"BANDITS"

1965-1966

19611

A great photo of UH-1B "Bandit 3" taken someplace away from Bien Hoa. This aircraft could be called a "Heavy HOG"! Some times it was called a "Frog". Here we see 48 rockets and a 40 MM grenade launcher.

The old B-model could carry a heavier load than the the later UH-1C gun ships.
Many a B-model gun ship pilot can remember the often accompanying vertical vibration, also.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

Life as a Bandit

CWO John Clark with "B" model

Bandit 8? ready to go. (65)

(Photo courtesy Jim Ellis)

Mission brief? on multi-unit lift.

(L to R)Black Hat?, CWO Howard Bennett,

CWO Warren D. George, CWO John Clark,

WO Bean, ? , 1LT Miller. (65)

(Photo courtesy Jim Ellis)

Seems a little strange to make such

a big deal over an outhouse, but such

comforts of home were welcomed.

The bright yellow color is in

keeping with Bandit motif !

Maybe this was what the VC used

as a "registration point"(Jan 65)

(Photo courtesy Ralph Orlando)

WO Mel Koon and CPT Lynn Knisley

at dedication ceremony of the

"New" Bandit out-house in the Bandit

area of the flight line.(Jan 65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

The Bandit crews unpack rockets and ammo.

Note yellow trailer behind 3/4T trailer used to

carry rockets to parked aircraft for re-arming.

Kinda neat. Trailer was not used in late 1966.

Rockets were then stored at each revetment.(65)

(Photo courtesy Ralph Orlando

Another view of the Rocket Trailer beside the

Bandit ammo bunker where 7.62mm and

rockets were stored.(65)

(Photo courtesy Harold "Chip" Austin)

Building rockets and linking ammo in

the Bandit area of Bird Cage.(65)

(Photo courtesy David Vandenburg)

Bandit 1, 63-8566.

Crew Chief SP5 David Vandenburg.(65)

(Photo courtesy David Vandenburg)

Bandit 3 and Crew Chief SP4 Swisher.(65)

(Photo courtesy David Vandenburg)

Bandit 1 and Crew Chief SP5

David Vandenburg.(65)

(Photo courtesy David Vandenburg)

More "Shade Dogs" taking a nap following

a hard day at the office. Near Vung Tau.(1965)

(Photo courtesy Ralph Orlando)

"Shade Dogs"

During the dry season, hot dry weather made

shade at a premium. Here we see the whole

Bandit crew taking it easy on stand by at.....

who knows where!(1965)

(Photo courtesy Ralph Orlando)

Joe Newsome of the Bandits in Feb 65

(Photo courtesy Ralph Orlando)

(Photo courtesy Ralph Orlando)

Platoon SGT ? Andenako in the Bandit area.(65)

(Photo courtesy Harold "Chip" Austin)

Bandits taking a break in the shade.

Aircraft looks like a Hog or Frog(65)

L to R in foreground

are Warren George and Ron Madsen.

(Photo courtesy Jim Ellis)

Ready for a "day at the office" is

SP5 Tregler a Bandit gunner.(65)

(Photo courtesy David Vandenburg)

"An important meeting"

L to R: CPT "Doc" Bahnsen, 1SGT Spruel

and SSG Pinkston. Man with back to

camera is unidentified.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

One of the first B-models unbuttoned

for Daily Inspection. (65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

A heavy fire-team of Bandits above the

clouds where the air is cool.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

Bandit Hooch in early 65.

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

Bandit wind sock in the Bandit area.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

Crew Chief Don Roof doing daily on Bandit.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

Joe Lomonaco test firing his M-60 into a

firing pit in the Bandit area.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

Newly installed M-5, 40MM grenade

launcher on Bandit 3.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

"Rambo Roof" hamming it up for the camera

in the Bandit area of the Bird Cage.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

A good view of the folded(stowed)

infinity rocket sight on the Bandit

UH-1B's(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

"Rambo" Don Roof test firing his M-60 at the

firing pit in the Bandit area.(65)

(Photo courtesy Don Roof)

1965

What was apparently a "Going Home" party for WO Fuller (in Jungle fatigues)

provided by Bandits all in their black pajamas on Sept 19, 1965.

