilots were getting shot up. Only thing I volunteered for. Small world!!! Welcome Home
Bill
 
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D Brown said:
Interesting information. Thanks for posting to everyone.

My dad flew A Model Huey's and then transitioned to B Models on his first tour in Vietnam.

Here's some information on his unit. Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter Company

This was the U.S. Army's first armed helicopter unit.
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Thanks for the link.

When I was in El Salvadore in 1987 the El Sal Air Force had Mike Model Huey (UH-1M) Gunships, basically the same airframe your dad flew with a more powerful engine and improved weapons system.

HdcLiPlh.jpg
 
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D Brown said:
Interesting information. Thanks for posting to everyone.

My dad flew A Model Huey's and then transitioned to B Models on his first tour in Vietnam.

Here's some information on his unit. Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter Company

This was the U.S. Army's first armed helicopter unit.
Click to expand...

Wow. That's pretty interesting. UTT was Very early in VN and was part of the 1454th Combat Aviation Battalion, the 1st in the RVN. One of my units, the 190th AHC was also part of the 145th, as were many others as time went on. The picture in the OP is the 190th (Spartans).

CQB27, the Mike model also had the 540 rotor system which was also different from other models. The 190th had Charlie and Mikes as I remember. I just got a Christmas card from Danney Pickard who runs the 190th website.
 
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