"One Time Flight"
Submitted by - Specialist Victor Hikok, PMOS 67B20, 219th Pleiku

Anyone in Army Aviation (crew Chief, Mechanic, Tech Inspector, Aviator) knows what the dreaded "Circle Red X" means to the flying capability of an aircraft! And for those who may have forgotten, it means that the aircraft can only go on a restricted, one time flight!!

During my tour of duty at Pleiku (Camp Holloway )in 1966, I had the opportunity to go TDY (Temporary Duty) to a town (?) called Gia Hghia where one Army and one Air Force O-1 were stationed.

We received word that a major offensive was being mounted against our area in a few short hours!! We had the cowling (both upper and lower) off the Bird Dog, for maintenance, and had to make a rapid departure for safety back to Camp Holloway. The only way to do that was throw the cowling on the aircraft, secure it with a few screws and the latches on both sides of the cowling, then the mighty 100 mile per hour tape (Duct Tape) was wrapped around and around the cowling to hold it together. The decision to make the aircraft a circle red X was made and we flew that aircraft back to Camp Holloway in that manner. Of course, as soon as we shut down the aircraft at Camp Holloway, it became a Red X condition (Not Flyable) but we were safe from Harms way, once again!

"Camp Holloway Flight Ramp"
Submitted by - Specialist Victor Hikok, PMOS 67B20, 219th Pleiku

"I recall an incident at Pleiku sometime in my tour of Jan 66 to Jan 67, where a crew chief was placing 2.75mm rockets in the tubes of his aircraft. Only problem was, he forgot to put in the red flagged "Remove Before Flight" pins that kept the electrical circuit from being completed on the tubes. Result? One crew chief hanging on to a 2.75 rocket with a 15 lb high explosive charge going down the PSP (Perforated Steel Plating- for those who do not remember those pieces of steel that many of us enlisted were tasked to replace on detail in the hot sun!!) for a short distance!!!"
Further comment on the incident above -
Submitted by Troy Duplessis -Pilot with the 219th 6/66/-3/67
"The pilot was Cpt Florio and the SF Camp was Duc Co. The SF guys were conducting a ground operation and CPT Florio was providing air cover. Ground fire struck one of the rockets on the right wind. The rocket detonated in the tube and a large chucnk of metal passed through the aircraft between the pilot & observer seats. Fortunately no one was wounded. The blast damaged the right wing aileron and it dangled from the wing causing severe drag. CPT Florio was able to return to Duc Co and safely land on the airstrip. I do not know if he had an observer aboard or if he was flying solo."

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"I also remember after arriving at Pleiku, that I believe was the 194th Avn Co (Caribou) was across the field from us. The Dept of Defense said the Army was trying to do the Air Force job, and the Army had to transfer the CV-2 to the USAF. They needed to fill air crews on those aircraft, and we were asked if we wanted to transfer from Army to Air Force. I chose not to, because it meant the loss of 1 rank, and I had earned my PFC and was hoping to make SP4!!"

"While stationed at Camp Holloway in 1966, I recall an aircraft landing that did not go as planned at the airfield at, I believe, was Plei De Lim (Sorry about spelling of Vietnamese towns.) I recall being told the aircraft was landing into the sun and an Ammunition truck was crossing the runway. The aircraft hit the Ammo truck. The Crew Chief pulled the pilot out of the front seat. I remember being told that one 105mm round had went off. I did see the crater in the middle of the runway when we went to retrieve the aircraft, to be sling-load it under a Huey Helicopter back to Camp Holloway. The pilot suffered broken legs. I am sot sure of any other injuries, but I know that crew chief's fast thinking and evacuating that pilot, saved both their lives that day! By the way, I was on the Huey, over the river, when we started losing altitude and the Bird Dog started swaying badly, even with the spoilers we put on it. So the pilot hit the button that released the hood, and the aircraft went into the river. That is all I know first hand of that incident. "
Further comment on the  incident  above-
Submitted by Troy Duplessis -Pilot with the 219th 6/66/-3/67
""The pilot was LT John Martin and his back seater was Lt Butler, an artillery officer from the 3rd Brigade, 25th ID. At that time 3rd Brigagde CP was at the Catecka Tea Plantation adjacent to the sod strip. Typical mission scenario was flying from Holloway to Catecka to pick up an observer from the infantry brigagde for either an artillery mission or a recon mission. End-of-mission was landing at Catecka to drop off the obaserver and returning to Holloway. LT Martin was on short final at Catecka when a 21/2 ton truck loaded with 105mm artillery rounds drove onto the runway. Collision was almost immediate. LT Martin's knees were severely cut by the firewall and LT Butler saved his life by extracting him from the wreckage. A post-crash fire resulted and engulfed the airplane and the ammo truck. Fire caused the 105mm rounds to detonate and crater the runway. In addition, a nearby jeep had its frame, a mounted radio and all tires perforated by flying shrapnel, along with some fuel blivets at a nearby helicopters FARP that were also punctured. Fortunately, or perhaps miraculously, no one was injured. LT Martin was medevaced to Japan and I do not if he ever flew again or returned to Vietnam."

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"I recall the Bird Dog had to be fitted with some sort of aiming sight to use to launch the rockets they carried. I recall it was a small piece of Plexiglas which was mounted a few inches from the windshield. Then marks in grease pencil were made on the windshield to align with marks on the Plexiglas. I remember my pilots having to change the marks in flight from time to time!"

