Intro At One Time I Was Specialist 5th Class Steve Hanken

I enlisted October 23, 1968 and was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana, on a short cycle basic training, where we trained Monday through Saturday and finished in time to get a leave for home by Christmas, then I was sent to Fort Eustis Virginia by January 3, 1969 to be "trained" as an engine mechanic on helicopters. The training was delayed three weeks and we spent that time on KP. During the training time I never once was near an operating turbine engine. I never once had my hands on an engine that wasn't far out of date and had not run for more than ten years. Instructors told us to remember certain things, they would be on the test, after we passed the test we would learn what we needed to know when we got to Vietnam. So after a thirty day leave I was on levee at Oakland Terminal on the 19th of April 1969 awaiting a flight to Vietnam. I remember it well, it was my 19th birthday. Eventually I arrived at the 335th Trans. Co. (ADS) and when I approached the 1st shirts counter he asked what my MOS was, when I told him he said, "Engine man, we got plenty of those, you are now a hydraulics specialist!" So for the first year I worked on flight controls and hydraulics. Before it was all over I did two extensions and a full 12 month tour. I eventually did work in the engine shop, but I also worked in the sheet metal shop and I clerked for a while in the dry season where we had air conditioning and waited for the rainy season to go back to the shop. We spent some fun time in Quang Tri for Lam Som 719, we were the forward direct support unit in Quang Tri and worked our asses off keeping up. 12 hours on 12 hours off and if you got caught on the swing, you did 18 hours. One week it was nights the next week it was days. Of the approximately 900 people I served with in Vietnam I have only been eyeball to eyeball with two people since 1971 when I left Vietnam for good. I physically have had no contact with any of the people I worked with other than those two in thirty years. Guess a company reunion isn't in the wings! The 14th Group, of which the 335th was a part of, has reunions and includes the 335th, but very few show up because it isn't a group we associated with. So if you were in the 335th for any time between April 1969 to June 1971 it would be nice to hear from ya, even if I don't know you, we might know someone we knew in common.

Well I did not experience VN, too young and from across the pond but I have communicated here with some sound men of your fine army. They have taught me a thing or two and I hope I reciprocated. Thank you for your service @Steve Hanken and welcome home.

Also welcome to MI.Net I am glad you found us brother.