VIETNAM
ASSOCIATION
(117thAHCVA)
117th Assault Helicopter Company
Beach Bums, and Warlords
Annie Fannys, Pink Panthers, Sidewinders and Roadrunners;
This site is about the 117th AHC in Vietnam during the 10 years that it was in country. It includes a short history of the 117th Assault Helicopter Company, a tribute to those of the 117th who did not make it home and to those who have passed away since their return. As well as Roster, Reunion Information,Stories,Photo link to the 117th Flickr Site and much much more.
WELCOME HOME!
All text and personal photos are the possession of
117th AHCVA website or its members and may not be
copied without permission from the webmaster or the
contributor.
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The 117th AHC was formed from the 8th TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (Light Helicopter)
and had these Detachments assigned to it. and Gunners from the 25th Inf.Shotgun Programwho were TDY to the 117th None of us could have done our jobs without the help of others. It took all of us to make up the company. ******************************** UPDATED 07 November 2014******************************* UPDATE 11 October 2013
If you need information. You can contact me at : namvet42@hotmail.com Al Bennett 117th AHC Crew chief 67-68 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS and REQUEST ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECENT 117th BROTHERS, FAMILY'S or FRIENDS Who Have Need of PRAYERS do to SICKNESS or DEATH
Up-Dated 13 DEC 2014 **************** UPDATED 13 December 2014**** Death Notices*************************** ------------------------------------------Added 13 Dec 2014---------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------Added 13 Dec 2014-------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------Added 13 Dec 2014---------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --------------------- UPDATED 07 NOV 2014---------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- UPDATED 13SEP2014---------------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Links to 117th PAGES on this site: LIST of KIA's in Vietnam http://www.117thahc.org/gone_but_not_forgotten.htm", LIST of those WHO HAVE PASSED since Vietnam http://www.117thahc.org/died_after_vietnam.htm", A Brief History of the 117thhttp://www.117thahc.org/history_of_the_117th.htm", VIEW the Guest Book for 2006-2011http://www.117thahc.org/VIEW_GUEST_BOOK_2006.htm", Sign the Guest Book
"http://www.117thahc.org/SIGN%20GUEST%20BOOK.htm", FUTURE REUNIONS http://www.117thahc.org/future 117th reunions.htm>
130th MEDICAL DETACHMENT
140th TRANS.DET. (CHFM)
125th ATC (Air Traffic Control)
256th SIGNAL DETACHMENT
The 117th AHC 2015 Annual Reunion THIS WILL BE OUR 15TH REUNION and will be held June 9-13
The 2015 Reunion will be held in Albuquerque, NM
At the Albuquerque Marriott located at 2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE.
The VHCMA (Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association)will again be our host.
You may now reserve rooms by going to the www.VHCMA.org web site then go to Reunions.
I will post more information as I receive it from VHCMA
****************************VHCMA UP-DATE 07 Nov 2014************************************
The 117th Reunion for 2016 Hosted by the VHCMA will be again in Herndon, VA
It will again be at the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport hotel.
This will be the 30th VHCMA Reunion and the117th's 16th. The date will be June 14 - 18, 2016.
More info for the 2016 reunion will be passed on as I receive it.
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Our 2013 reunion was the largest we have had since we began our yearly get together
.We had 47 guys present for a total of 94 people. Many went on the bus trips to Washington DC. and toured the sites there. VHCMA had eight buses to provide transportation to the city. Others went to the Air Space Museum in Herndon via the Hilton Hotel shuttle. All said they had a good time and plan to be in San Antonio next year.
The membership voted to make some changes on our 117th Board of Directors.
They are; President Bob Hamilton,pilot 70-71
Vice President: Jack O'Malley, crew chief 67-68
Secretary: Bob Refior, pilot 63-64(this is a new position created by the splitting up of the Secretary/Treasurer position)
Treasurer: Dave Sullivan, pilot 67-68
Historian: Lee Bradley, crew chief 70-71
Membership: Bill Cooper, crew chief 66-68( new position)
Sgt-At Arms: Joe Parent: crew chief 67-68
and Member at Large: Bob Wagner, gunner 67-68(new position)
Executive Director: Al Bennett crew chief 67-68
I would like the thank all of them for volunteering for these positions and for all the members present putting their trust in all of us by their vote.
Thanks go to all the people who donated items for the raffles, time spent helping out during the reunion and for being such a great group of people to be associated with. We look to this get together every year. Al and Jan
I received a request for help from Robert R. Grube 117th Oct 64- Oct 65.
My name is Robert R Grube. I was a SP4 and was the company clerk MOS 71H20.
I need some help in finding someone who served in the company between Oct.64 thru Oct.65
that can identify me as serving there.
I am trying to get a disability award for a hearing disability that I have
along with possible exposure to Agent Orange during my stay there in QuiNhon and Dong Ba Tin.
I would appreciate any help you can provide.
Thanks. Robert R Grube rgrube7137@sbcglobal.net
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On 26 October 2014 Raymond(Ray) J. Bennett passed away do to complications with Lymphoma ,
which he has been fighting for several years.
Ray was in the 117th 1967-68 and came to the company with a Chaplains Assistant MOS.
but Ray became a part-time gunner as well.
