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    • L-19 Birddog - in "Cessna Warbirds"
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  • Reunion 2017
    • Reunion 2011 >
      • Letter from A Headhunter's Son
    • Reunion 2009
    • Reunion 2007 >
      • Air Show Program Cover
      • Special Write-Up
      • Winners
      • Group Photo
  • Store
    • Order Form
    • HH Polo Shirt
  • Combat Stories
    • About Combat Stories
    • 219th AVIATION COMPANY PERSONNEL
  • Obituaries
  • Guest Book
  • Memorial Wall
    • Vietnam Memorial Wall
    • Vietnam Wall Facts >
      • Tribute to All Vietnam Vets- General Anthony Zinni
    • Tribute to Major Arlie Deaton
    • Birddog Unit Memorial
  • Photo Gallery
    • Beach Boy's Singer Mike Love
    • Headhunter Group Pictures
    • 2019 (Cruise Oct 2019- Mariner of the Seas )
    • 2015 (Ft Rucker/Dothan, Alabama)
    • 2011 Parris Island Marine Training Base
    • 2011 Frog More Stew Dinner at Fletch Maffett Home
    • 2011 Reunion Dinner #1 Holiday Inn Beaufort
    • 2011 Reunion Dinner #2 Holiday Inn Beaufort
    • 2009 Ft. Rucker Army Aviation Museum
    • 2009 Sky Ranch in Baker, Florida
    • 2009 Banquet at Enterprise Country Club
    • 2009 Breakfast Sunday Going Home
    • 2007 Atlanta, GA
    • 2007 Atlanta, GA ALBUM #2 Georgia Aquarium
    • 2007 Atlanta, GA Album #3 Low Country Boil
    • 2007 Atlanta, GA Album #4 Great Air Show
    • 2007 Atlanta, GA Album #5 Reunion Dinner
    • 2005 Daytona Beach, Florida
    • Video Shorts from Daytona Speedway & New Bird Dog Flies In
    • 2003 FT. Worth, Texas
    • 2001 Annapolis, Maryland
    • 1999 Annapolis, Maryland
    • Photos Courtesy Thomas Neilsen- 1965-66
    • Courtesy John Elmendorf - 1966
    • Photos Courtesy Lou Costello- 1965-66
    • Photos Courtesy Wayne Ammerman - 1965-66
    • EDWARD McCARTY PHOTOS '65-'66
    • Photos Courtesy Don Jordon - 1967*
    • Photos Courtesy Victor Hickok - 1966-67
    • Photos Courtesy Troy Duplessis - HH52 6/66-3/67
    • Photos Courtesy Al Paulsen - 1967-68
    • Photos Courtesy Ray Borza - 1967-68 (Camp Holloway)
    • Photos Courtesy Barry Mainardi - 1969
    • Photos Courtesy Grant McRorie- 1969-70
    • Photos Courtesy Douglas Krout - 1969-70
    • Photos Courtesy Frank Doherty - 1969-70
    • Photos Courtesy Martin Runkle - 1969-70 Camp Holloway
    • Photos Courtesy SP/5 Rich Anthes 1969-70 Camp Holloway
    • "Peter Gets A Bath"
    • "219th Vietnam Flight Scenes"
    • ROBERT KROMAN Photos- 1970-71
    • 219th 2nd Platoon Crewchiefs at An Khe 1970
    • TOM KAHLERT Photos- 1970-71
    • EDWIN CHUBB Photos - 1971
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"Headhunter Callsign"

7/15/2021

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"Headhunter Callsign"
​Submitted by - 1Lt Jim Voelzer, HH 10 ('65-'66)

Derivation of the “Headhunter Call Sign” (as my memory, tempered by these many years, recalls). 

I arrived at Pleiku in early July 1965 fresh from an “interrupted” stint as a Test Pilot at Sharpe Army Depot; Lathrop, CA.  Initially, our call sign was simply “Army 321”, but shortly, due to the many Army aircraft flying out of Pleiku, it was changed to Hershey.  That term cobbled up any number of snide comments from other units, not the least of which was “candy ass” which got old very quick.  We learned that we could apply for a new call sign and after discussing it amongst the pilots, agreed on Blackjack.  We applied and received the new call sign.  I don’t remember how many weeks we had Blackjack, but inasmuch as it was the nickname of General John J. Pershing, it wasn’t long before some “Brass” appropriated it and we were assigned the Headhunter name.  A couple of the pilots actually appropriated human (purportedly VC) sculls from the battle of PleiMe for their desk display and painted their call sign on the forehead.  As one might imagine, it wasn’t very long before that practice was terminated.  Our Unit patch in ’65-’66 was round and depicted an armed Bird Dog in a 45 degree dive.  It was a beautifully constructed and colorful patch and I haven’t seen it depicted on the website.  When I departed Pleiku for discharge in April ’66 we still called ourselves the 219th; not Headhunters. 
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