Info Sheet - Kenneth "Ken" Wiegand
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My first tour was with the 71st AHC, flying C model gunships, from Feb 1967 to 9 Feb 1968. I was 23. I flew slicks for the first 3 months of my tour to learn how to fly Hueys – a unit requirement -- before being invited to join the gun platoon. I was Firebird 95.
I was Little Bear 3A (Operations) from May 70 until mid-December 70 and became a Centaur from mid-December 70 until May 22, 71.
I worked in Operations, along with a couple other captains. If you recall, there were thousands of captains running around in those days. During my indoctrination into the Centaurs, the very first thing I told the CO was that I had an R&R scheduled for Christmas thru NYE in Hawaii where I was to meet my fiancée. I wanted to be sure he knew what my priorities where and he was very good about it.
I flew a couple of Blues platoon insertions and maybe a couple combat assaults. Someone gave me a ride in the front seat of a Cobra and of course demonstrated a wing over. I enjoyed Fire Fly Missions and flew several. I also got to fly with another CPT as his gunner in a Loach. The CPT had a beard and always carried a medical letter authorizing it because of a skin condition, which cracked me up! He was a good guy and pilot.
My wife Donna and I celebrated 51 years last June 5th 2022.