correction on e-mail

I served as a mechanic at Andrews in 1969. our mission was to cover Tricky Dick when he was in the air.

I was mechanic and crew chief on one of the HH-43 Fs at DANANG, VietNam from march 1970 - March 1971.

If you were there with me, i probably still have a picture of you (unless you were an officer) lol
Anzianti, Plank, Matlock, Long, Belcher, I remember all of you guys.

In retrospect, that is the one year of my life that I wish I could relive. Yes, we were in a bad place, but some of my fondest memories are from there.
I absolutely loved the HH-43 and when I was assigned to Randolph to work on Hueys, it was a tremendous letdown.
While at Randolph, one of thier HH-43s crashed and pilot error was the intial determination.
I was assigned to the investigation team and was the only one with HH-43 experience. As soon as I was told that the pilot moved the stick one way and the bird rotated the opposite way, I knew to look at the reverser box.
The pilot was cleared, all HH-43s were grounded pending inspection and since I was the low ranking man on the team, the team leader (Super Sarge) got all the credit.
but, thats how the military operated.

if I could have stayed with the 43s, I would have stayed in the Air Force as long as they wanted me, but it didnt work out that way.

Pedro was my first as a flying crew chief at Little Rock in 67. Yes George Townsend, I know you. I will try to contact you. For Charley, I have some info on the pedro crash at phan rang. I was at cam rahn and had met the pilot just a few days before the crash as he returned from R&R in Hawaii. I know what caused the crash. I will try to contact you. For Mike Seymour, i had crossed trained to Loadmaster and ended up at Pope in Nov. 74 in the 39th TAS.
Still work at Pope as a civilian contractor.

I just finished a 1 /72 scale model of the H-43B and was looking at this website for some images for detail. I was a flight instructor on the H-43 at Stead for three years. I agree with all the positive comments about this bird. It was the most enjoyable time in my 32 years of flying.

Several years flying the HH43 starting with the A Model at James Connoly AFB, Tx (Pasco Parker and Henry B Fogg a couple of the key offices, Fogg being the OIC), then on to Minot with one of the first deployments of the Pedro to SEA (DaNang.. Alvin B Graham, OIC). After about 4 months there, on up to NKP to finish out the alloted 179 days TDY. Other pilots were John Christianson, at one time, President of the Pedro Rescue Helicopter Assn. After returning, sent to Ramstein AB Germany, with a prolonged TDY to Addis Abbaba Ethiopia where the '43 was used in support of the photomapping of that country and we supplied mountain top radio sites.. often landing with heavy loads over 12,000 ft. This was a unique capabilitie of the 43 due to the very low rotor loading and high altitude capability. Then back to DaNang for a second tour (Lt Col Cleave Holley, Det Co). Some memorable crew chiefs Ed Lusk, MSG, TSg Chas Husby just to mention a couple. The '43 was ensrhined not long ago at the USAF Museum at Wright Pat.

The 43 crew and ground support family was truly that.. a very close knit group of people, often "orphans" at the bases where we were just a "detachment" and from those groups I was part of, it was a small, close, dedicated group and the best assignment in the USAF "That Others May Live". Sorta surprised not to see the names or comments here of some of the people I served with prior to being transferred within MAC to fly the T29 /C131.

I worked at Kaman at experimental flight test in Bloomfield helping to develope both the H-43B and the HU2K-1. When deliveries started I was transferred to Kamans Field Service Deparent. I served as a H-43B Field Service Tech. Rep. At Stead AFB on Reno, then to Thule, Greenland, than to Burma, then Pakistan and then Iran. After these I was transferred to the HU2K customers and spent the rest my KAMAN time on US Navy assignments. KAMAN-a wonderful company I am very proud to have worked for.

Barry are you the same barry that served with at charleston afb and tdy at clark afb in P I. I was in south korea while you were at kdena couch817@bellsouth.net

I was in Crash Rescue back in the early 60’s -70's, and the HH43b was our airborne firefighting and rescue vehicle. After the 57150 H-43B Helicopter /Fire Fighting Tng. course the rewarding duty began. We had some wild rides, but "Pedro" never let us down. I know that a lot of guys were relieved to hear the unmistakable sound of those intermeshing rotors when we were on our way.

Was a flight engr /mechanic on HH-43B Whellus AB Libya 1966-68. Need information on names and types of lubricants that were used in the maint of the helicopters. I remember some but not all. Any info will help. Thanks

I was a medic on HH-43B and F at England AFB, LA 70-72 and Bergstrom AFB, TX 72-75. Was extremely proud to have served in Rescue Service.

