Army Reporter information
for 162 AHC
3 BDE 101 ABN
For date 680921
162 AHC was a US Army unit
3 BDE 101 ABN was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Binh Duong Province, III Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Phuoc Vinh
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Boy Scouts fly in US helicopters" dated 21 Sep 1968.
A brief "time out" from combat operations by personnel of the 3rd Bde, 101st Abn Div and the 162nd AHC resulted in sky rides for a young group of Vietnamese here. SP4 Stephen P. Need, a brigade civil affairs medic, and SSG Richard M. Burt civil affairs NCO for the 2/506th ABN, requested rides for the local boy scout troop, formed and supervised by the paratroopers. The 162nd pilots and crews agreed immediately. Need quickly rounded up 25 area scouts and set off for the airfield with his boys in a classic two abreast formation. "This is the first air ride for these boys so this should be interesting," smiled Need, noting the mixture of fright and eagerness in the boys' faces. A crewchief, SP4 Thomas D. Bryan, and a gunner, SP4 Phil H. Bishop worked quickly to strap the boys in and signaled the pilots that all was secure and ready for takeoff. The first of three five-minute flights whirled off in the distance. The waiting boys gave the airborne scouts a verbal sendoff and many friendly waves. The chopper circled the basecamp's perimeter and flew over the village, where most of the boys live. As the last group of boys dismounted the chopper and the pilots flew off for another combat operation, the appreciative boys gave its crew the traditional Boy Scout salute. "I've never seen these kids so happy," Burt said. "It's something the boys will remember the rest of their lives.
Comments: SP4 Bryan, Thomas D.; 162 AHC CE; ;
SP4 Bishop, Phil H.; 162 AHC G; ;
The source for this information was 6809AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023