Raymond G. Caryl - Catkiller 3-2: An Army Pilot Flying for the Marines in the Vietnam War

CATKILLER 3-2

Map of Southeast Asia showing the four Corps Tactical Zones (CTZ). I Corps is bordered on the north by North Vietnam and on the west by Laos. Note location of the DMZ, Dong Ha, MMAF and Hue Phu Bai (220th company headquarters).

CATKILLER 3-2

An Army Pilot Flying for the Marines in the Vietnam War

RAYMOND G. CARYL

Naval Institute Press
Annapolis, Maryland

Naval Institute Press

291 Wood Road

Annapolis, MD 21402

2018 by Raymond Caryl

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

First Naval Institute Press paperback edition published in 2020.

ISBN: 978-1-68247-623-9 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-68247-353-5 (ebook)

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Caryl, Raymond G., author.

Title: Catkiller 3-2 : an Army pilot flying for the Marines in the Vietnam war / by Raymond Caryl.

Other titles: Memories of an Army birddog pilot flying for the Marines in Vietnam

Description: Annapolis, MD : Naval Institute Press, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018020780 (print) | LCCN 2018025409 (ebook) | ISBN 9781682473535 (epub) | ISBN 9781682473535 (mobi) | ISBN 9781682473535 (ePDF) | ISBN 9781682473528 (alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Caryl, Raymond G. | Vietnam War, 19611975Aerial operations, American. | Air pilots, MilitaryUnited StatesBiography. | United States. Army. Aviation Company, 220th. | Vietnam War, 19611975Reconnaissance operations, American. | Vietnam War, 19611975Regimental histories, American. | Vietnam War, 19611975Personal narratives, American. | Port Angeles (Wash.)Biography.

Classification: LCC DS558.8 (ebook) | LCC DS558.8 .C379 2018 (print) | DDC 959.704/348092 [B] dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018020780

Print editions meet the requirements of ANSI/NISO z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper). Printed in the United States of America.

28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First printing

This book is dedicated to every man who served as a Catkiller, whether on the ground or in the sky. To the Army, Navy, and Marine Aerial Observers who flew with us in those cramped, unprotected back seats, trusting us to bring them back safely from each mission, and to all of those awesome Marine Corps grunts for whom the Catkillers were the Eyes of I Corps.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the many individuals who helped make this project possible. Special thanks go to Thomas Wildenberg, for without his guidance, encouragement, and editing this material would have remained an accumulation of short stories. I would also like to thank Maj. Gen. Jerry Curry, USA (Ret.), Maj. Gen. Frank Libutti, USMC (Ret.), and Brig. Gen. Michael Seely, USA (Ret.), for reviewing a draft of this manuscript and giving generous words of encouragement. Thanks to Col. Eugene Wilson, USA (Ret.), for his tireless effort in researching and compiling the history of the Catkillers, which proved to be of immense help. Last, I would like to thank the following individuals who helped fill in many of the missing pieces of my story: Rob Whitlow, David OHare, Richard Johnson, Kenneth Trent, Charles Larry Deibert, Don Pepe, Don Ricks, John Pfeiffer, Dick Messer, Bob Ford, Jack Mayhew, and Ms. Laurel McDaniel.

TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS