swash plate august 2013

Volume 9, Issue 2 CHPA • The Swash Plate www.chpa-us.org

August2013

• “President’sMessage” RobertFrost

• “America’sHueyHonorFlight” SherryvanArsdall

• ”CombatVetsEarnCavSpurs” AdamAshton

• “ReunionsandGatherings”

• “TredwayAwardRecipient” JayBrown

• “ConventionNotes”

• “JobOpenings” andmuch,muchmore!

Presenting!President’sMessageRobertFrost

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Weare inthe“dogdays”ofsummerand I hope you are enjoying family, friends,and in general having a good time as wemoveontowardLaborDayandthefalloftheyear.BythetimeyoureadthisintheAugustedition of the Swash Plate we will be lessthantwomonthsawayfromwhatisshapinguptobethebestconventionCHPAhaseverhadinoureightyearhistory. All indicationsarethatourattendancewillbegreaterthananyconventionwehaveeverhad,includingFortRuckertwoyearsago.

BythetimeyoureceivethiseditionoftheSwashPlateyoushouldhave received (via email) a registration form that can be completed andsent back to our headquarters via fax or “snailmail.” To speed up your

registrationjustgotowww.chpa‐us.organdregisteronline.Don’tforgettoregisterforthehotel.Wehavenegotiatedaspecialrateforourattendeesbutroomsarelimited.Ourhost,TheSaintAnthonyisrightintheheartofdowntownandacoupleofblocksfromtheAlamoandtheRiverWalk.Itisabeautiful,historichotelthathas justgone throughamajor renovation. The roomsareverycomfortableandplushwithamenities.OurbanquetonThursdayeveningwillbeheldinaspectaculargrandroomthatcouldmakeyouthinkyou’reinafineEuropeansetting.

ThisyearwewillbepresentingtheRobertN.TredwayAwardtoMs.ShayneMeder.Sheisoursecondrecipientofthisprestigioushonor.WhatfollowsisanexcerptoftheletterIreceivedfromRandyZahnwhoisamemberoftheCHPABoardofDirectorsandChairmanoftheselectioncommitteefortheRobertN.TredwayAward:

“Shayne isa retiredUSAFMasterSergeantwhoworkedat theMarchField (formerlyMarchAFB)AirMuseuminRiverside,CA. WhilethereShayneworkedontherestorationofOH‐6"256,anaircraftthatflewwithCTroop,1/9thCav.DuringherrestorationworkShaynesentanoticeouttoCharlieTrooperstocomevisitpriortothecompletedeffortandeventualofficialdedication.

Shayneisatalentedartistandhasadoptedthemilitaryhelicoptercommunityashercanvas.ShehasdonenoseandtailartonmanyoftheCommandhelicoptersof28squadronsoftheUSNavyandMarineCorpsatNorthIslandNavalAirStationandCampPendleton.ShehasgonetoFloridaandJapantopaintaircraft...volunteeringhertimeandtalentatnocosttotheunits,themilitaryorthetaxpayers.SheisscheduledtogotoGuamaswell.

Shayne works year‐round accomplishing these


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effortsaswellasherjobattheWingsandRotorsMuseum,wheresheisconstantlyinvitingandentertaininghelicopter veterans from all over theworld. Whenever a helicopter lands at French Valley Airport, Shaynemeetstheaircrafttoseeifthepilotisavetandtowelcomethemandthankthemfortheirservice.

In 2008,Wings and Rotors flewthree Vietnam era helicopters toWashington, DC, escorting RollingThunder from Southern California to the capitol. Every stop was choreographed by Shayne to facilitate aVeterans’eventwherevetscameoutandsawtheaircraftthatmanyofthemhadflowninVietnam.Theentiretripwaschronicledinadocumentarythatisbeingreleasedthismonthcalled"FlighttotheWall!"

TosaythatShayne'spresentationof256,allthoseyearsago,andherpreparationeffortsforthecrew'svisitwasprofessionalwouldbeaccurate,butmoreimportantwasherunderstandingoftheemotionalaspectsofthevisitforthecrews.Thatiswhereherrealtalentlies.Shegetsit!Shehascontinuedto"getit"inalltheyearssinceherencounterwith256anditscrew.

ThatiswhyShayneexemplifieswhattheRobertN.TredwayAwardis.BobmetShayneatareunionin2007andwasveryimpressed,notonlybyhertalentbut,moreimportantly,byherhumilityandherdedicationtohelicoptercrewspastandpresent.HavingservedunderBob,andbeingafrienduntilhisuntimelypassing,IknowthatBobwouldbepleased.”

In addition, our banquet keynote speaker will be Dr. John Sibley Butler, a distinguished scholar,lecturer, author, international business consultant, and former presidential advisor. John is professor ofmanagement and sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. He holds the Herb Kelleher Chair inEntrepreneurshipanddirectstheKelleherCenterforEntrepreneurship.JohnservedinVietnamasacombatmedicandwasawardedtheBronzeStarforValor. JohnwillbesharingsomeofhisexperiencesinVietnamandIamsurehewilltouchonwhatthehelicoptermeanttoourwarriorsontheground.Hecertainlyhasfirst‐handknowledge.IcanpersonallyguaranteeJohnwillbeaveryinterestingandentertainingspeaker.I’malsotryingtotalkhimintobringinghisguitarsohecanserenadeuswith“HouseoftheRisingSun”–asongthoseofusfromtheVietnamerawillsurelyremember.

Thisyearwewillbeconductingourfirsteversilentauctiontoraisemoneyforourorganization.Thisadded source of revenuewill allow us to do a better job ofmarketing CHPA to our current and potentialmembersaswellasbetterservethemilitaryhelicoptercommunity.Ifyouhaveuniqueitemsyouwouldliketodonate,pleasecontactourheadquartersformoredetails. Iamexcitedaboutsomeofthe itemsalreadysubmitted;especiallythe30minuterideinaCobragunship.Also,mostofyouarefamiliarwiththehelicopterartistryofJoeKlein.Hewillbedonatingoneofhisoriginalpaintings.IwillbedonatingaTexasflagthathasflownover theStateCapitol inAustinandaUS flag thathas flownover theUSCapitol inWashington,DC.Thesearejustsamplesoftheitemsbeingofferedatthesilentauction.Priortotheconvention,wewillpostphotosand/ordescriptionsoftheitemsonthewebsite. Soifyouareunabletoattendtheconvention,youcanstillsubmityourbidforsomethingthatinterestsyou.

