Birddog's flying in the Mekong Delta, '65-'66. "Shotgun 13" was the pilot. He was assigned to the 221st RAC (Recon Aviation Co). The Birddog was the O-1 E by Cessna Aircraft.
Thanks for sharing, Ed. My Dad served as an ALO with the VNAF 112th squadron flying L-19's/O-1's out of Bien Hoa. He was there during the same time frame - 1965-66!
My dad was a FAC and later on an ALO out of Ca Mau. He was there February of 1967 through July of 1968 and his call sign was “David 30”. He spent most all his time below the lower fork of the Mekong delta. Did you know him by chance? Also, a good friend named Chuck Callison was at Rach Gia about the same time.
Great Job over there! Thx for this absolute great Video. I fly today a Birddog, but guys like you made these planes historic warbirds.... I could still hear from yours words that you loved this plane.... Thx for sharing with us
is this your voice over the video?... I need to ask you something.. If it is your voice and you were serving in that same war.. you may have known my uncle.. Victor romero.. He also flew in the birddog aircraft 0-1G.. I was curious if you knew him.. I am his neice.. I would love to hear about your story and if you knew my uncle.. I appreciate you for you work and for this video.. it is so surreal to see what he had seen before being pronounced MIA.. thank you again
Gotta say this is a rare gem to find a video like this what was the idea behind flying army and air force bird dogs out of the same strips? wouldn't have been more efficient to have pilots under one chain of command and standard operating procedures?
Not really, but we Birddog pilots were also qualified in twin-engine aircraft also. Army pilots were at a disadvantage for airline jobs. Air Force, Navy and Marine pilots were more qualified with a lot of jet time.
Thanks for touching base. I was in country July 65 to July 66.. Rack Gia was a good spot. The other film I have up there is all about Rach Gia. You ll like that one. I was shotgun 13.. did you live in the same house ?? Cheers, Ed
@@TheEdWiller , I lived downtown at the old temple that was converted into the BOQ for company grade officers. NCOs and EMs lived across the courtyard.
My dad bought one of a surplus military trainer Cessna 170, stripped off the ugly green army paint down to the chrome, painted a burgundy purple star on each side for me and my sister (which looked kinda communist red in certain sunlight) , and it was the first plane I flew for 15 seconds with my hands on the steering wheel. He got a real low N number because he was an air traffic controller and watching for free ones. Sold it, he told me the N number, no idea where I put it, but I mailed the new owner from the FAA database years later and never heard back from him.
Hello, I'm helping friend write stories of his memoirs. I'm filling in the blanks of some of his OH1 flights. I would be interested in asking you some questions about his flights or having you read his story if you are interested.
Great video, I too was assign to the 221Avn co, one of original crew chief s, out of Ft Bragg N C ,1965 .Waited for 3 weeks before we got our 1st aircraft in Soc Trang Vietnam. 2nd platoon, we are moved to Can Thou .left in 66, returning 3yrs later, with the 1st Cav in Phoc Vin, 69 to 70. Cap Ian Sherran my pilot. And company commander in the 1st Cav. Great bird. Worked these aircraft in Korea, 61 to 62. Go Shotguns.
It svcks that the country you helped keep in power became an evil police state that we all hate now. But I guess you coudln't see it at the time, or? I don't know, I think there were a whole lot of protesters on college campuses at the time trying to tell you that. And the music. I think a lot of the grunts on the ground in Vietnam were against the war because the'd do things like frag and get high and paint peace symbols on their helmets. Were you just clueless to what was going on and in your own little pilot world or something? What was your reason for flying over an impoverished third world country shooting at poor people on the ground with rockets? I mean, you weren't in Wisconsin, protecting Ohio from invading Canadians. You were on the absolute other side of the world. Surely it must of occurred to you to think... "what the heck am I doing here? I shouldn't be here." I watched Vietnam the Techno War and he talks about the domino theory and so on... why you guys justified this... but I'm not seeing it, the domino theory sounds like a bunch of neoc0n rubbish. Anyone with a clue knows a poor people in a jungle and rice paddies half a world away poses no threat to Idaho.
Thanks for sharing, Ed. My Dad served as an ALO with the VNAF 112th squadron flying L-19's/O-1's out of Bien Hoa. He was there during the same time frame - 1965-66!
I was Shotgun 34. 1968-1969. Thanks for sharing!
Nice narrative video, Sir! Thank you for your service and thank you for sharing some of your flight experiences with the Cessna Birddog!
My dad was a FAC and later on an ALO out of Ca Mau. He was there February of 1967 through July of 1968 and his call sign was “David 30”. He spent most all his time below the lower fork of the Mekong delta. Did you know him by chance? Also, a good friend named Chuck Callison was at Rach Gia about the same time.
Thank you for this! My father, Jimmy McGraw was a Shotgun (Shotgun 36) in 1966-67, and then again (Shotgun 6 - Co. Cmdr.) in 1970!
Hey bud, thanks for everything you did! Some of us really appreciate it. Glad you came home in one piece.
