Helicopters, Vietnam and the dangers of war

In Vietnam, helicopters helped quite a few enemy soldiers extend their careers. Helicopters were vulnerable, not only to bullets but accidents. 

Within 1500 feet of the ground, choppers were within effective small-arms fire. Thus they started flying at 2500 feet or tree top level. One enemy document noted that if they aimed at the nose of the chopper, they would hit the pilot or the engine. If they aim two-thirds back from the nose, they will hit the gas tanks and set the helicopter on fire.

I was friends with Ross Russell of Sandpoint, who was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Ross told me that he had been shot down three times, and wounded twice, but survived. Sadly, Ross has passed away. Rumor had it that enemy soldiers who shot down a helicopter received immediate promotions.  

For me, thankfully, all the hours I spent traveling around in choppers, the pilots flew high up, and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Vietnam. Guess how many helicopters were lost in Vietnam? Before the war ended, the United States had lost 2,587 helicopters in combat and another 2,282 in accidents; 5,289 servicemen were killed.

To this day, the "wop-wop-wop" of the helicopter blades puts me on edge and brings back unpleasant memories. The reason is that they also brought in all the dead soldiers, killed in action,  two or three at a time or more. If there were many, then more choppers came in. Sometimes, they would just dump the soldiers on the ground and take off again. I also remember a line of helicopters with infantry troops alongside, waiting for the first shots to be fired by the enemy, then they took off into combat, maybe 15 choppers loaded with troops. I knew from experience, that not all would come back alive.

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran and business owner in Priest River.