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Post by turboNZ on Nov 21, 2006 9:11:05 GMT 12
Here I was at 5.30pm yesterday cooking dinner when I heard that distinctive thumping noise,...only it was a little off-beat.
It grew louder and louder and things were shaking inside the house....
The reason for the sound being a little off-beat,..... not one but two Hueys flew over quite low in formation heading north, probably back to Ohakea.
That noise will be gone soon,...I know I will, but who hear will miss it as well?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2006 9:35:49 GMT 12
I love the noise too, though it was never too popular with us when living at Hobsonville at night. Sometimes two or three would fly around all night long, and even seem to hover directly over the barracks. No consideration...
There are some civil ones still around NZ too, and warbird pilot Phil Hooker told me last weekend his plan is to buy an Iroquois in the near future for displaying, to add to his MASH Sioux and Vietnam Hughes 500.
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Post by turboNZ on Nov 21, 2006 9:46:13 GMT 12
Is he planning on decking it out 'Nam style, ie pair of '60's (fake) either side, period markings and olive drab finish ?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2006 9:54:39 GMT 12
I'm unsure but I expect so.
He said his Hughes 500 is being painted and decked out Nam style right now.
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Post by turboNZ on Nov 21, 2006 10:22:17 GMT 12
Very nice !!!
All he needs now, is an AH-1 Hueycobra and he'll be right !!!
Was the Hughes 500 (OH-6) used by Kiwis in the Vietnam War?
I know the Sioux was.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2006 11:30:02 GMT 12
The Sioux is in M*A*S*H* 4077th colours - Korean War. I don't know if any Kiwis flew Hughes 500's in Vietnam. I have only heard of them using Broncos, O-2 Cessnas and Iroquios. It's not an area that's been well covered, I'd like to know more as to what all our RNZAF pilots and aircrew flew in.
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Post by phil82 on Nov 21, 2006 18:33:15 GMT 12
There were 30 pilots in all who saw active service in Vietnam, five of them from the NZ Army who flew...wait for it....Australian Army Sioux based at Nui Dat. The RNZAF pilots were all Iroquois and FAC pilots, flying the Bronco OV10 and Cessna O2 . At least two won American DFCs, and one, Punch Pattison, won a DFC flying an Australian Iroquois. I knew some of the Bronco pilots: one was Geoff Wallingord, then a Fl Lt but later an Air Commodore [his father was a former CAS], another was Ross Ewing, who later flew Skyhawks, and another, whose name I can't recall now, but was awarded an Anerican DFC. "Punch" Pattison was a bit of a character before he went to Vietnam, and from what I knew of him he would be precisely the man to have alongside you in a punch-up. He got his DFC for refusing to abandon his ground-fire damaged Iroquois because, as he put it, "it was too far to walk home", so he brought the aircraft back with him! Wallingford was the CO of 14 in 1965-66 when I was at Tengah.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2006 19:19:31 GMT 12
From my books, and backing up and adding to Colin's post above:
30 RNZAF flew in Vietnam with the Australians and US forces, 5 Army flew with the Australian Army, and countless crews from No. 41 Sqn RNZAF.
RNZAF Pilots who flew Iroquois with No. 9 Sqn RAAF (16 pilots in all)
Sqn Ldr Graham Colin Derby, Flying Logbook Green Endorsement
Sqn Ldr Robin John Klitscher CBE, DFC
Sqn Ldr John Lambert Alexander Pendreigh mid
Flt Lt I. McG. Clark
Flt Lt J.B. Clements
Flt Lt E. Y. Creelman
Flt Lt G.A. Oldfield
Flt Lt A.R. Mills
Flt Lt Douglas Ian Paterson DFC
Flt Lt G.R.J. Peters
Flt Lt Gordon Lennox Wood OBE, AFC, mid
Fg Off Kenneth James Wells DC
Fg Off Ian George Brunton cvsa
Fg Off Trevor Keith Butler DFC, cvsa
Fg Off John Douglas Peterson DFC, AFC
Fg Off B.H. Senn
Five NZ Army pilots served with the No, 161 Independent Reconnaissance Flight, Australian Army (Sioux helicopters) based at Nui Dat. One of them was Captain Bill Flanagan, another was Captain Ted Brooker
Forward Air Controllers (14 pilots in all, all members of No. 75 Sqn RNZAF, 1968-72)
Sqn Ldr Geoff Wallingford (OV-10 Broncos)
Sqn Ldr John Alan Scrimshaw MBE, AFC
Flt Lt Murray J. Abel (OV-10 Broncos)
Flt Lt J.M. Denton (is that warbirds pilot John Denton?)
Flt Lt Bruce Wallace Donnelly DFC (OV-10's 2 Brigade, 25th US Infantry Div at Cu Chi)
Flt Lt Ross Ewing (Cessna O-2's from Vung Tau and Nui Dat)
Flt Lt Graeme Goldsmith CBE, AFC
Flt Lt Richard Francis Lawry AFC (Cessna O-2's with US 101st Division, then 1972-74 flew Corsair II's with VA122)
Flt Lt B.A. Lockie
Flt Lt D.J. McEvedy
Flt Lt Richard John 'Dick' Metcalfe mid (OV-10's, Tactical Air Support Sqn USAF supporting 11th Armoured Cavalry Regt 31 May - 6 Nov 1969; 351 combat hours, 101 air strikes)
Flt Lt G.R. Thompson
Flt Lt P.T. Waller
Fg Off Michael Reginald Callanhan DFC(US) - OV-10's based at Cu Chi
No. 41 Squadron also operated Bristol Freighters in Vietnam from 1968-71 on regular weekly transport schedules. I was told the one in Wigram Museum was shot through the cockpit there.
