Chopper Pilot
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Training Of Helicopter Pilots: Preflight And Flight Training Provided By The Warrant Officer Candidate Program At Ft Wolters, Texas; And Advanced Training At The Army Aviation Center, Ft Rucker, Alabama.
Department Of Defense Chopper Pilot Pin 30196
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I am 49 years old and both of my parents have passed away. I am watching this video and putting pieces together. My dad was a flight instructor from end of 1965 through mid 1968. I was five years old and can remember that dad would come home from work in the early afternoon or he would go to work later in the day. Now i know, the students went into the classroom after flight instruction. I can remember my wearing the orange flight suit. Great memories of dad before he went to Vietnam...
Patti Blumen - my father was an instructor there around that time, too. He ended up as a civilian instructor until just before Ft. Wolters closed.
it goes without saying you are familiar with the greatest chopper story Chickenhawk , I just found an audio version here
ruclips.net/video/ZSBS4wH3lcw/видео.html
I graduated in the Class of 67-21 and then was sent to Fort Eustis, VA for AMOC (Aviation Maintenance Officers Course) and then to Vietnam in May of 68 to serve with the 190th Assault Helicopter Company. This film is a good overview of our training at Wolters and Rucker. It brings back a lot of memories. Thanks a bunch for posting it. It wasn't easy but it was rewarding and in some ways lots of fun although the war was a challenge in many ways.
Started in 66-13, graduated with 66-23. I was eternally grateful to the Army for letting me learn on the OH 23, and not the rubberband powered TH 55...AS my first unit in Nam was 3rd Bde 4th INF DIV, and they had OH 23 G's....Got the DFC at age 19 flying the Hiller..(Battle of Soui Tre 21 Mar 1967)
Dale Martin
That was the time-line/epoch of Robert Mason of "CHICKENHAWK"..! Did you know him....! (I was in 67-25 at Wolters, 4th WOC Yellow Hats) and 68-15 at Hunter AAF, Savannah...) Thanks...
Welcome home guys!
I Stumbled On This Next Video That Popped Out Of Nowhere !
I was the technical advisor for the filming at Fort Wolters while assigned there as the Executive Officer of the 3d WOC Company. In fact I appear in the film. I am the pilot in the right seat of a UH-1 looking back to the left just before the "Chopper Pilot" title is shown. I was at Fort Wolters form November 1965 to June 1967. When I initially arrived at Fort Wolters we changed the program from a college campus type environment back to an OCS type pre-flight. I was in class 59-1.
Began with WOC Class 69-1, Ist WOC Red Hats, and finished with 69-3. Were we ever that young??
Recently I was able to contact the Southern Airways instructor pilot that soled me July 1968. He is still in Texas and 80 years old now. I was able to thank him for his instruction, and tell him that after all these years there was still one of his students that appreciated what he did for me, and thought of him often.
Don Millman
I loved Fort Wolters! I arrived at Mineral Wells, Texas, with WORWAC Class 69-16, during September of 1968. What an improvement over basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. We "broke starch" everyday, slept in air conditioned barracks, and we were treated as officers and gentlemen in the making.
I recommend the book Chickenhawk by Robert Mason if you like this! Excellent read for Vietnam era early helo air Assault history from someone who lived it!
A very good book, don't know how many times I have read it but you start reading it and can't put it down. All the nam vets out there I thank you all for your service.
When I was 17 (in 1981) I wanted to be a chopper pilot pretty badly, but the Army said you had to be 18, and that was a whole year away. I joined the Navy instead as an enlisted Radar technician. I doubt I would have made it through that training, this video was a real eye opener, thanks for posting it.
6th WOC 68-27 became 68-515 with a 2 week shorten course at Wolters. I was the lead designer on the safety sign as you come on post. I left before it was finished...never saw the finished version. Long time ago now. Classmates were the greatest people I ever knew. SALUTE!
Grew up within a few miles from Ft Sam Houston, San Antonio where they trained medivac pilots with the UH1. The army had a program where they would pick up civilian trauma patients from car accidents, gun shot wounds, etc. from all over the region and fly them back to Brooke Army Medical Center for treatment. Our community was very fortunate to have one of the very few life flight programs in the country at that time.
