"USAF ROTORHEADS"   Patch History   Unit Patches   Misc Patches  


NOTE: WHEN INDIVIDUALS PROVIDE INFORMATION ON A PATCH THEY REFER TO IT AS ROW# AND PATCH #.  IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION, AS ADDITIONAL PATCHES ARE RECEIVED, THEY WILL BE POSTED AT THE BOTTOM.



A JOURNEY WITH THE ICON OF THE VIETNAM WAR TO MEET THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE "IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE".

 

VETERAN'S OF AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT-UNTIL A HUEY CAME TO TOWN.

 

AN EMOTION-PACKED DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWS THE 10,000-MILE JOURNEY OF A BATTLE-SCARRED UH-1 "HUEY" HELICOPTER INTO AMERICA'S BACKYARDS TO HEAR THE UNTOLD STORIES OF VIETNAM WAR VETERANS AND THE FAMILIES WHO WAITED FOR THEM TO COME HOME.

 

"THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO HAPPEN TO VIETNAM VETERANS SINCE THE DEDICATION OF THE WALL"

 

WWW.INTHESHADOWOFTHEBLADE.COM


NOTE: JIM BURNS WAS ASKED BY THE PRODUCERS OF THIS DOCUMENTARY FILM TO REPRESENT THE U.S.A.F. ON THE FIRST LEG OF THIS JOURNEY FROM FT. RUCKER, AL., TO THE WALL SOUTH IN PENSACOLA, FL. AND HE HAS A CAMEO APPEARANCE IN THIS DVD. HE WAS ALSO ASKED TO REPRESENT THE "GREEN HORNETS" IN ANOTHER FLIGHT OUT OF HUSTON, TX. WHICH DID NOT MAKE THE FINAL CUT OF THE FILM.


THIS SPECIAL PATCH IS

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

PEDRO 50 COMBAT MISSIONS


 

MAAG VIET NAM

Courtesy of James O. Smith

Tan Son Nhut 1963-1964


 

MACV SOG

Courtesy of Jim Burns

Vietnam 1967-1968



 

CH-3E 100 MISSION

Courtesy of Jim Burns & Jim Moore


 

RESCUED BY JOLLY GREEN


 

HEAVY HOOK

Courtesy of Jim Burns & Jim Henthorn

(Cross-Border road-watch team

program the 21st SOS was heavily involved in~Jim Henthorn)



 

20th HELICOPTER SQ. GOMER

GETTERS FROM ONE OF THE PONY

EXPRESS GUYS 1969

(Early 1967-1968 20th Helicopter unauthorized patch~Jim Henthorn)

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

21st SOS THE MACH TIMERS

(21st Helicopter Squadron authorized maintainers patch from 1967-1968 Jim Henthorn)

Courtesy of Jim Burns & Jim Henthorn


 

20th SOS PONY EXPRESS

FROM ONE OF THE PONY

EXPRESS GUYS 1969

(JACKET PATCH)

Courtesy of Jim Burns



ATC TOPS SAFETY AWARD FROM

3750th CMS

SHEPPARD AFB TX 1966-1967

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

LAOTIAN HIGHWAY PATROL


 

  KAMAN HAT PATCH GIVEN TO CREWS

AT SUFFOLK COUNTY AFB NY

1960-1961

Courtesy of Jim Burns



 

CCC FOB II KONTUM VIETNAM 1967-1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

CCC FOB II KONTUM VIETNAM 1967-1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

CCN FROM ONE OF THE SF GUYS

THAT FLEW WITH THE ITSOTB FILM

IN HOUSTON TX IN 2002

Courtesy of Jim Burns



 

CCS BAN ME THOUT RVN

1967 - 1968

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

FOB II PLAQUE JIM RECEIVED FROM JERRY "MAD DOG" SHRIVER AT

KONTUM RVN IN THE FALL OF 1967

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

LAOTIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Courtesy of Jim Burns



 

