| Home | Stories about the 68th | Introduction | Poem | Chapter 01 | Chapter 02 | Chapter 03 | Chapter 04 | Chapter 05 | 
| Chapter 06  | Chapter 07 | Chapter 08 | Chapter 09 | Chapter10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 |
| Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 |

 All stories remain the personal property of the contributor/author of the story.  You may download the stories for your personal use but they may not be distributed, published or used/sent to any publication or other web site without written permission from the contributing author.

Chapter 12

  by Kathy Hufford

   GUNSHIPS

UH-1C ARMY Helicopter Gunship belonging to the 68th Assualt Helicopter Company, Bien Hoa, Viet Nam, in July 1967.  Their radio call sign was “Mustang”.  The aircraft carried two 7.62mm MiniGuns that fired at 4000 rounds per min, 28 2.75 in folding fin Rockets with 17 lb warheads, and two 7.62mm M-60 machine guns. Plus a various assortment of explosive grenade.

By the summer of 1967, I had over 900 hours flying in Viet Nam . I was getting real tired of landing in mined LZs, and waiting for the grunts to get off the aircraft while I sat there being shot at. So, I asked to be transferred to the Gunship platoon. I did not do well with a 45 and 7 rounds, so I thought maybe I could do better with about 10,000 rounds of ammo and some rockets. I did much better.

Slick pilots flew around about half the time, with their aircraft empty. Gunships flew around, most the time overloaded with ammo and fuel. When we took off, the aircraft was at least 500 to 1200 lbs overweight. So, it always made for interesting takeoffs. I have seen on more than one occasion, the crew chief and door gunner get out of the aircraft to lighten it up so the could hover it out to the runway. Then we would start sliding forward with the crew chief and door gunner running along side. Once they could not run any faster, they jumped in the aircraft. This made for a real sight.

Helicopter gunships flew to LZs ahead of the troop aircraft on combat assaults. We would do a reconnaissance of the LZ to make sure no bomb trigger sticks were in place. We would use mini gun and rockets to prepare the LZ for the slicks. When the slicks were about 5 miles away, we would then drop a colored smoke grenade in the LZ to mark it for the slicks. Then the gunships would fly out and get on each side of the incoming flight of troops ships and provide suppressing fire with mini gun and rockets when the slicks were on short final and while in the LZ. And, we would follow them out. Once the infantry, grunts were on the ground, the normal procedure was for them to start in a direction to sweep an area. The gunships would cover them as required, and do aerial reconnaissance just in front of the grunts. As the infantry sweep an area, the enemy would, in most cases retreat. When they broke into the open we would see them. And, if their actions meet the rules of engagement for that mission, we would shoot at them. Gunships normally operated in pairs. One ship would be low, and the other would be at about 700 to 1000 feet high, covering him.  We did many of sweeps in “populated” areas. So the rules were, you had to get shot at to return fire. So the tactic we would use, when we saw them break and run was to fly low and slow over them with the second ship covering the first from altitude. What happened many times, was as you flew by them and got your rear to them, they would start shooting at you. One of the crewmembers would see this, and tell you to pedal turn the aircraft and you could then use your minigun, door guns, and the other aircraft if you were not too close to them. I’ve gotten many bullet holes in my tailboom, but also got to shoot lots of VC this way. Somehow, flying a gunship low and slow to get shot at first, was more fun than flying slicks. Strange.