These birds flew over our house all day and all night and I became totally fascinated with the idea of becoming a pilot. One day I met a national guardsman neighbor who was the crew chief at the maintenance base that serviced all the rotorcraft in the area. I begged him for months to take me on a flight and after mowing his lawn, washing his car a couple dozen times he finally relented. On a Sunday afternoon when the base was deserted we went out. He loaned me a spare flight suit and helmet and we took a very short five minute flight circling the base. It was an adrenaline rush that beat any roller coaster ride.
When he brought the turbines up to speed the noise was so loud it drowned out everything, couldn't talk to him without the headset intercom. When he pulled up on the cyclic for liftoff the whole aircraft shook violently and continued throughout the flight. I could see the stick in front of me vibrating and I thought damn, this is hard, lol. Later on I asked him about the vibrations and he said it was totally normal, pilots learn to deal with it.
So I never became a pilot and settled for safe computer flight simulations :p
class 65-3W, Graduated may 11, 1965, went to VietNam with the big red one, D1/4 Cav, then returned to Wolters as an IP in 1966. was assigned to Flight Div A2. Initially instructed in H23's then in TH55's. Occasionally taught in the H13's out at Palo Pinto heliport west of Mineral Wells.
Was something else seeing my 18 y/o face looking back at me at 3:20 into the film. The ground school portion was Green Hats 66-21 (later graduating as 66-23) 2/14/67.
I time tagged it for you, now it's on there. Hooah!
Which one were you? much respect.
The good old days
My father trained there around 1964/65.
I was in Marine recruit training in 1964. Just before we were to leave for the rifle range I was pulled from my platoon and sent to a large auditorium along with about 50 other recruits. The officer in the front of the auditorium told us we had been selected to participate in rotary wing training and naval aviator status if we got past some basic qualifications. He started to read off a check list. You had to be a certain height, weight, vision and so forth. If you failed one you would stand up and was sent back to your platoon. I got past that stuff and the algebra, geometry, trig and so forth. The last qualification was you had to be a minimum 18 years old. I stood up and left as i was 17 at that moment. The MC in their infinite wisdom made me a grunt. Sigh.
Went to Rucker March 71 to July 71 for Huey maint, went to Vietnam July 71 wound up with 101st Avn Bn at Camp Eagle as maintenance and when 101st left Vietnam I was stationed at Bien Hoa with 1st Air Cav and became a crew chief. Left Vietnam late March 72 and station at Ft Riley Big Red One, where I was a crew chief with the 335th Avn Bn until I was discharged Jan 74. Miss sitting in my crew chief well and helping the troops onto the deck of bird
If I could re do my life, I would've love to be born at least 10 years earlier from '63, joined the Army, and become a WOC.
As it turns out, I joined the Army in '81 as an acft. armament repairman, fixing AH-1's armament systems. I have the utmost admiration for the generation that went before me to Vietnam.
Class 69-7 and 155 Assault Helicopter Company in RVN. Just seeing this after all these years. Only thing missing is the sandbag my IP put in his seat when he abandoned me to that first solo flight. Hope all the Vietnam pilots who see / have seen this belong to VHPA (Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association). Stage coach 27, Ban Me Thuot, RVN 69-70
I was with the 5th WOC Co, brown hats at Fort Wolters, class 71-15. This video brings back a lot of memories. What they failed to mention was the constant harassment from the TAC Officers in Primary Flight School. Inspections, running, push ups, low crawling, standing at attention while the TAC Officers yelled at you for 2 hours is what I remember the most, Advanced flight training at Fort Rucker was a piece of cake compared to Fort Wolters. Flew with 240th greyhounds, & 187th crusaders in NAM
Flight School in the Army is now Fort Rucker, AL. Home of the Aviation. My next stop I hope.
can you imagine being one of those helicopter pilots having to do low-level flying just after getting out of training., no less in Vietnam? It must have had the hair on their neck standing up. I just can't imagine the sound and vibration of the machine guns going off as you are trying to concentrate on flying a machine that, at every moment, is trying to defy gravity. The skill necessary must have been immense. Why, just doing exercises in the US for low-height flight in training must have been enough to weed out about half of all those who were carefully selected to start with. Many were probably re-assigned to mechanic school after failing navigation in heli's training. I have so much respect for a helicopter pilot. Had to be brutal.
