 |
 GHOST RIDER CALL SIGNS |
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|
GHOST RIDER CALL SIGNS |
|
While most units
used assigned call signs & numbers for
identification, |
| Underlined or "highlighted" names below are in our data base. You can e-mail an old friend (or join in our lively Bulletin Board) by clicking HERE and logging in. |
Final Departure
| "Tower,
this is Ghost Rider Swampy, ready for departure." "Roger, Ghost Rider Swampy, wind calm, altimeter 29.92, clear for straight up departure, call frequency change. "6600, no caution no warning, we're in the green" "Clear up left sir;" "Clear up right sir." "On the go" Final Departure I have dreams, dreams that when "Taps" is played for me I will no longer need my helicopter to fly. The clouds will be my aircraft, the wind, my rotor blades; God will be my right seat, angels, my crew. I will not need to refuel, the air will propel me anywhere I wish, And I will fly (as the poet said) "Where never lark, or even eagle flew." And I will skim the ground like I was part of it, better than Any Nap of the Earth jockey ever hoped to. And, I will low level better than the hottest of fast movers and Pull it back to a hover; something they only dream of. I will not need night vision devices, my eyes will be part of the night. And, weather will never slow me down again, for I will be part of the rain. |
I will not need guns and rockets, hail and lightening will be my arms; and I will still carry my sick and wounded brothers, but I will take them to a far far better place. You see, I became an Army helicopter pilot, the best of the best, And above the rest. It is now in my blood and soul, it is part of me. It is that which no one can ever take away from me. Tho I am old now and It is my time to go, the sound of those rotor blades will stay with me forever. And besides.....with God as my right seat and angels as my crew, There is no mission so great, that I cannot do. "Tower, this is Ghost Rider Swampy, QSY." " Roger Ghost Rider Swampy, frequency change approved, contact Heaven approach 122.5 .Goodbye" "Heaven approach, Ghost Rider Swampy is inbound" "Roger My Son, clear to enter ....and Welcome home." Dan, the kyrednek copterjockey Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, "...holy shit...what a ride!" |
In Memoriam
SP4 Thomas Ewald Hacker - KIA 12 Mar 69
CW2 Elton Lloyd Searcy - Pilot - KIA 26 Apr 69
CPT David Warren Watson "Bear" - XO - KIA 25 Apr 69
William Walter Ellis III - Door Gunner - KIA 2 Aug 69
SP4 Steve Sebastian Crosier "Slimy" - KIA 28 Jul 70
Greggory John D. Denton - Door Gunner '69 - KIA 7/28/69 after
transferring to D 1/506 Infantry
Gerald
Johnson - Crewchief 7/69 thru 12/69 - Died 10/04 in Decatur, IL
SP4 Bradley "Allen" Kinder - Crew Chief/Gunner - KIA 8
Feb 70
CPT Robert S. "Volunteer" Richmond - Pilot - KIA 21 Mar
70
CPT Gary J. "Squeaky" Barnett - Pilot - KIA 21 Mar 70
SP5 Richard Lee Ehnes - Crew Chief - KIA 21 Mar 70
SP4 Ronald Wayne William - Door gunner - KIA 21 Mar 70
CW2 Charles (Chunky) Wilks - Pilot - Killed in a Training
Accident 1972
CW2 Donald E. "Pappy" Hampton - Pilot - '69-'70 - Died
Apr 72 (Army Air Crash)
CPT Danny "Dog" Salin-1st Platoon '69-'70 -KIA 1991 flying
for the CIA in Central America.
Jerry K. Payne - Aircraft Powerplant Mechanic '69-'70
- Died May 93 in Commerce Georgia>>>>
Robert D. Crane - Aircraft Maintenance apprentice '70 -
Died April 1978 in Texas.
CW0 Allen W. (Scarface) Larson - Pilot - Died 3 Oct 76
SFC Woodrow J. Demery - Aircraft Maint. NCO '70 - Died Aug 78
CPT Ray H. "Sluggo" Morely - XO '69-'70 - Died May 1979
SP5 Robert E. James - Avionics Technician - '70 Died July 1981
SP5 Samuel Dixon Jr. - Acft Structural Repairman '70 - Died Dec.
1979
SP4 Timothy E. Price - Hel.Mech. - Apr 71-Apr72 - Died Apr 88
SP4 Danny D. Murray - Hel.Mech - Aug 71-Aug 72 - Died Dec 89
CPT Theodore S. "Teddy Bear" Ash, Jr. - XO (Mid '71) -
Died Dec 96
SP4 Dennis R. Barnes - Crew Chief 1969 - Died Apr 98
SSG John E. Dinardi - Crew Chief 1969 - Died Jan 2000
Edward C.
