Chapter 7
Eric and Michael made the road trip from Baton Rouge to Dothan, Alabama without a hitch and on time.
A little while later, Eric drove his 57 Chevy through the main gate at Fort Rucker. They back in their Army khaki uniforms
While they drove through the base, the sweet sound of Huey helicopters filled the air. The best music in the world.
Eric and Michael looked around the sky and saw some Huey's flying descending to Fort Rucker. They both started salivating at the thought of being Huey pilots one day.
They signed in and had their barracks room assignments. Michael and Eric walked around Fort Rucker to get a feel for their new home for eight weeks.
The next morning arrived.
Michael and Eric sat in a briefing room with other candidates.
This was the start of their advanced flight training.
Captain Charlie Foley stood at the front of the class. Captain Foley had been with the Army for twelve years. He returned from Vietnam eight months ago.
"Good morning, candidates. Welcome to Fort Rucker for the rest of your aviation training. Y our training here will consist of four weeks of instrument training. Then four weeks of tactical training. This will prepare you Vietnam," Captain Foley told the room.
Michael raised his hand.
"Stand up. State your name and question," Captain Foley said the second he saw Michael's hand in the air.
Michael stood up. "Candidate Michael Grayson. When do we get to fly the Huey?" he asked with sparkles in his eyes.
"That's a frequent question asked by all candidates. First, you will fly a modified Bell OH thirteen T for your initial instrument training. You will learn to trust your instruments over what your body is telling you," Captain Foley told the room.
"Aw shit," Michael said under his breath.
"Then you'll transition into the Huey. Where you'll have more instrument and tactical training," Captain Hopkins replied.
"Thank you, sir," Michael said with a huge grin while he sat back down.
"When you complete your instrument training. The Army will not issue you a standard instrument ticket like the FAA issues. The Army will issue you a pink Tactical Instrument Card," Captain Foley told the room.
Michael leaned over to Eric. "Man. I've always wanted to fly that big bubble bird. But I want my hands on a Huey," he whispered in Eric's ear when he knew Captain Foley could not see him.
"In due time my friend. In due time," Eric whispered back.
Michael sat there and dreamt about what it would be like fly the Bell Huey.
The next day arrived. Michael and the other candidates started with their instrument training.
Michael walked out to the flight line with IP Roy Dean. He had an instrument hood in his one hand and his flight helmet in his other.
IP Dean was also a retired Army Major with Vietnam experience. IP Dean had been instructing as a civilian instructor at Fort Rucker for the past two years.
While Michael and IP Dean walked out to their OH-13T chopper, four Hueys flew over the flightline.
Michael glanced up at the sky and saw the Hueys and started drooling. "Man, what a beautiful sight."
"What's a beautiful sight?"
"Those Huey's. That's one beautiful machine," Michael said while he pointed up at the four whirlybirds up in the sky.
IP Dean glanced up at the Hueys. "All you new pilots want the Huey. But first we need work on your instrument training," IP Dean said while he got in the right seat of the OH-13T chopper.
Michael got inside and sat in the left seat of the OH-13T chopper. He recalled those days of watching the Whirlybird TV show. He wanted to pilot the Bell 47 helicopter, but his true love was now the Huey.
"Let's get her airborne," IP Dean instructed Michael.
"Yes sir," Michael said then reached down and removed the cockpit card from its sleeve by the side of the console.
He went through the startup procedure and had the blades of the TH-13T spinning in no time.
Michael installed his hood on his flight helmet that restricted his field of vision. He swiveled the shield on the right side of the console out so it would limit his view out of the bubble.
The engine started, and the blades were rotating. Michael lifted the TH-13T chopper off the flightline while watching the instrument console.
Michael taxied the chopper down the flightline. He started his ascent into the Alabama sky.
Michael had the chopper flying at eighteen hundred feet above the ground.
"Keep her at eighteen hundred and on a heading of zero eight zero," IP Dean said.
Michael flew the TH-13T by keeping his eyes on the instruments. He did a great job.
Michael completed his instrument training in the OH-13T chopper in four weeks.
Twenty-five hours were spent in the Link Trainer for instrument training. This was a trainer designed around 1929, and it looked like a small airplane that was a kid's ride at a carnival. The Link Trainer had roll, yaw and ascent and descent capability. The instruments reacted to the movement of the controls.
Michael also flew under the hood from point to point by way of the Automatic Direction Finder.
He then learned a Ground Controlled Approach by and land the TH-13T. He followed instructions by a soldier on the ground.
It was now early March of 1969 and Michael got off the bus with IP Jack Stone on the flightline by a Huey. IP Stone was also a retired Army helicopter pilot who also had a tour in Vietnam flying a Huey.
Michael was in heaven while he climbed inside the Huey and sat in the right seat and buckled his harness. He looked at all the gauges, switches and knobs. This was an advanced chopper than the Bell TH-13T and Hughes TH-55 choppers.
"I've died and gone to heaven," Michael said while IP Stone climbed and sat down in the left seat.
"Why do you say that?" IP Stone asked while he buckled his harness.
"I'm going to learn how to fly a Huey," Michael replied while he placed his flight helmet on his head.
