Just wondering; Do you perchance belong to any of the Vietnam gunner’s and crew chiefs associations? There’s one called the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Chiefs and Gunner’s Association (or something like that) and a couple more dealing with just gunners and some dealing with specific Huey crews e.g. slicks versus guns etc.
My Air Force enlistment was over in August 1968, so during my exit interview I was offered a bonus to re-enlist and told my next duty assignment was to be in the “tropics”. The young and naïve me at the time wondered where we had a base in the Caribbean.
Oh, Bin Hoa would have been dandy. 90th Repo Depot, Tropical type weather great for suntanning and fine drinking establishments one of which was called the 2nd Field Force club not to mention the action at the bomity boms where 500P promised “long time” entertainment. Spent 2 weeks there when I first arrived in country whilst the Army was trying to decide what to do with me. It was the one heaven on earth place where guys like myself would come in country wondering what the hell we were doing there and a year later wonder if incoming mortar fire would keep us from going home.
No Bob, I don't belong to any groups. I dropped facebook for two years and have little to no contact with anyone except a few members I flew with. I use the VHPA to reference a lot of things I needed to do personal Tributes for a lot of people. I am over the 200 mark over the years and only have a few of the Tributes posted online. At one time I had all of them in one place to be viewed but as time goes by these image host come and go. I looked for information on the 195th because I remember doing a Tribute for a person who flew the MacV SOG missions while in the 195th. Soon as I find it I will post it, got hard drives here and there not in use but full of things I wanted to save. I thought the best way to do that was to not use the drives because they constantly run if in a system. I got a phone call from a friend while I was looking this morning and after finishing the call I stood up and got a bit dizzy so I am going to eat a bite then look some more if I feel up to it. Who knows you could possibly have known the guy. I did get a good old photo that will probably bring back memories ;0)
1938 - 1966 Trafford and Penn Hills PA 1966 - Present Santa Monica, CA, with 5 yrs living in San Jose, CA No military living here.
Thank you for "thanking" us, but, it definitely wasn't my choice to join the Navy, or any other military service, during Vietnam. I had already registered at the Draft before my high school graduation, but sure didn't want to be Drafted, so I enlisted in the Navy. Only alternatives for me was, college (of which I couldn't afford) or heading up to Canada (which I definitely wouldn't/couldn't do).
I remember those days well. Had to roll my car window up on a hippies head for cussing vets at a red light. Also saw some really horribly injured vets at VA Hospital in Decatur Ga.. I wasn't exactly for that war but kept that to myself and totally for our boys.Still am and really bad knowing how many still committing suicide today. We sent some care packs to those in Irag thru AnySoldier.com, wrote letters and the only reply was from a heli pilot who later got shot down or collided in qaccident that took down 16 troopsvin Mosul.I still have his letter. They ask for candy and small toys to throw out to the kids when they flew over villages.Of course they all loved Beef Jerky and magazines from home. We couldn't afford much beef jerky but sent what we could toys candy from Dollar Store and snacks and socks , also some female items for the women who couldn't always get items for their monthly women visits. Lots of chap stick. I hate war!!!
War is created by old men who can’t fight and placed on the shoulders of those who are too young to die.
Marie, many in society do hate war, but then again, there are those that want war. When it comes to World Peace, it has and never will happen. Very, very unfortunate, but all so true. And, if all Countries could get along, there will be those in the world that will try to stop that "getting along" thing. People are always "hungry" for something and that "something" isn't always good. I'm glad I Served, but remember, we pulled out of Vietnam without finishing what we were there for. After all of the fighting and deaths, North Vietnam still took over the South.
It is indeed ironic. The very beginning of the United State’s involvement of the Vietnam War was split between both of their administrations.
I didn't think of that isn't that something. It sure is ironic, now that song will be in my head for awhile,l Ol. Thats ok its an ok song. I was also very surprised when I learned Patton, Eisenhower MacArthur attacked the WW1 Bonus Army Vets after the WW1.