Class 67-5 Green Hats...several years after this film was made. Brings back a lotta memories.
Seeing all these enthusiastic, young trainee Pilots being readied for deployment to Vietnam, I find myself wondering how many were able to complete their Tours and return safely home!
my cousin did 4 tours as one retired out LC W.Herbert Osborne. so I was told by my father Capt. Carl E. Barker Jr to me Spc. 5 William C. Barker
Too few.
My dad completed 2 tours, but was medically retired in 71 for Hodgkins disease, died in 88...Agent Orange got him.
@@ladyscholar3421 Unfortunately, the military cared as little about their own soldiers as they did for their intended victims of the chemical weapon Agent Orange!
Those whom handled and dispersed the millions of gallons of that horrific weapon were never equipped with personal protection against the lethal and genetic risks it presented.
Genetically mutatad babies are still being born where this chemical weapon was dispersed, decades later.
I believe the US military are responsible for dropping more chemical weapons than every other country combined.
My dad started flying fixed wing aircraft at the age of 13 went to Vietnam soloed in 4 hours came back from nam and was an instructor at ft hood.Very proud of my father.
Class 70-49. Yellow hats/4th WOC. An ARVN student pilot was thrown into the pool after soloing and drowned. Ended that tradition real quick . D Troop 1/10 CAV. RIFTed out after Nam in 72. Total time in Army 25 months. ATCS for next 39 years. Lotsa memories
In 1975 I joined the U.S.A.F. the U.S. Army didn't need any pilots. In 1976 the Army wanted more chopper pilots. I PASSED ever requirement. All I needed was to talk with the board of 4 Army Officier's. The Air Force wouldn't let me after letting me take all of the other tests & physicals. "CATCH 22" in My LIfe!! Got out of the Air Force in 1981. Went to Job Service in Ogden, Utah and one of the First Jobs on the board is Chopper Pilot!!
@verbusen
I was also 17 in 1981.I enlisted to become an Air Traffic Controller, right after High School. Unfortunately, I did not pass my flight physical due to a hearing problem. Regardless, I went on and took classes to increase my GT score, from a 91 to a 113. I was then ready to apply for the flight aptitude test, which I passed, yet, I did not pursued the matter further because of my eyesight. Later on in life, taken many eye tests, passed them 20/20. Should've taken the risk and the test
Purple flight 82-13! You brought back a lot of memories with this video. :)
I wish I had gone to flight school. I regret today that I never did. Instead of flying the Huey, I jumped out of them. 1978-1985
Kent Rinfret didn't want to jump out so took the long route to silver wings
The old Bell H -47 , MASH , Korea and Vietnam ,light observation and recon and Medi vac . Thank you .
H-13
@@mruofacat Civilian Bell 47
As an Army aviation specialist, I spent a significant portion of my adult life at Fort Rucker.
Hey, do you know Rodney Thomas?
@@markthomas4083 Sorry, no.
My uncle Rodney Thomas was a helicopter pilot instructor for years at Rucker. Late 70's and 80's
I was suppose to enter flight training in '68. Been in Nam, 65-67. Chose civilian training and flew Capt. with Major airline for 34 years. Still wish I had gone into Army Chopper School..
Ft Rucker. Back in 69, armpit of the world . Was an Air Traffic Controller at Hanchey, Cairns ,and Skipperville GCA. The Army didn't have a ATC school then, sent us to Keesler AFB got trained by Zoomies.
I was there during all those years... My dad was with the Test board as a pilot and went on to become and IIP there then worked for Flight Safety International. He retired as a Full Bird Col... So many memories. 4 seasons, Toy Land, Lake Lodge, The Wild Life over at the boat ramp next to the dam... Ozark Gate and East Gate Jr. High where I went to school... How time flies like a Huey.... Model B's and model D's... I remember them all... Later in life I got my A&P at AATC on 231 which is no longer AATC... The memories will echo forever in my mind and heart...
