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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:31:17 AM EDT
Neat old film; hip fired M60 and full-auto M-14 action 4:15 - 5:15. Bonus non-PC and chauvinism later on.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:32:30 AM EDT
[#1]
My uncle was TDYd from 25th ID for door gunner duty in VN.
Sending this to his tech savvy son so he can show it to him. Thank you |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:39:36 AM EDT
[#2]
What was the life expectancy of a door gunner?
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:41:59 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What was the life expectancy of a door gunner? My uncle made it through 6 months, then went back to HI. To then deploy with the 25th ID in his usual grunt role!!!! 
But he did get into some scrapes as a door gunner. Not many details to me, but he told my dad some. The NVA apparently highly prized taking down a chopper so whenever they got low or had to land, it was on and they didn't mind losing some guys to get that chopper or crew. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:44:38 AM EDT
[#4]
sin went over in the early years and when he got there they were looking for door gunners. He figured it was easier than walking everyplace. He was shot down twice and wounded a couple of times. He messed up his back one time when they were shot down, as they were going down he bailed out into a Rice Paddy and hit the berm.
He said Tracers flying up at you looked like Basket Balls coming at you. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:44:46 AM EDT
[#5]
Beautiful!!!
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:59:41 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What was the life expectancy of a door gunner? Was it any worse than a grunt over there? Minus the risk of accidental death from crashes, that is (which happened a lot). |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:02:35 AM EDT
[#7]
I worked with a guy years ago that was a door gunner I think around 1967, he told me after a while you just didn't care and The pilots gunners would bet on who died that day. And if it was you, you weren't going to miss the money.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:05:48 AM EDT
[#8]
Nothing more cool than watching M60 belt dumps!!
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:07:58 AM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
Neat old film; hip fired M60 and full-auto M-14 action 4:15 - 5:15. Bonus non-PC and chauvinism later on.
 http://youtu.be/ueBSG97qkSc |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:08:02 AM EDT
[#10]
Nice, thanks for posting that.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:14:55 AM EDT
[#11]
Cool video.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:33:14 AM EDT
[#12]
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:43:08 AM EDT
[#13]
Reporter asks a door gunner how he could shoot women and children.
"Easy, just don't lead `em as much!" |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:43:45 AM EDT
[#14]
Very brave guys doing a great job. Their efforts often made the difference in whether the ship made it home. I've seen those 60 barrels glowing cherry red when they were working out.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:46:16 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Reporter asks a door gunner how he could shoot women and children. "Easy, just don't lead `em as much!" Too slow. I wanted to post that.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:47:24 AM EDT
[#16]
So, my uncle's squad was separated during a fight. Not by the usual means.
They ran into a position and someone knocked into a huge beehive!!!! It scattered everyone--incoming gunfire be damned!!!!! So, when things calmed down they were all spread out. Some American choppers appeared overhead and some my uncle's squad mates wanted to jump up and start waving arms etc----they were in partial cover but not full canopy jungle---- he screamed at them to get the fuck down. Having been a door gunner he knew that there was good chance the door gunners would open up on any movement in that area---it was far too soon, if it would even happen that the choppers would be looking for them. Most likely they would have gotten hosed down by the gunners. He had everyone sit chill and wait for members of the platoon to link up with them. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:56:58 AM EDT
[#17]
Cool video, back in the good old days when you could say. You cant take any chances on who is helping the enemy. Get them out. Some of the comments make me sick.
Its sad the shit some of these progressives kids say to the older vets. These keyboard tough guys need to get an ass kicking or two. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:59:06 AM EDT
[#18]
My father did two tours in Nam and was a gunner. Doesn't talk about it. Research would say life expectancy once entering a hot LZ was 1 to 2 minutes....all relative to intensity.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 12:06:34 PM EDT
[#19]
Meh, it's for helicopters. This is ARFCOM GD, I was expecting a space shuttle door gunner film ;)
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Posted: 1/31/2015 6:30:38 PM EDT
[#20]
My brother was a door gunner in 1967,He was in the 1st cav,i remember him telling me about flying out to the ocean and dumping lots of old ammo into the ocean.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 6:35:29 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Meh, it's for helicopters. This is ARFCOM GD, I was expecting a space shuttle door gunner film ;) That's in Team. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 6:50:07 PM EDT
[#22]
My Dad was a crew chief/left door gunner on a UH1-B in 1967. Aviation unit under the 1st Infantry Division. I would have to pull out the records to get more detailed than that. Awarded an Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters. I don't really know where that falls in the pantheon of anything, but I read one of the citations one day, and it made me do a double-take about my Dad.  BTW, for any of you Vietnam helicopter gurus, I was born and raised in Mineral Wells, TX. RIP Dad. Not a day goes by that I don't miss you. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 6:57:37 PM EDT
[#23]
Easy stuff.. When firing a M60 out of a Huey, on the left side, you aim left and low of target. On the right side, you aim right and high.
