Documentary---Take Me Home Huey

[AJGUNNER]

I couldn't get to sleep last night so got up for cookies and milk and turned on the TV. I just happened to catch most of an incredible (like most PBS stuff) show I thought worthy of sharing. I am in my mid 50's so was too young for Viet Nam service, and really don't remember a whole bunch other than a few neighbors older siblings going off to battle, and my older sister and her friends wearing the POW bracelets.

First off, if you are a Veteran of any type---Thank You for your service. There certainly are lots of us that do appreciate your sacrifices and time served.

This was an extremely moving show that I figured was worth sharing. The emotions shown by guys now in their 60's and 70's is pretty extreme. The documentary is about the resurrection of a Huey medivac chopper that was shot down in 1969 killing 2 of the crew members. This particular chopper is now a traveling piece of art/history that travels the country. Great story that I felt moved enough by watching that I wanted to share it with others that may want to watch it or go have a look in person when it comes near your town. I was not able to find a link to view the 60 minute show on line, but maybe someone else can and will post it.


Schedule of the travels:
https://takemehomehuey.org/dates-for-tmhh/

Local PBS preview:
http://www.pbs.org/show/take-me-home-huey/

 

[Fox Mike]

I couldn't get to sleep last night so got up for cookies and milk and turned on the TV. I just happened to catch most of an incredible (like most PBS stuff) show I thought worthy of sharing. I am in my mid 50's so was too young for Viet Nam service, and really don't remember a whole bunch other than a few neighbors older siblings going off to battle, and my older sister and her friends wearing the POW bracelets.

First off, if you are a Veteran of any type---Thank You for your service. There certainly are lots of us that do appreciate your sacrifices and time served.

This was an extremely moving show that I figured was worth sharing. The emotions shown by guys now in their 60's and 70's is pretty extreme. The documentary is about the resurrection of a Huey medivac chopper that was shot down in 1969 killing 2 of the crew members. This particular chopper is now a traveling piece of art/history that travels the country. Great story that I felt moved enough by watching that I wanted to share it with others that may want to watch it or go have a look in person when it comes near your town. I was not able to find a link to view the 60 minute show on line, but maybe someone else can and will post it.


Schedule of the travels:
https://takemehomehuey.org/dates-for-tmhh/

Local PBS preview:
http://www.pbs.org/show/take-me-home-huey/

I'm going to send the links to the gang of former pilots and crew chiefs I am still in touch with. One of them is a friend that was a "Dustoff" pilot way back when. Never know, he may know of that particular Huey.

 

[eveled]

The guy who pinstriped my Harley flew one of those in Vietnam. It was at the Laconia ralley. Guys would come up to him shake hands or hug him, say a few words and move on. It took me a while to realize they were combat vets who treasured those pilots.

He was the one they could thank in person for the ride that got them home.

 

[SR1911SHOOTER]

Found this on you tube.
Blackie


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nHXrYx2Nn0

 

[Coop]

Tears in my eyes.

 

[Colonialgirl]

There is a park in Tampa that has a Huey on display:

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Air Assault Huey walkaround — Tampa ...
https://travelforaircraft.wordpress.com/2013/.../vietnam-veterans-memorial-huey-tamp...
Aug 28, 2013 - There are military vehicles on display aside from the plaza where two Vietnam War era helicopters — a Huey and a Cobra — sit astride two highly polished etched granite monuments.
One of the helicopters, on a pedestal mount as if in-flight, is a Bell UH-1 Iroquois — better known across the world as the "Huey" — ubiquitous and iconic symbol of the Vietnam War. This Huey has the livery of one which flew air assault missions, envelopment from above, a new form of warfare shown possible by the Huey.

https://travelforaircraft.wordpress.com/2013/08/28/vietnam-veterans-memorial-huey-tampa/

 

[cpt-t]

AJGUNNER: I flew for C Company 229th AHB with the 1st Cav Div in 1971 & 1972 in Viet Nam as a Helicopter Pilot. And I have flown a bunch of Old Hueys, that had gotten heavily damaged some way. That were in really bad shape, but other than a very few times those Old Huey`s would still bring You and those you had on board back home. It was really unbelievable sometime to see how badly an Old Huey could be damaged and still fly. Quite often you flew them all day long and slept in them at night at some forward fire support base. Unless your Bird had to go back to the rear for some type of maintenance. As long as you had a place to Refuel and Rearm you were good to go. And a Huey in our area was supposed to be refueled every 2 1/2 hrs and we burned up a lot of JP-4. It was really frowned upon for a Pilot to run out of Fuel especially in Viet Nam. The Old Huey was a very forgiving bird to fly, it could take a lot of punishment, and it autorotated very well. I think I came home from Viet Nam with 3500+ hours of flight time logged and most of thoes hours were in an ((( OLD HUEY ))). It was a great bird to fly. And I had to pinch myself most every day to make sure that I was really flying one of thoes Old Birds and not just dreaming about it. And that the Army was really letting a Red Necked Cracker like me fly one of these beautiful Old Birds. I never ever did anything with the rest of my life that ever even compared to my two tours in Viet Nam. I was given the Honor of wearing My Country's Colors, and it just can't get any better than that.
ken

 

[Mobuck]

The last time I was on a helo was the one that saved my life.

