1973 opened with the promise of peace being close, but the reality of war was still with the 57th Aviation Company (Aslt Hel). Daily combat missions continued. Then on 28 January peace in Vietnam was signed into a treaty. All of February saw the Gladiators continuing unarmed support missions while transferring equipment and aircraft to the South Vietnamese. The combat proven Gladiators were the last Army aviation elements to leave the Central Highlands over which they had flown and fought for five years. Memories of gallant comrades and valorous deeds will forever be a part of those who served with the proud 57th Aviation Company (Aslt Hel).
January of 1973, prior to the signing of the cease-fire on the 28th, the 57th Aviation Company (AH) utilized 25 UH-1H and seven AH-1G aircraft. The company consisted of two lift platoons, one gun platoon, one service platoon, and a headquarters platoon.
Soon after the cease-fire, company strength was reduced considerably by the disbanding of the Cougar gun platoon. The unit then continued to reduce in personnel strength proportionate to the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Vietnam. With the arrival of the unit's final day, 9 Mar 73, personnel strength was at 30 officers and men who would leave Camp Holloway and start their return trip home together.
In the little over two months the unit flew in 1973, they were the only aviation assets to provide daily support to the four Western Provinces of II Corps. Throughout this period the Gladiators provided support for:
Commanding General of II Corps, Headquarters and Staff
Ranger Command
Senior advisors for Pleiku, Kontum, Darloc, and Phubon provinces
Commanding General, Headquarters and Staff to the 23d ARVN Division
Second Regional Assistance Command Staff
The 57th also utilized an effective UH-1H Nighthawk gunship equipped with two 7.62 miniguns and a Xenon searchlight for perimeter defense and night rescue operations in the Pleiku area.
The Gladiators of the 57th Aviation Company (Aslt Hel) welcomed the new year at Camp Holloway, Pleiku, Republic of Vietnam. From Camp Holloway the unit flew daily support missions for Kontum, Pleiku, Darlock, and Phubon provinces. The company flew resupply, command and control, visual reconnaissance, and armed helicopter escort missions throughout the four supported provinces.
Everything went well for the 57th starting at the very beginning of the new year with renewed talk of a cease fire throughout Vietnam. Enemy activity was light throughout the month of January and only four aircraft received minor damage from enemy fire. Fortunately there no injuries on any of the aircraft.
All was going well for the 57th until near the end of the month, on 25 January, one UH-1H crashed three miles West of Pleiku returning from a visual reconnaissance in support of the Second Regional Assistance Command. The pilot and door gunner received serious injuries and were medevaced to hospitals in the United States.
This was to be the last serious incident to affect the 57th due to the signing of the long awaited cease-fire on 28 January 1973. The day everyone hoped would come had finally arrived and the 57th immediately began preparations to disband the unit.
With the coming of the February, mission commitment decreased, but support was still being provided for the four provinces senior advisors and the Second Regional Assistance Command. Visual reconnaissance and resupply were the main missions being performed by the Gladiators. This support continued on through the first week of March. The 57th was the last aviation unit to leave the Central Highlands.
The 57th's Cougar gun platoon ceased flying the day the cease-fire was signed as did the Nighthawk gunship. The aircraft were disarmed and all preparations were made quickly for their final flight in the Republic of Vietnam. On 4 February that flight was made to a Saigon turn in point where the aircraft would be prepared for shipment to the United States.
Throughout the month of February and on into March, the personnel strength was reduced so as to arrive on 9 March with a total of 30 officers and men assigned to the company.
With all preparations completed in all areas and all equipment either signed over to the South Vietnamese or shipped to the United States, a final inspection was made of Camp Holloway for suitability. With this completed, the 57th Aviation Company (Aslt Hel) departed on the first leg of their long trip home.
The Combat Proven 57th, disbanded but not forgotten, leaves behind an impressive record in mission accomplishment. A record which enables each man who served in the 57th Aviation Company (Aslt Hel) proud to say he was a Gladiator.
