DIRTY SECRETS of VIETNAM: The Helicopter Gunners
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- čas přidán 15. 03. 2014
- This door position concept further implemented aboard CH-21, UH-34, and UH-1 by enlisted men specially designated and trained, with the aircraft crew chief serving as both maintenance manager and other tasks. Normally, a second enlisted man served as a second operator (such as on a UH-1, and UH-34, which both used two - one on each side).
Thank you for this video and for yalls service and sacrifice!
My dad was a door gunner 69-70. He was a proud Vet, despite all the shit yall came back to. I lost dad in Feb 2020, due to agent orange exposure problems.
Thank yall guys again!!
I don't know why I can sit and watch these old documentaries for hours but I do!
+Junkman2000 Who doesn't brother.
I know why, man!
It is simply because they carry the spirit of authenticity, that's right!
my pops was in Vietnam he was a small frame fellas so they sent him on a lot of long-range reconnaissance missions tunnel missions and prisoner missions where they would go and capture high-ranking VC and documents, that would really mess him up it was hard growing up as a kid I knew him but he's come a long ways and is and is involved in church now and it's really done him better than anything else that he tried to get involved in because he had bad nightmares and stuff the first kill he ever made was when they went into a village and a girl about 10 years old came out with an AK-47 and he had the blower away or she would have blown him away!!!
Man... I just learned today when my mom called me early that my gramps was in the Vietnam conflict. It was how my granma n' him met, in fact. She was a nurse all my young life. She saved MY life twice, cuz she worked at the hospital I had to be driven to when I was incapable of breathing with my amniotic-acid scarred lungs which caused asthma. I didn't even know she learned the skills required to save me from saving others...
I love my grand parents. On the other side of my family, my granpa was a special forces pilot who flew missions to help the South Vietnam resistance. He was a marker plane for air-to-ground attacks. One time, he killed four elephants on the Ho-Chi-Minh trail with a flare launcher! He was skilled enough to hit their heads, which of course would cause the flare to burn into their skulls.
Brutal. The whole war was.
I would never have wanted to be there. I'm very happy that I have a friend who's granpa was in the South Vietnamese resistance. My granpa must've helped his! Even if not directly. It makes me happy to know how small this world is. Tiny dust ball. :)
But we can't leave, so us, the ones who inherited the stories, must continue on, must learn from these men, must know why the war happened, what caused it, why we can never do this again.
The modern conflict in afghanistan and Iraq has touched my life too. I have a friend who's parents are both from those regions. He speaks about what it is like there.
I support our troops. But I do not support killing of innocents. This always happens when the US is involved. We should not be there. The reason we are there is for the gain of the few among the lives of the many. Remember not the money spent, remember fully the money gained. It is the fault of the rich and powerful. Just like the Korean War, just like the Vietnam War, just like the wars in the Middle East today... It is the motives, the bribery, the money of the rich which makes us go to war.
They're the true enemy.
Jay lol a
My dad was a gunner. When his first tour was over he volunteered to stay for a second. When I asked him why? He said "they needed me". He had a hard time adjusting to a post war civilian life. My sister and I turned out ok so he did well enough. When he was in a mood I'd tell him "the war is over dad". That always made him laugh.
He sounds like a good man.
Haha
He was a hero. IS a hero. Men like him have a goodness,a toughness in him that God blessed him with. No matter how different he came back or what he turned to to help him cope,I'd still give anything to be able to just converse with him even for five mins,in hopes that even one percent of goodness god has blessed him with would rub off on me. Even though I was to young for Vietnam,I'm 43 now,I still know what it feels like to be normal and have a good deed I did for someone change my life forever,just like him I've never been the same. I'm a good man. Really good hearted but I lost alot of my life to PTSD for saving someone else's ,and their unborn child's life. I'm. Just now getting back to me. God bless yous
Damn man! Your pops is a good man and I’m sure he raised you to be one. Says a lot about him, his character and who he really is by the statement of “they needed me…”
Tell him a stranger said thanks for his service!🙏🏼
Dad was XO of VMO-6, 1968-69. For the door gunners, If you wanted to stay another tour, you would get 30 days R&R anywhere in the world, and most of the door gunners would go to Bangkok, smoke Hash, and have a hooker take care of them.
He saw the lifeless eyes of many of them who'd been there 3 years, and sent them home.
Sgt. Troxel is my dad! He told me about making this but didn't think he'd ever be able to find it since it was a military training documentary.
Really?
+hydrated yep: true story.
Thank you to your dad for his service!
Where did your last name "Bean" come from?
+fred forbush - it's an alias. "Cauf E Bean" = coffee bean
The Huey was a real Workhorse in Vietnam
***** Did you go?
*****
Vietnam would have been a lot worse if the USA didn't have the Huey.....
*****
I'm a Brit and I feel the same way about Afghanistan.
Thanks
***** You're right, but it was a great excuse to move social security trust fund into general revenues and spend it on their friends. Like Hughes aircraft.
ToonandBBfan Yeh my friend we have been had by the neo-con ever-war assholes , Canadian here. I vote we have a hanging day for Bush,Cheney and Blair along with AL-bagdaddy and 10,000 of his followers. Maybe toss in Netanyahoo and Hamas as well... the Saudi wahhabi bastards... umm guess i`t`s getting a bit Hitlerish so better leave it at that lol . Peace and best wishes.
As a .60 gunner I had the door gunner spot whenever we flew. Even the pilots didn't have as good a spot. Nothing like an open door and a long drop at the tip of your toes. There was no door gunner school that I know of at the time I was in, but it looks like it was pretty good training. One thing the Army is good at is whipping up a new training course for any new jobs they come up with, even when it is improvising. Thank You to all Vietnam Vets !
Became a gunner straight from the boonies 2/34th Armor, 1st Infantry Division. Was already very familiar with " the Hog" just had to aim different and don't shoot in 5-10rd bursts. OJT, love it. Also had OJT in EOD and being a tunnel rat when I was on the ground. Tough schools there, quick drop-out rate.