SEA WAR GAMES PARTICIPANT

NKP 1968-1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

PDJ GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

NKP 1968-1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

PRARIE FIRE

NKP 1968-1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns



SPECIAL OPERATIONS WARRIOR

FOUNDATION

Courtesy of Jim Burns


SEA WAR GAMES PARTICIPANT

Courtesy of Jim Burns



 

THAILAND

NKP 1968-1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns




The patches below are various MAJCOM/Numbered AF/Wing and other misc patches/momentos



 

MATS WHEN UNIT WENT FORM

ADC TO MATS IN 1961

SUFFOLK COUNTY AFB, NY

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

PACIFIC AIR FORCES CLARK AB PI

1964

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

TACTICAL AIR COMMAND 20th

SOS AT HURLBERT FLD. 1976

ALSO FROM HOMESTEAD SEA

SURVIVALSCHOOL 1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns/Jim Moore



 

ALASKAN AIR COMMAND WHILE WITH THE 504Oth HELICOPTER SQUADRON

AT ELMENDORF AFB AK 1973-1975

Courtesy of Jim Burns


AAC FLAG WHILE WITH THE

5040th HELICOPTER SQUADRON

AT ELMENDORF AFB AK

1793-1975

Courtesy of Jim Burns


HEADQUARTERS COMMAND WHILE

WITH THE 1st HELICOPTER

SQUADRON ANDREWS AFB MD

1970-1971

Courtesy of Jim Burns



 

52nd FW BASE FLIGHT H-19A/B

SUFFOLK COUNTY AFB NY

1959-1960

Courtesy of Jim Burns


56TH SOW NKP THAILAND


56th SPECIAL OPERATINS WING



1550th ATTW


 

THIRTEENTH AIR FORCE


 

1st SOW WITH THE 20th SOS

HURLBERT FIELD FL 1976

(1st SOW from 1976-1993, 16th

SOW from 1993-2006, 1st

SOW 2006-?~Dale Robinson)

Courtesy of Jim Burns



ARS ORIGINAL PATCH WHEN

MAT/ARSTOOK OVER THE HH-43

LBR'S IN 1961

Courtesy of Jim Burns


AIR RESCUE & RECOVERY SERVICE


 

14th AIR COMMANDO WING WHILE WITH THE 20th HELICOPTER SQDN.

AT NHA TRANG RVN 1967-1968

Courtesy of Jim Burns



DET 1, 57th FIGHTER WEAPONS WING INDIAN SPRINGS AAF NV

1977-1979

Courtesy of Jim Burns


DET 1, 57th FIGHTER WEAPONS WING INDIAN SPRINGS AAF NV

1977-1979

Courtesy of Jim Burns


7/13th AIR FORCE

Courtesy of Jim Burns



56th AIR COMMANDO WING

JIM BURNS FOUND THIS PATCH

IN A21st SOS OPS FILE LOCKER

AT NKP 1969

Courtesy of Jim Burns


 

21st SOS LIGHTER

Courtesy of Harvey Meltzer



 

21st AIR COMMANDO SQUADRON

KNIFE & FILE

Courtresy of Jim Henthorm



 

GOOSE BAY LABRADOR 1953 1954

Courtesy of Chuck Severns


WILLIAM TELL 1959

Courtesy of Chuck Severns


 

GEODETIC SURVEY OF FROBISHER HARBOR NORTH WEST TERRITORY (NWT) 1958

Courtesy of Chuck Severns 1958



 

PEDRO 100 COMBAT MISSIONS


 

HH-60 PAVE HAWK


 

JOLLY GREEN BATTLE DAMAGE QUALIFIED



 

UH-1N


 

CH-3 CHOGGIE INTERNATIONAL

AIRLINES C.I.A.


