I graduated in the Class of 67-21 and then was sent to Fort Eustis, VA for AMOC (Aviation Maintenance Officers Course) and then to Vietnam in May of 68 to serve with the 190th Assault Helicopter Company. This film is a good overview of our training at Wolters and Rucker. It brings back a lot of memories. Thanks a bunch for posting it. It wasn't easy but it was rewarding and in some ways lots of fun although the war was a challenge in many ways.
Thanks for posting this. It brought back quite a few memories. I was with 66-15/17, soloed and did my 3 solo autorotations in the H-23. I came back in 68 and was a Primary IP in TH-55's.
Do you ex-WOC's remember listening to the Big BAM (WBAM) on the Huey's AM radios at Rucker?
I am 49 years old and both of my parents have passed away. I am watching this video and putting pieces together. My dad was a flight instructor from end of 1965 through mid 1968. I was five years old and can remember that dad would come home from work in the early afternoon or he would go to work later in the day. Now i know, the students went into the classroom after flight instruction. I can remember my wearing the orange flight suit. Great memories of dad before he went to Vietnam...
(I liked) : " A little bird,...flew over head,...he landed on.....my window sill,...I lured him in..with a piece of bread,...and then I smashed,...his fucking head!.
Was something else seeing my 18 y/o face looking back at me at 3:20 into the film. The ground school portion was Green Hats 66-21 (later graduating as 66-23) 2/14/67.
I was with the 5th WOC Co, brown hats at Fort Wolters, class 71-15. This video brings back a lot of memories. What they failed to mention was the constant harassment from the TAC Officers in Primary Flight School. Inspections, running, push ups, low crawling, standing at attention while the TAC Officers yelled at you for 2 hours is what I remember the most, Advanced flight training at Fort Rucker was a piece of cake compared to Fort Wolters. Flew with 240th greyhounds, & 187th crusaders in NAM
I was at Wolters in Summer 2001 on a weekend.. I was in the Army Reserve. We stayed in one of the old barracks. The ones right across from the prison. that weekend we were doing live firing practice at the firing range.
Great memories - I went through 3rd WOC - summer/fall of 66 - class 66-23/67-1 -so this was done during my stay at Wolters and Rucker. Our class split between the OH 23 (which I flew) and the TH 55. We had the unfortunate distinction of having the first TH 55 fatality. We were also one of the last classes, if not the last class, to shoot three solo autorotations at Wolters - was quite the thrill with less than 50 hours flight time. Thanks and proud to have flown "Above the Best".
* * World famous "THEGOLDEN BOOK OF ARABIC" (Search it FACEBOOK YOUTUBE.) saving lives of US Soldiers in Iraq. Highly Recommend it to all who are still struggling to figure out ARABIC It s a REAL LIFE SAVER! You ll be making simple/complex sentences in a week! Most detailed book in th Market. Very easy instructions 1000s of examples. BOUGHT mine from AUTHORHOUSE COM Now plan to send to my buddies who r still there. YOU2 CAN SAVE A LIFE! Sold only at Authorhouse com.PERFECT GIFT 4 ALL SOLDIERS
If I could re do my life, I would've love to be born at least 10 years earlier from '63, joined the Army, and become a WOC.
As it turns out, I joined the Army in '81 as an acft. armament repairman, fixing AH-1's armament systems. I have the utmost admiration for the generation that went before me to Vietnam.
Also, I feel sorry todays students..No solos! Back then, we did a weather brief, filed a flight plan, and we could take a Huey all the way down to DeFuniak Springs (for the golf cart ride and t-shirt!) or even FLORIDA on a VFR cross country. Funny thing was, when I got to my first Unit, they wouldnt even let us do a freaking run-up alone unless your were RL progressed! SO Silly! I took video of us doing a 21 Huey Air Assault to Ft Benning grunt school, cool shit! they were the Best of times!
Sounds like you mean "cross-country" solo... We had to solo in Primary in the first 12-15 hours of flight training... 1988. Three "evaluated" approach and takeoff circuits around the pattern in a Huey... Then, in Advanced Combat Skills (near the end of training) we got the keys to the car for a full tank of gas.... We were the third class after they got rid of TH-55 (Schweizer 300) for the Primary trainer...
I was in Class 88-20, Royal Blue. I believe (not positive) that was the 3rd class in huey's after the TH-55. We graduated in April 89. Was that your class?
I watched this Film (and many like it) while I was on hold for the AH-1 Cobra course. (red hat/87-16) I was "raised" in the EM ranks by all the old Wolters guys, and I still have old dog status like them due to TH-55 training, and having to slog all the way thru Flight school on E-5 /WOCpay.The scene with the Pathfinders lighting the inverted "Y" cracked me up! We were some of the first classes to fly cutaway NVG-5's (Clipped on with Medical surgical tubing!). I remember it all so well!
