Rattler/Firebird Guestbook
russ [E-mail]
Former: NULL NULL with NULL
Call sign: NULL
hi i was wondering if any body could help me find some info on my uncle. his name is edward atkinson if you would like to help e-mail me, cadet/ 2nd lt. russ fountain
August 24, 2003 - redford, mi USA
alvis [E-mail]
Former: NULL NULL with NULL
Call sign: NULL
greeting brothers. I flew with 129th ahc (bulldogs ) and 60th ahc (ghostriders) 71, 72.(central coast lands and highlands) Setember 19th,20th and 21st is a reunion of all nam vets in kokomo indiana. (2003) last year , was 10thousand showed up.The 129th had about 8 guys there.great time to be had there. also, indy reunion next year for all helicopter units. info can be found at vhcma.com. ( vietnam helicopter crewmen assoc.) great site and welcome home my brothers. opps, I see someone is from ohio here. Cold water ohio has a bar called "pop A top". Belongs to a guy whose brother was kia in our unit.This is our units "home" . great stuff on the walls there. This guy ,Mark Jackson, is very PRO nam vet. stop by and say high, admire all the helicopter stuff in there. they even have a rotor blade and a sks hanging from the cealing. clear right, going light on the skids.
August 16, 2003 - indy, indiana NULL
BILL MAYER [E-mail]
Former: NULL NULL with NULL
Call sign: NULL
I JUST READ "FIREBIRDS" AND THE MEMORIES BURNED A HOLE IN ME. I SPENT A FEW DAYS AT CHU LIA FOR A MAINTENACE STOP ON A WAY TO QUIN NHON TO PICK UP A NEW SUPER "C" CH-47. THE "BOXCARS" FIXED MY SHIP. I MET A FLIGHT SCHOOL CLASSMATE THERE, SO WE SPENT A DAY ON YOUR COOL BEACH AND HAD A NICE DINNER ACROSS TOWN A SOME NIGHT CLUB. THEY DIDN'T LIKE MY GRIMEY FLIGHT SUIT AND SIDEARM. THESE CROSS CONTRY TRIPS WERE FUN AS WE GOT TO DO THINGS LIKE TAKE A HOT SHOWER FOR A CHANGE. ALTHOUGH WE LOST A CREWMAN DUE TO A LUCKY HEAD SHOT FROM SOME DINK. AFTER THAT WE CHOSE TO FLY OUT FROM THE BEACH FOR SAFETY. THE CHINOOKS WERE REALLY A GREAT AIRCRAFT. THEY GUYS IN IRAQ ARE FLYING THE SAME ACTUAL SHIPS AS WE DID, BUT UPDATED AND REBUILT INTO THE "D" MODEL. THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO BE CONVERTED TO "F" MODELS AND KEPT IN SERVICE UNTIL @2030. NO NEW CHINOOKS HAVE BEEN BUILT SINCE THE 60'S.I DID FLY THE GUNSHIPS IN FLIGHT SCHOOL AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE WOUND UP IN AN ASSAULT HELCOPTER COMPANY FLYING GUNS IF THE CHINOOK OPPORTUNITY DID NOT ARISE.THANKS AND GOOD LUCK, CW-2 BILL “OSCAR” MAYER, 1969-1970AIRCRAFT COMMANDER, CH-47B&C“B” COMPANY, “THE VARSITY”LOCATED IN THE "LOCKER ROOM" AT CAMP EAGLE JUST SOUTH OF THE CITADEL AT HUE159TH ASSAULT SUPPORT HELICOPTER BATTALION, “THE LIFTMASTERS”101ST AVIATION GROUP101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION SCREAMING EAGLESI CORP (DANANG TO THE DMZ)REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
August 13, 2003 - HALES CORNERS, WI USA
Joe ‘Ragman’ Tarnovsky [E-mail]
Former: NULL NULL with NULL
Call sign: NULL
I apologize for my mistake in my previous post, I meant to say the GUNS of the 71st AHC, the Firebirds. I sincerely apologize.
