Info Sheet - Bruce R. Hinds
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July’72-Jan’73 Slick pilot, Centaur 3? not sure about that one only made A/C my last few months.
I’d been flying the LOH and Slicks down south, when I got to Tan My they were putting me in with the scouts and flew just a bit with “Crispy”(Was that Gary Norton?) before I went on my R&R – when I got back they needed me in the Slicks.
Living near Seattle now, Port Orchard, WA with my wife Janie.
Nov 2020: Thanks to Carl Betsill for all the great work on the Google Interactive Map. The Huey that went down 8 Jan 73, the left seat was CW2 Mikey Wilson (62 AHC). He was a classmate of mine and was listed as missing for a long time. I was on call that night, we had blades turning but the CO wouldn’t give us the coordinates. From reading the description on the interactive map, it sounds like the Air Force had already been on the scene for some time taking heavy fire. The CO probably saved our lives that night, doesn’t sound like we would have made it back.
Thanks for the report, I never knew where or understood why – over 47 years later it makes more sense now.Bruce
7Feb2025: Reference Video of Steven Pullen: "Great career story. Funny thing, I went over in Feb '72 and the party at the officer's club in Long Bin when I got there was wild, everyone was going home. I got a big slap on the back when I arrived, "where ya been buddy?" "Ah, just came from Rucker" - he refused to believe it and we almost got in a fight, everyone was going home. I went to fly at HHC for the 229th and they stood down just before the easter offensive, everyone but the pilots went home, then I went to D troop, 229th for that mess and we stood down. Everyone but the pilots when home and that's when I came up to be with you guys." Bruce