Scope and Contents
Two copies of book Flying Alligators and Silver Spurs: The Dangers, tragedies, and comradeship of the Vietnam War, in a helicopter pilot's own words by Charles W. Oualline. This book chronicles Oualline's service in Vietnam from July 1966 through July 1967 with the 119th Aviation Company and November 1967 through November 1968 with the 17th Air Cavalry.
Biographical / Historical
Charles E. Oualline was sent to the Republic of Vietnam in the summer of 1965, after completing Army flight school at Fort Rucker, with primary training occurring at Ft. Wolters, Texas. In July 1965, Oualline was assigned to the 119th Aviation Company in Pleiku, which was assigned to the 52nd Combat Aviation Battalion. At Camp Holloway Oualline flew UH-1B helicopters. In July of 1966, Oualline rotated back to the United States and assigned to the 17th Air Cavalry, where he learned to fly the OH-6A. The 17th Air Cavalry was deployed to Vietnam in October 1967, arriving in Vietnam in early November. While on his second deployment Oualline participated in a number of different missions including dust off, medevac, and hunter-killer tactics utilizing a number of different helicopters including UH-1 (variety of models) AH-1 and the OH-6A.
