I entered this unit while it was at the Camp Pendleton Air Strip in California around July 1st, 1965. I and another Marine, Pvt Cloie Parsons, had been together since Parris Island and Camp Geiger, North Carolina. Both had gone home after training, and now our duty to the country called. We were ready to start our jobs in the Marine Corps and was reporting into our first assignment. That was VMO-6! Our orders called for each of us to report to El Toro, California. The first problem in our new job was a major one, even before we checked in. VMO-6 was not at MCAF ElToro, California.
Not to worry, our squadron, VMO-6, had a slick taxi. And one was close by, right then. The driver was none other than LtCol Robert J. Zitnik, the Commanding Officer of VMO-6. Alone, he swooped down out of the sky like a hawk, slowed and made his way in a hovering taxi to where we were, landed, picked us up, gently turned the UH1-E helicopter and made his way slowly back to the flight pattern and slowly began to move forward, picking up speed, climbing higher and higher.
My first duty station and I had the commanding officer have to pick me up and transport me from one place my orders said to go to, to the right place. I quickly learned my unit was a helicopter unit. I also learned it was nice to fly in smaller aircraft too, enjoying my ride with my Commanding Officer at the control helms. I would learn all about this kind of helicopter, this unit, and some of the Marines within the unit in time. I was with VMO-6 for about six weeks and then learned we would be moving, the whole squadron, out of America. We all knew where we would be generally going..........South Vietnam. And that is where we went.
Best Moment Joined the squadron after being involved in a serious car accident. Hdqts USMC changed my orders to VMO-6 to allow me to be near my wife who was in the Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton. Eventually my wife was able to be released from the hospital, I got her and my kids back and we were a family again.
Worst Moment Was supposed to go to Avionics "B" School but was deverted to VMO-6 because of bad auto accident. Wife was seriously hurt and medivaced to the Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital. The Squadron treated me great. They helped me and took care of their own. VMO-6 had to deploy to Vietnam but left me behind because my wife was still in the hospital and I had only been back from Japan less than 8 months.
Other Memories VMO-6 was in the process of deactivating the HOK helicopter and accepting new UH-1E helicopters. Prior to VMO-6 deploying to Vietnam, we had to install wiring for guns and rockets. Worked around the clock. After VMO-6 deployed to Vietnam, I was left to start up a new Sub Unit 1 Squadron, attached to MWSG=37 MCAS El Toro, CA. Having previous experience in Administration, I became the acting Admin Chief.