Asalways,ourannualmembershipmeetingwillbeheldduringtheconvention,andaswedoinodd‐numberedyears,wewillbeelectingtheofficersanddirectorsforserviceonyourboardthenexttwoyears.Also,twoveryimportantboardmembers,RustyBourgoyne,VPofMembership,andJohnFore,Director,willbeendingtheirboardservicetoCHPA.WearesogratefulfortheirserviceandIknowbothwillstayinvolvedinpromotingCHPAaswegrowinfutureyears.RustyandhiswifeLynnhaveworkedtirelesslyyearafteryearatHAI,QuadA,VHPA,andPop‐A‐Smoke topromoteCHPA. Foryears, theyhave luggedourexhibitboothacrosstheUSAattheirownexpense.IhopewecancontinuetorelyontheirparticipationeventhoughRustyisleavingtheboard.Infact,Ican’timaginebeingintheCHPAexhibitboothwithoutthem.

One final itemonmyagenda thismonth is tomakeyouawarethatwehaveaCHPAgroupnowonFacebook.It


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Please feel free to forward this issue of “The Swash Plate” to your colleagues, potential members and other interested parties!

Sharethe“Swash”

TheSwash!One of the things we all know, nobody tells a better story than a combat helicopter

crewmember,whether it’s the truth or “enhanced truth.” Ourmost entertaining and informativestoriescomefromyou,ourmembership.Weoftenreceivedresponsesfromourmemberswhenanarticleispublishedthatopensamemoryortouchesanerve,inagoodway.

Thestorieswehearareaboutanythingfromflightschooltoreallifethere‐I‐wasstories.We’ve

publishedseveral storiesover theyears ranging fromtalesof flight schoola long, long timeago to“warstories”thatwe’resuremostofyoucanidentifywith.Butweneedmorestories.StoriesfromVietnam andmore importantly Iraq and Afghanistan. Those conflicts and those stories are far toountold.

So,allyouveteransoftheskiesofOEFandOIFwithanideaforanarticle,orastorytotellit’sas

easyassending it in. Takeamomentto layfingersonkeyboardor justputpentopaperandsendthemin.Youcanemailthemtohq@chpa‐us.orgorthroughtheUSPostOfficeto:CHPA•POBox42•Divide,CO80814‐0042

Helpushelpyoutellthetalesofyourexperiencesandcontinuetopreserveoursharedlegacyofcombatunderarotordisc.

[CallForArticles]

isgrowingandvibrant. Ifyouarenotapartofthisgroup,pleasecheckitoutandjoin. It isagreatwaytokeep in touch with our families and friends of CHPA. Visit the site athttps://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/196724920353496/ or just search Facebook for Combat HelicopterPilotsAssociation.

Wehopetoseeyouinthe“AlamoCity”thisOctober!

PleaseconsidersponsoringCHPA’sprograms.YoumaymaketaxdeductibledonationstosupporttheGoldieFund,CHPA’sScholarshipprogram,theHolidayBoxesfortheTroops,T‐shirtsforHeroesortheAssociation.ForfurtherinformationpleaselookatSponsorshipatthewebsite,http://www.chpa‐us.org.

Sponsorship


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The Sound That Binds KeithNightingale

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UniquetoallthatservedinVietnamistheUH‐1H

helicopter. Itwasbothdevil and angel and it servedasbothextremelywell.WhetheraLRRP,USorRVNsoldierorcivilian,whetherNVA,VC,Alliedorcivilian,itprovideda sound and sense that liveswith us all today. It is theonesoundthatimmediatelyclearsthecloudsoftimeandfreshenstheforgottenimageswithinourmind.Itwillbethe sound trackofour lastmomentsonearth. Itwasasimplemachine‐asingleengine,asinglebladeandfour‐man crew ‐ yet like theModel T, it transformed all andperformed tasks the engineers and designers neverimagined.Forsoldiers,itwastheworstandbestoffriendsbutitwastheonebindingmaterialinatapestryofawarofmanypieces.

Thesmellwasalwayshot,filledwithdieselfumes,sharpdraftsaccentuatedbygrittysand,lateriteandanxiousvibrations. Italwaysheld thespellof theunknownand theanxietyof learningwhatwasnextandwhatmightbe. Itwasanunavoidablemagnetfortheheavily ladensoldierwhodonkey‐trottedto itssquatshakingshapethroughthehazeandblastofdirt,steppedontheODskid,turnedanddroppedhisruckonthecoolaluminumdeck.Reachinginsidewithhisrifleormachinegun,asoldierwouldgraspafloorringwithafingerasanextraprecautionofphysicsforthosemomentswhenthenowairbornebirdwouldbreak intoasharpturnrevealingallgroundorallskytothehelplessridersallverymindfuloftheimpedingweightontheirbacks.Therelentlessweightoftheruckcombinedwiththestressofvaryingmotioncausedfingersandfloorringstobindalmostasone. Constantwasthevibration,smellofhydraulicfluid,flashesofvisionaryimagesand the occasional burst of a ground‐fed odor‐rotting fish, dank swampy heat, cordite or simply thecontinuoussinuouscurrentsofVietnam'sweather‐coldanddrivenmistintheNorthernmonsoonorthewallofheatedhumidityinthesoutherndryseason.Blottingitoutandshadingtheeffectwastheconstantsoundofthesinglerotatingbladeasitateapieceoftheair,strugglingtoovercomethemomentaryphysicsoftheweather.

To divert anxiety, a soldier/piece of freight,might reflect on his home away fromhome. The doorgunnerswereusuallycalmwhichwasemotionallyhelpful.EachgunhadaCrationfruitcanattheammoboxclipentrancetothefeedmechanismofthemachinegun.Thegunhadalargecircularaimingsightunlikethegroundpounder version. That had the advantageof being able to fix on targets from the air considerablyfurtherthannormalgroundacquisition.Pears,Apricots,AppleSauceorFruitCocktail,itallworked.Fruitcanshadjusttherightwidthtosmoothlyfeedthebeltintothegunwhichwasalwaysagoodthing.Somegunnerscarriedalargeoilcanmuchlikeoldlocomotiveengineerstosqueezeonthebarreltokeepitcool.UsuallythiswasaccompaniedbyalargeODtowelorakhakiwoundpackbandagetoallowarubdownwithoutaburnedhand.Underthegunnersseatwasusuallyasmalldairy‐boxfilledwithextraammoboxes,smokegrenades,water,flarepistol,Cratsandacoupleofwell‐wornpaperbacks.Thegunitselfmightbeattachedtotheroofof the helicopter with a bungee cord and harness. Thisallowed the adventurous gunners to detach the gun from


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thepintleand fire itmanuallywhilestandingon theskidwithonly the thinnestofconnectivity to thebird.Thesewerepeopleyouwantednearyou‐particularlyonextractions.Thepilotsweremoremysterious.Youonly saw parts of them as they labored behind the armored seats. An arm, a helmeted head and theoccasional fingeredhandas itmovedacross thedialsandswitchesontheceilingabove. Thearmoredsidepanels covered theiroutside legs ‐anadvantage thepassengerdidnotenjoy. Sometimes,a face, shieldedbehind helmeted sunshades, would turn around to impart a question with a glance or display a sense ofanxietywithlargewhite‐circledeyes‐thiswasnotawelcominglookasthesoundsofexternalissuesfoughttooverridethesoundsofmechanicsinflight.Yet,asawhole,thepilotsgotyouthere,tookyoubackandkeptyoumaintained.Youneverrememberednames,ifatallyouknewthem,butyoualwaysrememberedtherideandthesound.

