A MEMOIR OF VIETNAMESE
GHOSTRIDER & AVENGER
At the end of fall 1969, a number of Vietnamese Air cadets who
arrive US to attend the pilot training program.
The writer is not different from others. The primary
goal is to become a fixed wing pilot to fly either A-1 Sky raider attacker,
F-5 Jet Fighter or C-130, C-47 cargo.
During English studying at Lackland Air Force base
in San Antonio, Texas. We have been informed that the Vietnam war
modernization program is beginning. Vietnamese pilots will replace American
pilots for Viet-Nam war.
The path of our pilot training program in USA has
been changed. We head toward Fort-Wolters, Mineral Wells Texas for basic
helicopter pilot training.
At that time, we recognized that US Armed Forces has
been really involving in Viet-Nam war. In previous year, we were university
students. What in the hell, how do we know about the war.
TH-55, OH-13, OH-23, you name It. Choppers are
flying all over the sky of a little town in West Texas.
Hah, Hah.. We really begin involving in the war. The
war occurs between two (2) political issues, Communist and Democracy, and that
is the view of the writer at that time.
For a couple of months later, we headed to
Fort-Hunter and Fort Stewart, Georgia.
How wonderful it is when we earn the rotary wing
insight as aviators, not pilots. Yes, yes.. Aviator got to be better than
pilot.
We came home, and start building one of the very
first VNAF helicopter squadron flying advanced US chopper, Huey UH-1H.
Once again, what's in the hell, fresh out from
flying school, and young kids in the war? We need instructions. For sure,
American aviators will pass their flying experiences to us.
And, we have been assigned to 189th
Helicopter Company, Ghostrider & Avengers, stationing in Pleiku, central
highland of Vietnam.
We have flown many missions with Ghostrider pilots.
They are so friendly, so gentle, nicest, sweetest chopper pilots on earth.
In opinion of the writer, there is no one is more
friendly than Jim Riovo. no chopper pilot has more courage than ‘Dirty
Joe’. Some nervous, some tough, some slow, some quick… But, it doesn’t
matter. At least we have learned quite of bit experiences from the masters.
Each former Vietnamese Ghostrider pilot has had more
than 4000 combat flying hours for five (5) years long. Some have been shot
down and killed in action. Some have been shot down and injured. Some have
been in the prison at the end of the war.
In spirit of Ghostrider, Vietnamese Ghostrider
fought with courage. It does not matter NVA shot at us with anti-aircraft gun,
with heat missile. Vietnamese Ghostriders have never backed-off.
War
has gone. For almost four (4) decades, memory has never been erased. From the
bottoms of our hearts, we got to say thanks again all189th Ghostrider
pilots who have been flying with us, side by side. Ghostrider experiences have
helped us substantially in our aviator careers.
Ghostrider is the best in the world. One day with Ghostrider,
is a Ghostrider for ever.
189th GHOSTRIDER & AVENGERS, FREEDOM
FIGHTER CHOPPER AVIATORS