Pros / Cons, and opinions on Re-enactors

[RickH]

I've seen a few reenactors who might have questionable motives, pushing themselves off as something they're not. But overall most are nice guys who have a genuine interest in the deeds and equipment of the guys who were there. They also have a deep seated desire to bring the history of those folks to those who may have either been to young or unborn at the time.

This weekend the Collings Foundation did an annual Homes For Our Troops event in Houston. This is the 3rd time we've participated. In addition to Huey experience flights we also participate in a Viet Nam reenactment. The main event is a sporting clays shoot with about 200 teams of 5 competing. In addition to the shooters there are cooking teams of all kinds present, wounded warriors, family, and many volunteers from all walks of life. It is estimated that 10,000 folks were present yesterday. The ground troop contingent is the 6th Cavalry Association who sets up a bivouac area and brings restored military vehicles. The three biggest this weekend was a Viet Nam era Deuce and a half gun truck, an APC, and a self propelled 105. ( I think ).

Quite a few of the guys are ex military. They've poured thousands into the hobby to get it right !

We flew 2 sticks of troops in to the LZ and the bad guys stayed in a treeline. The armored vehicles moved in to cover the reaction force and the Huey made gun runs. At the end the Huey dropped in and picked up a couple of the troops as well as the downed airman. This was all done in a very professional and safe way, using proper egress techniques from the helicopter. They guys have flown with us before but helicopter entry and exit was practiced prior to the reenactment.

Everyone who watched the event seemed to enjoy it, this included active military who were in attendance, this also included the wounded vets who were in attendance .















The Huey was being flown by two Viet Nam era pilots, one a Cobra/Apache pilot, and the other a slick driver with two DFCs. They seemed to appreciate what the 6th Cav reenactors do and I saw NO animosity on their part, whatsoever ! They enjoyed working with those guys !

That's good enough for me !

[Robbie Roberts]

Awesome Event! Great Pics! Neat to see one of the convoy gun deuces...

BTW- Who was the Vietnam Cobra/Apache Scout pilot? Do you know "who"(unit) he flew with in VN?

Scott

[RickH]

The Cobra/Apache pilot is Mike Wilson, he retired from the Army unit at Ellington as a Warrant 4. Don't know what unit he flew with during Viet Nam. The unit at Ellington flew, Huey's, OH-58s, Chinooks, Cobras, and still has Apaches, they also had a couple of UH-60s at one time. I believe Mike flew all of them at one time or another. He's been flying EC135s and now EC145s for Hermann Hospital Life Flight since he retired from the Army. He flew Congressman Giffords from Hobby Airport to Hermann Hospital when she got to Houston, the other day.

[cco23i]

OUTSTANDING SHOTS!! As I KEEP SAYING, there are more vets reenacting now than when I started in 1980! We are not "wanna be's" BUT "have dones" and trying to keep history and traditions ALIVE.

Scott

[Robbie Roberts]

OUTSTANDING SHOTS!! As I KEEP SAYING, there are more vets reenacting now than when I started in 1980! We are not "wanna be's" BUT "have dones" and trying to keep history and traditions ALIVE.

Scott

What he said...

[the330thbg]

OUTSTANDING SHOTS!! As I KEEP SAYING, there are more vets reenacting now than when I started in 1980! We are not "wanna be's" BUT "have dones" and trying to keep history and traditions ALIVE.

Scott

What he said...

Awesome looking Huey

[RickH]

Thanks, what you're looking at is an authentic Marine VMO-6 UH-1E. The markings are authentic to her look in 1967. Their tail code was WB but we can not find any photographic proof that the WB was applied during that time frame. After action reports tie BuNo 153762 to the # 7 ship number. The after action reports identify her as WB-7, her sistership Whiskey Bravo 15 hangs in the Marine Museum at Quantico. WB-15 is the aircraft flown by Capt Stephen Pless duriing mission that has come to be known as the Medal of Honor mission. Pless was the only Marine helicopter pilot to receive the MOH in Viet Nam. Shortly after the medal mission, when no one knew it would become the "medal " mission, WB-7 and WB-15 flew a mission with WB-7 as lead. Later reports show her doing gunship missions and Medivacs during the Tet Offensive. BuNo 153762 also served with VMO-2, HML 367 and 167. She left VietNam with HML 167 and stayed with them in Okinawa. She continued to carry her guns and rocket pods until she left Korea.

This Huey is one of two in the country that has an FAA exemption ride letter. This allows us to fly experience flights with the Huey. We did 21 exemption flights yesterday, giving 146 people a glimpse of what it was like to fly in a Huey in 1967. We also flew one ride flight with 7 Wounded Warriors, one a leg amputee was the only Marine in the group, the other guys gave him the front seat. They were briefed on the history of this particular aircraft and of Pless's actions. They were all smiles and thumbs up after the flight. As I 've said before this little Huey has touched many people since we've been flying her around . With the new addition of a T53-L13 engine and low time main rotor blades she now performs like a new aircraft !

