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U.S. Army Captain Thomas Pienta: Firsthand Account of a Vietnam War Helicopter PilotVietnam | 22 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post
I stayed on the controls; the Huey fell about 15 feet to the ground and remained upright. I couldn’t see or breathe, but I knew I had to exit the aircraft. I unbuckled the shoulder harness and lap belt and stood up from the armored seat, knowing it would be impossible to exit through my door. As I stood up, the collapsing rotor system crashed into my helmet and knocked me sideways — at least I believe that’s what hit me. It smashed me to the left across the radio console into a sort of side-straddle position across the other pilot’s seat. That’s when I knew that Bob Trezona had made it out of the Huey. Subscribe Today
Months later in the hospital, Trezona told me he stood up and fell straight forward out of the helicopter. It had pretty much disintegrated when the RPG hit. Lying across the aircraft commander’s armored seat, I truly thought I was going to die. I could no longer hold my breath and was sucking heat into my lungs; I had to try again to escape. This time I successfully stood up and went between the two pilot seats and out the cargo door just as we had been taught in flight school. As I broke free of the flames, all I could think of was that there was going to be another explosion. Survival instinct and training were controlling my body. The helicopter had done all the exploding it was ever going to do. It was just blazing out of control. I ran about 20 yards and rolled on the ground to extinguish the flames on my burning body.
I put my hands in a puddle of water to cool them off — the only severe pain I was feeling at the time was in my hands. My fingers were pencil thin after being cooked inside the leather gloves, but at least they were still there. The leather had burned itself onto my hands. My flak jacket was still burning, and I think I removed it. The foam padding on the chin strap and the neck strap of my flight helmet was burning my face and neck; I did feel that pain and I flipped off the helmet.
By now, my arms and legs didn’t want to do a whole lot of bending, and the pain was gone because third-degree burns kill the nerve endings — until they start cutting the dead skin off in the hospital; then the pain is tortuous. I ran farther from the burning wreckage and, unknowingly, was running closer to the NVA gun positions. Fortunately, the billowing black smoke from the Huey must have momentarily prevented the NVA from finishing us off with small-arms fire. They were still shooting, but they couldn’t pinpoint a target. Or maybe they wanted to wait and capture us.
Our gunships then laid down the last of their minigun ammunition and rockets. Years later, I talked to Warrant Officer Jim Rohde, who was flying the gunship that expended its ammunition seemingly at my feet. He told me they couldn’t see anything around our helicopter because of the smoke, but they had an idea where we might be. He could have been no more than 30 feet off the deck. I saw him bank abruptly to the left as he passed over me about 20 yards to my left. In my dreams I can still hear the deafening roar of his minigun as he expended the rest of his ammunition while I stumbled around on the ground.
I thank Rohde with all my heart for what he did next. He stayed on station, continuing his gun runs as if he had more ammunition, while the other gunships returned to the closest place to rearm. I firmly believe that by making those unarmed gun runs Rohde kept the enemy soldiers’ heads down and prevented the NVA from venturing out to capture us. Only because of the expertise and bravery of the ‘Rat Pack’ pilots was I not killed by friendly fire.
I now knew which way to run, back toward my helicopter. But now I realized that my arms and legs were burnt black. Everything now seemed to happen in slow motion, as if I could see each and every frame of a projected film. I guess I was now in the proverbial ‘bubble,’ where sound no longer seems to exist and the will to live requires your body to continue the struggle for survival. I came upon a group of wounded and dead infantry soldiers, some of whom may have been in my helicopter, and told them to remove my .38 from my holster and use it if necessary, because my hands were useless. I remember them just staring at me as though I was a monster who had emerged from the smoke. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Airborne Operations, Historical Conflicts, Historical Figures, People, Vietnam War
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22 Comments to “U.S. Army Captain Thomas Pienta: Firsthand Account of a Vietnam War Helicopter Pilot”
CPT.Pienta i am glad you made it home safe to your family I was a door gunner with the 71st AHC awarded DFC lam son 719 LZ LOLO mar. 1971 have a good day’
By bronniebat21@aol.com on Aug 24, 2008 at 12:31 am
To bronniebrat21, thanks for serving, the courage and accuracy of the guys in back, gunners such as yourself was quite amazing…Lam Sam was a real bad day..over 200 helicopters shot down….you also have a great day..thanks for the comment
By Tom Pienta on Dec 6, 2008 at 12:32 pm
sorry bronniebat21…..mispelled your name in my comment….
By Tom Pienta on Dec 20, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Tom and I were stick buddies in flight school at Ft. (Mother) Rucker. We had some wild and crazy times there … and since. I flew slicks for the 190th AHC in the same AO in ‘68-’69. The area around Dau Tieng was know as the Iron Triangle and contact with Charlie was pretty much guaranteed if you flew there. We are old men now. Something many of our comrades did not get to experience. Tom’s ordeal illustrates how uncommon valor was a common virtue in all the young men who faced the challenges of that war. Keep ‘em turning, Brother.
By Spartan 26 on Dec 21, 2008 at 1:29 am
My dear friend , Spartan26 is a Doctor now of Veterinary
medicine…he is one great man and piloted an Army UH-l helicopter through much combat. we had a ball in flight school and to this day are the best of friends…salute!!!!!! to my best friend Dr. Captain Spartan26, second platoon leader for the 190th assault helicopter co.
