[Novel M60 Door Gunner Configuration]

We in our unit always thought it most important not to leave any weapons behind for the enemy to capture!

Of course it always depends on the actual situation the crew is in.

The M60 was a fantastic weapon. Ours in our slicks were of course those with the double hand grips, ie M60D's.

After getting shot down during TET 68 and spending 5 days in a small outpost fighting off the VC we were thankful that we had our two M60D's, two M-14's and our two 45's.

A great advantage of the M14 was that it used the same ammo as the M60!

This was of course not the case with an SKS, AK, M16, M1 Carbine, etc.

Mike

 

 

[Novel M60 Door Gunner Configuration]

The problem with the hand held M60 in the Huey was that you could hit/shoot your own rotor blades, etc with it. A mount had stops so the movement of the M60 was restricted to prevent this.

Of course in the Huey gunship with the handheld M60 the gunner could better fire below and behind the helicopter when leaving a target.

This was a problem with the Cobra when it arrived...no gunner to fire to the rear when the aircraft was leaving the target. This was an important matter and the VC was also aware of this.

And like mentioned above the gunner needed practice to use his weapon accurately.

I was a pilot with the 121st AHC Soc Trang Tigers during 67/68.

Our CE's and Gunners were very good and their quick and accurate fire saved us many a time.Thank You!

["The Good Widow Mrs Jones" Question]

The Good Widow Mrs Jones

assigned to the 121st AHC Soc Trang Tigers during the period 67-68.

65-9777 was a UH-1D with a T53-L11 engine.

None of our Huey's were H Models or had L-13 engines during its time with the Tigers.

The older D's had the pitot tube on the nose. The newer D's, as did the H models, had the pitot tube on the Roof.

The reason being that many soldiers & others got stuck on it when walking around then nose.

Also the Tigers Head on the pilots doors had a "White" Lightning Flash. Not "red" as depicted elsewhere.

Of course doors could be replaced and the Tigers Head and Lightning Flash were applyed with a stencil...one color after another, the lightning flash was added last. Thats why its missing on the photo above.

During my tour 67-68 I never saw a red lightning flash.

The foot step on the skids, below the pilots door were also normally painted White or Blue for the reasons stated below.

Also on the Tailboom, ahead of the Stabilizer, was a White Triangle with a smaller Red Triangle inside it. All 121st a/c had this marking.

The Tigers had three platoons.

The 1st Platoon had a White Lightning Flash....call sign White Tiger

The 2nd Platoon had a Blue Lightning Flash....call sign Blue Tiger

The 3rd Platoon was the Gun Platoon with UH-1B's.....call sign Vikings...no Tigers head...they had their own Viking markings on the door & nose

I was a crew member (Pilot) on this aircraft when we got shot down in Tieu Can, IV Corp (Mekong Delta) on a resupply Mission on 6 Feb 1968. This was during TET.

It was retrieved several weeks later by a CH-47 and lifted back to Soc Trang.

Because of the damage incured I believe it was returned to the states for rebuilding.

No more Tail Rotor Transmission (90 gearbox) or T/R blades, many holes in the boom, underbody (fuel tanks),fuselage and cockpit.

After its rebuild & Military use it was sold on the civilian market.

It is now flying in South Africa as ZU-LCY.