Lt. Col. Here are the 24 helicopters used in Vietnam. s/n 67-16304 In one particular clandestine incident in 1972, known as the Vinh wiretap, a pair of OH-6As were heavily modified and used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America was used to infiltrate Vietnamese high level communications, providing valuable intelligence. Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. During the Vietnam War, it was exclusively used by North Vietnam for reconnaissance and VIP transport. Aircraft took off, fully flight capable. The LOH program opened the floor to several companies to come up with their own designs. However, the choppers frame ensured the crewmen within remained safe. This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon 2 M75 40-mm grenade launchers The UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. We operated from fixed bases that were islands, if you will, of allied control, says Hugh Mills, who flew both Loaches and Cobras in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972, and went on to fly helicopters for the Kansas City Police Department. Date: 02/08/1969 Required fields are marked *. Scout pilots were a different breed of cat, says Cobra pilot Jim Kane, who likens his former colleagues to the airborne equivalent of the Tunnel Rats, soldiers who crawled head-first into Viet Cong-built tunnels without any idea what awaited them there. While Loachs were vulnerable to enemy fire, they were famous for surviving crashes like John did. A little gory but thats how close we were. As the Loach flew among the trees, the rear-seat pilot in the Snake circling above kept a close eye on the little scout and the front-seat gunner jotted down whatever the Loach observers radioed. Armament After around 10 hours at the controls of a Loach, the pilots were deemed worthy of flying in combat. During 1960, the United States Army issued Technical Specification 153 for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) capable of fulfilling various roles on the battlefield, including personnel transport, escort, casualty evacuation, observation, and attack missions. Contact | City of Walnut Creek Special Recreation Museum Tour October 26, 2019, United Airlines Family Day Fly-in October 13, 2019, Napa County Airport Day September 7, 2019, Virginia Rose II Cobra transferred to Vietnam Helicopters Museum August 14, 2019, Memorial Day 2019 Ceremonies at Oak Hill Memorial Park & Cemetery. In the event of a crash the tailboom and engine separate from the egg-like . The Light Observation Helicopter ( LOH) program was a United States Army program to evaluate, develop and field a light scout helicopter to replace the Army's aging Bell OH-13 Sioux. A.J. The US Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) trains and graduates qualified engineering test pilots, flight test officers, and flight test engineers to conduct test and evaluation (T & E) at the Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) Patuxent River Maryland and other activities. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. OH-58 "Kiowa" light observation / scout platform. Under enemy fire this nimble machine had to fly low to the ground, just above the jungle canopy. Loach come from the LOH which means Light Observation Helicopter. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 It would often be crewed by a pilot and an observer; up to five passengers or up to 1,000lb of cargo could be carried internally. During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. It could accomplish missions that bigger, slower and louder helicopters couldnt do. Hughes bid $56,550 per airframe, while Bell bid $54,200. The Kaman SH-2 could extend and increase both shipboard sensor and weapon abilities against different types of enemy units, including submarines, ships, and patrol craft with anti-ship missiles. In contrast, of the nearly 1,100 Cobras delivered to the Army, 300 were lost. I had another lead that went through 150 feet of trees, and they survived., Shafer himself had brushes with disaster, and his luck nearly ran out on a mission west of Dak To, near the border with Laos. Warrant officer John Shafer was 21 when he arrived on October 16, 1970, to fly Loaches. More from us: The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. Advertising Notice Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 It had no hydraulic system and its electrical setup was used primarily to start up the enginesimple even by 1960s standards, which for practical purposes meant it was easier to maintain and harder to shoot down than other helicopters. I was wounded three times and shot down nine times, Romero reports. During May 1965, the U.S. Army awarded the production contract to Hughes. Operation Honey Badger was canceled after the hostages were released on 20 January 1981, and for a short while, it looked as if the task force would be disbanded and the personnel returned to their former units. A sobering statistic: Out of 1,419 Loaches built, 842 were destroyed in Vietnam, most shot down and many others succumbing to crashes resulting from low-level flying. The Army requested 714 helicopters in May 1965, a number that was later increased to 1,300. Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. Several Kawasaki-built Loach helicopters were also flown by civilian customers for a variety of reasons, including emergency medical services, law enforcement tasks and for work in the agricultural sector. FAQ | Served in Vietnam War during 1968 and 1970-1972 Its formal name is derived from the Cayuse people while its "Loach" nickname comes from the acronym for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) programme that it was procured under. Vietnam War Era Hughes OH-6 Loach Helicopter 60,632 views Mar 30, 2013 327 Dislike Share Save Steve1958OR 221 subscribers A friend came by with his restored US Army Loach OH-6 helicopter. It was deemed, based on Hughes' estimates, his units would be most cost effective in the long run. In support of the Helicopter Flight Mechanics syllabus, the USNTPS operates surplus Army OH-6B Helicopters which were refurbished by the Army National Guard, Gulfport, Mississippi in 1991. This. This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. Modifications were also made to the rotor assembly by way of a five blade main rotor which increased stability. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. Kane recalls, The vibrations were so harsh I had to return to base camp at Khe Sanh, seven miles from the Laotian border. It was pretty hairy, and we got the hell out of there. But Boucher got a rush from the missions, and stayed six months beyond what was required of a draftee. An Army article written after Johns seventh crash credited it with surviving 61 hits from enemy fire and seven crashes without losing a single crew member. While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0020 feet and 050 knots. It was powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen. It was barely used in the Vietnam War because it was replaced by the more advanced Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. It never flew again. Since units were all but permanently assigned to particular areas, they came to know the local geography intimately and could spot anything out of the ordinary. The Mil Mi-4 was a Soviet transport chopper used both for civilian and military purposes. (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. Table of Contents 1. Served in Vietnam War during 1968 through 1970. Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. Unlike previous aircraft, the Tarhe was extremely successful during the Vietnam War. On the night of 56 December 1972, the remaining helicopter deployed a wiretap near Vinh, Vietnam; useful information provided from this wiretap was acted on by the United States on several occasions, such as during the Linebacker II campaign and Paris Peace Talks. [17] On 26 March 1966, Jack Schwiebold set the closed circuit distance record in a YOH-6A at Edwards Air Force Base, California, flying without landing for 1,739.96mi (2,800.20km). By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Russian soldiers calls back home reveal horrifying experiences in Ukraine, broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen, could carry everything from 7.62mm miniguns to 70mm rockets and anti-tank missiles, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times, modified versions of the helicopter flew with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as the MH-6C Little Bird as late as 2008, 29 of the best politically incorrect Vietnam War slang terms. [24][25] As to indicate the position of concealed enemy ground forces, the observer in the OH-6 would mark the spot using a smoke grenade, assisting other units in effectively firing upon them. 2 MK19 40-mm grenade launcher Possible mast-mounted sight. MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. Systems damaged were: COMM SYS, STRUCTURE, INSTRUMENTS, PERSONNEL While the already-produced OH-6 Cayuses were being deployed to Vietnam in 1967, production costs were beginning to rise. The United States deployed all types of helicopter, ranging from massive troop transport choppers, to smaller multipurpose and attack helicopters, and even helicopter drones. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the port (left) side mounting M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or a 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. [2] Twelve companies opted to participate in the competition, Hughes Tool Company's Aircraft Division being one of them, submitted the Model 369 as its response. The CH-34 Choctaw was developed by Sikorsky Aircraft for transport purposes to carry personnel and deliver supplies. I could see a cigarette butt still burning. However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. Armed with a 40mm grenade launcher in a nose turret, and two 19-tube 2.75 inch rocket launchers, the "OH-6C" was ready to take on anything. Hughes, without informing Real, raised the bid by $3,000, and thus lost the contract to Bell. It was mostly used to transport troops and cargo during the Vietnam war. OH-6A/MD-530F Super Cayuse/Lifter: Upgraded engine to a 425-shp Allison 250- C30 turboshaft, and avionics in 1988 for the US Army. The 1-245 modified infantry night vision goggles and worked to develop the necessary skills for rapid deployment with Little Birds and C-130s.[31]. Worthy, the OH-6 Loach and two other air scout helicopter pilots, all decorated, were in Topeka on Saturday night for an event at Forbes Field Airport designed to increase interest and. They underwent two weeks of qualification training and an additional two weeks of mission training. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy 5 cringeworthy military slang terms (that we should actually retire) From nursing to newspapers, these were the women of Vietnam Despite Being Prone to Crashing, the Loach Helicopter Was Favored By Pilots In Vietnam The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. Army troops called the OH-6As Loaches, a contraction of light observation helicopters. The ship was unusually light and had plenty of power, perfect for flying nap-of-the-earth missions, and its 26-foot-diameter main rotor made getting into tight landing zones a snap. Cobras generally attacked with rockets, preferred for long-range accuracy, switching to the less-accurate chin-mounted machine gun and grenade launcher only if they were far enough away from friendly troops or if the rocketsAH-1s could carry as many as 76 rocketsran out. Two of these designs, those submitted by Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, were selected as finalists by the Army-Navy design competition board. The AH-1 is sometimes affectionately referred to as the Huey Cobra or The Snake. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. A.J. [22] All American rotorcraft in the theatre had to be operated more cautiously following this development. The Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) (formerly Hughes model 369A) OH-6A was designed for use as a military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the US Army's need for an extremely maneuverable light observation helicopter. Over time, the effectiveness of this pairing was such that enemies would often decide against firing on the relatively vulnerable OH-1 in fear of the response that would be unleased by the AH-1. The Hughes OH-6 "Cayuse" (popularly recognized as the "Loach") was a revolutionary light helicopter mount primarily in service with the United States Army and saw combat service during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives. During the testing phase, it became clear the Bell prototype was underpowered, so it was dropped. Setting 23 world records for speed, distance, and altitude, the Hughes Tool Company OH-6 entered service in September of 1966. On the night of 5-6 December 1972, the remaining helicopter deployed a wiretap near Vinh, Vietnam; useful information provided from this wiretap was acted on by the United States on several occasions, such as during the Linebacker II campaign and Paris Peace Talks. Since 1968 this helicopter saw combat in Vietnam. In this theatre, it was commonly operated in teams with other rotorcraft, such as the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, using so-called "hunter-killer" tactics to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets; the OH-6 would act as bait to draw enemy fire and mark targets for other platforms such as the AH-1 to attack. They were employed in hunter-killer tactics, wherein they flew low over the jungle as bait to draw enemy fire. In 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. The prototype first flew in early 1963, and production began two years later. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. I got shot down on my 22nd birthday, March 27, 1971. Moore served as an Army OH-6A Loach scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969: Fort Apache, Vihn Long Province. A shaft ran to the tail and powered the two-blade rotor at the back. But the light aluminum skin could be easily pierced by rifle bullets, and it also crumpled and absorbed energy in a crash, and a strong structural truss protected critical systemslike the people inside. Your Privacy Rights Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods. Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/18/2017 | Content www.MilitaryFactory.com External load capacity was approximately 1,200 Lbs (550 kg), and transport capability 2 or 3 troops or cargo internally. contact us here and we will remove the . The Gyrodyne company built the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) to combat submarines from a distance. Each could be equipped with any number of armaments, including grenade launchers, 7.62 mm miniguns, Hydra 70 mm unguided rockets, and TOW and Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles. AH/MH-6J: US Army Special Operations variant derived from the MD-530MG. I was used to getting up close and personal with the enemy.. The Model 369 was submitted by Hughes, and competed against the two finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract. They were usually joined by Cobra gunships either in hunter-killer teams where the Loach hunted and the Cobra killed or in air mobile cavalry units where both airframes supported cavalry and infantrymen on the ground. The Loach could be terrifying since it was often used with the AH-1 Cobra in hunter-killer missions, where the Loach would go out and find the enemy positions and the Cobra would go in for the kill with rocket, grenade, and minigun fire. Accordingly, the U.S. Army's fixed-wing airplane, the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, which was utilized for artillery observation and reconnaissance flights, would be replaced by the incoming OH-6A. Once enemy positions opened fire at the Cayuse, they were destroyed by the mighty firepower of escorting Cobras. You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. The OH-6A would find targets by flying low, trolling for fire, and lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. Improved versions were issued through the war and included pockets on the chest and back in which large additional plates could be inserted. The Army dictated that after 300 hours of flight time, each Loach go through a thorough inspection, but in practice such inspections were rare: Few Loaches survived to reach that mark. The Huskie was used by the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. Front left side view of the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter; color, Right side view of the Hughes OH-6 Loach in flight; color. Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS Despite having been designed for anti-submarine combat, the Gyrodyne QH-50 was mostly used for conducting reconnaissance of enemy vessels in the Vietnam war, instead of actual combat. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. The Vietnam War saw the extensive use of helicopters, though were mostly by the United States military. Cobra Gunship, Huey and Loach OH-6 Members of C Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry dedicated an OH-6 Loach Scout helicopter flown by their unit during the Vietnam War The Cayuse (white) was used alongside the AH-1 Cobra (red) attack helicopters, forming (pink) hunter killer teams. [13][3] Beginning in 2001, the JGSDF OH-6s were supplemented by the indigenously-developed Kawasaki OH-1, a more advanced observation helicopter. Pilot sold separately. The Hughes (Model 500M) international military version was sold in ten countries and built under license in Italy and Japan. The OH-6 Cayuse was built with a rugged structure covered in light aluminum. The guidance systems on newer attack helicoptersoften working with or even controlling the cameras of reconnaissance droneshave relegated to history the hunter role in the hunter-killer missions. But the Hueys proved too slow to do the job properly, and the need to replace both scouts and protectors was immediately evident. USNTPS plans to retain the aircraft indefinitely and continue to improve the safety, reliability, and usefulness of the aircraft in the test pilot training role. SA-7 Grail heat-seeking missiles could down a Loach before its crew even realized they were under fire. The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. The small "egg-shaped" design and simplified rotorhead incorporated four rotor blades of constant chord, made of bonded light alloy. When the training was completed, C-141 Starlifter airlifters transported both rotorcraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. It served in Granada and Panama during the 1980s, as well as in the . A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. During 1964, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a memorandum directing that all U.S. Army fixed-wing aircraft be transferred to the U.S. Air Force, while the U.S. Army transitioned to solely operating rotor-wing aircraft. The helicopter made a Forced Landing. The Hughes OH-6A Cayuse, was designed for use as a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) nicknamed LOACH, military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the U.S. Armys need for an extremely maneuverable observation helicopter. Boucher quickly discovered that life as a qualified crewman was extremely dangerous. Privacy Statement Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. Total flight hours at this point: 00000265 Accordingly, this tactic had resulted in substantial losses being incurred on the contract with the U.S. Army; the company had allegedly anticipated that an extended production cycle would eventually make the rotorcraft financially viable. Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. [2] The pilot was provisioned with excellent external visibility via its large plexiglass windscreen, while its four-bladed fully-articulated main rotor meant it was considerably more agile than the preceding H-13 Sioux. This eventually gave way to the loach nickname, and was intended to provide the US military with a light-class, rotary-wing craft that could fulfill a number of purposes: search and rescue, close air support, MEDEVAC, observation, transport, reconnaissance and attack roles. Find Us on Facebook, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC). I had a wingman shot down, pilot John Shafer says. The North Vietnamese deployed hundreds of the missiles, and from then on, both hunter and killer tried to stay well hidden. Initially fielded in Vietnam in early 1968, the Hughes OH-6A was used for command and control, observation, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. The OH-6 was developed in response to the United States Army issuing Technical Specification 153 in 1960 to replace its Bell H-13 Sioux fleet. The Piasecki H-21 Workhorse was the fourth line of tandem rotor helicopters developed by Piasecki Helicopters. Four troop-carrying Hueys (called a Blue Team) often sat idle somewhere nearby, ready to insert troops if the Pink Team discovered an interesting targetor were shot down and needed rescuing. The following two-week mission was to Yuma for night operation training. The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. Reportedly, Hughes had consulted at the last moment with Real, who recommended a bid of $53,550. Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. The Bell OH-58 Kiowa was an entire line of military helicopters with a single engine and a single rotor. Click on the hotlinks for more information. Loaches, usually with a pilot and observer and sometimes a door gunner aboard, flew as little as 10 feet above the treetops at between about 45 and 60 mph, scouting for signs of the enemy. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The Loach also had its own gunner in the rear and could carry everything from 7.62mm miniguns to 70mm rockets and anti-tank missiles. Built by Hughes Tool Company, it was designed to be a scout helicopter during the Vietnam war. The enemy was moving toward us when a [command and control] ship picked us up. 2 Stinger AAM. This was a Combat incident. As of 2021, these records still stand. In addition, an M60D 7.62mm machine gun could be mounted in the front port (left) or rear starboard (right) door openings. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. The OH-6 was largely removed from active U.S. Army service in favor of the Kiowa, but modified versions of the helicopter flew with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as the MH-6C Little Bird as late as 2008. These rotorcraft were operated by several different organisations, the majority of which were based in Japan. In air mobile teams, a pilot would fly low while an observer would scan the ground for signs of the enemy force. Loach and Cobra crews lived together, and schedulers generally paired the teams with the partners they requested, though given the high turnover rate, that wasnt always possible. Vietnam following a morning mission with the 11th Special Forces (SF) at Long Than North, South Vietnam. The Cayuse . Following a competitive fly-off and a sealed bidding process, Hughes lost the contract to Bell, resulting in the competing Bell OH-58 Kiowa being produced. Some units were modified during the war with machine guns to act as gunships. But the Vietnam War was unlike any previous American conflict; there were few real definable frontlines, and combatants needed to know what was happening all around them, all the time. Your email address will not be published. Observation Helicopters Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (Loach) The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. 2 .50 cal MG pods 2 M260 2.75-in Hydra 70 rocket pods (7 or 12 each) The-21C was extensively used by the US Army to transport troops and supplies. article/image or apply full credit information. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. These helicopters were mostly used for observation, reconnaissance, utility, and for providing combat support. Casualties = 01 WIA . While barely any American helicopters served in World War II and few flew in Korea, Vietnam was a proving ground for many airframes everything from the venerable Huey to Chinooks sporting huge guns. These hunter-killer missions, among the most hazardous of the Vietnam War, tested the resolve of the OH-6 pilots and the aerial observers sitting beside them. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. The Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail. On top of this, Fairchild Hiller lodged a formal complaint over Hughes Tool Companys deceitful tactics to earn the original contract. Loach and Cobra were in constant radio communication, and because of the intensity of hunter-killer missions, it wasnt long before pairs in each type knew each other well enough to anticipate the others moves. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . Pilots called this helicopter as the Loach. We thought they were ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] until they started running. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. The Bell Model 206 is a line of both single and twin-engined helicopters with two primary rotor blades. . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Provision for packaged armament on port side, including an XM-27 7.62mm (0.300in) machine-gun with 2,000 - 4,000 rounds of ammunition; or an XM-75 grenade launcher, Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and Task Force 160, List of military aircraft of the United States, Hearings on military posture and H.R. Hughes Model OH-6A Cayuse or LOACH [5] Accordingly, the bidding for the LOH contract came down to Fairchild-Hiller and Hughes. You had a couple of flights in the Huey, then you rode front seat in a Cobra, scout pilot Allan Krausz recounts. Thats why the majority of pilots who served in Vietnam shared the opinion that, if you were going to crash, it was best to do it in a Loach. Hughes's price was $19,860 per airframe, without the engine, while Hiller's price was $29,415 per airframe, also without the engine. At peak production, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. In the end, Hughes lost its contract to Bell, who was deemed to have the superior design. When Chuck Gross left for Vietnam in 1970, he was a nineteen-year-old army helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school. But the Army decided that it would be more prudent to keep the unit in order to be prepared for future contingencies. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. I was flying wing and just dropped into the AO [Area of Operations]. The architects of the task force identified the need for a small helicopter to land in the most restrictive locations and that was also easily transported on Air Force transport aircraft. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade: Jan 70 May 70 The OH-6A helicopters used for transporting personnel became the MH-6 aircraft of the Light Assault Company and the armed OH-6As became the AH-6 aircraft of the Light Attack Company. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC)