174th A ssault
Helicopter Company


DOLPHINS & SHARKS


Page 1 (of 3)
Photo Pages of:

SP4 Sam Davis
"Dolphin 016"

Dolphin Door Gunner/CE
June 1967- June 1968

[ Assistant Webmaster note: Sam has been very interactive with 174th AHC Association since 10/2000. Sam has an excellent memory of his tour. Please mail Sam anytime (But, you don't want to debate politics with him!) at sdavis016@yahoo.com and/or me at twarrenh@alltel.net ]



February 1967. Six weeks of Basic Training, Ft. Campbell, KY. (I'm second row from top and third from right).






Another photo from Basic. Me left and Larry Shelton right



Allen Weamer at home 1967, before our ‘Nam vacation. My friend. He was my hootchmate and door gunner in the 174th AHC. KIA 6/13/68 with entire crew (Dolphin #66-01016) in a mid air collision with an O2 scout "fixed wing". I still miss you today, Allen.

#016 was my aircraft. I was sitting in between the 1st and 2nd Platoon hootches at Duc Pho when I heard it. At first I thought it would be engine failure and then I heard specifics. Such a tragedy...So young. He was one that I really considered a very close Friend. The whole Platoon was close, but me and him were real close. I speak to his Mom periodically, even today.


Great photo of Allen in our 2nd Platoon Hootch. (Photos courtesy of Dorothy Weamer)




Me leaving Atlanta Airport 6/25/67 for Vietnam





Arriving at Ft. Lewis, Wash. temporarily before Vietnam 6/67.




Cam Ranh Bay. Hello Vietnam!



First assignment- pit bunkers (Richards left and Romero Right).



Same fun. L-R: Bowers, Richards, Romero and Me (the hulk)



B&W close-up of our pieces of construction. When it rained (these were low ground of course), they would flood. A soldier could near die in there from heat/humidity and suffocation...but not by enemy mortars. I can only ID the guy in the white sleeveless t-shirt. That's my buddy Simone from Hawaii.



Dennis Pelliccia on right. "Let me get this straight. You want me to take those bags and fill them with what? A put them where?"



When I first got to Duc Pho, I got a view of several very disturbing images. This photo is one of the first. I'm posing in a Shark gunship which is peppered with small arms fire (note the white holes). Also alarming was the fact that all it's fuel seems to be on the ground below it. Should I have been so worried? Note my red socks...proud of the colors of the 2nd Flight Platoon.



“None Better” Anybody remember this Dolphin slick?



At the bunker construction. L-R: Bowers, Richards, Romero and Beardsly(sp?)



“Where’s the M60 on this bird?” Me on a forklift at Duc Pho. Notice left arm bandage. I wore a Seiko watch with wrist bracelet. However, I touched it to the polls on a helicopter battery. The charge welded the watch into one piece and it had to be cut off my wrist....errr...my wrist was cut off the bracelet.



Me and Romero taking a break.



“Red Baron” and “Snoopy”. Bailey (I believe) on left and the other is White. Besides camaraderie, we had great humor.



L-R: Unknown (a Tech Inspector I think), Daily, Bailey and me in our hootch



"Shark Crew Chief on adrenaline rush"



Khe Sanh siege Tet 1968. Enemy is walking mortar rounds to the C123. I held myself up on the roof to get this photo. Why the hell would I wanna do that?



Khe Sanh siege 1968. Dolphin #621 in background. Wally Nunn and Frank Dailey on either side of the ship. “Let’s get the hell outta here! Those are real mortars/rockets incoming!"



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