I had often wondered over the last forty years when this would come to pass. So many of the AirAm guys I worked with were Vets that I figured someone would have come forward a lot sooner. I always marveled at the balls the chopper pilots had to swoop in and grab our downed pilots before 37th ARRS even got off their asses and spooled up over at 20 Alternate. They had rules. No Jolly Green rescue attempt unless they had suppression fire if it was hot.  That meant waiting for some Spads to scramble from NKP. The wait could be interminable before they got up to the PDJ. AirAm pilots, on the other hand, wouldn’t even think twice about it. They’d just detour off from whatever they were doing and zip in for a quick in and out-all with nary a door gunner or any suppression.

It’s long overdue for them to get some presumptives on AO and compensation for GSWs and SFWs.. After all, they probably ate more Roundup than most servicemen in Vietnam. I got this from a friend and was delighted to see they are mad as Hell and not going to take it anymore. Rarely has a group of men done more, asked less and gone without reward than these brave souls. Always remember, AirAm didn’t hand out Bronze Stars or give bonuses for every airman rescued from the jaws of the Pathet Lao. They did it not because it was their job, but because they knew what it would be like if no one came for them. In a word, they thought like Marines- you don’t leave your buddies behind in Indian Country. Most importantly, they didn’t feel the need for the whole 7th Cavalry to swoop in and pick up a downed FAC or a Misty.

Here’s the letter. I hope they get front row seats at the VARO.

AAM_PR