Most crewchiefs were given a one week course in the operation and break down of the M-60 machine gun after they had completed the 67N20 course. After my tours in Nam I ended up teaching these courses at Ft. Eustis Va. I would have them for two days in the class room and then two to three on the range. We had them fire from towers at the standard fire range targets.
Most of the gunners were voluntaries who had extended for the duty. I remember Conrad Gonzlas who was in the first flight platoon who was probablly one of the first people who had actually gone through gunner's school. Jim Sempek was my gunner until we lost Gator 371. He decided that if he had to fly he might as well become a crewchief and make E-5.He was APC drivers before he came to our unit. Most of the good gunners who were interested in the operation of the ships tried to become crewchiefs. SP/4 Vedder who went through gunner's school with Eddy Sumpter became the crewchief on Gator 390 after Shiffy was killed. I worked with him and Sempek until I went to the Crocs in June of 1969. Vedder was wounded in July of 69 when Gator 390 was shot down during a LRRP extraction. I think Churchill was his gunner that day. When I first started flying I was informed that the tail rotor was my main concern and the left side of the ship. Later I learned that sitting on the left side enabled my to keep an eye on the gauges. That way I knew everything was okay with the engine and transmission. After the first time we had an unschduled landing I learned to keep track of where we were at and what radio freqs we were using that day. Just about everything was OJT when it came to the flying part of the job. I had spent about a month and a half in maintenance where I received a good education in the maintenance of the ship before going to the flight platoon. I was Adam Ringus' replacement. A good crew could talk the A/C into a shoe box without cutting each other off during the entire crazy operation. Hate to sat it but "GOD! Were we good or What?"