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227th Assault Helicopter Battalion

Click here to visit C Co. 227th Memorial

Guns 227 Lai Khe VN

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


Rotor blades - taken around March 1970 - top is AH-1G blade & bottom is UH-1H blade. D227th AHB in Lia Khe, RVN. under 'Guns' CO's name is Major Wayne Knudson, under '227 Avn Bn' is 1st Sgt's name Joseph Colondra - caption on bottom reads ' This area is being secured for your convenience with our compliments. The Cav" - D227th became E Trp 1/9 (provisional) August 1970. I was made an Aircraft Commander and transfered to D229th AHB in Quan Loi which became F Trp 1/9 (provisional) November 1970 and based out of Bear Cat. I DROS'd February 1971.
Image courtesy of Mike O'Neil

El Loach 'O was D227th's maintenance and all around use bird since we were a Cobra gun company with 12 AH-1G's - no slicks assigned. Our company call sign was El Lobo, thus El Loach'O.
Image courtesy of Mike O'Neil

Flight Operations building for D227th AHB, Lia Khe, RVN. Taken around March 1970. Writing on left slant "Slicks are for kids" under 'Flight Operations' wording is D227th's motto "Live by chance" "Love by choice" "Kill by profession"
Image courtesy of Mike O'Neil

D troop 227th Calling card
Image courtesy of Mike O'Neil

D troop, 227th Aeroweapons
Image courtesy of Mike O'Neil

1st Cav Patch
Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan

Bobby Buchanan and "Ship of Fools - " I was in the 227th Avn. Bn Co. D in Charlie model gunships and there when the first Cobras were received at Co D. I was the last door gunner at Co D, my ship was the last to be traded for a Cobra, it was #460. I watched the rotor wing sign being painted for Co D, the painter was a Crew Chief on our first Cobra the " Arizona Gambler ". I served in that Co. from 1 Sep 68 to 27 Aug 69. Our company cut the way into the rubber trees and built the company area from scratch with help from the army engineers. I built one of the buildings with one helper in 8 hours. This picture was taken at Camp Evans before we moved south to Lai Khe." - Bobby Buchanan

Click here to read more about Bobby Buchanan

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


460 Ship Of Fools, 1968

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


The Hooch that I built in 8 hours 1968

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


Picture of Arizona Gambler Cobra, 1969, the first Cobra Co. D received. The Crew Chief that painted the name on the Cobra, painted the Company rotor blade.

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


Bobby Buchanan at Bunker VN 1969

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


Feel The Power Lai Khe VN 1969

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


Cobra Weopons Lai Khe VN 1969

Image courtesy of Bobby Buchanan


An-Khe Army Airfield, October 1965. Huey Helicoptors of B - Company 229th AHB, jockey for position on their make shift landing strip. Note at this early stage of deployment, the basic washing facilities and GP tent living conditions.

Image courtesy of Joe White, via John Jones


B company pocket patch


C. Co., 227th Firefly Light ship. Note mini gun mount and sight unit
Image courtesy of Bill Blackburn via Joe Stone

Preparing for a mission
Image courtesy of Bill Blackburn via Joe Stone

Bill Blackburn, C Co. in the "office". Note smoke grenades, gun mount and personalized flying helmet.
Image courtesy of Bill Blackburn via Joe Stone

Bill Blackburn & "Max" clowning for the camera
Image courtesy of Bill Blackburn via Joe Stone

Click here to see a photo montage of a Cobra rolling in for an attack.
Image courtesy of Jay Amundson, C227th 1st Cav 1970-71

Click here to read more about the crash of this OH-6.
Image courtesy of Jay Amundson, C227th 1st Cav 1970-71

Nose art for the BN commander of the 227th circa December 1970 (Lt Col Islan (spelling not sure)- Victor Call sign "Pouvoir 6".
Image courtesy of Michael Dwyer, Sp 4, Victor call sign "Blivet"

Pilots from the 2nd platoon, Charlie Company, 227 Assault Helicopter Battalion. 1966 to 1967

I think LZ English with lt to rt back row Dick Luna, Jim Swain John Rowland Jim Dunn (me) John Leonard, JR Wright. 1966 but can't remember the month.

Image courtesy of John Leonard C 227

Lacka-Nookie-Hoochie 1966 Warrant Officers home An Khe C/227.
Image courtesy of John Leonard C 227

This head shot missed me by an RCH. (Oasis Fall 1966 ) Copilot CPT Pride said" If that had gone through your head it would have hit me!"
Image courtesy of John Leonard C 227

The 227th Battalion headquarters received the next days missions the night before between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am the next morning. The mission requests came from the Infantry battalions. If there were more requests than we could support, the Brigade assigned priority. The combat assaults usually involved a dozen lift helicopters (120 combat soldiers) on the initial assault. Second and sometimes third lifts carried more troops to the location. Larger assaults (I led as many as twenty-eight) were more complicated. For instance, landing troops around a village from which we had received hostile fire. Those required detailed planning to establish timing and flight paths. The flight leaders and Infantry commanders would meet at brigade headquarters to develop the plan. Very often, the leaders involved would take a high fly-over in a couple of choppers to view the site. This picture was probably taken at one of those meetings.
Image courtesy of Louie Barber

Unit patch for A Co. 227th at Lai Khe
Image courtesy of Mike Jett


Image courtesy of SP5 Jerrell Strew, Crew Chief/doorgunner


Image courtesy of SP5 Jerrell Strew, Crew Chief/doorgunner

These are two photos of my UH-1D Huey in South Carolina in 1964(11th Air Assualt) and the closeup is same chopper after I arrived in RVN as the st Air Cav. I didn't want to throw away the large decals that were attached on the tail of the aircraft. You can see the decal on the tail in the other photo. I was in Co. B, 227th Assualt Helicopter Bn., 1st Air cav. From 8-1965 to 6-1966 at An Khe.
Image courtesy of SP5 Jerrell Strew, Crew Chief/doorgunner

I am the white guy in the photo. Notice the green square on the door for Co. B.
Image courtesy of SP5 Jerrell Strew, Crew Chief/doorgunner

227th INFANT with nose art
Image courtesy of Lloyd Ivan

INFANT gunship at Can Tho
Image courtesy of Lloyd Ivan

Maj. Farrier CO 67-68
Image courtesy of Lloyd Ivan

Charlie Company pocket patch
Image courtesy of Lloyd Ivan

227th Distinctive Insignia
Image courtesy of Lloyd Ivan

Complete set of patches for the entire BN
Image courtesy of Lloyd Ivan


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