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Hope you don't mind if I get a word in here, I was in Vietnam Jan 67 to Aug 68 as a helicopter crewchief. Our unit hauled the 101 around quite a bit. First at Phan Thiet in Feb 67 then around Duc Pho and the bottom of I Corps later on. This was when just the 1st Bde was in country with little organic aviation. I was there during Tet 68 and have a 30% disability for PTSD. I tripped over your website while browsing the Viet Nam Helicpter Crewmen's Assoc. website. I have enjoyed what I've seen so far.
Hello to the 101 Airborne guys.
Rotorwash
Bombardier
31-05-04, 06:48
Hey rotorwash its great to have you aboard, please accept my heartiest of welcomes. Its a great place with friendly people and im sure you will enjoy your stay. If I or anybody else can be of help to you please dont hesitate to ask. :mrgreen:
Drone_pilot
31-05-04, 08:21
Hi Rotorwash and welc. to the site,
hope you enjoy your time here.
HighlandSniper58
31-05-04, 10:48
Hi Rotorwash and welc.
Greetings!
Just got here myself.
Welcome home, and thank you for your service!
Bill Farnie
31-05-04, 15:04
rotorwash,
Welcome home bro and welcome here from another Screaming Eagle.
Bill
Frisco-Kid
31-05-04, 18:44
rotorwash
Welcome to the site, and we encourage you to get ALOT of words in here. There's beginning to become a fair sized contingency of Yanks here, and we are made to feel quite welcome by the good people who frequent this site.
VIETNAM: Jaysus, I could have ridden in one of your birds! I was in Nam with the 101st from 30JUN66-30JUN67. I was in 2/502. I remember going into Phan Thiet for part of Operation Gatling for about 2 weeks. We didn't make much contact there. From there we went to Di Linh, up in the Highlands west of Phan Rang, our main basecamp.
I was part of the original CA into the mountains west of Duc Pho on 11MAY67. It was us and 1/327, kicking off Phase One of Operation Malheur I. The 2/327 came in the next day as a blocking force. The place was crawling with VC/NVA. That first week or so, was some heavy stuff going on. The place was booby trapped so heavy, you were afraid to take a step sometimes. Were you in on any of the relocating of the villages in the Song Ve and Crow's Foot? I was only in on that for a few weeks before I DEROS'd.
WELCOME HOME, BRO! I'm glad to hear that you got some help with the PTSD and hope you're doing well.
P.S. Let me take this opportunity to invite you to check http://www.patriotfiles.com . I'm the Moderator for the Vietnam Forum over there, and can garauntee you a hardy welcome. Alot of VN Vets there. Some of our British friends here check in once in awhile. Several of us Yanks came here through an invitation from the Brits while they were visiting over there. Hope you check it out.
Hello rotorwash and welcome. Stop on in the bunker when you have a mind to. :cool:
Greetings & welcome - I look forward to hearing some of your experiences if possible!
Zofo
welc. Rotorwash I hope you enjoy all you see vik, viki;
Well Frisco, you might have ridden with us. Our call sign was Dolphin, the gunships were Shark, big red teeth on the front. Our company has a website, search on 174th AHC, Dophins or Sharks and you will get there. I don't have the address in front of me but it is a good site. It has listed all of the operations we were on. I remember at Phan Thiet you guys were set up on the beach with a 1st Cav unit. We were flying resupply and had just dumped some elephant rubbers into the trees and were picking up speed at about 500 feet when we took a round in the engine. We waddled through the air until we landed on an old air strip. Phan Thiet was an interesting place. My gunner got stung by a scorpion, critter was on his pillow and landed on his chest when he flopped down. Nothing serious. Another crew chief was bitten by a snake when he was crawling under his aircraft, nothing serious there either, fortunately your Bde hospital was next door. I got a centipede in my pants, but that's another story. :oops: While my aircraft was waiting for another engine I rode doorgunner on another slick, a weak old bird with the engine about worn out. We CA'd into a hillside at night that had been blasted out of the trees. All we were carrying was a dog team, but they were almost too heavy. We hovered above the sharp stumps and the guys jumped out but the dog didn't want to go. There we were, losing power over sharp tree stumps with a frightened dog running back and forth across the ship. None of us had guts enough to touch the dog, but he finally was coaxed out and the old bird survived another day.