I'm at Rucker for flight school and one of our instructors showed us this video in class. Its funny because all of the instruction is basically the same just with updated aircraft and tech. Oh, and we don't solo anymore. Now we just have a P1 and P2 checkride.
Lucky on the part about not being a WOC until you graduate flight training, but sad about missing that special event of Solo... My stick buddy and I dialed in a radio station and I had "Red, Red Wine" by UB40 playing in my helmet while I did approach and takeoff 3 times in our Huey... I will never forget that special moment.. Ranks second only to my children.
Yeah well I was a part of all this too and someone told me to watch this video. Fuck this ignorant shit we did. They should kill us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A great tribute to a the men who answered the call. To become one with their machine, entering into realms un-kown to mere mortals while serving their country. Our service was to each other and to those who would rely on these machines for every aspect of their day to day missions and survival. The whop whop of Huey blades will always keep time with my heart beat.
@steveo451 Wow... I'd ask you what you were even trying to say, but I'm unsure if that was even English. Wow... just wow. The level of idiocy astounds me these days...
@walleye2416 Your (adj.) - belonging to person spoken to: refers to something that belongs to or relates to the person who is being spoken to.
So, that said... "your fucking dumb,"- my fucking dumb WHAT, exactly? You should also capitalize each beginning letter of each statement as well as end it with a period (.).
WORWAC 68-517: Red hat at Wolters - 1st WOC. Great memories. 334th AWC in RVN then 26 years active duty.
Army flight training was the best (except for the TH-13 instruments at Rucker!) and prepared me for 14 years as a civilian test pilot (F/W) after retirement. CW4 (Ret)
department of defense show top secret files don't copy or record this data you gonna be prosecuted and jailed and fined in top secret plays and you neighbors not gonna finder where you are and you bear will be longer than zz-top wearing on weekdays so you gonna scrod up and fined 250000000000000000000000000000000000000000000jens
I was the technical advisor for the filming at Fort Wolters while assigned there as the Executive Officer of the 3d WOC Company. In fact I appear in the film. I am the pilot in the right seat of a UH-1 looking back to the left just before the "Chopper Pilot" title is shown. I was at Fort Wolters form November 1965 to June 1967. When I initially arrived at Fort Wolters we changed the program from a college campus type environment back to an OCS type pre-flight. I was in class 59-1.
I was a crash guard flying on 'Flatiron' at Cairnes in 66-67. Went to a number of crash and burns. Worst one was a huey midair; 4 pilots killed. Remember one was a Lt Taylor...saw his flight jacket with name tag. Nothing but a bunch of scrap left after the fires were put out. After returning from Nam as a mechanic, came back and worked on hueys at Knox field as a civilian.
you kiddin' Kats ?!?! the flying made up for everything and then some.
Right above us was the jet training area for the USAF. I buddy rode with a guy named York once and we went up 1 mile. had to use carb heat for the first time. It was chilly up there with the doors off. 80 knots, 40 knots, 60 knots...no horizon for orientation. They knew two sydents in a 23 went up there but they never found out who it was. Sorry Mr. Johnson.
@s6u6r6f6 Sh1t, man! You guys got up into Sheppard & Carswell's airspace. You're lucky some T-38 or worse yet, a BUFF didn't send you to the happy huntin grounds! I was referring to flying through the sh1t to bring guys out & get 'em home...one of which would go on to be one of my commanding officers.
let me tell you something. Long after we are gone: thousands of us will be haunting the grounds of what was once Fort Wolters. This is what ghosts are. throwbacks to a time when everything was right....to a moment in our living lives when all was perfect in our world...and we flew.
Across what used to be "the Hill" someone will think they hear a cadence call...a shadow in Nomex......a cheer a shout...it will be us.
@s6u6r6f6 Nomex? we didn't get no stinkin Nomex!!, We had the ancient USAF Flight Suits, and Fatigues.....How I wish we had Nomex...I went thru a whole tour in Nam and never saw any of the new stuff...
@s6u6r6f6 I feel for those timid souls who will never know what it was like to Solo, there are no words to describe the feeling.....When Mr Thurmon stepped out and said.."It's strapped to your ass, good luck kid..." and picked up his coffee cup and left the cockpit.... How can we explain this to the vast horde of unwashed idiots today??
I heard a german march playing in my head....Marsch des Kreisregiments Durlach-Baden, to be precise...The tempo and music fit exactly with flying an OH-23 D.