I received my advanced helicopter training on HH43B at Shepperd AFB in Texas in 1966 after a complete training in USAAVN center FtRucker ALA. then back to my country IRAN I flew more than 2000 hours in HH43F while I was in AF. IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME. I wonder that if my instrutor is still alive,I dont remember his name.If He still remember me Iwill be more than glad to hear from him .

I was assigned as a firefighter to the crash station on the flight line at Laredo Air Force Base Texas in late 1961. I remember seeing the H-43B for the first time on the flight line and I asked what it was. I was told it was a helicoptor, certanly not like one I had ever seen. I was somewhat it awe of this unusual looking flying machine and also very intrigued. I was told that it was manned by firefighters from our own unit. After several months on the base, I walked over to the Local Base Rescue office where I met the Captain who was the unit commander. We talked for a while and I asked what it would take to be considered for the unit. I was just an A2C at the time and I got the impression that he liked my tanacity but felt that I was perhaps trying to climb to high to fast. I thanked him for his time and left. About 2 months later I went again to visit the good captain and asked if I could get a ride on one of their training runs. He said yes and a couple of days later I was in the back end of an HH-43B, Pedro 1 call sign. I was hooked. I bugged the captain for months and asked what I can do to help. He finally responded tha I could act as standby in a firetruck during the rescue simulations(where they used real fire and exreacted a 200 pound dummy from the cockpit). I did that for several months and in 1963 I was assigned to Detachment 36 Central Air Rescue Center Laredo Air Force Base. I was officially a Pedro firefighter. The next 2 years were the best I can remember. I love flying and I got all I wanted.
There was nothing like the comradarie of the pilots and crewman. We all got along and in any crisis situation we had each others backs. Bottom line, my experience with this most unique aircraft and the pilots and airman I had the privelege of working with, is one I will never forget

served with 56 ars at maxwell fld ala 1963 to 1964 best time i had in a hh43b as a pj wish i could go back

One more thing... to all those that have posted here... thank you! Reading all these posts makes me feel closer to my father. I wish more people knew of these incredible de-comissioned aircraft. I salute each and every one of you for your service and wish you all the best.

Sincerely,
Brett G. Hightower

Son of the late David B. Hightower - Major USAF Ret.
USAF service from 1956 - 1976

To Robert Cavinder - Hello! I just happened upon this link again and noticed you were trying to contact me. my two valid emails are bnahigh@cox.net (you might have missed the "a" in the email from what I can tell OR brett.hightower@coxmedia.com

I will try your email and see if I can help you out. If you see this post feel free to try and email me again. Converting the slides has been on my project list for a while now. There are thousands of them as my dad was a bit of a shutterbug lol.


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robert cavinder, drcavinder=aol.com, 10.11.2011

Brett hightower,I tried to send an email to this addree,bnhigh=cox.net, then to bnhigh@cox.net, but it wasn't delivered and I'm not proficient enough with a cp to figure out what to do next. I think your dad was my commander at Tahkli in "66" but my light records were distroyed in a fire and it leaves me with memories. I would like very much to have some pictures of Tahkli and the "Bird". I would be glad to reimburse you.

For jafari mohamad. I was the Radar Advisor to the IIAF in 1969-1971 and several times flew around the country in H-43B helicopters. Perhaps you were one of my pilots?

served on hh43f in bihn thuy ab rvn as a firefighter.great duty

There was a couple of them at Da Nang AB in Viet Nam when I was there in "71 /72". I think one flew over playing X-Mas music at Christmas time. I never saw them used to fight any aircraft fires though. I did see the last F-100 skidding down the runway and thought it was on fire, but I guess it was just "Sparks". The Kaman's never moved.

wAS ASSIGNED TO HH43-BS FROM 1963 UNTIL 1967DUTY AT McCHORD AFB WN,WHEELUS AFB LIBYA,MOODY AFB GA,SOME OF THE MOST REWARDING YEARS OF MY MILITARY CAREER.THE AIRCREWS WERE TOTALLY DEDICATED TO THE MOTTO(THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE),SOME OF THE RESCUE MISSIONS THAT WE WENT ON,WOULD MAKE YOU ASK WHEN THE MISSION WAS OVER,AS A AIRCREW DID WE REALLY FLY INTO THAT SITUATION?BUT THE BEAUTIFUL OLD BIRD ALWAYS GOT US HOME WITH A LOT OF AFFECTION FOR THE HELICOPTER,SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY IT WAS CALLED THE FLYING SHITHOUSE.I GUESS FOR ITS UNUSAL DESIGN.

been trying to find pictures of the H43B. Not hard to find I know. I have tons of them. a lot in my memory. Dad broke the altitude record in 1962 in the husky. If you knew my dad write me. I would like to hear from you. Thanks Randy McMeen. PS I am trying to get a painting of the husky to put on DADS car that I still have. If you know what it is let me know.