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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-07941 to 363-07947.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-07941 to 363-07947
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Title
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Article about helicopter transportation in South Vietnam
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Description
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Keever's title: "'Banana-Boat' Chopper Crews end First Year of Bullets -- Even Bamboo Grows", Article draft about helicopter transportation in South Vietnam, for Newsweek Magazine
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Transcript
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Beverly Deepe
Newsweek Satgon
Helicopter pilot Thomas G. Stubbs was like a kid at Christmas
this week. Just a year ago Wednesday he left the United States for a
12-month tour in South Viet Nam. This week, he returned home.
When he and 400 other members of the 8th and 57th Light Transportation
(helicopter) companies first landed in Saigon, the size of the American
military community almost doubled. They were advised to wear short-sleeved
shirts and sports slacks "like neat-looking American tourists."
estimated 3000 at American servicemen in fatigues or khakis
in Saigon.
Little did
Now an
are stationed
tall, blone blond Chief Warrant Officer Stubbs,
a rank referred to as Mister in U. S. Army terminology, realise the
experiences ahead for these units, which were to be the first helicopter
companies in history to be used for assault-type combat support missions
of carrying troops into battle zones, resupplying them and evacuating
battle casualties under enemy gunfire.
It was a year in which the 8th Helicopter Company fa flow 5,500
hours, carried 2,500 troops into battle, and transported 2,350 tons of
supplies. Of the original 20 H-21 Shawnee helicopters, called "banana
boats" because of their upward curvature, only twelve are still operational.
All but two have been hit at least once and many have a number of "ound
"wound stripes" painted in day-glow international orange.
(More)
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Decpe-2
Ono pilot was hit five times in six consecutive days. Mister Stubbs
was to see the several of his unlucky unit metes get "ebert tours."
Three were killed in notions four others were wounded in ection. All
received Purple Hearts to give the 8th the highest battle occulty rete
of all elicopter unito. (Among all other helicopter units, two have
been killed in ections 15 wounded in action).
When
"We grew into this situation," Mistor Sh Stubbs explained.
we first came, 9 we were fat, dumb and happy. We didn't know what was
happening. To in thought we might be training troops. To
idn't know if there was a wer hette or not. "
$120.
On his first mission, the helicopters and landed under enemy ground
The first ship was "ounded "wounded" on returning to Saigon's
Ten Son Nhut airpot. "After that, we know there was a war here," Mister
like many as other
Stubbs laughed. "It brought back old memories.
members of the unit, are veterans of Korea.
Mister Stubbs, on that first mission,
Bes
drew enemy groundfire. Last
week, 310 missions later, he again was shot at as his helicopter almost
el lended on top of two Viet Cong guerrillas armed with Thompson submachineguns.
t times at what they were
The cre
re anteprised
being attacks 16h. Several water buffalo and one elephant charged
the helicopters as they approached landing zonos. The unit has been fired at
by modern-day carbines, automatic rifles and 38.30 calibre machinegune
by home-sde shotguns and sipguns. Ono ship was hit by a four-inch bolt fired
from a grenade launcher.
"The Viet Cong have exude weapons," ister
Stubbs explained. "We've had everything but kitchen sink thrown at us."
(More)
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Deepe-3
For monthe Lt. Arthur
Williams of Ft. Pract, North Caroline,
maintained ho wa being fired at by the spears and bamboo arrow of
the primitive mountain tribeanon.
"Go have a couple of drinks," he was told. "Pretty soon they'll be
throwing elephants at you."
But last week is suspicions were confirmed. A 15-inch bomboo arrow
vas lodged in the fuselage of a helicopter returning from a mission.
We've learned old-fashioned, old Indian type guerrilla warfare,"
Mister Stubbs said. "We wore a modern Army when we cene here. To had to
learn how to go backwards instead of forwards,"
The 8th Helicopter Company moved into the central one-third of
Viet Ham,
a jungled mountainous area once used as Emperor Bao Dei'
favorite hunting ground for elephants, tigers and buffalo-like gaz.
It was not be to be a happt hunting ground for the 8th. The mountains
were steep, often domanding the chopper's maximum power for maneuverbility.
The landing zones were so small only three or four ships could lend at one
time. And often the Viet Cong had plented 12-foot bamboo stakes into the
"tiger grass.
The rotor blades of Helicopter 2085, nicknamed "the Great
Ghost, received football-sized holes in them after one mission of fighting
Often roter rotor bledes had to be mended
the o
anti-helicooter poles.
in the battle concs with his masking tape before the ship could be
flown homo. In t week, the rear ond of onehelicopter was shot off.
The crew at first decided to destroy it, but letor devised a cargo sling
to hold it together long enough to fly it out of the lending zone.
(More)
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Deepe-4
"We've landed in areas they'd court martial us for in Sates,"
States, 21 to stubbe explained. "It's everyday stuff here. At home,
nobody flies over jungles we fly around thom. "
It was to be a trying year of continual improvement for the 8th.
