Texas Tech University

James M. Donohoe, Jr. Collection (3284) Finding Aid

Collection Item Number: 32840000000
Collection
James M. Donohoe, Jr. Collection
Association
Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA)
Title
Finding Aid
Finding Aid Author
Isabelle Smola
Finding Aid Date
2024-01-12
Linear Feet
0.25
Pages
1
Language(s)
English
Dates
Creation: Majority of material found within 1968 - 1970
Scope and Contents
Less than half of a linear foot of materials documenting James Donohoe's U.S. Army service as a helicopter pilot with B Troop 7th Squadron 17th Cavalry in Vietnam. The materials include clippings; postcards; website printouts; photographs; military orders (including court martial); award citations; flight records; moving images; and slides. The materials are dated 1968-1970 and 2015.
Biographical / Historical
James M. Donohoe, Jr. was born in 1943 in Nashville, Tennessee. He was drafted in 1966 and served in the army for 29 years including one year in Southeast Asia. During his Vietnam service (1969-1970) Donohoe was a Captain assigned to B Troop 7th Squadron 17th Cavalry, and in 1970 was with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT) for the 7/17th Cavalry, serving as a combat engineer unit leader (MOS 1331) and as Rotary Wing Aviator, Aero-rifle Platoon Commander, Executive Officer, and Operations Officer (MOA 1981). In Vietnam he was at Camp Enari and Camp Holloway in Pleiku; Ban Me Thuot, Dalat, Duc Lap, and Lane Army Heliport/Airfield in the Central Highlands; and Phan Rang.

From 1970-1972, Donohoe was based in Hawaii with the Directorate of Engineering. He was with the National Guard in Florida from 1979-1995. In 1991, Donohoe was assigned to 199th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) for the XVIII Airborne Corps.

During his Army career his other service bases were Fort Belvoir (Virginia), Fort Rucker (Alabama), Fort Carson (Colorado), Schofield Barracks (Hawaii), Craig Field (Jax, Florida), Fort Bragg (North Carolina), and Fort Stewart (Georgia). Throughout his service in Southeast Asia Donohoe held the rank of Captain. He was awarded various awards including Bronze Stars (2) and Air Medals (12). Donohoe was discharged in 1967 (Private Second Class), 1972 (Captain), and 1991 (Chief Warrant Officer 3). He retired in 1995 as a Chief Warrant Officer 4.

After his military service Donohoe worked in the broadcast and insurance industries before becoming a lawyer and practicing law. He became a member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) and the Military Officer Association of America.
291
Photographs
Street scenes; local civilians (including children); shops; musical performances; officers clubs (1/10 Cavalry, 7/17 Cavalry); Pleiku; base scenes; soldiers' quarters; aerial views; Mang Yang Pass; Camp Enari; Camp Halloway; helicopters and other aircraft (taking off, in formation, transporting equipment, damaged, Chinook, Huey, LOH, Cobra, Caribou, C-130, O-1 Bird Dog, U-1A Otter, C-47, C-123, OV-1); landscapes; churches; temples; An Khe; James Donohoe and fellow soldiers (taking photographs); leper colony; wildlife; Montagnards; Ban Don Special Forces camp; Ban Me Thuot; residences; 155th Aviation Company; airfields; Dragon Mountain; rice paddies; Qui Nhon; An Son; Saigon River; ships (including damage); sampans; Wake Island; Saigon; Cam Ly; Dalat; Phan Rang AFB; dog mascot; scout dogs; Dak To; beaches; coastlines; South China Sea; villages; Pacific Hotel; Vung Tau; Cam Ranh Bay (R&R Center); LZ English; Camp Schmidt; Kontum; VNAF; ARVN; Firebase Blackhawk; Long Binh; nose art; b&w, color; 3.5 x 3.5 inches, 3.5 x 5 inches; Ban Me Thuot; markets; Mang Yang Pass; aerial views; Vung Tau; street scenes; ARVN soldiers; Viet Cong; military vehicles; Vietnamese civilians (including children); Saigon; Pleiku; Montagnards; wildlife; helicopters (including damage); b&w, color; 3.5 x 3.5 inches, 3.5 x 5 inches
Click to view all Photographs
235
Slides
Zuc My Pass; Dalat; Cam Ly; captured weapons; Dalat University; helicopters and other aircraft (including damage; C Model gunship; Air America Turbo C45, DC-3; Caribou; Bird Dog; LOH; C-123; Chinook; Huey; Jolly Green Giant; Mohawk; Cobra; OH-58, UH-1H, CH-54A); lakes; rivers; churches; mountains; boats; rice paddies; Phan Rang AFB; farmland; temples; hootches; officers clubs; 7/17 Cavalry; Bu Prang; Montagnards; Nhon Co; residences; Ban Me Thout; Tan Son Nhut; street scenes; LZ Blackhawk; Cam Ranh Bay; Camp Holloway; Ming Vang Pass; Dak To; beaches; Vung Tau; LZ Hard Times; ARVN; Duc Co; villages; Pleiku; shops; local civilians (including children); prostitutes; Nha Trang Harbor; Qui Nhon; Ninh Hoa; South China Sea; II Corps; province chiefs; Camp Enari; Hensel AAF; Dragon Mountain; James Donohoe and fellow soldiers; scout dog with handler; An Khe
Click to view all Slides
7
Moving Images
3284VI4403 - Super 8mm - Kontum (before Dak Seang)

3284VI4404 - Super 8mm - Nha Trang, Coast, RR, Harbor, Pleiku, Downtown, Temple

3284VI4405 - Super 8mm - An Khe Golf Course, O23, Chief Lt. Gaynn

3284VI4406 - 8mm - Invasion of Cambodia (Holloway Staging Area)

3284VI4407 - 8mm - Saigon to Long Binh, Mang Yang Pass, An Khe Golf Course, South China Sea

3284VI4408 - 8mm - Wounded (71st Evac), Parade Marchers (C Troop, Holloway)

3284VI4409 - 8mm - South China Sea, An Khe Golf Course, Pleiku (Whorehouses)
Click to view all Moving Images
1
Electronic Media
3284EM1495 - CD - Jay Donohoe Captions For Slides
Click to view all Electronic Media
  • Box 1: [Barcode: 1] [TTU - Southwest Collections Building, [VHPA Individual Collections D048.7 ]]
  • Box 1
  • Folder 1
  • Flight Records Re: Training, Flight Status (1969; 1970)
  • Folder 2
  • Military Orders; Website Printouts; Post Cards; Clippings; Ephemera (1968-1971; 1977; 2004; 2015)
  • Magazine Clipping Re: Army Aviation Hall of Fame (2015)
  • Post Cards Re: UH-1 Huey, Cobras, OH-23, Fort Wolters (No Date)
  • Website Printouts Re: Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (2004)
  • Clipping Re: Armor Unit Awards (1972)
Perma Link
https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/virtualarchive/items.php?item=32840000000
Citation
James M. Donohoe, Jr. Collection (3284) Finding Aid, James M. Donohoe, Jr. Collection, Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive, Texas Tech University, https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/virtualarchive/items.php?item=32840000000, Accessed 09 May 2026.
Pub Credit Line
32840000000, James M. Donohoe, Jr. Collection, Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive, Texas Tech University
Added: 12 Jan 2024 [Updated: 04 May 2026]

Vietnam Center & Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive

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