Rattler One-Seven: A Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's War Story (North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series, No. 1)

229 Pages·2004·2.03 MB·english

by  Chuck Gross

R A T T L E R
O N E – S E V E N

R A T T L E R
O N E – S E V E N
A Vietnam Helicopter Pilot’s War Story
C h u c k G r o s s
Number 1 in the North Texas Military Biography and
Memoir Series
Ronald E. Marcello, series editor
University of North Texas Press
Denton, Texas
©2004 Chuck Gross
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Permissions:
University of North Texas Press
P.O. Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements of the
American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, z39.48.1984. Binding materials have been chosen for durability.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gross, Chuck, 1950-
Rattler one-seven : a Vietnam helicopter pilot's war story / Chuck Gross.
p. cm. — (North Texas military biography and memoir series ; no. 1)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-57441-178-0 (alk. paper)
1. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975—Personal narratives, American. 2. Vietnamese
Conflict, 1961-1975—Aerial operations, American. 3. Military helicopters—Vietnam. 4.
Gross, Chuck, 1950- I. Title: Vietnam helicopter pilot's war story. II. Title. III. Series.
DS559.5.G76 2004
959.704'348'092—dc22
2004003457
Rattler One-Seven: A Vietnam Helicopter Pilot’s War Storyis Number 1 in the North
Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series.
Text design by Eric Sawyer of Rose Design
I dedicate this book to
Mary, Pam, Jennifer,
Molly and Eva.
(cid:1)
Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn
him into a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will
gaze back into you.
—Friedrich Nietzsche
(cid:1)
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations ix
Preface xi
Prologue—18 Days 1
CHAPTER ONE—First Assignment 7
CHAPTER TWO—Company Checkout 17
CHAPTER THREE—Newbie 27
CHAPTER FOUR—My Cherry 33
CHAPTER FIVE—Special Operations 49
CHAPTER SIX—Goodbye Friend 67
CHAPTER SEVEN—Laughing and Crying 79
CHAPTER EIGHT—The Holidays 91
CHAPTER NINE—Quang Tri 109
CHAPTER TEN—Rank 121
CHAPTER ELEVEN—Lam Son 719 133
CHAPTER TWELVE—LZ Lolo 145
CHAPTER THIRTEEN—Landing Zone Delta 155
CHAPTER FOURTEEN—Realization 171
CHAPTER FIFTEEN—Chu Lai 181
CHAPTER SIXTEEN—R&R 191
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN—Homeward Bound 199
viii CONTENTS
Epilogue 207
Notes 213
Glossary 215
Bibliography 219
Index 221
LIST OF MAPS AND
ILLUSTRATIONS
Pilot Chuck Gross in left seat frontispiece
1. Beech Eighteen 2
2. Steve Israel 21
3. Preparing for Battle 24
4. Map of South Vietnam 45
5. Little Mac 53
6. Kham Duc Airstrip 57
7. C-123 60
8. Behind the Hootch 71
9. Author’s Bird 75
10. O’club 77
11. Firebird Pilots 80
12. Skull 88
13. Widow Makers 90
14. The Green Lizard 101
15. The Rockpile 118
16. Map of Quang Tri and Khe Sanh 122
17. Parking at Quang Tri 136
18. Doug Womack 150
ix