...Mr. Boyd. I'll never forget the guy. He would try to get out to the stagefield first while there was cattle grazing between the lanes and shoot an autorotation or buzz the field and watch them scatter. He liked to ride with his foot out on the front crosstie. He was a big Texas fan and did a lot of fishing. He let me Solo somewhere around 12 or 13 hours.
vonmazur1 there is no describing the feeling of being in the pattern for the first time and the left seat is empty.
@s6u6r6f6 These days Weatherford College is at Ft Wolters...I went to a few Firefighting/Rescue classes & police training there. Did a little exploring, about 1/2 the base is still in good shape..lotsa bldg's sold & moved off, some torn down, some new construction..they were refurbing the hospital for the VA back in the 90's. Chapel, PX, commissary & Hdqtrs bldg all still there
"...the strange business of hovering hundreds of pounds of machinery above the ground, hanging on a set of whistling blades... for a hummingbird it's natural!"
Very coo!. I was a Rucker Baby - WORWAC Class 76-27. 18 months in South Korea with the 55th Avn. Co., a short stint at Ft. Hood with the 7/17th Cav, then a tour as a Initial Entry IP at Rucker. I've made my living from what I learned in my six years active duty. Thanks for posting this film - it was a bit before my time, but it's still a taste of home!
Class of 68-505 , graduated 4 June 68 HAAF. Flew with the 236th & 54th DUST OFF. The Army flight school was finest school of any kind I was ever at. The very best part was the men I went through with. We trusted each other with our very lives, and that trust was not misplaced. It is good to see that the nation learned something. This time we are not blaming the warrior, wether we agree or disagree.
class 65-3W, Graduated may 11, 1965, went to VietNam with the big red one, D1/4 Cav, then returned to Wolters as an IP in 1966. was assigned to Flight Div A2. Initially instructed in H23's then in TH55's. Occasionally taught in the H13's out at Palo Pinto heliport west of Mineral Wells.
Finished at Mother Rucker Class 69-39. Great video brought back lot of memories. First time at Ft Rucker was 1965 for maintenance school September to December. It took me four years to get back.
I didn't remember that this film existed, even though I was in it. It brought back some great memories at Wolters, Rucker, and Viet Nam. I served as an IP at Rucker in 65 & 66 and hope I contributed well to the quality of pilots sent to Viet Nam and their survival rate. I owe my 33 year airline career to my Army training. Pilot training suffered somewhat during the McNamra years but still provided our military with a great tool, and the ground troops some great support. Thanks.
without the chopper pilots that flew my RANGER / LRRP 6 teams in on our missions and come in often under a lot of hostile fire -- we would not be alive.
Lots of memories in this video. Thanks for posting it. I graduated with WORWAC Class 66-17, and then came back to Wolters, after Vietnam, to be a Primary IP in 68-69.
Started in 66-13, graduated with 66-23. I was eternally grateful to the Army for letting me learn on the OH 23, and not the rubberband powered TH 55...AS my first unit in Nam was 3rd Bde 4th INF DIV, and they had OH 23 G's....Got the DFC at age 19 flying the Hiller..(Battle of Soui Tre 21 Mar 1967)
Very cool. Many hints as to when this was made. I was in the second class that trained in TH-55s and we were on the main heliport, which is where the TH-55 opening sequence was filmed. We trained at SF 2, which is also shown, and we had mixed traffic there (H-23's, TH-55's). Definitely my era (I was in class 66-15, final frames show graduation of 66-11.) Inaccuracies: pre-flights wore hats backward; new solos were not dunked in post pool, but in cattle ponds or Holiday Inn. Real deja vu. Thanks
I was in Class 67-9, also 4th WOC, yellow hats. This film seems shot before me, yet our solo celebration wasn't in a clean swimming pool, but in a "tank," used for watering cattle. All the rest really brought it back. Like when my Huey's inverter failed just as I hit the IP on a very dark night returning to TAC X and starting my procedure turn at low level. On to greater glories, Blackjack 23, Gambler 10, 4th ID, 67-68. Now with Flight Safety Foundation.
@gwpegasus I was a Primary IP at Wolters in 68-69 and taught a Marine Lt. named Soliday. I had to admire him for just putting up with all us Army types. :-)
I was suppose to enter flight training in '68. Been in Nam, 65-67. Chose civilian training and flew Capt. with Major airline for 34 years. Still wish I had gone into Army Chopper School..
I spent six months at Hunter Army Airfield, before going to VN. Shared a wing in the barracks. I watched as they trained, then flew with them in nam as gunner on the 0H-6 Flying Circus 1st cav
When I was 17 (in 1981) I wanted to be a chopper pilot pretty badly, but the Army said you had to be 18, and that was a whole year away. I joined the Navy instead as an enlisted Radar technician. I doubt I would have made it through that training, this video was a real eye opener, thanks for posting it.