Left left low Right right high. Aviator |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:02:31 PM EDT
[#24]
Also, note the asbestos barrel changing glove hanging in the cabin, and the C rat cans clipped on the 60s to make them feed better.
Aviator |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:06:08 PM EDT
[#25]
"Friendly Guides" = Mary Jane Rottencrotch
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:14:10 PM EDT
[#26]
Nice
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:23:15 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My Dad was a crew chief/left door gunner on a UH1-B in 1967. Aviation unit under the 1st Infantry Division. I would have to pull out the records to get more detailed than that. Awarded an Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters. I don't really know where that falls in the pantheon of anything, but I read one of the citations one day, and it made me do a double-take about my Dad.
BTW, for any of you Vietnam helicopter gurus, I was born and raised in Mineral Wells, TX. RIP Dad. Not a day goes by that I don't miss you.  
Is what that means, thats a shitload of combat flying. Currently the going rate for an Air Medal is 20 combat sorties. And he had 7 medals. Balls, your dad has them. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:24:04 PM EDT
[#28]
My dad was an MP but volunteered as a door gunner as much as he could. He said he was dumb back then
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:26:03 PM EDT
[#29]
I missed my calling... After I got out I did very well in Sporting Clay shooting and I bet I could use those skills in that roll. !
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:33:22 PM EDT
[#30]
Great Video.
I liked the PT at 7:30. My Dad was in the 82ND Airborne, and he made us exercise every day, similar to that at 7:30 in the video. He called it 'The Paratrooper Shuffle'. We got a bonus point for clapping hands on the way up from the push up! |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:39:32 PM EDT
[#31]
When I used to volunteer at the CMP, the coolest gun we ever unboxed was a cut down Garand that they suspect was used by a door gunner during Nam.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:40:27 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My Dad was a crew chief/left door gunner on a UH1-B in 1967. Aviation unit under the 1st Infantry Division. I would have to pull out the records to get more detailed than that. Awarded an Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters. I don't really know where that falls in the pantheon of anything, but I read one of the citations one day, and it made me do a double-take about my Dad.
BTW, for any of you Vietnam helicopter gurus, I was born and raised in Mineral Wells, TX. RIP Dad. Not a day goes by that I don't miss you. right outside Ft Wolters, one of the prime pilot training bases; I flew in the guard with ALOT of old VN pilots & chiefs; crazy bunch. When I got my 20 year letter I just finished a weekend doing door gunnery w/NVG's at Ft Hunter-Liggett in central Kali; great times; great old bird,,,, 
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Posted: 1/31/2015 7:42:29 PM EDT
[#33]
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Posted: 1/31/2015 8:17:21 PM EDT
[#34]
At ~14:35 the narrator says "the talk concludes with an important safety point: Keep the gun barrels off the M-60s unless the gun is to be used" Why is that?
ETA: Ah, should have waited. Explained at ~16:03. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 8:18:57 PM EDT
[#35]
IN WWII they would have gunner trainees driven in a jeep or truck and they would shoot at clays.
Taught them to lead, guesstimate, and such. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 8:20:52 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I missed my calling... After I got out I did very well in Sporting Clay shooting and I bet I could use those skills in that roll. ! IN WWII they would have gunner trainees driven in a jeep or truck and they would shoot at clays. Taught them to lead, guesstimate, and such. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 8:36:33 PM EDT
[#37]
My supervisor was a dustoff medic and would sometimes have to do some shooting, he told us story's on how when they were flying around he used to get kicks out of shooting sampans with an M79.
He isn't into guns but really wants a M79 and I showed him the .22 adapter for it and he really wanted one then. He has told a bunch of other story's and they were all great to listen to and thinks the Huey is the best thing that ever took to the skys |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 8:56:42 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Is what that means, thats a shitload of combat flying. Currently the going rate for an Air Medal is 20 combat sorties. And he had 7 medals. Balls, your dad has them. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: My Dad was a crew chief/left door gunner on a UH1-B in 1967. Aviation unit under the 1st Infantry Division. I would have to pull out the records to get more detailed than that. Awarded an Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters. I don't really know where that falls in the pantheon of anything, but I read one of the citations one day, and it made me do a double-take about my Dad. BTW, for any of you Vietnam helicopter gurus, I was born and raised in Mineral Wells, TX. RIP Dad. Not a day goes by that I don't miss you. Is what that means, thats a shitload of combat flying. Currently the going rate for an Air Medal is 20 combat sorties. And he had 7 medals. Balls, your dad has them. I really hope I didn't misstate that. I don't have his records at the house right now. The only thing I have handy (which I just pulled out) is the medal case, which has the medal, a ribbon type device with two clusters attached, and another cluster floating around the box like it fell off. I guess I should say that, with 100% certainty, that it was an Air Medal with multiple awards. I feel pretty strongly, though, that I remember going through his records after his death, and scanning a document that said 6 oak leaf clusters. One thing I find interesting from this thread are the mentions of how dangerous a job it was. I always felt from talking to my Dad, that the air crew had it better than the guys on the ground. My Dad was a heavyset guy, and I remember very vividly, him telling me how after he received his draft notice, that he pretty much restricted himself to cottage cheese and water to ensure that he could make whatever the weight limit for a crew chief was at the time. His feeling being that if he was on the ground, in the jungle, that he probably wouldn't be coming home. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 9:51:03 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What was the life expectancy of a door gunner? I was in the AF. The daily bulletin always had a "special deal" for cross training as a heli door gunner(first sentence on every page). EVERY DAY for 2yr.+. My first sgt. wanted me to cross over Soooo bad, and asked me multiple times/wk. He said life expectancy was < 15 min. If I was single at the time I might have taken him up on it. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 9:54:39 PM EDT
[#40]
Thanks.
