Info Sheet - Joseph H. "Joe" Bridges
Died 1 January 2006
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Michael Banks: I had sought out Joe Bridges’ location for a number of years, and then Dale sent me the Colleyville address and phone. I tried the phone, ‘no longer in service’. Then I wrote to the address, letter returned, ‘no forwarding address’. So I used a different web search engine that gave me the names and addresses of neighbors around Joe’s old home address. So I sent off a professionally done letter, business card included for credibility, to four of the neighbors. Within 5 days I had a phone call from one and an email from another.
Sadly, both verified that Joe had passed away in 2006, apparently suffering from esophageal cancer, although it was a cardiac arrest that took him out while at the hospital for treatments. He had worked for Verizon, was married to Susan, had raised 3 daughters and was thought of as a very fine man – good husband, loving father, friendly, helpful.
Mike Vaughn: Joe Bridges (Centaur 37) was my AC...and Mike Siegel was the peter pilot..and "Buzz" was my door gunner. We flew a slick 65-09659. I was the crew chief from August 1967 thru December 1967. Went home about 20 days BEFORE TET "68.
Lt Bridges was an IP in the slicks. When ever anyone needed to be checked out in a D model...It was my slick that was used. On one occasion we were checking out a Captain "S"...(dont wanna slander anyone here) Captain "S" had been flying the OH 23's and was transitioning to Hueys. Lt Bridges instructed him on the start-up, and hovered out of the bunker...sat it down next to the runway and turned over the controls to Captain "S" Lt Bridges said ok...lets see you take off...Captain "S" was struggling with a hover...but finally got it near a hover...Then pushed the cyclic forward and pulled collective...TOO MUCH OF EACH!!! All I can remember from my seat WAYYY back behind was looking through the windshield and seeing nothing but GROUND....I had never viewed this attitude before! About that time the rotor rpm warning started screaming in my ear...and Lt Bridges grabbed the controls and somehow rescued us before we hit....I did write up a hard landing on that one! Between Lt Bridges and Mike Siegel they saved my young butt on many occasions with their flying skills.
Charlie Johnson Centaur 40: Joe was my first IP/Aircraft Commander when I got to D Troop and flew Slicks for awhile before transferring to the Hogs. A good man, steady, stick man, very cool and reliable under fire. I believe Terry and Buzz flew in the back during the time I flew with Joe in July and August 1967.
Here's a true war story about Joe. Our flight had picked up the Rifle Platoon and we were trying to get an overloaded D Model out of a small LZ but it wouldn't clear the tree line. Joe backed it up to the edge of the woods furthest from the shortest spot in the tree line, flew straight toward the trees low level toward what I thought was our demise and the end of my short military flying career and life. I recall looking over at Joe, trying to figure out if he knew what he was doing or was just crazy. You can imagine the rest of the story: He snapped the cyclic back and popped the collective, we picked up some leaves in the skids and semi-rolled over the tree line then headed home. I think I had been with the troop a week or so at the time. I recall wondering if this was normal and if so, how the hell did anybody live through a twelve month tour. As it turned out, it was normal and you just needed a reasonable amount of luck, an experienced Aircraft Commander and a good Crew Chief, to get through it.
This incident scared the **** out of me but the lesson learned came in very handy later when I was flying overloaded C Model Hogs. This type of takeoff became a routine event and didn't scare me anywhere near as much as this first D Model slick tight PZ takeoff did.
I'm sorry we did not make contact with Joe before he departed. I owe him a couple of beers and will regret not being able to swap some additional war stories with him.
Thomas Fleming: April 27, 2009
I am saddened to hear of Joe’s passing. He came in- country about the same time I did and we spent many a day and night waiting out LRRP teams in tents scattered across the AO. Joe was all those positive things everyone has said about him. After he returned from RVN he wrote me and asked for a recommendation for his application for Law school. I was very flattered that he would ask me and I wrote a glowing recommendation for him. That is the last I hear from him. I too have tried to contact him without success. I thought very highly of his skill, courage and over all personality.
Terry Vaughn: My Joe Bridges story; Lt Bridges was an IP in the slicks. When ever anyone needed to be checked out in a D model...It was my slick that was used. On one occasion we were checking out a Captain "S"...(dont wanna slander anyone here) Captain "S" had been flying the OH 23's and was transitioning to Hueys. Lt Bridges instructed him on the start-up, and hovered out of the bunker...sat it down next to the runway and turned over the controls to Captain "S" Lt Bridges said ok...lets see you take off...Captain "S" was struggling with a hover...but finally got it near a hover...Then pushed the cyclic forward and pulled collective...TOO MUCH OF EACH!!! All I can remember from my seat WAYYY back behind was looking through the windshield and seeing nothing but GROUND....I had never viewed this attitude before! About that time the rotor rpm warning started screaming in my ear...and Lt Bridges grabbed the controls and somehow rescued us before we hit....I did write up a hard landing on that one! Between Lt Bridges and Mike Siegel they saved my young butt on many occasions with their flying skills.
I do regret that I wasnt able to thank Joe in person....I have already thanked Mike on several ocasions.....