Chinook Pilot Flew Over 2,000 Hours During the Vietnam War | Full Veteran Interview

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James “Jim” Crawford entered the Army in 1966 and upon completing flight school in 1967 was assigned fly Ch-47 Chinooks in Southeast Asia. Arriving in Vietnam at the beginning of the Tet Offensive in 1968, Crawford joined the 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company, the “Black Cats of Phu Loi,” and logged over 2,000 hours of combat flight time before the end of his tour in February of 1970.
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Chapters
0:00 - The Draft
2:10 - The “Black Cats of Phu Loi”
4:56 - Tet Offensive
6:39 - Combat Assaults
9:06 - Life on Base
10:01 - Dealing with Officers
12:07 - 13 Hours in the Air
14:30 - R&R Confrontation
16:44 - GIs in Australia
17:52 - A Different Welcome Home
19:39 - Back in the USA
20:52 - PTSD?
Welcome to the largest RU-vid channel exclusively dedicated to the Vietnam War. We strive to build a better future by learning from the past. All participants - and their military citations - have been vetted. For the sake of privacy, we do not share veteran contact information.
Do you know a Vietnam veteran, survivor or witness that should be interviewed? Send us an email at the address below.
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Опубликовано:

16 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 135

@Thevietnamexperience 2 месяца назад

Listen to our podcast 🎤: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vietnam-experience/id1732962685

@Lalalalalalalal.. 6 месяцев назад

The fact that this man completed so much by his mid 20’s makes me question what I’m doing with my life lol

@patrickallen5781 7 месяцев назад

Most people have no idea what flying 13 hours in a day does to your body. I'm amazed he was flying helicopters at 70 years old an amazing man RESPECT.

@Sladep123 7 месяцев назад

I can't imagine how skilled he must have been pilot flying 13 hours a day. It would be so second-nature I bet he flies that Chinook better than he walks.

@williamcox5935 3 месяца назад

Dude, he said this was back in the 1968 Tete offensive. He is in his 70ies NOW.

@Melior_Traiano 3 месяца назад

In the book "Chickenhawk" written by a Huey Pilot, he described that there were official limits on how long you were allowed to fly, but those limits were never obeyed in the field. Flying a helicopter exposes your body to high stresses, similar to driving a bus all day long. He described an incident were they had been flying for nearly 48 hours. They were so tired, that they flew very dangerous missions on the second day and didn't even care about getting shot. They were awarded a bravery medal for that day, but it was mostly to do with them being so tired. Read the book, I can highly recommend it.

@MarkJones-sk6vk Месяц назад

Late minute he states he flew until retirement at age 70. @@williamcox5935

@williampink1042 4 месяца назад

I served with 5th Special Forces B-32 Tay Ninh. Our A-Teams along the Cambodian border were almost totally dependent upon re-supply provided by the CH-47’s. Unfortunately we lost Black Cat 100 in September of 1970. I would fly an average of 16 sorties a week with either the Muleskinners or the Black Cats. Jim it was pilots like you that kept us operational. Your courage was reflected everyday in the number of men who are alive today because of the lifeline you provided. Thank You.

@danaustin3885 8 месяцев назад

Crewed Chinooks 68/69, 1st Cav. We had great pilots and a great helicopter. Best to Jim.

@brucestayner4678 7 месяцев назад

I was and Air Traffic Controller at Danger airfield Lai Khe Vietnam all through 1969. Being the next camp in line from Phu Loi we had the Black Cats flying in there all the time to pick up loads. More than likely I talked to you on the radio during that time. Listening to your stories brings tears to my eyes. Over fifty years ago and I can remember all of it like it was yesterday. Welcome home and wish you many years to come.

@sxmxxx 6 месяцев назад

Thank you for sharing, I love getting to read comments like this. It's history I would of never known otherwise so thank you sir.

@FloydThursby-hq1hk 2 месяца назад

What a great attitude this guy has, I am really impressed. A genuine Vietnam combat veteran..

@CaptainFAL 8 месяцев назад

Flew for the Army for 7 years myself. This man's story is wonderful and his attitude and demeanor showcase the best of the warrant officer corps. Really makes me miss (almost) being deployed. Thank you for your service!

@usnchief1339 5 месяцев назад

Almost...LOL. I get that feeling once in a while.

@danpaesano2429 8 месяцев назад

My 1969 draft number was 19. I had a 2S deferment that just went away with the lottery. I was drafted in January 1970 and got to Vietnam Dec.16, 1971. To this day I date all time as before Vietnam and after Vietnam. Honestly, if I wasn't a Nam vet I don't know who I would be. I am under VA health care and have disabilities for type 2 diabetes, hearing loss, tinnitus and PTSD.