"Tex" Gibson - Crewchief '70-71 - Died April 1973 in San Joaquin, CA
CW2 Jim H. Cass III - Pilot - 70-71 - Died Aug. 2001
SP4 Johnny D. Planker - Door Gunner - Oct 70-Oct 71 - Died 8/73
PFC Don R.McNair - Switchboard Op. - Nov 70-Nov 71 - Died Aug 85
SP5 James J. Grinder - Crew Chief - Nov 70-Nov 71 - Died 1/92
SP4 James M. Katz - Hel.Mech. - Nov 70-Nov 71 - Died Feb 87
SP5 Ronald A. Kooyman - Sr.Hel.Mech. - Dec 70-Dec 71 - Died Nov
78
PFC Robert Scott 67N - UH-1 Helicopter Repairer 70-71. Died Jan
1979 in Toccoa Georgia.
SP4 Leslie M. Landau - Door Gunner - Feb 71-Feb 72 - Died May 86
CW2 Marc W. Stover - Pilot - Mar 71-Sep 71 - Died Nov 74
SP4 Donnial Cobb - Cook - Apr 71-Apr 72 - Died Apr 98
SP4 Horace Steward - Tech.Insp. - Apr 71-Apr 72 - Died Aug 82
SP5 Robert W. Cathcart - Sr.Hel.Mech. - Jun 71-Jun 72 - Died Sep
00
PFC Harvey C. Hanson - Hel.Mech. - Jun 71-Jun 72 - Died Dec 92
SP4 John D. McCusker - Door Gunner - Jul 71-Jul 72 - Died Apr 87
PFC Thomas W. Sampson - Hel.Mech.- Jul 71-Jul 72 - Died Jul 86
CW2 Carl E. Vance - Maint/Pilot - Aug 71-Aug72 - Died Apr 91
SP4 Johnny A. Cortez - Acft.Fuel Handling Spec. - Aug 71-Aug 72 -
Died May 77
SP4 Warrene R. Nieweg, Jr. - Pwr.Trn.Mech. - May 71-May 72 - Died
Aug 96
SP5 Gary E. Bickford - Doorgunner '69-? - Died 25 Apr 90
John A. Knight - Crew Chief '70/'71 Died June 1978 in Bexar Co.
TX
Amadio R. (Bob) "Buzz" Fioretti W.O. Pilot 6/69 thru 6/70
Died 8/19/02 in Shoreham, NY
LT. Van S. Ellis
"Elsie" - Pilot '71, Died June 1997
SP4 Gene E. Gans - Aircraft Hydraulics/Pneumatics, Died Sept. 2003 in San Diego,
CA
Chef Ted M. Inscore - Cook '70-'71 - Died Oct 2004 in Statesville, NC
Sgt. Kenneth W. Huchel - 67N Crew
Chief 69-70 died 3/22/05 in Snohomish, WA
Earle Wayne "Andy" Capps - Died 8/1/05, Lewisburg, KY
Sp4 Larry D. "Flash" Bratton - 76W Petroleum Supply Specialist '69-'70
- Died 01/30/06 in Jacksonville, FL
SSG Robert L. Gates - 67N Crew Chief. Died 11/22/2006, in Gwinett County,
Georgia
Mark "Pete" Peters - '69-'70. Died 5/27/07 in Millidgeville, GA
SSG John R. Russell - Supply - Died 07/07/
in West Palm Beach, FL
CWO Phillip H.(Clarabell) Fisher -Pilot- Died 9/17/2008 Atlanta, GA
Larry Briggs - Crew Chief - Died October
30, 2008- Alexandria Bay NY
CWO Russell "Rusty" Myers - Pilot '71 - Died May 29, 2009 in Harrison,
OH
Ronald L. Richards- Platoon Sgt, 1st Flight Platoon 1971-Died September
22, 2009
Edwin L. "Ring Master" Richter - CO 04/70 to 08/70 - Died Apr 7, 2010, San
Antonio, TX
Charles
B."Tool" McCarty - 07/68-01/70 - Died 6 Jan 2011
MAJ Turner Buck Griffin (Red Leg) CO 69. Died 9/22/2011 San Antonio, TX
1SG Nick Nichols (Top) First Sergeant, Died 8/8/2012 Pleasantville, KY
Rick
"Sandy" Shores, 4/70-4/71, Died Sep 28, 2011, Houston, TX
CPT
Richard F. (Rick) "Dumplin" Wickboldt - Pilot Mid '71-Stand down. Died
31 Mar 2012, Slidell, LA - Head Injury
CWO
B.J. "Bridge" Barnett, IP until July '69- Died June 2, 2012, Round
Rock, TX - Heart Attack
CW0
Ted (Old Sarge) Gish, Pilot '68-'69, Died 12 Aug 2012
Winson
J. Wynn - Mechanic, Maint Plt '68-'69. Died 12 Jan 2013 in Wagoner, OK
Hershel L. Taylor, Maint Officer & Combat Pilot, Died Sep 2,
2013
James
E. "Jack" Frost - CE Carson-3/69, Died 31 Oct 2013 in Hereford,
TX - Pneumonia
CWO
Harold E. "Itty Bitty" Smith, Pilot - LamSan 719, Died 30 Jun
2014 in Zephyrhill, FL
Larry "Lollipop" Blight, Pilot '69-'70. Died 13 July 2014
CW4James
"Springtime" Summerford - Died Dec 29, 2014 in Enterprise, AL
Gary "Fertilizer" Grow - Pilot 07/70 to 07/71 - Died August 28,
2015
WO1
Robert D "Frog"Freyvogel, Pilot '69-'70,
Died
Dec 14, 2015 Miami, FL
CWO
Duane A. "Muddy" Watters, Pilot, Died May 7, 2016
Doug "Gunner" Crislip, '70-'71. Died Dec 4, 2016, Boise, IA
CW1 Frank A.(Skip)"Vino" Santillo, Pilot. Died Feb 6, 2017
Michael "Hard-on" Harding, CE Mar -Jun '71. Died May 22, 2017,