Seated L to R: CWO Howard Bennett, & WO John Fuller.

Back & Standing L to R: WO Larry Mobley, WO "Huck" Haynes,

CPT Glen Weber,WO Jerry McKelvey, WO "Rex" McAffee & WO Henry Teich.

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

Some days the stand-by mission was filled

with endless boredom.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe Newsome)

The opposing team of Bandits playing

horseshoes in the Bandit area.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe Newsome)

SGT Octavio Cruz and SP4 Roberto Flores

keeping a watch when Bandits were

parked in the boonies.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe Newsome)

Bandit Platoon Leader CPT Jim Thompson

with crew members SP4 Roberto Flores

and SGT Fred Dodge.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe Newsome)

CPT Joe Newsome points out the

entrance hole of a 50 cal. slug of

Bandit aircraft he was flying.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe Newsome)

Waiting for a ride from the Cong Ly Villa

to the Bird Cage.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe Newsome)

Photo of Joe Newsome (Bandit 30) awaiting start of

CA at Ap Bo La. Note the little aluminum patch

on the Bandit insignia on the door and the

speckled paint from some shrapnel.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

Great photo of SP5 Jerry B. Holland, Bandit

Crew Chief on #949(Hog) laying down

suppressive door gun fire on a break.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

Where Bandit gunners spent many a long

hour cleaning and preparing the armament

for the next day's mission.(65)

(Photo courtesy Harold "Chip" Austin)

Making preparations for a Valentine's Day

party at Cong Ly Villa. (Feb 65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

1LT Michael Citrano, doing what Signal Corps

officers do....listening to radio! Note new

sliding armor on this Bandit B model.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

Larry Mobley looking through the M-5,

40MM grenade launcher sight.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

What looks like a "wild" Huey on a rope is

actually a Crew member pulling on a rope

attached to a belt of 40MM grenades.

The linked belt of grenades is

being pulled through the chute

to the launcher.(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

The ominous "Skull of Warning" over the door

of the Bandit flight line hooch!(65)

(Photo courtesy Joe D. Newsome)

Bandits on final approach to some airfield.(65)

(Photo courtesy David Vandenburg)

Interesting photo of 5 Bandits on approach

to some airfield.(65)

(Photo courtesy David Vandenburg)

Bandit Crew Training Technique

Interesting article that appeared in the MACV Newspaper, "Daily News Briefs",

published daily, except Sunday, by the Command Information Branch, Office of

Information, MACV. The article tells of a technique used to improve helicopter crew

coordination. The article was written by CPT Joe Newsome.(64)

(Article courtesy Joe Newsome)

Bandit 4, "Executioner", ready to rumble

at the Bird Cage on Bien Hoa AFB.

Crew Chief is SP5 Richard Little. (66)

(Photo courtesy Tom Payne)

Bandit 1, "Frog" with 36 rockets

and 40MM grenade launcher.(66)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

Bandit 2, "Frog" with 36 rockets and 40MM

grenade launcher and barely able to hover.(66)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

Bandit 8 on freshly sprayed surface of

runway at Tay Ninh West.(66)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

Three of the best Armorers in the U.S. Army.

L to R: SP4 Ronald Booth, SP4 Boehm and PFC Barr.

All are wearing Air Medals received in an awards

ceremony at Tay Ninh for action

in "Operation Attleboro."(Nov66)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

Note the hole in the barrel!! This was the only

evidence in 1966 of a 2.75" rocket that was

accidentally launched into the town of

Bien Hoa several years earlier.