Great document,respect for all vietnam war veterans ...regards from France
My brother Henry Escalera was a door gunner. He was sent to Vietnam in 1967 right after he graduated from high school. my brother passed away at age 52, from Agent Orange.Very sad for me, my only brother.
🙏🙏🙏
Nước Mỹ đã rãi chất độc da cam ở chiến trường và giết chết chính người Mỹ ở đó
"GET SOME! GET SOME!"
~the door gunner from Full Metal Jacket.
Get on him Stevie , open up on that 23 mike mike ... Get some !!
Thanks for sharing this historical footage!
My father was a door gunner in the Navy and was there in 1969. Navy Seawolves Det.2. Mekong Delta. My father passed away in 2005. Agent orange is another story.
I was a Huey pilot- and the way we picked our door gunners by saying " Hey You ! Get on !"
Iben Yerkinov
Wilkey Halcon i was in drug and alcohol treatment with a door gunner, we
were talking about what fucked with us the most....he said " i wuz a door
gunner in nam, i just mowed people down, it became like a video game.
Wilkey Halcon so he compared it to a game that wasnt around then uhhhhhhhhmmmmmm i call bullshit
Nusipepa Lepaio no , he was comparing his actions THEN to a game that exists NOW.
Wilkey Halcon I don't know of any pilot that would have put up with just mowing people down. And, it's not like any video games I've seen, it's not quite that simple. Door Gunners could and were used from other crafts if they were available and willing. I was a crew chief on H-34.
I was a Huey doorgunner in late 1969, early 1970. The best time of my life. I quit college because I didn't like it and joined the Army, not so much out of patriotism but because I knew that serving my country was what my father's generation, and those before him, had done. I was willing to lay it on the line so no one could ever say I didn't serve. I loved it. Participating in life and death situations with brave young men is a great experience. Easy to say, I wasn't hurt. Eleven young men died in my units while I was there. Four of them died when I was scheduled for that flight. At 65 years of age, I wish I could go back to flying in the Nam with my friends, a bunch of 19 year old kids. The Vietnames people I met were great. I'm sorry for the war and regret that communists took over, although the corrupt puppet government of South Vietnam was abominable. I don't ask for special favors but I hope people today show respect for all those who served in the armed forces, in all conflicts. Peace
you have my respect,cheers from italy
I was a Vietnamese university student in South Vietnam during the last years of the Vietnam war. I write here to show you my respect for your services to your, and my, countries.
Such contributions of your participating mates of your generation are now at times unjustly looked down by your own compatriots. I feel some pains thinking about those.
Peace to you.
Bill I was a grunt with the 25th ID 66-67 then extended to be a door gunner with the 173rd AHC out of Lai Khe. Loved flying and shooting then there was something they called an infusion and I was sent to Phu Loi to gun on a hook. Saaid no to that and when Tet of 68 ended I left in one piece. I will say though that I have no qualms about my service but always felt pissed on by LBJ jerkoffs for not letting us fight with both hands. Also agter studying "our" war that the US had no business being there. Anyway that's history. Welcome home GI and Hooah!
how old you were at these times?
Fuck off
My father in-law was a door gunner in nam. He came home and began a twenty year drug and alcohol binge. He’s 72 now 15 or so years clean and owns a small accounting firm, goes to church ever Sunday, takes his grandkids every other weekend. Donates tens of thousands of dollars every year. I hope to become half the man he is.
As a Vietnam Vet, Flight Surgeon for the 52nd CAB during the Battle of Dak To and the Tet offensive, from May of '67 to May of '68 I can tell you that a door gunner had a hell of a job. I flew as a volunteer in that position and was involved in the rescue of 4 special forces guys out of Area J in Laos. I never saw one person but saw hundreds of bullets flying up and my Pilot yelled in my ear to shoot because they did not know that I could not see them and he was right. As soon as I started blasting the number of bullets coming up decreased. The good news is we put 4 special forces guys in McGuire rigs and landed them at Dak To without any of us being wounded. As to many of the comments below regarding those who served when asked to--please give them respect.
Teenagers love excitment, the 155ahc put a group of green beret on the ho chi min trail to guide aircraft to destory the NVA , the group was sighted and the chase began, it was The American army at its best,we protected the soldiers on the ground by watching the smoke grenades for direction. After a day and a night we got them all out safely,One green beret major was Tiger Woods father. I will never forget the raw power of that man.
The tone of the narration sounds as if at any moment the Beaver could chime in with "Geez Wally, Vietnam is the best!"
Nothing like a little suntan oil!
This documentary is pure gold.
So far I like it.
7:30 he talks about conserving ammunition. Funny thing is he doesn’t mention overheating the barrel. The M-60 was basically the same gun grunts carried and we were trained to strictly limit sustained fire as a red hot barrel could melt. Gunners often carried spare barrels but the change-out required wearing thermal gloves and was not easy in a combat situation. U.S. Army 4th Division 1968.
One advantage of firing from a moving helicopter is that air cooling is much mor effective. I'm sure if you tried, you could certainly burn one out, though.
We always had both gunners practice firing limited bursts. Shoot as much as needed, but, give a short break between bursts.
The air, cooled the guns while the chopper was moving. The 60's on the flex mounts couldn't be changed in flight.
I worked with a Vietnam door gunner for a year at a gas station named Frank, he had the best stories. The back of his head and neck were covered in scar tissue, told me a VC shot some kind of explosive into the chopper and it blew up on the ceiling filling the back of him with shrapnel.
bless his service send my well wishes
Medieval Dead and the "VC" made Frank and his army go back to their own country and mind their own business for a change
sadboyz
Good point. I have a couple of friends that fought for the US in that war, and became Communists afterwards. Because the conviction of the VC and NVA got to them. And when they studied what was going on, they concluded they were on the wrong side.
