1956-61: Reporting into the 337th Fighter Group, at Portland AFB OR, I learned I was the only helicopter pilot - but they had no helicopters (we got 1 in May 1957).

MEMORABLE MOMENTS: Appointed Base Operations Officer immediately. They were desperate! This lasted for a year and then I was Asst. Base Ops Officer for 3 years until we started the LBR program. A really great NCO "protected my 6' o’clock". In my spare time I checked out in the C-47, C-45, L-20, U3A and SH-19B. I transition to the H-43B about a year before I left Portland. Ah the good old days when you could fly both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

1961-62: Det 4, 36 ARRSq, Osan AB, Korea - back to the SH-19B. MEMORABLE MOMENTS: Several flights to Panmuhjom (truce talks site) and many night air-evac missions, including one 85 miles out to sea at 1:00 A.M. I never knew it could be so dark.

1962-65: Det 14, WARRC, Nellis AFB, NV - back to the HH-43B. Even with 200 hours in the 43 ARS would not recognize my previous checkout; I was off the Stead AFB to "qualify"—again. MEMORABLE MOMENTS: Several flights into the bottom of the Grand Canyon, almost got into Area 51 several times and a "long rod" (remember them?) incident. Improperly installed and not detected. Sounded like a shotgun going off when the blades decided to "intermingle". A lot of damage, but we rebuilt it.

Photos provided by:
LtCol. Tom Fallows, Retired

Thomas E. Fallows

Thomas (Tom) E. Fallows: Grew up in beautiful downtown Burbank, California.

1950-54: A strong "B" student (thanks to study hall and PE), I attended Occidental College in Southern California - on a 4 year football scholarship. Somehow I managed to graduate in 4 years with a degree in elementary education. I took a few graduate courses and served one season as the assistant freshman football coach. It was a great experience.

1954-56: I taught 6th grade elementary school before entering the service. After boot camp, flight training at Malden, MO and then Vance AFB, OK then helicopter school at Randolph AFB TX. Upon graduation, the school CC said what a lucky guy I was, going to a base that had 1 chopper and I would be its only pilot for sometime. Well, he was half right.

1965: Det 5, 38th ARRSq, Udorn AB, Thailand. MEMORABLE MOMENTS: Spending most of the time conducting SAR OPS in Northern Laos and North Viet Nam, and many times having that 150 gallon fuel bladder in the cabin to extend our range. We operated out of Air America Lima Sites in N. Laos.

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