Donald Blossom

Lackland AFB TX Basic Training Oct 1966 - Nov 1966.

Sheppard AFB TX Basic Helo & H-3 advanced crs. Dec. 1966 - April 1967.  Class nick name "T. O." 

Danang AB RVN  37th ARRS 43130  Got Picked up at MAC terminal by a baby faced Duane Hackney May 1967.  Did gas, oil, windows on HH-3Es & anything else Msgt. Hoffman & Pappy wanted done.   One 'day trip' to Quang Tri was enough.  Maint crew chief during second half of tour. Caught a golden tail in May 1968.  Yes, I have the ribbon.

Tyndall AFB FL 43150  E-4, E-5  CH-21B June 1968 thru Dec 1969.  Drone recovery crew (HD), Flt line & heavy maint. crew, tire shop. 

Naha AB Okinawa Jan 1970 - May 1971  CH-19  Base Flight  maint crew, (HD)  Scrapped out both aircraft.

Clark AB RPI  May 1971 - March  1972   CH-19  Base Flight Crew Chief.  Scrapped out two more A/C, then attempted to introduce several CH-3E rejects from SEA into base flight operations. 

Patrick AFB FL ARRS Det. March 1972 - Aug 1973 43170C HH-53C maint. crew chief.  Separated as E-5 Aug. 1973.

Although my USAF enlisted time ended in 1973, From Oct. 1975 I was a Sikorsky Field Rep. until retiring in April 2006. (31 Years of field support for CH-53A, HH-53B, HH-53C, CH-53D, RH-53D, RH-53DIIN, HH-53H, CH-53E, MH-53E, & S-80M).   From 1980 -1984 I was with 1 SOW & the Pave Low spool up at Hurlburt AFB, FL. 

Owner & Aircraft Commander, 1977 R-172K 

"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~

"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY

~NEVER FORGOTTEN~