Comments on: U.S. Army Captain Thomas Pienta: Firsthand Account of a Vietnam War Helicopter Pilot

By: Tom Pienta

Tom Pienta — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:23:07 +0000

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

Tom Pienta — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:19:04 +0000

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: John W

John W — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:28:37 +0000

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: Tom Pienta

Tom Pienta — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:48:01 +0000

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: terry s

terry s — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:28:22 +0000

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: Tom

Tom — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:12:02 +0000

Eric….google my name, Cpt. Thomas Pienta in a search…more articles will come up…good luck on your history assignment

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:09:48 +0000

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: Eric

Eric — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:08:46 +0000

What year was this source produced because its one of the questions on my history assignment? thanks

By: tom pienta

tom pienta — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:18:32 +0000

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: H. Lamar Thomas

H. Lamar Thomas — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:57:42 +0000

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.