looks like we need some rain

As a Vietnam vet i promise you a Huey makes a sound I will never forget.

This guy gets it.

Talking about vietnam helicopters, this is the intro to one of the Ken Burns segments. I didn’t realize how fast helicopters got wounded guys off the battlefield to a a field hospital. I think the average time was like 15 minutes.

I've got a story to tell about Vietnam, dustoffs, and a firebase field hospital. Happened in Cambodia in May 1970. If I can sort it out in my head I'll do it later.

Last one I flew in had patched bullet holes from Vietnam and the inside of the cabin was stained with hyd oil.

Please do…if you’re good with it. My old man did 2 tours and i didnt listen good before he died in 2003. I promise i’ll listen now.

OK, I was a 12B (Combat Engineer) with the 25th Infantry Div. One of our constant jobs was building fire bases. As the Cambodian invasion rolled we built combat fire bases as part of it. The system was our D7 bulldozers cleared the jungle, pushed up a berm, then cleared fields of fire. Then we put out triple concertina and tangle foot wire. As that was going bunkers were next. The bulldozers would push out and dig where bunkers were needed. At the base camp we had built bunker frames out of 6x6' timbers. A CH47 Chinook would hook up to it, fly it to the fire base, then set it in its position. We had also prefilled sandbags at the base camp. These were flown out and set by the bunker. Add corrugated steel roof, sand bags, and in a few hours a nice bunker was operational.

As this was going on other units moved in the fire bases. Medical, Signal, Artillery, ect. I was out putting in concertina wire with a couple of other guys when a SSG from the medic area ran out and said several medevac dustoffs were coming in and could we help unload them. Sure, we went with him to the open area where the helicopters landed. Three Hueys came in rolling hot. Fast and low, circled once, flared, and landed. As they came in I noticed it seemed to be a wet mist in the air.

I helped unload the wounded, got them on stretchers, carried them into the medic tent, went back, several trips. Several were already dead, others all f'd up, one soldier had lost his leg above the knee, another half his face burned off from a blast, gunshot wounds, ect. As the last Huey left it tilted and I saw blood dripping from the floor board. That was the mist I'd felt as they came in.

It lifted off but suddenly circled back around and came in low, then right in front of me the door gunner tossed a leg out. Still had the boot on. I picked it up, brought to the medic tent, everyone was busy so I just set it to the side and walked away.


I'm relieved that Hueys aren't flying much any more. Every time I'd hear one - you can imagine.

It cracks me up when he talks about when the lady reporter asked him what it's like, lol dude got the crazy eye

Man, I bet.

What kind of ordinance would a bunker like that hold up to? Are you saying the roof was only corrugated metal deck and a layer of sandbags?

They would have a layer of corrugated metal to make it waterproof then we'd add 3' of sandbags. A direct hit from a 122mm rocket or artillery take one out but they were good for rifle, machine gun, mortars and RPGs.

Thanks for sharing those pictures. That’s interesting.

Welcome but they aren't mine, just did a fast search for Vietnam bunkers. We'd put them on mountain tops. Fly in, blast it level, blow down trees, blast holes, then set in bunkers. That took a lot of shovel work though.

You should have asked the copilot to fix his retreating flag.

Dang, i didn't catch that! And it's something i do look for. They were all volunteers...and one of the ground crew was an australian chic. Guy in the seat behind me was a reservist and asked her about her patches and she blew right past it. So maybe that guy was the same?

Y’all would like this.

Yeah, I would assume he isn't military or he would know better. I see it all the time with security folks in various places (including airports), I'd rather they not wear a flag as wear it incorrectly.