@verbusen It was not easy, even as a youth to finish this school, I am still amazed at the older guys who did it at age 37 and, older ie: -prior sevrvice, one guy in 66-23 was former Navy Enlisted (CPO) Dauntless Pilot, he fought at Midway!!! and he bombed Vietnam in WW 2.....He looked to us kids like the Ancient Mariner!!
@vonmazur1 Wow, cool story. Lived in a tent with a Vietnam Vet in Iraq in 2004, he was an E-8 Army reservist and looked about 55. When they talk about on TV the "kids" serving I think of guys like that, hell, I was 40 when I was there.
I was also 17 in 1981.I enlisted to become an Air Traffic Controller, right after High School. Unfortunately, I did not pass my flight physical due to a hearing problem. Regardless, I went on and took classes to increase my GT score, from a 91 to a 113. I was then ready to apply for the flight aptitude test, which I passed, yet, I did not pursued the matter further because of my eyesight. Later on in life, taken many eye tests, passed them 20/20. Should've taken the risk and the test
wow Hanchey hasntn changed that much since the 60s
himmler251 4 weeks ago
Why did American leave us...? we hope to attack Communist again
Vietnam8312 2 months ago
I graduated in the Class of 67-21 and then was sent to Fort Eustis, VA for AMOC (Aviation Maintenance Officers Course) and then to Vietnam in May of 68 to serve with the 190th Assault Helicopter Company. This film is a good overview of our training at Wolters and Rucker. It brings back a lot of memories. Thanks a bunch for posting it. It wasn't easy but it was rewarding and in some ways lots of fun although the war was a challenge in many ways.
lloydcripe 4 months ago
Thanks for posting this. It brought back quite a few memories. I was with 66-15/17, soloed and did my 3 solo autorotations in the H-23. I came back in 68 and was a Primary IP in TH-55's.
Do you ex-WOC's remember listening to the Big BAM (WBAM) on the Huey's AM radios at Rucker?
choprjock 6 months ago
Class 87-08 Red Rangers (Lead the way) at Ft Rucker back when we still ate square meals and lived in the CUBE.
danisronin 6 months ago
I am 49 years old and both of my parents have passed away. I am watching this video and putting pieces together. My dad was a flight instructor from end of 1965 through mid 1968. I was five years old and can remember that dad would come home from work in the early afternoon or he would go to work later in the day. Now i know, the students went into the classroom after flight instruction. I can remember my wearing the orange flight suit. Great memories of dad before he went to Vietnam...
sancarlosbum 6 months ago
Class 63-2WT Graduate, May 1963, Tactical Officer, 2nd WOC, 1966.
Bill Kimbrough
1938528 8 months ago
Relax!...It's a cadence song we sang as we marched at Ft.Rucker.
xxchinookxx 8 months ago
"Plug your nose and bow your head,...we are passing by the dead!.
xxchinookxx 8 months ago
(I liked) : " A little bird,...flew over head,...he landed on.....my window sill,...I lured him in..with a piece of bread,...and then I smashed,...his fucking head!.
xxchinookxx 8 months ago
@xxchinookxx wtf are u real , whats that all about ?
SIRSMITH08 8 months ago
Im really into helicopters!
mexx632 9 months ago
@mexx632 cool story bro
jbk66500 1 month ago
Was something else seeing my 18 y/o face looking back at me at 3:20 into the film. The ground school portion was Green Hats 66-21 (later graduating as 66-23) 2/14/67.
ov1spud 10 months ago
I was with the 5th WOC Co, brown hats at Fort Wolters, class 71-15. This video brings back a lot of memories. What they failed to mention was the constant harassment from the TAC Officers in Primary Flight School. Inspections, running, push ups, low crawling, standing at attention while the TAC Officers yelled at you for 2 hours is what I remember the most, Advanced flight training at Fort Rucker was a piece of cake compared to Fort Wolters. Flew with 240th greyhounds, & 187th crusaders in NAM
greyhound59912 10 months ago
I was at Wolters in Summer 2001 on a weekend.. I was in the Army Reserve. We stayed in one of the old barracks. The ones right across from the prison. that weekend we were doing live firing practice at the firing range.
jgodyssey 11 months ago
Great memories - I went through 3rd WOC - summer/fall of 66 - class 66-23/67-1 -so this was done during my stay at Wolters and Rucker. Our class split between the OH 23 (which I flew) and the TH 55. We had the unfortunate distinction of having the first TH 55 fatality. We were also one of the last classes, if not the last class, to shoot three solo autorotations at Wolters - was quite the thrill with less than 50 hours flight time. Thanks and proud to have flown "Above the Best".
Tucsonglass 11 months ago
Class 88-12 flew Hueys and Chinooks.
