When I came to the company – it was the 284th then – from mechanic’s school at Ft. Rucker, we were based at Ft Sill and due to relocate to Germany in late summer. When the move happened, we boarded the baby carrier TRIPOLI at Mobile, AL and then enjoyed a great sea voyage to Bremerhaven courtesy of the USN.

On arrival in Illesheim, the company was first housed in German barracks, then we moved into newly remodeled quarters over the main hangars at the air field. They were pretty comfortable digs, and had the advantage of being close to our work – the H-34s.

Illesheim was a great post as long as one didn’t want big-city amenities and activities. Being a small-town kid myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the little place. There wasn’t much in town as I recall, one gasthaus inhabited jointly by the locals and GIs from the field, but Windsheim was just a few k away by cab and a larger variety of restaurants and gasthauses (4 ??). The post had a few amenities too, the PX was across the street from the hangar, and I remember a small beer garden sort of place where we could get beer and drinks for the outrageous price of 25 to 50 cents in scrip. There was also a bowling alley which was well attended and we had a small league of pilots and enlisted men.

The company moved to Hanau Fliegerhorst Kaserne sometime in 1957, I think it was summer but memory grows dim on some things. We also had a change in CO from Maj. I. Valdez to Captain Nolan about that time. A lot us in the company regretted leaving Bavaria, but the big city had its plusses such as summer weekend cruises on the Rhine.

It was in the Illesheim hangar that I first met the aircraft shown in one of your photos. As a newly-minted crew chief, I was introduced to 34487 and told it was to be mine. At the time, 487 was the company "hangar queen" and its dull, matte and grease-stained OD paint made it look pretty shabby compared to the shiny polished paint on the other aircraft. It hunkered in a dark corner of the hangar looking more like a junk heap than a mechanism that might offer flight. To me though, it was beautiful. It was mine!

My first job was a big one – finding parts. For some time, 487 had been the source of parts for every crew chief cannibal that passed by with a hungry look in his eye. The red X’s looked like an army of fire ants crawling over the pages of its paperwork.

It got done, somehow, and ultimately the ex-hangar queen earned honors as one of the most flyable ships in the company. In the course of the next year and a half or so, 487 was my vocation, my avocation (flying) and very often, my motel and bunkhouse. Together, we traveled to Denmark, the beaches of France ( we were "lifeguards" during a NODEX exercise), the Austrian border, and all over Germany. To me, RON trips were plums and I tried to make sure the ship was ready for anything that came along. I don’t remember that it ever let me down.

I was fortunate in getting a good bit of stick time in 487, CWO Dan Hendrickson, was maintenance officer and test pilot for our section and he became a good friend and saw to it that I got to fly pretty often. My airwork got to be pretty good and I could hover and hover-taxi fairly well, but I never did get enough practice in shooting approaches and landing.

One time I was sorely tempted to solo. 487 and I had been weathered in over Thanksgiving in Baumholder and our pilots had left by car to spend the holiday at home. I was supposed to run the engine up one time during our stay. I was also given strict orders NOT to engage the rotor, but how else could I see that the clutch-pump was in working order? Now with the main rotor engaged and up to speed, we were, of course, ready to fly. And why not?

Fortunately, sanity set its ugly teeth in my desire. Actually, I was sure the flight would go OK (stupid!) but I was worried that I couldn’t get 487 put back properly without whacking one of the vehicles parked close by, and therefore found out.

Disgrace, loss of stripes and much, much worse, loss of 487 and flight. So no solo.

As you can tell, I had, and still have, a huge fondness for that aircraft. The Wright 1820 was a lovely, reliable engine whose large exhaust stack was ideal for heating "C"s in the field. It drank the same fuel that I used in my Zippo, so it turned out that 487 carried 266 gallons of personal lighter fluid. As for the aircraft interior, it had a large, roomy living/bunk room whose troop seats were terrible for sleeping, but the deck was OK– until the air mattress went down, and they always did, didn’t they? Best of all was the crew chief seat beside the cargo door which offered stunning views of the lush, green fields and woods of summer and the white blanketed landscape in winter. I spent a lot of enjoyable hours in that seat.

In fact, if the picture of 487 hovering with a sling load was indeed taken on Feb. of ’58, then the amorphous blob seen sitting in that seat by the door would be myself. However, 487 went in for 600 hr. engine change in July ’58 just before I left, and as far as I remember, the kangaroo was still on the nose. Certainly it was still dull-finish paint at that time.

My thanks to Roy Harmon - whom I don’t remember well (age!) - for his contribution to the site. It has given me a lot of pleasure and brought back some good memories.

I was an enlisted member of the 26th Transportation Co. at Pirmasens, Germany, 15 Dec. 1964 to 24 Jan. 66 as 675.30 H-34 Mechanic/Crewchief.

Following that I went to Ft Wolters for Helicopter Flight School Graduated 66-17 finished in 66-19. Asked for AMOC. On to Vietnam 71st AHC and 151st CHFM, then to Alaska with Trans Medium Helicopter Co. (North) Fairbanks, CO of the 18th CHFM supporting the CH-21’s . Ended my Army career Jan. 7th 1970.