My uncle was a door gunner. He doesn't talk about it... |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 9:58:39 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
IN WWII they would have gunner trainees driven in a jeep or truck and they would shoot at clays. Taught them to lead, guesstimate, and such. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I missed my calling... After I got out I did very well in Sporting Clay shooting and I bet I could use those skills in that roll. ! IN WWII they would have gunner trainees driven in a jeep or truck and they would shoot at clays. Taught them to lead, guesstimate, and such. My grandfather was a Marine gunner on a carrier and he said their first gunnery training was skeet shooting. Can't remember if they ever did it from Jeeps though. |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:42:43 PM EDT
[#42]
Great video, cool to see the barracks (quad) on Schofield and Makua valley.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 10:54:54 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
At ~14:35 the narrator says "the talk concludes with an important safety point: Keep the gun barrels off the M-60s unless the gun is to be used" Why is that? ETA: Ah, should have waited. Explained at ~16:03. Yeah, that NEVER happened! |
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:20:46 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My grandfather was a Marine gunner on a carrier and he said their first gunnery training was skeet shooting. Can't remember if they ever did it from Jeeps though. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I missed my calling... After I got out I did very well in Sporting Clay shooting and I bet I could use those skills in that roll. ! IN WWII they would have gunner trainees driven in a jeep or truck and they would shoot at clays. Taught them to lead, guesstimate, and such. My grandfather was a Marine gunner on a carrier and he said their first gunnery training was skeet shooting. Can't remember if they ever did it from Jeeps though. A long time ago... ... I was #3 in the state of Florida in Sporting clays... Back when ammo was about $22.00 a case for great British 12Ga White Gold.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:29:06 PM EDT
[#45]
Get some. Mongoose.
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Posted: 1/31/2015 11:32:18 PM EDT
[#46]
Neat video.
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Posted: 2/1/2015 11:32:27 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
A long time ago... ... I was #3 in the state of Florida in Sporting clays... Back when ammo was about $22.00 a case for great British 12Ga White Gold.Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I missed my calling... After I got out I did very well in Sporting Clay shooting and I bet I could use those skills in that roll. ! IN WWII they would have gunner trainees driven in a jeep or truck and they would shoot at clays. Taught them to lead, guesstimate, and such. My grandfather was a Marine gunner on a carrier and he said their first gunnery training was skeet shooting. Can't remember if they ever did it from Jeeps though. A long time ago... ... I was #3 in the state of Florida in Sporting clays... Back when ammo was about $22.00 a case for great British 12Ga White Gold.It that was in the mid or late 90s, you and I have met or shot together.
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Posted: 2/1/2015 2:56:19 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My grandfather was a Marine gunner on a carrier and he said their first gunnery training was skeet shooting. Can't remember if they ever did it from Jeeps though. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I missed my calling... After I got out I did very well in Sporting Clay shooting and I bet I could use those skills in that roll. ! IN WWII they would have gunner trainees driven in a jeep or truck and they would shoot at clays. Taught them to lead, guesstimate, and such. My grandfather was a Marine gunner on a carrier and he said their first gunnery training was skeet shooting. Can't remember if they ever did it from Jeeps though. Saw a video, maybe History Channel, that's how they did it. Makes sense, shooting at an moving target while the shooter is also moving. |
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Posted: 2/1/2015 3:11:37 PM EDT
[#49]
I wonder if the door gunners for the Space Shuttle receive similar training?
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Posted: 2/1/2015 3:14:35 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Reporter asks a door gunner how he could shoot women and children. "Easy, just don't lead `em as much!" I've had 2 patients over the years who were door gunners. One of them was also an instructor. I asked them both if they'd seen the movie and they hadn't. When I told them about that scene, they both burst out laughing.
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