Curt Classen (curtclassen@email.msn.com) from Redmond, WA writes:
Heaaaa Ron Paye and Tony McDermott.. Thought I was a goner huh?? Naaaa not to happen. Just spent 10 days doing the Baja from San Diego to Cabo. Did a stop at the Hotel California for old times sake. 2,300 miles on the Harley with a few less nuts and bolts. Have to purchase a new exhaust system as the turn downs don't work to good when you sink into a 1 foot chuck hole. Lobsters for $10 and Tiqualla's for a buck. Sunburn and grinning. Great time but great to be back to the USA.. To many fellas with rifles at the check points. Brrrrrr chilling reminder to say the least. Talk to you guys soon.. Cobra 32 Winchester..
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.net) from Laredo,Texas writes:
Bernie-Thanks for the call last nite.I see LT. Clausen checked in.-Like I said las t nite,I dont remember that many snake drivers. I only remember Cobra 54 because like i siad he had engine failure,auto rotated Bulldoog 426 went & got them out of the rice paddy.The other snake driver was Capt Bilingsby.The other day when Rene Guerra was he told me that some tried to Frag" Capt Powell?Do you or LT Clausen know anything.Yesterday was Texas Independence Day-it was"TEXICAN INDEPENCE DAY".Hey Man ,remember i told ya i ws retiring.Well today i broke 30.I got 29 days.Unless for some unknown reason I dont.Hey man ENUFF SAID.I'll be in touch.LATER.
Michael Barrett (Michael_ Barrett@icpphil.navy.mil) from Phila. Pa. writes:
To whom it may concern, Capt Powell almost got fragged by a couple of cooks. They ran right by my hootch after they did it. I thought we were being shelled. CE 698 and 693 (Uncle Slick) 1st. flt. plt.. Also 61st and A trp 7th/17 71-72. Goes back a million years reading this stuff. Hi Bob Lee, take care.
Michael Barrett from Phila. Pa. writes:
I forgot, they missed him.They made us all fallout and we got a lecture about a killer in our unit.
Michael Barrett from Phila. Pa. writes:
It's all coming back (sort of). I think his name was Burke, Capt Powell replaced him for the usual reasons. Capt Powell was well respected among us.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.net) from Laredo,Texas writes:
For Mike Barret. thanks for the update on Capt Powell.
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Hey Bruno,Bernie,Curt,Michael,Ron,Tony, all you guys..................it's so wonderful to see you guys converse in here. PEACE TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES.
Jester (rg_smith@hotmail.com) from ron@kku1.kku.ac.th writes:
What are the chances of beginning the web page with the most recent persons to respond rather than having to scroll down to them?
Michael Barrett from Phila. Pa. writes:
Dear Jester;
At this time of year in 1972, brings back memories because like you, we were a little busy. Just a sugesstion, is it posible to establish a archive file? Maybe 3,4.6 months at a time.I can provide(I'll ask the kids}. Maintenance costs should be acceptable. Any help call me. Business hours east coast time. 215-697-1247.
Aisha (aisha@phoenix-pop.com) from SF, CA writes:
I'm a proud daughter of a Vietnam Vet.
My father Tom A. Leitz was a huey pilot in the early 70's with the 129th, then the 92nd.
My father died in 1985 when I was 8yrs old. He loved to fly helicopters. It was his life. He died in a crash due to mechanical failure on the job.
I'm trying to get any pictures, stories, memories, or just a mention that you may have remembered him.
I never got to meet my father in person, so I'm trying to understand who is was.
thank you to all my vets.
.aisha
Aisha (aisha@phoenix-pop.com) from SF, CA writes:
I'm a proud daughter of a Vietnam Vet.
My father Tom A. Leitz was a huey pilot in the early 70's with the 129th, then the 92nd.
My father died in 1985 when I was 8yrs old. He loved to fly helicopters. It was his life. He died in a crash due to mechanical failure on the job.
I'm trying to get any pictures, stories, memories, or just a mention that you may have remembered him.
I never got to meet my father in person, so I'm trying to understand who is was.
thank you to all my vets.
.aisha
Ron Paye (RonPaye@aol.com) from Indy. IN 46221 writes:
Hey, Guys. It is really great to read all your messages. It brings back good memories and a special feeling. A Vet is a special person and you guys are brothers to me. Mark! That goes for you as well. You have just as much right to be our brother as any of us. You, my friend have given far more than I have for the Good Old USA, and I am HONORED to call you one of us....
...As far as the Fragging. It was not Cpt. Powell that they tried to frag. It was some staff weenie, I think the XO or somebody. He was not in his hooch, but some civilian Tec. Rep. from Sagon was. He was just up for the day and needed a place to stay. The only thing that saved his ass was the gurnade fell behind the dresser and it absorbed the shock. Poor bastard left the next day and I bet never left Sagon again. If anyone had ever tried to do anything to Cpt. powell the entire
Gun Platoon would have hunted them down and killed them on the spot.Every man in the Gun Platoon just loved Cpt Powell and would have done anything he asked.His nick name was "Crazy Bruce" and he was one of the BEST men I have ever served under.He took care of his men, and would do anything to protect us and we would do anything for him.He was one of a kind and I hope to meet him again some day. He was one of the first Cobra Pilots, and could fly a Snake like no one else. I just cant say enough about him. So keep up the talk guys. It all sounds good, even if you are not talking to me. Mark thanks for all you have done. If the weather is ok and you are not busy in the next few weeks, maybe I can come up some Saturday and hoist a few with you. It would be my honor. Cobra 34 Out
art campbell (campbe@nb.net) from cardale pa writes:
Hey guys i would like to say a few things about Cpt Powell myself When i reported to the 129th Cpt Powell was the CO until Maj Jones assumed comand. Althought i was only a SP/4 at that time Cpt Powell treated me as one of the gang. When i was accepted as a member of the Cobra it was a rainy day and all of us including the officers when puddle jumping and got soaking wet and drunk. after i left the 129th i went to ft campbell and after a few months i ran into Cpt Powell.To sum things up Cpt Powell was a great person .
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from I'm not sure anymore. writes:
Hey guys....I'v been watching the commo on Cpt. Powell. I wonder where he is at, and if we could locate him? Seems he is a well respected man! Anybody got any extracts with his name on? They usaully had ones Social Security Number on them too. I have a contact that can track SS #'s. God Bless you guess, Keep up the contacts. It is wonderful to see it all happnin' after all these years!!!!
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HUMBLE writes:
Hey RON........Thanks for the induction into the Brotherhood of the 129th. Really man........you dont know how that makes me feel. I expect to bump heads with you later this summer. Hey guys....we gotta git a BIG 129th reunion happnin' some day. I am working on getting one of the moving WALLS to come to our lil' town here in a year or two. That would be a grand time to have a reunion......see ya later guys!
Frank Beall (FMBeall@msn.com) from Florida writes:
Looking for 129AHC crew who made rescue of downed C/7/17ACS OH-6 and UH-1H crew near Phu My/ LZ Crystal, Bien Dien Province, II Corps, on 5 Jun 72. The A/C was a Army major with an accompanied by 2 M-60 door gunners and a Marine advisor. Six downed crewman were picked up and flown to QuinNhon for medical attention. It's a shot in the dark, but let me here from you. Thanks, FB Red 15, Aero Scouts, C/7/17 Air Cav, AnSon, Lane AHP, 1972.
Raymond V. Green (rgreen@vfr.net) from Bosnia & California writes:
I was in the 129th from 9/67 thru 12/68 as both a slick and gun pilot - call sign "Regent".
I'm currently in the California Army National Guard, but our unit was mobilized to Bosnia
where I'm currently stationed. I have setup a web page while in Bosnia http://www.garlic.com/~rgreen which
talkes about our unit while in Bosnia.
aisha (aisha@phoenix-pop.com) from San francisco writes:
I want to say a big thanks to the people who keep this website up. I've been able to find 2 people who knew my father from Vietnam.
(My father is Tom A. Leitz, UH-1 pilot DAT in 1985 civilian helicopter crash, 129th AHC 1971-72)
proud daughter,
aisha
Donald L."Corky" Corkran (dkcorky@centuryinter.net) from Sunset,La. 70584 writes:
"ABBOT" July 1967- Oct. 1967
Dan Wray (dkwray@csi.com) from Pinewood Springs, CO writes:
Served with the 129th from 4/71 - 6/71.