Behind each pilot seat usually ran a stretch ofwire or silk attaching belt. Itwould have arrayed avarietyofhandyitemsforimmediateuse.Smokegrenadeswerethebulkoftheattachmentinventory–mostcolorsandacoupleofwhitephosphorousifadramaticmarkingwasneeded.Sometimes,tripflaresorhandgrenadeswouldbeincludeddependingonthelocationandmission.Handgrenadeswerearareexceptionaseven pilots knew they exploded – not alwayswhere intended. It was just a short armmotion for a doorgunner to pluck an inventory item off the string, pull the pin and pitch it which was the point of thearrangement. Youdidn'twanttobe inahelicopterwhensuchanactoccurredasthatusuallymeanttherewasanissue. Soldiersdon't likeissuesthat involvethem. Itusuallymeansalongdayoraveryshortone‐neitherofwhichisagoodthing.

Thebirdliftsoffinaslow,strugglingandshakingmanner.Dustcloudsobscureanyviewasoldiermayhave. Quickly, with a few subtle swings, the bird is above the dust and a cool encompassingwind blowsthrough.Sweatisquicklydried,eyesclearandathousandfeetofaltitudeshowtheworldbelow.Colorsaremuted but objects clear. The rows of wooden hootches, the airfield, local villages, an old B52 strike, themottledtrail leftbyaRanchhandspraymissionandtheopenreflectivewaterofariveror lakearecrisp insight.Theinitialanxietyoftheflightormissionrecedesastheconstantlymovingandsoothingmotionpictureandsoundtrackunfolds.Intime,oneisawareofthemassofUH‐1Hscoalescinginalineinfrontofandbehindyou.Otherstringsofbirdsmaybeleftorrightofyou‐allsurgingtowardsomesmallspeckinthefrontlosttoyourview.Eachisamirrorimageoftheother;twotothreeladensoldierssittingontheedgelookingatyouandyouraccompanyingpassengersallgoingtothesameplacewiththesamesenseofanxietyanduncertaintybutborneonasimilarsteedandsound.

Intime,onesensesthebirdscoalescingastheyapproachtheobjective. Perhapsa furtiveglanceorsweepingarcofflightrevealsthelandingzone.Smokeeruptsincolumnsinitiallyvisibleasbluegreyagainstthesky.Thelocationisclearlydiscernibleasatremblingspotsurroundedbyavastgreencarpetofflatjungleorasharppointofajuttingridge.Asthebirdgetscloser,asoldiercannowseethesmallFACaircraftworkingwell‐below,thesuddensweepingcurveofthebombingrunsandthesmallpuffsasartilleryimpacts.Asenseofimmenselonelinesscanbegintoobscureone’smindastheworld’sgreatesttheatreraisesitscurtain.Evenclosernow,withanxiouseyesandshortbreath,asoldiercanmakeouthisdestination.Thesmokeisnowthedirtygreyblackofmunitionswithonlytheslightesthintoforangeuponignition. NoHollywoodeffect isatwork.Here,thephysicsofexplosionsareclearlyevidentaspressureandmassoverlight.

The pilot turns around to give a thumbs‐up or simply ignores his load as he struggles to maintainpositionwithmultiplebirdsdroppingpowerthroughsmokeswirls,upliftingnewlycreateddebris,sparksandflaming ash. The soldiers instinctively grasp their weapons tighter, look furtively between the upcomingground and the pilot and mentally strain to find someanchorpointforthenextfewsecondsof life. Ifthis isthe


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first lift in, the door gunners will be firing rapidly in sweepingmotions of the gun but this will be largelyunknownandunfelt to the soldiers. Theywill nowbe focusedon thequicklyapproachinggroundand thepointwhere theymightsafelyexit. Gettingout isnowvery important. Suddenly, thegunnersmayrapidlypoint to the ground and shout "GO" or theremay just be the jolt of the skids hitting the ground and thesoldiersinstinctivelylurchoutofthebird,slamintothegroundandfocusontheverysmallpartoftheworldtheynowcansee.Theemptybirds,underfullpower,squeezemassiveamountsofairanddebrisdownontheexitedsoldiersblinding themto thesmallestview. Veryquickly, there isasuddenshroudof silenceas thebirds retreat into thedistanceandthesoldiersbegin their recovery intoacohesiveorganization losing thatsound.

Onvariousoccasionsandweatherdependent,thebirdsreturn. Sometoprovidenecessary logistics,somecommandvisitsandsomemedevacs.Ontherarestandbestofoccasions,theyarrivetotakeyouhome.Alwaystheyhavethesamesweetsoundwhichresonateswitheverysoldierwhoeverheardit.Itisthesoundoflife,hopeforlifeandwhatmaybe.Itisasoundthatneverwillbeforgotten.Itisyourandoursound.

Logisticsisalwaysatrial. Pilotsdon't likeit,fieldsoldiersneeditandweatheris indiscriminate. Logflightsalsomeanmailandaconnection tohomeandwhere realpeople liveand live real lives. Here isanaberrantaspectoflifethatonlythatsoundcanrelieve.Oftenthereisnolandingzoneortheareaissohotthatapilot's senseofpurposemaybecomeblurred. Groundcommander'sbegandpleadon the radio forsupport that is met with equivocations or insoluble issues. Rations are stretched from four to six days,cigarettes become serious barter items and soldiers begin to turn inward. In some cases, perhaps onlyminutesafterlanding,firefightsbreakout.Themachinegunsbegintheircarnivoroussong.Rifleammunitionandgrenadesareexpendedwithgargantuanappetites.Theairisfilledwithanall‐encompassingsoundthatshutseachsoldierintohisownsmallworld‐shooting,loading,shooting,loading,shooting,loadinguntilhehastoquicklyreachintothedepthofhisruck,pasttheextrarations,pasttheextrarainponcho,pastthesparepaperback,totheeightM16magazinesformingthebottomoftheload‐neverthoughthewouldneedthem.Aresupply isdesperatelyneeded. Insometime,asound isheardover thedinofbattle. Asteadywhompwhompwhompthatsays;TheWorldishere.Helpisontheway.Hanginthere.Thesoldierturnsbacktothebusinessathandwitharenewedconfidence. Windpartsthecanopyandthingsbegintocrashthroughthetreetops.Somecaseshavesmokegrenadesattached‐thesearethereallyimportantstuff‐medicalsupplies,codesandmaybemail.Thesounddriftsoffinthedistanceandthingsarebetterforthemoment.Thesoundbringsbothapsychologicalandamaterialrelief.