"While on a routine (was there ever any other kind?) flight as observer in the rear seat, this actually happened to me, which I will not ever, in this lifetime, forget! The pilot instructed me to put up the pedals and install the stick. Then told me to give him my M-14 from the rifle rack. Of course I complied without question, for I figured he saw something I did not see? While in that flight mode, he leaned out the open window and shot. We landed at a nearby Green Beret camp. The commander there drove a jeep to the aircraft, the pilot told me stay with the plane, that he would be back in a short time. I was nervous, because Green Beret camps were not a popular site to be at! Sure enough, as promised, they returned. In the back of the jeep was a animal I believe to be leopard. The pilot told me, the animal was going to be strapped into my seat, that he would fly to Saigon to the taxidermist he knew, and would be back for me!! I was like a cat on a hot tin roof waiting for that aircraft to get back. When the aircraft finally showed up, the pilot didn't shut off the engine, but had me climb in and back to Camp Holloway we went. That was my only experience with the brave men of the Green Beret, of which I am glad they did not go under attack while I was with them those few hours!"

"Individual on the Runway"
Submitted by - Troy Duplessis, Jr. Pilot, 219th  , HH52 6/66-3/67

"An aircraft piloted by LT Chris Schafer was landing at Catecka when an individual soldier walked on the runway requiring him to make a go-around. A temporary control tower had been set up there because the 1st Cav was conducting operations in the area and had a FARP established parallel to the runway. LT Schafer reported the problem to the tower just as a 1st Cav chopper was calling to depart the FARP. The chopper pilot saw the runway intruder laughing about the matter and informed the tower that he was going to teach him a lesson. He then proceeded to rundown the gleeful fool and beat him into submission with his rotorwash. Needeless to say, we never had that problem recur."

 

"Baby Cakes"
Submitted by - Troy Duplessis, Jr. Pilot, 219th , HH52 6/66-3/67

"Crew Chief Stacy Reeves painted the name "Baby Cakes" on the cowling of an aircraft. This was the bird Chuck Getman was flying when he had a mid-air collision with a Huey near the la Drang River. Chuck was killed in the collision as was everyone aboard the Huey. Later Reevers painted the name "Baby Cakes II" on an aircraft with tail number 2929. On Nov 19, 1966, I was flying a recon mission alongthe north river of Plei Djereng SF camp when a throttle linkage failure occured. I landed in the river and my observer - SSG Teal Holbert - and I waited a long 30 minutes before being rescued by a Huey. After that incident, Reeves said there would be no "Baby Cakes III". Maintenance folks sent a Huey to sling load the Birddog back to Holloway. Not considering the weight of the water in the fuselage, the Huey lost rotor RPM and crashed into the river. A Chinook was sent and recovered both the Huey and the Birddog wreckages."

"My First Day as a Headhunter"
Submitted by - SGT Don Jordan, 219th Co Clerk, Pleiku

          It was a short trip of no more than and hour or so from Qui Nhon to my new home away from home.  When we touched down on that big runway at Pleiku, I thought that it was my new base.  But it was not to be!  My base, I found out, was located to the south at another smaller airfield on Camp Holloway.  Camp Holloway was a few miles to the south of the main Air Force base at Pleiku.  So I hopped on a truck and headed down the road to my new home.

          I remember being greeted in the Orderly room on that first day by my new First Sergeant.  His name was Sgt. Rush, and the Company Clerk was a Spec/4 named Mathews . . . .”Matt” for short!  I didn't know it at the time, but I was to be Matt's replacement once Sgt. Rush found out that I could type. The XO (Executive Officer) was a Major Spence.  I was given the customary cordial greeting when I turned in my Orders, and then received a short briefing on the ways of the world at Camp Holloway.  

          I was then introduced to my new Commanding Officer (CO).  His name was Major Ogburn.  I stood in front of Maj. Ogburn’s desk, came to attention, and gave my best snappy Army hand salute. 

           “Specialist Fourth Class Jordan reporting for duty as assigned Sir.” I said.

           “Welcome to the 219th Jordan.” He said, as he stood up to shake my hand.  Then came the “New Man” questions:

        “Where ya from Jordan?  How long have you been in the Army?  What’s your DEROS date?”  The DEROS date is the date when I go back to the States. 

          The officers in Vietnam were sure a lot more civil to the enlisted men than the ones in Basic Training at Ft. Ord.  So for the next few minutes we had a nice little chat.  The one thing that I remember most about the meeting was the sign on the left side of his desk.   It read “Headhunters!”   On the right side was a human skull with a bullet hole in it, and a cigarette clinched in the Beetle nut stained teeth.

          After that Matt gave me a short tour of my new home. Buildings like the latrine, the Post Exchange (PX), and the mess hall were all pointed out first. Then came the supply building where I picked up my bedding, an M-14 rifle and one clip of ammunition.   In the barracks Matt and I were sharing the same semi-private room.   I was assigned the “Top” bunk.  I found out later on January 7th why all of the new guys got the top bunks.    I have few memories of my first couple of days in Pleiku.  I do remember that the air was dryer, and it was a little cooler.  Particularly at night!  The nights could get downright cold!  Pleiku was much higher above sea level than Qui Nhon.

​          I joined the Army to be an Army Aviator. But I was tricked into becoming a Crew Chief on the O-1 Bird Dog.  I was told that all pilots had to take a mechanics course first.  In the 219th they turned me into a Company Clerk.  Such were the recruiting practices at the time.