This statistic is not included in your account. There walks a dead man. The VHPA publishes six The Vietnam who is now retired in Arizona. Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. Many times these brave men had to deliver or retrieve the troopers into or out of areas where enemy fire was heavy. During a hoist mission, we flew with one finger on a button on the cyclic stick that operated an electric solenoid. its on the ground . The third seat was for our testicles. In reference to Mr. Walker, would he also be the same pilot that was nick named, Baby Huey in Vietnam? Values are as of December 31 each year. Those trainers were so small you could lean in them to make the thing turn. 2160250. buzz lightyear of star command complete series He was not strapped in. Updated: 7 February 2018 5 Stars . The average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 45 years old. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. I have posted your reply to Steve on here so he will be able to read it. hostile fire exposure versus battle area exposure. Later, the crew became a two-man pilot team. I suppose we would have survived; we had water wings! As a group, we helicopter pilots did what we had to do and then some. Maturity, self-confident, bravery, willing to take chances, courageous, and yes fun-loving are the attributes that make a great pilot. Annual car sales worldwide 2010-2022, with a forecast for 2023, Number of cars sold in the U.S. 1951-2021, Battery electric vehicles in use worldwide 2016-2021, Annual gas prices in the United States 1990-2021, Automotive industry worldwide - statistics & facts, Motorcycle industry in the United States - statistics & facts, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. These three represent all of out Vietnam War helicopter pilots. The Veterans Site honors the helicopter pilots and crews who fought so hard for us on the ground throughout the Vietnam War. [McCaffrey], The oldest man killed was 62 years old (TAYLOR, KENNA CLYDE). I did well enough to make the school, along with about 25 of my classmates. The pilots and crews of these helicopters were heroes, one and all. Topics cover the entire spectrum from Vietnam to . I had no idea of the satisfaction, pride, sense of accomplishment, and even elation that I would feel in the next six months. x.. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better. The average age for helicopter pilots in Vietnam was in the area of 22 years as I recall. Life member rates based on age are as follows (also I could not have been more proud of myself and my flight school classmates for having come this far. From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. Vietnam seldom flew above 1,500 feet which is traffic pattern altitude for 4.7 average based on 3 product ratings. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. aa..Thus the term SHIT! can also be used to denote a situation where high Pucker Factor is being encountered. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! Tactics such as pinnacle landing on top of steep hills, slopes, and karst outcrops amid destabilizing downdraughts to deliver heavy supplies to US Army firebases and outposts while under enemy fire were also tackled. That sinister-sounding term was coined after the war) Orange was sprayed at three gallons per acre that was the equivalent of .009 of an ounce per square foot. It is Myth: Most Vietnam veterans were drafted. When we, as students, first began training in Hueys at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, our Instructor Pilots (IPs) were required to fill out a Department of the Army (DA) form if our testicles were too big to fit comfortably in the standard front seat of a Huey. I think I can make it back! was his last message as the aircraft caught fire, rolled inverted and crashed in flames, killing all on board. He is the Founder and Editor of The Aviation Geek Club one of the worlds most read military aviation blogs. The VHPA is a social organization only and My father mentioned a pilot and I was curious if this was one of the same. In, Federal Aviation Administration. In the movie We Were Soldiers and Young the Lift Pilot was portrayed by Snake and To Tall. ), Once out to sea, landing on the ships was an interesting experience, especially when the decks were bouncing up and down like a fishing bobber with a carp under it. Many men volunteered for the draft so even some of the draftees were actually Fournisseur de Tallents. In June of 1967, Marine officers destined to become fixed-wing pilots began reporting to Air Force bases for flight training. Myth: The war was fought largely by the poor and uneducated. As soon as he stepped from the left side to the right, the aircraft tipped. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. Helicopters in The Pilots of Charlie Troop 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment 1st Cavalry Division (AM) were the best Pilots of the Vietnam War and today they are the best men America has to offer. The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. Event date is used instead of declared dead date for some of those who were listed as missing in action). I suppose that is what kept most of us going in the daily risk of flying helicopters in combat in Vietnam. DID after the U.S. Congress cut off funding. With a fair amount of apprehension, it was now the moment of truth. Could we really do what we had been trained to do, without letting anyone down? The most incredible, dangerous, high pucker factor, exhilarating thing a man can do with a helicopter is to pull an insecure hoist mission, day or night. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." Over the course of the war, some 12,000 helicopters of various kinds saw service in Vietnam. I arrived in Vietnam on the 4th of July 1969, barely 21 years old. . [McCaffrey] Speech by Lt. Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, (reproduced in the Pentagram, June 4, 1993) assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Vietnam veterans and visitors gathered at "The Wall", Memorial Day 1993. Company pick-up truck, I was told I didnt pass the depth perception portion of the eye test and would not be issued the license. U.S. active certificated pilots - number 1990-2020, Worldwide aircraft fleet age by region 2020-2030, Air traffic - passenger growth rates forecast 2019-2040. fund has been established at the Vietnam Center and Archives at Texas Tech Book review. come left . ai.. sent to webmaster@vhpa.org whereupon Flight training was preceded by grueling infantry instruction at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort Polk, Louisiana, where recruits, predominantly volunteers, learned through Basic Combat Training that they were primarily soldiers, with a secondary role as helicopter crew members. So, were we really Young and Stupid? Otherwise, if we got tangled up, it could cause the aircraft to crash. "The aviation units were the sole combat element of the U.S. Army that did not come. No American had involvement in this incident near Trang Bang that burned Phan Thi Kim Phuc. All of these, however, are better than extraction by Medavac, even if it is technically, a form of flying. [3], Battlefield Viet Nam Episode 5 "The Undeclared War", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Operation_Chopper_(Vietnam)&oldid=1133354489, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 10:36. Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association - VHPA There, the new guys learned how to apply their recently found skills to combat situations. [1996 Information Please Almanac] 1995 Information Please Almanac Atlas & Yearbook 49th edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston & New York 1996, pages 117, 161 and 292. [Nixon] Atrocities - every war has atrocities. [1] "Vietnam helicopter pilots describe the war from the cockpit," YouTube video, posted by "Military Times," April 18th, 2018. . only 10 to 20 minutes of that time exposed to hostile fire. address changes for the directory and use the comments form to When I found out that I was assigned to be a MedEvac pilot, I was devastated. It would instantly cut the cable should any part of the lift apparatus get snagged in the trees or in any other emergency situation. Learn how your comment data is processed. (Westmoreland quoting Douglas Pike, a professor at the University of California, Berkley a renowned expert on the Vietnam War) [Westmoreland] This included Tet 68, which was a major military defeat for the VC and NVA. The Scout Team would search for the enemy and then have the Weapons Team come in and destroy the enemy. Loud, sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. We took no hits on that mission, and as we lifted out of the landing zone, the fact that we cheated death again left me with all the exciting feelings I mentioned at the beginning of this article. Age Vietnam Helicopter Average Pilot Of - albe.mi.it A Scout team consisted of a pilot, a Door Gunner and an observer. is passed from outgoing President to incoming President at each reunion. If so glad to know youre well. Many of these brave men went from High School to Flight School. an.. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. When sprayed on dense jungle foliage, less that 6 percent ever reached the ground. When called upon, a Pilot did not wait for approval from his crew, becuse he knew his crew would never say No. Communications with the Executive Council Back home in the real world, my buddies were at the drive-in, drinking beer and looking for a carload of girls to flirt with, just as I had been doing a year or two before. 