A Day In The Life Of A Helicopter Crew Chief In Vietnam, An Khe, Vietnam Part 1

Description

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OFFICE OF NEWS SERVICES THE PENTAGON, WASHINGTON, D. C. 20301 - LIBERTY 5-6700 AUDIO-VISUAL DIVISION RADI0-TV-NEWSFILM BRANCH ROOM 2E765 - EXTENSION 75111 Release Number 95-66 DUPE NEGATIVE TO: Footage: 145: 16mm Color Master FINE GRAIN TO; May 13, 1966 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A HELICOPTER CREW CHIEF IN VIETHAM AN KHE area (Official U. S. Army footage released by Department of Defense) There are a great many of U. S. Servicemen in Vietnan who are contributing much toward the success of Allied operations in that country by performing important "behind the scene" roles in support of the war effort. Among these are the U. S. Army enlisted men who are Crew Chief's on UH-1B Huey helicopters. Commonly known as "slick" contrasted to the armed aircraft, the Huey helicopters normally are used for airlifting troops in and out of combat areas, making resupply and reconnaissance missions, lifting troops into inaccessible locations, plus many other related missions such as resupplying outlying outposts, flying cover protection for perimeter guards, and flying support in defense of the main road leading into An Khe, where Company A, 229th Helicopter Assault Battalion, 11th Aviation Group of the 1st Air Cavalry Division is headquartered. Duties of the Crev Chief begin early in the morning and end late at night. Before a mission, it is the responsibility of the Crew Chief to insure that the helicopter is mechanically sound and that all weapons necessary to perform the mission are working and loaded. Following the mission, the Crew Chief must perform post flight checks of the aircraft to insure that there is no damage, then the craft is tied down until the next flight. During the flight, the Crew Chief monitors the instruments, checks for obstacles in landing zones, and keeps a careful eye on the sling hoist when the aircraft is carrying sling loads. In addition, he often operates a machine gun at one of the side doors of the helicopter when the situation demands. After a certain number of hours have been flown by the helicopter, specified maintenance must be performed by the Crew Chief. This film, showing SOME of the dutues performed by Crew Chiefs in Vietnam, was taken during Operation Jim Bowie in the An Khe area. NOTE TO EDITORS: PLEASE CREDIT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN TITLE OR COMMENTARY The fine grain master positive, released to the company designated above, is for duplication and distribution to interested TV and Newsreel pool members. It is then to be returned within 72 hours to the Film Library, Army Pictorial Center, 35-11 35th Avenue, Long Island City 1, New York. The master positive must not be cut in any manner. A dupe negative is also for release to the company designated above for distribution to pool members so desiring for duplication purposes. within 24 hours it will be delivered to DeLuxe Laboratories, 850 Tenth Avenue, New York, N. Y., telephone Circle 7-3220 where it will be avail- able to non-pool members and other authorized organizations which make satisfactory financial arrangements with DeLuxe Laboratories. The dupe negative must not be cut in any manner. D23413

Collection

Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer

Series

Filmed News Releases