August-September-October
1968-page
19,20
August-September-October
1968-page
19,20
“Maintenance and Missions at Tuy Hoa”
RESCUE
AND
AWARD
-
In
left
photo,
Capt
Leo
F.
Dusard
III,
is
rescued
after
bailing
out
of
a
flaming
F-100
over
the
South
China
Sea.
He
was
in
the
water
only
10
minutes
before
being
picked
up
by
an
HH-43
from
Det
11,
38th
ARRSq,
Tuy
Hoa
AB.
Capt
James
A.
Darden,
Jr.,
was
RCC,
and
Maj
Delmar
G.
Worsech,
HUSKIE
copilot.
SSgt
Charles
W.
Prevratil
was
flight
engineer
and
Sgt
George
H.
Kraft,
aeromedical
technician.
Since
his
rescue,
Captain
Dusard
has
reached
a
total
of
409
combat
missions
and
has
a
chance
to
top
the
31st
Tactical
Fighter
Wing
record
of
455
missions
during
an
18-month
tour.
The
veteran
pilot
is
the
son
of
MajGen
Leo
F.
Dusard
Jr.
,
director
of
personnel,
training
and
education,
Headquarters
USAF,
Washington,
D.
C.
In
photo
below,
LtCol
J.
Fagner,
right,
Det
11
commander
is
presented
a
Military
Airlift
Command
"Accident
Free
Year"
award
for
1967.
Making
the
presentation
is
Col
Abner
M.
Aust
Jr.
,
commander
of
the
31st
TFW.
(USA
F
photos)
Helicopter mechanics - the men who keep the HH-43 HUSKIES flying - play a vital role in Det 11 activities. The same holds true for any helicopter detachment, for proper maintenance and mission accomplishment go hand-in-hand.
The maintenance performed by these mechanics consists primarily of scheduled maintenance inspections called "phase." Every 100 hours of flying time, the helicopter will enter maintenance phase to allow the mechanics to inspect and repair certain areas of the helicopter. A total of 12 phases, each covering different areas of maintenance ensure that the rescue ship is kept in perfect running order.
The helicopter mechanics learn their trade through two phases of intensive training. The first is a 14-week school in basic helicopter mechanical training at Sheppard AFB, Tex. This is followed by six weeks of intensive training on the particular helicopter which they will work on - in this case the HUSKIE.
Time and again this training has paid off - especially in Vietnam. The "can do" spirit of mechanics from the 38th ARRSq has assured that the helicopters will be rescue-ready if humanly possible. The men who man HUSKIES, and the men who maintain them, form an unbeatable team which has established an enviable record of humanitarian service.
In between rescue missions Det 11, 38th ARRSq, Tuy Hoa AB, has been supporting a dental / medical team from the base dispensary. Each week a detachment HUSKIE lifts the team out to the CungSon Special Forces Camp which sits astride a major VC and NVA infiltration route. The camp is a refuge for several communities of Vietnamese and Montagnards.
On
one
occasion
a
7-year-old
Montagnard
boy
with
tuberculosis
and
heart
failure
was
taken
by
HH-43
to
the
base
hospital
for
an
X-ray
and
then
returned
to
the
camp
-
his
family
did
not
want
the
boy
to
be
hospitalized
in
a
place
they
had
never
even
heard
of!
The
next
day,
when
the
child's
condition
worsened,
the
HUSKIE
launched
and
arrived
at
the
camp
in
20
minutes;
however,
the
boy's
father
objected
strenuously
when
told
that
the
child
would
have
to
leave
home
alone.
With
concern
for
his
patient
uppermost
in
his
mind,
Capt
Milton
L.
Bullock
(MC),
quickly
consented
to
the
father
going
along
and
the
flight
was
made
to
the
hospital.
The
boy
is
expected
to
recover.
Captain
James
A.
Darden
was
pilot
on
the
mission
and
Capt
David
Dean
was
copilot.
SSgt
Charles
W.
Prevratil,
flight
engineer,
and
Doctor
Bullock
formed
the
rest
of
the
crew.
The
Green
Berets
at
Cung
Son
feel
that
the
medical
program
supported
by
Det
11
is
one
of
the
most
effective
weapons
they
have
at
their
location.
On
an
average
mission
the
team
extracts
40-50
teeth
and
treats
patients
for
ailments
ranging
from
worms
to
tuberculosis.
MEN BEHIND EVERY MISSION-Sgt Dennis F. Britton, above, and Sgt Guy A. Whaley are shown working on a detachment HUSKIE. The maintenance men of Det 11 undergo intensive technical training before they become members of the rescue team. (USAF photo)
last update : 06/07/2007