Who and When?? CWO Marvin

Schmidt remembers (see below)

(1966)

(Photo courtesy Tom Payne)

Bandit 2 Crew: SP4 Ittner, CE and

PFC Boehm, Gunner.(66)

(Photo courtesy Richard Little)

CWO Marvin Schmidt and trusty "Mule"

acquired from the 173rd Abn Bde! The "Mule"

stayed in the Bandit area to haul ammo,

rockets, machine guns and sand bags.(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

"Bandit 36", CPT Gerald Cubine pointing to

where .30cal. round exited the avionics

compartment on Bandit 2. CPT Cubine also

had minor wound in foot. Incident near

Cu Chi, early 1966

(Photo courtesy Jim Ellis)

Tommy Thornton beside Bandit 2 "Frog"

at Vinh Long(66)

(Photo courtesy Tommy Thornton)

Personal rememberance of CWO Marvin Schmidt

CWO Marvin Schmidt remembers the accidental rocket launching....."As I recall, it was a Saturday morning in Sept 1966, just a few days before there was supposed to be some kind of national Vietnamese election. I was in the middle of shaving when I heard a couple of loud "reports". I thought to my self....'Charlie Cong is getting the show started early.' Of course, soon after I went to the flight line at the Bird Cage to find that one of the armorers had been doing some maintenance on one of the gunships without taking precautions (grounding) and well, guess what, one pair of rockets shot off and landed in the rice paddy at the end of Cony Ly Street. Needless to say, all hands got involved in a massive sandbagging operation at the flight line. That is also where the picture of me on the "Mule" came from.

3rd Platoon "Bandits" 1966

Squatting (L to R): SP4 Baccigalopi(G), SP4 Gunther(CE), SP4 Boehm(G), SP5 Booth(Armorer), SP5 Weekley(A), SP4 Little(CE), SP4 Childress(G), SP4 McCarthy(G), SP5 Miner(CE), SP4 McDowell(CE), SP4 Doody(G), SP5 Morton(CE)

Standing (L to R): SP5 Karvonen(CE), WO Rodney Hill, WO Carl Garrett, WO Dan Hart, WO Charlie Prather, WO Warren Spencer, WO Mike Erwin, WO Bob Bell, 1LT Tom Payne, CPT Jeff Thomason(PLT LDR), WO Jack Armstrong, CPT Ron Cowden, PSGT Jimmie Pirtle

3rd Platoon Officers in front of UH-1C

Old "Birdcage" at Bien Hoa

1967

(Photo from "145th CAB, A Pictorial History, Vol I.")

More Life as a Bandit

CWO Rick Donaldson shows a less

than "friendly" glare.(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

Typical XM-16 system using M-60

machineguns.(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

WO1 Carl Garrett with "chicken plate" strapped on and flack vest on knee.

Aircraft is Bandit 2, a "HOG",

with 48 rocket tubes with apparently

only 36 rockets.(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

Bandit Gunner SP4 McDowell relaxing

in cool air at altitude.(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

CPT Williams flying Bandit aircraft.(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

Pair of rockets on their way to the target.(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

CW3 Enrique A. Bustamente, Bandit

AC flying from left seat. Note typical collective "grip"(66)

(Photo courtesy Carl Garrett)

SP4 Floyd Beebe manning his M-60.

Floyd flew as a Gunner on Bandit 8

from Dec 65-Dec 66.(66)

(Photo courtesy Floyd Beebe)

Louis C. Turchi standing beside Bandit 1 in late 1966. Louis Turchi was killed on Oct 14, 1966, while flying in

a 71st AHC aircraft, apparently on loan for the day. It is unclear why he was flying with the Firebirds while

still assigned to the 118th AHC. In 2004, the building at Ft. Rucker housing the Directorate of Training

and Doctrine was dedicated to the memory of SP4 Louis C. Turchi(66)

(Photo courtesy Michael Greenwood, SFC (RET), an Army Civilian working for the

Directorate of Training and Doctrine, Ft. Rucker, Al)

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