The mission of the 119th Aviation Company continued to run the gamut during the past year; however, with the arrival of United States ground forces, the company operations have been decidedly geared to more offensive role. This summary of day to day operations gives ample evidence of the change, By necessity, many of the "minor" missions and news of the 119th are not included, but the aviators and men of the 119th continued to fosted a "can do " attitude, The 119th, as part of the 52d Aviation Battalion, continued to set the pace for the other aviation units in Vietnam.

1-20 January: Guns and slicks of the 119th provided armed escort at New Pleiku Air Force Base for USAF C-141 and C-123 aircraft. The transports were bringing in troops of the 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division from Hawaii.

26-31 January: The 119th joined other elements of the 52dd Aviation Battalion at Bong Son for Operation Macher and White Wing. This was a joint US/ARVN operation which included the 1st Air Cavalry Division, United Stated Marines, and ARVN airborne troops. The 119th supported the ARVN efforts which cleared the area east of Highway 1 to the coast in the Bong Son Valley, The combined effort resulted in nearly 1,000 Viet Cong KIA's by body count. During this period the 119th flew well over 1,000 hours, carrying 3,407 passengers, and 30 tons of cargo.

1-20 February: A continuation of the operations near Bong Son.

15 February: Major Mooney turned over command of the 119th to Magor Miller, Major Mooney becoming 52d Aviation Battalino S-3 officer.

20-26 February: 119th back at Holloway for "rest" and repairs.

26-28 Febuary: The 119th moved to Ban Me Thuot where the 52 d Aviation Batalion supported the 3d Birgade, 25 Infantry Division, in Operation Garfield. The 3d of the 25th had the mission of clearing an estimated regiment of PAVN from the area north of Bam Me Throt, and pushed north to Boun Brieng area. After three weeks, very little enemy contact was made. Monthly totals indicated 780 hours flown, 2,890 passangers carried, and 59 tons of cargo, a short month.

1-20 March: With other companies of the 52d Aviation Battalion, the 119th made combat assaults northwest of Duc Co. The mission, with the 2d Battalion of the 35th Infantry, was as attemp to relieve a force of CIDG under attack, Heavy enemy automatic weapons fire was received on the initial assault, with one gunship set afire in midair and a slick hit on take off. Later a resupply flight experienced mortar fire upon touch down in the landing zone, forcing one ship into the trees. Two aircraft were destroyed and three were hit and required extensive maintance repairs. Although enemy fire was intense around the landing zone for nearly two days, no one was seriously hurt. Altogether bad news for the service platoon from "Ten Alpha," the code desigatioooon for the landing zone .

20-31 March:Assorted missions around Pleiku. For the month of March, over 1,600 hours flown, 5,217 passengers, and 229 tons of cargo.

1-7 April; More local missions.

8-30 April: 119th again supported the 3d of the 25th in operations north of New Dak To. The operations were designed to open the roads to Special Forces camps and allow them to be resupplied against the coming Monsoon season. The operations were successful with light enemy contact, although one slick was lost due to a loss of power on 18 April Monthly statistics: 927-2440- 82. (Hours,Passengers, and tons of cargo).

3 May: 119th made a combat assault with the CIDG of special Forces Detachment "A" in the Plei Mrong area.

4 May: A platoon of the 119th was sent back to Ban Me Thuot for a day to help in road clearing operations.

12 May: The 119th began a changover of aircraft to UH-1D models. All UH-1B models were flown to Saigon over a week's period and exchanged directly, Few ground support missions were flown during this time.

17-29 May: The 119th provided command support liaison and field resupply for the 3d of the 25th, which had moved southwest of Pleiku to a forward logistics camp called "The Oasis" and was engaged in Operation Paul Fevere.

30 Maya: The 119th began a week in the field at the Oasis where they gave futher support to Operation Paul Revere. Statistics for May were 1,325 hours, 3,547 passengers, and 88 tons of cargo.

1-6 June: 2d Platoon aircraft supporting Special Forces at Kontum, while 1st Platoon supporting 3d of the 25th.

13-14 June: 155th went to the field, initiating a new policy whereby they would handle the CA'S and troop movements, while the other two companies take resupply and command and control missions.

15-19 June: Bad weather delayed leaving Holloway, The Battalion has required the 170th and the 119th to furnigh five aircraft to the field with the 155th. We relieve crews ever two days. On 17 June a gunship was hit while escorting a resupply mission.