ALEX FERNWALT (alfern@bellsouth.net) from memphis, tn writes:
Just wanted to let everybody know that the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association is having there Reunion in Dever Colo. June 21-27 1999. At the dever Marriott Southeast Phone 303-758-7000 VHCMA rates are 69.00 plus taxes. Me and Glenn Pearmain will be there. we were with the 129th 65-66. And my second tour with the 129th was from 8-67 to 4-22-68. and Mark Jackson Thanks for all the info you get for everybody. And hope your are enjoying the 129th shirt I sent you. I hope we can find a meeting place for 129th reunion.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com ) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bernie, i've watching the weather channel,Brother looks like you got snow up to your rump roast brother. Just checking in. It's been in the 90's down here & it's not summer yet. I also see everyone been checking in -I see Curt was in OLE MEXICO with Mr Tequila. Go easy on the Tequila 'cause it'll put a knot on yore head brother. I Know !!!!! E'NUFF SAID. TAKE CARE
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
This is for Alex- Just a sugestion on trying to locate a place to hold the reunion. I dont have a phone number. But there is an organization in Denver called the National Veterans Training Institute sponsored by the Univerisity of Colorado. U might want to try & locate there number & see if thhey can help in locating a place . I'm going to go thru my stuff & try to locate a number for you to call. If i find it I'll get back to you on the 129th web.Sorry brother I don't have it @ the moment. You might also go thru your local American Legion Post or 'V.F.W.' totry & put you in contact with some of the Posts in Denver.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
ALEX- Found it. Try 303-892-1712/fax 303-825-0977. They might know of some other organization that they can refer you to. Hope it helps.
Ron Paye (ronpaye@aol.com) from Indy. writes:
Hey! All you 129th guys, Great Big HI. from Indy. Hope all is well with everyone. The reunion in Denver sounds like it could be a good time to get together. My folks are having their 60 aniversery that week, but if we get something going I will try to attend. If I can help any way in setting it up, let me know.
Ron Paye (ronpaye@aol.com) from Indy writes:
Hey, Mark..... If you are going to be around the next few week ends and dont have any thing to do; let me know and I will make plans to come out some Friday or Saturday. We can look at some pictures, swap some stories, tell some jokes, tip a few, and get to know each other. Let me know when it would be "ok" with you and the little lady.
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Hey ALEX.....good ta hear from ya man, and guess what?...I had the shirt on yesterday when I read your post!!!!.....wont be able to make the Denver trip this summer...gots a weddin' happnin' round here..and plan to make the RUN TO THE WALL on Memorial day with Rolling Thunder. I hope lots of you Hiss and Piss guys can hook up out in CO........have a good one and hoist a few for the crew of the "257"....they will know it!!!!...take care guys!
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Hey Ron.... OK man.Listen up. I have a free weekend this coming weekend. The 20th and 21st.....busy on the weekend of the 28th.....and then Easter is the 4th of next month,busy then too. But after that, the rest of the month of April we are free. See what fits into your skedule and call me. Will be an honor to me to meet you.....take care!!!!
Judith Singer (xsinr68491@aol.com) from Wisconsin writes:
My friend, Tom Shaw, was a member of the 129th AHC and died 4/27/72 at An Khe Pass. His crew survived. I am looking for those gentlemen. Please contact me for I have only recently found out about his death. Sincerely, Judith
Ron Eaton (Saomd@aol.com) from Maryland writes:
November 68 - Jun 69
Ron Eaton (Saomd@aol.com) from Maryland writes:
November 68 - Jun 69
Larry, fleww with your brother a couple of times when he was the unit SIP. Great guy, at the time kind of quiet! Super IP.
Ron Eaton (Saomd@aol.com) from Maryland writes:
November 68 - Jun 69
Larry, flew with your brother a couple of times when he was the unit SIP. Great guy, at the time kind of quiet! Super IP.
Ron Eaton (Saomd@aol.com) from Maryland writes:
November 68 - Jun 69
Larry, flew with your brother a couple of times when he was the unit SIP. Great guy, at the time kind of quiet! Super IP. Looking for Nosier from NY, or lockard.
Ron Eaton (Saomd@aol.com) from Maryland writes:
November 68 - Jun 69
Larry, flew with your brother a couple of times when he was the unit SIP. Great guy, at the time kind of quiet! Super IP. Looking for Nosier from NY, or Lockard. Lost a crew at the An khe Pass on a Korean LRRP insertion, three KIAs and one MIA.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
This is for Judith Singer, from one of the surviving crew members of Bulldog 426. It would be my pleasure to fill you in on any info. that I can. My home phone is 801-731-7958, and also Bruno Sanchez could also help he was crew chief for 426.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Hey Bruno was going on since the last time we talked? Yea the weather was a little snowy and chily, but this week is supposed to be nice this week. I'm looking forward to the coming weekend cause we got the World Championship Cutter Racing Finals for the next two weekends so I'll be hanging out there. I will be giving you a call this weekend. Did you read the message from Judith Singer? Lets help all we can. Hello to Curt Clausen and Mark Jackson, how the hell are you? The pictures of 426 are being copied at this time, and as soon as I recieve them you get em. Later.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
This is for Ms Judith Singer-Yes Lt Shaw & Mr Strother were thje pilots on 4/27/72-because the regular pilots,Warrant Officeer Shillto & 1st Lt Jones had over flown the flying hrs allowed. Bulldog 426 had been resupplying the R.O.K. fire base @ the western end of the pass with ammo,water, medical supplys.The fire base was completely surrounded. No one could be evacuated out because thel LZ on the fire base was ZEROED IN. Lt Shaw & Mr Strother ( I cant remember if mr Strother was a warrant officer or a Commissioned officer-this Aprill the 27th will be 27 yrs ago) were the replacement pilots. It was the 1st time I flew with them. so I really dont know much about them. If i recall correctly Mr. Strother was going on leave to meet his wife in Hawaii in a day or two. Are you related to Lt Shaw? I was the crew chief & the doorgunner was Spec 4 Bernie Hernandez. The ship went down @ appx 11:30 am.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bernie-just to say HELLO & Hello to everyone else. How are you all doin. Hope everyone doing fine HELLO LARRY BULLER I got your E-Mail Thanks. E-Mailed back on 3/13/98.
Curt CLASSEN (curtclassen@email.msn.com) from Redmond Washington writes:
Mr Bruno Sanchez.. Your giving me flash backs man.. Are you saying that you were the crew chief that picked up Cobra 54 Billingsly in the rice paddies.. If that was you I was the co-pilot at that time with Billingsly.. We were up to our nose's in mud and the bad guys had already surrounded our aircraft. We had been shootin up the tree line with our Car 15's and M-79 ammo when you arrived and yanked us out of the mud. The ground unit commander who I met when we recovered the cobra said that if we had not been picked up within the next 10 minutes we would have been dead because there was 2 companies of VC that were all headed to our position after hitting the ground. Good God my friend if this was you I remember you grabbing my arm and the next second I was laying on the floor of the Huey. I think we called that pick up-- slow flight.. All I know is I thought my boots were still stuck in the mud and I was one happy pilot to feel your outstretched hand in mine.. If your that crew chief I owe you for the rest of your life. I never knew who it was or who the flight crew was. Damn.. How does that happen.. We were so thankfull to be picked up. Maybe we just drank at the club for the next two days or maybe we just hit the seat of another mission and put it behind us. Don't remember.. I know the slick that picked us up had dumped a resupply mission to come to our grid coordinates.; You see while I was flying with the Bulldogs before Cobras I learned a lot of where all the Fire BAses were and would always stay tuned to the slick drivers in case of problems. As it turned out it was you and the Bulldogs that saved my life that day. It took a week or so for the ground troops to secure the aircraft. I had bailed out into the paddie with my CAr 15 and chunker and left $500 worth of camera equipment in the seat.. Like the books says when you go down you only leave with what you have strapped to your body.. Long story here because all the guns and ammo almost drowned me when I hit the paddie.. Had unload and then dive to recover my ammo.. Turned out that this is what saved us for the few precious minutes before you arrived.. I made AC after that mission and Billingsly and I never flew together again after that date.
AS for CPT Powell.. This man deserves every commendation and reconition a soldier and leader of men can receive. He was THE MOST outstanding commanding officer I ever met in the Army. It was my pleasure and the honor of every Cobra Gun Pilot to have served with him. No pilot could fy better or new more about a Cobra Gunship than Cpt Powell. I will never forget my first check ride with him. First time I truly learned how to REALLY FLY A COBRA..Cpt Powell instructed you in envelopes and procedures that you would only learn from a master. Enough said, we all know how to autorotate onto psp from the front seat with no systems working and talking all the way down. The mission was not over unless you were dead. As for the frag incident I agree with Ron.. Any attempt would on Crazy Bruce would have meant someone would disappear from the earth that day.. Only real frag incident I remember was the xo who did get hit and was medivaced over the "girls in the wire" item....Koreans and some or our guys involved with that investigation..
Bruno tell me more about the rice paddy pick up.. Good God small world.. I have a photo of that Cobra stuck in the dike and the ground commander that secured the area..It was a brand new Cobra just new i country with the new fuel bladder system.. Would take hits and not explode.. Didn't even have Shark Teeth painted yet.
AS for Cpt Powell. Every Cobra Gun stands behind this man 100% as he did us every day and every hour. We all hope to give this man a hug and welcome home. Finest man I ever knew. Gave his all and then some. CAn't say enough good about him.All for now Cobra 32 Winchester..