IP Stone chuckled, as he heard that type of comment a thousand times in the past two years.
IP Stone talked through the startup procedure and soon had the skids of the Huey were off the flightline.
He ascended the Huey, and Michael listened to his every instruction.
After IP Stone leveled the Huey off at two thousand feet, he let Michael take over the controls.
Michael flew around the countryside of Alabama. This was his orientation flight of the Huey.
An hour later, Michael landed the Huey back on the flightline with the guidance of IP Stone.
After he shut the engine down, IP Stone gave Michael a debriefing. Michael strutted back to the barracks with a huge grin.
"Hey. How was your flight?" Eric asked the second he saw Michael enter the barracks.
"Mine was great. How was your flight?" Michael replied.
"Man. I had a raging hard-on during the whole flight. Yep. One day I'm going to marry me a Huey. Have lots of baby Huey's hovering around the house," Eric responded.
"I'm now starting to worry about you," Michael said while he pretended to look worried about his buddy.
They both chuckled.
"Let's get some chow," Eric said.
Michael nodded in agreement, and they headed to the door of the barracks.
The next four weeks were busy for Michael. He transitioned into the Huey and learned tactical flying needed for Vietnam.
Michael practiced landings with and without power.
Michael learned pinnacles and confined space maneuvers. He learned how to pick up a load and other emergency procedures.
He also had classroom training on the basic operating systems of the helicopter.
Michael flew the Huey at nighttime over the dark Alabama countryside. This was more instrument training.
He flew at low-level, high-speed approaches in a Huey gunship and shot at targets on the ground.
Near the end of their training, Michael spent eight days out in the field for some more practice. This included flying a Huey with cans filled with sand to simulate a full load of soldiers. He also went through the Eagle Flight. An alarm woke them up. They briefed and airborne within six minutes. All the Hueys flew in formation on the way back to Fort Rucker.
Michael's final check ride was a four-hour ride in a Huey from Fort Rucker down to Gainesville, Florida. He had to perform four approaches.
That long-awaited day arrived. It was time to graduate from their advanced flight training at Fort Rucker. It had been a long haul from the day they drove through the gates at Fort Wolters to the graduation ceremony today.
Families and wives of the candidates filled the viewing stands on the flightline. Hundreds of Hueys flew in formation over the flightline. It was beautiful music with hundreds of flying Hueys.
All the candidates received their certificates and wings. They were Army helicopter pilots.
The ceremony was over. Michael and Eric hugged each other to celebrate the completion of their training. They both had Warrant Officer WO1 bars on their uniforms and looked so proud.
"We made it. I can't believe we made it," Michael told Eric.
"Yeah. There were times I had my doubts. But we survived Mother Rucker," Eric replied.
Michael looked at the shiny wings in his hand. "Give me your wings," he told Eric.
"What?" Eric replied and couldn't understand why Michael wanted his wings.
"It's a tradition. Give me your wings, and I'll give you mine," Michael replied.
"That doesn't make any sense," Eric responded and thought Michael flipped his lid.
"It's supposed to be bad luck to wear the wings given to you at graduation. I'll wear yours, and you'll wear mine," Michael said while he held out his wings to Eric.
"What the hell," Eric said while he snatched up Michael's wings and handed his wings to him.
Michael and Eric swapped wings and pinned them on their uniform.
Harry and Elaine Grayson walked up to Michael and Eric. They looked so proud of Michael's accomplishment.
Congratulations my boy," Harry said while he extended out his hand.
"Thanks, dad," Michael said while he shook his father's hand.
Elaine gave Michael a hug and kiss on his cheek.
"Mom, dad, remember my good friend Eric Wilson. He endured the flight training at Fort Wolters and Fort Rucker with me," Michael said.
"Ah yeah, I remember him picking you up for the trip here," Harry said.
Elaine nodded and smiled that she remembered Eric.
"It's a pleasure to see you again Mister and Misses Grayson," Eric said while he shook Harry's hand.
"I want a picture," Elaine said then reached inside her purse and removed a Kodak Instamatic camera.
Michael and Eric stood side by side with huge grins.
Elaine snapped a picture.
Off in the distance, Eric's mother and father saw him and started waving to catch his attention.
"Please excuse me. My parents are over there," Eric said the second he saw them. He waved at them to join him over with Michael and his parents.
"So. Do you know where your first assignment will be?" Harry asked Michael.
"Vietnam," Michael replied and did not appear nervous about his assignment.
"I'm stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia," Eric added.
Harry placed his hand on Michael's shoulder. "Now. Don't you go falling out of a helicopter and breaking an arm," Harry said, joking.
"What's that about?" Eric asked.
"Kid stuff," Michael replied.
Elaine's eyes started to water up, and her lips began to quiver at the thought of her son going to combat. She placed the Kodak camera back in her purse and fought from balling.
Eric's parents walked over. After some introductions, they decided to head out to the nearby town of Enterprise. They had a nice dinner.
The next day, Michael and Eric drove in Eric's 57 Chevy back to California. They had some leave before Michael got shipped out to Vietnam.