Rattler, Firebird & Snake Doctor Call Signs

Call Signs Explained

A radio call sign was assigned to each individual aircraft commander. That call sign identified that man, not any specific aircraft. Rattler followed by a number identified an aircraft commander of a slick, Firebird and a number identified an aircraft commander of a gun ship, and Snake Doctor identified a maintenance officer.

Single Digit Numbers

Single digit numbers were used by the company headquarters as follows:
  • 6 was the company commander
  • 5 was the executive officer
  • 3 was the operations officer

Two Digit Numbers

The digits were always pronounced individually, for example Rattler 11 was Rattler One One never Rattler eleven. The first digit of two digit numbers identifed the platoon:
  • 1 was the first platoon
  • 2 was the second platoon
  • 9 was the third platoon, or Firebirds
The numbers ending in six were reserved for commanders
  • Rattler 16 would be the platoon leader of the first platoon
  • Rattler 26 would be the platoon leader of the second platoon
  • Firebird 96 would be the platoon leader of the third platoon Firebird gun ships

Two digit numbers where the second digit was other than six simply indicated a specific aircraft commander.
The maintenance platoon used the call sign Snake Doctor, which may or may not have also used a number, depending on time period.

Disclaimers

You may notice, if you read through the table below, that a few of the call signs don’t fall into the above descriptions. Please understand that this information has been compiled based on the recollections of the men. Complete accuracy is therefore not assured. Also, in many cases men had different call signs at different times, based on the job they had at that time. In those cases, men may have had more than one call sign during the time they served with us. Finally, note that the dates shown are the dates the men served with our company and not necessarily the dates they used any particular call sign. If you can help us make this listing more complete, or more accurate, please contact us.

How To Use This Page

If you click on a column heading, the list will be sorted on that column and display only entries that have a value in that column. Because some of the entries contain multiple call signs, or non-numeric characters, the sort is done alphabetically instead of numerically. That means that they are sorted first by the first character, then the second character, etc.

