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Last updated on 4/7/24

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235th Assault Helicopter Company

The 235th Attack Helicopter Company (Delta Devils) was part of the First Aviation Brigade Stationed at Can Tho, RVN. 3 platoons were the Satans, Death Dealers and Vipers. The aircraft flown were the AH-1G Cobra. The unit also had a couple Huey's for admin, command and control and night airfield security "Firefly" missions.

The Cobra attack gunship featured a crew of two pilots. The Aircraft Commander normally flew from the back seat position which allowed the most accurate use of the weapons located on the stub wings. These weapons varied from 2.75" FFAR (folding fin aerial rockets), 7.62mm Mini-gun pods or a 20mm cannon. The Co-pilot gunner flew from the front seat and operated the nose mounted turret weapons which were usually mini-guns and 40mm grenade launchers. There was also a smoke grenade launcher that was in the belly of the aircraft from which which the pilot could release a smoke grenade to mark something on the ground. It was seldom used because we usually responded to smoke from soldiers on the ground who could mark their own positions. It was common to become the backseat aircraft commander after 6 months of operational experience. Image courtesy of George Caldwell 235th AHC Delta Devils 2/69 - 2/70	Original artworks for the unit patch Image courtesy of Charles F. Hutchins via John Jones	Death Dealer AH-1G turret Image courtesy of James Buchanan
235th AWC pocket patch Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III	235th AWC 2nd Platoon 'Death Dealers' patch Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III	235th AWC 1st Platoon 'Satan' pocket patch Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III
235th beercan DI off an award plaque Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III	Orderly Room 235th AWC Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III	Avionics shop 235th AWC 19 May 1970 Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III
Operations Room 235th AWC 19 May 1970 Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III	235th Mess Hall and Water Tower 2 Sep 1970 Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III	Death Dealer Cobra Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III
Death Dealers night mission Image courtesy of Lloyd Goldston III	There were several ongoing missions supported by the 235th. One platoon would cover night airfield defense flying an air patrol at night over the airfield to respond to any threat to the base (Can Tho Army Airfield). The night mission might include a Huey Firefly aircraft searching for enemy activity with flares or searchlights with 2 cobras flying higher to add fire support. The second photo was taken at Can Tho RVN 1969. The red line is tracers from the minigun of an AH1G cobra fired from the nose turret. Targets are being illuminated by flares. Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Another mission was called "Phantom 3" which involved going to a regional outpost airfield where a Huey command ship would pickup local intelligence experts and officials to designate local enemy locations to destroy. This is a rocket attack by a fire team (2) of Cobras on a target described as a US Navy patrol boat that was being airlifted by a CH47 Chinook helicopter as a sling load. It became unstable inflight so the CH47 crew jettisoned it and it ended up in a rice paddy. We were tasked with destroying it because it had communication gear that needed to stay out of enemy hands. I remember seeing some black dots in the water I assumed were possible salvagers. I believe the lines in the paddy leading to the damaged boat were used by people searching for salvage. After making several passes over the target we engaged and destroyed it with several rocket attacks Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Supporting the insertion of troops to a landing zone and returning to base as a 3 ship "Heavy" Fire Team Image courtesy of George Caldwell		Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Shrapnel from the bullet passing through right side of the back seat pilot station and out the left. Image courtesy of George Caldwell		Battle damage from flying low enough to fly through resulting debris. Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Hootch Maids Image courtesy of George Caldwell		This picture was taken a few days after WO Pete Buckner earned the nickname of "Lucky" while flying copilot in a Cobra. Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Rainy season Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Dry season Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Unit Movie Theater by Chow hall Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Mostly Cold Showers Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Training Mishap: Training for sudden engine out scenario - Autorotation Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Tail Rotor struck a revetment during hover taxi Image courtesy of George Caldwell	"Freedom Bird" transporting troops to Vietnam. The first culture shock on arrival was the school bus transport for arriving troops. It had chicken coop wire over the windows. Explanation: to keep hand grenades out of the bus. Image courtesy of George Caldwell	This is the first person I met from my newly assigned unit, the 235th Attack Helicopter Company. An unnamed veteran pilot leaving for home after his 1 year tour. It is amazing to me that his one look said so many things to me about my future as a Cobra pilot. Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Kids in front of the ammo storage at a remote airfield hanging out Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Crew Chief eating a banana and eyeing the pineapple on a stick Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Kids selling fresh friuit at the airfield Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Bamboo, Paint and clay aircraft models of UH1, OH6 and CH47 For Sale $5 Image courtesy of George Caldwell	WO1 Frank Koller Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Huey Door Gunner and Crew Chief Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Fellow pilot sharing the Kool Aid I always brought Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Gathering between the Hootches Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Company Truck Driver with a Sargent Image courtesy of George Caldwell	CW2 Glenn Fetterman KIA while leading a fireteam of Cobras. He flew my first orientation flight and was an instructor pilot. He was survived by his wife and two small children who about 30 years later were seeking anyone who knew their father. Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Various personnel building a bunker Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Lieutenant Poitras wearing a Ballistic flight helmet that came in only one size: XXL Image courtesy of George Caldwell	First Platoon "Satan" Pilot Image courtesy of George Caldwell	CW2 Lake Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Captain Platoon Leader Image courtesy of George Caldwell	WO1 Greg Guest Image courtesy of George Caldwell	CW2 Jim Castillo my Best Buddy from Warrant Officer Flight training. We lost touch but ran into each other by chance at a Las Vegas Mexican restaurant 40 years later. Image courtesy of George Caldwell
CW2 Ray Luper from Mule Shoe, TX. He was the copilot front seat pilot when CW2 Glenn Fetterman was killed by enemy gunfire while he was performing an attack. Ray was able to recover the aircraft from it's dive although he came Very close to the ground. As far as I know he hasn't received any recognition for this act of excellent airmanship. Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Captain Rogers, Platoon Leader Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Three Great Crew Chiefs Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Maintenance hangar Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Rocket sight Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Huey nose art located at Sc Trang or Can Tho Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Huey Nose Art - 235th AHC or 1st Avn Brigade Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Formation flying Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Experimental night vision system Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Rocket damage Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Putting up TV antenae to see first moon landing Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Pete Beckner Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Door gunner, Jeffrey Miller Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Door gunner, Jeffrey Miller Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Captain Jeff Butler Image courtesy of George Caldwell	OH6 Loach not normally flown with 235th Cobras Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Image courtesy of George Caldwell
Image courtesy of George Caldwell	Image courtesy of George Caldwell

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