ANDERSON KENNETH D SP4 ARCOM ANDERSON LARRY M SP4 ARCOM BARRETT RALPH E SP4 ARCOM BAUER MICHAEL SP4 ARCOM BAXTER WILLIAM 1LT BS-S DFC BECHTOL DAVID C SP4 ARCOM BILLOPS ALLEN PV2 ARCOM BORTNYK STEVE WO1 BS-S BOWEN RICHARD SP4 ARCOM BRIDGES JAMES SP5 ARCOM BRIGGS JERRY W SP5 ARCOM BRINSON CHRIS A CW2 ARCOM BROCKS RICKY L SP4 ARCOM BROWN WRITEFIELD SP4 ARCOM BRUMMETT ALVINL SP4 ARCOM BRYANT PAUL M SP4 ARCOM BRYANT TEDDY SP5 ARCOM BUSBY BERNARD H CW2 BS-S BYRDSONG WILLIE SP4 ARCOM CARMICHAEL PAUL D 1LT BS-S CHAMBERS EDWARD S JR CPT BS-S CHRISWELL MICHAEL D SP4 ARCOM CLAPPER JOHN W JR CPT BS-S CLARK CHARLES R PFC ARCOM CLOVER RICHARD CW2 BS-S DFC COHEN HENRY SP4 ARCOM COOPER SAMUEL SP5 ARCOM COTTON JAMES PFC ARCOM CRAIG ROBERT G SP4 ARCOM CURRY RIGINALD C SP4 ARCOM DANIEL LUTHER SFC BS-S DARNY BRUCE SP4 ARCOM DAVIDSON WALTER SP5 ARCOM DAVIS DAVID L SP4 ARCOM DEAN ROBERT H 1LT BS-S DIAZ ROBERTO E III SP4 ARCOM DOZIER RUSSELL G. SP5 ARCOM DRENCKPOHL DARRELL J SSG BS-S DRODDY GROVER SFC BS-S DUBAR EARN R. SP5 ARCOM EDWARDS JULIUS C SSG BS-S EIDEN STEVE L PFC ARCOM ENGRO DEWEY SP5 ARCOM EZELL MARSHALL 1LT BS-S FAHEY PAUL JOSEPH SP4 ARCOM FARMER JOHN H CW2 BS-S FERNSTROM CARL SP5 ARCOM FORD ALVIN J SSG BS-S FRAINE CARL K PFC ARCOM GIEBNER ROBERT CW2 BS-S GONZALES JOHNNY SP5 ARCOM GOSS JON B SP4 ARCOM GRAY RICHARD T SP4 ARCOM GREGOR DALE SP4 ARCOM GRIBLING GORDON G JR SP4 ARCOM HALE JIMMY D SP5 ARCOM HARVISON WILLIAM SP5 ARCOM HAWKINS JUNIOR D SP5 ARCOM HENDERSON THOMAS E PFC ARCOM HEPLER EDWARD O. SP5 ARCOM HICKMAN DANIEL L SP4 ARCOM HILLEBERT TEDDY R SP4 ARCOM HOLDEN LARRY J 1LT BS-S HOPKINS ROBERT L SP4 ARCOM HOOD DANNY W SP4 ARCOM HOOVER DONALD R SP4 ARCOM HUGHES STEPHEN A SP4 ARCOM HULL WILLIAM B SP4 ARCOM IDOL HERBERT W SSG BS-S JACKSON DALE SP5 ARCOM JAWALKA ROBERT M PFC ARCOM JENNINGS DONALD V SFC BS-S JOHNSTON BOBBY G SP4 ARCOM JOHNSON JAMES W SSG BS-S JORDAN CHARLES P SFC BS-S KEITH THOMAS A SP4 ARCOM KILIAN BRUCE 1LT BS-S KIMBALL BERNARD PFC ARCOM KING LLOYD JR WO1 BS-S KLINGMAN DALE H SP4 ARCOM KNIGHT ODIOUS O 1LT BS-S KOONCE CURTIS L SP4 ARCOM KOSTYK MICHAEL S SP5 ARCOM KUPCHO THOMAS WO1 BS-S KURUZAR MICHAEL E CPT BS-S LAABS DAVID H SP4 ARCOM |