Sturm The Regulator You need to read some books... The Conquest of Bread, Mutual Aid, and Das Kapital would be a good start. js
Waya Kamejima No. Communism does not won't. Never has, never will.
This video makes the job look like a fun adventure. My wife's uncle flew medivac in Vietnam, it's a miracle he came back home alive. Door gunners especially had a short life span in country, they were the first ones usually to get shot at by the enemy. Hats off to any vets who served over there and survived being a door gunner, it was a tough gig by the way it's been described to me by not only my wife's uncle, but also the vets I grew up around attending American Legion and VFW events with my dad.
ya this video is mostly propganda making it look so easy. just trying to get new meat for the grinder. i noted their traning never showed them what a Hit from a DsHK or any number of AA guns the NVA had could do to the nonexistent armour on a Huey.
Anyone who runs... is a VC
Anyone who stands still... is a well disciplined VC
A guy who paid us rent to live in our old house was a door gunner in Vietnam. He said the run-of-the-mill guerrilla fighter over there couldn't shoot for shit, but that the VC regularly shot down helicopters with small arms fire. You had to be quick to get those guys before they got you, sometimes. And one time a VC blew up his ammo box in his face by shooting it as they flew by. EDIT: it might have been the NVA. It's been so many years since I heard the story I've probably got the two groups mixed up.
Shit was fucked up, but that shouldn't need saying.
i love the old school video footage, soo innocent we looked
I was a medic in Nam.....the helicopter was the workhorse ....and the Angel of Mercy......my hats off to all those that flew in the choppers.....I always thought they were cool, ....still do today. I worked in the OR at the hospital.
DUSTOFF . I saw many of them and gave it no thought . I was a twenty year old drafted Army aviation crew chief .Only years later have I come to realize the depth of my experience being so close to death and dying .
Medic's were well respected in nam. and while most chopper pilots would go into a hot LZ to pick up wounded some wouldn't. I was gunner on a ch 47c Chinook and 2 times we went in when they wouldn't. Sure we took a lot of hits but we got them out so they could live
Randall Underwood Thank you, sir
A well-meaning Colonel (CO) rewarded us with some ice cream in the field in the summer of 1970 for a campaign that we had just completed. One or two helicopters delivered the ice cream in huge rope nets which contained gallon cartons of ice cream. As the helicopters left, we ran to the rope netting to retrieve our sweets and all had a laugh as we drank our ice cream. Memories......
+Joey Aguzin
"A well-meaning..."
Really made it sound like the story would end badly or something.
What I find interesting in this doc however. Is that its clearly aimed at soldiers or potential soldiers and its stated in a more casual and none threatening manner. Which I think it is because its targeted towards national service or drafted guys, not just keen enlisted.
Lobos222
I was stationed at FT Campbell and later Schofield Barracks in the early to mid 1980s and always loved riding in Hueys on the way to field exercises. The pilots always gave us a thrill ride flying fast with the doors open and just when it looked like they were about to run into some trees or hills they swooped the helicopters up at the last second and missed them.
Vietnam looks like fun.
The narrator has a very reassuring and soothing voice
Nothing like a little suntan oil...
To the Vietnam War veteran.
To the men who were told their PTS would go away.
To the men who received no welcome home.
To the men who were forced by draft to partake in a pointless war which their own government sold them out on, which resulted in the loss of the pointless war.
To the men accused of "baby killing" and spit on after they returned.
To the men who lost their lives serving their ungrateful corrupt government.
To the men who lost friends, body parts, and their sanity.
I appreciate you.
really sad but true.
I guess someone just watched the movie “born on the Fourth of July”
To the window !
To the hall !
To the war !
To the copter we kill you all !
Pointless war? Thats the only part i disagree. It wasnt well thought out but screw commies
I like the Huey. It's shown over decades to be a very reliable workhorse!
Hoo Ahh ...if the Thunder don't get you the lightning will. In remembrance this Memorial Day weekend, gone but never forgotten.
Shout out to you guys, wasn't there , 18 in feb 76. it wasn't no push button war. 55,000 dead in 15 years. met a bunch of you guys clearing your heads. God Bless you guys.
I knew a gunner by the name of Tony Zito . He was a big athletic man that I learned had played some pro baseball also. He passed away from cancer that I suspect was from agent orange . I consider him to be a hero and very modest person that I will never forget. RIP Mr. Zito
Thank you to all our Vietnam veterans. God bless you and your families.
i was never in the military, and have no knowledge of history, nor even heard of the Vietnam conflict; all of which fully qualifies me to make a typical comment in response to this video - thanks for reading it
Don B
as an outside observer, i could recognise that many of the gentlemen here are recounting legitimate stories, and i think it shameful that so many feel entitled to chime in with their unfounded opinions
i thank you for both your service and your willingness to share even the smallest part of your story
Christy O'Faghan so, you're a millennial?
Why are people on here that hate Veterans and America? Why even watch this video? It serves you no purpose. I myself am here to see the difference between Army training videos from then till now. Grow up. It's like listening to a kid in a grocery store throw a fit at the register because their mom wouldn't buy them the Milky Way they wanted.
Jeremy Almquist their trolls trying to argue and piss people off, they have no brains or respect for anything
nfd1960 They're are f@$&ing scrubs. Most of them are probably like the people who marched on Wall Street. In/out of college working at Dairy Queen. Dont worry guys! I'm sure they'll be adding "Milky Way" Blizzards to the menu.
Mark Farnaway Obviously you are mistaking what analogy I am using. I said in the initial comment that the people commenting on here bad mouthing Service Members sound like whinny kids that want a candy bar. The second mention was referring to the people who protested on wall street. "In/out of college working at Dairy Queen...."
I agree that the war was the most political wat in us history, but still don't throw rocks and spit at the returning vets. They had no control over what happened with the war. What does that even accomplish? If they wanted to make change they should have protested the puppet masters up top. I Just don't understand violently protesting for peace.
Yeah I feel the same way
"How can you shoot women and children?"