Bill McMillan (who lives here in Cambridge) has told me several times he flew in Vietnam, and I thought he was on Iroquois, but he must have been with No. 41 Sqn. I shall have to ask him.
Plus there were medical officers from the RNZAF involved in the conflict including Sqn Ldr R.G.B. Graham. And Wg Comm Maurice Conly, RNZAF Artist, did a stint with NZ Army, Air Force and medical units over there.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2006 19:40:05 GMT 12
As well as 41 Sqn taking part, No. 40 Squadron also operated C-130's in Vietnam, from beginning to end. This is quoted from Sqn ldr Paul Harrison's article here www.spectrumwd.com/c130/articles/rnzaf1.htm"The first major operation carried out by the RNZAF's new Hercules took them straight into a war! The three aircraft airlifted the New Zealand Army's No.161 Artillery Battery and its equipment from New Zealand to Bien Hoa AFB in South Vietnam. Over seven days the aircraft carried 96 soldiers, five 105mm howitzers, 14 laden Landrovers, eight trailers, two water tankers and other equipment, in total 70 tons. The first flight was made on 14 July and the last on 21 July 1965. Each aircraft stopped only for fuel and a crew change at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Just 20 hours after leaving New Zealand the soldiers were in the harsh operational environment of South Vietnam."At the end of it all, our Hercules were also used for the evacuation of NZ Embassy staff between the 6th and 19th of April 1975. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2006 19:53:02 GMT 12
Here is a list of names of RNZAF personnel who served in Vietnam who have died since the war. There are some more on it than listed above: It comes from this site nzvietvet.bravepages.com/rnzaf.html001 72309 Bradbury M R 1978 NK 41 Sqn,RNZAF NK NK 002 71189 Densem D R 1990 NK 41 Sqn,RNZAF NK NK 003 74191 Keatley E B 1993 NK 41 Sqn,RNZAF NK NK 004 81625 Abel M J NK NK RNZAF NK NK 005 71577 Charlton J R 1993 NK RNZAF Cancer NK 006 75086 Karauria J W 1970 NK RNZAF Plane Accident NK 007 80863 Mills A R 1990 NK RNZAF NK NK 008 K338247 Oldfield G A 2000 NK RAAF; RNZAF Heart Attack NK 009 76055 Paterson D I 1970 NK RNZAF NK NK 010 78322 Turner R J P 2001 NK RNZAF NK NK 011 921456 Williams R 2004 NK 41 Sqn, RNZAF NK NK 012 76826 Ramsay W J 2004 NK RNZAF NK NK 013 E81608 Davies T 2005 NK RNZAF NK NK 014 G78022 Hill A E, BEM 2006 Lest We Forget |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 21, 2006 19:58:42 GMT 12
The RNZAF also lost a medic in the Vietnam war
80166 Sgt GS Watt RNZAF
Killed 01/03/70
NZ Combined Servics Medical Unit
Buried at Ulu Pandan, Singapore
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Post by tibor on Nov 21, 2006 20:20:28 GMT 12
The RNZAF also lost a medic in the Vietnam war 80166 Sgt GS Watt RNZAF Killed 01/03/70 NZ Combined Servics Medical Unit Buried at Ulu Pandan, Singapore Sgt Watt will now most likely be buried at Kranji, rather than Ulu Pandan. Following the withdrawal of British forces from Singapore in 1971, the Singapore Government moved burials from the Pasir Panjang and Ulu Pandan Military Cemeteries to Kranji. This was carried out from 1975 – 1976. The new Military Cemetery was created on the western slopes of Kranji Hill beside the War Cemetery. The cemetery contains 1,785 graves and has two Gardens of Remembrance. Some of the moved burials were cremated and at the wish of relatives the ashes sent home or scattered in those gardens. Having been to Kranji a number of times (including 2 Anzac Day dawn services), I can confirm this is actually not a bad spot to be laid to rest. |
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Post by phil82 on Nov 22, 2006 4:59:43 GMT 12
I knew Gordon Watt. He was formerly a GSI at Wigram before becoming a medic. The Landrover he was in hit a landmine, killing him, and badly wounding ex-Ohakea doctor Sqn Ldr kel Bremner who was with him. Kel still has a limp.
You're right about Kranji. I often visited when I was at Tengah, and in fact every time I've been in Singapore since.A beautiful spot.
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Post by phil82 on Nov 22, 2006 5:19:49 GMT 12
There are a few familiar names among that lot!
Robin Klischer ended up an Air Cdr and is now on the RSA Committee.
John Clements ended up a Wg Cmdr and is still involved with civilian helicopter operations.
George Oldfield later became Flight Safety Officer for Air NZ, but now deceased. A lovely guy.
Ian Brunton retired a Gp Capt, and is now controlling editor of Air Force News.
Dick Lawrie was later CO Canberras, but did an exchange tour with the USN flying Corsair, and was possibly the only RNZAF pilot to qualify for deck landings in the jet era!
Murray Abel [Mabel} died of an air embolism in the Mess at Ohakea. He was one of the US-trained A4 pilots, and a lovely guy.He would have been about 24 when he died. RIP Mabe.
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Post by turboNZ on Nov 22, 2006 10:03:25 GMT 12
Wow I didn't realise so much info would come out about the Vietnam War and RNZAF's (or NZ's) involvement. Thanks guys  |
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