Woundsarehardtomanage.Thebodyisallsoftflesh,integratedpartsandanemotionalburdenforthosethathavetowatchitsdeterioration.Ifthebodyisanengine,bloodisthegasoline–whenitrunsout,sodoes life. It's important theparts get quickly fixed and theblood is restored to a useful level. If not, thesoldierbecomesanotherpieceofbattlefielddetritus.Afieldmedichastheabilitytostopexternalbloodflow–lessinternal.Hecanreplacebloodwithfluidbutit’snotblood.Hecantreatforshockbuthecan'talwaysstopit. Heisatthemercyofhisabilityandthenatureofthewound.Brightredissurfacebleedinghecanmanage but dark red, almost tar‐colored, is deep, visceral and beyond his ability tomanage. Dark is theessence of the casualty's interior. He needs the help that only that sound can bring. If an LZ exists, it’swonderfulandeasy.Ifnot,difficultoptionsremain.Thebirdweavesbackandforthabovethecanopyasthepilotstrugglestofindthelocationofthecasualty.Hebeginsasteadyhoverashelowersthelitteronacable.The gunner or helo medic looks down at the small figures below and tries to wiggle the litter and cablethrough the tall canopy to the small up‐reaching figures below. In time, the litter is filled and the cableretreats–thehelocrewstillcarefullymanagingthecableasitwendsskyward.Thecablehitsitsanchor,thelitteris


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pulled inand thepilotpullspitchandquicklydisappears ‐but the retreating sound isheardbyall and thesilentuniversalthought‐TherebutfortheGraceofGodgoI‐anditwillbetothatsound.

Cuttingalandingzoneisastandardsoldiertask.Often,tohearthehelicopter'ssong,theimpossiblebecomesarequirementandmiraclesabound.Sweat‐filledeyes,bloodblisteredhands,energyexpendedandwithabreathofdesperationanddesire,soldiersattackasmallspacetocarveoutsufficientopenairforthehelicoptertoland;landtobringinwhat’sneeded,takeoutwhat'snotandtoremindthemthatsomeoneouttherecares.Perhapssomeexplosivesareused‐usuallyforthebiggertreesbutmostoftenit’ssoldiersandmachetesorthesideofane‐tool. Doneunderthepressureofanencroachingenemy,it'sacombinationofhighadrenalinrushandsimpledumbluck‐smallbullet,bigspace.Intime,anopeningismadeandtheskyrevealed.Asoundencroachesbeforeavision.Eyesturntowardthenewlycreatedvoidandthebirdappears.Thebladetipsseemsomuchlargerthanthenewly‐columnedsky.Volumesofdirt,grass,leavesandtwigssweep upward and are then driven fiercely downward through the blades as the pilot struggles to do acompletelyverticaldescentthroughthenarrowcolumnhehasbeenprovided.Below,thesoldiersbothcowerandrevelinthefree‐flowingair.Thetrashisblindingbutthemovingairfeelssogreat.Somehow,thepilotlandsinaspacethatseemssmallerthanhisbladeradius.Inreverse,thesoundbuildsandthenrecedesintothedistance‐alwaysthatsound.Bringingandtakingaway.

Extractionisanemotionalhighlightofanysoldier'sjourney.Regardlessoftheausterityandissuesofthehomebase,forthatmoment,itisahighlydesiredlocationandthefocusofthought.Itwillbeprovidedbythatfamiliarvehicleofsound.ThePickupZoneinthebushisrelativelyopenorifonanestablishedfirebaseorhilltop position, amarked fixed location. The soldiers awaiting extraction, close to the location undertaketheirassignedduties‐security,formationalignmentorLZmarking.Eachisfocusedonthetaskathandandtendstoblotoutotherissues.Aseachsoldiersenseshismomentofremovalisabouttoarrive,hisauditorysensebecomeskeenandhisvisceralinstinctsearchesforthatsinglesweetsongthatonlyoneinstrumentcanplay.Whenregistered,hiseyeslookupandheseeswhathismindhasimaged.Hefocusesonthesoundandthe sight and both become larger as they fill his body. He quickly steps onto the skid and up into thealuminumcocoon.Turningoutwardnow,hegraspshisweaponwithonehandandwiththeotherholdsthecargo ring on the floor ‐ as he didwhen he first arrived at this location. Reversing the flow of travel, heapproacheswhathe temporarily calls home. Landing again in a swirl of dust, diesel andgrinding sand, heoffloadsandtrudgestowardhisassemblypoint.Thesoundsretreatinhisearsbutheknowshewillhearthemagain.Healwayswill.

AbouttheAuthor,KeithNightingale:COLNightingaleisaretiredArmyColonelwhoservedtwotoursinVietnamwithAirborneandRanger(Americanand

Vietnamese)units.Hecommandedairbornebattalionsinboththe509thParachuteInfantryRegimentandthe82ndAirborneDivision.Helatercommandedboththe1/75thRangersandthe1stRangerTrainingBrigade.


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TheSkyBehindMe,aMemoirofFlyingandLifeBy

ByronEdgingtonCW‐4(ret.)

“Whatapleasuretoreadthisbookandgettoknow this man who so dearly loved everyminute of hisexciting career. If he handledchoppers as well as he handles the Englishlanguage, itmusthavebeenprettyexcitingtobe in the skywithhim.”—ThomasE.Barden,Professor of English and Dean of the HonorsCollegeU.of Toledo&AuthorofSteinbeck inVietnam,Dispatches from theWar.UniversityofVirginiaPress.www.upress.virginia.edu

“Chock‐full of heart‐stopping drama, gut‐wrenching lows, euphoric highs, tragicpersonal loss, laced liberallywithhumor andgarnished with deep introspection,Edgington’s story gripped me from the veryfirst page keeping me spellbound until Ifinished the very last sentence. You don’thavetobeapilottoenjoythisstoryforthisisa tale anyone can relate to if you have everyearnedtopursueadreamofyourown.”—RandolphP.Mains,authorofDearMom,I’mAlive,andJourneytotheGoldenHour.Amazon.com/Randolph‐P.‐Mains

“TheSkyBehindMe isoneman’sforty‐yearloveaffairwithhelicoptersandhisalmostpoeticrenderingofalifelivedinthesky.”Freedownloadisavailableathttp://goo.gl/LYKul.BuyitatAmazonhttp://goo.gl/klFGF


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CHPA continues to receive quite an assortment of patches from our members. These patches are displayed at our booth at HAI, Quad A, and VHPA. Several of you have donated patches, but we’re always looking for more. They are very eye catching and help us garner attention. So please dig through your old patches and if you have some you’d like to share, send them to us at: CHPA • PO Box 42 • Divide, CO80814‐0042

GOT PATCHES?

PleaseconsidersponsoringCHPA’sprograms.YoumaymaketaxdeductibledonationstosupporttheGoldieFund,CHPA’sScholarshipprogram,theHolidayBoxesfortheTroops,T‐shirtsforHeroesortheAssociation.ForfurtherinformationpleaselookatSponsorshipatthewebsite,http://www.chpa‐us.org.

