Customer Reviews

Thunderbird Lounge: An Aviator's Story About One Early Transportation Helicopter Company, Along With Its Sister Companies As They Paved the Way in What Was to Become "A Helicopter War"

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Pi'-o-neer' a noun meaning: "One who goes before, preparing the way, for others to follow." There is no other way to define the original members of the 33rd Transportation Company (Light Helicopter)(CH21), except as pioneers in U.S. Army Aviation history! All original members of the 33rd left their families in the U.S. and quietly departed Ft. Ord, CA with their destination as-"unknown"! The move was classified as Top Secret and no one was able to tell anyone, including families, where they were going under penalty of court-martial. Vietnam was not classified as a combat zone in 1962, but as an advisory zone...but no one told the VC. Thunderbird Lounge is a very good historical book written by a man who experienced it all. 1LT Robert J. Brandt, a National Guard officer newly assigned, became the Commander of the 573rd Maintenance Detachment and, would be the only Commander of the 573rd Maintenance Detachment for the entire year.

The 33rd was originally to deploy to "unknown" locations in March of 1962. The orders were delayed and many of their helicopters were transferred to two other Transportation Companies (8th and 57th), which did deploy. Then the U.S. was scoured for low time CH-21's to replace the ones given up by the 33rd. The unit was again alerted to move in August of 1962. All aircraft and all other equipment finally departed for Hawaii by ship scheduled to stop in Hawaii to pick up the aircraft and equipment of a sister unit, the 81st, before continuing on. Then, the day before the main body of personnel was to depart Travis AFB, 1LT Brandt was diagnosed with pneumonia! After spending a night in the Ft. Ord hospital and receiving a massive dose of penicillin that led to a rapid improvement, Brandt convinced the Army doctor that he HAD to go with his unit the next day. Convinced by his improvement, the doctor loaded Brandt up with more penicillin and off he went. He recovered enroute with no ill effects.

The arrival at Tan So Nhut and Saigon was exactly as anyone who has been there remembers...a sensory shock and memorable! The year was 1962 and, Saigon was "unspoiled" by western influences; full of interesting foreign sights, sounds and smells. The USNS Croatan, carrying 40 cocooned helicopters and equipment, arrived within 48 hours, on schedule. Following unpacking, unwrapping and assembly, the 33rd's 20 CH-21s were flown to Tan So Nhut and ultimately to their new home on Bien Hoa airbase about 30 miles north of Saigon. The time was the monsoon season and no member of the unit had experienced the tropics or the problems the heat and moisture would ultimately bring to their aging CH-21 helicopters. The 33rd had arrived and "Wow", were the conditions primitive!

Throughout the remaining pages of Thunderbird Lounge, MG Brandt tells a complete story of the first year of the 33rd in Vietnam. People, places and incidents are described in very vivid detail. Almost every pilot is mentioned as well as many of the key enlisted men and NCO's. Using letters sent home to his wife along with the help of several comrades he is still in contact with, MG Brandt reconstructs many events that tell the story of their first year. Combat assaults, re-supply and medical evacuations are carried out in two aircraft flights because of engine and maintenance concerns. The red soil and extreme moisture conditions made maintenance of the CH-21 radial engines and wooden rotor blades very, very difficult. Brandt estimates that his engine shop rebuilt a CH-21 radial engine every 8 days! Thunderbird Lounge is a story of missions, maintenance and mayhem.

Never has a book been written after 40 years that is more complete with dates, names and locations. Every page is brimming with tales relating the many humorous incidents and events that made life in combat and the poor living conditions of Bien Hoa airbase bearable. Great photos are placed at the end of each chapter that compliment and highlight the people and incidents within the chapter. MG Brandt carefully remembers some of the sad events of the year, concluding with the loss of the first two 33rd pilots just after his returning home.

Thunderbird Lounge is truly a wonderful book. It tells a positive story about men as pioneers overcoming adversity, boredom and the enemy. Some of the participants may have seen things differently than MG Brandt, as he looks back after 40 years. However, no one can say he didn't tell it candidly, and fairly, as he saw it. After all, 40 years is a long time. 1962 was truly a time when real men pioneered the use of helicopters in combat and developed the textbooks for US Army Aviation airmobile operations. Those textbooks, as well as the lessons learned, were effectively used by thousands of pilots over the next 9 years in that "unknown" location so very far away.

Tom Payne
Sec/Treas
VHPA

I swapped my book, OUTLAWS IN VIETNAM, for Bob's book at the VHPA reunion in Las Vegas, 2002. This is a great book by Gen. Brandt typifying the events and life-style experienced at this early moment in Vietnam. The H-21's are graphically described in all their quirks and needs, as well as the skillful men who had to fly them. I find the earliest years of VN helicopter warfare fascinating to read, as these men not only laid down the tracks for we later aviators to utilize in mid-sixties on, but they quickly found out the political reality of Vietnam--which never changed. As Halberstam has stated, "the war was lost in 1964, not at the end of its duration." Our aviator job was tremendously enjoyed by all of us, but the Washington administrations never totally got it what a fluky scenario Vietnam was. We helicopter pilots surely got it, though.

It is quite evident that Gen Brandt did considerable research into the events that took place during that time period. Some people might question the facts as presented about some of the operations or events, however, I think the book speaks for itself. The author did an outstanding job depicting how the Company functioned in that environment and how the officers and enlisted men endured the stress and strain of life away from home and family. The humorous side depicted in the book is probly as accurate as can be remembered and certainly contributed to the over all high moral of the organization. The book is well written and a pleasure to read.

Bob Brandt did a masterful job of saving, sorting and presenting data as well as remembering so many facts that most of us have long since forgotten.

The book is a keeper, and supports the efforts and brave acts of the many unsung participants at the outset of this strange venture of our country into a truly foreign land.