Flight,

I am not sure if I posted this before so just in case here it is. The following is a copy of a letter sent to a crew member. The author was his pilot who waited almost 30 years to send it. This was shared with all the attendees at the VHFCN Reunion in Charlotte, NC three years ago. It applys to all of GIBs who also owe alot to our GIFs.

Tom Gator 851.

To: The Guy In Back
From: The Guy In Front

To the GIB, who made Viet Nam possible. The helicopter was the lifeblood of the Grunt, it took him to war, and it brought him home. It supported him with everything from water and ammo to air support and medevac. It hauled the Artillery, it scouted, it flew convoy cover, it did things the designers would never think it could. If someone could think of it, the Aircrews would, and did get it done. But the GIB was the one who made it work. You had it ready to fly sometimes for a 0400 takeoff after getting back at 2300hrs. You’d fly all day, protecting us with your guns and your eyes, loading and unloading anything and everything. Sometimes jumping out in a Hot LZ to find and bring back the wounded, and then try to keep them alive en route to the hospital, there are many people alive because of the GIB. After a long day you’d come home, clean the mess, patch the holes, clean the guns, perform needed repairs and get ready to do it all over again.

There were good pilots and there were some that could have been better, but I’ve never heard of an aircraft that couldn’t find some GIB that wasn’t Crazy enough to give it a try. We flew days, we flew nights, we flew good weather, we flew bad weather, but if we were needed, we’d kick the tire and light the fire, pull pitch and fly into whatever was awaiting us and the GIF always knew the GIB would take care of him first no matter what.

You earned your wings in combat. Please accept this from GIF who would not have made it home without MY GIB.