Sponsorship


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America’sTraditionofService:MikeKingTerryGarlock

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Note:thiscolumnwaspublishedintheFayetteCounty,GAnewspaper,TheCitizen,onAug14,2013,

oneofmanyattemptsbyTerryGarlocktofocusanuninterestedAmericanpubliconourmilitary.

The Silver Star is our country’s 3rdhighestmilitary decoration for

valor, exceeded only by the Distinguished Service Cross and Medal ofHonor.IfyouaskmybuddyMikeKinghowheearnedtheSilverStar,orifyouaskaboutthepersonalcostinvolved,hemaystareatyoubuthewon’ttellyouandthere isnothingyoucansay toconvincehimyoudeservetoknow.

TheSilverStar isawardedfor“gallantry” inaction,onepegaboveheroismonthemilitaryawardschart,but ifyouuttertheword“hero”toMikehewillthinkyouadamnfoolandhejustmightsaysobecausehe’sinclined tospeakhismindwithout the inhibitions thatencumbermostofus.

ToomanyAmericanshavenointerestinorconceptofservingourcountryunderdifficultconditions.Too many don’t even know anyone in uniform and since these days virtue is measured in self‐indulgentpastimesandcellphoneacumen,Ibelieveouryouthwoulddowelltopayattention,tomeasurethemselvesagainstexamplesofservicesuchasMikeKinginPeachtreeCity.

HeretiredfromtheUSArmyasLieutenantColonel,butIwilltellyoualittleabouthisyoungerdaysasaLieutenant,servingasahelicopterpilotintheVietnamWarin1972.Thewarwasrapidlywindingdownandall American ground troops had been withdrawn from Vietnam. Our pilots remained to support SouthVietnamese ground troops fighting to protect their country from North Vietnamese invaders seeking toimposeCommunismbyforce.

MikewasaScoutpilotwithCharlieTroopofthe16thCavalryinthedeltaregioninsouthernVietnamneartheequator,wherethemightyMekongriverspreadsoutinmanyfingerstoflowinever‐slowerebbsintotheSouthChinaSea,depositing its silt along theway tobuildmore flat so‐called land,where therearenofoxholesbecausediggingafewincheswillstrikewater,wherepalmtreesgrowtallandthevegetationspreadsthick and fast beside thousands of ricepaddies separatedbydikes in squares,where the steamyheat andhumidity suffocatenewcomerAmericanswhile rotting the clothesoff theirbackanddistracting them fromnoticingtripwiresandmines,wheresnakesaboundandthebugsaresobigtheymightconspiretocarryyouoff for dinner,where ground transportwas predominantly by boat on the countless canals under cover ofdarkness despite curfews and civilians had beenmostly relocated out of the areas designated as free firezonesduetorelentlessenemyactivity.

Scoutpilotswereaspecialbreed,kindofthe“AirborneRanger”amonghelicopterpilots,allvolunteersfortheirdangerousmission.TheyflewtheHughesCayuseOH‐6LightObservationHelicopter,“Loach”inourslang, apowerful little aircraft that sufferednoneof thepowerproblemsplaguingotherhelicopters in thelousy “densityaltitude,”aby‐productof theheat. The Loachgaveaquick,highly responsive lowvibrationride,perfectlysuitedtotheScoutmissionofflyinglow,snoopingaround,blowingtallgrassapartlookingforfootprints,campfires,weaponsor foodcachesoranyothersignoftheexpertlyconcealedenemy,alwaystryingtodraw


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theirfiretoexposetheirposition.Mike and his fellow Scouts flewmissions in Loach pairs, darting around low and usually quite slow

looking for trouble, flying a circular cap around a target 180 degrees apart to cover each other with thegunner’sM60andthepilot‐controlledmini‐gun,abreathtakingweaponthatfired7.62mmroundsattherateof4,000perminuteonfullspeed.Ofcoursestandardissueweaponsweren’tenoughforthesecowboys,sothey carried a pile of “bombs,” a concussion grenade taped to three pounds of C4 plastic explosive. Thegunnerusedthemlikebowlingballstorollontheflyintothedoorofenemybunkersafterpullingthepin.ThelongestfoursecondsofMike’slifewaswhenhisgunnerinthebackseatwashitinhischestprotectorbyanenemy round and knocked to the other side of the aircraft while he was holding the bomb, yanking thecommochordoutofsocket,leavingMiketowonderwhetherthegrenadewasstillinthebackseatwiththe

pin pulled,whichwould have turned themandtheaircraftintodust.

The first timeMike was shot downhe was flying the wing of Hugh Mills, alegendaryScoutpilotandmemberoftheUSArmy Aviation Hall of Fame. IntelligencehadreportedanNVAunitforanendoftheday mission, which afforded the brass atGroupHeadquarterstheopportunitytojointheCavalrypackagethatwassenttocheckit out since thiswas thought to be a “milkrun.” The brass would observe from theCommandandControlHueyhelicopteratahigher and safer altitude, so what couldpossiblygowrong?

Mike andHugh flew their approachlow, at about eight feet off the ground and80 knots to surprise the enemy– if theywere there. As theyroundedaturnatacanal,suddenlytheenemyunitwasinclosefront,surprisingallonbothsides,andMikelosttrackofhisfireteamleadbirdbecausetherewerelotsofprettytwinklesoutfront‐enemymuzzleflashes‐andastheroundszippedandwhackedintohisaircraftMikewasfocusedonthemini‐guntoshootback.Hesaysafteramini‐gunburstitallseemedlikeslowmotionbecauseeverythingwentquietsincehisturbinewasdeadandthatlowtothegroundtherewasnotimetodoanything.Whenhehitthegroundthattoughlittlehelicopter rolled right through theenemycamp, slingingoff all kindsofparts as it rolled, and kept rollingbeyondintoaricepaddy.Bythetimethathighlysurvivablecockpitstoppedrolling,everythingexternalhadeitherfallenofforhadbeentornoff, includingtheplexiglassbubble,andadizzy,bangedupandpissedoffMikeunstrappedandclimbedout,lookingaroundforJohnHazelwood,hisdoorgunnerinthebackseat,butallhecouldseewasJohn’snosejustabovethedirtyricepaddywater.

SoMikedrewhisknife,cutJohn’ssafetybelt,pulledhimupbyhisshirt,threwhimoverhisshoulderand proceeded to a nearby rice paddy dike for cover. CarryingHazelwood throughwaist‐deep foulwaterfertilized with animal and human dung, Mike noticed armed enemy troops, who looked rather pissed offthemselves,advancingfrombothsidesofthedike.HazelwoodtoldMikelaterthathislegsworkedfinebuthedecidedifMikewasdeterminedtocarryhimhewouldgladlygoalongfortheride,butastheenemyclosedinhedidhastentoremindMikeabouthis.38pistol,theironlyremainingweapon.SoMikedrewhispistolandfiredallsix


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roundswhilestillcarryingHazelwood,alternatinghisfirefromonesidetotheother,hittingtwooftheenemyandslowingtheothersdown.Mikedoesn’tremember,butJohnswearsthatMikethrewtheemptyweaponatanearbyenemysoldierjustbeforetheC&Caircraftarrivedtopickthemup,firstdispatchingnearbyenemywith the gunner’sM60. Mike’s JohnWayne impersonationwas over, at least for that day, February 20th,1972.