We moved in to Duc Pho with a battalion of the 35th Inf from the 25th Div taking over from the Marines. A unit of the 1/9th Cav moved in with us and we were in a firefight first day. Those guys attracted trouble like hookers to a fat wallet. My aircraft got stitched up the belly and took a tap in the tail rotor from a 12.7. At Duc Pho you guys set up LZ Carentan between the mountain and the beach. We were on the other side of the mountain. That was when Task Force Oregon was assembled around Chu Lai, the bde of the 101 was one of the units temporarily assigned until the 196th, 11th and 20th arrived from the states. When we CA'd you guys to the west of Duc Pho it was one of the biggest lifts that had happened up til then, I think we carried you in a battalion at a time.
Sorry to be so long winded, I know this site is run by Brits, but any cold ones at the bar?
Rotorwash :cool:
Frisco-Kid
03-06-04, 01:04
I remember the Shark gunships.
Yeah, alot of creepy-crawlies around Phan Thiet. Had an encounter with a cobra while there, and I don't mean the gunship :shock: . Glad we only stuck around for a couple of weeks.
There's a friend over on the Patriot Files [39mto39g] that was with the 35th Inf. of the 25th Div. that went into Duc Pho when we joined up to make TF Oregon. I'll introduce you if I see you over there. They got changed to the 4th Inf. Div. when they went to Duc Pho. Had 'em change their patches and told them "Now you're in the 4th." :shock: TF Oregon was them, us, and the 196th LIB. It was the 198th and 199th that came over later. The rest of our division came over from Ft. Campbell in late '67, also.
You're right about the CA into the mountains: It was HUGE. The biggest one I was a part of. Duc Pho was a dangerous place when we first got there. The first week after the CA my company had 3 KIA and 12-14 WIA. After we "secured" the mountains to the west, we moved down into the Song Ve, and other valleys, to relocate the villages. The whole place was going to be a free fire zone. I was only in on this for a couple of weeks. Like I said, I left the end of JUN.
Glad to see you here, Bud. Looking forward to reading more from you over on the VIETNAM thread in the MILITARY TOPICS forum whenever you feel up to it.
Welcome Home, Bro.
Welcome mate :) Enjoy your stay.
Sorry Frisco, we both missed it, it was the 196th, 198th and 11th Bdes that finally made up Americal. I remember the 11th well, they arrived in Dec 67 and immediately began screwing up.
This was the brigade of My Lai fame. Imagine my chagrin when the My Lai story broke in Life magazine and right there on the cover was a picture of aircraft from my unit dropping off Calley's troops.
Maybe we should start another thread on this.
Rotorwash
Bombardier
04-06-04, 14:54
A new thread on this subject would be great, I look forward to reading it.
Perhaps I could suggest a new thread within the Military topics section?
Thanks rotorwash.
Hey rotorwash I notice you have no avatar, well for a most esteemed member like your good self that just wont do, that wont do at all. have you an image in mind that you would like to use and I will sort it out for you good sir?
Hi rotorwash and welcome, I look forward to seeing your pics and reading your posts. :mrgreen:
I must be too close to the backwoods of NC, whats an avatar? If it is that cool device under your handle on the left of the screen, I am all for it.
On my old unit website 174ahc.org if you could bring over a Shark patch that would be incredible.
I have add that it is both humbling and exciting to be on a forum with knowledgable people from such places as jolly old England, Scotland and Spain, all places I want to visit someday. Hello Poland! An early ancestor named Gerrish migrated from Plymouth in the 1630's arriving just in time for the Salem witch trials.
Rotorwash
Bombardier
05-06-04, 18:50
I hope this is the patch you were refering to, if not I will change it for you. In any case I will be looking for a better image as this one is a little fuzzy.
Glad to help and glad you are enjoying your visits with us.
Up the Allies roc;
Derrick Stephenson
05-06-04, 19:09
Rotorwash, this gives you some idea of the quality of our Webmaster. Nothing seems to be too much trouble for Him to go to for His Members.
Bombardier, can I have two blondes and one brunette, a King Prawn Curry with Chicken and chips, and a side order of Viagra delivered at about 9 p.m. tonight?
Derrick.
Bombardier
05-06-04, 19:24
Jeeeesus derrick thats a tall order, 9pm ?, Ill get it to ya by 9:15pm :D
Derrick Stephenson
05-06-04, 19:27
Nah, too late, what a wimp after the build up I gave you, anyway, the Viagra would need to be here about 8.30. :D :D ;)
Derrick.
Bombardier
05-06-04, 19:40
Thats a bit of a STIFF order derrick :mrgreen:
Derrick Stephenson
05-06-04, 20:19
Weeell, you know what they say about Oldies but Goodies!!!!
Derrick.