I,m always looking for Chuck and Dan My Two Heroes as an Civilian whilst siesmographing, as they used to say Portable cut alot of brush with the main roter did a bunch of HAMERHEADS with Daredevil DAN drank george dickle and hot miller light. GOD I miss those days. OH me and Chuck flew right over the top of a JOLLY GREEN south of Summerfield OK. in the middle of nowhere back in the late 80's it almost backed up into us and I asked Chuck what what going on and he basically told me to shut UP and don't say anything never talked about it again. Man I hope they happy and healthy Oh the stories. GOD bless you all.
Thanks for posting this, did not know it existed. Brought back lots of memories, the film showed classes 66-11/12, I graduated with 66-17.
I graduated 66-17 also!
Ted Hammond
@vonmazur1
...Mr. Boyd. I'll never forget the guy. He would try to get out to the stagefield first while there was cattle grazing between the lanes and shoot an autorotation or buzz the field and watch them scatter. He liked to ride with his foot out on the front crosstie. He was a big Texas fan and did a lot of fishing. He let me Solo somewhere around 12 or 13 hours.
vonmazur1 there is no describing the feeling of being in the pattern for the first time and the left seat is empty.
My wife's uncle was a chopper pilot in Vietnam, not sure what years, but he has some pretty hair raising stories. he went on to fly in the National Guard all the way through the 90's, served in Desert Storm during that time.
78-02 light Blue Flight, TAC Officer Yancey, Square meals, and think tank. Standardization officer at 62ND Student Aviation Company.
@verbusen It was not easy, even as a youth to finish this school, I am still amazed at the older guys who did it at age 37 and, older ie: -prior sevrvice, one guy in 66-23 was former Navy Enlisted (CPO) Dauntless Pilot, he fought at Midway!!! and he bombed Vietnam in WW 2.....He looked to us kids like the Ancient Mariner!!
Dale in AL
We saw lot of this Huey s in El Salvador,1980 til today .they were good flying machines.save lots of soldiers .the pilot very accurate..very skill .arms forces El Salvador..
Class 71-45, Tan Hats. CO: Cpt Stone; TAC: CW2 Biermann & 1Lt "Hurricane" Robinson; IP: CW2 Roy Dowd.
Ski, if you're reading this, I was one of your roommates.
Ended up taking languages and working under NSA. Retired in 2004.
First month or so at Wolters was so different than Polk. Eating square meals, writing a 500 word military letter explaining how I let a fellow aviator die (a dead fly on my windowsill), spent a Saturday morning on parade grounds barking marching orders to myself for some infraction (I was student commander and I think somebody ratted me out for arranging a pile of steaming horse manure to greet us for morning formation to protest our promised leave being rescinded), evening formation on rooftop (I was promised immediate promotion to Forward Observer if I did one more prank)...
First couple of hours flying I was ready to quit as I just couldn't get the hang of hovering. One day, it just came to me and from that point on I was having the time of my life. All the solo hours tearing around Texas looking for white, yellow and red tires. Our last solo cross country was in a very loose formation when ceiling dropped (October) so we went low level like loach drivers in training and we ended up landing in a parking lot of a resort. We tripled number of 55's we were told to land and instructors pissed as the next day they had to drag them out to the road to fly back.
Being married, at Rucker I lived off base in the lovely dry town of Ozark. The owner of the converted motels where I lived and the Sheriff approached me soon after I moved in and to express their sympathy said I could invite my class to pool parties on weekends and they would supply the beer and Jim Beam. If you were in my class you know who I am. It was so much more relaxed at Rucker and we were treated more like officers and aviators.
One more stop for me after Rucker, Hunter/Stewart for Cobra transition. We had a great time there. Fly in the morning and have the rest of the day off.
Vietnam was another story. A lot different for me than what you read here in youtube. Worst time of my life. I was urged to return by a Marine employee of mine who had 3 tours and went back every year with his unit to hang out with Vietnamese in villages they made friends with. Went back for a visit and was pleasantly surprised how friendly everyone was, including former VC. Back in 70 I couldn't have imagined that I would ever be drinking beer, laughing and singing songs with Charles...
My fathers class mascot was Harvey I rabbit, so every thing that happend during flight school ,they blamed it on a six foot invisible rabbit lol.