LAMBERT HAROLD SP4 ARCOM LANGHAMMER HANS CPT BS-S LAVERY MICHAEL A SP4 ARCOM LAWLER DAVID W PFC ARCOM LINENSCHMIDT CHARLES SP4 ARCOM LISIEWSKI STANLEY SP5 ARCOM LOPEZ FIDENCIO SP4 ARCOM MANTANONA FRANCISCO SP5 ARCOM MARKSTEINER ROBERT N SP4 ARCOM MASTELLER JOHN E SP4 ARCOM MATHAIS JAMES SP5 ARCOM MCCUTCHEON JACK E WO1 BS-S MCCRARY THOMAS SP4 ARCOM MCGRAW STEPHEN SP5 ARCOM MEHRBRODT RICKY D SP4 ARCOM MEIER TERRY A. SP5 ARCOM MERRITT GARY R SP4 ARCOM MESSA DAVID T 1LT BS-S MILLER GARY M PFC ARCOM MILLER JAMES G SP4 ARCOM MOLLAUN BERNARD SP5 ARCOM MONTOYA GUILLERMO SP5 ARCOM MOORE DANIEL L SP5 ARCOM MOSLEY JACKIE R SP4 ARCOM NICHOLOSON LOUIS JR SP4 ARCOM O'BRIEN WALTER L SP4 ARCOM OLSSON ERIC D WO1 BS-S ORAHOOD JAMES A CPT BS-S OSMUNDSON DENNIS SP4 ARCOM OWEN DEWAYNE J SP4 ARCOM PANCAKE MICHAEL A WO1 BS-S PARKER CHARLES CW2 BS-S PATTON WILLIAM M SP4 ARCOM PETH STEPHEN CPT BS-S PITTS JESSE R. SP5 ARCOM PLATT DANNY R WO1 BS-S PORATH KEITH SP5 ARCOM PORTER JOHNNIE L SP4 ARCOM PREVOST CHARLES WO1 BS-S PRICE MONTY MAJ BS-S PRUITT ROBERT M SP4 ARCOM PULE JOHN A SP5 ARCOM QUASCHNICK DAN E SSG BS-S QUIGLEY GREGORY A SP4 ARCOM RAMNES HENRY JR SP4 ARCOM REICHELT THEODORE J SFC BS-S RICE WALTER E SP4 ARCOM RIGGAL MILES A WO1 BS-S ROGERS ROYAL P JR CPT BS-S ROHRBACHER JIMMIE SP4 ARCOM ROHWER TERRY A SP4 ARCOM ROONEY MICHAEL T 1LT BS-S ROSS JOHN W SP4 ARCOM RYAN MICHAEL P WO1 BS-S SANDERS DANNY L SP5 ARCOM SCHWAB HERBERT G SP5 ARCOM SEARCY WILLIE O SP4 ARCOM SIMMONS GUY O SP4 ARCOM SMITH JAMES L SFC BS-S SMITH JEFFERY L SP4 ARCOM SMITH STEPHEN P CW2 BS-S STANKEWICZ HENRY SP4 ARCOM STEWART LARRY PFC ARCOM STEWART RICHARD L SSG BS-S STROUD DAVID H SP4 ARCOM SWAIN JAMES G CW2 BS-S SWAN DANIEL G CW2 BS-S TERRELL WILLIAM P SP4 ARCOM THOMAS HOWARD R SP4 ARCOM THOMPSON ALLAN SP5 ARCOM THOMPSON CHARLES D SP5 ARCOM TOWERS TYRONE L SP4 ARCOM TUCKER JAMES R SP5 ARCOM TURNBOW JAMES L SP6 BS-S VALDEZ ROGER F SP5 ARCOM VIERRA DAMIEN D SP5 ARCOM WALDRIP JOHNNY SP5 ARCOM WASNER HANS F SP4 ARCOM WELLS WILLIAM M SP5 ARCOM WENGREN JON C SP4 ARCOM WEST JESSE R SP5 ARCOM WIGGINS HARRY L SSG ARCOM WILSON DONALD W SFC BS-S WINSOR MILTON G 1LT BS-S YOUNG DOUGLAS A SP4 ARCOM ZIEGLAR CHARLES R SP4 ARCOM |
