Door Gunners

Sam Cook Curtis P. Wellborn Roy Copeland Tom Plunk (RIP)

The flight crews were truly remarkable. With her distinctive white socks and the white banner across her top, the aircraft was unmistakably a 2^nd Platoon ship. Powered by the formidable T53-L-13 turboshaft engine, she was a force to be reckoned with. Though I crewed several aircraft, 393 was my primary ride. I logged roughly 754 hours aboard her, undertaking dust-off missions, resupply runs, and, most often, combat assaults during my tours. Despite enduring damage at times, she always delivered her crew safely back to Tuy Hoa. She was never red X'ed and remained mission-ready, flying nearly every day. When not in the air, she was stationed in revetment ONE at Tuy Hoa. Unfortunately, records indicate she was later transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force and stayed in Vietnam after our unit stood down.