INDEX OF PHOTOS
Thomas W. Olsson
.................166 Photos..10 min...............
TWO-001
Tom Olsson in back seat of AH-1G
TWO-002
Looking North East over Cu Chi City to the 25th Infantry Division Base Camp
TWO-003
US Military base (Army and Air Force) Cu Chi from the air, large building center right is the 3/4 Cav Maintenance Hanger ant to its left is the troop hoochs
TWO-004
On Final to the Coral (D troop's parking area, looking North across West end of runway into 25th AVN parking area, foreground D Troop slick parking.
TWO-005
D Troop AH-1G parked on maintenance ramp.
TWO-006
AH-1G early in tour note Plexiglas nose (Landing lights in early production aircraft, removed by operational units as they blinded pilots when turned on) and m-18 (mini gun) pod on wing ( we stopped using this configuration to get more 2.75" FFAR (Folding Fin Areal Rockets) per load (standard configuration became 19 tub pod inboard and 7 tub outboard), standard turret was .62mm Mini Gun on the right asnd 40 mm Granade Launcher on the left, a moini gun could be mounted on tyhe left lside of the turret but it tended to jamtoo often so we used the granade laauncher on the left.
TWO-007
Me by AH-1G (same aircraft as
TWO-006) before early in tour mission wearing body armor (front plate only).
TWO-008
D Troop 3/4 Cav OH-6A
TWO-009
D Troop 3/4 Cav OH-6A over Highway 1
TWO-010
OV10 Bronco in revetment AF ramp Cu Chi.
TWO-011
Tom Olsson all decked out to fly gunner (front seat) AH-1 with 38 revolver and CAR-15. Hard to find a place to store even this limited gear in AH-1
TWO-012
Me and Bob Rector (Flight school class mate, he flew for Co B, 25th Avn Bn, 25th Inf Div also out of Cu Chi)
TWO-013
Me
TWO-014
Me holding a 30 cal. machine gun. This was the type of weapon that shot my aircraft down.
TWO-015
D Troop 3/4 Cav Mess Hall entrance Cu Chi
TWO-016
Delta Troop's sponsored orphans with Captain Roman Millett & Warrant Officer Mike Holder (OH-6 Pilot, Scout)
TWO-017
Hooch 3 sign with names of residents when I arrived in Cu Chi Oct 1969; Sign panted on salvaged UH-1 horizontal stabilizer.
TWO-018
Same Hooch 3 sign with names of residents around Mar 1970.
TWO-019
Decoration inside Hooch 3 common room.
TWO-020
More Decoration inside Hooch 3 common room. Some days the mission did not go the way we wanted.
TWO-021
Bruce Silkkema and Leslie G. Scott relaxing on a rare night off
TWO-022
Me in the hall of Hooch 3 with our cat Pussy Person
TWO-023
Our cat Pussy Person enjoying one of her favorite resting places.
TWO-024
Pussy Person did I mention that she was a WO1
TWO-025
Keith Williams returning from a shower a little worse for ware.
TWO-026
Me outside of Hooch 3. WO1 at the time.
TWO-027
Bruce Sikkema outside of Hooch 3. WO1 at the time.
TWO-028
Ken Strand outside of Hooch 3. WO1 at the time.
TWO-029
My aircraft prior to mission
TWO-030
Me by my aircraft prior to mission.
TWO-031
Leslie Scott (my gunner) by my aircraft prior to mission.
TWO-032
SP5 Gary Schmidt my crew chief standing In front of our aircraft.
TWO-033
"The Henchman" name given by crew chief Gary Schmidt to aircraft 67-15827
TWO-034
The Henchman returning to Cu Chi after being shot down over Nui Ba Den.
TWO-035
Nearing touch down
TWO-036
Entry hole of round 2, this round knocked one of two horns on the pitch control of the swashplate arm.
TWO-037
Entry hole of round 1, this round severed the main fuel line between the fuel cell and the fuel filter thus no fuel to engine leading to a flameout 67-15827
TWO-038
Fuel line that was severed just above the push/pull tube. 67-15827
TWO-039
The skid cross tubes rotated aft as I landed right on top of a rice duke. The front cross tube broke at the saddle and the stubs stuck in the bottom of the 19 tube rocket pods and thus kept the aircraft upright. Note fuel still draining from aircraft several hours after shoot down. 67-15827
TWO-040
Inspecting damage 67-15827
TWO-041
Inspecting damage, after I landed on the rice duke the aircraft continued forward with the tailboom resting on the duke at the inspection panel at the horizontal stabilizers. 67-15827
TWO-042
Aircraft secured to flatbed on the way to be repaired, it was repaired and returned to the fight but not with the 3/4 Cav. 67-15827
TWO-043
On approach to the East to the Coral, Hooch 3 (my quarters) is upper left in the group of nine in the center of the picture.
TWO-044
D Troop 3/4 Cav Maintenance Hanger.
TWO-045
D Troop 3/4 Cav ammo supply point.
TWO-046
Looking from the refuel point over to the bunker line at Cu Chi.
TWO-047
One of many guard post on the Cu Chi perimeter berm.
