Helicopter Door Gunners in Vietnam - The Shotgun Riders | US Army Documentary | ca. 1967

The novel airmobile war waged by the United States military and Vietnam has demonstrated the effectiveness of new battle concepts that include the combat

helicopter

. These concepts are constantly added and improved. One of the most successful developments that arise from the stress of battle is addition. of the

helicopter

door

gunner, the

shotgun

rider, originally co-pilot pilot and crew chief, also served as the

door

gunner, invented to demonstrate that combat demonstrated the urgent need for Manning machine guns on both sides of the helicopter, for what a fourth man, a door gunner specialist, was Therefore, the helicopter rider is a unique product of the American experience of the war in Vietnam.

He has proven to be a vitally important member of the crew. This film will show the intensive training that helicopter

gunners

generally receive. Then we will follow it. them on combat missions in Vietnam, the story will be told by a veteran Combat Sergeant I, who will describe his experiences along with those of his friend and fellow Door Gunnery Sergeant Dennis Troxel. He was with the 25th Infantry Division of the Tropic Lightning when I learned about the volunteer course for helicopter door

gunners

nicknamed

shotgun

riders

. I had a good deal as a squad leader at a company and my friend Dennis Trachsel did too.

There is nothing better than Hawaii as a service position. We had talked about Vietnam, who didn't and both. We wanted to go there, that's where the action was, we had no doubt why we were fighting there, it was to give the Vietnamese the opportunity to decide for themselves what kind of government they wanted without the communists dictating the choice between red or dead, but the

army

was. Buying not just good intentions, all candidates for helicopter door gunnery school had to pass a tough physical exam of the type that all crew members had to take, we were checked and double checked, heart monitoring was backed up by an electrocardiogram Among the many tests, the most critical were those of hearing and sight, for depth perception or color detection, they could fail and it was easy to understand why it had to be that way.

On the first day of training we were introduced to the mechanical beast, the Huey. We would be writing and fighting from Vietnam, we learned about the intercom system and we were told the duties of the crew chief, such as how to tie the refueling procedure of the main rotor blades to part of the door. The gunners' job is to help the team leader when necessary. This hour of orientation culminates with our first helicopter flight, we learned how to use the clock system to indicate the direction of air and ground objects, we tried formation flying and how Control the other helicopters in the formation. in this orientation flight is that it is also a test to see if the gunner candidate adapts to flying in a helicopter and traveling in the open gate the afternoon of the same day we began our gunnery training we did not waste time in this school the main weapon of the helicopter The rider of the shotgun is the M60 machine gun.

Gunners who returned from combat in Vietnam swear they call it their third arm. They praised the training, set up and tear down. You don't need imagination to see how important it is to know the reason for a malfunction and how to correct it immediately we also learn to use the m14 and m16 as backup weapons for the m60 the instructors were Cracker Jacks and the visual aids were first class. I literally got to know the m60 inside out. The real fun came from firing the gun. It is fun. First we fired the m60 from the prone position, then from a standing position, the artillery became more realistic when we climbed aboard a mock-up of the cargo compartment of an uh-1b helicopter, practiced firing the m60 from its mount, and then pre-fired the weapon in a In the later session, we learn how to use the bungee cord attached to the roof of the helicopter.

When the instructor causes a malfunction, the student grabs an M14 and keeps shooting. The reward in the artillery course is when you can shoot from the air first. We fly dry. runs over the firing range while the instructor points out the type of Viet Cong trenches and trenches. This is the Makua Valley Shooting Range on the island of Oahu and it is a beauty. We learn the procedures for proper visual search, which must be systematic to be completely effective, as well as lessons. in target acquisition and identification, range estimation in ground distance and scientific information and how all this is affected by the variables of speed, altitude and angular motion, difficult but fascinating things, before taking our first target shot, we receive a range orientation lecture from one of The instructors who tells us about the course will fly and shoot at ground targets.

It's very similar to the briefing we'll receive before going on a combat mission in Vietnam. It is short and to the point. Then the Huey moves fast. Take off like an angry Hornet, these helicopters are not in the same speed class as Jets, but don't get the idea that they can't go places in a hurry, they can also climb and glide close to the ground like no other plane you can we can go. In a shooting race, it is the first time that the helicopter gunner and the M60 work together. Now I have the feeling of what it's like to be a flying shotgun rider.

Each student can shoot in one step at low altitude over the target area. Later we returned to the shooting range. to shoot at targets from a higher altitude under the instructor's gaze he sits on the open door as if he were on his porch the m60 fires 550 rounds per minute the instructor warns us not to get carried away when shooting it is important to conserve ammunition back to Earth have you ever seen a military school, no matter how busy it was, there was no time to do push ups, ours was no different, we had the pool for survival training, this was in case the plane was forced to abandon?