 

[cpt-t]

Mobuck: I am very glad that Your last ride worked out so very well for You. Not every Huey Pilot was an assigned Medevac Pilot, most of us wern`t. I wasn't, I was what you called a
common old Slick Pilot, and most of us were just that. We flew for the most part multi bird Combat Assaults, inserting Combat Troops into an LZ out in the middle of nowhere, and then extracting them from some other LZ when their mission was finished. But I never remember hearing any Slick Pilot being anything other than very positive about going out to pick up any of our Wounded Troops. When the call came across the radio that there were Wounded, the answer from the Slick Pilots were I am in the area and I have the fuel give me their location. And You went and got them no matter what the problems and took them to the closest Med Unit. And the the Crew Chief and Door Gunner were trying to perform Medical Miracles, just trying their best to keep the Wounded alive until we could get them back to a Med Unit. It always made me cry when we got them back and we had done our jobs but it made me cry and get violently sick when I lost any of them. IMHO That was as good as it gets, and I am very proud to have been allowed to have been just a very small part of that. Again I am glad You made it home.
ken

 

[Mobuck]

Every time the medic said "Blood pressure's dropping" the nose took a corresponding dip. I swear the machine was standing on it's nose by the time we got to the landing pad. At which time it stood on it's tail momentarily before hitting the skids.

 

[cpt-t]

Mobuck: I remember a few flights like that.
ken

 

[wwb]

Mixed emotions.... half the time I was in a Slick, it was taking me somewhere I really didn't want to be. The other half the time, it was getting me out of there. I saw some incredible heroics by those Huey drivers.... they should all have been awarded the CIB.

 

[Fox Mike]

Saturday I was at a memorial service for a friend of mine that passed away. He was a SMG when he retired but had been a CE (crew chief) earlier in his career. There were lots of old pilots and CEs there and lots of stories to tell about the Huey and the guys in them. We decided that when the Army finally mothballs the Blackhawk fleet they will bring the pilots home in a Huey.

 

[contender]

cpt-t,,, I didn't serve in Nam,,, but my brother did. Two tours. I went in just after the war, (age.) I followed his footsteps,,, in that I too became a crewchief & door gunner. B Co. 162nd Avn, 6th Cav.,,,, and B Co. 227th Avn, 1st Cav.
Here's a "virtual" Handshake to say "thanks bro."

 

[WAYNO]

Spent a lot of time in Slicks. I even have imbedded in my small brain the tail numbers of many of them. I remember the pilots. I remember the Crew Chiefs. I remember the POL (fuel) guys. The Armament guys. The Avionics guys. The PLL (Tech Supply) guys. Someday when I'm in a nursing home and remembering little else, I will remember this time, and these great people.

So iconic. We have a Vietnam Era Veterans Memorial locally. This was a photo I took while the project was in its infancy. It's turned out to be very wonderful.



This bronze is the centerpiece of the Memorial. It's great all by itself, but I've seen a painting with this same scene, but the soldier is looking up at a Medevac Bird, with two Cobras escorting it. To me, a tear-jerker.

 

[contender]

Wow.

 

[cpt-t]

CONTENDER: Thank You for Your words and the Handshake. I Have not been behind the controls of a Huey since 1984. And if I had of known that this was my last flight. I would have shot a Full To The Ground Autorotation, on my last approach and skidded that Old Huey down the active aways. To give the boys in the tower something to tell stories about at the Club during Happy Hour. I can't tell You how much I miss the Army, and all my Old Friends that I served with.
ONCE UPON A TIME:
ken

 

[contender]

I too recall my last flight in a Huey. I was crewing,,, and we had a simple aerial survey for a staff photographer for some battalion. The guy was scared,,, and also afraid of motion sickness. As I briefed him,, he even showed me he had a bag to puke in,,, "just in case." (My standard line was; "If you puke in my bird,,, you will stay on board, and wash my bird out AFTER the mission is over.")
Well, orbits around a battalion on the ground,,, him looking through a camera lens, had him grabbing his bag. Boy did he fill it up. He went to begging to be put on the ground. We obliged him,,, but since there weren't any real close places to safely land next to the battalion, he was put down about 1/4 mile away. He didn't seem to mind,, as I pointed him in the direction of the battalion. He was running away,,, carrying his bag full,,, all while we had a good laugh. I do miss the fun trips,,,,,,,,!

 

[wwb]

My last ride in a slick was from Dau Tieng to Bien Hoa..... carrying a duffel bag and a smaller satchel holding DEROS orders. Unfortunately, though, my travelling companion was in a body bag.

 

[Colonialgirl]

We had a pilot in the air section of the 38th Arty Bde (AD) that was Instructor qualified. He liked to get a "newby" up in it and the swing it from side to side and watch them turn green and hang on for dear life. He also had a reputation for landing like an air plane with a run down the runway UNTIL his engine QUIT one time and he skidded a couple hundred feet. He flew one of the little bubble fronted choppers (don't remember the brand), the ones that could haul a stretcher on both sides. He was also known for playing games with empty barrels, tipping them over, rolling them around and setting them back up. One story I heard about him was that he was flying over a dried harvested rice paddy and spotted a Pheasant, so he hovered over it pinning it to the ground, dropped a skid across the neck and then had the Cook in the officers mess roast it for him. (told to me by one of the crew in that section) He was a W-03 or 04.