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo,TX writes:
Curt I might have been mistaken-I dont think it ws Capt Billingsby. But If U look in the Photo album there a picture with the title "Rice Paddy Daddy" & another pic that is titled "Newbee Bullet Catcher" .Those are the " snake driver" that auto rotated to the rice paddy. I dont think it was Billingsby- its going on 27 yrs man. I got he Cobra 54 call sign mix up because on that same page i a pic w/a snake in flight & it's titled Cobra 54. I beleive it's title the ship that 54 broke-it wa the "Hog Ship"....WO Shilleto & Lt Jones were the Drivers Bulldog 426.We werent too far away because we seen the snake auto rotated all the way down int o the rice paddy. The snake driver did a real fine job-he sat the snake down just like he had power. For all the weight that the ship had there were no visible eradict motions.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo,TX writes:
Curt I might have been mistaken-I dont think it ws Capt Billingsby. But If U look in the Photo album there a picture with the title "Rice Paddy Daddy" & another pic that is titled "Newbee Bullet Catcher" .Those are the " snake driver" that auto rotated to the rice paddy. I dont think it was Billingsby- its going on 27 yrs man. I got he Cobra 54 call sign mix up because on that same page i a pic w/a snake in flight & it's titled Cobra 54. I beleive it's title the ship that 54 broke-it wa the "Hog Ship"....WO Shilleto & Lt Jones were the Drivers Bulldog 426.We werent too far away because we seen the snake auto rotated all the way down int o the rice paddy. The snake driver did a real fine job-he sat the snake down just like he had power. For all the weight that the ship had there were no visible eradict motions . I did Jump in the paddy because the A/C was carrying a bunch of maps & other crap & he kept getting triped up with the weeds in the rice paddy.I jump in the paddy to give him a hand but I also kept being tripped up by the weeds-"Once Upon A Time In Viet -Nam" HUH!!! .
Judith Singer (xsinr68491@aol.com) from Wisconsin writes:
Thank you gentlemen for all of your help, to date, but don't forget me. I am still in need of information on the crash of Pilot 1LT Thomas Shaw on 4/27/72 at AnKhe Pass, and photos of him in
Nam.
I'll be volunteering at the reunion in Tennessee this July. I hope to meet some of you there.
I'm always open to chat, you are not forgotten.
Gentle thoughts, Judith
I'll also be volunteering at the reunion in Tenn., so, I hope to see you all there. Check out
Judith singer (Xsinr68491@aol.com) from wisconsin writes:
Bernie, I'll call this weekend. Bruno, tell me more, tell me more(sounds like an old song, doesn't it?).
Are you gentlemen going to the reunion? I'd love to meet you. Gentle Thoughts, Judith
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Judith I'll be looking forward to your call, I should be hanging around the ranch. I plan on going to the VHCA in June, its in Denver Colo. Take care.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Bruno and Mark, the pictures of "426" are done and I'll be sending them out this weekend. Bruno here is the name of the pilot that was friends with Mr Strother. William E. Knebush, 2805 W. 150 N., Amarillo, Texas 79102, 806-356-8033-- 806-374-2985, one of these is his office, give him a call.
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LX HOME writes:
RON EATON????....RON EATON??????...when you said this "Larry, flew with your brother a couple of times when he was the unit SIP. Great guy, at
the time kind of quiet! Super IP"............. RON,Are you refering to my Brother, Larry Jackson, of the 129th Bulldogs???...call sign "Pop-A-Top"????..DEC.68/Sept 69..if so....please contact me.....you are the same time period as him..........PLEASE ADVISE, RON EATON!!!!...............and to the rest of you guys....Geeezzzzz...I dont check the Flight Log fer a day or two.....and some heavy commo been goin' on.........Lessons learned..........check Log Book Daily!!!!........God Bless you all........HEY CURT..ya wanna another Flash back?????.....How about the STONE CHAPEL at LANE????.....I got pix of it!!!!!..that is where they held the service for the crews that went down.....including the "257".
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
JUDITH SINGER......so glad that some of these guys are able to help you. Dang,.......this thing started as a snow flake....and now is a full fledge blizzard......I love it.....I am so glad to be a part of it all......you guys really dont know what this means to me, when I see you all come together after all these years....and ya know what 129th????..it aint me babe...it's my brother Larry doin' it all.......his death over there..........has brought us all together.....bottoms up to him and the other 58,000+.......
...........AND ABOUT CPT POWELL......I am searching franticly for him..and turnin' over every stone I know to try and find him for you guys.....seems he needs ta hear some of the stuff you'all are sayin' ..............I will die trying to find this man for you guys......as you did so long ago.....I TOO,TAKE THE CALL!!!!!!!......"257"....SKIDS UP.......WILL RTB SOON!!!!............CLEAR/RIGHT.......BREAK/RIGHT......."257"..OUT
Michael Barrett (michael_barrett@icpphil.navy.mil) from Phila. Pa. writes:
To whom it may concern. I've seen talk about the 129th photo ablum. Could somebody give me the information and cost about obtaining one. Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone.
Curt Classen (curtclassen@email.msn.com) from Redmond WA writes:
Dear Bruno Sanchez.. Thank you for the clarification of the Cobra pick up incident.. I was definately with Billingsly that day as his co-pilot. I had just made AC with check ride under Cpt Powell the day before and this was the last co-pilot mission I made because they were short handed for LZ English assults that were going on up North..We had already extracted the American Advisors and all hell was breaking loose between DaNang and LZ English which was our northern most bordor for gun ship support.. At any rate Cpt Powell decided after that mission that I had my cherry button pulled and was loading up my own Cobra Gunship the next day..I do thank you for your input and for picking up our fellow guns.. Your a walking wonder man after the accident at An Kha Pass.
So will leave the story on the site because now you have my curiosity up on who the crew was that picked Billingsly and I up..Was an exciting day to say the least.. Felt real lonely on the ground that morning all by ourselves. Thank God for grid coordinates and the Bulldog slicks of the 129th..
Cobra 32 Out.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo,Texas writes:
Curt-I was goin over the album-if I remember corrrectly it was WO1 Hartwick that auto rotated & landed in the rice paddy. Man it's been going on 27 yrs. I have to g back and take a "Look See" to make sure. I also saw the picture of the front seater but his name 'ISNT THERE" for 27 yrs I've been goin arond asking "Whos was that Masked man?
Bernie-Man waiting for the pictures is like for saturday nite waitng to go acrooss to Mexico to Boys Town-even while I'm writhiing this right now I'm getting butterflies in my stomach. Thanks for the call the other nite. Good Luck with your entry man.
I was copying the commo-this is for the one who inquired about the photo album.-this was a photo album that was made @ LANE. I really dont know how you could go about getting one. UNLESS some out ther has two & wouldnt mine parting with one.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo,Texas writes:
Just would like to say thanks to the people who had the vision to make this to make this a web site because Its TURNED INTO A GREAT WEBSITE !!!!
Campbell Arthur (campbe@nb.net) from Cardale Pa writes:
This is for Sanchez & Hernandes. I'm looking at my copy of the 129th ASLT HEL CO year book. I see two photos in the back. Is Sanchez the same guy that's between Sp/4 Elmore & Sp/4 mattison and Hernandez just below Sanchez the same guys on the net? If it is i don't remember you guys but i might have flown with you both. I was in the Cobra Plt but i would fly as doorgunner for both 1st & 2nd Flight Plt's ever once in awhile to give the regular doorgunners time off. I flew alot on the so called chicken wagon. also a lot of time to LZ English. I'm the guy in the photo with the phrase " I didn't see your name on it". Newbe bullet catcher was WO1 Nawakowski and Cpt Billingsly was known as Jesuschrist Super Star. I left Vietnam on the 27th of April 1972.
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ PROUD writes:
WOW????>Men of the 129th!!!.it is soooo good to see all the commo going on in here. Dream come true for all of us ,huh?.....You guys stand so much taller them me. I know you all will say that the real" HEROS ARE ON THE WALL".........but you men took the call and did what was ask of you. Hand salute to ya all! I may have been the one that provided the 129th info to the net, but as I all ways have said....with out what you men did so long ago. None of this would be happening. It's here,cause you were there!!!!.............rest assured, as long as I live........the 129th will be one of the last words I utter before I die........God bless you men......
I have seen some talk of a 129th BIG get together........I dont know bout you guys...........seems there have been a few mini/reunions amongst you all, all ready..and that is great........but let me pose a plan for a biggy!!!!!!......I have iniciated for the small burg that I live in to bring one of the MOVING WALLS here. You guys have heard of them,correct?...well..we have applied for the year 2000 for this event. Chances are, that this gaol will not be met. Due to a hugh request for the WALLS to be in other cities. So we are shooting for the year 2001........NOW.......I pose this question to you all..........Do you not believe that at the time the MOVING WALL comes to our town, would that not be a great time to have a BIG 129th reunion?????.....I mean it's just a thought men. If any interested...I will keep ya posted in here...the WALL is gonna come here come hell or high water if I have something to say about it!!!!............I just thought it would be nice to include all of you in it!!!....take care......"257"...Out!!!.......OH...RON PAYE and the rest....I be still trying to find Cpt Powell!!!!!!!!
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Art Campbell, you DEROS'D on the day that Bulldog 426 went down. I remember Chicken Wagon ship and I also recall Jesus Christ Superstar, and that is Bruno and myself in the 129th album. Hey take care and Welocome Home.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Curt Classen, thanks again for the photos, you've made some things happen here, that probley would not have ever happened. THANK YOU MUCH!
