Met another Vietnam chopper pilot today

[wgtactical]

I got a chance to meet and talk with Tom A Johnson, A Vietnam chopper pilot who wrote a book called "To the Limit". Really an interesting guy and regrettably agent orange is finally taking it's toll on him. Glad to have been able to shake his hand

"Tom A. Johnson flew the UH-1 “Iroquois” — better known as the “Huey” — in the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion of the First Air Cavalry Division. From June 1967 through June 1968, he accumulated an astonishing 1,600 flying hours (1,150 combat and 450 noncombat). His battalion was one of the most highly decorated units in the Vietnam War and, as part of the famous First Air Cavalry Division, helped redefine modern warfare. With tremendous flying skill, Johnson survived rescue missions and key battles that included those for Hue and Khe Sanh and operations in the A Shau and Song Re valleys, while many of his comrades did not. His heartfelt and riveting memoir will strike a chord with any soldier who ever flew in the ubiquitous Huey and any reader with an interest in how the Vietnam War was really fought."

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Dam good book!!!!!!!!!

 

[wgtactical]

I was fortunate enough to have him drop in (unannounced) to the shop and look at the vehicles we've done...then he gave me a copy of his book and autographed it. I'm really grateful

 

[wreckerman893]

A true hero that gentleman.

The Hueys were "airborne duece and a halfs" and real "Steel Soldiers" (well...actually aluminum I guess).

I would rather fly in a Huey than make "tricycle motors".

 

[68t]

Thanks for the great post. They were the best. My aviation unit had vietnam pilot,s , then they went on to the blackhawks, and the 58d, They also flew in Iraq and A-stan. This was the early part of this war. Great folks

 

[decodeme2]

What's his info? Can I buy a book from him?
Unreal...would love to read it...
Kevin...

 

[WarrenD]

You can buy the book form Amazon, among other places:
Amazon.com: To The Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam (9780451222183): Tom A. Johnson: Books

 

[AceHigh]

Thanks to all the 1st Cav chopper crews. I benefited from their services personally. God Bless

 

[Katahdin]

This thread made me think of a daughter of a KIA pilot I had worked and been friends with years ago. She had been born while her dad was in Vietnam and was barely a month old when he was killed. She had a real hard time with it when she turned 27, because that meant she had outlived her father.

Their story unfortunately gets worse, a few years later in 2003 she died of an aneurysm.

Thanks to the web I was able to find out later that the mother had traveled to the Vietnam crash site and sprinkled some of her daughter's ashes there. Her other ashes were placed with her father's grave in Arlington.

To this day I feel terrible for the mother.

 

[fuzzyone28]

My grand father flew HH-43 Huskies at Bien Hoa air base 64 to 65 and was wounded in a motar attack in November 64. But since he died in 1972 I have never had the chance to meet another Veitnam pilot ; untill I had the pleasure to attend an aviation maintenance course last semester with a pilot named Lance Stewart, (Graet Guy) who was the 229th maintenance officer and, severed with Tom. His name is in To The Limit on page 77 and 150.

As a pilot my self I am amazed by what they experianced. I am trying get picked up for the WOFT program, and hope I can live up to high standards they have set.