Door gunner:"I just don't lead them as much."
Full Metal Jacket :)
as soon as i seen the title for the video that kept playng in my head hahha
ain't war hell?
GET SOME!!! GET SOME!!!
You don’t lead your target, you aim behind them because the Huy is going past a a good rate of speed. Come in from behind and watch it he
We Thanks and honor all veterans of the Vietnam War, Thank you for your supports the South Vietnam ARVN. “Army Republic of Viet Nam”, defend South Vietnam against the North Communists “Viet Cong” VC… VIETNAM VETS are true American Heroes! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Thanks, man.
VietNamCongHoa TQLC are you confused?
yeah,thank you for killing people all over the world because of their political or religious believes,just for profit...wow u guys did a great job on "protecting" your country..
We South Vietnamese "Republic of VietNam", proud to be an Americans, And we'll continue to fight against your-all communism and terrorist. God Bless America.
Jerry Garcia how many of the people you killed wore women and children?and how did you know that the people you have killed wore terrorists and not innocent civilians? let me guess, somebody told you so hahahahaha :) how old are you? didnt your mommy and daddy tell you that mean people lie about stuff? one day (maybe, if you are not too stupid, but judging by your statements you are pretty stupid), you will realize how you have been played like a fool and told that you need to save the world from the big bad terrorists, like a true hollywood hero. if and when you realize that, i hope that you will have the decency to shoot yourself in the head. one american veteran commits suicide every 60 seconds, i hope that you are next, but i dont think that you have sufficient brains to realize that you have been played or sufficient conscience and empathy in order to feel the guilt necessary for suicide. it would be so nice if god really existed so that he can smack your ass with a lightning bolt for being a terrorist.
Those running away are vietcong those standing still are wel disciplined vietcong.
The quote is. Any one who runs is a VC anyone who stands is a well disaplined VC
Back in the days when money grew on trees and no one dared ask how much a bullet cost.
100+ missions with HMM-364 Purple Foxes out of Marble Mountain 67 - 69. Loved them all, God bless the air crews and the pilots that flew us.
This is such BS. I took R&R in Hawaii, I was jumped twice. They hate us as Jeremy said. Yeah! just one big party in the Nam. FTA. Image I get home, I live in San Francisco, what shit I got. I even got shit from, who I thought were my friends, from people I grew up with. Suddenly, I find myself alone, not fitting in to Society, and no job. I lived in the YMCA. Finally got a job. Good thing I was down to my last $50.00. Yeah, this video depicts just how it really was in the Nam. You, when over there(1971-1973) could only think about is getting stateside. Then when stateside, you wish you were back. Peace my Brothers. Rest in Peace those that did not make it back. My heart cries for them.
+jawright3130 people are stupid who spit on soldiers and hated them. They listened to the media who never picked up a gun. I am a widow of a viet vet. He didn't die there -- he shot himself 3 years after coming home. He was a gunner in the Marines on helicopters and spent 18 months in nam
+lee curtis sorry for your loss lee your brave husband sadly is not the only vet to do this they deserved much more than they received they did there duty for there country brave men and women treated like leper,s on return why because they lost a unwinable war no country would have won I live in uk but my heart is american and with them to be sent to that hell my god and then come home to shit thrown at them and abuse I shed tear,s when I heard this and all the live,s lost on both side,s walk in there shoe,s then judge remember they served did not avoid there duty many will disagree with this were they there in that hellhole doubt it the way they were treated is america,s shame respect vet,s they earned it my best to you lee just lost my lady cancer share your pain god bless america and you lee
Colin Robbins and Lee Thanks. I am truly sorry for your loss. Nam has caught up with me too. I suffer from MS constant pain sever erosive arthritis, more pain and has been for about twenty eight years. Eventually it beats you down.
+lee curtis Sorry, can´t image what it was like, Im turning 65 had I been born in US I would have been there !
+Colin Robbins Colin, US soldiers and Marines did not "lose an unwinable war". If you look at how it really went down, every aspect of the war was won by US forces. Vietnamese general Giap said as much. Partisan traitors in US media like Cronkite declared the Tet Offensive in 1968 a huge loss for US forces when it actually was a lob sided defeat in favor of the US. The war was ultimately won after Nixon launched a massive bombing campaign in the North (operation Linbacker 2) that forced the North Vietnamese government to the Paris Peace Accords. They broke the agreement of the treaty they made and attacked the South after the US had removed the majority of its forces per the accord. With Congress defunding the support for South Vietnam and US forces gone, the North declared victory. As much as the US liberal media has pushed it as a US loss, the fact remains that US forces did not lose this war.
I respect the bravery of the young men who stood up because they believed they were doing their duty and serving their country, but it seems clear to me that Viet Nam was like most wars, in that the respective governments of both sides sold the people a crock. Its too easy for politicians to start wars and send others to fight and die when they themselves can sit in safety and luxury for the duration. The world would be a much better, more peaceful place if there was a simple rule that any politician that wants to start a war also has to personally fight on its front line of it for the duration.
+neilcoo oh so true word,s there I salute you pity your not president get my vote
My Father-in-law was a helicopter gunner in Vietnam, I heard some crazy stories from him over the years, he mentioned the fact that when you get a good lineup on targets they would actually get cut in half from the bullets and if they were in the middle of running at the time their legs would sometime still be running without the torso for a few feet till they fell over.... over at base in the middle of the night one night a lightning bolt struck the field outside of base and set off a chain reaction of mines layer down out there which sent the whole base into attack mode thinking they were being attacked by the V.C. Until they realized what had actually happened, and funny enough when he was on lookout and at a time when they were low on c-rations he seen a water buffalo just outside of the perimeter and asked command if he could shoot it, even though they weren't suppose to they were so hungry command of the post gave him clearance to do so and a local village where the buffalo came from got pissed off and the military ended up having to pay them compensation for the buffalo lol.... he does have some bad stories from out there as well like dredging the rivers of dead bodies and how the smell was so bad he psychologically lost his sense of smell till this day because of it, he lost a friend out there and had to sit with his dead body right next to him for a while during a situation where they were stuck behind enemy fire and even though his buddy was dead he shot up from a laying position to a sitting which made him think he was alive but he wasn't.... it was just a weird death rattle.... this particular memory haunts him till this day...
