D/227 Guns Blog

A video recording of a presentation by COL Kirby Lawson and LTC Joe Shaffer.

This video is an overview of Army Aviation operations in Vietnam and the development of the air mobile concept. The later part of this video has voice recordings from the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion Assault into Cambodia, May 1970. Captions have been added that go along with the audio of the combat assault flight into Cambodia.

The assault flight was made up of 42 UH-1H “Huey” helicopters and 18 AH-1 “Cobra” gun ships.
LTC Johnson flew above vectoring us into and out of the landing zones, from an altitude
3000 to 5,000 feet to stay out of anti-aircraft fire. The flights went in at tree top level to
avoid exposure.

CALL Signs:
11th Group Commander: Terror 29 – Colonel Mertel
227th Battalion Commander: Anchor 29 – Lt. Colonel Johnson
C/227th Company Commander: Hang 29 – (Yellow One) Major Lawson
B/227th Company Commander: Desire 29 – Major Knudson
A/227th Company Commander: Owner 29 – Major Sundstrom
D/227th Company Commander: Welder 29 – Captain Matocha

Our website is beginning the process to shut down over the next few years.
Please use the following link to view this video which is now hosted on our 227th AHB Video Archive on Archive-It.org
Air Mobility in Vietnam, presentation by COL Kirby Lawson and LTC Joe Shaffer
After our archived Video page completes loading – In the yellow banner at the top of the page – click the small blue play button at the end of the line of text. After clicking that blue play button all the video controls on this video page will work in normal fashion.

The video is provided by COL Kirby Lawson. COL Lawson served as Company Commander for C/227 (Ghostrider 6) and also as the Executive Officer for the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion during his tour (July 1969 – June 1970).

From 1963 to 1965 the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion developed tactics and operating procedures for the air assault concept as part of the 11th Air Assault Division (Test). This document is an original (marked up) draft copy of the original Tactical Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) for helicopter air assault.

November 1963 Tactical SOP

The document has been generously provided by the family of (then) Major Leo E. Soucek.

Major Soucek was literally the first man to report to the 227th, and as the XO he helped build the unit from the ground up. The 227th trained helicopter pilots in the use of the very first low level, nap-of-the-earth techniques combined with formation and nighttime air-assault tactics. The unofficial unit crest, put together by a battalion mechanic at Leo’s behest, was a pouncing Hawk with feet extended to snatch prey. The crest later became officially recognized by the Army.

Later he would serve four years in Vietnam, implementing the core concepts he helped develop and test with tours as Commander of the 11th CAB, 11th CAG, the 164th CAG, and G-3, 1st AVN Bde. When he commanded the 164th in the Mekong Delta it consisted of over 350 aircraft – the largest number of aircraft commanded by a colonel in combat or peacetime. A proud legacy of the 227th, Leo Soucek retired as a Brigadier General and was inducted posthumously into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 2017

The following rosters include all officers and warrant officers assigned to the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion as of August, 1969, Octobeer 1969 and June, 1970.

Provided by COL Kirby Lawson. COL Lawson served as Company Commander for C/227 (Ghostrider 6) and also as the Executive Officer for the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion during his tour (July 1969 – June 1970).

August 1969 Officers Roster
October 1969 Officers Roster
June 1970 Officers Roster

Beginning May 1, 1970, the 1st Cavalry Division (along with ARVN and other US Units) crossed the border into Cambodia in the area known as the Fishhook. The following write up is a synopsis of major events during that operation, through it’s completion on 24 June, 1970 (Author Unknown).

Cambodia Campaign

Document provided by Kirby Lawson. COL Lawson served as CO of C/227 (Ghostrider 6) and also as the 227th Battalion XO (1969-1970)

The March issue of the American Legion Magazine has an article titled: “Ride to the Rescue, A joint U.S. and South Vietnamese push broke the siege at Khe Sanh.” by John Prados.

This article was was sent to us by Pat Edwards (A/227, 1967-1968) who wrote:
“Operation Pegasus April 1968. I had the opportunity to fly lead for one of the two initial assaults. We were delayed for an hour because of weather so we went into an LZ to shut down and hold; the masts of three companies of Hueys were perfectly lined up in two straight lines. I remember cranking for that initial assault at 09:00, not after noon.”

The following .pdf file contains the story and is reprinted with permission of The American Legion Magazine, copyright March, 2018. www.legion.org

Ride to the Rescue

Robert Kelly, A/227 and D/227, sent along a copy of the Pouvoir Newsletter for 10 May 1968. Up to date information about the doings in the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion.

Pouvoir .pdf

We are always looking for copies of this Battalion Newsletter for our records. If you should happen to have a copy to share please let us know.

John Brennan (114 AHC, 70-71) has several books published listing Vietnam helicopter names and Vietnam helicopter Nose Art. He has provided a listing of all the names he has found to date for helicopters flown by D/227.

D Co 227 AHB Names

James Steele has provided several video clips from his tour with D/227 from September 1968 to September 1969
Each clip is around 3 minutes in length.

Our website is beginning the process to shut down over the next few years.
Please use the following links to view these videos which are now hosted on our 227th AHB Video Archive on Archive-It.org

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 1
Camp Evans base camp 1968. Flight line and surrounding area during rainy season.

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 2
Lai Khe flight line, SSG Screen Maintenance Sergeant and SP/6 Steele TI. At the A Company and 173rd Company area. Downed gunship at Lai Khe

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 3
1st Infantry Base USO Show. Base hit sometime after the night of the show – not sure of time frame but this is the same film. Rocket & Mortar attack hit maintenance area.

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 4
Flight line maintenance crew – 25 hour or Phase. 1st Infantry Company area, Hoskins at the 173rd club area. Steele practicing Vietnamese.

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 5
Lai Khe flight line build up. Trip to Quon Loi – tank hit mine. Home away from home for TI Steele.

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 6
Trip in route to Vung Tau to pick up Cobra Helicopters.

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 7
Test Flight at Lai Khe – Steele and Captain Leach & Maintenance Crew.

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 8
Flight Line – Maintenance SSG Screen & Steele

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 9
Test Flight

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 10
Vung Tau & Company area

James Steele – D/227, 1968 – 1969, Video 11
During trip to Vung Tau. Several days spent picking up Cobras

After our archived Video page completes loading – In the yellow banner at the top of the page – click the small blue play button at the end of the line of text. After clicking that blue play button all the video controls on this video page will work in normal fashion.

William Pettipiece sent along a copy of the General’s Thanksgiving Day Message to the First Air Cavalry Division as well as the Thanksgiving Menu for 1966.

1966 Thanksgiving.PDF

At our 2016 Reunion in Atlanta we handed out a brief history of the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion at our booth in the AAAA Display Hall.

History Brochure from the 2016 Reunion