Cool, Webby! Thats the one, and I don't think you can find a clearer version, don't think I have ever seen one clearer then about a three tequila blur.
Man, all those things these people say about you must be true.
Rotorwash
Bombardier
06-06-04, 11:39
Theres a better patch/avatar for you buddy. Its a lot clearer :mrgreen:
Thanks, that looks great!
RW
Eagledriver
07-06-04, 00:07
Hey, Rotorwash. You can believe everything but the bad things about himself. tom; rid: rid:
Derrick Stephenson
07-06-04, 00:09
Says who?
Derrick.
Eagledriver
07-06-04, 00:13
What, What! Surely you jest.
notworthy:
Eagledriver
07-06-04, 00:16
Says who?
Derrick.
Me, Dat's who. lolb; lolb; rid: rid: footin; footin;
Hope you don't mind if I get a word in here, I was in Vietnam Jan 67 to Aug 68 as a helicopter crewchief. Our unit hauled the 101 around quite a bit. First at Phan Thiet in Feb 67 then around Duc Pho and the bottom of I Corps later on. This was when just the 1st Bde was in country with little organic aviation. I was there during Tet 68 and have a 30% disability for PTSD. I tripped over your website while browsing the Viet Nam Helicpter Crewmen's Assoc. website. I have enjoyed what I've seen so far.
Hello to the 101 Airborne guys.
Rotorwash
That would be I among others here, I was in A Co/1st/327 from May 67 to Oct 67 when I volunteered for the lrrps. I was in E Co (LRP) 20th inf, later reenamed to C Co 75th ranger reg.
In the 101st I was in Duc Pho, the Song Ve,Quang Ngai and Chu Lai, just where you were
You could very well have riddden me. Thanks a lot, it was a swell ride
I'm new here too, my name is James Worth
Bombardier
07-06-04, 07:01
Hi James nice to see you here, im sure you will enjoy your time. If I can be of any help to you while your here please ask. once again Welcome. :mrgreen: and thanks for the fantastic pix
Good seein ya here James!I'd mention all the other folks that you know that are here but I'm sure you did a recon and already know.Are the problems at PF gonna screw up y'all's west coast get together?Gotta get to bed.If you like I'll meet ya at the pub later,spect ole Drywall has some coffee on.
Hello James, yes, I imagine we rode the same airspace more then once. When you guys moved to Duc Pho, the 176th AHC (call sign Minutemen and Muskets) was working directly with your brigade, but we usually participated in the CA's. We were direct support for the 3rd Bde of the 25th that later was redesignated 3rd of the 4th. We did provide a lot of logistical support when you were in the mountains west of Duc Pho. I don't remember which battalion had a recon platoon nicknamed Tiger Platoon, but on one occasion we were asked to drop off ammo to Tiger which was in a valley below the bn CP. We dropped off the ammo without incident and later found out that people on the CP were taking bets on whether or not we would make it. Seems that other aircraft that day had been driven off by ground fire. That night Tiger platoon got overran. My pilot that day was a CPT Campbell, heir to the Campbell Soup fortune. For a rich kid he was really OK. He put us in for the DFC. When HQ figured out who he was (he kept getting in trouble because he would forget to cash his paychecks or something) they moved him to Americal in Chu Lai where he took over the CG's mess. After that, we could sneak in the kitchen door, chew the fat and get some really good food.
Ah, the god old days!
RW
Hello James, yes, I imagine we rode the same airspace more then once. When you guys moved to Duc Pho, the 176th AHC (call sign Minutemen and Muskets) was working directly with your brigade, but we usually participated in the CA's. We were direct support for the 3rd Bde of the 25th that later was redesignated 3rd of the 4th. We did provide a lot of logistical support when you were in the mountains west of Duc Pho. I don't remember which battalion had a recon platoon nicknamed Tiger Platoon, but on one occasion we were asked to drop off ammo to Tiger which was in a valley below the bn CP. We dropped off the ammo without incident and later found out that people on the CP were taking bets on whether or not we would make it. Seems that other aircraft that day had been driven off by ground fire. That night Tiger platoon got overran. My pilot that day was a CPT Campbell, heir to the Campbell Soup fortune. For a rich kid he was really OK. He put us in for the DFC. When HQ figured out who he was (he kept getting in trouble because he would forget to cash his paychecks or something) they moved him to Americal in Chu Lai where he took over the CG's mess. After that, we could sneak in the kitchen door, chew the fat and get some really good food.
Ah, the god old days!
RW
Tiger Force--that was our Battalion Recon--you may have read of them lately, evidently they did some "Mopping up" that people got shirty about. Ive just re established contact with a buddy of mine that was in the Tigers, he was called as a witness in the investigation..
