Tag: Vietnam War

ExNotes Review: The 600 m.o.l. Black Helicopter Pilots in Vietnam

By Joe Berk

This is the first of several book reviews to follow in the next few weeks.  The 600 m.o.l. Black Helicopter Pilots in Vietnam is the true story of the second wave of Tuskegee Airmen.  The first wave included the Black aviators who flew combat missions in World War II.  There have been movies made about those men and their accomplishments are well known.  The second wave refers to Tuskegee airmen trained to be helicopter pilots by the famed Alfred Anderson, who trained the first wave for World War II.  Their exploits and the paths they blazed are not nearly as well known.

I happened on to The 600 m.o.l. Black Helicopter Pilots in Vietnam as a result of visiting one of the pilots featured in the book, a man who was my first boss when I was in the Army in Korea.

The story is fascinating on many levels, not the least of which is the story of the author, Dr. Joe Ponds.  He was one of the more or less (that’s where the “m.o.l.” comes from) 600 Black helicopter pilots in Vietnam who flew Huey and Cobra gunships during that war.  The book begins with the author’s end in sight:  A cancer diagnosis with only a few months left to live.

What do you do with what is essentially a death sentence diagnosis?  Dr. Joe Ponds decided to tell the story of the Black helicopter pilots who flew in Vietnam.  Theirs was not an easy path.  They faced institutionalized racism and discrimination in both civilian and Army life.  These men managed to overcome limits imposed by others and they became U.S. Army aviators.

The 600 m.o.l. Black Helicopter Pilots in Vietnam covers seven major topics:

    • A brief history of discrimination in America and efforts to overcome it.
    • Dr. Pond’s experiences in gaining a officer’s commission in the US Army, and then becoming a helicopter pilot.
    • A discussion of the different types of helicopters flown in Vietnam.
    • A review of the kinds of helicopter missions in Vietnam.
    • Stories from several Black aviators featured in the book.  All were interesting, especially the ones who flew medevac helicopters.  Those helicopters flew with no armament whatsoever, and they were literally sitting (or hovering) ducks when they flew in to retrieve wounded soldiers.
    • A list of the approximately 600 Black aviators who served in Vietnam.
    • A chapter describing how Dr. Ponds’ cancer went into remission and his subsequent activities on several fronts, including mentoring young people, counseling, helping first responders cope with post-traumatic stress syndrome, motivational speaking, and more.

The 600 m.o.l. Black Helicopter Pilots in Vietnam was a great read.  I know you’ll enjoy it.

Never miss an ExNotes blog:

Join our Facebook ExNotes page!

Don’t forget: Visit our advertisers!

Check out these offerings from Viking Bags!

Motorcycle Saddlebags
Harley Davidson Saddlebags
Motorcycle Luggage Bags
Motorcycle Sissy Bar Bags
Motorcycle Sissy Bars
Motorcycle Backpacks

The Indiana War Memorial

Looking both large and deceptively small from the outside, the Indiana War Memorial is located in the center of Indianapolis.  Susie and I were there for a visit with good buddy Jeff, whom I’ve known since before kindergarten.  We both migrated west after college, both of us did so for work, and Jeff staked his claim as a Hoosier.  We spent a few days recently bopping around Indiana and Ohio and it was a hoot.  One of the first places we stopped was the center of downtown Indianapolis, and we wandered into the amazing and impressive Indiana War Memorial.  It wasn’t on our itinerary; it just looked interesting, it was open, and we entered.

The name is a bit misleading, as the Indiana War Memorial is both a memorial and a world class military museum, tracing the history of American combat from the Revolutionary War to our most recent conflicts in Vietnam and Afghanistan.   The building itself is impressive, with tall halls and huge lower level display areas.  The displays are impressive.  So is the architecture.

The Indiana War Memorial wasn’t crowded; in fact, we had the place to ourselves.

Peering up in the main tower, this hall focuses on The Great War.

Moving on to the lower floors, the displays focus on the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War II, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan conflicts.

This is an interesting exhibit from Gettysburg, which we had visited just a few weeks ago.

I enjoyed the small arms displays.  That’s my buddy Jeff in the photo below.

One of the last halls we viewed focused on the Vietnam War.  This is a Huey Cobra helicopter with a three-barreled Gatling gun mounted in the nose.

Admission was free, and during our visit we had an extra treat.  When we first entered the Indiana War Memorial, we had a nice chat with a guy about our age.   Jeff mentioned that his father had served in World War II, and that I had served in the US Army.  Our new friend told us he had been in the Air Force.  As the conversation progressed, we learned that we were speaking with a retired general officer, who was now the Director of the Indiana War Memorial (General Stewart Goodwin).

Never miss an ExNotes blog:

The 2021 MacManus 1911 Award

Earlier this month we had a quick trip back to New Jersey for the 2021 MacManus Award.  You’ve read about the MacManus Award earlier on these pages.  It’s the presentation of a 1911 .45 Auto to the outstanding Rutgers University Reserve Officers Training Corps graduating cadet.

US Army Captain Colin D. MacManus, Rutgers University ’63.

The award honors Captain Colin D. MacManus, a US Army Airborne Ranger who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1967.  Good buddies Dennis, Tim, Javier, and I revived the MacManus Award, and it’s a tradition we will keep alive.

The 2021 MacManus Award, a Colt 1911 presented to Cadet Joseph Hom.
The 1973 Colin D. MacManus 1911 and a couple of 5-shot, 25-yard hand held groups I fired with it.

You know, I sometimes hear people my age talk about younger folks in a disparaging manner and lament a notion that young people today are somehow less motivated than we were.  When I meet people like Joe Hom and his classmates, I know that’s not true.  It’s reassuring and invigorating to meet these folks and when I do, I know our future is in good hands.

You can read more about the MacManus award and other Tales of the Gun here.

Never miss a thing…sign up here for free!