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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ March 03, 2014 New Information 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 03 Mar 2014 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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> 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"
130th MEDICAL DETACHMENT
140th TRANS.DET. (CHFM)
125th ATC (Air Traffic Control)
256th SIGNAL DETACHMENT
Report is that the Hotel rooms for the 2014 VHCMA Reunion are filling fast.
2014 REUNION from June 25-28,2014 in San Antonio, TX
More info at our Future Reunion Page below.
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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----------------------------March 3, 2014 Sick Call ----------------------------------------
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
--------------------------------- 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.
-------------------------------------29 July013-------------------------------------------------------------
At this past reunion we found out that we lost another member.
Mike Skyer passed away this past spring.
Mike has attended several of our reunions.
Those who attended the 2012 reunion will remember Mike as the guy who brought his service dog with him.
Mike also lost his wife Thea in Feb.of 2012. do to cancer.
Mike was a crew chief 68-69 and was severely wounded Feb. 19,1969.
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Since the reunion I have found out that another member past away the first of this year.
Tommy Radford died Jan.25,2013. Tommy was in the Maintenance Platoon 3/67-68.
Jan and I visited with Tommy last July. It was a good visit.
---------------------------------------------------------05 June 2013-------------------------------------------------------------
I am reporting the loss of another 117th AHCVA member.
RAYMOND W. WICKHAM passed away June 1st and will be buried today in Custer, SD.
with VFW post 3442 doing the honors.
Ray was with the 117th 1967-68 and was a fireman/crash rescue/ and a part-time gunner.
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Up-date 29June 2013
RE: Ken Haywood CE 117th 1st Flt Plt 10/68-4/70
Jan and I spoke with Kenny this past week. He sounds better and more like himself, but is still not doing well and continues to need our prayers and thoughts.
----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"