I think what youre talking about is Tiger Hill, that happened just before I got there as did Mother's Day Hill--I was the first replacement for a platoon that had been almost wiped out--this was not a huge morale builder for yours truly, I was the Old Pro from Day One, OJT
There's another buddy of mine thats in that platoon picture, he comes to patriotfiles now and then. We just met in Memphis in May while I was on my annual Yankee Victory Tour (lol!) through the South. He lives in Winston Salem--what part NC you? Sure remember Ft Bragg and FayetteNam as we called it then.
By the way, I have a 60% rating for PTSD--with loss of hearing and tinitus it gets me 70% which gets me 100%
Campbell the pilot reminds me of another friend. I enlisted with a buddy from the block--he became a cook. We ran across each other in Anh Khe when we were staging patrols in Mang Yang Pass. It turned out he was the night baker for a HHQ company--he'd come in at night and bake all the pies, cakes and goodies for the next day (he's a lawyer now) MAN this was HEAVEN!!! this was the best eating in the war for us. He'd save us the officer's steaks and when we came in from patrol it was chow DOWN!!
We'd fire upa bowl or 2 and then munchy down on the best goodies ever.
The officers ate good, lemme tell you.
Tom (friscokid) and I went back there last year, all over II Corps, Ban Me Thuot, Pleiku, ANh Khe, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang. Also Saigon and Cu Chi which was the first for me. I can post pictures if you like. Also have a bunch of pictures from Normandy I took when I was there last Fall, walked Omaha the whoile length
James
Bombardier
07-06-04, 16:22
Interesting stuff buddy and I would like to see your pics please :lol:
Frisco-Kid
08-06-04, 00:41
James is one of my BEST friends. Like he said, we did Nam together last year and talking about invading the North [Hanoi] next year. Our tours back in the day overlapped a couple of months. He got there after me. We slogged some of the same mud around Duc Pho before I rotated out. The 1/327 and 2/502 operated in conjunction with each other alot.
Glad to see you took my advice and checked this place out [James and I had breakfast together yesterday]. Like I said, you'll feel very welcomed here. They don't seem to hold that Boston Tea Party thing against us, or that little disagreement we had with them in 1812 o- . Hell, they don't even care that I'm Irish roc; .
P.S. Find yourself an avatar and e-mail it to Bombardier. He'll set it up for ya, bein' the nice guy that he is ;) .
Bill Farnie
08-06-04, 01:21
Well I'll be a Screaming Eagle, it's James! Welcome to the other side of the pond. A lot of Yanks making the trip as of late.
Good bunch here as you'll soon find out.
Bill
Yep.If them UK boys don't get on the stick recrutement-wise we'll likely outnumber em before long.
Bombardier
08-06-04, 14:48
Yep.If them UK boys don't get on the stick recrutement-wise we'll likely outnumber em before long.
That will be just fine doc, we have no problems on that score. :mrgreen:
welc. James this site isn't just for the boys. We're all a great bunch.
See you in the Bunker que; xenasings; xx
You mean these people are British
Well Cor, stone the crows, youre talking to a real Anglophile--favorite authors: Shakespeare, PG Wodehouse, Monty Python. Have all the Jeeves and Bertie videos, Absolutely Fabulous, Blackadder Ive always felt that I'd want to be British if I coldn't be American. Or Canadian. Or Australian. Or someplace else REALLY cool.
Was in the Jollie Olde Place just last Fall for the first time l--Course I went to Stratford Upon Avon, London (221b Baker Street!) Brighton, rented a car and cruised the SOuth Coast, including Rye and Hastings. They made me put a sign on the car that said CAUTION!! American Driver!!! I never hit anyone but I spect I mighta alarmed a few people--it was coming out of those roundabouts backwards that did it.. If you don't like the way I drive, stay the hell off the sidewalks!!! :P Thank God the cops don't carry guns there or Americans would be in REAL trouble!! :mrgreen:
I'm going back to Europe on the 13th, next Sunday--Spain and France (Provence) Ive always wanted to go to Spain (been to France)
Hello to all, as you can guess I'm a semi notorious figure here on the net, you'll be hearing more from me
Have a good un all
James
The 1/327 and 2/502 operated in conjunction with each other alot.
Glad to see you took my advice and checked this place out [James and I had breakfast together yesterday]. Like I said, you'll feel very welcomed here. They don't seem to hold that Boston Tea Party thing against us, or that little disagreement we had with them in 1812 o- . Hell, they don't even care that I'm Irish roc; .
