Over the years the 281st AHC has
been featured or mentioned in several magazine articles by numerous
publications. Albert G. Rampone, perhaps the first 281st member to
record is exeriencs commercially, wrote "Silent
Birdmen". Other veterans mentioned the
281st in numerous other books and publications covering the War in
Vietnam. Below we have listed furnished by the members of
the 281st AHC Association and excerpts from some of the books. Some of
these articles are from publications that were active in the Republic of Vietnam
during the war and others are from newer magazines that are operational today.
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VIETNAM ERA PUBLICATIONS
"Typhoon Magazine"-1968, a publication of First Field Force Vietnam (IFFV) covers the 281st and its mission to support 5th SFG (ABN), Detachment B-52, Project Delta, and MACV Recondo School.
"Green Beret Magazine"-1968, a publication of the 5th Special Forces Group (ABN). This article covers the MACV Recondo School but features information and pictures of the 281st in its support of Recondo training.
"Green Beret Magazine"-1968, This article tells the story of the rescue of a group of Montagnard POWs held by the VC/NVA forces near Nha Trang.
"Hawk Magazine"-1970, publication of the 1st Aviation Brigade features the 281st AHC and its support of MACV Recondo School in Nha Trang.
"Vietnam Studies: U.S. Army Special Forces 1961-1971", a publication of the Center for Military History (CMH), Department of the Army. First published in 1973.
CURRENT PUBLICATIONS
"Soldier of Fortune Magazine", September 1984 edition features an article on the MACV Recondo School with special attention to the 281st AHC.
"Special Warfare Magazine"-1999, is a publication of the Special Warfare Center, Ft Bragg, NC. This is an article by GEN Henry Shelton, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. GEN Shelton was a Recon Team Leader with Project Delta during his first tour in Vietnam. In this article he pays tribute to MAJ Bob Moberg and the 281st AHC.
"Special Warfare Magazine"-2002, 50th Anniversary of US Army Special Forces. In this article, the 281st is recognized as the legacy Special Operations Helicopter Unit in the US Army. During the celebration of the 50th Anniversary, there was a display set up in the Special Warfare Museum paying tribute to the 281st.
BOOKS
Under the guidance of resident authors and editors, Will McCollum and Jack Mayhew, and the contributors among the membership, the 281st AHC Association has produced several books about our missions, adventures, and accomplishments. These books can be ordered thru our PX. Rather than have two duplicate pages about our books, that material has been moved to the PX book page.
Find our books
right here
"Pivileges of War, " by former 5SFG officer Thomas A. Ross, details his service with an "A" team in Vietnam including the rescue of the entire population of a Montagnard village from the North Vietnamese. The 281st assisted him and his team in this effort. We proudly report a motion pictue production is underway. You may see the poster at the 2016 reunion report.
"War Story," The author, Jim Morris, while describing his experience on the ground with Project Delta states: "All the choppers were from the 281st Assault Helicopter Company, which for my money was the best chopper outfit in Nam. They were very proud of their association with the Project [Delta], wore camouflage fatigues and put their lives on the line continuously. They had a tradition of disregarding any regulation which interfered with the performance of their mission. They were mostly young guys and almost all of them Warrant Officers." (Page 278) The book tells the story of Morris' tour of duty with the 5th SFG (ABN) in Vietnam.
"Silent Birdmen," The author, Albert G. Rampone, II in his introduction says, "As time passes, names, places and faces are forgotten. But anyone who has experienced the confusion of battle can recall the horrors with detail. The mind plays back those scenes in slow motion. You dream and daydream with remarkable clarity. Time deadens the shock that the body endures; but despite twenty years of time, the mind does not permit you to forget." The book chronicles Rampone's tour with the 281st AHC in Vietnam. Long out of print, it can be found on Amazon occasionally. Al has joined the Died After Tour list.
"Vietnam above the Treetops", Upon returning to Khe Sanh, the author a USAF FAC for Project Delta was greeted by the 281st Helicopter pilots, "The helicopter pilots from the 281st had some typical words for me. "Just like you Air Force weenies; the weather goes to hell and you dee-dee out of here." The book tells the story of Flanagan's tour in Vietnam with close attention to his time with Project Delta.
"Primer of the Helicopter War", Written by Charles Holley and Mike Sloniker, both Vietnam Helicopter Veterans, this book is a very good historical sketch of the Vietnam Helicopter War. The 281st AHC is covered on page 96 in a section entitled "Death on Call." A very good story by Duane Brudvig covering the day that he and Daryl Evangelho, Jim Brown and Ken Miller were shot down and recovered by Bob George, Jackie Keele, Larry Elam and Red Vandervene is included in the section.
"Vietnam, The Helicopter War", Written by Phillip D. Chinery, this book covers the Vietnam War from a Helicopter perspective and also features a section on the 281st AHC, specifically the story by Duane Brudvig.
"The Vietnam Helicopter War History", Written by Charles Holley, this book is Holley's first work on documenting the Helicopter War in Vietnam. The 281st AHC is covered on pages 43 and 44 where he publishes Duane Brudvig's article "Death on Call."
"Special Forces at War", An Illustrated History, Southeast Asia 1957-1975, by Shelby Stanton. 281st aircraft are pictured in this book several places, some show the "281" on the doors. John Korsbeck is shown riding in an Otter. He is working radio relay with his teams on the ground during the last Delta Operation staged out of SFOD A-101 Base Camp at Mai Loc.