Huey Therapy

[Ned]

I went to the Kickstart project, the bloke is for real and it was him. So, to make things a bit clearer on his behalf, here's my question and his response:

'Forgive the intrusion Bill, but did you post on the CPTSD Forum regarding the 'Flight to the Wall' documentary film?'

Bill Matson says:

'Yes, I did. I thought people should know that the copters helped a lot of vets through their own words. I'm trying to make it available through crowd funding cuz I don't know any other way. I was a combat medic in Nam 69-70, Americal 2/1 198th light Infantry. So I was Doc Matson. Guy Dull Knife was our guy who walked point. This is not only a tribute to the vets but a healing. Just what I saw and felt on the trip. I have shot some Native American stuff for the Lakota Natives who invited me into their lives and somebody who knew me asked me to fill in at the last minute. I jumped at the chance and don't regret it one bit.
I can't send anyone the film right now, but that doesn't make the therapy any less. The Wings & Rotors Museum is located at the French Valley Airport in Murrieta, California. They refurbish the Hueys in Show Low, Az. They got some that fly there. I'm sure there are other places across the nation but not very many. There should be more. The fact that they fly and you can smell the oil and copter, hear the whomp whomp of the blades, gives you the feeling that you did not leave everybody behind in Nam but it can be here too. It may sound crazy but I saw a lot of guys open up along the way.
If you need second opinions, there are guys on the Wings & Rotors flight crew that will tell you the same thing.
Bill'

So, there we are. I think. Angle's right though, have a word with Anthony, Bill.

 

[Zipperhead]

I have to agree with Angel. Nothing smells like a tank, and it puts a smile on my face to feel the rumble. Tankers don't tend to fly much, and I have more experience in a med evac than going in, so choppers really don't have that same warm and fuzzy for me. But the equipement itself was a tool to survive. My issues are not with equipement, but the realization that no matter how hard you try to help those less fortunate than you, hate will survive, and soldiers will die.

 

[Ned]

Good points Zip. Agreed, I like the look, feel, sound and smell of my old Landrover. Comfort zone. As is all the old armoury potions and stuff.
For me, it's just that the sound of a chopper turbine winding up was the dreaded 'Time to Go-o!'. Then we're back to the bad stuff.

 

[JarHed]

Always loved tanks. I always felt more secure when they were around. They didn't use them much in 'Nam, or at least where I was. I always loved calling them for a fire mission. They would shoot at anything, which was great. How can you not love them, lots of armor and a HUGE gun. :D

 

[Wagon]

I like tanks as well. However at 6'3'' I did not enjoy getting in and out of either the M1 or M2. Seems I hurt myself every time. How can you spend any amount of time in them without becoming disabled is beyond me. Used to load them on ships. The M1's were fun. Exhaust would burn your hair off if too close. When they turned around inside the ship everyone would scramble to avoid the piping hot gusts coming out of the back of it.

 

[reddevil1111]

Were you on a ro-ro or a gator wagon? The things you manage to learn about friends that you thought you knew....

 

[Wagon]

I sailed on a Tender and then a Battleship in the Navy. Later I sailed on Oilfield supply and Oceanographic research vessels. I was Port Captain for some private RoRo companies after College that had contracts with the military. They transport as much on civilian tonnage as possible because breaking out a grey ship is very expensive.

Worked on an Army base in Charleston, SC part of the time. Then we shifted the ship down to the civilian dock to load BMW's and Caterpillars. I saw allot of weird stuff at the Army base and was happy to leave for Europe after 911. They started to have 50 cal machine gun nests all over and would not let the labor onto the base......even though they were the guys who were going to load the tanks, hummers and missile launchers. I guess also being an ICBM base did not help security paranoia.

It was an alright job. Got to drive everything that was drivable. Forest Machines are awesome. Like something out of Star Wars.

 

[Ned]

Yep. Watched a Combat Engineer Tractor (CET) 'extract' a bogged-in generator wagon from a forest in Germany once.
About 3 minutes to raze 1/4 acre of mature forest, and pull the truck out. Made me feel a bit queasy.......

 

[Doc Matson]

As the guy who did the film, the reason it doesn't go viral is because I used some music and clips that I didn't own. The idea was always to buy the rights and that maybe after the festivals that money would be there. Didn't happen. I wanted to do it right and pay the folks who originated the music and clips.

I would agree that maybe flying in copter may not be cure for everybody but it helped me and others spoke into the camera and said it helped them. I'm sure they weren't just saying it for the camera, the emotion in their eyes and face was not something I could not dismiss. I suppose it falls into the category of why some guys go back to Nam on a visit to try to make themselves whole. But I would have thought that feeling better by riding in Huey would have been silly before I actually did it. So I kind of got turned around once I was up and in one. But to each his own. :)

 

[JarHed]

I suppose it falls into the category of why some guys go back to Nam on a visit to try to make themselves whole.

Hey Doc

I think that's a good and valid point. I think what ever you can do that helps you understand and come to terms with your experiences is a good thing. As always, I'm glad you found something that helped.

JarHed

 

[Ned]

Can't argue with that. Been back to a few places that had me haunted, and laid a few demons to rest. N.I. took more than one, unsurprisingly.