What a beautiful story. How many vietnamese people did your father in law killed ?
@@vutranquang4820 none that he ever wanted to, he was drafted, he didn’t choose to go to war and would be imprisoned if he didn’t, him pulling fellow soldiers from rivers and certain things he had to do haunt him till this day, he hates war with a passion...
Your father in low did a good job. He and his friend destroyed my country
@@vutranquang4820 Why are you telling me this, I wrote this 5 years ago, we are all human, Russia is over in Ukraine right now killing another countries people as well.... War is fucked up period buddy, we are all human, try to not live in the past, he didn’t do a “good job” war and our governments “do that job” not my father in law, please find peace, sending love and light to you and I hope you can heal eventually
Edit: Noticed the previous comment got deleted, well “good, him and his friend did a good job destroying my country” was essentially the bases of it.... Any next future readers in the next 5 years apparently....
@@rebelliousnature4795 because the way you tell your story. Well, you can say whatever you want, fine. But if you are me and see what i saw, may be you are not easy to calm down when you read that story.
Hilarious
The best door gunner I ever saw was Little Arnie . He wore Tony Lama cowboy boots and blue jeans ... with cammo top . This Army door gunner was wicked . He now lives in New Mexico and grows giant tomatoes and peppers .
Gung-Ho, whup-dee! The door-gunners in Vietnam had short lives.
STFU asswipe!
Hey 1138 BLOW ME 1138thz
Screw all of you punks. I was in Tarin Kowt, SOTF Camp Ripley, Afghanistan and did 4 years in the Army. After all said and done: Vietnam was a waste of American lives and dollars. What a waste! Oh yeah, in 1975, WE LEFT! End of war. We could have spent that cash on something else. Or how about something REAL conservative: how about not spending at all! Yeah, if they don't spend it, they don't have to raise our taxes to pay for it. How is that for a concept?
1138thz f u dip shiz
WAVETUBE84
Get bent you one hitch doggie bitch Woof! Woof!
I served as a door gunner for the 119th AHC in the Two Corps (Pleiku and Ahn-Khe) in 1970. I had no formal training and learned OJT. i made it home after one year in Vietnam. most of the gunners were grunts or truck drivers already in country but since many gunners were being shot along with their choppers, they would take anyone.
How did you manage to tell the difference between VC and innocent civilians? Must have been very difficult when flying fast a couple of hundred yards away
32shumble The VC were shooting at him...
Thank you sir
i was a door gunner in the 282nd AHC in ICorps 1s avn Brigade i had on the job traning after bening in the bush for six months (danang and dong ha) 1971&1972
David Hardy Thanks buddy, do you know of any reunions for Vietnam era door gunners? I hope to go to a reunion for door gunners before I check out from this life. I really want to see if I can touch base with my buddies or other door gunners.
This is somewhat funny. Went from 3rd Infantry The Old Guard, Ft Myer Va to Viet Nam, @ processing center at Saigon. A Sargeant asks for volunteers for door gunners, volunteered. Assigned to 129th Avn in Dong Ba Thin then Tuy Hoa. No training other than on the job.
NEVER volunteer!
I admire you men and women who served. My generation doesn't care about the politics of that era. What we care about is our relatives who served during that era are upright, look you in the eye and know how to enjoy life. You also got to drive some of the best American cars ever produced!
Thank you for your service.
This may seem strange always found the war in Vietnam compelling. I was way too young plus being from Canada. I have met one man from Canada who fought over,he was Native. A good man worked with him on the highways. Told me of stories from overseas. Maybe this where my interest came from .God bless all you vets ,and all other's from all wars. War just does not go obsolete .
I'm 67,this was my war,it was all we knew. My late husband and all our friends either got drafted into the army,dropped out of school and joined the marines,or if lucky the navy and air force.Many of our friends died over there. Some came home and committed suicide within a year or two. Many turned to alcohol and of course weed which was everywhere over there.Then to come home if you're lucky and not be able to have a drink because you weren't 21! There was no welcome home parades,just protests. None of our group wanted this war,it was a civil war in a foreign country.But it hung over everyone's head.News every night was a ghastly show of the dead,many our guys.The rich and college bound got deferments and it was these students who burned draft cards,the American flag,went to Canada. I still think of those who I lost in Nam and those lost forever with screwed up lives suffering from undiagnosed PTSD and the pain them and there loved ones suffered. Thank a Nam vet!He may not have believed in the war,maybe he was drafted but once he was there, as an American he did what he was trained to do and did it well. I was and am proud of them and all our soldiers and vets.WHEN ARE THESE MEN AND WOMEN GOING TO BE CARED FOR BY OUR VETERANS ADMINISTRATION'S WITH THE RESPECT AND TREATMENT THEY WERE PROMISED.
Hi Judy, I hope that you are still with us and doing well?
I'm a 'Brit' - born in 1957 - so didn't have to get involved in this sh*t!
Personally, I think that 'Vietnam' was like a lot of the post 'World War' conflicts that have gone on since 1945 - just a way for those with their own agendas to get away with - literal - MURDER! RIP all those on ALL 'sides' who have had to pay the politician's price!...
The VA has officially exempted Vietnam vets from those they are "obligated" to treat¹. I'm glad my dad has a lifetime DAV membership (plus he's had an "open" case with the VA since June of 1987) so he could continue to get treatment for his combat PTSD, Alzheimer's type dementia, heart and lung conditions and other issues. Evidently DAV lifers are "grandfathered in."
In fact he's got a semipermanent berth at the VA Medical Center in Brockton Massachusetts right now, awaiting placement at a long-term care facility.