Call Sign Listing

Name Rattler Firebird Snakedoctor Dates with unit
Adams, Jim 16 12/68 to 12/69
Alsop, James M. 92 07/69 to 07/70
Anderson, Gary S. 12 Snakedoctor 01 10/68 to 10/69
Anton, Frank 90 04/67 to 01/68
Arink, William J. 6 02/67 to 08/67
Arndt, Denis L. 91, 92 08/65 to 08/66
Arne, Gary D. 25 ??/70 to ??/71
Arnout, James H. 25 02/70 to 08/71
Avey, David E. 17 01/71 to 09/71
Bailey, George F. 29 03/66 to 03/67
Bandini, Vic J. 99 10/68 to 10/69
Bartlett, Paul E. Snakedoctor 03/67 to 03/68
Bauer, Bruce E. 94 02/70 to 02/71
Beaumont, Mike J. 26 02/70 to 09/70
Bell, Joe K. 6 08/67 to 02/68
Beverung, Paul W. 28 07/66 to 12/66
Bianchini, Richard 91, 97 09/66 to 09/67
Billings, Randy W. 17 07/66 to 08/67
Birnbach, Richard A. 11 04/65 to 04/66
Blair, James E. 99 (avionics) 07/69 to 07/70
Blakley, John A. 94 03/69 to 03/70
Bley, John K. 15 08/67 to 08/68
Bogle, Charles S. 93 11/65 to 11/66
Boltinghouse, Pat L. 99 10/66 to 07/67
Bond, J. Scott 15 09/68 to 03/69
Bowen, Harold L. 16, 3 03/67 to 03/68
Breton, Joseph Snakedoctor 03/66 to 02/67
Budig, Sherwood 26 Snakedoctor 11/67 to 09/68
Burroughs, Bob 96 12/67 to 12/68
Buzzell, Stephen R. 92 09/67 to 05/68
Cahill, Doug 18 Admin Officer 9-67 to 5-68
Callahan, Michael D. 26, 3 10/69 to 10/70
Campbell, Allie H. 25 ??/64 to ??/65
Carey, Gordon 6 04/66 to 10/66
Carlisle, Michael R. 10 09/70 to 09/71
Carlock, Chuck 11 94 09/67 to 09/68
Carson, Frank L. 97 07/67 to 08/68
Champe, Gene E. 5 03/68 to 10/68
Chandler, James H. 16 Snakedoctor 6 03/69 to 03/70
Cieliesz, Joe 13 01/66 to 08/66
Clapp, John W. 11 11/64 to 09/65
Collins, Hubert V 97 06/70 to 06/71
Collins, Jim M. 20 92 09/67 to 09/68
Combs, Robert M. 20 97 02/69 to 02/70
Cotton, Charlie 20 06/67 to 06/68
Crouch, Curtis S. 5 12/64 to 04/65
Cushman, Robert L. 15 10/67 to 12/68
Daugherty, Joseph P. 90 10/66 to 10/67
Davis, Harry L. 23 01/65 to 01/66
Davis, Myron D. 6 06/70 to 01/71
Day, Richard 93 ??/66-??/67
Decker, Douglas 44 98 ??/70 to ??/70
Dillard, Dannie 28 ??/67 to ??/68
Dobbs, Mark J. 14 03/70 to 03/71
Donnelly, Steven W. 16B 12/64 to 06/65
Duerksen, Forrest C. 95 ??/69 to ??/70
Dunning, Wally W. 15 11/66 to 11/67
Ecker, Leonard R. 28 05/69 to 05/70
Eden, Tom 17 6/69 to 10/69
Eggleston, Robert A. 91, 92 08/65 to 08/66
Ehrich, Richard R. 26X 01/70 to 12/70
Eliott, John 29 3/69 to 8/69
Ellingsworth, David A. 93 11/66 to 11/67
Elliott, John 29 03/69 to 08/69
Engel, Dale 18 98 Nov 67 – Nov 68
Ericsson, Gerald L. 19 94 07/68 to 07/69
Farnham, Donald 96 11/65-06/66
Fiser, William K. 22 06/68 to 07/69
Fitzgerald, Robert D. 5, 6 10/67 to 06/68
Foles, Shelton R. 12 10/64 to 10/65
Foote, Neil H. 18 07/65 to 05/66
Frazier, Edwin M. 5, 6 10/70 to 09/71
Freeberg, George H. 93 08/64 to 11/65
Freeman, Wendell O. 99 06/70 to 06/71
Friel, Mike 92 05/70 to 05/71
Froehling, Stuart C. 98 06/70 to 06/71
Frye, William H. 16 96 08/66 to 08/67
Fulbrook, Jim E. 20 05/70 to 06/71
Gagne, Joseph R. 444 11/67 to 12/68
Gardiner, Robert J. 94 04/68 to 11/68