P.S. Find yourself an avatar and e-mail it to Bombardier. He'll set it up for ya, bein' the nice guy that he is ;) .
The 1/327 and 2/502 operated in conjunction with each other alot."
Heck yes, you guys were as good as allies. Thank God for the Oh Deuce, they were the hard luck kids. always getting the worst of it.. We'd stand up and say OH DEUCE!!! and point yr way--the VC or NVA would thank us politely and go **** with you and we'd go back to sleep :mrgreen:
Re: avatars thats not the lrrp way. we spent most of our time trying to be invisible. Lrrps are the typ that like to come out of no where, do the dirty quickly with a smile and a tip oif the boonie cap, fade into the forst gloom and everything is very still once more.
Just habit I guess. Being a lrrp meant you never had to say you were sorry.
james
PS your not Irish, your American and don't forget it!!
Hi James & welcome! Where are you going to in Spain?
Hi James & welcome! Where are you going to in Spain?
Landing in Barcelona, then to Madrid. I'm hoping to then go to San Sebastian, Biarritz, then to Avignon but I'm not having much luck setting this up on the Euorrail site---we may wind up going back through Barcelona-I'll make the resevations when I get there--fortunately I speak Spanish better than average but no French.
We wind up in Avignon (provence) on the 19th, my da is renting a villa there for a week in Caivillon (sp?) right near there. Its a family thing,about 18 people showing up, coming back on the 28th from Barcelona (I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA )
Do you know these areas?? whats good there to see?? I have my own list but am open to suggestions, esp from Europeans
Thanks
James
"Stone the cows"?!?Never heard that one!Reckon you could get buttermilk that way but seems a mite hard on the cows.
"Stone the cows"?!?Never heard that one!Reckon you could get buttermilk that way but seems a mite hard on the cows.
CROWS!!! CROWS!!!! Are you hard of seeing?? Cor stone the crows, this is an authentic British saying, the queen says this when she knights someone or makes them a duke
Dang Hal, best get those glasses checked :P
James
Bombardier
08-06-04, 17:50
Hey exlrrp did you say you liked Balackadder, EXCELLENT!. by far the funniest tv program I have ever seen. I personally prefer the Goes Forth edition, WW1 in the trenches. Any other Yanks like Blackadder? :mrgreen:
Hey exlrrp did you say you liked Balackadder, EXCELLENT!. by far the funniest tv program I have ever seen. I personally prefer the Goes Forth edition, WW1 in the trenches. Any other Yanks like Blackadder? :mrgreen:
I LOVED Black adder ,all the versions--I think I liked the Prince George/Mrs Miggens ones the best. I also have a bunch of the Mr Beans although I havent liked any of Rowan Atkinson's movies (except 3 weddings and a funeral)
How about this:
Any of you Brits like Geo Macdonald Fraser?? Flashman? I am like a total Flasmaniac, got all the books read them several times--one of the funniest authors ever
James
Best history lessons in writing - EVER!
Best history lessons in writing - EVER!
Agreed!! I love the footnotes--never know if theyre real or not. But I have read a lot of things he lists as bibliography and they are terrific (ex: John Cremony)
I hope his perceptions of British politics are as accurate (and funny) as his perceptions of American politcs and society, they are superb. I have a BA in History and I have to say Ive cribbed out of Flashy on things--Flashy would approve!!!
I think his Quartered Safe OUt Here may be the best military memoir I ever read.
If there's any Briton I'd be glad to claim in my background, it would be Flashman, he and Bertie Wooster are two of my favorite role models
Tootle pip all, off for the day
James
CROWS! I see!Got an appointment to get a new glasses Rx. in a couple of weeks.So who was this Cor guy and why did he always get stuck with the rock chuckin?Punishment detail?
Eagledriver
09-06-04, 14:36
Hello there ,James. Welcome to the coolest site on the net, none barred. You'll find a lot of fun people here.
Do you know these areas?? whats good there to see?? I have my own list but am open to suggestions, esp from Europeans
Thanks
James
Barcelona is just about my favourite city in the world - if you get time to have a look around get to the Sagreda Familia, Guell Park and anything to do with Anton Gaudi.
You then go up into the North which is an area I don't know at all. Good luck with the trip mate!
They just posted my bio on the 327 site
http://screamingeagles-327thvietnam.com/first/james_worth.htm
One thing you can say for sure about war, its a lot more fun after its over
TaTa chaps
James
Bombardier
10-06-04, 17:25
Just read it buddy, pretty cool :cool:
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