Man in the Door

A story by Marine Michael Rierson to celebrate the one abiding image we all brought home from Vietnam...it came in low and hot, close to the trees...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• sgt
• grit
• vietnam
• helicopters
• lz
• marine
• corps
• usmc

[uhih6717823]

CE UH 6717823 tail numbers

Thanks for sharing the other side with us old x crew chiefs Uh IH 6717823 (Huey)

We were happy to the job.....and scared as HELL!...but never could show it...

We never knew when we were going to be shot down...again...We never knew what you guys were thinking

[MichaelRyerson]

@MIDNIGHT1633 Well Richie, This piece celebrates a kind of heroism we have too often overlooked. No one would argue a grunt's eye view of combat is a miserable existence. But few would argue that the one image we all brought back from Vietnam was of a guy braced in an open doorway with a swivelgun and a smile. I think it is a mistake to try to turn it into a pissing contest.

[Grunt6869]

@uhih6717823

[awoowoowoo]

Oh, and thank you sgtgrit for sharing this!!! <3 <3 <3

[awoowoowoo]

Proud of all the vets and proud to be an American!!! Thank you for everything you did!!! <3 <3 <3

[MadDogs240thAHCVietn]

Mr. Ryerson, having served with the 240th Assault Helicopter Company, Crew Chief/Doorgunner on the UH-1C Mad Dog Gunships, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this respectful video in tribute to all of us that were the "Man In The Door." I hope your friend made it out alive and I would like to say to you, WELCOME HOME, BROTHER and thank you for your service to our country when so many others ran and hid.

[MichaelRyerson]

In answer to several emails, yes I do have a blog...you can find it at...

passingthroughthemomentDOTword­pressDotcom

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

[HyTaipan]

Very pleased to find a photo from the 135th AHC (EMU) made its way into this excellent video (@14 sec). The man's name was Noel Shipp, Royal Australian Navy. KIA 31 May 1969.

[ebonpaladin]

My whole family loves you soldiers...my brother is also one. Much respect.

[rogerfurnival]

Well Done Marine Michael Rierson - Good Form!

Blood Stains and Bullet Holes inside a Huey get your attention and you said it all!

[phrog46crewmmaf]

"When a Marine in Vietnam is wounded, surrounded, hungry, low on ammunition or water, he looks to the sky. He knows the choppers are coming..."

Leonard F. Chapman General, USMC Commandant of the Marine Corps

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SEMPER FI to all my MARINE Brothers, Air Crew, Grunts, Recon or REMFS....we're all connected by one thing, we're MARINES. We earned the title, it wasn't given to us!!!!!

[andrewcar68]

I was born in January of 68 so obviously all my knowledge of the Vietnam war is either a childhood blur or the histories that I read after the fact or from Vietnamese kids who were fortunate enough to make it over here and attend school with me but this poem brings a better understanding to me of what the servicemen went through, the emotions that are scorched into ones psyche. Thanks. Nice bit of literature...