Vancouver, WA
SP5
Ronald Paschal CE 71-72. KIA 22 Apr 72 north of the DMZ
Neal Franck - No further information available
Dwight Newport
Door Gunner 71, Died of cancer Jun 20, 2017, in Minneapolis, MN
Thomas E. Flash
Cahill- Pilot 2/69-6/69. Died Feb 25,2018 of a car accident in
Atascodero, CA
Joseph L. Mills Jr, Platoon Sergeant 11/69-8/70, Died of cancer Apr 14, 2018,
St Louis, MO
SP4 Michael Cormier 1970-1971. Died of cancer Jun 24, 2018, Wilmington, DE
CW4 Bruce
L."Swampy" Willis Sr. Pilot1969-1970, Died Jan 9, 2019, Pulmonary
Fibrosis in De Ridder, LA
Carl Eldon Waller Crew Chief Aug 71-Dec 71, Ventura, CA
Rick "Shitty" Siller III, Combat Pilot, Died Sep 6, 2019, Myrtle Beach
SC, Hep C complications
Jerry (Rocky) Rockwell, Pilot
CPT Randy (Woodcutter) Fisk, Plt Ldr,
(This
Memorial section is CONSTANTLY BEING UPDATED)
| Last Updated Dec 15, 2019 |
No Names have been Intentionally left off this list. If you can help me with those I missed, please CLICK HERE TO E-MAIL ME!
HISTORY
OF CALL SIGNS
Call
signs were a necessity for radio communications. There was a list
of radio users and their assigned frequencies published in a
directory known as the SOI (Signal Operating Instructions). It
was classified, and required safeguard procedures. The listings
were changed frequently to confuse the enemy as to who was what,
and the frequency they used. "Ruby Red 38" might ID a
specific unit and subordinate for today, but would change to
"Majestic Chronos 53" in the next edition of the SOI.
These periodic SOI revisions depended on everyone
receiving the most recent SOI edition on time. That never
happened! As a result, radio call signs reverted back to a
previous standard borne of similar past failings in previous
conflicts. "6" was a commander. His Exec was "5".
The Operations Officer was identified as "3". The
subordinate 1st Platoon Commander was "16". When you
combined a unit call sign with these numbers, anyone could
readily identify "Lancer 6" as the commander of the
Lancer company. The enemy would then take great efforts to shoot
at him (exposing his position to retaliation by gunships) for the
hopes of getting a medal-winning "kill" , often at
their own expense. Monitoring a radio call sign of "Balloon"
didn't give any clue to that person's identity or status. An
enemy revealing his position by firing on "Balloon"
might not get him the kill he desired...but would certainly get
him a rain of bullets on his exposed position.
PRIMITIVE CRYPTOLOGY
The failing of timely distribution of the SOI led to
several primitive methods of number encryption. To get a specific
radio frequency "in the clear", it was necessary to
establish some base of reference. Often it was toward some purely
Americana reference, such as "From Jack Benny... (he never
aged over 39)...go UP 4 point 2." It was a beautiful way of
getting the desired radio frequency of 43.2 mHz. to dial into
your radio. Another popular base was "Heinz". If you
went from Heinz (57 varieties)...DOWN 3 point 8...you got 53.7.
This system was expeditious for limited numbers in a narrow range.
For a broader range of "secure" numbers from 0 to 9, we
used a base composed of 10 non-repeating alphabetic characters.
PACHYDERMS was a favorite, as was MONKEYSHIT, and CHARLESTON..Here
is how it worked:
| P | A | C | H | Y | D | E | R | M | S |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| This was the code alignment for the 1st, 11th, 21st, and 31st day of the month |
| P | A | C | H | Y | D | E | R | M | S |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| This was the code alignment for the 2nd, 12th, and 22nd day of the month |
To radio the coordinates 355280 on the 25th
day of the month would be:
Mike Papa Papa
Romeo Hotel Delta
(So easy you can probably do it in your head, huh?)
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