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ISCI.com ) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Arthur Campbell-Yeah Buddy, Thats probably me & Bernie should be right below me. Damn!! so after all time that was Mr Nowakaski ( hope I spelled it right). thats the only time I got to see him or speak to him. It was Brief. I guess the snake had some engine trouble. That was some welcome HUH? Arthur I goning to have to look you up in the photo album cause i dont recall you. I'm glad you got back home safe . All this commo would not have been for the person initialy asking for Mr Strother & Curt Claussen respnding to his inquiry.This is Freakin Great. Hope everyone just ckecks in now and then. E'NUFF SAID. I'll check in Later-BERNIE, cant wait to get my hands on those pic's. For the life of me I thought I would NEVER see any picture about 68-15426 anymore.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Yea man, the pictures and maps will be sent this weekend, i'll probley send them 3 day delivery or as fast as they can get them to you. Bruno I might give you a call this weekend, "Bulldog 426" Sin Loi till next time.
Bill French (BFrench745@aol.com) from Marietta Ga,30066 writes:
Whats this about a get together in Ten. And a year book? I have some pix of the Church and the pool below. "Gus" did you get the pix of the Deer you guys were skinning? Any one rember "Ann's" house in Que Non? Have some pix of pop-a-son and Ann
William L. (Bill) Shillito (bill.shillito@prodelin.com) from Newton, North Carolina writes:
Hello. Is there a list of flight crewmembers that flew with the Bite and Strike.
I flew close to 1,000 hours as a Warrant from 1971 to 72.
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Hi everyone. Here is the dope I have on the ship Nowakowski went down in.
Information on U.S. Army helicopter AH-1G tail number 66-15304
The Army purchased this helicopter 1167
Total flight hours at this point: 00002607
Date: 07/22/72
Incident number: 72072210.KIA
Unit: 129 ASLT HEL CO
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: BS899019
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC WO1 NOWAKOWSKI GLENN EDWARD KIA
P CPT BILLINGSLY LEE WAYNE KIA
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY 6711 570 570 1641 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6712 47 617 1641 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6801 0 617 1641 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6802 0 617 1641 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6803 0 617 1641 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6804 0 617 1641 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM 6805 15 632 3350 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6806 67 699 3350 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY 6807 72 771 3350 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC 6808 47 818 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6809 81 899 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6810 10 909 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6811 44 953 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6812 75 1028 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6901 71 1099 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6902 90 1189 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6903 39 1228 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6904 11 1239 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6905 73 1312 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6906 58 1370 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6907 7 1377 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6908 1 1378 WAKED0 D TRP 1SQ 10CAV VIETNAM RVN 6909 30 1408 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 6910 72 1480 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 6911 43 1523 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 6912 59 1582 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7001 14 1596 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7002 67 1663 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7003 11 1674 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7004 25 1699 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7005 61 1760 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7006 17 1777 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7007 32 1809 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7008 40 1849 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7009 17 1866 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7010 8 1874 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7011 22 1896 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7012 52 1948 WAKED0 DTRP 1-10 4 INF VIETNAM RVN 7101 37 1985 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7102 23 2008 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7103 59 2067 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7104 15 2082 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7105 71 2153 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7106 59 2212 WAKED0 D TRP 1 10 CAV VIETNAM RVN 7107 45 2257 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7108 10 2267 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7109 5 2272 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7110 21 2293 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7111 30 2323 WAKED0 1 10 ARC D TRP VIETNAM RVN 7112 6 2329 WAKED0 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7201 0 2329 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7202 20 2349 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7203 21 2370 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7204 91 2461 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7205 40 2501 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7206 67 2568 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN 7207 39 2607 WC3JAA 129 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com ) from Laredo, Texas writes:
BILL SHILLITO- Are you the WO that used to "DRIVE" bulldog 426" & the" peter pete" was 1st Lt. Jones?
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Hey Bill French....what year was the deer skinning going on???.I have video of somebody skinning a deer at the 129th that is vintage 69 sent to me by Bill Wolf of the 129th.
Lloyd Robinson AKA Robbie (hobbes@kodak.com) from Rochester N.Y. writes:
I was assigned to the 129th from april 69 to april 70. Was doorgunner for larry jackson (mark jackson's broher) for a few months. Was doorgunner on Bulldog 465 which had a #1 on the nose and we crashed one day when resupplying Korean outpost on one of those mountain tops they occupied not far from Lane. A.C. was Mr Rau, can't remember peter pilot's name (he lost part of his leg in the accident) Sp5 Beebee was the crewchief. I was wondering if anyone remembers that wild boar that lived in the free fire zone that was in the mountain area over by Phu-cat. we used to go in there and make sure our weapons would fire ok and to keep ourselves sharp. One day i had Mr. Mckay for A.C., and he said we're going to get that hog today. so i gave him his m-14 and he was trying to hit it by shooting his window on the pilot's door. he emptied a clip and couldn't hit him. He told me to shoot it and after i did, we set down and the door gunner and i tried to lift it and it was too heavy. had the peter pilot help and still too heavy, so we locked the controls, left the ship running and all four of us finally got it in the ship. Took it over to Phu cat and traded it for some lumber because Mr. Mckay was going to build something for the officers. My door gunner did pry a tooth out and wore it around his neck for awhile. Can't remember his name.
Lloyd Robinson AKA Robbie (hobbes@kodak.com) from Rochester N.Y. writes:
i was looking through my vietnam vets new york state council interchange paper that i receive in the mail and saw an article written by a sp5 Barry winkler who says he was a door gunner in the 129th in i think in 1970. was in the gun ship plt. there really wasn't much information about him, they just put his article in. i was wondering if anyone knows him and if he has an email, maybe i could contact him and say welcome back if nothing else. you can contact me at my email hobbes@kodak.com.
bill Shillito (bill.shillito@Prodelin.com) from Newton, N.C. writes:
This message is especially for Mr. Hernandez and Mr. Sanchez.
Bruno you asked if I am the same bill that drove good ole 426. Yes.
I just logged on for the first time yesterday. Wow, at the memories come flooding back yesterday. Boy I miss you guys.
It was chilling reading the inputs from you and Bernie. I have never been able to justify in my mind why I was not ACing 426 that day. I never really knew what occurred. Is there a way that we can talk real time.
How in the world did you guys survive? You can't imagine how many times I have thought of you guys. I have always wandered how to contact you or find out how you were.
There is so much to cover..........I won't be in such a hurry now that I know I can stay in touch through the site.
Not withstanding all the old "bad" memories....it is great to know that I can touch base with you again.
Just know that I know that you (Bernie and Bruno) were the best the 129th ever saw..........
sincerely,
bill
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Judith Singer- I really dont know that much more about LT Shaw other than he seem like a GOOD GUY.This ws the 1st mission that we'd flown . I'd seen around the company area a few times-like walking to & from the flight line , the chow hall etc. But other than that I wouldn't be able to help you much. Probably the Huey pilots would know him better.Right now I dont know if I'll make Denver myself cause I'll be getting ready to celebrate "OUR " 25th wedding aniversery the 1st week in in june. If I can make it I'll be asking for you. E'NUFF SAID.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
MR Bill Shillito-Man O Man!!!! I thought that was you. I just Got hold of Bernie myself a couple of weeks ago. I also had been wondering about everyone else. I'm not going to write up the whole webb site. I got your E-MAIL.- I'll be giving YOU a land line. HOW THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN ? I'm sure glad you're OK. & safe. Man, I've Already said a mouth full . Later Buddy !!!!
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bill Shillito-P.S.
Thanks for the compliment.. I'd there's a whole bunch of them that served w/the 129th. I'm just proud I did & I know Bernie is too. Again , thank You.. I'll be touch..Bernie is going to be Mailing some pic's that were taken by Curt Claussen ,he also was a pilot with the 129th. Bless his heart cause he took the pictures-from the crash. .
Ron Paye (ronpaye@aol.com) from Indy> writes:
Hey!...Bruno Sanchez and anyone else...Dont worry about using all the web page with your messages. That is what it is here for. It makes us all feel really good to see and hear everyone talking to each other. Why the hell do you think we log on every day. So please, please,, keep using the web page, no mater the length. If you have personal things to talk about, use the E-mail, if not please let us share in the joy and the news. It does us all a lot of good. Damn near makes me want to cry some times, and we all know men dont cry. Love you all!.....Welcome Home Brother's......
ALEX FERNWALT (alfern@bellsouth.net) from Memphis, Tn. writes:
Bruno... The reunion in Dever is given by the VIETNAM HELICOPTER CREWMEN ASSO. Guys from every helicopter unit are attending. Thats where I met Glenn Pearmain. We were crewchiefs in 65-66. we were the first from Rucker to join the 129th at BONG BA THIN. From there we scattered everywhere. My second tour was at Lane Field Aug.67 to April 22 68. I am glad to see as many guys connecting after all these years. Where in Tenn. is the reunion in July. I am located in Memphis. Welcome to all of you. And thanks to Mark Jackson for his info he has shared. ALEX
RYAN MOXLEY (RMOXLEY@ACHS.LAKE.IL.US) from ANTIOCH writes:
THIS SITE IS SO GOOD, VERY GOOD!!!!!