July 24, 2003 - Parma, OH USA
Joe ‘Ragman’ Tarnovsky [E-mail]
Former: NULL NULL with NULL
Call sign: NULL
I have a very personal connection to the 71st AHC, it was two Firebird Gunships that found the downed SLICK (always capitalized out of respect for the crews that went into the Hot LZ's)from the 116th AHC in which my buddy was killed. I served 26 months in Vietnam, 16 of those months with the 240th AHC, CE/Doorgunner with the Mad Dog Gunships. My buddy, Danny Dye, came out of maintenance to help this OJT rookie crew Mad Dog Gunship 497 and I just let Danny take over the ship because he new far more than I ever did. I left Vietnam on 22 Oct 70 and Danny was KIA on 22 Oct 71. I don't know why he left the 240th but when I sent him a Christmas Card in 1971, his Mom wrote me back that he had been killed. I still have guilt that I never made it out to California to see Mrs. Dye and found out she had passed away. Through computers, I found out about 4 years ago the situation that caused Danny's death and that it was the Guns of the 71st AHC, the Rattlers, that found the downed SLICK of the 116th. One crew member and one passenger survived and Danny wasn't found until 2 weeks laters when they went in to recover the ship, which was on its side, and there was Danny. I have a little museum in my home and a friend and buddy of mine, from England that has so much respect for America's Vietnam Veterans, sent me a patch of the 71st Rattlers that hangs proudly in my museum. God bless all my brothers of the Rattlers and Firebirds and I want to wish you all a sincere and heartfelt, WELCOME HOME, BROTHERS, and thanks for a job well done!
July 24, 2003 - Parma, Ohio USA
Larry Galaske [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Maintenance with 71st Assault Helicopter Company
Call sign: NULL
Does anyone remember any of the Avionics/Commo crew in 69? How about SSgt Snuffer, Bohanon? Who was the CW2? in charge of Avionics? Let me know if you have any info. I was Wire Chief then Avionics when Snuffer got booted out then I got relieved when Bohanan came into the 71st in June 69. I'm just trying to piece stuff together. Pete Arsenault and Greg Brannon worked for me but I can't remember the other guy's name just their faces.
July 21, 2003 - Hamilton, Ohio NULL
Greg Arndt [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Door Gunner with 71st Assault Helicopter Company
Call sign: NULL
I was watching the Learning Channel the other night and the show was Ultimate 10. It was about the military's top 10 miltary machines. The Apache was included and the pilot had a Firebird decal on his helmet. My heart instantlyraised its beat count. They showed him several times and there was the Firebird decal. Is there an active unit called the Firebirds and what is their history?
July 13, 2003 - Huntsville, Al USA
David M. Spahr [E-mail]
Former: NULL NULL with NULL
Call sign: NULL
I was Shark 2, 174th AHC, out of Duc Pho in 68-69. On Sept. 22, 1969 we were "scambled" out of Duc Pho to support an action up "north". When we arrived and contacted the AMC(air mission commander, as it turned out, a Major flying around in an OH6)we were told that an air assault had literally landed "on top" of the enemy on top of a hill and that there was an aircraft down and friendly infantry on the ground taking fire. I flew over the area and saw the aircraft with two crew members still inside. I also saw somebody in a foxhole(spiderhole) located about 20 feet from the downed aircraft. It was too close to the aircraft and the US troops to put in minigun fire or rockets so I flew low and slow so that my crew chief, Harrison Bell(KIA 1970)could place fire with his M60. His M60 jammed and this guy stands up and stitches us up with his AK47. His fire ignites our rocket motors. As I dive off the hill to avoid the fire, my teammate(LT Jerry Crispin, Shark3, calmly announces, "2, you're on fire". We tried the electrical jettison and the manual jettison without success. CE Bell climbed out on the pylon with a screw driver and finally released the burning pod. As we were almost out of gas we landed near a US armor unit. In those days they ran on diesal fuel, not JP4! While we were waiting for a 55 gallon drum of JP4, the AMC (Major) landed next to us and asked us what we were shooting our rockets at!(He assumed that the flaming pod falling from our aircraft was aimed at something! Tragically I found out upon my return to Duc Pho that the crew I had seen was with with the 71 AHC and that the pilot I had seen in his seat was WO Barry Alexander who was my classmate in flight school. I have a photo of a Shark and a Firebird together (things were thin and we made up a team for the day). How can I post it to your site?
July 9, 2003 - alexandria, virginia usa
Steve Mackey [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Crew Chief with 71st Assault Helicopter Company
Call sign: NULL
Just a welcome home to all the 71st. Hope to see everyone in Washington, DC
July 7, 2003 - Riverside, CA USA
Kenneth I. Nelson [E-mail]
Former: NULL NULL with NULL
Call sign: NULL
The site was informative. I'm looking for more infomation. Just recived photos and a foot locker from Renick, Rattler 17 1969-70.
June 26, 2003 - Richmond, Virginia United States