The US Army's 8th Transportation Company deployed to Viet Nam the hard way, by ship, in 1961...four years before most Americans think the war in Southeast Asia kicked off. For those of us who were the "advance party" for the big event, and who helped develop airmobile tactics, techniques, and procedures, it was an interesting time and an interesting place, a lot like the Adventures of Terry and the Pirates, but with real bullets and real blood.
I was a bit player in this passion play, an 18-year-old PFC right out of Fort Rucker's helicopter mechanics' schools who arrived at Tan Son Nut airport in October 1962 and was then sent off to the 8th Trans at Qui Nhon. As it happened, I had a Rolliflex 120 camera and a good supply of film and, rather than attend to my duties as a helicopter door-gunner, I goofed off a bit more than I should by making photographs of our adventures.
I'm assembling this site to share with those in the aviation-geezer-warrior community one year in II Corps. All my photographs from that year will be posted on this site, and I would be happy to post those of others, as well as any recollections, lies, fibs, exaggerations, war stories, maps, menus, photographs of local maidens of the time, or pretty much anything else that seems to fit.
Hans Halberstadt,former H-21 and CH-47 crewman, still an old soldier, and perhaps the lowest ranking Life member of the Association of the US Army.
Drop me a note (unless I still owe you money) at CONTACT
WAR STORIES:
Unsung Heroes and the Death of CWO Holloway
The One that Got Away
Rules of Engagement
A Phrase is Coined
Fun With Hand Grenades
"Oops, Sir, I Think I Just Lost My Machinegun"
Leon Mruczkowski, My Crew-Chief
Rescue Mission Gone to Hell
Green Berets -- Very Unconventional Warriors
Yards
Adventures in the Arms Trade