By Tom Pienta on Feb 7, 2009 at 11:06 pm
I just now found this website and am so very proud of my brother, Cpt. Tom Pienta. It has been a long journey from November 27, 1968 and you, Tommy, are a hero for me. You said “yes” so many years ago and continue to heroically accept all that life brings. I hope that I can come close to overcoming the pain and suffering that you endured with the courage that I have seen in you again and again.
By Big Sis on Mar 6, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I, too, was a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam. ‘69 & ‘70. A lot of my friends were burned. It was my bigest fear.
I’m glad you survived. Good luck to you.
By Mike Nadler on Mar 7, 2009 at 1:23 am
Tom,
I just found this site. Great to be able to say “Hello”. I know every day is a blessing, including this one. Years ago, I read your article in Vietnam magazine (still have a copy). Ron’s been gone 10 years next month, hard to believe. I admire his legacy. You be well.
Gary Timberlake
Chu Lai
69-70-71
By Gary Timberlake on Apr 1, 2009 at 12:31 pm
thanks big sis, thanks for serving Mike, ABOVE THE BEST, thanks Gary, Ron was a great soldier and a good friend, yes the years travel so fast, i miss him dearly….he was one great pilot
By tom pienta on Apr 10, 2009 at 12:24 am
thanks for serving also Gary….the name Timberlake holds a great legacy in military history
By tom pienta on Apr 10, 2009 at 12:25 am
Tom,
I am so proud to know you and to have you as a very special friend. You, like so many of our brothers, made incredible sacrifices with little or no recognition and hardly any thanks.
You are a true American Hero ! You are the living definition of the word !! THANK YOU !!
P5
By Jim Collins on Apr 14, 2009 at 11:14 am
thank you Cpt. Collins, you are a very very dear friend and fellow combat helicopter pilot….thank you for your bravery flying many many combat hours for the Little Bears…..love ya big Jim…you phrazey Jeem :-))
By tom pienta on Apr 18, 2009 at 1:07 am
I grew up with one image of what a modern American fighter was, and that was Ron Timberlake. He above all things in my life represented what the meaning of BRAVE and DEDICATED to his country meant. Ron was Brave. He is forever in the pantheon of the American Hero. He once asked me to help him write a history of his action in the air. I wish I had been mature enough at the time to take him up on that offer.
Anytime the American air Calvary is mentioned I say a prayer for him. I have known many veterans and pilots in my life, but none so admirable in service to his country as was Captain Ronald Timberlake (my step brother and personal hero to this nation).
Also, that two of my step family were in Vietnam made my formative years quite conflicted, and yet no matter what happened then or now in my life, these two men were part of a proud history of our families in service to this country going back to the Revolutionary War.
By H. Lamar Thomas on Apr 19, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Mr. Thomas, you are so right in your comments…what a great family you have….I firmly believe that if it wasn’t for Ron’s courage in battle I and many more soldiers would not have survived that terrible battle of 27Nov1968….thanks for yout comment and may God bless you and your family….peace brother
By tom pienta on Apr 20, 2009 at 9:18 pm
What year was this source produced because its one of the questions on my history assignment? thanks
By Eric on Jun 22, 2009 at 6:08 am
my piece was published as the cover piece for VIETNAM magazine, produced then by Cowles History Group…it was the Dec. 1996 issue of the historical magazine
By Tom on Jun 22, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Eric….google my name, Cpt. Thomas Pienta in a search…more articles will come up…good luck on your history assignment
By Tom on Jun 22, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Hello Sir, I was with 187thahc at Tay Ninh in 70-71. You pilots were the best . I volunteered to gun when one was on r&r or other reasons and our pilots and crew chiefs/gunners were so great at their jobs. I went to last Nov. reunion, saw my best friend from Nam for first time in 37 year s, he died in Mar. Thank you for your service , bravery, and dedication to your fellow Crusaders and Rat Pack. I,m glad you made it sir.
By terry s on Jul 29, 2009 at 4:28 pm
hello Terry…thanks for the kind words about the 187th AHC. thank you for serving so bravely and manning a gun when you voluntered. our mission was to support the Infantry, the Queen of Battle…the grunts were the best, brave and tough…thanks Terry
By Tom Pienta on Aug 19, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Welcome Home Brother……
I too was with the 187th AHC when I first got in country 9/71. The move had already been made from Tay Nihn to Dian, but we still staged out of Tay Nihn. Flew as Gunner on 705 Ship of Fools.
It seems like yesterday…..but the years have past. I thank you and the rest of our pilots for the fantastic job you guy’s did. We were young, dumb and full of —
Take Care Tom…..
John
By John W on Aug 27, 2009 at 3:28 pm
to Mike Nadler..thank you for your nicecomment and also for serving as a fellow huey pilot in that war….yep being burned was all of our biggest concern. glad you made it safely home and thanks again…tom
By Tom Pienta on Nov 1, 2009 at 1:19 pm
to John W….thanks for the nice comment and thank you for serving in the holy land as we called it…you guys in back were the greatest and so so brave…get some and glad you made it home…Tay Ninh was real Indian country as John Wayne would say….full suppression left and right
By Tom Pienta on Nov 1, 2009 at 1:23 pm