ButthatisnottheoccasionforwhichMikereceivedtheSilverStar.Mike’sluckheldthroughbeingshotdownfourmoretimesintheDelta,includingonedayaveryangry

enemysoldieremptiedhisAK‐47intoMike’shelicopterfrompoint‐blankrangeasheflewbyverylow,puttingoneroundinthemiddleofhischestprotector.Mikestillhasthatchestprotector,or“chickenplate”inourlingo,withthe7.62mmbulletholetoremindhimhowmuchhisbruisedribshurtfordays.

OnedayMikeziggedwhenhisgunnerexpectedhimtozag,andunintentionallyshotholesintheendsofeachofthefourrotorblades.Mikehadtosetitdownbeforetheextremevibrationtoretheaircraftapart.Ifyouwanttocallthatashootdown,thenmakeitsixinall;waytoomanytestsofayoungman’scourageandluck.

IfyouaskMikehe’lltellyouhejustdidhisjobinVietnamliketheotherguys.Justlikethem,hedidn’treallywanttobethereamidstallthemisery,hedidn’thateanyoneandhedidn’twanttokillanybody,hewasdoinghisduty.Oneofthereasonshewon’tanswersomequestionsisthatheknowsfancymedalsthatsetonemanapartdon’tmakeadime’sworthofdifferenceamongVietnamveterans;we’reallbrotherswhowereinittogether.

Asanycombatveterancantellyou,warisanastybusiness,thepriceofadmissiontoabrotherhoodofthosewhowerethere. IhaveknownMikeKingfor justfiveyearsbutheandIwillbebrothersandfriendsuntiloneofusdrawsalastbreathandthereisnootherinthisworldIwouldratherhavewatchmyback.

Youngpeople, tearyourself away fromyour cellphone, takenoticeofpeoplearoundyou likeMikeKing,measureyourselfandwonder: HowcanIservean interestthat isgreaterthanmyself? Onlyyoucananswerthequestion.

TerryGarlock of Peachtree City, GAwas a Cobra helicopter pilot in theVietnamWar andwrote a book about Vietnam veterans, “Strength&Honor:

America’sBestinVietnam,”seewww.garlock1.com.


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ReunionsandGatherings

WelcomeNewMembers

Areyouplanningareunionoreventthatmaybeofinteresttoourmembers?Letushelpyougetthewordoutandsupportveteransgroupsofallsizesandlocations.JustsendamessagewiththeinformationtoHQ@chpa‐us.org.Ifyouhavealogo,sendthatalongaswell.

Besuretoincludeaccuratecontactandregistrationinformationandwe’lltakecareoftherest.

TheWarriorsofAnLocTheWarriorsofAnLocwillhosttheirannualreunioninSumter,SCfrom25‐27Oct2013.ThehosthotelwillbetheHamptonInn–Sumter,803‐469‐2222.Thespecialrateforthereunionis$77pernightbutyoumustreserveyourroombySeptember27thtoreceivethisrate. Whenmakingyourhotelreservationstellthemyou’rewith“TheWarriorsofAnLoc.” ThereunionwilltakeplaceatPepMcPhillips house, 2515 Maidenfair Lane, Sumter, telephone 803‐720‐4902.ContactPep(Sundog07)withanyquestionsorformoreinformation.

CHPAAnnualConventionandBusinessMeetingTheCombatHelicopterPilotsAssociationwillgatherforits9thAnnualConventionin San Antonio, TX. The dates are set for Oct 15 – 17 so come join the party.ContactHQ@chpa‐us.orgorcall800‐832‐5144forcurrentdetails.

ToothoselistedbelowCHPAextendsahearty“WelcomeAboard.”WehopetoseeyouatourAnnualConventioninSanAntonioinOctober.

JohnF.Boyer RobertN.NoronaRodM.Dwyer JacksonC.StevensStephenD.Jameson PerryT.YowellHubbardS.Needham


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2013ConventionScheduleofEventsJayBrown

The2013AnnualConventionandBusinessmeetingplanning iscomplete. We’veput inplaceonthewebsite links to registeronlineorprintand fillout the registrationand return itvia fax,emailorUSPostalService.We’vealsomailedaregistrationformtoallmembers.Nowisthetimetogetregisteredandplantoattendtheparty.

TheAnnualConventionwillrunfromOctober15–17andthehosthotelistheSaintAnthony,300EastTravisStreet.Theirwebsiteishttp://www.thestanthonyhotel.com/andweinviteyoutovisittheirsiteforapreviewoftheaccommodations.RemembertocontacttheSaintAnthonydirectlyat210‐227‐4392foryourhotelaccommodationsaslodgingisnotincludedinyourConventionRegistration.

Thescheduleofeventslookslikethis:TUESDAY,October15: ConventionregistrationOpen:10:00AM President’sReception/NachoBar:6:30pm Thechargeforthebuildyourownnachobaris$8.00perpersontohelpdefraythecostofthe bartenderandcashier.WEDNESDAY,October16: AlamoGroupTour:9:30to11:30 ThecostfortheAlamoTouris$10.00perperson. BoatTouroftheRiverWalk:2:00to3:00 ThecostoftheBoatTouroftheHistoricRiverWalkis$6.00perperson/THURSDAY,October17: GeneralMembershipMeeting:9:00to11:30 Rememberthisisanelectionyear,themostimportantreasontoattendtheConvention. GroupTourofMarketSquare:Noonto3:00 ThegrouptourofMarketSquareisonyourownatyourownpace.Nocharge. SilentAuctionendsat3:00 Thosesubmittingwinningbidswillbeannouncedatthebanquet.We’llalsopresentseveral serviceawardsandtheRobertN.Tredwayaward. Cocktailhour:5:30–6:30 Banquet:6:30toTBD

Asalwaysthehospitalityareawillbeopeneveryevening.Asareminder,thereiscurrentlyonevacancyremainingontheBoardofDirectors.Nominations(self‐

nominationsorothers)maybemadebycontactingHQatHQ@chpa‐us.orgor800‐832‐5144.ServiceontheBoard of Directors is not arduous, expensive, nor excessively time consuming. The Boardmeets once permonthvia teleconference,which takesplaceovera toll free lineso there’snooutofpocketexpense. Thedutiesofadirector,toincludeactiveparticipationintheteleconferencetakenomorethanacoupleofhoursamonth.Sotakeamomenttosubmitthosenominationsorvolunteertohelpguideyourassociationintothefuture.