TWO-048
Sunrise during the dry season.
TWO-049
What happens after rockets hit in the dry season.
TWO-050
Wet season games, pilots get board putty quickly.
TWO-051
Tay Ninh Base Camp from OV-10A back seat.
TWO-052
Tay Ninh Base Camp from OV-10A back seat.
TWO-053
Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain) just NE of Tay Ninh
TWO-054
Nui Ba Den sticking through the low clouds. Some mornings we left Cu Chi climbing IFR to VFR on top on a Tactical Instrument ticket. Tactical Ticket was not recognized by FAA as a instrument rating.
TWO-055
Mekong Delta SW part of Area of Operations (AO).
TWO-056
ARVN fire base/US Navy Riverine base in Mekong Delta.
TWO-057
Southern half of AO between Cu Chi and Tay Ninh large number of rice paddies and villages.
TWO-058
Trang Bang on HY 1 between Cu Chi and Tay Ninh.
TWO-059
Someone's rubber plantation compound NW of Go Dau Ha beside the Song Vam Co Dong river. Note the swimming pool and tennis courts.
TWO-060
Northern part of AO
TWO-061
Goa Da Hoa HY 1 blown up bridge. Highway 1 crossed the river and goes West to the Cambodia boarder.
TWO-062
Mekong Delta SW of Saigon. We also call this area the plane of reeds.
TWO-063
Western Saigon
TWO-064
Eastern Saigon
TWO-065
Caribou starting high overhead approach. US Air Force, C-7A, Caribou
TWO-066
Caribou on short final with everything hanging out. US Air Force, C-7A, Caribou
TWO-067
Caribou backing onto ramp using engine power. He unloaded and left in less than 5 minutes. US Air Force, C-7A, Caribou
TWO-068
OV-10A orbiting the same strip as in
TWO-067 waiting for us to crank and launch for a fire support mission.
TWO-069
OV-10 Bronco parked on Cu Chi Air Force area ramp.
TWO-070
Cranking for mission ground power still hooked up.
TWO-071
Almost ready to taxi. Rocket and Gun pod safeties being removed.
TWO-072
O-2 taxing with front engine shut down.
TWO-073
O-2 taxing with front engine shut down.
TWO-074
CH-47 in parallel revetment at Cu Chi.
TWO-075
Nose section of CH-47
TWO-076
Ramp area of CH-47. All those hydraulic lines made them vulnerable to ground fire. I did not know about the 5 transmissions then.
TWO-077
Henchman II in flight.
TWO-078
D Troop 3/4 Cav LOH in flight.
TWO-079
D Troop 3/4 Cav Huey in flight
TWO-080
Kiowa over Cu Chi.
TWO-081
D Troop 3/4 Cav Huey on final to the Coral, note the Blues legs hanging outside of the aircraft.
TWO-082
D Troop 3/4 Cav Huey hovering in the Coral.
TWO-083
AH-1G backseat looking over fixed armor plate. 67-15827, The Henchman
TWO-084
AH-1G instrument panel. 67-15827, The Henchman
TWO-085
Henchman II on the beach near Vung Tau, RVN on the South China Sea. We later learned the beach was mined, good thing it was LOW tide. 67-15827, The Henchman
TWO-086
Henchman II on the beach near Vung Tau, RVN on the South China Sea. 67-15827, The Henchman
TWO-087
AH-1G instrument panel in flight. 67-15820
TWO-088
AH-1G back seat gun sight with infinity recital.
TWO-089
Better picture of back seat gun sight infinity reticle
TWO-090
Henchman II turret, one 7.62mm Mini Gun and one 40mm Grenade launcher. 67-15567
TWO-091
Henchman II in its revetment, note LEFT wall revetment. 67-15567
TWO-092
Inspecting the damage to Henchman II the result of a miss timed turn within the revetment causing the tail rotor (T/R) to contact the left wall of the revetment, I was in the front seat not flying. 67-15567
TWO-093
One of the T/R blades as a result of it contacting the revetment.67-15567
TWO-094
The 90 degree gearbox also left the aircraft. It is next to the revetment wall. 67-15567
TWO-095
Looking at the 90 degree gearbox mount on the top of the vertical fin. 67-15567
TWO-096
One of the T/R blades also cut the T/R drive shaft. 67-15567
TWO-097
Damage to the vertical fin. Good news out of this was the aircraft got a new tailboom and I flew many more hour in it during the remainder of my tour. 67-15567
TWO-098
Removing the Feeder/Delinker form a jammed Mini Gun.c 67-15567
TWO-099
Jammed rounds in the Mini Gun. We would test fire the Mini Guns in a "Free Fire Box" enroute to a mission, if I got a jam I would fix it as required using parts from the team I was releaving when necessary. 67-15567
TWO-100
Picture taken from the back seat of a Bronco orbiting a spot where the Air Force was about to drop bombs. US Air Force, OV-10A
TWO-101
The bombs land.
TWO-102
More bombs land.
TWO-103
More bombs lands.
TWO-104
US Navy Riverine boats in the Mekong Delta.