 

COMBAT RESCUE



 

SIKORSKY WINGED "S"


6594TH TEST GROUP


 

UH-1N



 

UH-1 & H-60 CREW CHIEF


VIETNAM


VHCMA



 

VIETNAM VETERAN


 

VIETNAM WAR IN MEMORY


CHOPPER OPS GEORGE ARB



 

21st SOS CHALLENGE COIN


CHOPPER OPS UH-1P HUEY



 

56th ARS KEFLAVIK


COMBAT RESCUE


40th HELICOPTER FLIGHT



 

COMBAT SEARCH & RESCUE


66th RESCUE SQUADRON


 

COMBAT SEARCH & RESCUE HH-60G PAVEHAWK



 

38th ARRS JOLLY GREEN

MAINTENANCE


 

33rd RQS


 

71st ERQS



 

USAF HELICOPTER PILOT ASSOCIATIN

Courtesy of John Flournoy


 

ORDER OF THE VULTURE MAC IG

Courtesy of John Flournoy



 

PARARESCUE ASSOCIATION

Courtesy of John Flournoy


 

NO ARRS

Courtesy of John Flournoy


 

UH-60A BLACKHAWK

Courtesy of John Flournoy



 

USS SAIPAN LHA 2

Courtesy of John Flournoy


 

USAFHPA REUNION ALBUQUERQUE 94

Courtesy of John Flournoy


 

HELP STOMP OUT FIXED WINGS

Courtesy of John Flournoy



 

436 AW NIGHTRIDERS

Courtesy of John Flournoy


 

450TH FW JOLLY GREEN FOOT PRINT

Courtesy of John Flournoy


 

LOCKHEED MARTIN HUGHES MTSS

Courtesy of John Flournoy



 

21ST SOS OPERATION EAGLE PULL


 

DANANG

Courtesy of John Dorgan


 

PACIFIC AIR FORCE

Courtesy of John Dorgan



 

BELL STICKER CIRCA 1963/64

Courtesy of Brett Foster

Son Of James W. Foster


BELL STICKER

Courtesy of Brett Foster

Son Of James W. Foster



4460 HS BUTTON

Courtesy of Jake Jakob


 

304th ARRS

Courtesy of Felix McLarney


HUEY CHEYENNE FLIGHT

Courtesy of Jeff Hartman



21st DUST DEVILS BIG BAD BUFF

Courtesy of Dave Comstock


AIR RESCUE LOGO

Courtesy of Felix McLarney


HH-60 NIGHT HAWK

Courtesy of Angelo Bianco


 

Courtesy of Stan Nelson

PATCH ON LEFT:


The Superbird patch was  for exceeding 200 mph on my 1st combat rescue tour in Thailand with the 40th ARRS, when our combat orbit was jumped by a Mig 21, south of the Fishes Mouth in northern Laos

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

PATCH ON RIGHT:


The MARS patch was for missions snatching two packages during midair retrieval grabs at Edwards AFB in 1971. First load was a 5500 lb dummy load dropped from a C-130. The second grab was a new drone weighing about 6000 lbs which we successfully grabbed at 6000 feet.

 

Courtesy of Stan Nelson




GORKY' GRABBERS "E-85" INDICATES SAC COMBAT CREW QUALFIEDSAC

CH-3 MARS CREW (CREW  AC, LT. COL HARLAN GORKOSKY, MAJOR STAN STAMPS CP AND WES COSSIBOOM,

JOHN DORGAN FE's) 

Courtesy of John Dorgan



Courtesy of http://ljmilitaria.com


UNIDENTIFIED PATCH


Suspect this may have been a P.J.

patch from the 37th or 40th ARRS.

If you can identify this patch please

let the webmaster know.


BELL HELICOPTER HOVER LOVER

304th ARRS

Courtesy of Felix McLarney



Det. 2, 37th ARRS, Ellsworth AFB

circa 1982-1986

un-offical Thunder Huey patch

Courtesy of Nottie Nottingham









            



"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~


"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY


~NEVER FORGOTTEN~