Gibbs, James R. 13 10/67 to 10/68
Ginter, Duane L. 91 11/64 to 10/65
Glenn, Rusty 99 04/69 to 04/70
Glidewell, John R. 71 08/67 to 08/68
Gnecco, Robert J. 22 12/64 to 08/65
Goodman, Benny 21 ??/68 to ??/69
Gordon, John 16 11/65-06/66
Grady, Dry 99 11/69 to 11/70
Graham, David H. 21 05/68 to 05/69
Grant, Charles R. 23 11/65 to 05/66
Griffith, Tom 91 65-66
Grigsby, Danny D. 26 01/71 to 09/71
Gross, Chuck 17 05/70 to 05/71
Grubbs, Paul L. 22 06/70 to 06/71
Grunseth, Gary E. 16 09/69 to 04/70
Gwynn, Edward R. 21 07/69 to 11/69
Haid, Donald J. 6 11/65 to 4/66
Hall, Thomas W. 5 12/66 to 07/67
Hall, Will M. 12 06/67 to 01/68
Hand, Dennis W. 13 06/66 to 06/67
Harbin, Michael F. 21 05/70 to 05/71
Hargrove, William T. Snakedoctor 03/65 to 02/66
Harrison, Richard S. 34 Snakedoctor 02 12/70 to 09/71
Helmick, Glelma O. 3 ??/65
Henderson, Lewis 6 11/64 to 11/65
Hennigan, William J. 26 07/66 to 05/67
Henson, Chester 2, 3 12/69 to 12/70
Hernandez, Luis P. 14 ??/70 to ??/71
Hill, Steven E. 29 11/69 to 06/70
Hilliard, Buck 95 10/70 to 09/71
Hingston, Wilford E. 98 06/66 to 06/67
Hitt, Johnnie 16, 3 08/69 to 08/70
Holdcroft, Duke J. 20 06/65 to 06/66
Holgerson, Bill 18 02/67 to 02/68
Holland, Joseph P. Snakedoctor 2 11/64 to 07/65
Holloway, John A. 20 11/65 to 11/66
Holly, Robert F. 27 12/67 to 12/68
Honda, Wallace T. 27 Snakedoctor 06/69 to 12/70
Hoover, David 93 04/70 to 02/71
Hopkins, Doug 15 01/66 to 01/67
Horn, Jack 91 06/66 to 06/67
Horton, Jack 26 11/65-06/66
Howard, Conrad R. 14 07/66 to 07/67
Igoe, Terry 96 07/68 to 07/69
Irby, William 10 5/70 to 5/71
Irwin, Roy J. 12 96 ??/68 to ??/69
Israel, Steve 18 11/69 to 11/70
Jackson, George 16, 5 11/66 to 11/67
James, Tommie P. 6 09/69 to 03/70
Jobson, James K. 26 10/67 to 05/68
Johannsen, Steven B. 14 Snakedoctor 10/69 to 06/70
Johnson, Edward H. 3 11/66 to 10/67
Jones, J. Mel 92 09/66 to 09/67
Joyner, William C. 10? 07/68 to 07/69
Kazmierowski, Lynn M. 92 11/68 to 11/69
Keller, Bill 95 07/66 to 07/67
Kelly, Bruce C. 19, 31 08/67 to 08/68
Kelly, Tim 11 02/69 to 02/70
Kilmer, Eric S. 14 06/69 to 06/70
Kirby, Rance 31 ??/66 to 3/67
Kirila, Michael R. Snakedoctor 07/67 to 02/68
Kleiber, Donald G. 24 03/65 to 02/66
Kretchmer, Michael A. 14 05/67 to 05/68
Lane, Doug G. 99 01/71 to 09/71
Lang, Neal E. 4 05/69 to 05/70
Lard, William R. 25 94 10/68 to 10/69
Leech, James R. 24 11/68 to 11/69
Leming, Joe Snakedoctor 03/65 to 02/66
Leopold, Mark E. 93 93 07/67 to 07/68
Lohman, Richard G. 21 11/69 to 11/70
London, William G. 97 02/68 to 02/69
Lowery, Roy J. 13 11/64 to 07/65
Lurvey, William A. 20 11/66 to 11/67
Lynam, Donald L. 16 03/70 to 04/70
Mabe, Kenny 12 05/70 to 01/71
Malek, James A. 14 11/67 to 11/68
Markiewicz, Ronald E. 97 03/71 to 09/71
Marshall, William K. 23? 11/66 to 03/67
Martin, Kirk 12 06/67 to 06/68
Martin, Steven J. 19 10/65 to 03/66
Marty, Tom J. 26 96 04/70 to 04/71
Massner, Earl 28 02/70 to 11/70
Mateyko, John 21 08/65 to 08/66
Maurer, Harry “Scott” 24 03/70 to 03/71