[cco23i]

NOW THIS is the reason many of us do this! We do it for the vets and also thier families so they too can see the uniforms and equipment their relatives used and wore.

Scott

[whistlingdeath77]

Scoff if you like but I, for one, don't care. I'm gonna' do it anyway, thank you.

Mudge the outta' here

Land of the free because of the brave (soldiers not re-enACTORS)

why so angry? Why don't you remove the b-29 scheme from your profile? After all you didn't fly it during ww2 or made a combat bombing mission in one , so aren't you just playing a part in a hobby too?

[muddyboots]

[TonyM]

Personally, I think if you are young enough to look appropriate in uniform you should be IN uniform instead of playing army man. If you are too old to look age appropriate, then you should quit play acting and accept you're an old fart and quit trying to be 18 again. I like seeing photos of guys who look age appropriate in uniform, but honestly there's something creepy about it. I hope to god I never see dudes reeacting my era although I suppose somebody will eventually decide to do it. No offense guys, you can do what you want, it's a free country. But please don't think wearing an era appropriate uniform means you know what wearing that uniform really means unless you have served. The only people I judge able to tell me what WWII was like are men who fought it, not some 20 year old playing Saving Priivate Ryan. Sorry if I've offended anybody. Just my opinion.

So what you're saying is, if you're not in your late teens to mid-twenties, don't bother? Sorry, Muddy, but I totally disagree. Not because I do it but because I think it's thoroughly enjoyed by those "civilians" who are in attendance.
We (Mrs. Mudge and I) are constantly being asked to pose for pictures with "civilians", by ourselves and by other reenactors. (It could also be because we're a handsome couple. ) I'd be willing to bet that, at least 40-50 pictures were taken at MAAM last year and in '09.

Mudge the photogenic

Who wouldn't want a picture of these two?

Wow you guys look good! Maybe you should be a general instead.

TonyM.

[cco23i]

Scoff if you like but I, for one, don't care. I'm gonna' do it anyway, thank you.

Mudge the outta' here

Land of the free because of the brave (soldiers not re-enACTORS)

why so angry? Why don't you remove the b-29 scheme from your profile? After all you didn't fly it during ww2 or made a combat bombing mission in one , so aren't you just playing a part in a hobby too?

Things like this makes me think I speak a foreign language. Do you not understand that YES we are portraying a person or group and YES many of us DID SERVE AND CONTINUE TO SERVE. As I HAVE worked airplanes INCLUDING the ones we reenact on then why should I quit reenacting for YOU if the WW2 vets are EXTREMELY HAPPY that we are portraying ground crew and show the public OUR HISTORY. As you keep asking why don't "people serve instead of reenacting", my question is how long were YOU in for? AND what did YOU do in the military? O.K as I am pissed I will close.

Scott

[cco23i]

Repost

Last edited by cco23i on Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[the330thbg]

Mudge the photogenic

Who wouldn't want a picture of these two?

Mr and Mrs. Mudge.., were either of you ever in the military? Maybe the people taking a photo of you assume you served and are just wearing your old uniforms. Like the WWIIers who march in parades. I bet if people found out that some of those old veterans were not veterans but were wearing a 'costume' they would not be as receptive. Matter of fact.., I bet they would be down right ticked off.

That you two are adorable veterans. That is obvious!

Last edited by the330thbg on Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[the330thbg]

Things like this makes me think I speak a foreign language. Do you not understand that YES we are portraying a person or group and YES many of us DID SERVE AND CONTINUE TO SERVE. As I HAVE worked airplanes INCLUDING the ones we reenact on then why should I quit reenacting for YOU if the WW2 vets are EXTREMELY HAPPY that we are portraying ground crew and show the public OUR HISTORY. As you keep asking why don't "people serve instead of reenacting", my question is how long were YOU in for? AND what did YOU do in the military? O.K as I am pissed I will close.

Scott

As I said all along 'pi$$y boy', I like the uniforms in context around the aircraft. I think it is awesome. I think the people that dress up on the weekends in uniforms they never could qualify to wear in the first place and run around and yell 'pow' at each other is frightening and pathetic. Ones that put on plastic ears and ray guns.., even more so.

I have just as much right to say these people are freaks as you do to say that I am for not subscribing to their lifestyle. This is a "con" to reenacting. Some people don't buy it. So what? It is a free country. Do as you wish. Again., to have a pilot and or ground crew dressed up on display around their vintage (period style) aircraft or armour is awesome and I 'get' it.

Chasing each other around and play shooting is ridiculous. I hated it when I did it back in the early 90's with the MILS at Ft. Leonard Wood. It was 'silly'. I got it. It was training. But silly non the less.

You are not going to change my mind. Move on please and post more photos of the Huey or Bird Dog.