219 Headhunters
  • Home
    • 219TH UNIT HISTORY
    • L-19 Birddog - in "Cessna Warbirds"
  • REUNIONS
    • 2024 REUNION
    • 2011 REUNION >
      • Letter from A Headhunter's Son
    • 2009 REUNION
    • 2007 REUNION >
      • 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
  • Past Commanders
  • Events
  • What's New
  • Articles
    • Cessna At War
  • News
  • Headhunter Blogs
    • Headhunter Song >
      • Part 1
      • Part 2
      • Part 3
  • Past Reunions
  • Unit Awards
  • Unit History
    • History of the 219th
  • Other Unit Links
  • Get In Touch
  • Who We Are
  • Members Only - Password
  • Home
    • 219TH UNIT HISTORY
    • L-19 Birddog - in "Cessna Warbirds"
  • REUNIONS
    • 2024 REUNION
    • 2011 REUNION >
      • Letter from A Headhunter's Son
    • 2009 REUNION
    • 2007 REUNION >
      • 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
  • Past Commanders
  • Events
  • What's New
  • Articles
    • Cessna At War
  • News
  • Headhunter Blogs
    • Headhunter Song >
      • Part 1
      • Part 2
      • Part 3
  • Past Reunions
  • Unit Awards
  • Unit History
    • History of the 219th
  • Other Unit Links
  • Get In Touch
  • Who We Are
  • Members Only - Password

"My O-1 Backseat Adventure"

7/15/2021

0 Comments

 
"My O-1 Backseat Adventure"
Submitted by -CWO Chuck Brainerd, Cougar 34, 57th Assault Helicopter Company, Pleiku 1970-1971

My name is Chuck Brainerd,  I Flew with the 57th Assault Helicopter Company.  When I arrived in country the Gladiators and Cougars were based at An Khe.  Later that year we moved to Camp Holloway where this event happened in late1970 or early 1971

A 219th Headhunter pilot approached me at the Officers Club in Camp Holloway.  He asked if he could exchange a ride during a bird dog mission for a ride in Cougars Revenge Night Hawk.  So named for retaliation for the death of Cougar Jeff Coffin that was killed south of Pleiku.

I had seen these guys on missions in the AO and wasn’t sure I wanted to fly in one since they didn’t have the two door gunners that I was use to.  Also it was a non-turbine aircraft and I didn’t have a fixed wing rating.  But the 20 year old inside of me made the deal.

I had one condition, which he agreed to.  I would be able to bring along a M-60 Machine Gun.  He said yes to this request. After draping belts of Ammo every where I could, We took off to a strip that I cant remember the name of, landed and, pulled up to a conex, removed the smoke rockets and rearmed the Bird Dog with HE, 2.75 inch Rockets.  Then we headed out to the AO.  Enroute he asked me if I wanted to do a Split S, to proud to admit I didn’t know what that was, I said yes.  When he finished the maneuver I still didn’t know what a split S was.  I experienced G forces I have never felt and saw the horizon where it was not supposed to be.  He asked, how did you like that??  I answered I’m not sure what you did but that was fun hoping he wouldn’t do that again.

Arriving in the search area, he told me some one had use that trail last night, I could not even make out a trail.  After following the trail for a short distance, we heard a short burst of AK fire. After firing the HE Rockets, He began circling the area; he reached for a M-79 and a laundry bag full of Ammo for it and began firing it out the left side.  After he had his fun, he allowed me to shoot the 60 out the right side.

Now we were having fun.  After expending all the ammo we headed back to the PSP runway at Holloway.  During the post flight he exclaimed "Oh, Holy (expletive)".  He showed me that the M-60 shells had damaged the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer.  I said I had to go and left quickly never seeing him again.

This year this 60-year-old pilot soloed a Cessna 305 Birddog.  Looking in the back seat I can’t believe I shot a M-60 out the back right window.  I’m in love with the plane and have a great respect for the 219th Pilots and crews that flew them.

I thought he was Head Hunter 11 but I am not sure of that.  If you are the pilot in this story, please email me at [email protected],  I would love to talk with you.

Chuck Brainerd Cougar’s Revenge (Cougar 34)
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    July 2021

    Categories

    All
    1965
    1966
    1967
    1968
    1969
    1970
    1971
    1972

    RSS Feed

© 2021 Eagle Team Publishing Group. All information on this website is the property of the brave military personnel who sacrificed their time and well being by putting themselves in harm's way in the service of their country. This website is dedicated to those 219th Aviation Company Headhunters personnel & their families who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in this service. Permission for the use of any content on this website is reserved for use by any person who served on active military duty with the 219th Aviation Company . All others must obtain written permission in advance by contacting [email protected]