28:
341:
Imagine being just 21 years old and finding yourself 13,000 miles from home, in a strange, war-torn land where you live in mud, eat food packed almost 30 years before, witness unspeakable hostility and must constantly be on the lookout for those whose mission it is to take your life. It's the kind of
119:
The original group of pilots deployed in 1962 rotated home during early 1963, and were replaced by a second contingent. During the 20-month period they were on loan to the VNAF, the total of sixty Dirty Thirty pilots flew approximately 25,000 hours, earning 97 Air Medals and two
Distinguished Flying
187:
The
Americans arrived at Tan Son Nhut during March and April 1962 and immediately began flying with Vietnamese crews. Unfortunately, problems arose between the Americans and Vietnamese and by August the situation had so deteriorated that the 1st Transportation Group commander.
397:
165:
personnel arrived at Tan Son Nhut in early 1962 after the VNAF transferred two dozen seasoned pilots from the 1st
Transportation Group at Tan Son Nhut to provide aircrews for the newly activated 2nd Fighter Squadron then undergoing training at
224:
The original Dirty Thirty pilots eventually rotated home during early 1963 and were replaced by a second contingent of
American pilots. This detachment remained with the VNAF until December 1963 when they were withdrawn from Vietnam.
342:
life that most can only try to envision, but for
Richard W. Hudson, it was everyday reality during his time of service in Vietnam. He shares the experience, both physically and emotionally, in his new book, "The Dirty Thirty"
192:
urgently appealed for closer cooperation and understanding between the two groups. The situation seemed to gradually improve and although there were still problems, the two groups developed a closer working relationship.
265:
Around-the-clock duty hours with 40–50 missions a month often forced them to live in their flight suits. After a "by-the-book" officer made a passing comment about "these dirty pilots," they adopted the name "Dirty
184:(MAAG) Vietnam, ordered thirty USAF pilots temporarily assigned to the VNAF to serve as C-47 co-pilots. This influx of U.S. personnel quickly returned the 1st TG to full strength.
278:
116:
and had participated in combat operations. Officially, however the Dirty Thirty (an unofficial adopted nickname) pilots were classed as "advisors", not combatants.
252:
325:
158:
transports. Missions included flare drops, airborne assaults, airborne resupply, leaflet drops, loudspeaker broadcasts, and cargo and troop movements.
293:
248:
181:
174:
151:. Their arrival permitted the VNAF to release some of its own experienced pilots to form new units for its rapidly expanding air arm.
369:
198:
105:(VNAF) in military airlift and transport missions. They primarily flew as co-pilots alongside VNAF pilots on these missions.
144:
102:
170:. This sudden loss of qualified C-47 pilots brought the 1st Transportation Group's airlift capability dangerously low.
294:"The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia: Tactical Airlift. Chapter IV: The Dirty Thirty (AFD-101013-035)"
210:
control. Because of their rather unusual situation, these pilots soon adopted the very unofficial nickname,
162:
140:
98:
54:
189:
355:
155:
148:
27:
300:
221:
actually committed to combat in
Vietnam, rather than being assigned as advisors or support personnel.
90:
272:
206:, the C-47 co-pilots actually became part of the VNAF operational structure — though still under
365:
203:
167:
177:
109:
391:
207:
361:
329:
113:
86:
398:
Military units and formations of the United States Air Force in the
Vietnam War
299:. U.S. Air Force Historical Studies Office. pp. 66–82. Archived from
326:"'The Dirty Thirty': Author Details Duty in Vietnam with Humor, Realism"
218:
82:
154:
This small group of
Americans usually served as co-pilots in VNAF
124:
255:. 20 January 2012. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015
101:
pilots sent to
Vietnam in 1962 and 1963, to assist the
68:
60:
50:
42:
34:
20:
277:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
253:National Museum of the United States Air Force
8:
143:pilots were sent to fly as advisors in the
26:
243:
241:
239:
237:
233:
270:
17:
7:
217:In a sense they were the first U.S.
173:In order to alleviate the problem,
147:(VNAF) 43rd Air Transport Group at
182:Military Assistance Advisory Group
175:United States Secretary of Defense
14:
85:to take an official role in the
180:, on the recommendation of the
1:
145:Republic of Vietnam Air Force
127:about the pilots, entitled
414:
354:Richard W. Hudson (2007).
123:Richard W. Hudson wrote a
103:South Vietnamese air force
249:"Dirty Thirty Fact Sheet"
64:Training and Air Commando
25:
46:United States of America
55:United States Air Force
292:Ray L. Bowers (1983).
149:Tan Son Nhut Air Base
306:on 16 February 2013
139:In April 1962, 30
129:"The Dirty Thirty"
204:Bien Hoa Air Base
168:Bien Hoa Air Base
76:
75:
405:
383:
382:
380:
378:
357:The Dirty Thirty
351:
345:
344:
338:
336:
322:
316:
315:
313:
311:
305:
298:
289:
283:
282:
276:
268:
262:
260:
245:
212:The Dirty Thirty
196:Unlike the USAF
112:had survived in
89:were a group of
30:
21:The Dirty Thirty
18:
413:
412:
408:
407:
406:
404:
403:
402:
388:
387:
386:
376:
374:
372:
353:
352:
348:
334:
332:
324:
323:
319:
309:
307:
303:
296:
291:
290:
286:
269:
258:
256:
247:
246:
235:
231:
178:Robert McNamara
137:
81:The first U.S.
79:
12:
11:
5:
411:
409:
401:
400:
390:
389:
385:
384:
370:
346:
317:
284:
232:
230:
227:
141:U.S. Air Force
136:
133:
99:U.S. Air Force
77:
74:
73:
70:
66:
65:
62:
58:
57:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
36:
32:
31:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
410:
399:
396:
395:
393:
373:
371:9781434306197
367:
363:
359:
358:
350:
347:
343:
331:
327:
321:
318:
302:
295:
288:
285:
280:
274:
267:
254:
250:
244:
242:
240:
238:
234:
228:
226:
222:
220:
215:
213:
209:
205:
202:personnel at
201:
200:
194:
191:
190:Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
185:
183:
179:
176:
171:
169:
164:
159:
157:
152:
150:
146:
142:
134:
132:
130:
126:
121:
117:
115:
111:
106:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
78:Military unit
71:
67:
63:
59:
56:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
29:
24:
19:
16:
375:. Retrieved
356:
349:
340:
333:. Retrieved
320:
308:. Retrieved
301:the original
287:
264:
257:. Retrieved
223:
216:
211:
197:
195:
186:
172:
160:
153:
138:
128:
122:
118:
107:
97:. They were
95:Dirty Thirty
94:
80:
15:
362:AuthorHouse
330:PR Newswire
161:Additional
93:called the
87:Vietnam War
72:Vietnam War
69:Engagements
229:References
273:cite news
199:Farm Gate
120:Crosses.
38:1962–1964
392:Category
310:14 April
266:Thirty."
259:12 July
135:History
114:Vietnam
43:Country
377:3 June
368:
335:3 June
219:airmen
108:Other
91:pilots
83:airmen
51:Branch
35:Active
304:(PDF)
297:(PDF)
110:G.I.s
379:2012
366:ISBN
337:2012
312:2013
279:link
261:2017
208:U.S.
163:USAF
156:C-47
125:book
61:Role
394::
364:.
360:.
339:.
328:.
275:}}
271:{{
263:.
251:.
236:^
214:.
131:.
381:.
314:.
281:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
