GIDNEY ROBERT N

CW3 Robert N. Gidney was a potential VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 03/22/1969 at the age of 41.2 from Heart attack
Ft. Eustis, MD
Flight Class 56-10
Date of Birth 12/25/1927
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 179 ASHC in 67
This information was provided by Don Joyce, SSN search

More detail on this person: My old friend Bob was the ONLY WO that I have ever known who had a complete set of uniforms, including Dress Mess, with the Cape! He flew with the 179th ASHC in '67. One day he had a mild heart attack.... OK, but it happenedwhile he was taxiing a 'Hook into the revetment at Holloway in Pleiku. He was alert enough to pull the levers back so just one front blade nicked the top of the barrels. Bob was med-evaced back to the States for recovery. He eventually arrived at Ft Eustis for Maint Officer Course. If you were a grounded Regular Army WO, you were promised a school to keep your Warrant.... AMOIC or Supply Officer.

Bob had married a lady with two young sons....they did not like Bob, so one day they set all of his "prescious" uniforms on fire in a closet. Bob arrived at Eustis with QM issue uniforms, and had divorced the lady, and her kids.

One night at the Officer's Club, "Peaches" the bartender, called "last call", Bob stood up, then dropped dead.

I asked to escort Bob's body to his families' home on the West Coast, but they had requested a Catholic escort, so someone else took the trip. I have always regreated that I could not have told his family about what a great guy he was.

From: Don Joyce

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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: 08/31/2024


Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association