THE SONG "HERO" BY MARIAH CAREY IS PERFECT FOR THIS SITE, BECAUSE THESE HELICOPTERS PILOTS WERE HEROS IN MY EYES AND THEY DESERVE MORE THAN MEDALS.
Judith (Singer) from xsinr68491@aol.com writes:
This is for Alex F and everyone else: the info on the nashville reunion over the 4th of july can be found at www.vhpa.org----finally, i feel involved on this site by offering some info!!@@! I'll be at the reunion(registration) make sure to stop and say hi. I'm also still inquiring about Tom shaw. thank you. Judith
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) writes:
Hi Guys. ....Hey Robbie Robinson. Good to see ya buddie. How is the back?........He Bill S.....and everybody else....there is a real time chat room we can all talk in at the same time. trouble would be, getting everybody there the same time. It is THE BUNKER that is at the bottom of the VHFCN homepage. BILL S..I bebieve I saw you sign in there yesterday. I hang out there sometimes. Usually it gits a hoppin' round 9:00PM EST. But anybody at any time can go in there and chat. It is marked for OPEN DISCUSION but mainly is used by Viet Helo people. A bunch of fine people there. Couple of Hook Drivers and riders, a crane driver, and just plain good poeple. It would be cool to see the 129th represented some night. If you do go....sign in with the 129th in you name. See ya round guys. Sure is good to see all the commo in here......YO ALEX
dennis aderholt (d aderholt@attnet.net) from georgia writes:
I flew with the 129th Oct.66-Oct67 as door gunner on cobra 073, and on several other ships. The unit always held its head high and accomplished the mission. It would really be great to here from some of my old buddies,Joe Bragg, Hanson, Mihael King, Sgt."hook"Heard just to name afew. I have located one of the cobra pilots Mr.McMillian, and would like to find some more. We always saied do it them first and then leave.Long the BITE AND STRIKE.
tim boerman (dsoapm@aol.com) from san diego writes:
was in 129th AHC .ETS in SEPT.72.Any quackers left?
Animal (tatu@gte.net) from Hawaii writes:
True or False ? It was late in 1971 and a big Typhoon was coming. They had us take every aircraft that could fly and go to Cam Ranh Bay. While we were assaulting the Air Force Officers Club ( and taking no prisoners), The Typhoon veered completely away from An Son and leveled Chu Lai, which of course was not evacuated.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
This is for Judith Singer and Bill Shilleto, if you would please call me at home. Mr Shilleto if you were the pilot that called me friday evening please call again because you shocked the HELL out of me, I never thought I'd ever hear from you again. I often wondered what happened to you. Welcome Home.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com ) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bernie Thanks for the call sunday. How was the HOSS RACE ?, HELLO EVERYONE-just checking in. Hope eveyone survived the weekd end.
Bruno E Sanchez (Laredo, Texas ) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Animal - Yeah i rememeber that typhoon. @ that time I was stationed @ Camp Evans, 101 ABN DIV, as the crow flies, abot 25 miles south of good ole Quang Tri. Man with all that wind & water that was a nit to spend in the NICE HOOTCHES. The 1st thing we did ws staighten out & put up the over turned out houses. Man that was such a fun day.
RON PAYE- THANKS PARTNER. Sometimes I get in a roll & yackity yack yack.
BILL SHILLITO- Bernie told me you calso we took a round that messed up the servo. led that led us to do th running land @ PHU CAT AFB-. Remeber the air force sgt that we had in the cabin sittin' on the radio we were hauling for the air force. The man had BUG
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, TX writes:
Bill - sorry i hit the wrong damn key. Like i ws saying that the man Had BUG EYES & grunted an OH SH- --!!!! Both you & Lt Jones did a fine job on the running landing.That was my very 1st one. Man o Man as soon as we stopped the A.F. SGT expedioulsy vacated the area. I'd bet he never got on a Slick agian. Well there i went again blab blab. I'll check later. YA ALL HAVE A FINE ONE.
Steven J. Tagg (TaggGP@ix.netcom.com) from Long Island, New York writes:
Cobra Innkeeper (1969-1970) wishes well to all who served in the 129th.
Michael Barrett (Michael_Barrett@icpphil.navy.mil) from Phila. Pa. writes:
To Animal,
I was in the 61st at that time, but we went to Phan Rang. Trashed that place and got thrown out. Finished up my tour with the 129th 1st flt plt. (Crewchief 698 and 693 Uncle Slick)
Curt Classen (curtclassen@email.msn.com) from Redmond, Washington writes:
Heaaaaa Bernie and Bruno... Must have taken those photos that day for you guys..Sounds like a tremendous impact for you, your families and friends. Was a very sad day in the Pass that day and you guys are walking talkin miracals. Welcome home my friends.
Also thanks for the clarification on the Cobra pick up. As I said still will wait to here from the slick crew that did pick Billingsly and I up from the patty that day. When you mentioned Hartong my memory went back again. Hope we find that guy because he and I took some hits in the SCAS system one day and had to land on the beach up North by the twin bridges somewhere. We were loosing much of our flight controls, put down on the beach and were picked up that time by Bulldogs. Funny how you trigger memories with a name.. So another story for the Guns.
WEll when you all receive your photos will be interesting to hear your reflections..Thank you all for all the support and brotherhood that is provided on this web page. Truly touching my heart. And Ron Paye we have got to stop crying so much.. Come on now, were 50 and holding ya big galloot.. Love ya bro.. Welcome home to all of you no matter when you flew the Nam..
Cobra 32 Winchester and Out..
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
CURT, thanks for for words. Sounds like you're a walking wonder yourself. Yeah Bernie said he was mailing the pics Monday the 22nd. Cant wait. You mention the twin bridge area. & others. Ireally cant say as I remember (geographically) where they were at. Bernie said he wasa sending a map.I hope theyre on there.Cause I'm going to have a long moment to myself as I know Bernie did & take a "long look". Were you above us circling around taking the pics?. I recall that May jones had landed a slick on the other side of the hill with a Korean laison officer( Ithink). He called out to me if I was OK. as I was waving my field jacket @ a snake above us ( was that you) I didnot hearr him until he called me. I didnt expect him. I saw the Eyes I raised my m16 & was going to drop him. I thought he ws VC/NVA. Maj jone came up @ that time & yell at me real hard. As soon as I saw the ole man I sense i was OK & was going to make it. This is what those Pictures mean to me & probably Bernie. Again ,thanks. If that wasnt you above me when I was waving my field hacket, do you know who the Hell they were?
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@ICSI.com) from Laredo, Texas writes:
CURT
P.S. No sweat on the cobra pick ups. It was the slick Pilots - the doorgunners just kept an eye peeled real good to make sure you got back safe.
Barry Swanson (bswanson@milgo.com) from Riverside, CA writes:
To Greg Henkel (Animal):
I was in Las Vegas last week and made arrangements to get together with "Festus". I called him a few weeks before I was going to be there. What a trip, 29 years since the last time we spoke or seen one another. I had told cocktail waitress's it had been more years since we had been together then they were old. It was really good to share our thoughts and pictures with each other, especially when he had pictures of me in his books and I had pictures of him in mine. He had pictures of you that he showed me, so I put up the web site of the 129th on my laptop and read from some of the entry's to see if he may have remembered some of you guy's. He said to say "Hey" to you and all of the other 129th members. Looking forward to the chance to meet all of you guy's at a reunion.
Judith Singer (xsinr68491@aol.com) from Wisconsin writes:
Mark, Ron, Bernie, Bruno, Jim, Curt! What a decent group of guys(though I'm sure there stories contrary to that:).
I'm very happy with all of the information I'm getting-can't thank you enough(enuff, as Masrk would say). My step is into the National Archives and then, well, where ever that takes me(magic carpet ride I hope). Tom Shaw's birthday is Sunday so I'm going to his grave site..he'll be so happy to hear about our conversations and the 129th page(though I know he is hovering over us and already knows, right Mark!
Bernie your green and gold stuff is going out tomorrow-no signature from Brett but....by the way, no photos and maps of Tom's crash and location(by the way, I can read those maps..I'm a geographer by education, Arizona State University) yet, perhaps Thursday. I check the mail daily and close my eyes when I open the mail box..praying. Too bad I can't spell check this thing-I'm not as uneducated as it appears...just hurried. Let's all take a deep breath!!
Leaving for Milwaukee Friday, so I won't be typing again until Sunday pm...but already I feel a need to check my E-mail and this site.
Polecat left me an E-mail:he's going to do something at the WWW.thevirtualwall.com on Tom. It's a great site, so if you haven't visited go there, my friends. You can even write remembrances to our friends who have "crossed
over" before us. I wrote to Tom-twice. Perhaps again on Sunday after I spend several hours with him. I hope his family is there..I can't locate them and would really like to make contact. "Enuff". I must depart. Roger that? Banking to the left and out of here(how's that Mark?).
Gentle thoughts my friends--your sister Judith
Mark, thanks for being a brother, hugs and kisses to the family.
Bill French (BFrench745@aol.com) from Maretta Ga writes:
To:Mark Yep 69 that was the one A Big old buck.