I vaguely remember Ray not just because we have the same last name,
but before he was a gunner and after.
I'd run into him on the flight line when I was in Dong Ba Thin for ship maintenance.
Rays brother Frank was the one who contacted me.
Ray's wish was to have his ashes committed to the sea,
via being droped from a Huey while they play the movie theme song from Apocalpse Now
I hope he got his wish!
On 28 November 2014 Bob L. Franks passed away at 71 yrs old.
Bob passed do to ALS and Prostate Cancer.
He was assigned to the 117th from 1966-67 and was a Crew-chief /Gunner
for the 1st Platoon at Dong Ba Thin
Bob was a retired firefighter for 39 years in Indiana and is survived by his wife.
If you would like to make contact with the family let me know and I'll forward your info.
On 29 November 2014 Col. Lynn B. Knisely(retired) passed away from Brain Cancer
He did 2 tours in Vietnam, 1964-63 with the 118th and in 1968-69 with the 117th
f you would like to make contact with the family let me know and I'll forward your info.
-
Delayed notification from the son of 1Lt LEE STEPHENSON who passed away Feb. 2014
1Lt Stephenson served in the 117th/8th Trans 1962-63
The wife of Carl Norris (Therese " Rosie" Norris) passed away 07 Dec 2014 do to Lung Cancer
Carl and Rosie have attended some 117th Reunions. Both have been great people to be associated with and I know Rosie will be greatly missed.
Per Rosie's request in lieu of flowers please make a memorial donation to the Sierra Vista Animal Shelter
------------------Frank Roddy Update 13 Dec 2013
I talked with Frank a short time ago. He reported he is much improved, but still going through treatments and follow ups. He sounded very good on the phone and in high spirits.
Please keep Frank in your prayers
03 Mar 14 RE: Frank Roddy
Frank called this evening to report that he has Stomach Cancer
and it has spread to his Liver and Lungs. His prognosis is not good.
He does not believe he will be able to attend the reunion this year.
Frank has been attending our 117th Reunions since 2009
as well as his son Mark, grand son Cameron and their friend John Banks.
Please keep Frank in your prayers.
If you would like to contact Frank I will assist you with his info.
Al Bennett namvet42@hotmail.com
Garry Pribble passed away 10/29/2014 do to cancer.
GARRY was a 2nd Flt Plt CREW CHIEF from April 67-68
Garry was from Ohio and has lived in Georgia and Florida. He also has attended our 117th Camp out at Melbourne,FL and the campout at L.Z. Friendly Danielsville, Ga. Garry was a retired Auto Mechanic and a Computer Programmer .
RE: Kenneth (Ken) Haywood Passed away 2 Sept 2014
Ken was with the 117th from 1968 till 1970
During his time with the company he was in the 2nd Platoon and held the position of Crew Chief and Platoon Sergeant
Before his time with Uncle Sam he was a welder and fabricator
Ken built several special gun mounts on ships.
He was also a Pro-Bull Rider and was proud to wear his cowboy hat and belt buckle to the reunions.
Since 2001 ,at our first 117th reunion Ken joined our association,and
was a Life Member and held one of the Board Member Positions.
Ken and his wife Barb have attended most of our reunion since that time.
One of the last things he told Barb was that she should continue attending our reunions.
I know Ken will be missed by all of us and will be again riding a Bull and a Huey as I write this.
Farewell my friend.
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--------------------------------- 07-Jan-2014--------------------------------------------------------
It is sad to report that we have lost another 8th/117th brother.
FRED O. BELL passed away December 28, 2013
Fred was a pilot with the 8th Trans 1962-63
Funeral information is provided from his wife Bette:
Fred's funeral, January 24th, 9:30 AM at the Unity Church, 16727 Alderwood Mall Pkwy., Lynnwood WA 98037.
The internment will be at the Mount Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, WA,
with full military honors, at 1:15 PM, on the same day.
Flowers can be sent to the church address the day before, just be sure Fred's name is on them.
The minister will be notified that flowers may be arriving.
However, in lieu of flowers a donation to wounded warriors or the USO would be wonderful.>
Fred cared so much about the men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
We are planning a memorial service for Fred in Edmonds, within ten days after the funeral,
but have not determined a day or location yet. We are working on that.
http://myedmondsnews.com/2014/01/memoriam-fred-o-bell-1927-2013-member-greatest-generation/
Bette
The 117th AHCVA will be making a donation to the Wounded Warriors in the memory of Fred.
PAST REUNIONShttp://www.117thahc.org/Past 117th Reunions.htm
ROSTER http://www.117thahc.org/Roster.htm
Board of Directors of the 117thAHCVA http://www.117thahc.org/board_of_directors.htm",
MEMBERSHIP Application http://www.117thahc.org/membership_ application.htm
117th AHC HATS , PATCHES , License Plate Frames( Car & Motorcycle)and T- SHIRTS: http://www.117thahc.org/for_sale.htm"
----UP-DATE 12/15/09---BOB WAGNER, A 117th AHC Veteran.
An author of great humor now has a new book out,
and has offered to donate a portion of the sale of his new book to the 117th AHCVA
((ONLY If you get it directly THROUGH him)). The book is titled "30 DAYS ON THE BEACH"
