Just seen an amazing documentary about two Huey helicopters, one unarmed,

[Joe Chi Minh]

rescuing 100 or so of your troops (with South Vietnamese lads, as well), who were under fire, surrounded by 5 to 600 Viet Cong. The problem was, though, that there was nowhere for them to land, and they had to crop the tops high bamboo canes with their rotors. A very hazardous business. The tail rotor was damaged by the first chopper, the unarmed one, but they managed to limp off a few miles away, though they had to take off like an ordinary plane.

The second one, armed, then went along as well to pick up more, and they kept going back. Somehow, none of the crew were hit. Anyway, one of them, now getting on a bit, as of course, they all were, said how, ever since, he kept thinking about the one Vietnamese guy left behind.

They met up again recently in Vietnam, and he was moved and thrilled to bits to hear that the other one had gone back and picked up the lone Vietnamese, he'd last seen still holding his ground.

Astonishing story. More than a touch miraculous.

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. What's the name of the Documentary???

[Joe Chi Minh]

4. Helicopter warfare

It was in the UK, on our terrestrial channel, 5.

[quabbin]

2. Vietnam era UH-1 pilots

The flying experiences of the Huey pilots in Vietnam are astounding. If you haven't already read it, pick up a copy of Robert Mason's book "Chickenhawk". It is a riveting chronicle of his time flying Huey's in the war. It was first published in the early eighties. I purchased it back then and once into it I couldn't put it down. It is recognized by many as one of the best records of what the chopper pilots endured in that conflict.

[Joe Chi Minh]

11. Thanks, quab. I'll do that.

[Captain Hilts]

3. The army helio pilots were young kids. The USMC pilots officers with wives, kids and mortgages.

If you wanted to be rescued, you called the Army, even if you were a Marine.

[Joe Chi Minh]

5. There were an amazing number of extraordinary features about the

whole business.

None of the pilots were hit, even slightly injured, although the fire-fights were constant. The lead edge of the blades were steel, but the rest, of less tough material. The under-side was a honeycomb, which if damaged even slightly, would affect the plane's flight. The choppers did tend to limp, and soon couldn't take off vertically but had to follow a kind of runway path to take off like a plane. I can't remember how this was possible, what with the bamboos.

One of the pilots was also a special-services guy. As he helping the guys get into the chooper udner fire, he as all the time, of course, expecting to get shot, either killed or maybe become paraplegic. He had obeyed orders by taking off with the first guy in his chopper with one that was for special personnel. When he reported to his Major after it was all over, idiot-features bawled him out. The pilot grinned, and the idiot punched. Unsurprisngly, matey got up and punched the idiot, when about six other guys broke it up.

All but one of them got a Distinguished Flying Cross, and the other, an Air Medal. I'm not sure why the exception, but still a real honour.

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. Here is a review of the programme in the Daily Mail TV supplement:

Helicopter Warfare

"In the second in the series, a group of American Vietnam War helicopter pilots relive and extraordinary and perilous mission in which they rescued more than 100 stranded men from enemy territory. Ambushed, surrounded, and outnumbered six to one, the men's only hope was helicopter rescue - but there was nowhere a helicopter could possibly land. The pilots had no choice but to use the rotor blades of their sturdy Hueys to cut through the thick, 40 ft-high bamboo and create a landing zone. "We were a lawnmower, basically," recalls one of them. Amazingly, it worked, and the pilots flew tirelessly to and fro, under fire, most of the time unarmed, and with their rotors shredded. In the end, every survivor was rescued. Though all the pilots were decorated for courage (after a dressing-down for one of them, incredibly), they are modest and matter-of-fact about the mission. "It would have taken more guts not to go," says one. A remarkable tale of courage, well told."

Incidentally, I forgot to mention that after the fight with the major, a general told him it was a very bad thing he offence he committed in disobeying a direct order; and also a tremendous thing he did! In front of the idiot.

[TahitiNut]

7. Of all my memories of my year in Nam, Huey (and his cousins) is most deeply-embedded.

Not only were we called upon to stand perimeter guard overnight at the heliport, a rotating duty that could occasionally get VERY hairy, absolutely every daylight minute was lived with the sound track of the "thwack, thwack, thwack" of helicopters overhead, coming and going, coming and going, coming and going ... sometimes with an urgency hard to describe.

Almost NOTHING, even today, forty years later, will cause me to 'flash back' on Viet Nam faster than the sound of a helicopter overhead. It's an eerie and almost instantaneous trip back in time and space to an insane place ... still with a foothold in my brain and gut. And psyche.

It is NOT hyperbole to regard the Huey as emblematic of the Viet Nam War ... since my own reaction is far from uncommon. Huey is absolutely iconic of that time.

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. War-time guard duty sounds very dangerous. You're really there to be shot at aren't you?

Or knifed or garotted.

I mean the enemy would be more likely to gain the element of surprise. Although, I would imagine everything would be done to minimise your profile.

What you say about the the Huey being the ultimate icon of that war is the impression you get, all right. Such wars must be life-changing experiences as they say. And how.

[TahitiNut]

9. The worst is "listening post" ... about 150 yards outside the perimeter.

You get to find some cover and concealment and burrow in with a field phone. The field phone is at the end of twin-lead that you un-spool as the sun goes down. You're advised to be quiet. (Yup.) Then, the wise-guys in a bunker crank the phone and ask how you're doing. It doesn't take a huge IQ to disconnect the field phone ... and think about the noise you'd make cranking it to say you thought you heard something.

Insane.

Infuckingsane.

Batshit, alternate universe, infuckingsane,

Mickey Mouse was our mascot.

[Joe Chi Minh]

10. Hilarious! Mickey obviously served you well! Only in the army!!!!

Or the services!!! I remember that scene in Band of Brothers, in which a trenchful of drunken young "sprogs" were belting out Christmas carols, when everyone, I believe, was supposed to be keeping quiet. It sure had a hilarious ring of truth to it.