To : Ted I cant open the pix you sent there in a format that I dont have can you send them in GIF or JPG format , thanks
Frenchie From San Francisco
Judith (singer) from xsinr68491@aol.com writes:
guys!!!just a found a cool site-may help in locating other pilots, WO's, crew chiefs, TI's,mechanicsetc..find it at WWW.JIGA-Watt.com/avndirectory. Maybe we can locate Powell!!!Gentle thought-jusith
Dan Hertlein (hert@serv.net) from Sumner, WA writes:
I have scanned some slides that I can share with anyone interested photos of Lane Airfield that were taken between Feb to Oct 1968. Most of the photos are of flightline mechanics and a few at the company picnic.
Rick Benedict (stij@mail.sunlink.net) from Allenwood ,Pa writes:
Looking for the silent Yaqui. Are you out there
Cobra Knave. I saw that you signed on and I tried your e-mail. It wouldn't deliver. No listing on your phone either . Give me a try . It will be good to talk to my wing.
COBRA LITTLE JOHN 70-71
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bernie-I received the flicks yesterday. DAMN !!! that was some sudden stoppage. I was mistaken-won't be the last either. For some reason I had erroneously imagined that it was Curt that was flying above us. I didnnt know that he had been on the ground taking the flicks. These were taken after we had gotten dusted off.they came out pretty good. I also got the report. By any chance do you know who that was flying above us ?
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas. writes:
Judith. say Hello to Lt Shaw for me.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Judith- Say HI to Lt. Shaw for me.
Judith Singer (xsinr68491@aol.com) from Wisconsin writes:
Roger that, Bruno.
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Hi ya gang.......check out that picture above! Thats Larry. I was'nt sure if the picture would show up. Sure glad it did:-). Hey Judith. I was out at Larry's joint today after work and told him about your mission. I told him to say hey to Tom from all of us. Take care gang
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
TO:...hey BILL FRENCH.....would you like a copy of that video of the deer skinning????
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Hey,hey!!!!!...I was'nt sure that one would work either,but it did. NOW...there is a picture you can use to scare all the animals away from the house with ;-).......Thats me out at Larry's joint. I pull the Hawg right on top of him and let it idle for a few minutes before I shut it down. The Bike is dedicated to Larry. It is the "NEW 257".....Later Gang......keep the faith!!!!
Ron Paye (ronpaye@aol.com) from Indy. IN. writes:
Hey! Mark, Great picture of Larry. Glad you got it on the Net. I cant seem to see the one of you and your bike though???? Hope to get out your way soon.
Hope all is well with everyone else.
Take Care. Ron Paye...Cobra...34...OUT.
Curt Classen (curtclassen@email.msn.com) from Redmond, WA writes:
Gooooooodd Mooooorrrnnnnniiinnnnggg VietNam.. Thanks to Bernie and Bruno.. Received the article from you guys and will proudly add that to my 129th collection of you guys. I WAS NOT the Cobra overhead that day.. I was still a new guy flying slicks with the Bulldogs just gettin my cherry botton poped. I was dropping supplies from the other side when the crash happened. As the report goes the mortors and fire were hell. We were all trying to find a differant route to "sneak" up the hill. It was always blow and go before the mortor would hit around you or get a direct hit. We were dropping stuff from one end of the compound to the other to make a differant pattern as possible. So not sure who the Cobra was above. Could have been Webber or Powell.
Judith please say hello to Tom from all of us at the 129th.. We do remember him and we all have our visions of him. Flyin, talking, walking on the flight line. We miss him. We thank you for caring and for making this special trip on his special day..
WEll Seattle is going to have "Sun Breaks".. Mike T. and I are getting together for a VET ride today. See you guys on the flip flop. Cobra 32 Winchester.. Vroooooom
Bruno E Sanchez (rausl@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Hey Mark - thats a cool flick of your Brother.
Curt what report are you taking about?
Bill Shillito (Latter Day Bulldog 21) (bill.shillito@prodelin.com) from Conover, N.C. writes:
Hello Bernie. Sorry I didnot mean to catch you so cold. It was great talking with you on the phone. So many things to talk over.
Bruno, Thanks for the reply. Great to hear from you. Sorry, it has been a week or so since I have been on the site.
Many...many......many thanks for Mark and the rest for being the cataylst for this site.
Bruno or Bernie......if and when you can call me. Try the 800 number first (800-464-8537). That is my office number and I am usually here from 730 AM until about 630 to 7 PM EST. At home it is 828-466-0136.
Thanks for everything you did and still do to serve.......
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ RIDE writes:
Yeah Bruno........thats my favorite of him. I think it says it all!!!!.....hey?..which one of you guys is sendin' me the pix of the crash of the "426"?. I am locked and loaded and ready to rock and roll on this new 129th homepage and if ya dont mind, I would like to include them on the page sometime. You guys take care...Hey Judith???.How did your visit with Tom go???.did you run into his family there?
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) writes:
Hey Curt..... blew work off today..and did a 70 mile ride ....ended up with a doorag sunburn..;-))...dig it!..........gearin' up for the Run To The WALL with Rolling Thunder in May. I WILL KEEP ALL OF YOU INFORMED ON THIS NEW 129TH HOMEPAGE THAT IS IN PROGRESS. BRK/Bill S.......the pleasure has been all mine to be associated with all you 129th guys....take care gang.
Bill Shillito (Latter Day Bulldog 21) (bill.shillito@prodelin.com) from Conover, N.C. writes:
Hello to all you Bite and Strike crew. After reading this site I been doing some digging.
I have a 129th ASSAULT HELICOPTER CO yearbook. It further says: 7th SQDN 17TH CAVALRY 19-US ARMY-71. An Son - Vietnam. I will be glad to have copies made for anyone that would care to have one. It so happens that this yearbook is before my time. I would love to know if there is one from the 71 to 72 time frame, but I don't remember one being made or offered. Am I correct? Anyway here are some names of the folks and positions in this yearbook:
CPT Durden (CO), CPT. Bish (XO), CPT Noel (I remember him to be the Opns Officer??), CPT Roy (Gun Plt Ldr?), CPT Abel, CPT Fransko, CPT Becker, CPT Uznanski, CPT Sudman, 1LT Wolf, 1LT Wood (I have some additional photos of Lt Wood making some funny faces. I have run into now Col Wood several times and he stopped into visit with me at Ft. Bragg in about 1976.) 1LT Latham, 1LT Planche, 1LT Ayers, 1LT Redman. CW2 Weaver, WO1 Day, WO1 Thies, WO1 Carlson, WO1 Hersley, WO1 Jones, WO1 Ingram, WO1 Link, WO1 McDaniel, WO1 Fay, WO1 Davis (one of my first ACs), WO1 Page, WO1 Iwerks, WO1 Nagy, WO1 Cody, WO1 Williams, WO1 Miles (Frog to his friends.....I was too new to be allowed to speak directly to him), CW2 Pittman, CW2 Alexander, WO1 Gilliland.
1SG Stroupe, SFC Meuser, SFC Reeves, SFC Maciolek, SSG McIntyre, SSG Stoner, SSG Dennis, SSG Poston, SSG Miller, SSG Richards, SSG Maletto, SSG Jenkins, SSG Belle, SGT Spangler, SGT Miyamura, SGT Roberts, SSG Augustine, SGT Welch, SP5 Edberg, SP4 Hubbard, SP5 Davis, L, SP5 Anderson, SP5 Conger, SGT Cruz, SP5 Schmidt, SP4 Sims, SP4 Spradley, SP4 Gauthreaux, SP5 Hernandez (this is not my gunner and friend Bernie), I will put up more next visit.
If anyone is interested in the above year book let me know.
Also, I have photos of: UH1-H 47147, 473 (with my first bullet hole, it is in the tailrotor housing. We got it picking up the car salesmen who happened to get pinned down coming back from Pieku through the An Khe pass.
I do have a photo of Claude Strother from early 1972 (My wife records receiving the photo on April 10, 1972). Claude is sitting on the cargo floor and we are both eating C-Rats......waiting for the cloud cover to burn off. I am trying to remember our CrewChiefs name that day. He is in the photo also, I believe he is SGT Purvis?? I will be glad to make copies of this one also.
Bruno......you and I were together the day that we picked up the downed Cobra jockeys.......I distinctly remember the pilot slogging thru the wet marshy rice paddy, and you jumped out to help him with his maps, ky38, and lots of odds and ends. I don't remember who was Doorgunning that day.....was it Bernie?
The first time that we slid 426 on at Phu Cat was the day that our opns officer or CO promised to give a damaged main rotor blade to the Air Force jocks at Phu Cat. They were going to use it for a bar top. Well we did not secure it down quite well enough and at about 60 knots she came loose and smacked the hellhole, we landed in a paddy immediately and re-secured it. Fortunately we had it pretty well centered and it stayed against the hellhole. I don't know how it keep from cleaning your clock......anyway we landed in a paddy. We re-secured it and took off again. I suppose the smack to the hellhole broke one of the hydraulic lines and we sure enough lost fluid and hydraulic control. My first hydraulic off landing since flight school and I wanted to make sure we keep our airspeed up. I did, and boy did we smoke those skids. I must have touched down doing 60. You did not miss a beat. We got the hydraulic line from the air farce and had it back in the air in about 45 minutes.