DannyDad208 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
* * World famous "THEGOLDEN BOOK OF ARABIC" (Search it FACEBOOK YOUTUBE.) saving lives of US Soldiers in Iraq. Highly Recommend it to all who are still struggling to figure out ARABIC It s a REAL LIFE SAVER! You ll be making simple/complex sentences in a week! Most detailed book in th Market. Very easy instructions 1000s of examples. BOUGHT mine from AUTHORHOUSE COM Now plan to send to my buddies who r still there. YOU2 CAN SAVE A LIFE! Sold only at Authorhouse com.PERFECT GIFT 4 ALL SOLDIERS
tul10c 1 year ago
Holy hell Paragon is a s big as a fucking cow! Wow!
Texsun1359 1 year ago
If I could re do my life, I would've love to be born at least 10 years earlier from '63, joined the Army, and become a WOC.
As it turns out, I joined the Army in '81 as an acft. armament repairman, fixing AH-1's armament systems. I have the utmost admiration for the generation that went before me to Vietnam.
gcopter1963 1 year ago
Also, I feel sorry todays students..No solos! Back then, we did a weather brief, filed a flight plan, and we could take a Huey all the way down to DeFuniak Springs (for the golf cart ride and t-shirt!) or even FLORIDA on a VFR cross country. Funny thing was, when I got to my first Unit, they wouldnt even let us do a freaking run-up alone unless your were RL progressed! SO Silly! I took video of us doing a 21 Huey Air Assault to Ft Benning grunt school, cool shit! they were the Best of times!
Mrdesertsnake1991 1 year ago
@Mrdesertsnake1991
Sounds like you mean "cross-country" solo... We had to solo in Primary in the first 12-15 hours of flight training... 1988. Three "evaluated" approach and takeoff circuits around the pattern in a Huey... Then, in Advanced Combat Skills (near the end of training) we got the keys to the car for a full tank of gas.... We were the third class after they got rid of TH-55 (Schweizer 300) for the Primary trainer...
DannyDad208 11 months ago 2
@DannyDad208
I was in Class 88-20, Royal Blue. I believe (not positive) that was the 3rd class in huey's after the TH-55. We graduated in April 89. Was that your class?
bah1208vd 11 months ago
@bah1208vd
We were 88-19... Graduated April 12-13, 1989 (W01 and then Wings)....
DannyDad208 11 months ago
I watched this Film (and many like it) while I was on hold for the AH-1 Cobra course. (red hat/87-16) I was "raised" in the EM ranks by all the old Wolters guys, and I still have old dog status like them due to TH-55 training, and having to slog all the way thru Flight school on E-5 /WOCpay.The scene with the Pathfinders lighting the inverted "Y" cracked me up! We were some of the first classes to fly cutaway NVG-5's (Clipped on with Medical surgical tubing!). I remember it all so well!
Mrdesertsnake1991 1 year ago
I'm at Rucker for flight school and one of our instructors showed us this video in class. Its funny because all of the instruction is basically the same just with updated aircraft and tech. Oh, and we don't solo anymore. Now we just have a P1 and P2 checkride.
jamesjamesjr 1 year ago
@jamesjamesjr
Lucky on the part about not being a WOC until you graduate flight training, but sad about missing that special event of Solo... My stick buddy and I dialed in a radio station and I had "Red, Red Wine" by UB40 playing in my helmet while I did approach and takeoff 3 times in our Huey... I will never forget that special moment.. Ranks second only to my children.
DannyDad208 11 months ago
Yeah well I was a part of all this too and someone told me to watch this video. Fuck this ignorant shit we did. They should kill us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ognywogny 1 year ago
500 meters to the left of the gate of Wolters I was in a car accident.
mcdade1984 1 year ago
Oh Well. Fuck You.
82abnoff 1 year ago
@82abnoff No homo
walleye2416 1 year ago
Is that M-60 being suspended on a bungee strap at 00 :51 min? Bet you'd never see yourself on Youtube after 43 years, DJSuperflyer
wkat950 1 year ago
A great tribute to a the men who answered the call. To become one with their machine, entering into realms un-kown to mere mortals while serving their country. Our service was to each other and to those who would rely on these machines for every aspect of their day to day missions and survival. The whop whop of Huey blades will always keep time with my heart beat.
11041944 1 year ago
Comment removed
11041944 1 year ago
Good luck finding a Colonel who will sign off on that "eagle flight" risk assessment.
banjohooker 1 year ago
im coping this fuk the nwo
steveo451 1 year ago
@steveo451 Wow... I'd ask you what you were even trying to say, but I'm unsure if that was even English. Wow... just wow. The level of idiocy astounds me these days...
