Hugh Thompspn Jr., Huey pilot at My Lai

[Bill Greenwood]

When I think of special pilots, one who comes to mind is Hugh Thompson, not for his extraordinary flying ability or military record or airshow career. but for his courage to do the right thing. There is a famous Rudyard Kipling poem and it says, "if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you" then you"ll be a man. This week is the 50th anniversary of the killings of civilians at My Lai, also known as Song Mi. Thompson was flying over and when he saw what was going on he landed in front of U S troops to stop them. It took a lot of courage to stand up for what is right when you are only one person or one of a few. It was not a popular position at the time. He put himself and his door gunner on the line physically, but even more with their careers.
He was not the only hero there, I can well recall a tv interview with an African American sgt from the south, and when the reporter asked him why he didn'tt fire, he simply said that was not the way his Mother raised him, that he knew better. It was a simple black and white fact, no pun intend. I wish I knew his name. There was also a copter pilot named I think Ronald Ridenhouer? who would not let the report be buried and who testified a year later in public.
I would have liked to meet these men, I know the Hugh Thompson passed away since the war as did Ridenhouer. I'd like to think I would have done the same thing, but one never knows until you are in that place.

[Bob Dingley]

Hugh "Buck" Thompson and I were commercial pilots together after our VN days. He left the cockpit to serve as a Veterans service guy in the Lafayette, LA area. He passed away some years ago. Cancer. He was a fine fellow and a good stick. I did not know of his airshow career.

[Bill Greenwood]

I didnt write it clearly apparently. I didnt mean that he had an airshow act or career,but that his action was the important part. Thanks for your imput. What did you do in Vietnam?

[Bob Dingley]

My fault, Bill. My wife says that I hear what I want to hear.
I flew a UH1H in Air Ambulance units. Call sign was Dustoff 100. Came on active duty from the Maine National Guard. Was one of 8 other Maine NG pilots that were called up individually over the years. I had never seen a Hotel model Huey until I strapped in for my new arrival check ride. Logged 1.7 and was assigned "first up". Within 2 hrs I was Logging night combat time evacing wounded ROKs from the "Tiger division". All the time wondering what all those switches and knobs were for.

[Bill Greenwood]

This time was personal for me, not because I was there, but I was just graduating from college, next fall, and about the time the reports of the massacre were becoming public was when I had joined the Air Force. I was not volunteering for war, but I did feel some obligation to join. I had a legitimate physical back problem, still bothers me today, my doctor offered a deferment letter, and I didnt take it, still cant believe that. I wasn't brave, I wasn't motivated and I had been through one shooting and never wanted to see more . I think I was a lot better informed than most, but I know I wasn't as brave a many who went. I was young in so many ways. I was offered officer's school and declined, I was somewhere in that grey area. I think flying an copter to pick up wounded would require a lot of bravery, maybe I could have done it, maybe.

[Floatsflyer]

I think I was a lot better informed than most, but I know I wasn't as brave a many who went. I was young in so many ways. I was offered officer's school and declined, I was somewhere in that grey area. I think flying an copter to pick up wounded would require a lot of bravery, maybe I could have done it, maybe.

At the very least you are here at this moment to be able to write this, be thankful for that. Over 60,000 never could and over 250,000 bear the physical, emotional and mental wounds and scars to this day. And for what? So that my daughter and friends could travel 4 years ago to Vietnam as tourists. It is a major Southeast Asia tourist destination now along with Laos and Thailand. And don't let the passage of time allow your mind to be clouded and embrace revisionist history. It was a politically motivated, horrible, unnecessary, sh*tty undeclared war that tore your country apart. The only ones that benefitted were the defence contractors.

[Bob Dingley]

Floats, we're just guys talking about flying and pilots. You're invited to join in. Just take your petty rant someplace else. As for me, I'm proud of my service as an air ambulance pilot over there and for almost a decade after. I was eager to "give a lift" to a diverse number of passengers. They include:

American military and civilian, Ausies, Koreans, Thais, H'mongs, Navy sailors hoisted off destroyers, French Priests, Viet civilians (victims of atrocities) and Viet Cong (some who just committed atrocities).

Bob

[Bob Dingley]

As for wounds, I still limp to this day. I spent seven months in a bunch of hospitals getting over a "Kalishnikov rash" (aka a form of lead poisoning)

[Bill Greenwood]

Did you ever face any of the shoulder fired stinger missiles? I think they were deadly to copters. What years were you there? Thanks, Bill

[Bob Dingley]

Did you ever face any of the shoulder fired stinger missiles? I think they were deadly to copters. What years were you there? Thanks, Bill

Arrived and left in 1969. "strellas" (SA 9) didn't arrive until summer of 1973. One of my fellow commercial pilots took a hit and survived. Two other Cobra crews did not. They were at 4,000 about to "roll in" for their run.

http://www.vhfcn.org/missile.html

Marco retired from the international side of our carrier and lives near Austin, TX. By 1975, all US were pulled out by Nixon.

[Bill Greenwood]

Memory and the years can play tricks on us, so I looked up the times lines. I know it was not in '75 since Gerald Ford was in office then.The U S withdrew combat troops from Nam after the Paris Peace Accord in Jan 73, U S planes flew to Hanoi to pick up first POWs in Feb and continued in March. the longest held was 9 years! Last combat troops left March 29, 1973
Nixon wasn't in office in '75, he resigned in Aug 14, 1974 facing impeachment. Gerald Ford became Pres. Fall of Saigon was April 19,'75
Glad you made it back safely.

Years ago I heard a talk with Air Force Academy by a Navy pilot, think F4s, who said he was the longest or one of the longest held POWs, dont recall his name, sort of a heavy set guy. He had a sense of humor, he said that he was the greatest fighter pilot ever when the war started and they were making ground attacks. Then the 3rd day he met the greatest anti aircraft gunner in the world, and then he had 7 1/2 years to think about the lack of wisdom to hit the same target from the same direction and speed and altitude 3 days in a row.
I was surprised how calm and even tempered the man was, not just angry as I think I would have been, about 1/4 of your life spent as a POW.

[Bob Dingley]

You are right on the time line, bill. Captains Mike Brown and Marco Cordon were shot down on June 21, 1972 about 20 miles from The Cambodian border. The link I added stinks. I wanted you to see the reprint of the Joe Kline painting "Missile,missile, missile" heading the article. Easier to just go to the VHFCN web site (vhfcn.org) and scroll down to the article. Marco later had a catastrophic engine failure in 1984 in a Sikorsky 76 over the water in sight of Sabine Pass,Tx The turbine had a 125% over speed in a micro second. Took out Tailrotor drive, other engine, hydraulics, and electrical "pallet" were ALL electrics come together. FM says that a 76 is unflyable when both hyd systems are lost. Marco was PIC and somehow pulled off a ditching with a cockpit full of smoke. The fuel tanks were filled mostly with air & kept the ship afloat upside down. Everybody got out w/o injury 10 pax & Marco and his CP. Two amazing survivals within 12 years.