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served [Westmoreland], 74% said they would serve again even knowing the outcome [Westmoreland], There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non veterans of the same age group (from a Veterans Administration study) [Westmoreland]. average age of vietnam helicopter pilot - lebel-minsk.by I asked to take a different test and was able to pass that one! Accessed March 04, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/919100/aviation-industry-average-age-of-active-pilots-in-the-united-states-by-category/, Federal Aviation Administration. b.. Your email address will not be published. The South Vietnamese ran out In retrospect, I think that is what happened to one of the pilots in our unit a few months after I left. The Naval Air Training Command, located at Pensacola, Florida, could not train enough Marine helicopter pilots to bring the units in Vietnam up to strength. Marine Corps could barely maintain Helicopter Pilots . Running is better than crawling. Information contained herein shall not be used for commercial The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand stayed free of Communism because of the U.S. commitment to Vietnam. Walking is better than running. Mine were draped over the back of my seat, along with my M-16 rifle. U.S. aviation industry - average age of active pilots by - Statista The first one you will meet is retired Army Col. Douglas Moore, a medevac pilot in Vietnam. The total of non-pilot crewmembers killed was 2,704, according to records of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots' Association. Our single-engine UH-1H Hueys did not float in the water very well. and flew his bird to the top of Monkey Mountian. [VHPA 1993], The helicopter provided unprecedented mobility. applies to subscribers): Age 80 and above ---$75.00 I guess that woke him up, as the next thing I heard was his rifle plugging away at a mound of dirt just outside his door and about 30 feet down. The great majority of these efforts have erroneously portrayed many myths about the Vietnam War as being facts. website may contain information that VHPA considers proprietary and They were immensely important to the troops on the ground as aerial fire power. With a hot mike, everything that was said, every noise, every round fired, every grunt and groan was amplified and transmitted into everyones headset without touching any buttons. Thank you for your Service and Insight! Trainees (known as candidates) then commenced the nine month long US Army Primary Helicopter School course at Fort Wolters, Texas, where they endured some extremely robust Preflight training as potential warrant officers. Maybe we could have used our survival radio once we were in the water or forced down over the jungle. The most common ethnicity of helicopter pilots is White (82.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (6.8%), Unknown (5.5%) and Asian (2.7%). Vietnamese where among those taken that day to Tan Son Nhut airport, General November 14th, 2013 at 5:45 pm Dave Shannon (crewmember, 92nd AHC) Says: I always liked the subdued look of combat zone attire, as opposed to anything shiny or glittery. We were an easier target during the day, but unlike at night when we kept all the lights off, we could see what we were doing! information contained in this publication shall not be distributed to non-VHPA "Pogo" Hunter who died in 1995. Please use the membership application form to submit Both immigrated Or, to hear veteran helicopter pilots describe their personal experiences in the line of duty, click here. You will meet and hear the stories of three U.S. Army helicopter pilots who flew missions in Vietnam in this video. Experienced pilots with proven records of successful, aggressive combat could be invited to join a platoon in a fire team of one or two gunships operating with a scout helicopter and escorting slick assaults. [McCaffrey] Without the helicopter it would have taken three times as many troops to secure the 800 mile border with Cambodia and Laos (the politicians thought the Geneva Conventions of 1954 and the Geneva Accords or 1962 would secure the border) [Westmoreland], Approximately 12,000 helicopters saw action in Vietnam (all services). It was NOT the U.S. Embassy. They were involved in every aspect of that war fighting, from medevac, to ammo, troop and supply delivery, to aerial fire support. Thank you. It was finally time to find out if we had the gonads to be combat helicopter pilots. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. v.. A free fire zone has nothing to do with economics. I wont make it back.. The average time lapse between wounding to hospitalization was less than one hour. Add to that, it is also the most unforgiving mission flown in a helicopter. Publi le 12 juin 2022 par . (EC), [Home] [ReunionInformation] [Donations] [OurLegacy] [MembershipServices] [RelatedWebSites], This San Antonio, Texas 78208-0091, Copyright 2023 DUSTOFF Association | Powered by Barefoot Pixel, USAAAD conducts life-saving rescue of two civilians near Mount Adams. Myth: Most American soldiers were addicted to drugs, guilt-ridden about their role in the war, and deliberately used cruel and inhumane tactics. The longer you stare at the gauges the less time it takes them to move from green to red. the following purposes: To enhance and accredit the cohesiveness, esprit de corps, and traditions of valor of He fell right through the rotor blades. