Hitch-Hiker to Vietnam just passing through

[Dave Homewood]

An interesting story from the Press dated 12th of October 1966:

Hitch-Hiking By Air To Vietnam War

"The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, October 11

Jungle battlefields await Warrant Officer F. Graben, an aerial hitch-hiker now in Auckland.

Warrant Officer Graben is a United States Army helicopter pilot on posting to South Vietnam. He recently managed to get a ride to Christchurch from the United States in an Antarctic operations aircraft and he now hopes to get a lift to South Vietnam in a Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules and be on active service with his helicopter unit by October 20. Warrant Officer Graben has brought his wife and three children to Auckland to stay with Mrs Graben’s parents. Colonel and Mrs D. M. Muth while he is in South Vietnam for a year.

He has been flying helicopters since he joined the Army in 1958. He was in Korea and in 1960-61 was one of the first helicopter pilots sent to South Vietnam to ferry South Vietnamese troops to battle. For the last four years he has been training helicopter pilots at Fort Benning, Georgia. During this time he has also had several overseas assignments as a pick-up pilot for Gemini space flights.

Mrs Graben is the daughter of a New Zealand war bride. Her parents returned to live in Auckland about seven and a half years ago when Colonel Muth retired from the United States Army. She was last In New Zealand seven years ago when her husband was in Korea. Warrant Officer Graben is on his first visit to New Zealand. He hopes to be back for a longer visit in six months when he gets leave. It will depend again on whether the Royal New Zealand Air Force has a soft spot for hitch-hikers.

[Dave Homewood]

His name was in fact Robert Graben, the paper had his initial wrong. This comes from www.vhpa.org/DAT/datG/D10639.HTM

GRABEN ROBERT
CW4 Robert Graben was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 01/27/2010 at the age of 74.1
Eureka, CA
Flight Class 57-12
Date of Birth 01/08/1936
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 93 TC CO in 62-63, 180 ASHC in 66-67, HHC/1 AVN BDE in 69-70
This information was provided by SSN search Sep 2010

More detail on this person: Robert Graben Robert Graben CW 4 US Army Retired January 8, 1936 - January 27, 2010 Bob passed away last Wednesday surrounded by the loving presence of all his family. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Connecticut. He was preceded in death by his parents Ida and Frederick Graben and his brothers Ralph and Fred; his in laws Daniel and Lorraine Muth .. Bob retired from the military having served his country proudly as a helicopter and multi engine fixed wing pilot with one tour in Korea, three tours in Viet Nam and multiple deployments in Nigeria, South America, Gemini spaceship recovery teams and a member of the U.S. Army Board of Aviation Safety. He was a graduate of Chaminade University. Bob's dearest love was his family. He is survived by his wife of nearly 51 years, Rosemary; his daughter Anne and her husband Craig Titchener and their children Nathan, Joanna, Samuel, Benjamin, and son in law Jamal; his daughter Susan and her husband Ron Richardson and their children Lindsay, Stephanie, Katie, and great grandchildren Jrew, Marin and Ty and sons in law Jake and Will; son Daniel and family Laurie, Lauren and Dillon; brother John; sister and brother in law Kay and Bob and their dear families. He also felt much fondness in his heart for his military brothers and his golfing friends. A loving family service was held Saturday January 30 at his home. High Flight Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth,, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung, My eager craft through footless halls of air .... Up, up the long delirious burning blue I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace, Where never lark or even eagle flew ... And while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sancity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. John Magee In our hearts forever we say goodbye with all our love.

This information was last updated 12/01/2017