Snake Pilot: Flying the Cobra Attack Helicopter in Vietnam

Index

269 III Corp, 59, 117 209 Bell helicopter, 28, 31 227th Aviation Battalions, 38, 141, 246 229th Aviation Battalions, 38, 203 269 Hughes helicopter, 19 271st NVA Battalion, 237–238 545th Military Police Company, 197–198 A Shau Valley, 179 AAFSS. See Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) AC (Aircraft Commanders) demotion of, 184–185 promotion to, 57, 107, 132, 133, 210, 245 responsibilities of, 49, 85, 92, 186, 205 shortage of, 187, 203, 246 Adams Trail, 46, 103 administration officer, 206–207, 248 adrenaline rush, 6, 88, 130 Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS), 31 Advanced Instrument (AI) training, 26–27 Aero Rifle Platoon (ARP), 100, 243 aerodynamics, 5, 17, 33 After Action Report, 100–101 AFVN (Air Forces Vietnam Network), 68, 201, 210 Agnew, Spiro, 137, 140 AH-1 Huey Cobra helicopter, 31, 33, 34, 100, 213, 245 AH-56A Cheyenne helicopter, 31 Air Force, 57, 59, 76, 146, 234 Air Force Base(s) Bién Hoa, 35, 36, 89 at Cam Ranh Bay, 107–108 Chatham, 25 McGuire, 249–252 Phan Rang, 110–111 Travis, 249–250 Wolters, 15 Air Medal, 61, 101, 248 air strikes, 57–58, 69–70, 81 airline(s) American, 35 Continental, 7 Southern Airways, 19 Trans Texas Airways, 7, 8 Tree Top Airways, 9 Western, 251–252 Airmobile. See First Air Cavalry Division (Airmobile) Rear airplane(s) Boeing 707 Pan America, 35, 159 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 57, 59 Boeing B-57 Canberra, 80 DC3 Douglas airplane, 5, 8 Cessna, 3, 5, 59 controls, 3, 5 engines, 5, 8 first sight of, 1 taxiing, 5–6, 8 airport(s) Hobby, 7 Lockheed, 1 Los Angeles, 5, 7, 252 Mineral Wells, 16 of Mondol Kiri City, 80 San Fernando, 5 SEATAC (Seattle), 251 Taft, 2 Albert, Captain Stanley B., 28 Albritton, Drill Sergeant Anthony, 9, 10, 11, 13 Allcut, Capt. Greg, 92, 115, 116, 121, 129–130, 132, 163 Alpha Troops, 54, 67, 84, 100, 130, 178, 249, 254 Alton, Susan, 132–133 An Khe stagefield, 19, 26 Index Annex K, 100 AO (Area of Operations) Bién Hoa, 46–47, 103 Cambodia, 70, 85–86, 92, 99, 102 function of, 188 NVA headquarters near, 165 Phuoc Vinh, 111–112, 115 Quan Loi, 96–97 reinforcement of, 58, 64, 178, 210 Tay Ninh, 221–225, 238–239 White team in, 213–216 ARA (Aerial Rocket Artillery), 38, 50, 69–70, 169, 183–184 “arc light,” 59 Arizona Memorial, 161 Armed Forces, 7, 100, 105 Armstrong, Don, 168 Army Aviation School (USAAVNS), 23, 25, 210 BCT for, 9–13 Department of the, 208, 210 enlisting in, 7 food, 10, 11, 29, 45 Hunter acquisition by, 25 immunizations, 10, 13, 135 inspections, 17–18, 25, 28, 132 physical test for, 10–11, 38 pre-flight training in, 16–18 Primary Helicopter Center, 7, 15–16, 23 regiment, 17–18 regulations, 62, 87, 185 Secretary of the, 15, 87 stress training in, 16–17 Army Commendation Medal (ArCom), 87–88, 101, 248 ARP. See Aero Rifle Platoon (ARP) Article 15, 13, 42, 61, 86, 186 ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam), 93, 110, 183, 217, 221, 233–234, 239, 243–244, 249. See also brown platoon Assault Helicopter Companies, 28, 127, 203, 217 attack helicopters, 31, 34, 38 aviation school. See U.S. Army Aviation School (USAAVNS) award(s) Air Medal, 61, 248 Army Commendation Medal (ArCom), 87–88, 101, 248 Bronze Star, 101, 248 Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 101, 170, 176, 232, 238, 243, 248 Purple Heart, 157, 248 Silver Star, 101, 236, 248 Tactictal Instrument rating, 27 Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, 101, 248 B-52 Stratofortress, 57, 59 B-57 Canberra, 80 Bailey, Sgt. Rae, 166, 171, 173 Ball, Jeanne, 89 Ball, Maj. Eldon “Keith,” 201–202, 204–207, 209, 213–214, 216–218, 245–246 Bangkok, 210, 222, 237, 240–241 Bao Loc, 108, 111, 181 Barnitt, Lt. Col. George W., 11 Basic Instrument (BI) training, 26 BCT (Basic Combat Training), 9–13, 135 BDA (Bomb Damage Assessment), 57–58, 74, 145–148, 205 Bear Cat, 179 Beene, Steve “Beeny,” 45, 113, 158 awards ceremony with, 101–102 BDA with, 57–58 birthday of, 141–142 in Cambodia, 70–72 hail and farewell with, 53–55 hospital visit from, 154–155 in Kampong Cham, 96–98 LP search by, 131–132 promotion for, 57, 129 in Saigon, 195–198 in Song Be, 93–94 Bell Helicopters Company, 178 Bell helicopters 209, 28, 31 HU-1, 31 JetRanger, 178...