TBS 2-67 Cruisebook_Updated_7Jan23

Second Platoon
USS Lexington. With my wings pinned on the needs of
the service then dictated I would be flying rotary-wing
aircraft so transitioned at Ellyson Field into Bell's & H-
34's. I was then transferred to New River in Sept. 1967
transitioning into the new CH-46 which was destined to
become the work horse of the Marine Corps. After 3
months of flying 46's and being instructed by many
Vietnam Combat Pilots, I left New River Dec. 1968 &
took leave so Cheryl, I, & our new son Mike could
spend his 1st Christmas with his Grandparents in Ohio
& Iowa before I headed to WestPac. Cheryl
accompanied me to California spending a couple of
days in San Francisco before I flew out of Travis AFB on
a Pan Am flight through Okinawa to the RVN.
Vietnam Era Service: Reported to duty to Mag 16 Jan.
1969 & was assigned to HMM-364 the "Purple Foxes",
joining them in Marble Mountain (Da Nang). It was
then I heard for the 1st time my good friend Andy
Haglage was KIA the month before 4 Dec.68 while
flying a H-34 with HMM-262 out of Marble Mountain. I
flew as a co-pilot the next 3 1/2 months learning the
lay of the land & experienced 1st hand what combat
missions were all about. Checking my log book I flew 9
times with fellow class mate Jim Hintz. One of the
flights was on 19 April when we heard in the O'Club
that night that Bob Huie was KIA flying a CH-46 with
HMM 263 also out of Marble Mountain that day. I also
flew CH-46 Bureau # 153369 now in the Air Museum at
Dulles. I guess I now also belong in a museum having
flown 22.3 hours in that aircraft.
With hours & experience I was designated a
Helicopter Aircraft Commander (HAC) in early May
1969 & since HMM-262 "Flying Tigers" needed HACs a
couple of us newly designated HACs were transferred
up North near the DMZ to Quang Tri. I spent my R&R
with matching Aloha shirts with my wife Cheryl in
Hawaii. I remained with HMM-262 for the remainder of
my tour including the squadron's move & operations
out of Phu Bai in the fall of 69. I flew a little over 900
missions in Vietnam including medevacs, recon inserts
& extracts, troop lifts & resupply. Designated a Section
Leader, Division Leader, Flight Leader & Test Pilot.
Flew pretty much all over I Corps including the DMZ &
North of the DMZ pulling out some downed pilots,
Laos, A Shau Valley, Song Ngnan Valley, Charlie Ridge,
Dai Loc, Khe Sanh, the Rock Pile, USS Repose &
Sanctuary (AH-16 & 17). Those are some of the places I
remember. Took, as we all did, a lot of hostile fire. Shot
down twice & was awarded a Silver Star, Distinguished
Flying Cross & Purple Heart. Lost many good friends
including my Crew Chief Cpl. Rogers. These Marines
lost their lives at a very young age. God Bless their
sacrifice & our prayers are with "Those Who Gave All".
After Vietnam: I returned to CONUS flying directly
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