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Brian (Beetle) Baily & Bruce Shuman
Whole story begins....
Mid/Late 1970 Marble Mountain Air Facility MMAF
(just south of DaNang) (I CORPS area)
Because of U.S. troop withdraws and Vietnamization of bases, man power levels dropped in the Marine Air Wing in all squadrons.
Door gunners (totally voluntary) in my Huey squadron HML-167, should have numbered 6 - 8, we had 4, of which 3 (including me) were ordnance men from my "shop".
During that period, our squadron was flying a lot of different missions and assisting in joint Army/Marine operations, which meant us gunners were constantly flying, so much so, that it wasn't unusual to be away from base for days, we were worn out.
We heard that finally relief had come in the form of new "volunteer" gunners. I assumed they came from our squadron. I really didn't know many of the guys in our squadron, mostly recognized their faces. Although air crews, pilots and ordnance shop guys I knew.
Flew a lot more, finished my tour, rotated back to the "world", was discharged from the Marine Corps in 1972 and went back to Ohio.
(Do you believe in magic....?)
47 years later - 2017 I'm living in Berks County P.A.
I had a "chance" meeting with another VW Vet at Wal-Mart, it was Bruce Shuman. As we talked and compared our VN info, I was floored when he told me he had been in the Cobra squadron HML-367 at Marble Mountain Air Facility in 1970, "367" was next door to my Huey squadron HML-167. He then told me he also volunteered to be
a Door Gunner in my squadron. Incredible!!!
Bruce told me about Chapter 131 of the VVA, invited me to the next meeting, which I attended and joined.
It was at that meeting that I heard him say that he'd been awarded Strike / Flight Air Medal(s) but no Combat Air Crew Wings and had no idea/explanation why. Since the requirements of an Air Medal are higher than those of Air Wings, I also wanted to know why he wasn't awarded his Wings.
The answer came from the USMC/Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association (Popasmoke.com). Air Medals are awarded to both officer pilots and enlisted air crews, Air Wings are an enlisted only award. Since Bruce was attached to a Cobra squadron which has only pilots flying, it was not rated to be issued Air Wings, and so he never got them.
I still have contact with some of the gunners and crew chiefs I flew with thru the association, so I relayed the story to them and asked if I could award him his Wings and "Pin" him. 2 door gunners, 2 crew chiefs and 1 1st Lt Pilot (who retired as a Col.) that I flew with, replied "Pin him".
Whether or not I actually met Bruce back then, matters not, faces and names have faded, but gratitude for his voluntary help hasn't.
We were warriors; once.
SEMPER FI
Brian (Beetle) Bailey
See Photo's below
Whole story begins....
Mid/Late 1970 Marble Mountain Air Facility MMAF
(just south of DaNang) (I CORPS area)
Because of U.S. troop withdraws and Vietnamization of bases, man power levels dropped in the Marine Air Wing in all squadrons.
Door gunners (totally voluntary) in my Huey squadron HML-167, should have numbered 6 - 8, we had 4, of which 3 (including me) were ordnance men from my "shop".
During that period, our squadron was flying a lot of different missions and assisting in joint Army/Marine operations, which meant us gunners were constantly flying, so much so, that it wasn't unusual to be away from base for days, we were worn out.
We heard that finally relief had come in the form of new "volunteer" gunners. I assumed they came from our squadron. I really didn't know many of the guys in our squadron, mostly recognized their faces. Although air crews, pilots and ordnance shop guys I knew.
Flew a lot more, finished my tour, rotated back to the "world", was discharged from the Marine Corps in 1972 and went back to Ohio.
(Do you believe in magic....?)
47 years later - 2017 I'm living in Berks County P.A.
I had a "chance" meeting with another VW Vet at Wal-Mart, it was Bruce Shuman. As we talked and compared our VN info, I was floored when he told me he had been in the Cobra squadron HML-367 at Marble Mountain Air Facility in 1970, "367" was next door to my Huey squadron HML-167. He then told me he also volunteered to be
a Door Gunner in my squadron. Incredible!!!
Bruce told me about Chapter 131 of the VVA, invited me to the next meeting, which I attended and joined.
It was at that meeting that I heard him say that he'd been awarded Strike / Flight Air Medal(s) but no Combat Air Crew Wings and had no idea/explanation why. Since the requirements of an Air Medal are higher than those of Air Wings, I also wanted to know why he wasn't awarded his Wings.
The answer came from the USMC/Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association (Popasmoke.com). Air Medals are awarded to both officer pilots and enlisted air crews, Air Wings are an enlisted only award. Since Bruce was attached to a Cobra squadron which has only pilots flying, it was not rated to be issued Air Wings, and so he never got them.
I still have contact with some of the gunners and crew chiefs I flew with thru the association, so I relayed the story to them and asked if I could award him his Wings and "Pin" him. 2 door gunners, 2 crew chiefs and 1 1st Lt Pilot (who retired as a Col.) that I flew with, replied "Pin him".
Whether or not I actually met Bruce back then, matters not, faces and names have faded, but gratitude for his voluntary help hasn't.
We were warriors; once.
SEMPER FI
Brian (Beetle) Bailey
See Photo's below