From the e-mail message sent this week from Arrowhead Film Company

Hello Huey Friends,

Hope this finds you all well.

We continue to seek funding for our project and remain optimistic despite the obstacles, realizing that worthwhile work is often hard to achieve. Unfortunately we've had some personal issues to contend with lately, the most difficult being Patrick's mom having serious complications following a heart bypass operation.  He spent the last two weeks at her bedside in Cleveland, but I'm happy to report that she is making a slow but steady recovery and he is back in Austin, much to the joy of his wife and daughter.

He's trying to get back in the swing now and we'll let you know how things
progress.

Best to you and yours, Cheryl Fries


The following is another poem from Vietnam veteran Snake Arender. Whose poetry is also featured on several pages of this web site. 

     I VISITED NAM TODAY

As I was sitting on my front porch this morning

The silence was shattered by the sound of a helicopter in the distance

Within a mili-second, I was mentally-transported "back in time"

To Vietnam, for only an instant

Like yesterday and the day before,

I did not enjoy my return trip to Nam, today

But dislike it or not, tomorrow I will visit again

However, someday, these visits will end, I pray
                                     #

COPYRIGHT 2001 - Loyde P. "Snake" Arender  
You can visit him at his won web site: http://community.webtv.net/kaybran/26thMarineRegiment

The following was sent by "Frank Reilly" ahc116@mail.naisp.net
Things to Ponder this Upcoming Memorial Day

THE THINGS THEY CARRIED:

  They carried P-38 can openers and heat tabs, watches and dog tags,   insect repellent, gum, cigarettes, Zippo lighters, salt tablets,   compress bandages, ponchos, Kool-Aid, two or three canteens of   water, iodine tablets, sterno, LRRP- rations, and C-rations stuffed in   socks.  The carried standard fatigues, jungle boots, bush hats, flak  jackets, and steel pots.  They carried the M-16 assault rifle.  They carried trip flares and Claymore mines, M-60 machine guns, the M-79   grenade launcher, M-14's, CAR-15's, Stoners, Swedish K's, 66mm Laws,   shotguns, .45 caliber pistols, silencers, the sound of bullets,   rockets, and choppers, and sometimes the sound of silence.  They   carried C-4 plastic explosives, an assortment of hand grenades,  PRC-25 radios, knives and machetes.

  Some carried napalm, CBU's, and large bombs; some risked their lives   to rescue others.  Some escaped the fear, but dealt with the death   and damage.  Some made very hard decisions, and some just tried to   survive. 

  They carried malaria, dysentery, ringworms, and leeches.  They   carried the land itself as it hardened on their boots.  They carried   stationery, pencils, and pictures of their loved ones - real and   imagined.  They carried love for people in the real world, and love   for one another. And sometimes they disguised that love:  "Don't   mean nothin'!"

  They carried memories!

  For the most part, they carried themselves with poise and a kind of   dignity.  Now and then, there were times when panic set in, and   people squealed, or wanted to, but couldn't; when they twitched and   made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said "Dear God", and   hugged the earth and fired their weapons blindly, and cringed and   begged for the noise to stop, and went wild and made stupid promises   to themselves and God and their parents, hoping not to die. They
  carried the traditions of the United States military, and memories   and images of those who served before them.  They carried grief,   terror, longing, and their reputations.

  They carried the soldier's greatest fear:  the embarrassment of   dishonor.  They crawled into tunnels, walked point, and advanced   under fire, so as not to die of embarrassment.  They were afraid of   dying, but too afraid to show it.  They carried the emotional baggage   of men and women who might die at any moment.  They carried the   weight of the world, and the weight of every free citizen of America.

THEY CARRIED EACH OTHER !

  ( Author Unknown. )
If anyone knows who wrote this - let the Webmaster know and we will credit it.
    

FEATURED UNIT WEB SITE
      The 135th Assault Helicopter

       www.135ahc.com

The 135th Assault Helicopter Company was organized at Fort Hood, Texas on 1 February 1967. In October 1967 the unit deployed to Vung Tau, Republic of Vietnam. At the time of deployment, the Australian Government dispatched a Navy Helicopter flight to Vietnam consisting of eleven officers and thirty-six enlisted men. The Australian flight was assigned to the 135th, and the unit became known as an "Experimental Military Unit", or EMU for short.

The unit's first roll in Vietnam was to support the Royal Australian Task Force and other free-world units working in III and IV Corps. To facilitate operations, the 135th moved to Blackhorse in December 1967 and then to Bear Cat in November 1968.

Working as part of the 214th CAB and 222nd CAB, the EMU's wrought devastation on the Viet Cong from the southern edges of the U Minh Forest to the Bamboo of Bu Dop and east to the boundaries of II Corps.

On 8 September 1970, the EMU's moved again, this time to Dong Tam, supporting strictly Vietnamese Army units in the Delta. As other Aviation units in the Delta deactivated, the only US/Australian helicopter unit in existence took up the slack. The 135th daily flew great distances from home station in support of the war effort. As the only completely integrated Multi-national Helicopter Company fighting in Viet Nam, the EMU's developed pride and dedication to their motto, "GET THE BLOODY JOB DONE".

The gunship platoon (TAIPANS) adopted their own motto, "GET THE JOB DONE BLOODY".

In 1971, The EMU's moved to Di An. In June 1971, the Royal Australian Navy portion of the 135th deactivated and was replaced by US personnel. The 135th continued to carry out their mission as well as the traditions of the EMU's.

Editor note: This web site also features a very complete listing of most all the web sites for AHC units that were in Nam. It is well worth a visit to this web site. 

                     SOME THINGS OF INTEREST

You can listen to the entire song of "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag" by
Country Joe McDonald at his own web site:

 In RealAudio        http://www.dnai.com/~borneo/rag.htm

This is the web site for Company C 1/52 Avn Reg which is the new Tomahawks stationed in Korea.

Click here: 1st BATTALION 52nd AVIATION REGIMENT


From: "Bukowski, Joe" <bukowskj@wocc.army.mil>
 Commemorating the 83rd year of the Warrant Officer Corps
The Warrant Officer Career Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama is hosting a
ball commemorating the 83rd year of the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Corps.
This event is taking place on 21 July 2001 at the Fort Rucker Officers Club.

 The point of contact is CW4 Michael Funk @ DSN 558-3465 CM (334)
255-3465 or e-mail funk@wocc.army.mil or the undersigned.

CW5 Joseph A. Bukowski
Plans & Training Development Branch
Bldg. 5302 Outlaw St.
Ft. Rucker, AL 36362-5000
DSN 558-9260 CM (334) 255-9260