This is the personal collection of Mike Shakocius, an American Huey helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War.
Mike Shakocius:
"Attached a couple of my Vietnam war photos. Take during 1968 in the Mekong Delta on the border to Cambodia. South Vietnam was divided into 4 military areas for the US. "I Corps" in the far north on the border to North Vietnam, "II Corps", "III Corps", and "IV Corps" in the Delta.
The US Army gave us new 38cal pistols but no new 38cal pistol holsters. Can't really squeeze a 38 in a 45cal holster so I had one made up for me in downtown Soc Trang. Worked just fine and I had loads of extra ammunition in the belt.
Carried extra 7.62 ammo for the M14 rifles we had on board. In my left brest pocket is a SOI Book (Secure/secret operating instructions) with radio frequencies, call signs, etc attached with a strong cord around my neck so as to not lose it! I was there during the TET fighting of 68, so the extra ammo was good to have.
Our unit, the 121st AHC Assault Helicopter Company was stationed at the old WW2 Japanese airfield at Soc Trang in the Mekong Delta. Famous for the beginning of WW2 with Japanese airplanes attacking the British fleet. Our unit in the beginning had a real Tiger as our unit mascot. That was just before my arrival in country. First a Tigers head was painted on the tail fins of the CH-21's, later on the pilots doors of the UH-1D Hueys. And we also had a special crew picked nose emblem on each aircraft. We had a very good "esprit de corps".
Most of the US Army helicopter units in RVN took turns performing various assorted "weird" missions. Spraying was one of them. In this case "Agent White" was the chemical, denoted by the white bands on the 55gal drums. The extra US Government chemical personnel who were with on each of these missions briefed us that everything was safe and there was no danger involved in using them! As they say...You can always trust & believe the government when they tell you something!"
Mike Shakocius:
"Attached a couple of my Vietnam war photos. Take during 1968 in the Mekong Delta on the border to Cambodia. South Vietnam was divided into 4 military areas for the US. "I Corps" in the far north on the border to North Vietnam, "II Corps", "III Corps", and "IV Corps" in the Delta.
The US Army gave us new 38cal pistols but no new 38cal pistol holsters. Can't really squeeze a 38 in a 45cal holster so I had one made up for me in downtown Soc Trang. Worked just fine and I had loads of extra ammunition in the belt.
Carried extra 7.62 ammo for the M14 rifles we had on board. In my left brest pocket is a SOI Book (Secure/secret operating instructions) with radio frequencies, call signs, etc attached with a strong cord around my neck so as to not lose it! I was there during the TET fighting of 68, so the extra ammo was good to have.
Our unit, the 121st AHC Assault Helicopter Company was stationed at the old WW2 Japanese airfield at Soc Trang in the Mekong Delta. Famous for the beginning of WW2 with Japanese airplanes attacking the British fleet. Our unit in the beginning had a real Tiger as our unit mascot. That was just before my arrival in country. First a Tigers head was painted on the tail fins of the CH-21's, later on the pilots doors of the UH-1D Hueys. And we also had a special crew picked nose emblem on each aircraft. We had a very good "esprit de corps".
Most of the US Army helicopter units in RVN took turns performing various assorted "weird" missions. Spraying was one of them. In this case "Agent White" was the chemical, denoted by the white bands on the 55gal drums. The extra US Government chemical personnel who were with on each of these missions briefed us that everything was safe and there was no danger involved in using them! As they say...You can always trust & believe the government when they tell you something!"
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