McAuley, Thomas H. 31 04/67 to 05/68
McDowell, Mark J. Snakedoctor 6 10/68 to 10/69
McGraw, Michael B. 19 02/71 to 09/71
McHugh, Kelly C. 97 08/68 to 08/69
McMahon, Kerry R. 19 11/69 to 06/71
McNamee, John J. 12 09/65 to 09/66
Meader, Jerry C. 26 08/66 to 11/66
Merritt, Jerry W. 28 05/68 to 05/69
Merry, William 93 04/71 to 08/71
Mikesell, James G. 26 07/69 to 11/69
Miller, James N. 25 11/67 to 11/68
Moore, Jim 28 09/65 to 09/66
Moore, Joel 23 08/70 to 08/71
Morgan, Arthur E. 27 10/68 to 10/69
Morris, Arnold C. 6 10/66 to 02/67
Moseley, Robert L. 5 06/66 to 12/66
Moss, Sam A. 26? 05/71 to 09/71
Nalley, John S. 33 12/70 to 03/71
Norris, James R. 90 11/66 to 06/67
O’Byrne, Joseph T. 94 11/64 to 05/65
O’Connell, William (Bill) Francis 27 11/65 to 10/66
O’Quinn, David W. 11 07/66 to 07/67
Olson, Ronald W. 10 11/69 to 11/70
Osbron, Roscoe O. 98 01/70 to 12/70
Owen, Bill 95 69
Palmer, John D. 3 10/68 to 10/69
Parr, Richard A. 4 08/67 to 08/68
Parsons, Robert L. 95 10/67 to 03/68
Patrick, Bill L. 10 07/67 to 07/68
Petrey, Carl W. 27 10/70 to 09/71
Pitts, Archie 17 06/65 to 06/66
Pratt, Tom 12 09/69 to 09/70
Price, William M. 6 05/69 to 11/69
Puls, Richard H. 28 02/69 to 12/69
Redemann, Paul E. 95 03/70 to 03/71
Rhodes, Donald P. 26 08/68 to 03/69
Rice, Greg 93 03/68 to 03/69
Richard, David P. 25 Snakedoctor 09/66 to 10/67
Richardson, Gerald A. 3 02/68 to 02/69
Ricker, Michael E. 3xray 03/70 to 03/71
Riley, Michael O. 17 05/68 to 05/69
Riley, W. Patrick 93 06/70 to 06/71
Robinson, Rex 22 ??/67 to ??/68
Romano, Tony F. 16 ??/70 to ??/71
Ropes, David G. 3/4 09/70 to 01/71
Schwem, Duke 16 08/64 to 08/65
Scott, Beryl 19 09/66 to 09/67
Shimek, Kirk F. 496 04/71 to 09/71
Shirley, Jerry D. 10 09/66 to 09/67
Sienkiewicz, Richard J. 16, 5 96 Snakedoctor 6 03/70 to 03/71
Sims, James Snakedoctor 07/67 to 07/68
Sneed, William D. 7 05/69 to 03/70
Stanat, Carl J. 16X 01/70 to 12/70
Stanford, Harold D. 2 08/64 to 09/65
Stiffler, William R. 14 09/68 to 05/69
Stone, Gordon L. 96 08/64 to 08/65
Sundberg, Ray G. 96 05/71 to 09/71
Taylor, Billy W. Snakedoctor 12/64 to 11/65
Taylor, Richard P. 23 91 09/67 to 09/68
Teelin, Paul A. 23 08/66 to 08/67
Theberge, Roger P. 12 08/70 to 07/71
Thompson, Robert G. 3 08/65 to 05/66
Vishy, Don 99 03/68 to 03/69
Walters, Jim H. 25 11/69 to 11/70
Wasson, Terry P. 15 07/70 to 07/71
Waterbury, James A. 10 02/69 to 02/70
Webster, Rick W. 19 95 10/67 to 09/68
Welton, Harry W. 12, 32 09/67 to 09/68
Wheeler, Dennis E. 98 10/68 to 10/69
White, Billy M. 26, 5 05/68 to 05/69
White, Gary E. 19, 5 96 05/68 to 03/69
Wiegand, Ken F. 95 02/67 to 02/68
Wilhelm, Jay S. 22 08/66 to 08/67
Williams, Gerald L. Snakedoctor 01, 6 02/68 to 02/69
Wilondek, Nate 28,4 08/68 to 08/69
Winfield, Les L. 13 01/70 to 12/70
Withers, Jerry 22 11/65 to 11/66
Wolcott, Donald L. 14 10/70 to 09/71
Wolf, Tom 26 12/66 to 11/67
Womack, Douglas 28 05/70 to 05/71
Wyrosdick, James D. 32 02/67 to 08/67
Young, Ray Snakedoctor 11/64 to 11/65