I have two patches I didn’t see on your site. 26th Transportation CO. in 1964, and the 87th CHFM. in 1964. I hope you can add them for the history of the unit.

Some of the Officers I recall in the unit: CO Maj. George Cote, XO Capt. Gill, CWO4 Omar K. Kipe, CWO4 Hank Singer, CWO3 Bill Walton, CWO3 John Banks, CWO3 Bob Johnson, WO Jim Matthews, WO Paine, WO Maher.

Enlisted Men: SFC Ernie Cantrell, SSgt Don Church, Sgt Sexton ,Sgt. Thomas W Pettit, Sp6 Benny Archeletta, Sp6 Carl Diggs, Sp6 Dave Hockett, Sp6 Carl Enriquiz, Sp6 Hightower, Sp5 (Pappy) Boggs, Sp4 Herbert Lynch, Sp John Greer, Sp4 Otto Snyder, Sp4 Paul E. Bartlett.

The Bell OH-13 that was in our unit that I was crewing was SN58-5336 crashed Aug. 6th 1965 in the Canadian Officers Club, Zweibruecken parking lot after striking a light pole. Both persons on board survived, the ship was a total loss.

It should be said that some of the information about names (about 50%) came from Tom Pettit who lives in FL. I just found Tom yesterday when I was searching for other named members of the unit. He is a member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Assn. I remembered from Germany that he went to flight school ahead of me. 

Thanks for maintaining this site.
Paul E. Bartlett

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hi Walter, I have been communicating with a long time member for the 54th from Ft. Sill, Ok. and Germany -- CWO John A. Banks who lives in Tuskegee, AL. in good health.

John sent me six DA-759 his Individual Flight Records. John A. Banks flight class is 57-6; his information is available on the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Assn. website. John went on to fly three tour in Vietnam.
1965, 147th ASHC
1966, 228th AVN 1st Cav
1968-69, 242nd ASHC

Because of men like John A. Banks, I -- Sp4.Paul E. Bartlett -- was inspired to attend flight school and go on to a career in aviation in law enforcement. I had the pleasure to serve for a short time 1964-1966 in the 26th Trans. Det. in Pirmasens, Germany with John A. Banks

John’s information form DA-759 sheet#13, shows him at Ft Sill, May – June 1960. Arriving at Sill John had a total of 388 flight hours. John flew H-37A’s, H-23’s, and H-13’s flying 44 hours. The unit operations officer was Kyle J. Spaulding, CWO-2

John’s 759 sheet #19 for May-June 1961, is from Germany 26th Trans Co APO189, Flying CH-34’s for 22 hours. The asst operations officer was Billy R. Prater CWO-2

John’s 759 sheet #25 for June 1962, from the same APO, Flying CH-34’s for 17 hours. The Asst. Operations officer was Cpt. Paul H. Jaenichen Inf.

John’s sheet #32 for May-June 1963, from the same APO, Flying CH-34’s for 43 hours. The operations officer was Harold F. Johndrow CWO-2

John’s sheet #38 for May June 1964, from the same APO, Flying CH-34’s and H-13’s for 34 hours. The operations officer was Bill C. Walton CWO2

John’s sheet #62 for April-June 1968 From the 90th Aviation Company APO 09165, Flying CH-37’s for 27hours. The operations officer was Alvin T. Jones Cpt.

Walter, I hope this information will inspire others to add more to this important part of history, Paul E. Bartlett

I remember going with him to the flight line on Saturdays to work on some Red X’s on his 34. I do remember it being number 13.

Interesting that in the photo I provided the H34 has a tail number 42887, as described on your web page as part of the 26th. I know that was my Father's Helicopter for quite a while.

The photos I am sending to you were taken in either 1960 or 1961.

Someone might recognize the guys in the photo with my Dad and correct me on this, but I’m sure it was at Fliegerhorst around that time.

Thanks for keeping the memories alive….Fred.

I served with the 91st Transportation Company from Ft. Campbell, KY, moved to Schleissheim Army Airfield, Munich, Germany, and then on to Finthen AAF, outside of Mainz. I joined the 91st in the latter half of 1959 when Captain Tuggy was the C.O. Major Hicks was brought in to shepherd the company to Germany. I was a part of the advanced party that made the initial move, under Capt. Tuggy. The time frame for the advanced party move was early 1960, in April, as I recall.

I trained at Ft. Eustis, VA, (where I in later years returned to join the teaching staff), on the Bell OH-13, and Hiller OH-23 Observation Helicopters. The H Model Bell was placed into service, replacing the G Model, but the company had none for the duration of my time at Finthen. I did odd jobs for the C.O., Maintenance C.O., Capt. Wesner, and Company First Sergeant Hietler—even drove a jeep, on maneuvers.

The Eisenhower-era Berlin Crisis extension got me. I served three months extra (of the original six), and sailed for home in April, 1962, on the USNS Rose, and was discharged. A reenlistment in 1963 netted me another three years with my favorite Uncle.

I’ve recalled events and dates as best I can. Thanks again for the good web site.