Engineer Memoirs
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I was greatly relieved when I landed, a half hour later, and had my arm twisted
back into my shoulder socket. But I have never forgotten the ride I had with "Wild
man Slavich.
My right shoulder and arm were taped up. It was close to the time when my year
was up, and since I was told it would take several days for me to recuperate, I
decided to go home by the Western route. I went to Thailand, then to Indonesia,
to India, and then to Pakistan. I wanted to go to Afghanistan to see some friends
there but couldn't fit it into my schedule. Instead I went to Lebanon, then to
Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and France. The trip took about 30 days but I had
a fascinating time, largely because I traveled with my new aide, Captain David
Young. Young was an outstanding officer, a West Point graduate, who later left
the Army in order to care for his dyslectic son. After he retired, he became a
successful stockbroker and entrepreneur.
Q ..
Did you consider your tour in Vietnam a success?
A ..
Yes. I think we brought several innovative ideas on nation-building to Vietnam.
But our biggest success was the work we did in demonstrating that the air mobility
concept was a good one for fighting a counterinsurgency war. I believe our studies
were the necessary link which led to the formation and deployment of the air
mobile divisions in Vietnam.
Q ..
Was Colonel Frank Clay very helpful to you?
A ..
Yes. Frank Clay was extremely helpful to me by supporting me and fighting for
my needs in the Pentagon. He established my office in ACSFOR, which was
headed up by General Ben Harrel. Harrel was very much in tandem with Harold
K. Johnson, who went from being deputy chief of staff for operations and plans
[DCSOPS] to become chief of staff of the Army. Johnson, like Wheeler, his
predecessor, was against the air mobility concept. However, Harrel had as his
deputy General Creighton Abrams. Although Abrams was an armor officer and not
keen on helicopters, he was an honest, fair, and objective officer. Besides, he was
on a first-name basis with Frank Clay. As a result, I was able to get support from
the Army despite the obstacles that the Army staff put in my way.
Q ..
Who put the biggest obstacles in your way?
General Harold K. Johnson. He was a rel atively junior officer when he was
A
selected to become the chief of staff, a major general who jumped over 250 officers
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