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PLEASEPROVIDETHEFOLLOWINGINFORMATION:

Name:____________________________Nameasyouwantittoappearonyourbadge:_________________

SpouseorGuest(s):___________________________________________

SpouseorGuestname(s)asyouwantittoappearontheirbadge:__________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Address:______________________________City:_______________________State:_______Zip:_______

COMBATHELICOPTERPILOTSASSOCIATION2013CONVENTIONRESERVATIONFORM

PaymentMethod:Cash Check(PleasemakecheckpayabletoCHPA)CreditCardAMEX MCVISA

CardNumber______________________ExpirationDate______________SecurityCode____

Signature_______________________________

CompletedformsmaybemailedtoCHPA,POBox42,Divide,CO80814‐0042;faxedto719‐687‐4167oremailedtoHQ@chpa‐us.org.Remembertoincludeyourcheckorcreditcardinformation.

DATE EVENTCOSTPERPERSON

QTY SUBTOTAL

CONVENTIONREGISTRATIONFEEMemberNon‐refundable

$20.00

CONVENTIONREGISTRATIONFEESpouse/GuestNon‐refundable

$15.00

Tuesday,Oct15 President'sReception/NachoBar6:30‐7:30 $8.00

Wednesday,Oct16

AlamoTour:9:30‐11:30$10.00

RiverwalkRiverBoatTour:2:00‐3:00 $6.00 Thursday,Oct17 MarketSquareTour:12:00‐3:00 SocialHour,CashBar:5:00‐6:00 Banquet:SouthwestTexasBuffet6:00‐ $35.00

Non‐refundableLateRegistrationFee(IfsentafterOct5) $10.00

TOTAL


16

TheShootdownofAH‐1G67‐15690JimmieFerguson

ContinuedonPage17

WO1JimmieFergusonwith690

ConventionreservationsareduebyOct5.Foranyquestionscall719‐687‐4131or800‐832‐5144.RemembertocalltheSaintAnthonyHotel,210‐227‐4392tomakehotelreservations.MentionCHPAforthepreferredroomrate.

On Jan 19 1972 CPT Michael J. Neufeld andWO1, JimmieD. Ferguson,while flyingAH‐1G“Cobra”67‐15690 on a CCN (Command & Control North)mission,wereshotdown.

The Dragons of A Battery, 4th Battalion, 77thFieldartillery,ARA,101stAirborneDivision,wasbasedoutofPhuBaiinVietnam.Wegotupat5o’clock,atebreakfast,preflightedtheaircraft,tookoffandflewtoDaNang,abouta30minuteflight.ThemissionwastobebasedoutofDaNang,butduringamissionbriefingitwasdeterminedthatwewouldbeshortoffuelifflownasplanned.IfflownoutofPhuBaiwewouldbe15minutesclosertotheinsertionpointandhavefifteenminutesofloitertime.OntheflightfromDaNangtoPhuBai,withaflightoffiveUH‐l’sfrom173rdAHCRobinhoodsandfourAH1‐GsfromA/4/77onaboutasixmilefinaltoPhuBai,Cobra67‐15690sustainedtwo.30caliberhits.Oneroundstrucktheaircraftontheleftbottomand lodged in the40MMdrum. The second roundhit bothof themain rotor pitch change tubes,centerpunchingoneandseveringthesecondone.Iheardaloudcrackorpop.Iknewwehadtakenahit.

Atthattime,Iwasflyingfromthefrontseat;thecyclicstartedrotatingcounterclockwisefollowingtherotationoftheblades.Thecollectivemadefullstop‐to‐stop,upanddown,movementswitheveryrotationoftheblade.AvibrationstartedthatwassoviolentthatIcouldn’tseeanything.IhadthedistinctimpressionthatthenoseoftheaircraftwaspointedstraightupandIcouldfeelpressureonmyback,notmybutt.Thatconfirmedtheattitudeoftheaircraft.IfeltasthoughtheaircraftwasgoingtofalloverbackwardsandIknewif it did the aircraftwould disintegrate. Iwas trying tomove the controls but theyweremoving violentlyabout.IwasplacingasmuchforwardpressureonthecyclicasIcouldmusterandforabriefsecondIhadaflickerofsight.ThefrontbatterycompartmentpoppedopenandIsawacanofoilorhydraulicfluidandaragcomeoutandfallpastthecockpit.Thentheattitudeoftheaircraftstarteddownandchangedtonoselevelandsomeofthevibrationsubsided,givingmeaflickerofhopethatwemightgetcontrolback.Theaircraft

then continued on over to a nose downattitude. I realized that the vertical decentwould end this flight andmy life very quickand the vibrations returned. At that point Istartedapplyingabouthalfasmuchbackwardpressureas Ihadbeenapplying forward. Loandbeholdtheaircraftslowlystartedlevelingout again and I could once again see for aflickering second. To my horror we were


17

ConcludedonPage18

abouttwentyfeetoffthetopofthewaterandadikeordamwascomingupquick.Doingabout200knots,I could see the thirty‐foot earth mound just ahead.Not wanting to hit anything solid at that speed. Ishoved the right peddle to the stop and we settledinto the water and crashed, rolling around thelongitudinal axis of the aircraft, coming to restinverted in about three feet of water. I was totallyamazedthatIwasstillalive.Iheardaradiocall“flightwatchout for the@#$%.&blades.” I understandatleast one or both of the rotor blades went throughthe flight. There were so many things runningthrough my mind, I don’t know where or how toexplain the sensation. I could hear that the engine

wasstillrunning.Istartedtousetheemergencyfuelcontrolshutoffswitchtoshuttheenginedown.Icouldsmell JP4. I knew the fully armed,attackaircraft,wasgoing toexplodeany second. Iwas reallyproudofmyselfuptothen.Ihadbeensocalmandcoolduringahopelesssituation.IrealizedthatifIdidn’tgetoutandawayfromtheaircraftIwoulddie.Then,Iundidmyseatbeltandpanicked!ThenextthingIsawwasthepedals.IwassodisorientedIhadnoideawhereIwas,orhowtogetoutoftheaircraft.