¹I'm fairly sure the oldest veteran population they recognize as valid for treatment without hassle is first Gulf War vets. It sucks airplane tires but there we are.
I signed up for helicopter door gunner school, my farther was currently in the active duty still in 1975, sure the Vietnam was over but Vietnam was the last thing on our mind , we were ready to fight any enemy, foreign or domestic too., a UH_1-B with out m-60s for practice, nothing was more important for our training than to see the red smoke, indicating the friendly troupes position, it was a training position that I would never forget. it takes a trained eye, with the area when flying by. The team work between all members of the crew, it takes all including the pilot , we had to conserve ammunition going in and in leaving a landing Zone.
My uncle Jimmy was a door Gunner...he says despite the horror of war it was the most beautiful place he's ever seen!!! Amazing huh...
It's known for beautiful beaches and rain forests .
My friend was a side gunner/medic on a rescue chopper from 69-72.... He had 110 confirmed - whatever that means - kills of "enemies" and "insurgents". He has been suffering for 40 years and the VA does SHIT for him. They pretty much tell him that is the "Casualties of War" and to "Suck it Up". They give him valium and other similar meds.
He estimates he has killed 1,000 soldiers and civilains and maybe dbl the amount of livestock. This sucks. But, he stands fast and hangs in there and has been successful as a business man and father and husband and he makes us proud. Stupid war.
+Green Infrastructure Buffalo NY Buffalo NY ..... THANK YOU! I was a Med Evac on these and was needed and I loved my "job"!
+Green Infrastructure Buffalo NY Buffalo NY
That War is one of the most bullshit wars.
+Green Infrastructure Buffalo NY Buffalo NY
Universal Soldier........... ....and without him all this killing can't go on.
He killed a whole Twin towers worth - -
Nightmares?
Karma.......
We ...as medics SAVED lives! So should I should suffer? Doing my job, frabbledabble, Buffalo NY! Bet you would like me in a medical emergency!
hardly
Needs to have good hearing to become air crew. Jumps into back of loud helicopter without hearing protection. Lmao.
nothing said about you are required to keep it
The Huey was also an excellent tool for teaching VC and Nth Vietnamese how to fly , One lesson was all that was needed , little success was shown but it was a real fun experience for both sides ,their was never any complaints and never any injuries , quiet a few fatalities though ,no matter how hard the VC tried to fly they just never could learn.
You should see a doctor
Get Some, Get Some!! Anyone who runs is a VC. Anyone who stands still is a well-disciplined VC... First time I went up in a Huey was in '71. The pilot (who seemed "old" to us young guys) was 22 or 23 and had completed two tours in Vietnam. He took sheer joy in terrifying us kids with his piloting skills. Shooting from a Huey was nuts. The little targets are clearly visible from about 500 meters, but you couldn't tell a 12 year old girl from a 19 year old soldier since all the Vietnamese were about 5'1" and around 90 pounds. Looking back these 40 years later I'd hate to face Jesus after gunning down some of His children. From 800 feet and at about 75 knots you could kill a schoolgirl who possibly was destined to be a nurse or schoolteacher, but hell, in 1968 they were ALL "commies", right?
War may at times be necessary, but Vietnam was NOT one of those "times" as we learned soon after the War concluded...
randy109 Wow. Thank you for serving even though that sounds so twisted. I'm assuming as a chopper gunner, you lit up anyone or anything that was near the helicopter? The Vietnam War sounds like one hell of bloodbath.
randy109 full metal jacket is one of my favourite movies of all time, stanley kubrick at his best
***** There is in Germany. olkstrauertag (German: people's mourning day) is a public holiday in Germany two Sundays before the first day of Advent. It commemorates all those who died in armed conflicts or as the victims of violent oppression. It was first observed in its modern form in 1952. Nov 15 this year.
Fortunately, I was smart enough at 16-17 to know the war was BS...and avoid it. It wasn't rocket science to figure out the whole thing was a bad deal...regardless of all the good intentions stated for the war.
***** Don't forget the commies in Russia and the KGB and now we have the local american police doing the same.
Yes history does repeat itself
I got to be a door gunner in Iraq as an 11B during the invasion. Yeah I know its not the same war, but I still did it for a time until the Commanding General said all 11B's are to go back to original infantry units that year. To all the guys who did this during the Vietnam War I salute you. Took balls doing that job during that war.
"How can you shoot women and children?"
"Easy. You don't lead them so much. Hahahahaha. Ain't war hell? Hahahahaha"
Airmobile!!!!!
Quote from Full Metal JACKET?
Actually Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
+fligemon no its not its full metal jacket
The narrators comments when they were at the museum were making me laugh. "WWII is really old fashioned and kooky" "Can you imagine going to war in this tin can?" lol. Like the M113A1? :p
Wasn't Ngo Dinh Diem shot dead in one of those?
My uncle was a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam for the Royal Australian Air Force. He always told me Aussie hueys used twin M60s on the doors for that little extra firepower And also had fixed forward mounted mini guns and rocket pods the pilot could operate.
I think from memory he said they were called bush rangers.
Been there, done that. Thankful for the experience, more thankful to make it back home.
Interesting video. My brother was a door gunner; he made it home alive. Thanks for the video!
hey can I ask you a question not sure if you ever heard about the goggles (red) ones before they switched to green i heard few guys saw some creepy stuff w those on is that true and what goggles /night vision was doing that ?the goggles or the scope themseleves
I like this old school army videos. Thanks for the great post.
My platoon Sgt told me of a time when they were the first U.S. forces to arrive at a downed Cobra gunship in Vietnam. Pilot and gunner were both dead but they salvaged the mini gun. Every track in their company carried ammunition for that gun, which was mounted on the troop commanders M113. He said that from that point on every firefight ended shortly after his commander was able to bring that gun to bear upon the enemy positions. .
Been there, done that..USMC 1966-1967 HMM362, HMM363, UH34 I corps far north ChuLai, Danang, Phubai
Thanks, man.
