Russ Golden’s APH-5 flight helmet
My name is Russ Golden. I was a Razorback gunner 65-67. I was TDY to the Marines in Nov 66, due to the fact that the Marine E model gunship could not flex their guns and we could. Our mission was to fly close cover gun support for the insertion and extraction of Marine Recons. We were based at Dong Ha, DMZ.
Some of the missions we flew that I remember were Cam Lo, Khe Sanh, Ky Ha, Quang Nhi, Quang Tri. The Platoon you mention rings a bell, but I flew so many gun missions (354). One of the teams that I remember was Seahorse or Seanight. I also remember putting in one Team and they drew fire right away. We had a hell of a time trying to get them out. I lost most of my pictures from VN, but I do have one of a Razorback gunship at the DMZ.
Another mission I recall, it was Thanksgiving Day 66. We pulled a team back from a mission, and when we got back to base there was very little turkey left to put in our mess kits. If you are interested in what I looked like then, there is a picture of me and my ship on the Razorback site, under crewmembers, Russ Golden. I am not really sure if that was one of my business cards or not, most of us had them, and gave them out freely.
I don’t recall getting any recognition from the military for those missions. However after an extraction the recons would talk to us and thank us for the firepower. One of the missions I flew up there took us across the DMZ into the north to try and rescue a downed F-4 pilot, we were on low fuel but went anyhow, it was too late as they had captured him, but we killed many. When we got back to base, we were met by some Commanders who said they weren’t sure if we should be put in for the Navy Cross or a Court Martial for crossing the DMZ. On that mission my crew chief got wounded, and the ship had many holes.
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The old Razorback flight line at Hotel 3 in Saigon.
My name is Bill Stribling and I was a Razorback door gunner. I remember that the second day of TET 68′ Jerry Kosciolak, the professional scrounger, borrowed or stole a front end loader and dug a huge hole for a bunker right next to the radio shack (small building on the right). We covered it with PSP metal, filled several hundred sand bags and were safe from 122 mm rockets. I see the old rocket/ammo bunkers dug into the berm. I think that by the third or fourth day into TET, there was a virtual mountain of discarded rocket boxes/ cardboard sleeve casings heaped behind the revetments. We even shot so many rockets the first day or so, that we had to use WP instead of HE.
There was so much lead shot at any aircraft, the 120th wouldn’t bring us any more ordnance, so Jason’s Air Force unit volunteered to fly to Long Binh, and sling load several boxes of rockets and 7.62 mm ammo to get us by. I think that’s why when Major Hunt was shot down on the mission to Ap Tau Hoi, Chad let Jason’s unit pick up Hunt’s crew, (they all got Distinguished Flying Crosses for that rescue BTW).(Chad was paying them back for bringing us the ordnance). Finally some brave Chinook pilot brought in a huge resupply, and we breathed a little easier. I tried to figure a reliable estimate of what we shot up the first week, and it was mind boggling, both in volume, and what it probably cost. No one would believe what happened except those that were there, or were in similar circumstances. Books and Hollywood movies have been written about far less.
Now we’re old men, and the way we were then is gone forever except in our collective memories. I think that is what binds all of us guys together so tightly. As Don Scroggins said simply but eloquently, “They loved each other”. One last thought, I have realized as time goes by, that the reason so many vets that saw heavy combat have issues, is that after all of that, you will never be what you were then, ever again. It’s all downhill after it’s over. None of us will ever be the caliber of men we were in Vietnam, and no one could possibly understand what were faced up to but us. That’s it. Enough blabbering for now.
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I’m Bob Crissman, Aircraft Commander and former Razorback One. This is a little miscellaneous Razorbacks history for you.
This was the Huey we first were issued. They had Lycoming L 11s (1100hp). Consider….most gunships at the time were L9s or L9a’s. (only 900 hp) rate of climb on a good day 400 to 500 fpm with full fuel and ammo. (400 rnds flex M60) &16 2.75 rockets (6 lb warheads fuse delay)
We had eight NEW ships….200hp more power ….a couple of engineer grads….all of Tan Son Nhut to scrounge from. “If you can make it better….fix it!” You are looking at upright guns on M16 flex mounts (cut 36″ of drive chute out of ammo feed system) + ( 24 2.75 rockets.) It gave Razorback fire teams an edge others did not have.
This door hangs on the wall of the hanger in Springdale, Arkansas. Max Hall brought it home.
The Razorback One fire team:
Lt Bob Crissman Razorback 1
Lt Max Hall
Wo Jerry Hill. Razorback 2
Wo Steve Donnely
Wo Red Hammilton
Wo Dan Agular
All of us were assigned to RVN right out of flight school. All of the others flew Huey’s in advanced at Ft. Rucker. My Huey training came with the 118th at Bien Hoa. Cpt. Chad Payne was my IP for a month. I had 400 combat hours in CH-21Cs at that point.
A situation reminder: Maybe 15,000 to 17,000 US in country. No US ground units. Only 5,000 will draw even one month of Combat Pay( $50/month). Only 1,200 will draw 12 months….Advisers with ARVN UNITS, aviation crews, SF TEAMS. Combat time not allowed on flight records…only combat support. No Target Attack, only suppressive fire.
If your compound takes incoming three times in the month you qualify.
ARVN Divisions only have six tubes of 105 mm artillery, never in a battery and only one tube at a firing position. Only four M79 grenade launchers in a division. Most ARVN Troops had M-1s.
Razorback gunships had M60s for door guns and 4 more on the M16 flex gun system (as per the photos)
During late 1963 and all on 1964 ARVN lost a complete 500 man Bn unit each month.
August of 64 we had 17 days that started with only two ships out of eight flyable at 6 am. Most all crew chiefs and gunners worked on their ships till midnight and many slept on the flight line. Combat damage, 7.62 & 12.7 mm was most common reason why the ships were not flyable at 6 am.
Had a translation of hand written notebook pages with lists of VC soldiers names in a company commander’s ruck sack, listed 86 KIA of 110 men in three firefights over seven days. It was not clear which engagement north of Go Cong the VC Co was killed.
June 1964. This was the way all eight Uh1bs were armed….. M60s upright….12 2.75″ Rkts. Both those changes were engineered by Razorback platoon members, built in shops on 98th Trans, our maintenance company or L 19 rocket rack parts. Also no hardened minimum linked ammo….up right guns made for shorter feeds from the ammo trays….less belt separations.
We wanted an edge up from issue and since our new B model Huey’s had L11engines with 200 more hp than the L9 and L9As flying in country. There is a MACV letter telling the 120th not change the armament systems, so we left them as shown till we wore them out. In August of 64 we had 17 days out of 31 with only two gunships flyable because of combat damage. Usually the next fire team was off by 08:30 am.
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