TWO-105
US Navy Riverine boats in the Mekong Delta.
TWO-106
US Navy Riverine boats in the Mekong Delta.
TWO-107
VFR on top.
TWO-108
VFR on top.
TWO-109
VFR on top.
TWO-110
VFR on top.
TWO-111
VFR on top.
TWO-112
D Troop 3/4 Cav Cobra staging heavy fire team prior to going into Cambodia
TWO-113
D Troop 3/4 Cav Cobra enroute to Cambodia
TWO-114
D Troop 3/4 Cav Cobra enroute to Cambodia
TWO-115
M88 on the 3/4 Cav Forward Operating Base (FOB) close to the Cambodia boarder. The Cav used this vehicle to build the runway and perimeter berm.
TWO-116
M113 on the 3/4 Cav Forward Operating Base.
TWO-117
M113 on perimeter of the 3/4 Cav Forward Operating Base.
TWO-118
M551 on the 3/4 Cav Forward Operating Base doing a little track maintenance.
TWO-119
LOH hovers over the "Runway" on the 3/4 Cav FOB.
TWO-120
Berm outside looking into the FOB.
TWO-121-0
Delta Troop aircraft parked on the airfield at the 3/4 Cav FOB. Not how well we shut down the aircraft.
TWO-121-1
Me and Bruce Sikkema at the FOB looking at a 42 degree gear box AH-1G, ??-15776
TWO-122
Triple canopy jungle north of the "Angles Wing" on the Cambodia boarder.
TWO-123
A pair of 2.75 in Folding Fin Areal Rocket (FFAR) heading to Cambodia.
TWO-124
North Vietnamese base camp (Ft Polk East) just across the Cambodia boarder. Some of the hoochs were made entirely of sacks of rice.
TWO-125
North Vietnamese base (Ft Polk East) camp just across the Cambodia boarder.
TWO-126
North Vietnamese base camp just across the Cambodia boarder.
TWO-127
Escorting a Magnetic Anomalies Detector equipped Slick trying to find arms/ammo cashes.
TWO-128
Sight of a .51 in (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft machinegun.
TWO-129
Side view of a "51"
TWO-130
Other side view of a "51"
TWO-131
LOH over the Eastern part of the AO.
TWO-132
LOH with Nui Ba Den in the background looking West.
TWO-133
LOH going down to do a visual reconnaissance East of Nui Ba Den.
TWO-134
Landing Zone (LZ) prior to the Hueys arrival for a pickup.
TWO-135
Smoke is out and D Troop 3/4 Cav Hueys arrive.
TWO-136
D Troop 3/4 Cav Hueys on the way out.
TWO-137
Rice paddies AO.
TWO-138
D Troop 3/4 Cav pink team refueled and getting ready to go out on a mission.
TWO-139
Me in the D Troop 3/4 Cav mess hall.
TWO-140
Pussy Person and Leslie G. Scott in his room.
TWO-141
My Hooch 3 Deros party.
TWO-142
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Robert W. Ayers; Thomas W. Olsson; ?; ?
TWO-143
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Donald E. Gerwe; Robert W. Ayers (with prop spinner on head); ?; ?
TWO-144
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Robert W Ayers (Back to camera) Thomas W. Olsson; ?; ?
TWO-145
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Donald E. Gerwe; Thomas W. Olsson; ?; Robert W. Ayers; ?
TWO-146
My Hooch 3 Deros party. New Guy
TWO-147
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Donald E. Gerwe; Leslie G. Scott; Robert W. Ayers; ?
TWO-148
My Hooch 3 Deros party. War wound.
TWO-149
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Leslie G.. Scott; Robert W. Ayers
TWO-150
My Hooch 3 Deros party. Donald E. Gerwe
TWO-151
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Donald E. Gerwe; ?; Leslie G. Scott; ?; Robert W. Ayers
TWO-152
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R ?; Leslie G. Scott; Robert W. Ayers; ?; ?
TWO-153
My Hooch 3 Deros party.
TWO-154
My Hooch 3 Deros party. Donald E. Gerwe
TWO-155
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Donald E. Gerwe; Leslie G. Scott; Robert W. Ayers; ?
TWO-156
My Hooch 3 Deros party. Unknown
TWO-157
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Leslie G. Scott; Donald E. Gerwe
TWO-158
My Hooch 3 Deros party. L to R Leslie G. Scott; ?
TWO-159
Last time I saw The Henchman II in RVN from a Slick on my way to Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The next time I saw/flew 15567 was in 1982 at Hanchey AAF, Ft Rucker, AL as a Fully Modernized AH-1S. 67-15567,
TWO-160
D Troop 3/4 Cav Slick
TWO-161
D Troop 3/4 Cav Slick
TWO-162
The way Bob went home from RVN Robert V. Rector
TWO-163
Looking from the front to the back of a DC-8 in route from RVN back to USA
TWO-164
Climb out from Tan Son Nhut, last view of air over RVN.
TWO-165
Mt Fuji Japan
TWO-166
Eastern Airlines Boeing 727 that took me from Seattle to Washington DC B-727