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I was a crew chief/door gunner on a LOH

with the 2nd of the 1st Cav

Here is a little about my unit for those that not know about my unit.

D Troop 2nd Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment was like many other Cav Troops that were in Vietnam. D Troop was the AIR element of a Squadron that contained a total of four Troops. A,B,C Troops were Armor Mechanized with M-48 Tanks and M-113 APCs (Armor Personnel Carriers). D Troop was the "eyes" of the Squadron and had helicopters. The troop had the OH-6, Light Observation Helicopter or "Loach". These were flown by the SCOUT platoon. Our fire power came form of the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter, flown by the GUN platoon. A platoon of UH-1 Hueys, made up the LIFT platoon to carry our own Infantry platoon called the "Blues" that could react instantly. We had what was called "Hunter- Killer Teams" using all three types of our aircraft. Our Huey helicopter were used also for "Sniffer missions". The LIFT platoon also flew a wide variety of other single and multi ship missions, such as MEDEVAC, combat assaults, re-supply Visual Recon, Command and Control, CS Gas drops, LRRP insertions, rope extractions and artillery adjustment.

Distinctive Badge: An orange eight-pointed star with a Black Hawk standing on a gold orange wreath, all within a black belt with gold Dragoon buckle and inscribed Animo et Fide in gold letters. The tip of the hawks beak and talons are red, which symbolizes courage. The sample of the badge was approved 17 February 1966. Actual origins go back much earlier in the Regiment's history.