And the instructor pilots were always so nice. 🤣
Lest we forget "Choppers" don't actually fly, they simply beat the wind into submission.
that would be "beat the air into submission"... ;)
@@gchyz You are quite wrong Sir as any air subject to (partial vacuum on the top of rotors) and lift (underneath rotors) caused by Angular Velocity of the rotors creates an air pressure differential is wind but I fully understand your point. You will have to forgive us ex Fixed Wing Pilots !
Actually they are Helicopters, a chopper is a kitchen utensil.
Lot's of memories. Did not know this film existed. Trained during '65 '66. Shot down Mothers day '66. Thanks for posting.
Was in class 65 3 training is the best you could get anyware in the world, at graduation you are the best. Was a great experience.
without the chopper pilots that flew my RANGER / LRRP 6 teams in on our missions and come in often under a lot of hostile fire -- we would not be alive.
I'm at Rucker for flight school and one of our instructors showed us this video in class. Its funny because all of the instruction is basically the same just with updated aircraft and tech. Oh, and we don't solo anymore. Now we just have a P1 and P2 checkride.
My IP 'split the needles' just slightly. I thought it was my F/U, so I rolled throttle a bit. My IP reached over and 'clunked' me on the head. He said 'If the needles split, the automatic forced landing mandatory'. He would 'f..k' with me. I had my nose in the instruments, and not flying by attitude. He propped his feet up on the 55's dash, lit a cigarette, and said, Watch the attitude of the rotors with the sky line. I was 19, he was 24-25. We buzzed down the Brazos River at a smokin' 60 knots.
Is he still alive? what a story about buzzing down the Brazos, great stuff...where is that river ?
@@harpoon_bakery162 Central Texas
@@harpoon_bakery162 Brazos river- great state of Texas!
Graduated Class 65-15 and returned to Wolters as an instructor in the OH-23D following my 2nd Tour in "East Asia". Nice stroll down memory-lane!
What classes did you teach there...? My Primary Military instructor was Mr Perrez (CW-2) at Wolters - P1... My class was 67-25 then, at Dempsey -P2 - my Call Sign was Viking Alpha One - can't remember my IP's name but he was a BIG guy with a 1st Air Cav patch.... Didn't smile much but when he did, you KNOW you did something special.... He was an EXCELLENT instructor.... Only "AA" ride I got with/from him was in formation flying... The others were simple "A" rides however NO PINK SLIPS....! Fond memories....!
I started 66-15 but got set back (medical) to 66-17.
Ted Hammond
You know at Wolters, we had our barracks up on the hill, while flying. The hospital was close and had a big Sikorsky sitting on the pad. When you heard it cranking up at 01:00 hours, you knew that somebody had just crashed out there somewhere. We flew out of Vung Tau stagefield. Mr Frudenberger and Mr Taylor were our TAC Officers . 7th WOC(Purple Hats) class 67-37? May '68. One of our classmates mid-aired in 'Nam. One bird was flying c&c and the other bird a cobra. You can guess the scenairo..
I always wanted to be a Chopper Pilot, but after the Kobe and Rowtlett Texas crash I'm glad I didn't.
Is that M-60 being suspended on a bungee strap at 00 :51 min? Bet you'd never see yourself on RUclips after 43 years, DJSuperflyer
@gwpegasus I was a Primary IP at Wolters in 68-69 and taught a Marine Lt. named Soliday. I had to admire him for just putting up with all us Army types. :-)
My IP told me to look at something one day outside the cockpit. Then he rolled off the throttle. Never fell for that one again lol.
Lots of memories in this video. Thanks for posting it. I graduated with WORWAC Class 66-17, and then came back to Wolters, after Vietnam, to be a Primary IP in 68-69.
Did you teach class 67-25...? (4th WOC, Yellow Hats...?)
I also graduated 66-17, but got assigned to Hunter AAF in Savannah, GA as an IP 1/68-4/69 before returning for another VN tour in late '69! Ted Hammond
Here is a shout out from orwac 66-12.
When the new helicopter Pilot gets to Vietnam, they only let him fly the POS level machine. These usually have the doors stripped off to make them fly with a worn near retirement engine, a machine that may not be able to lift all the soldiers who climb aboard. Sometimes you find the chopper stops trying to lift off a rice paddy, and the pilot lands tells 2 3 or more to get off, and then tries again, first to get in the air, then to catch up to the rest of the flight with its protective gunships. Often as the flight approaches you see the stragglers, and resolve yourself to hoping you don't end up in one of the POS birds. Happened to me many times.