The next time was in the An Khe pass. On final to a LZ, we took a round in the hellhole and it took out the one of the servos (which I still have). We flipped two ROK Soldiers out before we got it back under control. For the life of me I cannot remember if you were with me that day. We also had a new pilot. He had recently transferred from the Cav to the 129th.
I have several neat Photos. One has a crewchief climbiing a coconut tree. He is almost at the top. The photo was taken in Dec of 71. He is the crewchief for 17147. Anyone remember his name.
Enough already.
Great site. Some wonderful and some sad memories. I hope we can pull off a 129th re-union. It is great to start to close a big gulf in my memories of some of the greatest patriots I ever met........
sincerely
bill
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) writes:
Hey BILL S......me thinks I have the e-mail addy of that SGT Purvis you speak of. That would be Don Purvis at dpurvis@lexcominc.net...check him out..he has stoped in here befroe and I ahve heard from him recently.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Bill Shillito, great talking with you this morning. Bruno, Judith I'm getting the maps copied when there done I'll forward them to you. Mark the picture of your brother is on the one, I have one that is similiar of myself when I was with the 61st, I'll get you copies of "426" and forward them also. Judith thank you for the pictures, got them yesterday (29 March). I think that was cool you visiting Tom's grave site, hope you told him hello from the crew of "426", I'll be talkin at you later, "426" out.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bill - Good Morning & great to see you log on. Bernie was doorgunnig when the Cobra autoroted.It was WO1 Hartwick & WO Nowakawski.Man you've runned into a lot of ex-129 members. I want to say Thanks for going to see Bernie & me the following day @ the aid station. I recall there were 2 other people SFC Smith & don't recall who the other person was. Do You recall ? YEAH Man !!! the skids were smoked on the running landing @ PHU CAT AFB. But you & Lt Jone did a great job bringing "426" safely down. It couldn't have been down better if the slick had landing wheels. I've taken both your phone numbers & I'll be giving you a call. I dont recall excactly but iif i recall correctly, you weren't AC'ING 426 because & Lt Jone Had supposedly over flown the hrs. allowed.& were to stay on the ground.. I still have some questions to ask-remember that mission where there ws a major or COL on board with a south vietnamese with a prisoner on board.;the south vietnamese was interogating the priosner & telling the prisoner to "point " out on the map where his Buddies were. The prisoner would keep saying Hum Bic.Until finally there was a smack on the prisioners face & the prisoner began giving it up. & pointing out on the map all the positions..When Bernie saw this he said thatr it was going to start to rock & roll. It sure did.. Remember where we had lunch that day ? I dont know where it was but man to this date I remember the great steak & the nice COLD BUD that day- that tends to stick your mind & appreciate that meal. Man E"NUFF SAID. Dont for get to check in now & then.BERNIE- How's the hoss race. I'm OUTTA HERE- .
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Bruno, I see your up bright and early this morning. The Hoss Race was good, but lost by a head, which is not good, oh well the flat track season is soon upon us, so I will start that season next. I got a young filly to start training in May. See Ya brother.
bill shillito (bill.shillito@prodelin.com) from newton, nc writes:
Hello Bruno and Bernie
Bernie great talking with you this morning. Thanks buddy. It meant a lot to me that you would take the time to call.
Bruno:
More and more memories.......thanks for putting up the additional memories, let see:
I do now vividly remember visiting you guys the next morning but for some reason had blocked it out. SFC Smith and let me search my memory on who went with us to see you.
Yea the beer did taste good in country.......
I am positive that you and Bernie were with me the day we came in too hot to 1st Company trying to avoid the mortars, I let it balloon and then tried to correct it all with pitch. I caught the torque gage coming down thru 70 PSI. I think we were up to about midnight that night changing out all the filters and checking for chips. Sorry about that!!!
The steak and beer I believe it was at a resturant called "Forrgots"........a french place near Bien Hoa?? If that is the place I had a lobster that day.
Bernie, I look forward to getting any photos of ole 426.
Bruno........Bernie says that you might have a Company Yearbook.....if so, tell me how to get a copy.
Mark.....thanks for the tip on Don Purvis, I will drop him a liine. Hope he sees this message.....he was almost as much fun to fly with as Bruno and Bernie.......
see you guys.....miss ya
Judith, nice work and nice touch to keep Tom Shaw's memory alive.
bill
art (campbe@nb.net) from cardale penn. writes:
Bill Shillito I have a year book that on the cover says 7th sqdn 17th cavalry 19 US ARMY72. There is a photo of a WO1 Hillito. I don't if that is you and they left the s off. Some of the other officers in the book are Maj Jones, Cpt Powell, Cpt Goodnight, 1Lt Bossen just to name a few. If that is you i don't think you would know me. I was in the Cobra platoon at the re-arm point and sometimes door gunner when the cobra platoon first had the old mike model gun ships then when we received the cobras iflew as a door gunner for the first and second flight platoons. Well take care
Judith (xsinr68491@aol.com) from Heaven writes:
Guys,what can I say...
My visit with 1LT Thomas Shaw this weekend was not orchestrated by me, but rather by a Power I now know we can all count on. Trust me.
Sunday, Tom's birthday, started out disappointing. There is only the military issued marker for his grave, and the U.S. flag on it is the only color any where around. The cold, rainy day(usually my favorite weather)that surrounded me, and the starkness of his site drove my sullenness into the ground... with Tom. He was all alone. And it was his birthday. I stayed about an hour, talking, offering him warmth, reminiscing, smiling, crying,
often just staring, often just with quiet between us.
And I waited. I waited for someone else to visit him. I guess after 27 years of being dead, the lives that have moved on forget to remember. I left, happy to have been there, yet,completely
broken. My visit seemed incomplete. So, having all the time in the world, I drove around the city of Fon du Lac. "Did Tom travel on this rode?" "Did he eat at that restaurant?" "Buy gas at that station?" And on and on. Then, out of the clear blue(like a helicopter coming to save you) I remembered Tom's old address(I had only seen it once)! I knew his parents didn't live there anymore, and in fact, I have been unable to
contact them. But, what the hell! I decided to visit his old homestead. Once I found it, quite easily I might add, I sat in my car out in front, took several walk-byes, stopped, and said "What can it hurt,if I don't ask now being this close, I may never know." So I knocked on the door. The gentleman who answered wasn't very friendly and made me feel as if I were intruding(makes me laugh now that I write it because I probably was intruding). Motivated, I asked if he knew the Shaw's, ends up he bought the house from them and gave me their new address...in Fon du Lac!! WoW!! Guys!! The feeling was the same one I experienced when I meet you on this site---extreme excitement!
I don't know anything about Fon du Lac, but as a lettered geographer I knew I couldn't get lost. Again, finding the house of Tom's parents was relatively easy. Parked the car, rang the door bell. "Are you Mrs. Shaw?" "Yes." "I'm a friend of
Tom's." And for several hours, she, Mr. Shaw, and I looked through their memory book on Tom's life, youth, marriage(with a 27 year old son, Tom Jr. who unfortunately doesn't remember his dad, but looks just like him), service(she wanted me to
hold on to his visored military hat)and death. We
wept softly several times. They showed me his medals(Bernie and Bruno, he and WO Stroughers both recieved the Purple Heart, just like you), and we were silent.
They miss Tom as if he died yesterday. They loved taking about him, showing him off, and were insatiable in their need to hear any new bits of information I had. And though what I offered was meager, at best, I felt only the love they had for their child.
You guys!! Because of your help I was able to bring(my eyes are tearing so much I can hardly see the keyboard) their son back to life for them. We let them know that people still think of him, talk about him, and share stories of him. There was a Tom Shaw, their oldest boy. Go to Heaven, every single one of you! You made for us a beautiful day and a beautiful relationship, for they are now my friends.
They would to hear, even if only several sentences, from those of you who knew Tom or even of him. They are now very elderly and like so many of our parents, are living deeply within the world of only past memories. I have their address--just me let me know you want it.
Sorry about the length of this Mark, but this is the short version. Gentle thoughts my wonderful friends-Judith
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Hello Judith, It's good to hear from you again. I'm very happy that you completed your journey to locate Tom's parents, I would like to write them and tell them my story about Tom. Your friend Bernie.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bill - I sure do have the "year book". I dont know how you can get one. I'll loan you mine if you'd like. Let me know. There'ss a picture of you & some one else as the "pay officers" & a line of enlisted men waiting to get paid. The Picture is sub titled " They ran out of money".I thought you had the yearbook.. So i had steak in Bien Hoa-I always wondered where that place was & what was the name. That "MACV' officer was all right because, if i remeber correctly he picked up the tab.That place was full of spit & p[olish Brass I've got to now but I'll be back-Later
Bruno E Sanchezj (rauls@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Bill-back on. Yeah. I recall that Over torque. "426" had just gotten out of the 100 hr PE. I beleive that was the 1st mission @ that specific AO. We came out ot the clouds like a Bat of hell.?the ground was coming up like a "S.O.B".I believe you called out on the intercom to dump out the boxes of C-RATS & other stuff onboard..As soon as we dumped the stuff out you rolled "426" to the left & down the road. Man O Man that was some driving.. I later cleaned out my seat.There was some strange smelly stuff on there..I know there are & were a lot of good pilots.But that day You were "ONE HELL OF A DRIVER".You kept your wits & got us out of a jam.
