What is the MOS for door gunner?

MOS 6199 — Enlisted Aircrew/Aerial Observer/Gunner.

What is the life expectancy of a door gunner?

From there, they were taken to a base at Da Lat in the central highlands of that nation. Vlach served with the 54th General Command as a door gunner on an UH1 “Huey” helicopter. “They were short of gunners on helicopters, because the life expectancy was somewhere between 13 and 30 days,” he said.

How long was door gunner school?

The 4th Battalion of the 101st Aviation Regiment trained the volunteers in a two-week course. When the 4-101st deployed they had enough door gunners, but injuries and mid-tour leave rotations created a demand for more, said Staff Sgt.

What is a 15T?

The UH-60 helicopter repairer is primarily responsible for supervising and performing maintenance on UH-60 helicopters (also known as the Black Hawk). This is military occupational specialty (MOS) 15T in the U.S. Army. It’s an important role, since the Black Hawk is usually a part of any combat situation.

Why do door gunners wear masks?

The face mask protects the crew chief’s face from dust and cold weather, Pacifici explained, and not all crew chiefs paint them.

How old would Vietnam vets be now?

▶ Vietnam Veteran ages range from 55 to 97 years old.

What is a 15 tango?

What was the life expectancy of a door gunner in Vietnam?

two weeks
Over 10% of Vietnam casualties were helicopter crew members, and most of those were the door gunners that protected the helicopter, its crew, and its transports, from their exposed position. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks.

What does a door gunner do?

Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. A door gunner is a crewman tasked with firing and maintaining manually directed armament aboard a military helicopter. The actual role will vary depending on the task given on a particular mission.

What is a Vietnam-era door gunner?

A U.S. Army Vietnam-era door gunner (c. 1966) is shown manning his duty position on a UH-1B/C helicopter gunship, with a ‘bungee cord’ securing his M60 machine gun to the aircraft cabin doorway. The concept of the door gunner originated during the Vietnam War, when helicopters were first used in combat in large numbers.

What does a door gunner do on a helicopter?

A door gunner is a crewman tasked with firing and maintaining manually directed armament aboard a military helicopter. The actual role will vary depending on the task given on a particular mission. For certain aircraft a door gunner would use a fully automatic Gatling gun placement.

What kind of guns do door gunners use?

Most door gunners use some sort of machine gun such as the M60 or the M60D (a modification of the basic M60 for aircraft), M240, M2HB, or more recently, the General Electric M134 minigun Door Gunner, by James Pollock, U. S. Army Vietnam Combat Artists Team IV (CAT IV 1967). Pen and ink drawing of Vietnam era door gunner.