A Mini-History of Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1 Brigade, 101 ...

A Mini-History of Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division July 1965 ? January 1972

South Vietnam

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Compiled by Peter J. Rzeminski pjr@

C: (708) 421-5744 As of 1 January 2019

Eagle Patch, 1966-1967

Griffin Patch, 1968-1970

Deadbone Patch, 1970-1972

Mini-History: Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Vietnam July 1965 ? January 1972); Compiled by Peter J. Rzeminski, 13417 Medina Drive, Orland Park, IL 60462, C: 708-421-5744, pjr@; as of 1 January 2019

Table of Contents

SUMMARY: this mini-history of the Aviation Section/Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam is from an aviation unit's viewpoint. ........................................... 7

History/Narrative .................................................................................................................... 10

101st alerted to send a brigade to Vietnam ........................................................................ 10

1st Brigade organic aviation assets arrive in Vietnam ........................................................ 12

The 1st Brigade (Separate) engages in several operations ............................................... 12

Tet Offensive ...................................................................................................................... 14

1st Brigade continues to engage in operations .................................................................. 15

Aviation is constituted for support of the 101st Airborne .................................................... 15

The Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, is formed............................................................ 15

Operation Lamar Plain ....................................................................................................... 16

The A Shau Valley.............................................................................................................. 24

Operation Lam Son 719 ..................................................................................................... 25

By Harry Reasoner (Lam Son 719) - February 16, 1971 ................................................ 26

Requiem for our fallen comrades ? +Noonan, +Michael, +McGee..................................... 28

+Warrant Officer Timothy Shawn Michael ...................................................................... 29

+Specialist Fifth Class Darrell Eugene McGee............................................................... 30

+First Lieutenant Michael Dennis Noonan...................................................................... 31

Work-in-Progress - List of Officers and Enlisted who served with Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, (and some others) and contact information is correct as of date of publication. ................................................................................................................ 32 Individuals who served in the Unit: Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, but no current contact (last contact information apparently incorrect). .................... 57

List of Division Commanders of the US 101st Airborne Division while the division was in Vietnam ................................................................................................................................. 66 List of 1st Brigade Commanders of the US 101st Airborne Division while the division was in Vietnam ................................................................................................................................. 67 Partial List of HQS, 1st Brigade (Separate) Brigade Flight Officers/Senior Flight Captains, and HHC, 1st Brigade Aviation Platoon Leaders of the US 101st Airborne Division while the division was in Vietnam ......................................................................................................... 67

HQ, 1st Brigade (Separate) Brigade Aviation Officers........................................................... 67 HHC, 1st Brigade Aviation Platoon Leaders ........................................................................... 67

U.S. ARMY CAMPAIGNS: Vietnam (Streamers: Yellow with green borders and three red stripes centered).................................................................................................................... 68 1ST BRIGADE, 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION MILITARY OPERATIONS IN VIETNAM 19651972 ...................................................................................................................................... 68

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Mini-History: Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Vietnam July 1965 ? January 1972); Compiled by Peter J. Rzeminski, 13417 Medina Drive, Orland Park, IL 60462, C: 708-421-5744, pjr@; as of 1 January 2019

1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division military operations of the Vietnam War (1965) ......... 68 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division military operations of the Vietnam War (1966) ......... 69 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division military operations of the Vietnam War (1967) ......... 70 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division military operations of the Vietnam War (1968) ......... 71 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division military operations of the Vietnam War (1969) ......... 72 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division military operations of the Vietnam War (1970) ......... 73 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division military operations of the Vietnam War (1971) ......... 73 Stories and Remembrances as Told by Members of the Unit; and Others. ........................... 74 A Prayer for Veterans and their Families............................................................................ 74 Because we flew ................................................................................................................ 74 John Steinbeck................................................................................................................... 74 Joe Galloway...................................................................................................................... 75 CW4 Lawrence Castagneto ............................................................................................... 75 MG Patrick Brady, Medal of Honor Recipient [not a former member of the Aviation Platoon] ........................................................................................................................................... 77 The Huey Pilot.................................................................................................................... 78 The Sound That Binds........................................................................................................ 79 A tribute to the Army's first generation of combat helicopter flight pilots - By CW2 J.C. Pennington ......................................................................................................................... 83 The Chopper Pilots............................................................................................................. 85 Fictional Story Describing the Difficulty of Returning Veterans Discussing Their Experience of Combat........................................................................................................................... 87 The Birth of the Checklist. .................................................................................................. 89 Where the term "Aviator" came from - recently found diary of Genghis Khan .................... 90 Carl Bass............................................................................................................................ 92 Craig Bixby ......................................................................................................................... 93 Edson G. Brock .................................................................................................................. 95

Letter to Cavalier Magazine regarding the unit's call sign 'Deadbone.'........................... 99 Bruce Clark ...................................................................................................................... 100

(Daily Log, excerpts) .................................................................................................... 100 +Raymond Robert Cooreman .......................................................................................... 103 Robert Davies .................................................................................................................. 103

Shooting down of 1Lt Ken Tripp and Sp4 Ernie Walker ............................................... 104 Edwin Davis ..................................................................................................................... 109 Prince A. "Butch" Denson................................................................................................. 110

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Mini-History: Aviation Platoon, HHC, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Vietnam July 1965 ? January 1972); Compiled by Peter J. Rzeminski, 13417 Medina Drive, Orland Park, IL 60462, C: 708-421-5744, pjr@; as of 1 January 2019

Jon F. Drake..................................................................................................................... 110 Peter R. Engelhardt.......................................................................................................... 112

Capt. Pape ................................................................................................................... 116 Lloyd W. Enos .................................................................................................................. 116 Gary Forbes ..................................................................................................................... 117 Thomas P. Gatz ............................................................................................................... 120 Roland Gerhart................................................................................................................. 121 Gary Griffin ....................................................................................................................... 123

Typical day for the Crew Chief ..................................................................................... 123 Bruce Harvey ................................................................................................................... 124 John Hayes ...................................................................................................................... 125 John Hotz ......................................................................................................................... 127 Terry Hunt ........................................................................................................................ 127 Michael Jacobi ................................................................................................................. 127

MG Barsanti ................................................................................................................. 127 Charles Kettles ................................................................................................................. 128 Daniel Knox ...................................................................................................................... 130 Aviation Platoon is Merged into A Company, 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) ............................................................................................................................... 130

Raymond Knox............................................................................................................. 130 Raymond Longhenry ........................................................................................................ 132 Thomas M Marcotte ......................................................................................................... 133 Kevin Maynard ................................................................................................................. 135 Samuel E. McGee III ........................................................................................................ 135 Carlos J. Melendez........................................................................................................... 137 Carl E. Midkiff ................................................................................................................... 137 Stuart A. Miller.................................................................................................................. 143

MG Barsanti, GEN Westmoreland................................................................................ 146 +Timothy Michael ............................................................................................................. 146 Joel Murphy...................................................................................................................... 147 Alex F. Nagy..................................................................................................................... 148 Richard G. Neil ................................................................................................................. 148 Jay A. Nichols .................................................................................................................. 148 Raymond Ornatowski ....................................................................................................... 148

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