In open water, wearing a Mae West life jacket was easy to learn and very comforting, but if you get to the water without time to put on the Mae West, you learned to improvise, first take off your boots, then take off your pants, then take them off. you carry along with some. mouthfuls of water make a knot in your legs blow air into them and you have a pretty good improvisation like this we also learned some tricks about survival on land where it wouldn't be as friendly as Hawaii these classes were to recognize edible fruits and vegetables in the Vietnam area of the South and how to catch small animals and fish with improvised equipment to start a fire we use the old boy scout trick of rubbing two sticks together we are lucky that the wood is bamboo because it catches fire quickly Sergeant Alvarado the instructor does like a chef when jungle style.

I don't think you'll find mongoose dishes recommended by Duncan Hines, but you'll have to admit the meat is fresh. Troxel, who doesn't know when he'll stop volunteering to help kill the animal. not exactly for the squeamish mongoose either not like mom's home cooked food but its tasty and nutritious there are tasty herbaceous herbs Julie Andrews who was in Hawaii making a movie visits us she is lovely in the park warming up just like the sound of the music us We were also prepared for the worst, during an eight-hour period of medical instruction, we were shown how to give injections and other types of emergency medical assistance, such as artificial respiration, treatment of fractures, snake bites.

It was a welcome relief from training to visit the Schofield Barracks Museum, many of the exhibits. both military and historical are kept on permanent outdoor display a combat souvenir from world war ii imagine going to war in this little tin we were told that fighting in

vietnam

is a little like fighting the japanese in the jungles of southwestern Pacific maybe so, but they didn't use helicopters like they do now for us shotgun

riders

, the second world war seems old fashioned and distant almost ancient history, you can only take so much museum stuff at once we had something of animation or recreation in mind and we wasted We didn't have time to start during our free hours.

For example, we were able to sightsee from the top of the Aloha Tower with two friendly Hawaii guides, their names Julie and Sharon, they were beautiful sights to see in themselves. Hawaii is full of fantastic landscapes. This view of The Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Waikiki Beach must have started a tourist rush all by itself. This was the way we should have learned water survival training. I tell you friends, if you have to train for war, this is the place to do it now. I ask you how many soldiers go off duty like this, nothing like a little tanning oil to bring a guy and girl closer on a beach like Waikiki on a day like this, with nice company listening to you talk about yourself.

Vietnam was the last. What we had in mind was very, very nice, but of course it was too good to last the next day. We were running, we couldn't stand the pressure of school, the weeks of intense and constant training had given us a good lead, we were ready for combat. In a few days we boarded a large KC-135 transport plane at Hickam Field, soon after we were in Vietnam at first, when you get off the plane in Saigon you feel like a tourist, but the war was close, very close, in a few minutes. We arrived at the compound of our new team, the 197th aviation company, after that it was strictly business and also in a hurry we got helmets and body armor from the supply, then we had a briefing in an uh-1b helicopter about the variety of systems of weapons carried by these helicopters. one used the m16 From the door gunners The talk concluded with an important safety point: keep the gun barrels away from the m60 unless the gun is going to be used a little later, we headed out on our first mission, no matter how rushed we were, every mission was carefully prepared, this was what we had to carry out. an armed visual reconnaissance first a briefing nothing is more important for the operation of our team using a map the pilot described the terrain we flew over and the possible target areas it is also important that the door gunner knows the whereabouts of friendly forces and enemy the code for smoke grenades and the precise location of friendly artillery fires it is the job of the door gunners to check the fire ports when the engine is started, this is to ensure that there are no fuel leaks, we are very We are aware of safety when we travel in helicopters and rightly so.

There is no safety rule more important than remaining leashed at all times. A final step before takeoff is to check the intercom. The rule here is to keep radio chatter to a minimum. Idle conversations are not allowed. As a safety precaution, the m60 s cannot be armed on the flight line. then the helicopter moves to a different part of the field where the rocket pods are assembled and the gun barrels are placed, we are careful not to walk in front of them once this is done, we were on our way for real, it was a moment in the one I will always remember my first combat mission in an armed visual reconnaissance.

A minimum of two helicopters are normally used. Both are known as light equipment. Three gunships form a heavy team. The purpose of the mission is to obtain information about the enemy and locate them. and destroy Viet Cong positions. The gate gunner serves as the eyes and ears of the crew. His job is to continue searching the terrain for evidence of enemy activity. Look for signs of movement from enemy fortifications and roadblocks. The emergence of new activity. of trails and trails The Vietcong are masters of camouflage. It takes a trained eye and a lot of experience to spot them.

Our education and identification of targets by size, shape, color and shade is worth it. The problem is further complicated by the variety of terrain. There seems to be no end of flat water. rice fields, there are also many mountains and densely forested areas, an urbanized area is always suspected as a hideout for the Vietcong, the worst of all is the tropical jungle, whose thick canopy makes it almost impossible for the human eye to penetrate when the The pilot arms and Fire the rocket system. The door gunner observes accuracy before unleashing his own suppressive fire on the enemy.