Theaircraftwasfillingfastwithwater. TerrorwassettinginfastasIwasrunningoutofair. Icouldhear CPT Neufeldmoving around in the back. He was chopping his way out. I couldn’t find the aircraftbreakoutknife. Ihad leftmy12”Buckknifeback inmyhooch,andIcouldn’t findthecanopydoorhandle.ThenIthoughttousemypistoltobreakoutthePlexiglaswindow;ifworsecomestoworse,IcouldshootaholeinthePlexiglas.Iwouldhavetodoitquick,beforeCPTNeufeldgotoutoftheaircraft(Ididn’twanttoshoothim);butIcouldn’tfindmySmith&Wesson.38pistol.Mygunwasn’tonmybelt.Ilaterfoundthatthenyloncordthatattachedtheholstertothebelthadstretchedsomuchfromtheimpactthattheholsterandgunwerehangingbelowmyknees.Atthispointthefrontcockpitwasfullofwater.Iwassearchingforairtobreathinpockets.Thenthebrightideacametome,ormaybeIwasgettingdesperate;ifthecanopysustainedanydamageinthecrashmaybeIcouldpunchmyfistthroughit.Ibegantobeatthecanopy.Howhardcanaperson hit underwater? Not very hard! As Iwas up against the canopy getting another gasp of air, CPTNeufeld,havingbrokenhiswaythroughthebackcanopy,sawIwasintrouble.Helatertoldmehecouldn’tunderstandwhyIhadn’tjustopenedthecanopydoor.WieldingtheknifestillinhandCPTNeufeldjustcamedownonthefrontcanopyandpokedaholeinit.Isawtheknifegoinanddoubledmyfeetunderme&putmyheadonthesmallknifeholeandliterallypushedmybodythroughthequartersizehole.IcamethroughthecockpitasCPTNeufeldwasonhisseconddownstrokewithhisrusty,dull,survivalknife.Hestabbedmeintherightforearm.

As I came out of the cockpit a UH‐1 Hueywas coming to a hover to the side of the aircraft. CPTNeufeldandImovedtogetontheHuey.Neufeldhelpedmeonfirst.Iturnedaroundtotakehishandwhenheturnedaroundandheadedbacktowardthecobra.Iaskedwherehewasgoing.Hesaid,“I’mgoingaftertheLOGBOOKsowecanlogthelanding!” HereturnedafterretrievingthelogbookandwaspulledintotheHuey.CPTNeufeldmovedovertowhereIwassittingandstartedpullingatmyrightshirtsleeveandsaid,“HowbaddidIstabyou?”WhenIgotmyshirtsleeveupandsawthestabwoundIimaginethatIturnedtwoshadesofwhite.Thereasonforthisgoesbacksometime...Ihadalwayskeptaverysharp,clean12InchBUCKknifeathand.


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SubmitYourPhotos!

CHPAhasagrowingcollectionofphotos,fromflightschoolclasspictureslikethese,toactionphotostohelicoptershotsfromaroundtheworld…IfyouwouldliketocontributetothecollectionpleaseuploadyourphotosbyfollowingthelinksontheCHPAwebsiteorclickhere!

CPTNeufeldwouldwatchmesharpenandoilthisknifefromtimetotimewhilewewereonstandbystatus.OnseveraloccasionsIhadofferedtosharpenandoilhisUSissuedsurvivalknife.CPTNeufeldwouldtakehisdull, rusty, pitted, poor excuse for a knife out of its sheath, looking at it with glee, and make the samestatement:“Don’teventhinkofsharpeningoroilingmyknife.OneofthesedaysImighthavetouseitonaDINK.Iwanthimtodieaslowagonizingdeathoflockjawandptomaine.”

Iwasthenflowntothe101stMedicalHospitalatPhuBai,whereIreceivedatetanusshotandmedicaltreatmentformyshins,back,andwoundedrightarm.

Here’sRandyTucker’sadditiontothisincidentafterreadingthestoryoftheshootdownofAH‐1G67‐15690.IwastheAircraftCommanderinthe“slicklead”birdoftheRobinhood(173AHC)thatjoinedwithour4/77brethrenforthatCCNmission.Wethoughtthat690hadacyclichardoverinaftquadrant.Thebulletholesexplainhisdilemmaalittlebetter. TheACdidatremendousjobofcontrollinghisA/C. Hewasflyinglevelat500AGLoutmy leftdoor thensuddenlyclimbedalmostvertically to1000 ft thenhisaircraftdidahammerhead,hekickedpedalandstartedanaccelerateddivetowardtheground.MypilotandIthoughthewasdivingonasampanbelow.Laterweheardhehadhadacyclichardover.Hestartedatremendouspitchpullat100AGLwithbladesconing,lookinglikeabadmintonbirdieandat50fthisrotorheadseparated.Myflightwasat500AGLandwhen690’sheadseparateditclimbedtoatleast750AGLandflewaboutaminutebeforeit lostenergyandsettledintothericepaddies. Myflightscattered(probablymyvoiceJimmyheard)andmytrailbirdandIrespondedtothecrashlandingoneithersideoftheCobra.TheAChadfreedhisfrontseat(JimmyFerguson)andwasdancingandclappinghandsinchestdeepwater.OurtrailbirdpickedthemupandflewthemtoPhuBai.IreassembledmyflightandproceededtotheCCNrampatPhuBai.Lookingbackonallthathappened,theAircraftCommanderdideverythingcorrectly. Hewasfullyarmedandfueled. Healso had one great Guardian Angel flying with him that day. Thanks for stirring the memories. VeryRespectfully,RandyTucker,Robinhood22.

CPTJohnNeufeldwith690


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Call on Us! Contact Quick Reference ChairmanoftheBoard–RheaRippey BuzzCovingtonChairman@chpa‐us.org BCovington@chpa‐us.orgPresident–RobertFrost AlMajor Callus!president@chpa‐us.org AMajor@chpa‐us.org 800•832•5144VPAdministration–RichMiller RandyJones Faxus!admin@chpa‐us.org RJones@chpa‐us.org 719•687•4167VPMembership–RustyBourgoyne RandyZahn Writeus!membership@chpa‐us.org RZahn@chpa‐us.org CHPA

POBox42Secretary–MickTesanovich JimFerguson Divide,CO80814‐0042secretary@chpa‐us.org JFerguson@chpa‐us.orgTreasurer–LorenMcAnally JohnFore Remember!Treasurer@chpa‐us.org JFore@chpa‐us.org Feelfreetocontact usanytime.ExecutiveDirector–JayBrown HQ@chpa‐us.org

JobOpenings

UH‐60BlackHawkPilots,S‐70Family.

USanybranchaviation,UKPilotstyperatedtoS‐70Family,ortwinenginerated.MiddleEast,not

locatedincombatzone,expatpackage,1yearrenewablecontract.Mustbecurrentorabletobecertified,passflightphysical.Instructorratedpilotsalsoneeded.ContactmewithCV/Resume;License/MedCert.Inquiriesareconfidential.JonHarrell,email:[email protected]

CHPAhasaCareerConnectortaponitswebsiteatwww.chpa‐us.org.UsingthistoolCHPAprovidesinformationon jobopenings in therotorcraftaviation industrytoourpilotandflightcrewmembers. Wewillalsolistthoseopeningsinthissectionofthenewslettertoreachourmembership.Ifyouhave,orknowof,ajobopeningletusknowandwe’llgetthewordouttomemberswhomaybesearchingforanopening.Thiswillassistourmembershipandyourorganizationbyprovidingwelltrainedpersonnelwithexperienceinawiderangeofrotorcraftoperationsinworldwideenvironments.

swash plate august 2013

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