Class 67-13, 189th AHC central highlands, Tet, 67-68. Long time ago, but never forgotten! Avenger II.....out
My Brother Frank W Jones was in your class. KIA June 30, 1968. I graduated from Rucker in 1982. KenJones@comcast.net
@@kennethjones7938 😞🇺🇸
Went thru Maint School, 69-245, 2nd Student Company, 129th Assault Helicopter Co/An Son {Lane Army Airfield} 69-70. Welcome Home Brothers.
69-49 10th Woc flight B-1
let me tell you something. Long after we are gone: thousands of us will be haunting the grounds of what was once Fort Wolters. This is what ghosts are. throwbacks to a time when everything was right....to a moment in our living lives when all was perfect in our world...and we flew.
Across what used to be "the Hill" someone will think they hear a cadence call...a shadow in Nomex......a cheer a shout...it will be us.
for these were the best of times.
I remember Ft Rucker in the mid ‘50’s. My Father was an instructor there and involved in developing armament for helicopters and the Airmobile Division concept. I lived off post in Enterprise a real backwater then with segregation still in force.
Class 69-70 brown hat Kurt Schatz served 1/9 C Troop Cav...WO1 to Retired LTC Master Aviator, a true miracle. Still alive and well in Temple TX 10/5/2012
Thanks for posting this. It brought back quite a few memories. I was with 66-15/17, soloed and did my 3 solo autorotations in the H-23. I came back in 68 and was a Primary IP in TH-55's.
Do you ex-WOC's remember listening to the Big BAM (WBAM) on the Huey's AM radios at Rucker?
My father trained there before a year tour in Vietnam
I love all these guys, I even married one.
OKAY CATHY
Niezłe z Ciebie ziółko... ;)
My brother trained there in 1967. His helicopter went down in Viet Ham with only about 20 days left. He was killed on April 1, 1969. His name was Michael George Taylor.
Great video, my dad went through all of that way back when... went on to fly helis in vietnam, and then flew for Air America... Ophus Robertson... I went in as a Military Police... I so regret that decision... now I'm 55 and consider that my biggest regret.. only consolation is the computer age... my brother and I fly sims through DCS, Ka-50 black sharks and A10 warthogs. So... we still get a taste of flying.. we got our private pilot's license.. cesnas, but online is much better..
I loved every minute of it..
I'm at Mother Rucker now. This video's great. It's pretty amazing to see how much flight school has changed over the years. Half the stuff they do in this video, the Army would NEVER let us do anymore. Sad...but true. We don't even get to solo anymore.
Class 87-08 Red Rangers (Lead the way) at Ft Rucker back when we still ate square meals and lived in the CUBE.
If you remember a pile of steaming horse manure on the eightball of the parade ground greeting you in the morning at Ft Wolters (for TAC officers reneging on their promise of our first leave), or an evening formation on the rooftop, then you remember me as the student commander who arranged that. But I had help from another student who already had 2 tours in Vietnam, a former Green Beret. We both went on the Cobra school where the fun continued. He went on and made Time magazine for rescuing a soldier and putting him in his front seat of a Cobra. Never a dull moment with Fred....
And at Ft Rucker, you may remember me as the guy who lived off base (married students allowed to live off base) in Ozark. The owner of the apartments and chief of police in the dry town offered to provide free beer and Jim Beam for pool parties for the class. I invited anyone who wanted to come and we put a big dent in that beer and whiskey.
We worked hard learning to fly and politics aside, I felt the training was outstanding. And our instructors at Rucker were right: "We taught you all we could but when you get to Vietnam you will learn how to really fly." So right they were.
One thing I see that you never see anymore is at 25:05 in the video, and that is a Boy outside of the house and working on a bicycle!!! That is a beautiful sight, a boy working on something besides a cellphone or a game and his sister playing on a swing set, but it is different nowadays and dangerous for a kid to be unattended in their own yard with Queers lurking around every corner craving a little boy or a child molester living next door, great video and great time period back then.