74th RAC maintenance supervisor 71-72 Phu Loi VN. Great videos
Great Job over there! Thx for this absolute great Video. I fly today a Birddog, but guys like you made these planes historic warbirds.... I could still hear from yours words that you loved this plane.... Thx for sharing with us
Excellent film footage and sound. Commentary is great also.
I flew with the same unit, 221st as Shotgun 33 (69-70) out of that same short strip in Rach Gia. Nice video.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful film!
God Bless You Abundantly Thank You For Your Service
Cool little video. I love these, because it's a little piece of real life history. Not some production piece, it a real person's perspective.
Was Flight Opns 221st AVN Co. 1969-1970 SocTrang, CanTho Thanks for the video!
Thank you for your service.
L19 is the sweetest flying plane i ever flew
Thanks for sharing your movies for the people of the present and future. Did you stay in aviation after the service?
is this your voice over the video?... I need to ask you something.. If it is your voice and you were serving in that same war.. you may have known my uncle.. Victor romero.. He also flew in the birddog aircraft 0-1G.. I was curious if you knew him.. I am his neice.. I would love to hear about your story and if you knew my uncle.. I appreciate you for you work and for this video.. it is so surreal to see what he had seen before being pronounced MIA.. thank you again
Excellent footage
Great video! Catkiller crew chief Phu Bai ‘68
Been there done that over 200 missions.
Serious antennas on top the wing tips !!! A little extra drag...
Each one was for a separate FM radio. We had two ... one for the pilot and one for the observer. We were so slow that two antennas didn't bother us.
variable pitch prop......great plane
Gotta say this is a rare gem to find a video like this
what was the idea behind flying army and air force bird dogs out of the same strips? wouldn't have been more efficient to have pilots under one chain of command and standard operating procedures?
CR055H41RZ Inter-service rivalry probably.
I wonder if it was easy getting an airline pilot job after spending time in this airplane before being discharged.
Not really, but we Birddog pilots were also qualified in twin-engine aircraft also. Army pilots were at a disadvantage for airline jobs. Air Force, Navy and Marine pilots were more qualified with a lot of jet time.
Ed, we both flew out of Rach Gia. I was Shotgun 33 in 1969
Thanks for touching base. I was in country July 65 to July 66.. Rack Gia was a good spot. The other film I have up there is all about Rach Gia. You ll like that one. I was shotgun 13.. did you live in the same house ??
Cheers, Ed
Ed and Dave, I was Shotgun 38a and at Rach Gia in 67 and 68. Jim Mckee , The "littleRanger" was Shotgun 38
Great video Al Roberts
@@TheEdWiller , I lived downtown at the old temple that was converted into the BOQ for company grade officers. NCOs and EMs lived across the courtyard.
@@alfredroberts2695 nice to hear from you!
My dad bought one of a surplus military trainer Cessna 170, stripped off the ugly green army paint down to the chrome, painted a burgundy purple star on each side for me and my sister (which looked kinda communist red in certain sunlight) , and it was the first plane I flew for 15 seconds with my hands on the steering wheel. He got a real low N number because he was an air traffic controller and watching for free ones. Sold it, he told me the N number, no idea where I put it, but I mailed the new owner from the FAA database years later and never heard back from him.
Xin loi!
Hello, I'm helping friend write stories of his memoirs. I'm filling in the blanks of some of his OH1 flights.
I would be interested in asking you some questions about his flights or having you read his story if you are interested.
KMELHUS42@GMAIL.COM
La USAF los uso muy espectacular..
Looks like Louisiana lol.
Flyn Bryan not so
not so fucking funny when you see buddy die!lol at you fool!
John Sevilla Looks exactly like Louisiana from the air except for the mountains. Go troll somewhere else jerk.
Great video, I too was assign to the 221Avn co, one of original crew chief s, out of Ft Bragg
N C ,1965 .Waited for 3 weeks before we got our 1st aircraft in Soc Trang Vietnam. 2nd platoon, we are moved to Can Thou .left in 66, returning 3yrs later, with the 1st Cav in Phoc Vin, 69 to 70. Cap Ian Sherran my pilot. And company commander in the 1st Cav. Great bird. Worked these aircraft in Korea, 61 to 62. Go Shotguns.
It svcks that the country you helped keep in power became an evil police state that we all hate now.
But I guess you coudln't see it at the time, or? I don't know, I think there were a whole lot of protesters on college campuses at the time trying to tell you that. And the music. I think a lot of the grunts on the ground in Vietnam were against the war because the'd do things like frag and get high and paint peace symbols on their helmets.
Were you just clueless to what was going on and in your own little pilot world or something? What was your reason for flying over an impoverished third world country shooting at poor people on the ground with rockets?
I mean, you weren't in Wisconsin, protecting Ohio from invading Canadians. You were on the absolute other side of the world. Surely it must of occurred to you to think... "what the heck am I doing here? I shouldn't be here."
I watched Vietnam the Techno War and he talks about the domino theory and so on... why you guys justified this... but I'm not seeing it, the domino theory sounds like a bunch of neoc0n rubbish. Anyone with a clue knows a poor people in a jungle and rice paddies half a world away poses no threat to Idaho.