LtCol R. Romine

One Great Vietnam & Korea Pilot. PM

LCOL Chuck House, CO HMM-163 A Shau Mission

HOUSE, CHARLES ALNE
Navy Cross Recipient and one of the finest Marine Officers I ever knew.

Citation:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Charles Alne House (0-26690), Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE (HMM-163), Marine Aircraft Group SIXTEEN, First Marine Aircraft Wing, in action in the Republic of Vietnam on 9 and 10 March 1966. Colonel House's helicopter was disabled by intense enemy fire in the landing zone at A Shau, where the garrison had been under siege for several days. After ensuring that all personnel had abandoned the aircraft, Colonel House immediately rallied his crew members and joined a group of seventy exhausted survivors of the garrison. With inspiring leadership and dogged determination, he skillfully led the group into the jungle to escape capture. Chopping a trail through the dense underbrush, he moved into the hills which surrounded the outpost, cleverly maneuvering between hostile positions and successfully evading enemy search patrols. Although the group was subjected to harassing fire throughout the march, Colonel House managed to overcome the language barrier and instill in the Vietnamese a sense of confidence and encouragement which sustained them through the ordeal. With constant concern for the welfare of the survivors, many of whom were wounded, he halted the march several times to allow them to rest, stalwartly standing watch while others slept. When helicopters were sighted and signaled on the following afternoon, Colonel House's brilliant leadership motivated all who were able to help clear a position from which the rescue was subsequently effected. His valiant effort and determination throughout contributed in large measure to saving the members of his crew and many Special Forces and Vietnamese defenders from capture or death at the hands of the Viet Cong. By his intrepid fighting spirit, extraordinary ability as a leader, and unswerving dedication to duty, Colonel House upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals
Home Town: West Plains, Missouri

Read more about House and the A Shau mission in "The Cat From Hue" a book by John Laurence, CBS newsman who was there.

Ooh Rah!

Both Great leaders in their own right, I served with Romine in HMM-165 and he was truly a "lead by example" C.O. May have been his enlisted experience, or his examples there, such as our own Paul Moore, who had the fledgling Squadron Commander under his tutledge for a time, way back when. Right Paul??

PFC Richard Romine 1947/1950

Joe he was a squared away PFC back in AES-41 Cherry Pt ( have posted the group photo of that unit back some time ago). He was in my duty section when I was a Staff Sgt at that time. He rode with me back to Ohio on my weekend sweeps. I met his family & they notified me of his passing years back They gave me copies of his original recommendations which was for the CGM. He is burried at the Pensacola Cemetary. He was a very bright young Marine & I encouraged him to apply for NAVCAD as his enlistment was ending & he was probably going to get out. He was a decorated Korean era pilot also. It is the knowledge that in some small way I contributed to these outstanding young Marines that is a great satifaction looking back over those years! Semper Fidelis ,Marine Keep those gates well guarded! PM (AES-41 Group photo under "Helicopter Crash Korea, Post")

Vt-2

Ray Norton;21608 wrote: Capt Mike Acosta USMC has asked me to post the following. A CH46E pilot and "Academy" Grad, he is a veteran of two tours in Iraq, one afloat and one ashore. He participated in the battle of Fallujah, the evacuation of Beruit, and other missions. He is currently an instructor pilot at Navy Pensacola.

Ray,

Curious if you could help me with something. We are trying to research any famous alumni of our training squadron, VT-2, here at NAS Whiting Field. Could you post something on pop a smoke? Were looking for MOH recepients, DFCs, pioneers of aviation, anyone with good war stories, etc. Trying to name squadron rooms after Doerbird grads who have gone on to do great things.

Thanks.

Mike

Mike:

I was a student at VT-2 (T-28's of course) from July to October 1966. Send me an address and I'll send you a copy of my DFC citation.

jascho@verizon.net

"Crazy Joe" Scholle
HMM-363

Confirm VT-2 grads

Hello all. Thanks for the response so far about folks with DFCs/Navy Crosses, etc. Great, great stuff. While Romine and House's citations were impressive to say the least, I need to confirm (your word is fine with me) that these guys were in VT-2 as students/instructors. Any idea on dates when?

Unfortunately, CNATRA did not keep great records prior to 1987, so I have no way of knowing. Anyone know if Pless or Fairfield were in VT-2 as students?

On a sidenote, to clarify: I did not participate in the battle of Fallujah or the evac of Beirut, nor do I claim to be. I should have clarified better with Ray Norton. Sorry about that Ray.

Having made it thru VT-2 alive was a good enough feat for me...I used to peruse many of the local crash sites and see what components were still identifiable, many crash sites, not that many identifiable parts. Later on, @MCAS New River, there was a group of pilots that would identify crash sites in the local operating area (lotsa f4U's) and then go out and scrounge them on the weekend.

VT2 & 3 when I went thru, was a real "pilot mill" and perhaps more people got thru than should have, but many matured into their next assignments. My only "down" was from a coast guard instructor...go figure!

If I remembder right, even Gen McManus got a down or two in VT 2...

Hooper
(Still using the butt I kept as an award):)

McManus

Gen McManus might have been a Doerbird eh? Thanks for the lead, I'll follow up. Do you know anything about him? What he flew, what squadrons, etc?

No joy w/McManus

Need some help here. Been digging around trying to find a McManus, but no luck. Anyone got a full name, rank, citations, etc.?