+Richard Degen Were you in Viet Nam war ?
+Thanh Viet yes, for 19 months USMC
+Richard Degen USMC 67-71, RVN 68-69, WIA 2/69, 0811, I Corps, pretty much everywhere you were and then some.
cool, got out in '69
LOL I'm pretty sure none of that narration was spoken or even written by a real soldier. I'm imagining the writers interviewing soldiers to gather material:
Writer: "So tell me, what's a typical day for you here in Viet Nam?"
Soldier: "It's hell man. Total fucking hell. Yesterday we had to medi-vac this one guy. Both his legs blown off. Like blown off!! And we were taking fire the whole time. Fuck you little yellow bast-"
Writer: "Ok I think we've got enough material here. We, uh, we can use some of that..." ^ ^;
+Kevin Lunt Your version is exactly the way that interview would go. Thank you for the dark humor on Veteran's Day
+Kevin Lunt Yep the ," Oh it was real nice in Hawaii with the babes" sounds a little far away from what the poor bastards really had to put up with .
+Kevin Lunt If you are "pretty sure...." Then give us facts as to how you came to that conclusion. Remember now, be specific. :)
Your momma told me about it
Mark T :) well you see, after I saw this video, I became curious as to the realism of the depiction therein. So I ventured to the national archives where I poured through thousands of hours of recorded conversations with soldiers in Viet Nam. :) Only after months of research did I finally feel confident enough to comment on this video, feeling that the hypothetical conversation was true enough to life. :) Is that specific enough for you? :) if you need more specifics, I can send you photocopies of my research if needed. :) :) :)
Actually that's a lie. My conclusion was based on footage and pics I've seen of the war, movies of it, and conversations I've had with real Viet Nam vets I've known. :)
Now kindly pull the stick out of your ass, :) acquire a sense of humour, :) and apologize to that guy for needlessly calling him a cunt. That was mean and unnecessary.
Sweet Jesus....Started my youTube tour tonight listening to ABBA. Within 1 hour i somehow end up in nam... ..from 36Cs to M60s in a flash.
I flew in Hueys usually twice a week for about a year.... lucky to be alive. Wind and cold was the enemy for our Hueys. NOT complaining one bit. Soldiers in those front line Huey's had hot lead to dodge.
Air-Force, 60 gunner for squad at Camp Bullis. Combat training. Law -Enforcement. 400 rounds a minute. great weapon.
Great Video.
I know one thing for sure... door gunners saved my team's and my skin when we got too close for too long to Mr.Charlie and Co.on three different jobs.We had the chance to repay one of them in kind when his bird went down not far from where we were hiding out and we were able to get to him before the opposition.Needless to say a strong bond developed between the us and them....perhaps one of the age old "assets" in the ledger of all wars.
To us grunts making a withdraw the door gunners was our best friend since he covered us and in doing so became the hottest target in the hot LZ.
All these years and I've never seen this video before, amazing. I rode a B model for all those who were there.
Wow. Really cool vintage military piece. Produced & filmed in the style of classic WW2 military training films.
And God Bless the Huey door-gunners. It took steel guts to be a sitting duck. The only harder job was belly-gunner or tail-gunner in a B-17 over Germany in "42. I salute those men from an older better generation...and thank you for my Freedom!
We strike like Tropic Lightning,
We’re trained and we’re ready to fight
The Twenty-fifth has written tales of glory,
We can always add another story.
Through the whole Pacific,
Our answer will always be swift! We’re tough,
We’re ready for whatever mission.
We are the Twenty-fifth!
This narrator is obviously hitting the bong between passages.
Thank you, Italy
To Westawaynow, I have alot of respect for the Vietnames people.
Glad we made it home, Eddie
The Macv92, I started out at 19. Had my 20th birthday with my friends.
What is Jay Plejaren's problem?
Coldheat, I just turned 65 and I agree! It all seems like fun, now.
To Mr. Conner, I am a decorated combat hippie....with guns!
wturn212, glad you and the Mrs. made it home. Service to your country, whichever country it may be, is something no one can ever take away from us.
Cubitsuper is quite anoying.
Aussie's are great. In the Nam, everytime we ran into the mates they tried to sell us a roo skin. They were all very friendly.
Ualuuanie, I never had that problem nor heard of it. When the barrel got real hot you could tell because the rounds would not shoot straight.
To Bill Wallace, of course your riding buddy was a great guy, he was a doorgunner. We rock!
To John Doe, Peace brother
To Iratalibanhamashizbolah, I never saw a woman raped nor a baby killed. We were not "scum bags". But with a moniker like yours, we know where your black heart lies. I wish you the worst.
One last comment and I'll let it lie. I am sorry for all casualties of the war. I wish it had never happened. I wish the Vietnames people the best for their future. I hope all veterans can come to terms with their past. My best wishes to all currently serving military personell.
American and Australian hero's.. thankyou for your service
And to think all US soldiers who perished during the Vietnam war died for no tangible reason and the survivors driven out like beaten dogs defines poor leadership at its worst - and we're in even deeper dodo today, SUCKS.
lied to by your politicians ,, nothing has changed sadly
And now the same shit happened in Afghanistan.
President after president promised something like this will never happen, but here wo go again..
I have this DVD,over 80 hours of coverage,while some are obvious military propaganda,some are really good. Props to all the Vietnam Vets out there,my most respected of all veterans,they deserve our props.
Around 1969, the BBC estimated that an M60 door gunner in Vietnam had a life expectancy of one minute. As the son of one, though he was Hawaii trained and accumulated 2500 flight hours, this is the statistic I think most accurate and telling.
First and foremost THANK YOU, to all veterans and their families that sacrificed so much for the free world in which many enjoy. Although we civilians will never know and understand the true realities of the pain and torments of war in Vietnam, as well as our more recent wars. We see the effects still today as our service men and women struggle to put the pieces of their lives back together and try to live a somewhat normal life. May God bless each and every one of you and your families.