Note his sister had a doll, now that kid would be labelled binary :-)
18winsagin, you are a backwoods idiot. You probably OD on Mountain Dew and have two teeth in your head, you moron.
@@JohnS916
Well John you're wrong again, I have 3 teeth, one in the front and two in my pocket for corn on the Cobb!!
You must see a couple words in my comment that hit close to home , but just from reading your comment I doubt you can or have anything else to contribute to society so I thought I d fling a little bait into that bedroom that you don't pay for and watch you take it hehehe!
Army Warrant Officer flight training is an awesome way for an otherwise enlisted man to fly combat aircraft! To bad the other services don't offer such opportunity
Was priviliged to be one of the Marines who went thru Wolters and Rucker in `70. Video brings back great memories, though I went thru as a 2Lt.
Best to all the alumni of Army training and Viet Nam vets.
This was a great video! It brought back memories of some of the greatest days of my life. I credit my Army helicopter training with starting my 33 year career with an airline and some of the greatest experiences in my life. It's amazing how much helicopter training changed (unfortunately) from the early days of 1963. In my 63-5w class you had some of the best training that the military offered, both on the ground and in the air. You had to truly want to be an officer and pilot to successfully complete the course, compared to when I instructed at Ft Rucker in 65 and 66. I truly thank the US Army for allowing me to be a part of such a great organization and meet and associate with such great individuals. CP
My dad graduated with class 68-25. He was also a TAC Officer 9th WOC 70-35.
I dont know what percentage of Army Warrants where killed in combat; but it has to be staggering. USAF Helicopter Squadron Vietnam 1968-69
06:35 :D :D :D LOOOOOL
"...the strange business of hovering hundreds of pounds of machinery above the ground, hanging on a set of whistling blades... for a hummingbird it's natural!"
Who doesn’t love those US training films?
I hate em. After Republic
Vietnam '68, we trained the slopes at Hunter in Savannah. A waste of time. Our government leaders were SOBS. All should've been put up on charges and shot! From a Vietnam combat vet '68. We had 16,000 killed in Vietnam '68, for WHAT?
(I liked) : " A little bird,...flew over head,...he landed on.....my window sill,...I lured him in..with a piece of bread,...and then I smashed,...his fucking head!.
Vigilante Rebel, you didn't learn that one from me did you? 4th Woc (Yellow Hats) Class 70-27. I remember calling that one for the whole company when we were marching back from some damn place on Ft Wolters.
ABOVE THE BEST !!!!
I was in WORWAC Class 69-31. We lost so many in Vietnam, I think of them all the time. But loved the training at Wolters and " Mother Rucker".
Retired in 2012 from an overseas airlines ( Still flew choppers).
Wouldn't trade the experience for anything, love this video!
And nothing sounds like the " Whop Whop" of a Huey! THANK YOU
trade the experience for no one getting killed ?
Agreed!!!! No sound like a Huey!!! To this day....when I hear one...I go bk to my time in the Army!!!!
Thank you four your service --- Welcome home 2021 :)
When I hear a helicopter, I want to lock and load. I have flashbacks.
Brought to you by Budweiser.
Class 70-31, B Troop 7/1 Cav in RVN...*this* was the coolest thing I've ever done...'cept maybe becoming a LOH pilot...heh...
This is so cool. I was born at Ft Wolters in Sept, 68. We went to Ft Rucker 69-70. I would love to meet anyone who was there then. My dad died when I was 19, so I didn't get to learn much from him as an adult. Thank you for sharing this!
Class of 68-505 2nd WOC Green Hat, it was a very exciting year, one of my favorite, wouldn’t trade it for anything. Learned a very useful skill. Best helicopter training in the world.
I was stationed at Ft. Rucker. 43rd Co. 1st Aviation.
Great memories - I went through 3rd WOC - summer/fall of 66 - class 66-23/67-1 -so this was done during my stay at Wolters and Rucker. Our class split between the OH 23 (which I flew) and the TH 55. We had the unfortunate distinction of having the first TH 55 fatality. We were also one of the last classes, if not the last class, to shoot three solo autorotations at Wolters - was quite the thrill with less than 50 hours flight time. Thanks and proud to have flown "Above the Best".