FalloutRadius 1 year ago
@FalloutRadius your fucking dumb, fucking ignorant bastard. mother fucker
walleye2416 1 year ago
@walleye2416 Your (adj.) - belonging to person spoken to: refers to something that belongs to or relates to the person who is being spoken to.
So, that said... "your fucking dumb,"- my fucking dumb WHAT, exactly? You should also capitalize each beginning letter of each statement as well as end it with a period (.).
*Ahem* So... you were saying?
FalloutRadius 1 year ago
lol 01:32 looked like a picture which would say before he crashed into the camera man
AlexB4455 1 year ago
WORWAC 68-517: Red hat at Wolters - 1st WOC. Great memories. 334th AWC in RVN then 26 years active duty.
Army flight training was the best (except for the TH-13 instruments at Rucker!) and prepared me for 14 years as a civilian test pilot (F/W) after retirement. CW4 (Ret)
douglt 1 year ago
department of defense show top secret files don't copy or record this data you gonna be prosecuted and jailed and fined in top secret plays and you neighbors not gonna finder where you are and you bear will be longer than zz-top wearing on weekdays so you gonna scrod up and fined 250000000000000000000000000000000000000000000jens
kapitalisttas 1 year ago
wow great vid.. and @DJSuperFlyer and the others u make us all proud!
necrowords 1 year ago
I was the technical advisor for the filming at Fort Wolters while assigned there as the Executive Officer of the 3d WOC Company. In fact I appear in the film. I am the pilot in the right seat of a UH-1 looking back to the left just before the "Chopper Pilot" title is shown. I was at Fort Wolters form November 1965 to June 1967. When I initially arrived at Fort Wolters we changed the program from a college campus type environment back to an OCS type pre-flight. I was in class 59-1.
DJSuperFlyer 1 year ago 18
@DJSuperFlyer Very cool, Dad! /proud
shannaliz 1 year ago
I was a crash guard flying on 'Flatiron' at Cairnes in 66-67. Went to a number of crash and burns. Worst one was a huey midair; 4 pilots killed. Remember one was a Lt Taylor...saw his flight jacket with name tag. Nothing but a bunch of scrap left after the fires were put out. After returning from Nam as a mechanic, came back and worked on hueys at Knox field as a civilian.
dvdcnl 1 year ago 5
You guys'll excuse an old USAF crew chief buttin in to say thanks for goin thru this s#!t...
KatsOlman 1 year ago
@KatsOlman
you kiddin' Kats ?!?! the flying made up for everything and then some.
Right above us was the jet training area for the USAF. I buddy rode with a guy named York once and we went up 1 mile. had to use carb heat for the first time. It was chilly up there with the doors off. 80 knots, 40 knots, 60 knots...no horizon for orientation. They knew two sydents in a 23 went up there but they never found out who it was. Sorry Mr. Johnson.
Thats when we found out it was the USAF airspace.
s6u6r6f6 1 year ago
@s6u6r6f6 Sh1t, man! You guys got up into Sheppard & Carswell's airspace. You're lucky some T-38 or worse yet, a BUFF didn't send you to the happy huntin grounds! I was referring to flying through the sh1t to bring guys out & get 'em home...one of which would go on to be one of my commanding officers.
KatsOlman 1 year ago
@KatsOlman
sorry Kats...I was 18...what the fk did I know. can't say I was the safest driver out there.
s6u6r6f6 1 year ago
69-49 10th Woc flight B-1
let me tell you something. Long after we are gone: thousands of us will be haunting the grounds of what was once Fort Wolters. This is what ghosts are. throwbacks to a time when everything was right....to a moment in our living lives when all was perfect in our world...and we flew.
Across what used to be "the Hill" someone will think they hear a cadence call...a shadow in Nomex......a cheer a shout...it will be us.
for these were the best of times.
s6u6r6f6 1 year ago 4
@s6u6r6f6 Nomex? we didn't get no stinkin Nomex!!, We had the ancient USAF Flight Suits, and Fatigues.....How I wish we had Nomex...I went thru a whole tour in Nam and never saw any of the new stuff...
Dale Martin, Class 66-23
vonmazur1 1 year ago
@s6u6r6f6 I feel for those timid souls who will never know what it was like to Solo, there are no words to describe the feeling.....When Mr Thurmon stepped out and said.."It's strapped to your ass, good luck kid..." and picked up his coffee cup and left the cockpit.... How can we explain this to the vast horde of unwashed idiots today??
