Rattler/Firebird Guestbook
frederick l smith [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Crew Chief with Company A/501st Aviation Battalion
Call sign:
to John Mateyko, I was the crew chief, on that mission, if I remember right, we had a counterweight shot off, and it took a portion of blade off. I remember snake doctor coming in with blade sticking through door. best I can remember, my gunner and I set up perimeter as best we could. do you by chance remember who was with cwo. pat, on Feb. 8 1966 when we were shot down in flames, of which none of should have survived, but we all did. in total I was shot down 6 times, 3 times with cwo. Pat Gwaltney, he was one hell of a pilot. thank you, and have a great Veterans Day
November 9, 2019 - rochelle, il USA
John Mateyko [E-mail]
Former: Officer Pilot with Company A/501st Aviation Battalion
Call sign:
Fifty-four years ago today(November 8, 1965) I was flying co-pilot with Pat Gwaltney. We were shot down while escorting an Air Force HH-43 on a med-evac mission supporting the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Operation Hump. If you were the crew chief or gunner of 925, or in the repair team which came to us in Snake Doctor, please contact me.
November 8, 2019 - Lansing, IL
Steve Mackey [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Crew Chief with 71st Assault Helicopter Company
Call sign:
I was at s fundraising event tonight at Pechanga Casino in Temecula California. The celebrity guest this year was Loretta Swit so the event organizer, a Marine Vietnam Vet, asked us to were our jungle fatigues. Of course I had my Americal patch on my uniform. A gentleman walks up to me and asks if I was in the Americal. I said yes and he says so was I. I asked him what unit he was with. He says a helicopter unit with the snake painted on the nose, Rattlers. I took out my Rattler/Firebird coin and showed it to him. We could not believe it. He wad there in 1969. He didn’t know anything about the association or web site. He will be here checking it out. Oh and I gave him my challenge coin. I will keep in touch with him. What a small world.
October 19, 2019 - Riverside, CA USA
Chico Marcano [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Maintenance with 71st Assault Helicopter Company
Call sign:
It is with sadness that I report the death of Angelina Silva Elisbee at the Walmart in El Paso, TX. She is the sister of our own Tomas Silva. May she rest with our Lord in His Kingdom.
August 11, 2019 - Perkasie, PA
Stephen Tanner [E-mail]
Former: with
Call sign:
The 196th Light Infantry Brigade will be having a reunion August 21-25 2019 at The Westin Hotel in Lombard IL. Attendance is usually around 700. Since you Rattlers/Firebirds worked with us a lot thought it might be of interest.
July 25, 2019 - McCutchenville, OH
harold bowen [E-mail]
Former: Officer Pilot with 71st Assault Helicopter Company
Call sign:
For any who haven't already, it's time to get our reservations in for the Mobile Reunion. Ron says we have a smaller block of rooms this time so we need reservations in early so Military Reunions can renegotiate for a larger block of rooms. Don't miss this and be disappointed when you hear how great it was. Not only will you be disappointed, but so will your fellow Rattlers and Firebirds. Let's set a new attendance record. Call or email your close friends and urge them to attend, particularly anyone who has never attended a reunion. Hope to see all of you in the Mobile Snakepit. Hal
June 30, 2019 - Gasburg, VA USA
frederick l smith [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Crew Chief with Company A/501st Aviation Battalion
Call sign:
On This Memorial Day, We Must Look Back And Remember, All Of Those That Gave Their Lives For The Freedom We Enjoy, Through All Of The Years And All Of The Wars, We Live In The Greatest Country In The World, With Men Like We Fought With In Vietnam, We Will Continue To Be The Greatest Country, Welcome Home To All Of You Rattlers & Firebirds
May 27, 2019 - rochelle, il USA
harold bowen [E-mail]
Former: Officer Pilot with 71st Assault Helicopter Company
Call sign:
Capt Degen, I served with the Rattlers as a Capt Mar '67-Mar '68. Would love to carry on a discussion with you about both of our experiences. Please contact me by email and we can trade stories. Look forward to hearing from you.
May 4, 2019 - Gasburg, VA USA
CPT Nathan Degen [E-mail]
Former: with
Call sign:
Gentlemen, I am CPT Nathan Degen. I am currently assigned to A/2-501 based out of Ft. Bliss, TX. We are currently deployed in Afghanistan supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel and Operation Resolute Support. We are a CAC/VIP company supporting the Army through passenger and cargo movements, VIP transports, MEDEVAC Chase operations, and future deliberate operations. Upon our deployment into Afghanistan, we merged with A/3-501 which is our sister Assault Company. Together we are completing the mission set in Afghanistan. Due to our merger as two UH-60L/M companies, we decided to use a common call sign. After conducting research on units before us and the 501, we decided to make our call sign "Rattler" in honor of your unit and to hopefully carry on the extraordinary legacy that you all paved before us. If at all possible, I would love to connect in some way with the men of the unit from Vietnam and ask for your permission and blessing on utilizing your call sign both in Afghanistan and possibly, into the future upon our return to the US in the fall. It would be an honor to learn from your experiences, discuss both of our units histories and missions, and hopefully merge our companies with yours. Myself, and our companies, BN, and BDE thank you for your service and the sacrifices you all made for each of us. It is because of your unit that we are who we are today. Please let me know if there is any way to connect further. Very Respectfully, Nathan R. Degen CPT, AV Executive Officer Alpha Company, 2-501 General Support Aviation Battalion Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division TF Desert Knight Blackcats! Rattlers
May 3, 2019 - , Texas USA
frederick l smith [E-mail]
Former: Enlisted Crew Chief with Company A/501st Aviation Battalion
Call sign:
this message is to Jason Diebold. Jason, Fred Smith, from Rochelle Il, I was a crew chief, door gunner, with the Firebirds, from may 1965 to may of 1966. I believe we had one of the best, Gunship Platoons in country, our pilots, Rattler or Firebird, were fearless. I had a very interesting year, as i'm sure your dad did. my phone # is 815-762-2579, call me if you like.
March 30, 2019 - Rochelle, Il USA