At first billeted in mimi mako-shift, oven-hot tents, most of the time
filled with dust and all of the time filled with mosquitoes, the unit
in September moved into dite now quarters, a series of low-slung
semi-permanent buildings called "Camp Goldberg." Grass, flowers and benbna
trees were nursed along in the sandy soil. Stemmahib Bach
building was appropriately named by the six men living there.
Medical Detachment an
The 130th
Lopensory was named "Blood Suckers Haven."
The "House of Gonna" was named after a chief warrant officer as who
"was always gonna do something but never did." The food storage hut was
known as "Toenain Tevern; the electricians resided in "Live Wires" shabi;
the radio hut was called "Short Circuits." "Cround zeré* Was nemad
after it. Willians williams who devised a bombing rack for E-21'c, but
nover received permission to use it.
The maintenance detachment, the key to keeping helicopters flying, at
first repeared ships on the hot pericing ramps along the airstrip.
"We were
shade tree mechanics without e shade tree," explained 34-year-old
SPC. George C. Daws, shop forenen from Fayetteville, North Carolina. In
September,
maintenance ezeve moved into two large tin-roofed shops
nemed Guthrie Hangar and land Lone Honge
(More)
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Deepe-x 5
The confidence of the Tieta mone troops gradually increased.
Those who at first would not leave their defensive outposts to board
the helicopters finally learned to ride them. And those who once would
not leave the helicopter without a machinegun in their beciso to force them
to jump into the landing zone are now willing to fight.
"The war is going our way for a change," Mister Stubbs seid.
"We're fired et less and fewer ships are being shot down. The ARVN'
(Army of Republic of Viet Nam) are fighting harder."
Despite the continual improvements, the unit had its dips.
"July was a hard-luck month," Mister Sub Stubbs explained.
Everything went wrong. lysentery hit the company so hard we hold briefinge
The wind blew so hard the palm trees laid flat on the
in thelatrine,
bonchos and the rotor blades stood straight up in the air."
Air supplies couldn't be get in and for two weeks the company ate
0-zations. There was no mail. Sand blew one-half-inch deep on the
flocks.
Company commander # Major Charles Hardesty mes shot dome Que Quick-
vatted meintenance orowo m plugged the bullet hole in the fuel linewt
with "peanut Button," a scaling compound, while AS ADD AD-6 fightors
hold off the Viet Cong. Five minutes after Hardesty flow out, the Communist
guerrillas moved in.
Hardesty was luckier than others. On July 15th, the now commanding
officer, Major Robert Corneil of Vicksburg, Mississippi, who had already
received a Purple Heart in Mokong Delta action, started on a routine
reconnaissance mission.
Viet Cong ground fire killed the pilot, Chief
(More)
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Tarrent Officer (CTO) Joseph A. Goldborg. The ship voored out of control
and crashed, killing P-5 Herold L. Guthrie, the crow chief. An
mozioen ground advisor who survived was shot by sguerrilla band.
Maj. Corneil and SP-5 James D. Lene gunner, fled into the jungles.
six hours later, the gunner diod from wounds and oxboution. Corneil was
rescued by his own exocutive offloor only after thepilot sew the sun
refoleti reflecting from Gornell's bald head.
The July total 3 ships totally destroyed; 3 killed in actiong
one wounded in action.
The old banana boats," which have dotted Viet nam's skies from
dawn to dark, are battered and tired. They are categorized into
quickly
"pic" once and well ones--those with enough power to pull out
of a lending zone.
"The H-21' are just a bunch of holi copter parts moving in the same
direction wrapped together in tin foil," the pilot of the swank turbo-jet
U-1A helicopter said. "I'd be scared to even ride in one.
Last month the helicopters of the 8th began receiving a new paint job.
the U. s. Army lettering and bright white star, good Viet Cong targets
marking the gasoline tank, were eresed and wavy camouflage colors of
browns and greens wore plattered on to blond with the jungle terrai
During the year, four other troop-eazyl carrying helicopter companies
have moved into Viet Nam to help the 8th and 57th, bringing total U. S.
holicopter strength to about 200 ships.
Refelotin Reflecting on his year in Viet Nam, i tor Stubbe admitted
he was so excited about going home, "I can cleep only three hours at a click.
"It's just like meiting for Christmas."
"Yeah, last year Santa Claus ceme on a water buffalo," said
(Hore)
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Doopo-8
Crot. Robert Kuhn, foor formerly 8th oporations chief who also left for
"This your yatim he come early."
the States this wook.
Check photos for pix of arrow in helicopter fuselage.
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Date
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1962, Dec. 11
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Tactics; United States. Air Force; United States. Army; Military helicopters; Air warfare; Transportation, Military
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6311
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B2, F4
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Format
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dispatches
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Collector
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