I heard a german march playing in my head....Marsch des Kreisregiments Durlach-Baden, to be precise...The tempo and music fit exactly with flying an OH-23 D.
vonmazur1 1 year ago
@vonmazur1
...Mr. Boyd. I'll never forget the guy. He would try to get out to the stagefield first while there was cattle grazing between the lanes and shoot an autorotation or buzz the field and watch them scatter. He liked to ride with his foot out on the front crosstie. He was a big Texas fan and did a lot of fishing. He let me Solo somewhere around 12 or 13 hours.
vonmazur1 there is no describing the feeling of being in the pattern for the first time and the left seat is empty.
s6u6r6f6 1 year ago
@s6u6r6f6 These days Weatherford College is at Ft Wolters...I went to a few Firefighting/Rescue classes & police training there. Did a little exploring, about 1/2 the base is still in good shape..lotsa bldg's sold & moved off, some torn down, some new construction..they were refurbing the hospital for the VA back in the 90's. Chapel, PX, commissary & Hdqtrs bldg all still there
KatsOlman 1 year ago
06:35 :D :D :D LOOOOOL
"...the strange business of hovering hundreds of pounds of machinery above the ground, hanging on a set of whistling blades... for a hummingbird it's natural!"
daveslow84 1 year ago
Brings back fond memories. Best training ever! Class 67-501
N5MCF 1 year ago
Very coo!. I was a Rucker Baby - WORWAC Class 76-27. 18 months in South Korea with the 55th Avn. Co., a short stint at Ft. Hood with the 7/17th Cav, then a tour as a Initial Entry IP at Rucker. I've made my living from what I learned in my six years active duty. Thanks for posting this film - it was a bit before my time, but it's still a taste of home!
matagordababy 1 year ago
Class of 68-505 , graduated 4 June 68 HAAF. Flew with the 236th & 54th DUST OFF. The Army flight school was finest school of any kind I was ever at. The very best part was the men I went through with. We trusted each other with our very lives, and that trust was not misplaced. It is good to see that the nation learned something. This time we are not blaming the warrior, wether we agree or disagree.
9lsmith99 1 year ago
First, it's fun to see how new and different rotary wing aviation was.
Second, was there going to be a car wreck a 1:42?
barkon 1 year ago
Comment removed
jkarmire 1 year ago
class 65-3W, Graduated may 11, 1965, went to VietNam with the big red one, D1/4 Cav, then returned to Wolters as an IP in 1966. was assigned to Flight Div A2. Initially instructed in H23's then in TH55's. Occasionally taught in the H13's out at Palo Pinto heliport west of Mineral Wells.
kenj41ne 1 year ago
Finished at Mother Rucker Class 69-39. Great video brought back lot of memories. First time at Ft Rucker was 1965 for maintenance school September to December. It took me four years to get back.
picfloyd 1 year ago
I didn't remember that this film existed, even though I was in it. It brought back some great memories at Wolters, Rucker, and Viet Nam. I served as an IP at Rucker in 65 & 66 and hope I contributed well to the quality of pilots sent to Viet Nam and their survival rate. I owe my 33 year airline career to my Army training. Pilot training suffered somewhat during the McNamra years but still provided our military with a great tool, and the ground troops some great support. Thanks.
clapo261 1 year ago
without the chopper pilots that flew my RANGER / LRRP 6 teams in on our missions and come in often under a lot of hostile fire -- we would not be alive.
rangertm21 1 year ago
Lot's of memories. Did not know this film existed. Trained during '65 '66. Shot down Mothers day '66. Thanks for posting.
ezview 1 year ago
Lots of memories in this video. Thanks for posting it. I graduated with WORWAC Class 66-17, and then came back to Wolters, after Vietnam, to be a Primary IP in 68-69.
choprjock 1 year ago
Started in 66-13, graduated with 66-23. I was eternally grateful to the Army for letting me learn on the OH 23, and not the rubberband powered TH 55...AS my first unit in Nam was 3rd Bde 4th INF DIV, and they had OH 23 G's....Got the DFC at age 19 flying the Hiller..(Battle of Soui Tre 21 Mar 1967)
Dale Martin
vonmazur1 1 year ago
I had that guy for instrument academics. 3:48
comicchubs 1 year ago
Very cool. Many hints as to when this was made. I was in the second class that trained in TH-55s and we were on the main heliport, which is where the TH-55 opening sequence was filmed. We trained at SF 2, which is also shown, and we had mixed traffic there (H-23's, TH-55's). Definitely my era (I was in class 66-15, final frames show graduation of 66-11.) Inaccuracies: pre-flights wore hats backward; new solos were not dunked in post pool, but in cattle ponds or Holiday Inn. Real deja vu. Thanks
MyDanGreen 1 year ago
I was in Class 67-9, also 4th WOC, yellow hats. This film seems shot before me, yet our solo celebration wasn't in a clean swimming pool, but in a "tank," used for watering cattle. All the rest really brought it back. Like when my Huey's inverter failed just as I hit the IP on a very dark night returning to TAC X and starting my procedure turn at low level. On to greater glories, Blackjack 23, Gambler 10, 4th ID, 67-68. Now with Flight Safety Foundation.
atweditor 1 year ago
Went through Ft. Wolters in Class 69-37 (4th WOC-Yellow Hats), this video bought back memories that had been ALMOST forgotten.