@mkd7961 8 месяцев назад

salute to you sir!! i was 10 but watched news every night

@philbrown9764 29 дней назад

First…Welcome Home Brother. I was in Chu Lai 68-69 1st MAW and I joined because I didn’t want to get drafted. Which brings me to my draft number…it was 360. I didn’t know that until I was discharged. And I might not have ever been drafted because my number was so high. Oh well…

@danpaesano2429 27 дней назад

@@philbrown9764 Welcome home to you also.

@christopherblevins1968 8 месяцев назад

Thank you, sir! Even though I was a toddler when you came home, I still want to express my sorrow at the treatment you and other service men received. It's a damn disgrace to treat anyone that way, especially men who had just returned from war. My apologies. And, thank you again for serving our country!

@keithtowles4550 7 месяцев назад

I second that response. Thank you for your service. May you live the rest of your days in peace and happiness. Job well done!

@philbrown9764 6 месяцев назад

WELCOME HOME Brother. From another Nam Vet, Chu Lai 68-69 1st MAW MAG 12. Liked your story and I’m glad you made it back to the world.

@Charlielizard 8 месяцев назад

What a short, but great story about Crawford. He most definitely needed quite a bit more time for his life story. May God Bless you for your service and sacrifice.

@oefel 7 месяцев назад

Jim is an absolute legend, got a chuckle out of the bullet catcher and JD bottle with ice tea

@upsethooker 3 месяца назад

What you’re doing is so damned important, thank you for doing these interviews.

@MyMg23 7 месяцев назад

Is it possible to dislike this man? Great speaker and presence.

@chrisfisichella6659 8 месяцев назад

What a great guy. He is a role model.

@stevefabian477 8 месяцев назад

Such an honest and honorable being

@usnchief1339 5 месяцев назад

Funny how the film crew doesn't really get his humor! I guess you have had to serve to get that type of humor.

@carlpresley9097 8 месяцев назад

I remember sidney in 71. Loved the people. They treated us like kings. I stayed at the koala lamain hotel in kings cross. Great R &R

@charlesmiddleton3247 7 месяцев назад

Aviation Marine (E-5) here from New River Air Station during the Vietnam Era. Met and hung out with a number of Pilots and their crews! Loved getting to take rides in the Huey's and CH-46's at times. Thank you Sir for doing what you had to do and doing it to your best abilities. You are my HERO'S. Semper Fi!

@maxpuppy96 7 месяцев назад

Men like this are rare these days.

@PhriendsySweetDreams 7 месяцев назад

The crash rate of Chinook's is pretty insane, this man is a legend by basic means

@DaileyShorts 7 месяцев назад

By ANY means, man's a legend.

@TeethOfDead 6 месяцев назад

By all means

@quakers200 Месяц назад

My brother was a helicopter pilot in the military. He had the chance to be a trainer stateside but as i recall he felt he could not train others for combat if he did not do a tour in Vietnam. He was killed over Laos just as we were planning to turn the fighting over to the Vietnamese. David Nelson Fox.

@bearschmidt3180 8 месяцев назад

True heroes. Allowing yourself to be drafted, instead of running away from the fighting, is truly heroic. 1 certain x president of this country, is in my eyes a coward and I will never respect him , no matter what he did or does.

@davidgiles5030 8 месяцев назад

Disagree. Watch the last interview of Robert mcNamara. He admits that the war was all about showing the soviets that the USA was willing to make any sacrifice in blood and treasure. Over a million dead so the US could show it had "balls". Sickening. People are still paying the price 50 years later.

@Fires755 6 месяцев назад

Thank you for your service Sir!!! Love All you guys!! My husband Vietnam veteran Us Navy Gunner on the USS mullinix,1971-72.

@ajbaumgart4774 8 месяцев назад

My dad is a Vietnam veteran he says hes not but a Vietnam error veteran but i still call him a Vietnam veteran cause he was in the service during the war i even had a uncle who was a Vietnam veteran with the marines but he was killed in action i never know him but i hear stoires about him i thank all our veterans out there

@jimcaufman2328 6 месяцев назад

Those Airfarce captains got a great "Canidate attitude". 67-7 Hueys first tour and Cobras my second.

@Richard-qx6el 8 месяцев назад

Sergeant Majors don't take crap from anyone, they are the backbone.

@stillworkin9813 Месяц назад

Loved how you Dealt with the two Air Force Captians .. in 78 hooked sling loads under Helos to fly out wood ... Glad you made it out

@gman5051 8 месяцев назад

I salute you sir ! Thank you for your service . And your great reflection of your time in combat .

