1st Cav at An Khe--------A VERY INTERESTING VIDEO:

[Attila]

An American friend of mine sent me this link. I thought it was tremendous, and that maybe SAS would appreciate it.

Just hope that the link works!!!!! :):)


Death from Above: An Khe Army Airfield, 1st Air Cav, FAC and other stories (Vietnam 1960

[SASless]

It is a good video.....and nice of you to think of me when you posted it.

That being said......

The Cav called units like mine "Funny Farm Birds" as they thought we were 2nd Field Force units and of course being "....not Cav" were somehow of a lesser class operation. Mind you....we carried our missions....and CAV missions w hen they fell on their butts maintenance wise....but then I guess we are all allowed to think what we want. My Claim to Flame occurred during a Cav mission I was flying that had been turned down by Cav birds....as they thought the weather was too bad and had gone home for the day.

We used to look at that big ol' Yellow Cav Patch....and opine "The Horse they never rode, the Line they never held.....and the color for the reason why!"

We defined a "Two Time Loser" as a guy with a Cav patch on each shoulder!

(Point of fact.....The US Army Unit patch is worn on the Left Shoulder....any unit you served in during Combat...the patch can be worn on the right shoulder."

Actually....good fellows the 1st Cav....as long as you remember they were cramming two gallon heads into ten gallon Stetsons and you kept a good grip on your wallet and beer.



I wore this patch on each shoulder.....

http://www.medalsofamerica.com/ItemImages/Large/P115.jpg

I could have worn this one as well.....but try to forget my time at that Unit.


http://www.medalsofamerica.com/ItemImages/Large/P038.jpg


This is the Regimental Patch that means the most to me as we spent a lot of time supporting the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.


http://www.medalsofamerica.com/ItemImages/Large/P108.jpg

[Devil 49]

Nicely done.

Thankfully a 1st Aviation Brigade guy. I occasionally had access to a mess hall, 'showers', even if they were cold (when we had water); and a 'bunk' more often than not. Cav guys can look those words up.

When they took their cowboy hats off and got down to business, I got a lotta respect for Air Cav troopers. Been throwed out of a few o-clubs trying to keep up with'em...

[SASless]

A few of my favorite videos....

"God's Own Lunatics"....by Joe Galloway of "We Were Soldiers and Young" fame.


GOD'S OWN LUNATICS by Joe Galloway - YouTube


A former 173rd Assault Helicopter Company (Robinhoods) Huey, Tail Number 091, was restored and flown around the country enroute to Washington DC where it was donated to the Smithsonian Musuem......"In the Shadow of the Blade" was a documentary that was made telling of that trip. That video is a must-see!

A short video....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfHE6j_eC3U

[WLM]

Thank you for sharing guys
:D

[SASless]

A video taken on a Huey gunship.....a very good sound track when the music stops.


"Soc Trang Tigers" Huey Gunships in Vietnam (1968) - YouTube



Funny how the dramatic music never played when these things happened! This is how I got most of my Huey time in Vietnam.....flying Chinooks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoHMknArLTA&feature=related

[SASless]

Today is Medal of Honor Day....some video showing what Helicopter Aviation was like in those days.

Ed "Too Tall" Freeman earned his Medal at the LZ X-Ray fight in the Ia Drang River Battle made famous by Joe Galloway's book "We Were Soldiers and Young".

Ed Freeman, Medal of Honor, Vietnam War - YouTube

Bruce Crandall was Ed Freeman's Commanding Officer.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIAEcZ29aG4

Gary was in the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company, which was part of my Battalion. My greatest privilege in life has been to be allowed to serve with Soldiers like him, Freeman, and so many others.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2fyReohlKM


Pat Brady was a Dust Off (Medical Evacuation) Pilot.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrcPyvrjDuY&feature=related

[Foggy Bottom]

One way to make yourself seem important is to denigrate others. Every pilot who served in Viet Nam deserves respect. It serves no purpose (except to cover your own insecurities) to badmouth other units.

[before landing check list]

Very good SAS.

[griffothefog]

Crandall and Freeman just crack me up... What utter humility after such acts of sheer heroism.... :eek:

Great mentors in a world of namby pamby tree huggers we find ourselves in these days :{

Never got into combat, but in my earlier years as a young crop duster after one particularly bent out of shape moment in Saudia, my ops manager said to me, "you are meant to spray the bastards, not beat them to death" :E

Sure i would have fitted in back in the day....

[SASless]

Griffo.....you would have fit tighter than a tick!

Remember how my Greek Moustached buddy named Steve and I got along with you back in those days in the Shetlands? Granted you wuz just a young nubbin all the time pestering the Old Folks!

[Capt.Gonzo]

Great Video´s, thank you for sharing :ok:

You did great flying in those day´s:D

[heliboy999]

Thankyou for posting those videos.
Have been facinated with the Vietnam pilots since I was a kid. Always wondered how they managed to do what they did, under fire and an obvious target of the enemy. Read a lot of the stories and heard these names keep coming up and often wondered what they were like in real life. These pilots really were something else and have inspired a lot of others that followed.
Glad that I am now flying these magical machines and also glad that I dont have to get shot at to do it!

[OFBSLF]

Great videos, SAS. They make me tear up.