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City 'Copter Pilot In VietnamDealtBulletsBeans, BodiesThree main missions are assigned to combat crews manning helicopters in South Vietnam, reports Capt. Robert G. Temte, a La Crosse native.“It’s ‘bullets, beans and ies,’ ” said the 2j-year-old pilot. The “bodies” mission involveshauling the living and the dead.“We carry into combat and lift out,” he added. During his one year in South Vietnam, Temte came through the ordeal without a scratch.Temte is the son of Mrs. William (Delphine) Johnson, 817 Main St., Onalaska, and Mr. Knute Temte, who died in 1947. For about four years during and after high school days, Temte was in the local National Guard engineers’ unit, including one year on extended active duty. He graduated from Central High School in 1958.1counted about 35 holes from a dozen missions flown in various helicopters.The cargo carried aboard helicopters varies from women and mm children, joining their Vietnamese husbands and fathers en-bgaged in battle, to rice, fish oil, vchickens, pigs and cattle.Once a crew carried a cow aboard. But the animal had not been properly secured and be-g gan to thrash about.This proved so hazardous to crew and aircraft that the animal had to be pushed alive from the helicopter to its death, 1,000 feet below.lt;7 ☆gtrtc11I8CAPT. ROBERT G. TEMTEIn January 1962, Temte enlisted in the Marine Corps’ aviation cadet program after two vears at La Crosse State University. In September 1963 he qualified as a pilot and was commissioned a second lieutenant.Pilot Temte’s crew was able to evacuate as many as 20 wounded men at a time. Assisting him as crew members were a co-pilot, gunner and crew chief. A 50 caliber machinegun was the main armament.In the midst of the evacuation,Also in South Vietnam is Tern- I te’s brother, Storekeeper 3.C. t James, 29, aboard the USS ^ Krishna, a repair ship based off i Saigon. James Temte has been i in the Navy for 10 years and ex- t pects to return to the United i States in June. iThe two brothers did not meet during their assignments.Captain Temte and his wife, '1 the former Miriam Menghini of i i Great Falls, Mont., left Tuesday lt;for Pensacola, Fla. Temte will 1He was sent to South Vietnam in February 1966.the enemy landed mortars into be assigned as a helicopter or the midst of the wounded. This fixed wing aircraft flight in-☆ -fr ☆The trip to South Vietnam, by boat, took three weeks, including stops in Hawaii and the Philippines. His helicopter unit,jation. the 164th, was based near Da Nang at Marble Mountain Air Base, along with four other airmade further evacuation by air structor for two years, impossible. Temte learned lat-i He is not sure if he will re-lt;er that trucks were sneaked into main as a regular officer. It : the area to complete the evacu- depends on how many moreA main hazard to helicopteryears the Vietnam war continues. he said.Mrs. Temte was employed asunits.crews, said Temte, is the noise a secretary by the Orange Coun-of the propellers which alerts ty, Calif., Medical Center whileTemte had 350 combat mis- enemy ground troops who fire her husband was in Vietnam, sions, earned the equivalent of on the choppers.The two met while Temte was18 Air Medals while flying about 500 hours.The 164th participated in Operation Hastings and Operation Prairie. Its main function wasThe Marine officer said the stationed near Santa Ana, Calif, crews aim to fly at about 3,000to re-supply soldiers of the Republic of Vietnam, the South Vietnam force.In one instance, 60 wounded men were to be evacuated. By the time helicopter crews got into the battle area, they found that 250 wounded soldiers had to be removed.feet, to escape the main force of bullets. However, adverse u eather for about six months of the year keeps the helicopters at lower levels.While the shots of enemy gunners can be heard amidst the noise of the helicopters, usually the enemy is not seen, Temte said. But when the aircraft lands, the holes are spotted.In his one-year tour TemteFlynn HonoredBy Speech GroupNorman Flynn, a teacher at Aquinas High School, was one of six educators who receivedthe Central States Speech Association’s top awards for 1967 as outstanding young teachers in the field of speech.Awards were presented at the
Newspaper Details
La Crosse Sunday Tribune
La Crosse, Wisconsin, US
Sun, Apr 16, 1967
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
TX, USA 14 Oct 2020
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