9. THE CREW CHIEF

Col. Heslin,

The article written by the newspaper reporter about you and the web site was very good. I check your web site often and have corresponded with a few people who are in the Guest Book. I was in Kontum in 1970 / 71 (a C/E on a slick in the 170th AHC) and as strange as it may sound more memories come back to me each time I go to your web site.

I also want to say thank you for telling the true story of Kontum and our soldiers who fought there. Many times I have wondered what future "historians" will put on paper about the battle of Kontum and other battles that occurred in VN. If past practice holds true they will write about it in a manner that fits their political views. At least now, the truth is memorialized by someone who was there and who fought in the battle.

Thanks again sir, and welcome home!

REFLECTIONS: This e-mail is similar to many I have received from people who have connected through the web site and shared their stories with others who had been in Vietnam. This one is from a crew chief who flew with an Assault Helicopter Company. Many people don't know the extraordinary efforts made by the crew chiefs and door gunners during combat operations in Vietnam. These men often worked incredibly long hours to insure the helicopters could fly another day and many times risked their lives to save pilots who had been trapped in burning aircraft. I remember the time a crew chief slid down a rope hanging from the helicopter to help a wounded soldier get into the aircraft. How many times did I hear their voices guiding me down through the jungle canopy, "three feet left now down now two feet right..." In our Hueys we flew as a crew of four and we depended on each other to get home safely. I know I am alive today because so many of them did their job so well... Not sure I thanked them enough.