Who married the red haired lady who ran the book store at Wolters?
Class 68-27 and can vouch this video is accurate! Those were busy times.
Helicopter the safest aircraft to be in with a power loss. God bless autorotation. Saved my life several times.
saw this flim in high school , my friend and my self were going to go into the program together but in 1969 the rate of Huey's being shot down was more than my dad or my friends dad could take - i joined the navy and did my time repairing PBR's - can you imagine a film on campus today for recruitment -
Had the same discussion with my parents. One time I wish I hadn't
I feel qualified to fly a huey right now, sitting in the pilots seat the next time I visit a museum
Fine machine 🍻
Get to the Choppa!
My late Dad (James Gould, if any of his former students ever get on here), was a civilian contract instructor from 62 to 74 (when Jimmy Carter did his version of disarmament). Was a great place to live there near Enterprise, the greatest book store taht sold every scale plastic model (for me) and RC flying model (for my Dad) you couold imagine, and the military history books were vast. Got my new copies of Sgt Rock comix there when they came out. My old man and I had a great time there, the Army let his RC model club use a stage field for their flying, my mother and I helped build the archery course, Lake Taiho was great for fishing, and the zoo was amazing. The sky was always full of rotors, graduating classes in Hueys flying rigth over our house out in Coffee county. Had a CH-47 hover right across the road as the pilot read the 'for sale' sign at the house next door one fall, dried up corn stalks were drifting down for hrs. Could go down a nearby rd at ngith and see the gunships working out, red streams of tracers from the mini-guns. Man I could write a book. Was a great place. Lousy school system, but anything related to the base was great. God bless the US Army.
Im jealous.
saburu sakai He was my Primary IP! Thanks for the memories.
Kev Childs Sir, was my Dad your instructor? I'm amazed. You are the first one of his students I've ever found on here. I'd love to know when that was and any experiences that stand out. I miss hearing those great stories, they never got old. I am also sleepingdragon57 on Skype and can also be reached on facebook with a friend's name Jason king, with my aviation photography stuff and NWGphoto. I'd love to hear from you. After he came back from Iran (Jimmy Carter again), he worked as a pilot in Ca. fighting forest fires out west, then went back to work at Fort Rucker as chief test pilot. Enroute to work one morning in 81, he got hit in the driver's side and wound up in a wheel chair, BUT he recovered enough to fly an ultra light modified for hand controls, mading the Atlanta news and several news papers. We lost him 7 yrs ago to complications from the accident.
saburu sakai If my failing memory doesn't fail me, your dad may have also instructed in the TH-55...as well as the OH-13. I much preferred the 55...for stability. Translating to land based vehicles, the 55 was a sports car, the 13 was a sedan, and the Huey was a limo.
Yes sir, he spent quite a while in the early 70s in the TH-55, also trained many VNAF pilots, whom he really liked. I've got several pix of him in and outside those as well. The video reminded me that he taught instruments in the TH-13. Your car comparison is very logical. The last aircraft he flew at Rucker in 81 was a Huey he tested the day before he got hit in that wreck. That had also been his last job in Iran, Bell's chief test pilot after he had instructed in AH-1Js.
Let's see. Any videos about the Crew Chiefs who kept these machines flying? Any discussion about the unavailability of helicopter parts in the Republic of Vietnam? My brother was a Warrant and Cobra pilot in Vietnam. From a drafted, disabled, and Republic of Vietnam helicopter crew chief, '68, MOS 67N20 and 67V20. P.S. Crew Chiefs, mostly were treated like crap. I had a Captain named Whitehead in Vietnam that was very disrespectful. Just to let you dopes know,I obtained the rank of E-5 in 5 months through meritorious promotion.
1:51 into the video. What is the name of that cadence? I would like to know both the cadence's names
The military base formerly known as Fort Rucker. The military base near me was also renamed. Other than military historians, I doubt that many people ever gave the name of such bases a second thought.
Such a shame for the forced name change. Many years stationed there we totally enjoyed. Never celebrated anyone's name , just the amazing time spent their.
Omg, the school is awesome, seems like a dreamland to learn
67-11, VN, then back to Wolters as an IP