@jodypierson3137 8 месяцев назад

This guy is amazing, thank you sir

@tonylatham5915 8 месяцев назад

Great interview, Jim!

@billonbuilding284 6 месяцев назад

Amazing story from so many veterans. He has so many stories and experiences to share hell logging at 70 is amazing. I was Heli logging in my late 40s and I was anomaly at that point. He is amazing.

@ragflugabwehr7414 6 месяцев назад

What a wonderful guy. l could listen to him and his stories for hours.

@glennlarson9343 3 месяца назад

Great interview. Great man.

@billhalbert7955 6 месяцев назад

Simply, thank you!

@sniddley 7 месяцев назад

Thank you for your service, stories and for coming home to share.

@danwallach8826 8 месяцев назад

Love the story about stickin' it to the Air Force captains!

@trent3872 8 месяцев назад

Man this guy is entertaining 😂.

@grayharker6271 6 месяцев назад

I was standing on the runway at Salerno FOB in Afghanistan talking to a NG chithook crew chief when a rocket hit near us. He had been flying in chithooks since he was 18. But never got hit until Afghanistan!

@hongspa 6 месяцев назад

great story telling thanks man

@ronaldclark8187 8 месяцев назад

Thanks! I used to look foward to that Shythook. Mail,chow,ammo and a ride to the rear

@Loosersnooze 7 месяцев назад

Love this guys and his mindset!

@markpaul-ym5wg 8 месяцев назад

My brother was with the 31st combat engineers and was stationed at phu vinh in 69 and 70.

@SunKing333 6 месяцев назад

Much respect. I appreciate his story telling

@klrmoto 8 месяцев назад

Thank you - I could feel you story. I also enjoyed looking up Columbia Helicopters and the Boeing Vertol 107 and the Boeing Vertol 234. Makes me want to quit my job and go help them setup their production line of helicopter parts.

@giotatti1564 7 месяцев назад

Glad you enjoyed Australia mate.

@hudson5573 8 месяцев назад

Great guy, thanks Jim!

@66block84 7 месяцев назад

I knew a guy in the early 70's who had been a crew chief on a Chinook. He never talked about it.

@bc69998 6 месяцев назад

Thankyou sir for all you did, I'm sure you saved a lot of lives and your service will NEVER be forgotten.

@johnsloane2127 8 месяцев назад

Great story and sincere

@juanbaloney4269 8 месяцев назад

What a professional pilot.

@henningkaarud2760 8 месяцев назад

Kjøpte og leste bøkene fra Time Life The Vietnam Experience. Love from Norway 👍❤️

@bigmon5870 7 месяцев назад

Hey dude, nice shirt. Vung Tau/Can Tho, 1970, Hillclimbers door gunner relates to the "basketball" comment, bigtime. Never got an RNR, dang it.

@oldjunkman4864 7 месяцев назад

I worked on Chinooks CH-47, 69 & 70 242nd assault support helicopter company. Cu Chi Vietnam,

@gregsanford3848 2 месяца назад

Comes across as a really great fella

@davidlj53 8 месяцев назад

Thank you for your service, God Bless and welcome home Sir!

@joelpierce3940 8 месяцев назад

Thank You for your service! A friend of mine Hank Cunningham was a Chinook crew chief. His bird was shot down 3 times in Vietnam. Maybe he knows him?

@usnchief1339 5 месяцев назад

24 years of service for me and 3 where working with the Marines. The best 3 years of my career. Just a great bunch of men and women.

@lowboy1one1 7 месяцев назад

Such an amazing guy! Thank you for your service

@johngrogan7585 5 месяцев назад

Thank you Sir

@alexblue6991 7 месяцев назад

Best wishes and regards from a 71yr from Scotland

@know-body2519 7 месяцев назад

Thank you Jim.

@viking_fisherman 6 месяцев назад

Wow!!! Respect.

@tommyjenkins7453 Месяц назад

I flew on a "stretch 8" from McGuire to Mildenhall in 77 quite an aircraft 😮😮

@davidrose1614 6 месяцев назад

A hero for sure. Mild mannered hero

@thomasfx3190 5 месяцев назад

I'm glad he tells the story with all the ups & downs, all the things you have to do to actually get to you front line unit. I was Army Artillery and I can commiserate with all the grief the army is when you're just trying to get INTO the army to just do your job. If I had known any better I would not have bothered to go through ROTC to earn a commission, it was just an immense hassle and basically a big game that I didn't want to play. I was commissioned and went to officer basic for Artillery at Ft. Sill, but I wasn't going to get to serve on active duty so after a year of national guard duty I requested transfer to individual ready reserve and got on with my life. It wasn't the way they sold it.