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. [VHPA 1993] Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association 1993 Membership Directory page 130. (May 18, 2021). Those Hueys were their horses and they rode into battle en masse, to deliver their troops and evacuate the wounded. It was a "civilian" (Air America) Huey not Army or Marines. * Includes pilots with an airplane and/or a helicopter and/or a glider and/or a gyroplane certificate. It was an average age for most of the other Army helicopter pilots I flew with in the 237th Medical Detachment in northern I Corps near the DMZ. Being scared in the sense of risking ones life for others, for sure, but also a sense of being scared that you will not be up to the standards of your fellow pilots. Five minutes or more seemed like hours while we sat in the air over the ground troops, taxing every bit of professionalism we hadand the reader better believe we had the utmost professionalism. The VHPA has a membership of over 16,600 (8,700 dues current) helicopter pilots from around the world out of the approximately 40,000 who served as helicopter pilots in the Vietnam War. The average age of an employed helicopter pilot is 44 years old. 01/09/2013. They could often see what we could not and helped keep the enemy off of us and to even the odds for us, so to speak. Keeping with the VHPAs tradition that the History Sections theme becomes the theme for that years Membership Directory, the 2023 Membership Directory (D2023) will be a history of U.S. Air Force helicopters in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War (1961 thru 1975).Read more about the planned U.S. Air Force helicopter Vietnam War history sections. a31 road closure alton; cdw insurance for rental cars; hygro cotton bath towels; Hello world! Later, the crew became a two-man pilot team. No matter what the enemy threw at them, they never backed down. At least, I believe that is how I would have felt had it been me. From 1957 to 1973, the National Liberation Front assassinated 36,725 South Vietnamese and abducted another 58,499. XV, Issue VII. He flew through the fog and light rain. It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. I made a pedal turn (U-turn) about 200 feet in the air, probably over some bad guys, and hovered back in over the trees. In fact, not at all, since we usually flew with the doors open, even at night. Black fatalities amounted to 12 percent of all Americans killed in Southeast Asia - a figure proportional to the number of blacks in the U.S. population at the time and slightly lower than the proportion of blacks in the Army at the close of the war." Age 70 to 74 --------$150.00 Business Solutions including all features. As a result, less than one percent of all Americans wounded who survived the first 24 hours died. Vietnam Veterans were the best educated forces our nation had ever sent into combat. You will get a sense of what that was like from listening to his stories. They will always be our heroes, our Angels in the Sky.. sent to. From 1965, around 99 percent of each completed class of students were sent to Vietnam. Innocent people get killed. it will be forwarded to the appropriate VHPA representative. on 29 April 1975 from UPI's offices on the top floor of the Saigon Hotel which The night I was wounded, my new co-pilot Don Study put us right on the deck, but all the while I had visions of my first 30-foot hover when I was a Funny New Guyan FNG. The VC were surprised and soundly defeated. In action, gunships sometimes left their lights on for night missions, for according to another Huey pilot, We had a doctrine that wed rather have the enemy shoot at the gunship than at the lesser armed slicks.. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). It was a small price to pay for the successful completion of our daily rescues. A third tradition is a bottle There is an explanation "In all the years we've been working on this we have found that's not the case." It required every skill we had. I tried to use the opportunity to prove to myself that I could accomplish the goals I set for myself and do them well. That was probably the lowest point of my Vietnam flying experience, and I never forgot it. ao.. aircraft in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era and inform them of the existence of the of fuel, ammunition and other supplies because of a lack of support from [Houk] Testimony by Dr. Houk, Oversight on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 14 July 1988 page 17, Hearing before the Committee on Veterans' Affairs United States Senate one hundredth Congress second session. Member To seek out, using whatever means available, individuals who piloted rotary wing 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Boeing and Read More, I will say this - and I know a lot of other Navy guys that Read More, The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has not specified whether the weapons are intended for Taiwans Read More, Models of the F-19 Stealth Fighter started to appear in the eighties and were available Read More, The USAF plans to begin production in fiscal 2025, with the first E-7A expected to Read More, UH-1 Huey Gunship Vs NVA/VC