ANDERSON KENNETH D SP4 ARCOM ANDERSON LARRY M SP4 ARCOM BARRETT RALPH E SP4 ARCOM BAUER MICHAEL SP4 ARCOM BAXTER WILLIAM 1LT BS-S DFC BECHTOL DAVID C SP4 ARCOM BILLOPS ALLEN PV2 ARCOM BORTNYK STEVE WO1 BS-S BOWEN RICHARD SP4 ARCOM BRIDGES JAMES SP5 ARCOM BRIGGS JERRY W SP5 ARCOM BRINSON CHRIS A CW2 ARCOM BROCKS RICKY L SP4 ARCOM BROWN WRITEFIELD SP4 ARCOM BRUMMETT ALVINL SP4 ARCOM BRYANT PAUL M SP4 ARCOM BRYANT TEDDY SP5 ARCOM BUSBY BERNARD H CW2 BS-S BYRDSONG WILLIE SP4 ARCOM CARMICHAEL PAUL D 1LT BS-S CHAMBERS EDWARD S JR CPT BS-S CHRISWELL MICHAEL D SP4 ARCOM CLAPPER JOHN W JR CPT BS-S CLARK CHARLES R PFC ARCOM CLOVER RICHARD CW2 BS-S DFC COHEN HENRY SP4 ARCOM COOPER SAMUEL SP5 ARCOM COTTON JAMES PFC ARCOM CRAIG ROBERT G SP4 ARCOM CURRY RIGINALD C SP4 ARCOM DANIEL LUTHER SFC BS-S DARNY BRUCE SP4 ARCOM DAVIDSON WALTER SP5 ARCOM DAVIS DAVID L SP4 ARCOM DEAN ROBERT H 1LT BS-S DIAZ ROBERTO E III SP4 ARCOM DOZIER RUSSELL G. SP5 ARCOM DRENCKPOHL DARRELL J SSG BS-S DRODDY GROVER SFC BS-S DUBAR EARN R. SP5 ARCOM EDWARDS JULIUS C SSG BS-S EIDEN STEVE L PFC ARCOM ENGRO DEWEY SP5 ARCOM EZELL MARSHALL 1LT BS-S FAHEY PAUL JOSEPH SP4 ARCOM FARMER JOHN H CW2 BS-S FERNSTROM CARL SP5 ARCOM FORD ALVIN J SSG BS-S FRAINE CARL K PFC ARCOM GIEBNER ROBERT CW2 BS-S GONZALES JOHNNY SP5 ARCOM GOSS JON B SP4 ARCOM GRAY RICHARD T SP4 ARCOM GREGOR DALE SP4 ARCOM GRIBLING GORDON G JR SP4 ARCOM HALE JIMMY D SP5 ARCOM HARVISON WILLIAM SP5 ARCOM HAWKINS JUNIOR D SP5 ARCOM HENDERSON THOMAS E PFC ARCOM HEPLER EDWARD O. SP5 ARCOM HICKMAN DANIEL L SP4 ARCOM HILLEBERT TEDDY R SP4 ARCOM HOLDEN LARRY J 1LT BS-S HOPKINS ROBERT L SP4 ARCOM HOOD DANNY W SP4 ARCOM HOOVER DONALD R SP4 ARCOM HUGHES STEPHEN A SP4 ARCOM HULL WILLIAM B SP4 ARCOM IDOL HERBERT W SSG BS-S JACKSON DALE SP5 ARCOM JAWALKA ROBERT M PFC ARCOM JENNINGS DONALD V SFC BS-S JOHNSTON BOBBY G SP4 ARCOM JOHNSON JAMES W SSG BS-S JORDAN CHARLES P SFC BS-S KEITH THOMAS A SP4 ARCOM KILIAN BRUCE 1LT BS-S KIMBALL BERNARD PFC ARCOM KING LLOYD JR WO1 BS-S KLINGMAN DALE H SP4 ARCOM KNIGHT ODIOUS O 1LT BS-S KOONCE CURTIS L SP4 ARCOM KOSTYK MICHAEL S SP5 ARCOM KUPCHO THOMAS WO1 BS-S KURUZAR MICHAEL E CPT BS-S LAABS DAVID H SP4 ARCOM LAMBERT