"If they run, they're VC. If they stand still, they're well-trained VC"
How did you guys handle it with no hearing or eye protection whatsoever firing machine guns for extended periods... I SAID HOW DID YOU GUYS HANDLE... oh nevermind.
DumbDuck44 What did he say? LOL I can't hear for shit now.
Great documentary ! 💯✔💪🔥💥
It wasn't bad.
'REDSKINS' Company D (Attack Helicopter), 158th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter), 101st Airborne Division 1971 Camp Evans, RVN
Man in the front seat and in the door.
My dad was a door gunner/crew chief at the same time with the 158th D company. Vern "Carl" Strebe. Did you know him?
@jessicavanderpool704, Yes we were friends. I have video of him and most of the guys. I don't receive notifications of posts that people leave. Sure would like for him to have a copy.
"Get some"! "Get some"! BABABABABABABAM!!!! "Yeah Yeah Get some"! BABABABAM!!!
+44reedom Why should we do a story about you???
+CEOkiller have you ever shot women or children? yeah sometimes !. How can you shoot women or children? . easy, you just don't hit them as much. Ain't war hell?
+centurion taxis lead. You don't lead them as much. It means to shoot where you predict your target will be by the time the bullet reaches them. That scene is a lot darker than you realized.
***** TIL a lot of people don't get that scene, which is probably a good thing.
Get some! ... Get some !!! GET SOME...>!!!! GET SOME!!!
mrFalconlem "How can you kill women, children!"
"EASY, YA JUST DOWN LEAD EM IS MUCH. HAHAHA"
full metal jacket ,,have not seen this movie in a very long time,,,but still remember that line,,tks for jogging my memory ,,,,think i will watch it again,,
Most Marines never went to training for door gunners. We learned to use weapons as a matter of course. Wherever we encountered a weapon we knew how to use it expertly.I was a gunner on a UH-1E.
My dad trained with Shotgun XIII. He extended his time twice. Back in the World on ready reserve, he tried to qualify as a pilot. If it hadn't been 1967, his scores would have been good enough for him to go back. Twenty months, 25 Air Medals and a V device for valor that was reduced from a DFC by company brass. "I got addicted to the risk." His words.
68 AHC 145 Avn Btn II Corps. "Fighters by day lovers by night and drunkards by choice."
Those huey and crew saved my butt many times but this film is just army b.s. The huey guys did not have as nice as the film would have you think. Thanks to the BlackJack men. Sgt King 4th div 1-22 co.B
1st Air Cav, 227 Assault Helicopter Btn, Desert Storm.
There was an in country (military Vietnam) magazine detailing the development of the Huey gunship and the equipping of the Huey transport with door guns. The interplay amongst field improvisation, equipment manufacture, and aircraft engineering was very interesting.
Often the field improvisation would go back to a design desk whose engineers had determined that the requested improvement would not be feasible.
My great uncle, was a helicopter gunner in the war. He won’t shoot a gun nowadays because he killed so many people.
M14 firing full auto (@5:07) is not common footage. :)
Nor xommon footage, but we did it plenty.
Not many M-14's were auto, most were just semi.
Not many M-14's were auto, most were just semi.
actually the M14 is a select fire battle rifle, so every rifle was auto and semi ;)
thank u yes full auto isnt uncommon also can bump fire almost any semi auto. doesn't really apply to this conversation but wanted to sound smart mwa
I came in at the end of the operational utility of the Huey. We went to the Black hawk by the time I joined the 101st AB. From what I understand, the Huey was a tough bird.
ScrubPuppy It was a workhorse.I loved settin' in the door at 3500 feet.Every once in awhile we'd get a pilot that was stoned off his ass and he'd take use on an adventure.Many good stories in a shit sandwich.
+St Pauli Ha Ha so true my brother
This was lovely and heart warming.....just like the sound of music!
I know that make it like it's a blast lol. Well I QUESS it is a BLAST
Video makes joining the army like joining the Boy Scouts. The Julie Andrews film referred to in this video was "Hawaii" which was released in October of 1966 therefore this was filmed in 1965 or '66.
GIT SOME!!! GITSOME!!!! YAAAH YAHH YAHHH GIT SOME BABY!!! HAHAHA
Get some!
After reading Robert Masons "ChickenHawk" I've become fascinated with the Huey and it's crew members and their functions.
Such an interesting dynamic.
LOL...2-27 Wolfhounds. Love seeing our old Quads. back in the 60's
I know I respect all veterans ,but Vietnam veterans more.i can't say weather or not our military belonged there but as I watch the many documentaries and combat footage ,i see all military branches doing what they were asked to do. I think about how young most soldiers were, and know that takes courage and commitment .I wouldn't have had the guts to go there and fight.cant imagine how 18 year old boys felt when they found out they were getting drafted and had no choice but to go. I'll always be honored and appreciative for the ones that paid the ultimate sacrifice
I remember as a child watching and reading about the Vietnam war as it was also big news in the UK.
I still find it fascinating to read about it now and just how much military might the USA threw at it.
+London 64 our interests are the same. I do read about The Vietnam War on occasion but its my collection of Vietnam War documentaries that keep me busy. from,1965 ,when U.S. committed it's troops- up to 1975- when the wars unpopularity led to the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops and eventually South Vietnam's demise. unfortunately, when I think about the loss of life on both sides... military and civilian...not forgetting the P.O.W. 'S currently missing...I'll stop watching all my documentaries , reading all my books... and I'll try to forget about my collection, like our country forgot about Vietnam.
+Fabiano William :
Thank you friend.
How do you shoot women and children? Easy! You just don't lead 'em so much! Ha ha! Ain't was Hell? - Full Metal Jacket
. Fyi, 'm
+IAN m -I have met people like that.
Wasn't funny then, even less funny now. You didn't kill any kids.
+IAN m why don't you do I story a story about me ?............why should I ?..........cus i'am so fuck'in good ! hah hah
what does "lead em" mean?