Forces Vietnam 1962-75, Boeing, US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters Achieve 5 Million Flight Hours, Equivalent to Flying nonstop for more than 208,333 Days or 570 Years and Nine Months, Taiwan to get 100 AGM-88B HARM missiles and 200 AIM-120C-8 missiles for its F-16 fleet, USAF awards Boeing E-7A prototype contract: the Wedgetail will replace the E-3 AWACS, US Navy Nuclear Propulsion Plant Operator explains when a submarine reactor can be run at higher than 100% (and why the 105% on the reactor ordered in The Hunt for Red October movie would not be worth any risk to the ship and crew), Former US Navy F/A-18 pilot explains why although during his era the Hornet was the best airplane on the carrier his fun meter was most pegged flying the A-4 Skyhawk, The Stealth Fighter that Never Was: How the Secret Development of the F-117 led to the Birth of the Misleading F-19. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. They were the ones who flew the troops into and out of battle. An automobile accident or other traumatic event also can cause it. Can I pick up Armed Forces Radio on it? Use Ask Statista Research Service. . I knew that if Don got in trouble on the approach, I could not be of much help because of the gunshot wound in my left arm, but we were Young and Stupid and we made it. The gunships that were escorting him told Al to put it on the ground right away because of the serious leak. confidential. I am so very proud to have served with them. As they entered a one year combat tour, many pilots heard the ominous rumor that the average life expectancy of a US Army Aviator helicopter pilot in combat was only 19 minutes. There were no Americans involved in any capacity. Copyright 1995 - 2018 Gary B. Roush, 242 ASHC Muleskinners, May 1968 - May The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter Warrant Officer Shelly Berryman flew Huey helicopters in Vietnam War But it also exposed American servicemen and women to a chemical that now has them dying on average 13 years earlier than their counterparts who did not serve in . How old was the average helicopter pilot in Vietnam? The average age (according to General William C. Westmoreland before the Third Annual Reunion of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) at the Washington, DC Hilton Hotel on July 5th, 1986) was 26 The average man who fought in World War II was 26 years of age. Candidates later tackled the difficult arts of landing in small areas, night, and instrument flying crucial skills for their operational work in Southeast Asia. A few were even awarded. I can throw a rock in there, its so close! was the rest of my thought. The second pilot you will meet is retired CWO2 Allan Potter. . Traditions: The VHPA has developed some traditions over the There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the Based on the data, more than 30% of the current for-hire pilots fall within the age range of 50 to 64. The Indonesians threw the Soviets out in 1966 because of America's commitment in Vietnam. Epilogue: Most people who see photos of Dustoff Hueys in Vietnam observe only the outside of the aircraft. It was an average age for most of the other Army helicopter pilots I flew with in the 237th Medical Detachment in northern I Corps near the DMZ. We especially were concerned about the troops we were there to support. Fast Contour flying as close to the ground as possible to avoid ground fire was also mastered. One point I want to make is the the Crew Chiefs and Door Gunners were the and are still the best as well. I enlisted in the (WOFT) Warrant Officer Flight Training. years. . [1996 Information Please Almanac], The 140,000 evacuees in April 1975 during the fall of Saigon consisted almost entirely of civilians and Vietnamese military, NOT American military running for their lives. solicitation purposes, or any correspondence related thereto. approximately 40,000 who served as helicopter https://www.vhpa.org. Yes, most definitely young, but stupid? Dustoff pilots with their unique seating arrangement is where that statement originated. members without the express consent of the member. The Air Cav was just what the name implies. VHPA and encourage all eligible individuals to become members. The early (65-68) Weapons Team was made up of two pilots, crew chief and a door gunner. Over 900,000 patients were airlifted (nearly half were American). Put some fire in that bunker! I yelled to Private Whats-His-Name. A Huey pilot later with the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB) at Pleiku, recalled one student who, flush with success after his first solo, decided to see what it was like in the empty instructors seat, but knew he would have to change back to land. submit other directory changes and updates. In the Vietnam War the helicopter became one of the most important elements in the daily operations of our war fighting successes. . [People], The person who can be seen aiding the refugees was CIA operations officer, Mr. O.B. . There are over 4,945 helicopter pilots currently employed in the United States.