CARGEN ALFRED

CW2 Alfred "Buddha" Cargen was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 01/27/2021 at the age of 90.6 from Parkinson
San Antonio, TX
Flight Class 56-7
Date of Birth 06/29/1930
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 52 AL PLATOON in 63-64
Call sign in Vietnam DRAGON
This information was provided by Craig Bond

More detail on this person: Cargen, Alfred J. USA, CW3 Ret.; Flight Class 56-7; RVN: 63-64 52nd CAB; DFC, BS, Callsign: Buddha Al Cargen passed on January 27, 2021 in San Antonio, TX from Parkinson's disease. He was born in Philadelphia, PA on June 29, 1930. Al enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1952 after serving as a B-29 engine mechanic. He was assigned to an aircraft maintenance unit in Korea and later at Ft. Riley, Kansas where SFC Cargen was selected for a direct appointment to Warrant Officer as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer. He graduated from flight school in June, 1956. Al was the eleventh aviator to be qualified on the Huey. His assignments included the Arctic Test Board, Fort Greely, Alaska; Fire Team leader and Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Pleiku and Da Nang, Vietnam; Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Presidential Flight Detachment, Washington D.C. and Fort Sam Houston, TX. After retirement in 1968 Al served as Chief of Aviation Safety at Fifth Army and was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, the James H. McClellan Aviation Safety Award, and the Daedalien Award for Army Aviation Safety. In 1982 Al became the Aviation Safety Manager at the National Guard Bureau where he implemented numerous programs which improved the aviation safety program in the Army National Guard. After retirement from civil service in 1986 Al established Aviation Safety Organization and conducted aviation and ground safety courses worldwide for more than 100,000 service members. In 1990, the Army National Guard experienced zero Class A aviation accidents - a first for any service or component in the Department of Defense. Many believe it was the result of the programs and training Al Cargen created. Today, aviation safety programs, certainly those in the Army, stand in large part, on the work of Al Cargen.

This information was last updated 02/24/2021

Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters

Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list

Return to VHPA web site

Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024