It is this type of teamwork that makes the gunship so effective in combat. These combined fires by the crew members using all weapons are of crucialimportance. When the plane engages an enemy target after destroying our target, we are diverted to escort a heliborne troop lift gate. The gunners on the troop transports mark enemy positions with tracer rounds or colored smoke grenades like this one and the door the gunners open with their m60s forces the enemy to keep their heads down while the transports unload their troops. The same procedure is used when the men charge again.

This continuous fire protects both the aircraft and the troops. Helicopters are more vulnerable to enemy fire in this phase of the action. Now I really understood why they put so much effort into ammo conservation training. It was to make sure we had enough to maintain suppressive fire going in and out of an assault landing. We had the same sticky situation when we arrived to pick up. wounded soldiers, it is typical of the Vietcong mentality that they make a special effort to rescue us when we land on a medevac mission, in those tense moments when we load the victims aboard the helicopter, we are perfect easy targets, so you can believe it when I tell them that we do not waste time and we are not ceremonious when it comes to collaborating to help, sometimes we have to act as doctors, when a rescuer is busy elsewhere or when he needs help despite the danger that this entails .

One of our most rewarding jobs is the fact that we can get a wounded person to a field hospital within a few hours, sometimes even minutes, has saved many American lives. We Vietnamese are also on the spot when it comes. to transport critical supplies, we will return for these empty water cans when they are refilled, we also transport rations, ammo, fuel, radio parts, you name it, helicopter, air express, that's us, we deliver the goods anywhere anytime, one of the least pleasant jobs we sometimes had. It was to evacuate the Vietnamese from their villages. This happened when we suspected the village was a Viet Cong stronghold.

It was difficult for some of these people to retreat from a place where they had lived all their lives, the fact was that the natives who often seemed most pathetic with the very ones who were providing aid and comfort to the enemy, we could not take any chances. Complete, they were. Another mission we had was to provide air cover for convoys moving through territories where the Viet Cong were known to be strong. We tested the convoy planks in front and behind for cities to pass through, as well as open countryside. You can never know when a sniper will open up from what is supposed to be a friendly village.

We are always available to provide fire support when necessary. A Vietnamese outpost reported an enemy attack. We went in to see what we could do, only to discover that the artillery had already silenced the enemy. Vietcong on the way home we passed a ch-47 on a mission. These large, rugged aircraft are primarily troop and cargo transports, but to carry door gunners as full members of the flight crew home, finally the first job for the door gunner. is to protect your m60 by removing the gun barrel and then the helicopter is ready for its next mission. Looks like something funny happened on the way back to the air base.

The Viet Cong fired some bullets. It went through this box of flares. They also put some. unwanted vents in the floor and ceiling of the airframe, there's no damage that some aluminum patches can't repair, although it's standard operating procedure to rearm the ship immediately after each mission, regardless of whether the bird leaves the next hour or the next day and It is typical of the teamwork of the gunship crew that the aircraft commander lends a hand in rearming Troxel was doing the same rearming job on his gunship once the rocket tubes have been fed the door gunner replenishes the m60 very often the floor of the gunship is littered with spent ammunition brass that must be removed, is a danger to the gunners foot and, if possible, is ejected in flight, More cleaning needs to be done whenever there is an opportunity, the gun mount and gun barrels should be cleaned of dust and moisture. of Vietnam's humid climate are with you all the time and the only way to take care of your equipment is to keep it constant.

Sometimes some of the other riders keep you company, it's too much to expect them to give you a hand. but it makes the task less tedious to have someone close to a gathering. There are times that are not frequent, but they happen when there is a chance to relax, sometimes catch up on our letters home or immerse ourselves in local civic life as it is. Taking one of the bike taxis into town is certainly a smoother ride than flying shotgun in a helicopter in the city, you're the target of sales pitches from all sorts of street vendors selling everything from fish to puppies. with which the Vietnamese do big business.

Americans are looking for pets, negotiating with local merchants is part of the game. You're a square if you don't negotiate the door. The gunners' workday is open-ended. He is often called upon at night for reconnaissance and fire support missions that the enemy likes to move around. and fight during darkness, making our night missions a real pain, plus flying through a dark sky makes us difficult targets to counterattack. Night missions present special problems for the door gunner. Targets are more difficult to detect and there is also a tendency to underestimate the correct target. rank, it makes for a very long day, but you don't care, the more you go out, the more you realize how important the job of door gunners is in this new type of air warfare and how much you are helping the boys in the ground sergeant.

Velasco strongly defends the importance of the helicopter door gunner, just as there are solid arguments in favor of the importance of the armed helicopter in this new type of warfare whose ingenuity is typically American and its effectiveness has been demonstrated in many of the f9. On battlefields, effectiveness is largely due to a close-knit team in which the door gunner plays a vital role. They have taken the fight to the communist-led Vietcong with remarkable bravery and great success, proof that the American soldier still has the fighting heart and aggressive will to win that makes him unsurpassed among the world's fighters.