HAROLD SP4 ARCOM LANGHAMMER HANS CPT BS-S LAVERY MICHAEL A SP4 ARCOM LAWLER DAVID W PFC ARCOM LINENSCHMIDT CHARLES SP4 ARCOM LISIEWSKI STANLEY SP5 ARCOM LOPEZ FIDENCIO SP4 ARCOM MANTANONA FRANCISCO SP5 ARCOM MARKSTEINER ROBERT N SP4 ARCOM MASTELLER JOHN E SP4 ARCOM MATHAIS JAMES SP5 ARCOM MCCUTCHEON JACK E WO1 BS-S MCCRARY THOMAS SP4 ARCOM MCGRAW STEPHEN SP5 ARCOM MEHRBRODT RICKY D SP4 ARCOM MEIER TERRY A. SP5 ARCOM MERRITT GARY R SP4 ARCOM MESSA DAVID T 1LT BS-S MILLER GARY M PFC ARCOM MILLER JAMES G SP4 ARCOM MOLLAUN BERNARD SP5 ARCOM MONTOYA GUILLERMO SP5 ARCOM MOORE DANIEL L SP5 ARCOM MOSLEY JACKIE R SP4 ARCOM NICHOLOSON LOUIS JR SP4 ARCOM O'BRIEN WALTER L SP4 ARCOM OLSSON ERIC D WO1 BS-S ORAHOOD JAMES A CPT BS-S OSMUNDSON DENNIS SP4 ARCOM OWEN DEWAYNE J SP4 ARCOM PANCAKE MICHAEL A WO1 BS-S PARKER CHARLES CW2 BS-S PATTON WILLIAM M SP4 ARCOM PETH STEPHEN CPT BS-S PITTS JESSE R. SP5 ARCOM PLATT DANNY R WO1 BS-S PORATH KEITH SP5 ARCOM PORTER JOHNNIE L SP4 ARCOM PREVOST CHARLES WO1 BS-S PRICE MONTY MAJ BS-S PRUITT ROBERT M SP4 ARCOM PULE JOHN A SP5 ARCOM QUASCHNICK DAN E SSG BS-S QUIGLEY GREGORY A SP4 ARCOM RAMNES HENRY JR SP4 ARCOM REICHELT THEODORE J SFC BS-S RICE WALTER E SP4 ARCOM RIGGAL MILES A WO1 BS-S ROGERS ROYAL P JR CPT BS-S ROHRBACHER JIMMIE SP4 ARCOM ROHWER TERRY A SP4 ARCOM ROONEY MICHAEL T 1LT BS-S ROSS JOHN W SP4 ARCOM RYAN MICHAEL P WO1 BS-S SANDERS DANNY L SP5 ARCOM SCHWAB HERBERT G SP5 ARCOM SEARCY WILLIE O SP4 ARCOM SIMMONS GUY O SP4 ARCOM SMITH JAMES L SFC BS-S SMITH JEFFERY L SP4 ARCOM SMITH STEPHEN P CW2 BS-S STANKEWICZ HENRY SP4 ARCOM STEWART LARRY PFC ARCOM STEWART RICHARD L SSG BS-S STROUD DAVID H SP4 ARCOM SWAIN JAMES G CW2 BS-S SWAN DANIEL G CW2 BS-S TERRELL WILLIAM P SP4 ARCOM THOMAS HOWARD R SP4 ARCOM THOMPSON ALLAN SP5 ARCOM THOMPSON CHARLES D SP5 ARCOM TOWERS TYRONE L SP4 ARCOM TUCKER JAMES R SP5 ARCOM TURNBOW JAMES L SP6 BS-S VALDEZ ROGER F SP5 ARCOM VIERRA DAMIEN D SP5 ARCOM WALDRIP JOHNNY SP5 ARCOM WASNER HANS F SP4 ARCOM WELLS WILLIAM M SP5 ARCOM WENGREN JON C SP4 ARCOM WEST JESSE R SP5 ARCOM WIGGINS HARRY L SSG ARCOM WILSON DONALD W SFC BS-S WINSOR MILTON G 1LT BS-S YOUNG DOUGLAS A SP4 ARCOM ZIEGLAR CHARLES R SP4 ARCOM |