JUDITH-I'm Glad. you went. At the moment i dont know if i can make the Denver reunion.I'd really like to make it cause I want to see Bernie & you.. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
E'NUFF SAID-I'M OUT.
Judith- I glad. & I now Bernie is also.
Bernie Hernandez from Ogden, Utah writes:
Bill, Bruno, the other person that visited us at the aid station was Mayor Jones, Sgt (Snuffy) Smith (he hated to be called that, he did look like the cartoon character though) and THE BEST SLICK PILOT IN THE WORLD BILL SHILLETO. Happy Days you all.
Bruno E Sanchez (rauls@icsi.net) from Laredo, Texas writes:
Hey Bernie-Thanks for the come back. Man for the life of me I cant recall OLE SFC Snuffy & the OLE Man-Maj Jones going to visit @ the aid station...
bill shillito (bill.shillito@prodelin.com) from newton, NC writes:
Art, Thanks for the heads up. Undoubtedly that must be the yearbook that includes my photo.....how many hillito or shillito can there be in the world......that flew with the 129th.
You just re-called several more memories.......1Lt Joe Bossen was a great friend and I have not heard from him in a long time....the last I knew he ets(ed) and was living in Texas???
Cpt Goodnight I recall was on a night mission with our brand new flare rack.......remember hooking those flares to the cargo floor rings and tossing them out by hand........... that is a helluva nights work.........we keep Bon Son light one night till around three in the morning so they could see the bad guys..........Bruno and Bernie were you there??
Back to Cpt Goodnight.......as I recall the first flight with our brand new flare rack that eliminated most of the manual work and had an ejection switch (in case one of those million candle power flares went off inside the aircraft could be ejected quickly) well you guessed it the whole rack got ejected by accident......and we were back to tossing them out by hand......but that was along time ago and my memory may be faulty......anyway we had a great laugh about the whole deal.
Art, Bruno also has a copy of the yearbook includes the time frame that I was there......I hate to ask anyone to let me borrow it so that I can make copies.......but I would certainly cover the expense of getting copies made and would be glad to make 5 or 10 for others who log on and want a copy...........let me know your thoughts.
bill
bill shillito writes:
Judith,
Great story..........thanks. I can only imagine the courage it took for you to go up to Mr. and Mrs Shaw's door.........what a wonderful opportunity to remember Tom for them that you provided............
I would like to know how to send them a short note about Tom...........thanks.
bill
bill shillito writes:
Bruno, Bernie
Thanks for the response. I don't feel comfortable asking you to send me your only yearbook so that I can make copies......what if it got lost.......let me know what if anything we can do.........let's think on it,there should be a way to do this.
Faulty memory again........it was not Ben Hoa but Tuy Hoa airbase as I remember 50 or so miles south of Qui Nhon on QL1........we parked at the MACV compound and to the MACV guy took us in his jeep.
Bernie........you are right on it was Maj Jones, SFC Smith and I that visited the next day in Qui Nhon, the smell of gauze is still there.........thanks for remembering.
miss you and hope to shake both of your hands one day soon...........I salute the best.....
bill
bill shillito writes:
Mark, (I wish I had known your brother, must have been a helluva guy and a great brother) Curt.........thanks so much........look what you got started.....
bill
Gus (tgus@brainerd.net) from Brainerd MN writes:
Mark Jackson I would like to see that vidio of the
deer skinning. Unless there was more that one that
would be the one we bagged after covering a sniffer mission with Cobra 949. I am also looking for the AC and Peter P that was flying with me the
day we got our tailrotor drive shaft and cables shot out on the south end of the PhuCats and had to make a running landing a Qui Nohn. Frenchie I sent you the pix agn if it does not work get me a
address and I will mail you a disc.
See a lot of names that I should know on here.
Gus Gustafson 67-69
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Evenin' Flight!!!!
WOW....just look at whats happening here. It truly is amazing. When I first started this dream to find more out about my own loss is Viet nam, I never believed it would turn into this. So many findings, so many ole' friends getting back together, be they live, or be they departed. ....JUDITH!.......what can we say...you have become a soldier of quest. You went behind enemy lines where many fear to tread. Into the past!..........there is no way you could of told that story of seeing Tom's parents in any shorter of a way......BTW....I dont think the length of any commo in here makes a difference.....and as far as apoligizing to me Judtih.......I am not the webmaster of this page. I'm sorry if I have mislead any of you. I just happened to be the one that researched the info on the 129th and ask the webmaster of the VHFCN if he could insert in on their page..(But as Of now,I am working on a NEW 129TH Page as we speak, with Log book and all).......and I have never had any complaints from him as to the length of commo in here.....so yack away babe........Judith!..your discription of you standing at Tom's joint reminds me of myself as I stand at Larry's, and the address of Toms Parents coming to you like a helicopter to save you.........I too know of that feeling. Larry has touched my shoulder and shown me the way many of time in the mission of mine. Remember this gang...I was never in Viet Nam..and I am not a wanna be.....more guilty of not going, then going...but....I have seen enough pictures,talked to enough that were,read enough books and have shaken the hand of enough men to be able to grasped the feeling of being saved by a chopper...Judith......I commend you on your courage to approach (maybe courage is the wrong word, maybe not)..But to look up Tom's parents, and then to have such a wonderful time with them.well.......you deserve a Purple Heart for that. I know of the where abouts of the rest of the crew of the "257" that went down with Larry, but have not been able to justify contacting them....with your experience..maybe I can....Thanks for the ammo.......welp..see what I mean about worrying about commo in here being long;-).....stuff like this just gets me ramblin' on....CREW OF THE "426"...........my heart goes out to you guys.....so much to swallow so fast........and the job that you did, as I have read about it in here..well...it just blows my mind.........HATS OFF TO YOU ALL!!!!......
...enough for now...the new "257"..OUT...till the next time flight!!!!......Mark and Larry!!!!
Gus (tgus@brainerd.net) from Brainerd MN writes:
Mark Jackson I would like to see that vidio of the
deer skinning. Unless there was more that one that
would be the one we bagged after covering a sniffer mission with Cobra 949. I am also looking for the AC and Peter P that was flying with me the
day we got our tailrotor drive shaft and cables shot out on the south end of the PhuCats and had to make a running landing a Qui Nohn. Frenchie I sent you the pix agn if it does not work get me a
address and I will mail you a disc.
See a lot of names that I should know on here.
Gus Gustafson 67-69
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
GUS???.ifin' your deer skinnin' was in 69...I got the video..it was ent to me by Bil Wolf of the 129th..he crewed a ship to the "257" crash site the next morning. It it the same time frame as you.......69....need snail mail addy to send you one.......Mark.....
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
Bill Shillito............Thank you very much for your kind words about Larry. I have been told by others, that he stood 10 feet tall.....I am very proud of him and all of you guys. It is an honor, and my pleasure, to be able to converse with you all!......."257......OUT
Gus (tgus@brainerd.net) from Brainerd MN writes:
Mark Jackson I would like to see that vidio of the
deer skinning. Unless there was more that one that
would be the one we bagged after covering a sniffer mission with Cobra 949. I am also looking for the AC and Peter P that was flying with me the
day we got our tailrotor drive shaft and cables shot out on the south end of the PhuCats and had to make a running landing a Qui Nohn. Frenchie I sent you the pix agn if it does not work get me a
address and I will mail you a disc.
See a lot of names that I should know on here.
Gus Gustafson 67-69
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
...just had to send this.....
Mark Jackson (fourfour@bright.net) from LZ HOME writes:
HEY all of you..we should be doin' this yackin' in the BUNKER at the bottom of the VHFCN Home Page....ever been there?...we should try it sometime...and this new 129th page I am working on will have a chat room for us all to gather in.....cool huh????......TED (GUS)...do I have your e-mail addy???.I'll check..if not.send it to me VIA e-mail.....I will send you copy of the Deer skinnin' video.....
Jim Vernon (Cobra Frair) (jve9632031@aol.com) from Santa Rosa Ca writes:
What happened to Bishop,Baron and Little John?
John McMillen (Jester), if you're out there drop a note. I saw somthing frome Knave a while back. I recall a picture of him on the M5 sight with his sleeves rolled up. How many Cobra's are coming to the reunion?
Greg Henkel (Animal) (tatu@gte.net) from Puna Hawaii writes:
Bill Shilletto, Hi Bill! I know most of those names in the yearbook you posted earlier. I came to the 129th in July 1971 and that was the chain of comand that was in place at that time.(Durban, Bish etc.) Those names filled in a lot of blanks in my mind don't ya know? I left in Feb72 just before the big Spring offensive that kept you guys so busy.
Viet-Nam sportsmen: I have a picture that " Festus" sent me of us sling loading an Elk . If your interested I can send it to you electronically as a JPEG e-mail attachment. Let me Know. Greg Henkel