1.) Being dunked in the pool at the Holiday Inn
2.) Flying the traffic pattern at night solo
3.) Landing in LZs solo
4.) Death of a classmate in a solo LZ
5.) Harassment of the Tactical Officers
However, I would do it all again!!
ewbray1 1 year ago
Sure brings back a lot of good memories. Combat engineer Ben Luc- Dong Tam 1969-70. Later 75-5. 75-13. Dustoff one zero. CW4. Jeff Hall ret
W4hq 1 year ago
Was priviliged to be one of the Marines who went thru Wolters and Rucker in `70. Video brings back great memories, though I went thru as a 2Lt.
Best to all the alumni of Army training and Viet Nam vets.
gwpegasus 1 year ago
@gwpegasus I was a Primary IP at Wolters in 68-69 and taught a Marine Lt. named Soliday. I had to admire him for just putting up with all us Army types. :-)
choprjock 1 year ago
I was suppose to enter flight training in '68. Been in Nam, 65-67. Chose civilian training and flew Capt. with Major airline for 34 years. Still wish I had gone into Army Chopper School..
airbuscpt 1 year ago
Great vid. Deja View all over again. Class 69-25/27. Bandit 34
34thebandit 1 year ago
Thanks for posting this, did not know it existed. Brought back lots of memories, the film showed classes 66-11/12, I graduated with 66-17.
hueyfitz 1 year ago
Mother Rucker!
nipponhouseplayer 1 year ago
I spent six months at Hunter Army Airfield, before going to VN. Shared a wing in the barracks. I watched as they trained, then flew with them in nam as gunner on the 0H-6 Flying Circus 1st cav
uswsle14 1 year ago
When I was 17 (in 1981) I wanted to be a chopper pilot pretty badly, but the Army said you had to be 18, and that was a whole year away. I joined the Navy instead as an enlisted Radar technician. I doubt I would have made it through that training, this video was a real eye opener, thanks for posting it.
verbusen 1 year ago
@verbusen It was not easy, even as a youth to finish this school, I am still amazed at the older guys who did it at age 37 and, older ie: -prior sevrvice, one guy in 66-23 was former Navy Enlisted (CPO) Dauntless Pilot, he fought at Midway!!! and he bombed Vietnam in WW 2.....He looked to us kids like the Ancient Mariner!!
Dale in AL
vonmazur1 1 year ago
@vonmazur1 Wow, cool story. Lived in a tent with a Vietnam Vet in Iraq in 2004, he was an E-8 Army reservist and looked about 55. When they talk about on TV the "kids" serving I think of guys like that, hell, I was 40 when I was there.
verbusen 1 year ago
@verbusen
I was also 17 in 1981.I enlisted to become an Air Traffic Controller, right after High School. Unfortunately, I did not pass my flight physical due to a hearing problem. Regardless, I went on and took classes to increase my GT score, from a 91 to a 113. I was then ready to apply for the flight aptitude test, which I passed, yet, I did not pursued the matter further because of my eyesight. Later on in life, taken many eye tests, passed them 20/20. Should've taken the risk and the test
gcopter1963 1 year ago
Cool video, I live 15 miles from KOZR :P
MariuzHomie 1 year ago
Awesome! I'd love to see a current spin off of a similar presentation ;)
MartinWAPerth 1 year ago
Im actually pretty impressed that they superimposed the correct FAA identifier into the audio at 15:00.KOZR - - - - - . . .-.
FoulOwl 1 year ago
Strange looking, savvy sounding. Hell yeah. Great vid.
CBKillas 1 year ago
interesting thank you
LTF85199 1 year ago
Brought back a lot of memories. Thanks for posting this.
razorbak16 1 year ago
Very, very good..thank you for posting this.
francovance1 1 year ago
nice vid!!
skat0r 1 year ago
Nice :)
TheJoeAwsome1 1 year ago
I love these films! Thanks for posting Airboyd!
Ledgeview1 1 year ago
fucking cool as hell
ZiiGxZaG 1 year ago
very long
joecartoonstudios 1 year ago
The opening sequence looks very 60's. Groovy baby!! :oD Yeah!!
bywestonbay 1 year ago
@bywestonbay
Bongos! Gotta love it.
atweditor 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@bywestonbay
Bongos! Gotta love it.
atweditor 1 year ago
cool
SauseMix007 1 year ago
Very interesting : )
CathayGuy 1 year ago