InfoSheet /Obit - James R. "Dix" or "Dick" Dedman
Died 24 February 2013 - age 68.6
Was a Heavy Scout Gunpilot (UH-1C) in 1967.
From VHPA: DEDMAN JAMES R
CW2 James R. Dedman was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 02/24/2013 at the age of 68.6 from Heart attack
Melbourne, Australia,
Flight Class 66-5W
Date of Birth 07/18/1944
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with D/3/4 CAV 25 INF in 66-67
Call sign in Vietnam CENTAUR
This information was provided by Linc Hursch (grandson), SSN search Aug 2013
Michael Banks: Dedman was a hootch-mate of mine. I kept in touch with him after Nam until he passed.
Jim was mostly a Hog driver after he finished his Scouts intro. I remember that he used to love to slide down along the river banks trying to draw fire and he loved those rockets. Jim had a troubled marriage and actually departed VN about a month early claiming hardship.
I believe he returned to Wolters as an Instructor Pilot in TH-55's until he terminated service, and then moved to Australia, having fallen in love with the country during his R+R. He got employment in choppers right away. We wrote letters for years. He apparently did well, working his way into a management position because in one of his letters he indicated that he had just returned from a trip to VN where his company was offering chopper training and services to the country as a business venture.
I tried to rendezvous when he visited his mother in Arizona but that never worked out. And that was the last I heard of "Dix" Dedman.