G.I. Photo Page - 3

These are photos supplied by my friend Hank Llewellyn. He was with A Company, 229th AHC, 1st Air Cav during 1967 - 68 in I and II Corps. Hank was a Sp4 who was a door gunner for nine months with the 229th after being transferred from the 1/5th after receiving leg wounds.

Hank is also Editor of the "Silver Wings" column in the 1st Cavalry Division Association newsletter and appeared in an interview for the series "Soldier's Story: Vietnam" recently aired on The Learning Channel.

Below: Changing another hole-ridden tent at LZ English. On 6/67 the ammo dump took a direct hit. The area at center bottom is Hank's living space. The wooden chest is his. His bunk is against the sandbags. Please note the netting for mosquitos on the cots and the unit choppers in background.

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Below: Standing by his "bird".

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Below: In a "friendly" village. Notice M-16 slung upside down on shoulder. Hank also had a pistol tucked away in the waistband of his fatigues..."just in case"!!

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Below: "View from the side" Doorgunner's view. Doing business with the M60 at 300 feet (group of 3 bad guys in crosshairs). They liked to have bags on the right side of the Huey's to keep the brass out of the tail rotor. Notice Nomex gloves being worn since the machine gun could get hot - especially the barrel. Note also the flexi-feed "tube" for the 7.62 , no C ration can required on this M60! Hank's footnote: "The bad guys didn't get away!"

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Below: Dropping off the "Blues".

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Below: Hank took this picture hanging by his strap out of the Chopper. Please note five other choppers to the left of the background with the Bong Son River below.

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Below: VC recoiless rifle team caught in the open seconds before they are cut down. The OH-13 has spotted them, and hovers over their position as Hank's helicopter releases the "blues" (a sort of Quick Reaction Force). This and most of the other photos were taken in II Corps.

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