@jeffreysnively5780 8 месяцев назад

Thanks for you're service.

@moto3463 Месяц назад

God bless you sir.

@donpeifer696 7 месяцев назад

Thank you so much for your service!!

@gregmccarter2176 5 месяцев назад

A very humble man...

@haroldadkins770 4 месяца назад

Great man thank you sir God bless

@peterandersen1378 4 месяца назад

Canadian search ad rescue were still flying Chinooks into the mid 2010’s. Apparently they needed 4 hours of maintenance for every hour of flight time. These birds were just used up and no longer fit for service.

@sleeve8651 8 месяцев назад

Terrible issues in Marine Corps Boot Camp....? What......? Impossible ! I can't imagine ! WTF.....? SERIOUSLY....? IMAGINE THAT ! SEMPER FI

@timdevoe360 6 месяцев назад

Thank you for your service 🇺🇸

@user-fs6ou3fk9p 7 месяцев назад

Bless you.

@jgee4073 8 месяцев назад

Operated CS and Napalm drops out of 1st Cav Chinooks ‘69-70.

@ElectricJelly03 4 месяца назад

I didnt know helicopters were capable of doing napalm runs. I was under the impression that sort of maneuver would need a higher air speed

@user-fs6ou3fk9p 7 месяцев назад

Real life vs. maps. Bless you for your control.

@roberttremaine5620 7 месяцев назад

The criminals are the ones who send soldiers to wars that they should not be involved in. Many Brave men have been wounded and killed. I admire those men.. Please, lets honor those who serve and despise those who profit from war. Blessed are the peacemakers. Reccommend a Book called "Chickenhawk".

@rachels209 3 месяца назад

“Hangar Queen “ An unfortunate aircraft that for variable reasons (could be in the shed for scheduled maintenance or for a defect) becomes a lame duck because it gets serviceable parts robbed off it to keep the rest of the fleet going. Eventually, someone makes the call and you can’t ‘rob’ anymore parts off it, and it is put back together as replacement parts eventually arrive.

@TheAwesomeFrank 7 месяцев назад

Jimmy C. You a Kool Mother!!! Brother!

@stevekohl5351 5 месяцев назад

Thank you for your service.

@user-wp1pc8ld1m 4 месяца назад

I took r&r to Sydney in July 68 .The Oprah house was being constructed at that time.The people treated us nice.

@CuttingEdgetools 5 месяцев назад

Great interview. Thanks for your service ❤️🇺🇸 in 1975’ our firefighter crew was helicoptered into a lightning strike fire deep into Lassen National forest. It was a old Viet Nam copter piloted by a Viet Nam Veteran. I learned some interesting and humorous aspects of soldier life.

@jdweld44 8 месяцев назад

Cool guy!

@markjfox866 8 месяцев назад

They we,re never given the respect honour or help they needed

@markjfox866 8 месяцев назад

Hero,s🙏🏻🙏🏻👏🏼👏🏼🎖🎖🎖🎖

@FromTheMissionRoad 20 дней назад

Hooah! Thank you for your service sir! Thank you for taking time to share your story!

@Ukraineaissance2014 5 месяцев назад

Chinooks were great for the british army/RAF/Royal Navy. The size of them when you looked inside was just incredible and they could carry some huge weights on or underneath. Could take some real brutal punishment and hand out a suprising amount of brutality themselves from the two front side windows which had all sorts of machine gun arrangements on them. Some had naval type rotary guns at the windows so ive been told, didnt see that myself though.

@Ostemikkel 8 месяцев назад

Hero

@erniejohansen291 8 месяцев назад

I Loved the Iced Tea!!! Omfg LMFAO 😂

@MichaelGregg-wc2bg Месяц назад

Thank you for your service to our country and welcome home

@robertsiravo2146 2 месяца назад

178thAshcPathfinder Phu Loi Chu Li 66 67

@sakai101yahoo9 8 месяцев назад

Thank you for your service for politicians.

@sheribrummett1960 7 месяцев назад

What did he mean by he "saw the sunrise in the west" ?

@sonofliberty92 7 месяцев назад

Welcome home

@philbrown9764 18 дней назад

Finally. Someone who knows how to greet a Nam Vet. Thank You.

@sonofliberty92 18 дней назад

@@philbrown9764 you're very welcome

@conservativeokie 5 месяцев назад

SPARTAN SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS! Awesome!!! I believe it is still around, albeit under a different umbrella (I believe). What an amazing man and story! Thank you!!!