118th Assault Helicopter Company

" Thunderbirds "

Reunions

Dates of Service in Vietnam

33rd Transportation Company............17 Sep 62 -- 25 June 63

118th Aviation Company(AML)............25 June 63 -- 1 Dec 65

Updated and Expanded Book Out!! "Thunderbird Lounge" by Bob Brandt

Units of the 118th AHC

1st Platoon (Scorpions)

2nd Platoon (Choppers)

3rd Platoon (Bandits)

"Shot Gun" Platoon

573rd Trans Det. (Bird Watcher)

198th Signal Detachment

93rd Medical Detachment

Origin and Brief History of the Thunderbirds

On 7 June 1963 the 118th Aviation Company(AML) was constituted in the Regular Army by AGAO-O (23 Jul 63). Then, on 25 June 1963, General Order 236, HQ, US Army, Pacific, activated the 118th Aviation Company (AML) as one of the two helicopter units comprising the 145th Aviation Battalion(the other being the UTT).

Rising like a phoenix from the deactivated 33rd Transportation Company(Light Helicopter) which had arrived in Vietnam during the autumn of 1962 aboard the USNS Croatan from Ft. Ord, CA, the 118th "Thunderbirds" immediately began to typify their motto...."IT SHALL BE DONE".

Fully operational as an assault helicopter company in July 1963, the Thunderbirds chalked up an impressive record of combat assaults during their first month of operation, without the benefit of an armed helicopter platoon. Flying dual rotor CH-21's, the pilots and crews had to resort to the use of personal sidearms when assaulting a hostile LZ. One of the Thunderbirds' first confirmed Viet Cong kills was reported to have been when a door gunner shot from the aircraft's landing gear with his pistol.

With the replacement of the CH-21 with the UH-1B helicopter in Sep 1963, the armed 3rd Platoon "Bandits" was created. During Nov 1963, the Bandits were credited with more than 150 enemy kills, a record not surpassed until the large build-up of American troops in 1965.

Organized for heliborne operations over the myriad terrain features of the III Corps area, the 118th was the model for the assault helicopter unit concept that would follow in another two years. The Thunderbirds were so highly regarded by the commanders of other helicopter units that they were constantly training crew members of the new units that began pouring into Vietnam.

Known as the"First of the Assault Helicopter Companies", the 118th actively participated in every major battle and operation in III Corps, distinguishing itself in the early years in the Battle of Dong Xoai, Operations Attleboro, Cedar Falls, and Junction City.

The measure of a helicopter unit, like the measure of any fighting group, is in the measure of its fighting men. Among the greatest claims of the Thunderbirds and their reputation as a fighting unit was they were the first to arrive and the last to leave because....."IT SHALL BE DONE!"

Finally, after serving in the Republic of Vietnam beginning 17 Sept 1962 the 118th Assault Helicopter Company was inactivated on 31 Aug 1971 by USARPAC General Order 458, dtd 25 Aug 71. The Thunderbirds had served in combat with great honor and distinction for almost 9 years! (The 118th was re-activated again on 21 Dec 1972 in Hawaii)

(Copied primarily from "First in Vietnam--A Pictorial History of the 145th Combat Aviation Battalion" published by the Battalion Information Office, 1966-67, Dai Nippon Printing Co., LTD, Tokyo, Japan)

How the Thunderbirds Got their Name!

Unit Awards and Citations

Campaigns

Unit Day

Memorial Page

A listing of pilots, crew members and enlisted men who died serving the United States of America while in the 33rd Transportation Company and the 118th AHC throughout the almost 9 year period of time in Vietnam.

Pilots

A listing of Officers and Warrant Officer Pilots who flew in the 33rd Transportation Company or the 118th AHC during the almost 9 years in Vietnam

Crew members & Enlisted

A listing of Enlisted men who flew as Crewmen or were support personnel assigned to the 33rd Transportation Company or the 118th AHC during its 9 years in Vietnam

Leaders

A grid listing the names of those who served in leadership positions of CO, XO, Operations, 1SGT, CO of 573rd Maint. Det, and CO of 93rd Med. Det. during the nearly 9 years.

Photo Album

Page 1 ( 62-63)

Page 2 (64-65)

Page 3 (66-67)

Page 4 (68-69)

Page 5 (70-71)

Aircraft Histories and Incidents

Records indicate that at least 95 aircraft of the 118th AHC were involved in at least 210 incidents.

Thunderbird Aircraft Today

• "Miss Mini", a Bandit gunship, has been reconfigured in Pennsylvania and is used in parades and fairs.
• "Blue 6" a restored UH-1D/H, 66-16236, is in North Carolina at a VFW Post.
• 68-15369 is a former Thunderbird in Belle Plaines, MN that is on display in the town's Veterans' Park.
• 69-15022 , unhappily, was up for auction on E-bay as a "gutted hull"!
• 65-09506, a UH-1C aka "Bandit 7", has been found at China Lake Naval Weapons Test Center where she has been used as a target for missile testing !!
• "Bandit 2" , a UH-1B with serial no. 62-2084 has been restored to flyable condition by the Wings and Rotors Air Museum at Murrieta, CA.
• "Bandit 7" returned to the States and was ultimately used for target practice at China Lake Naval Weapons Test Center in California.
• 65-10126 is a UH1-D/H that was last assigned to the 118th AHC in 69-70 and is now in the National Air & Space facility at Dulles Int'l Airport near Wash. D.C.
• 68-15543 was in the 118th AHC Thunderbirds for only about 3 months after being in the 68th AHC "Top Tigers" for 15 months. She then spent 7 months with Naval Reseach at the Univ. of Michigan before being sent to Germany as a Medivac with the 421st Med Co. for 4 full years. She was recently found on display at the American Legion Post # 139 in Milford, PA.
• 63-08739 was not actually a 118th Avn Co. (AML) aircraft but it is sitting at VFW Post 7991 in Dunnellon, FL. However, the UH-1D is painted in Thunderbird 2nd Platoon colors and is dedicated to those KIA/BNR at Dong Xoai in 1965.
• 64-13709, or Red 2 was discovered by George Colbert in Louisiana!
• 66-00687 "Bandit 2" is on display at the American Freedom Musuem located at Bullard, TX just outside Tyler, TX.

I remember when......

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Interesting stories provided by former members of the 33rd Transportation Co. or 118th AHC.

RETURN TO VIETNAM

After 50 years!

Stories of those who have returned to Vietnam

Impressions and photos!

Click Here

BATTLES

Details from various official and non-official publications about significant battles and operations. Plus, personal remembrances of 118th pilots and crew members.

• The Battle of Dong Xoai
• The Battle of Suoi Tre/(LZ GOLD)
• Operation Attleboro
• Operation Double Eagle
• The Binh Gia Campaign
• Operation Cedar Falls
• Operation Junction City
• Battle of Loc Ninh
• Tet of 1968

Civic Action

Reunions

Old Thunderbirds and friends come together after decades to relive and reminisce about good and bad times in the 33rd Transportation Company and the 118th Thunderbirds.

Thunderbird News & Updates

© Copyright April 1, 2000--2010
 Thomas Payne, Web master

Looking for Vietnam helicopter related web sites?

Visit

Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association--VHPA

or

Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association--VHCMA

or

VHPA Museum Site

or

1st Aviation Brigade

or

145th Combat Aviation Battalion