20-22 June: 119th moved to the Oasis for its week in the field. Time spent setting up and as reaciton force standby. 25th Infantry rotated battalions from the Oasis to "Waikiki", a point just north of the Plei Me Special Forces Camp.

23-24 June: The 1st Battalion of the 14th Infantry moved further east of Chu Pong, requiring four combat assaults and much cargo hauling. No resistance was encountered. Assorted missions following this move.

25 June: Weather delayed a planned move of the 1st of the 14th so the 119th was on standby resupply all day. The aciton at landing zone 32f diminished and it was said that a PAVN battalion had been encountered.

26 June: 1st of the 14th decided to move further east and met no resistance. The 119th began drifting back to Holloway.

27 June: Special Forces started Operation Blackhawk and two ships were volunteered from the 119th.

28-30 June: Assorted missions, with two ships in Blackhawk and two to Waikiki on resupply. Totals for June: 1,395 Passengers, 334 tons oad just over 1,000 hours.

4-6 July: 3d of the 25th moved from Waikiki to Catecka, an airstrip next to the tea plantation on Route 19, The slicks flew cargo while the gunships gave convoy cover.

7-8 July: 155th called for another operation so the 119th started field duty early. Due to proximity of Catecka to Holloway, required to keep only four slicks and two guns on station there.

9-10 July: 3rd Battalion, 1st Republic of Korea Division, moved in south of Duc Co, and other that a few resupply missions, all was quiet.

11 July: Combat assault which was delayed by weather, Troops extracted from landing xone 27d and put in close to the border. PFC Fobert Mann, a crew chief, was mortally wounded by sniper fire in the landing xone and died before reaching medical aid. PFC Mann had been submitted for the Soldier's Medal for saving the lives of the crew and passengers of a disabled helicopter, only one month before.

12-15 July: Assorted missions, mostly "Ash and Trash." Two aircraft still on Blackhawk with the Special Forces.

19 July: The day started out peacefully with the usual dispatch of ash and trash at Catecka. At 1700 there was an officer's call and Major Miller, to the surprise of the company, turned over command to Major Edwards. Magor Miller assinged to Battalion Headquarters as S-3. Magor Simmons became company executive Officer, Captain Meulemans took over the 2nd Platoon. At 1800 hours word came that WO1 Johnny F. Long, WO Jesus De La Rosa, MSG Leroy Barns, and SP/4 James Radzelovage were killed in a midd-air collision with an o-1 reconnaisance plane, south of landing xone 35H. The company is stunned.

20 July: The bodies of the four crew members were recovered and brought back. Memorial services to be held.

21-23 July: Inclement weather kept most ships on the ground.

24 July: Two seperate gunship missions. One flying convoy cover from Pleiku to Kontum, the other with the slicks, escorting advance party of the 4th Infantry Division. Weather still very bad and no one able to fly until late in the morning. Sewers are stopped up at Holloway and latrines are closed. Things becoming miserable and then an alert was held at 0700 which lasted an hour.

27 July: Weather cleared and a regular resupply day was begun.

28 July: After a day of assorted missions and much shooting by the Crocodiles, the CO took Croc 600 and 691 on a reconaisance near Dak To. As they were making their dry runs on the intended landing zone, 691, with 1lt Richtameier and 1LT Heisterman lost its engine and crashed in a very Heavily wooded area. After four hours effort only 1LT Richtsmeier and SGT Reed, the gunner, were extracted. Due to darkness and weather, the resque operations had to be called off and all ships returned to Holloway, leaving some 1st Cavery gunships on station.

29 July: At 0430 all Croc's were up and, led by Magor Edwards, departed at 0530 for the crash site, Unable to get in until 0900 , due to weather, but as soom as fog lifted, they quided an Air-Sea Resque helicopter in to pick up 1LT Heisterman and PFC Hammond. Both were alive and disgruntled about being there over night. 1LT Heisterman had been trapped by the foot and was forced to remain in the wreckage for seventeen hours. He and PFC Hammond were later evacuated to the United States for medical treatment.

31 July: Sunday, and the 119th's turn to go to the field. The CO went out and weather kept most on the ground for the better part of the morning. It was reported that a PAVN regiment had moved in southwest of the Oaasis during the last rain spell. Small units were airlifted to a total of nine places in an attempt to surround them. The last lift was a company of the 1st Cavalry, west of the Oasis. Two gunships and four slicks at Catecka. Totals for the month: 1,487 hours, 5,371 Passengers, 1,181 tons of cargo.