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There has been very little written about the flight mechanics employed with Air America. The military called them crew chiefs, combat air crewmen, or load masters. With Air America they were in fact a master of many trades. The "Kickers" with Air America, who manned the big birds, were renowned for their ability in several areas. This included loading the aircraft correctly according to the center of gravity, push the cargo out during air drops to land on a precise spot, act as crowd control officials while loading refugees and a host of other activities involving loading, unloading and passenger management. But the kickers on the big birds usually went home at night.

Air America's helicopter flight mechanics performed many of the same duties as the big bird "kicker's", but stayed up country with their aircraft. Very often after a full days work a flight mechanic's job was just beginning. While the pilot went to his quarters to take a hot bath, eat a hot meal and relax, the flight mechanic was performing scheduled or unscheduled, maintenance on his aircraft. Usually this work was conducted in poor lighting and primitive conditions. The incentive to do a good job was obvious; he had to fly in that aircraft the next day.

Very often you heard about the plight of the pilot, but how many people remember the flight mechanic: Harvey Potter and his co-pilot died as a result of injuries received in a crash near L-54. Joe Gaculais was the flight mechanic. He survived but was terribly burned and it took several months of painful therapy before he was able to return for duty.

Willie Parker received excruciatingly painful burns on his hand from an accident in an H-34. Many years and many operations later he still lives with pain. When Bill Foster was hit with an enemy mortar, or RPG, he received substantial injuries. There were two flight mechanics on board. It was a line training flight and Ernesto Cruz was killed. Few people remember the other flight mechanic. His name was Reggie Boston. Until recently Reggie didn't know the Association existed. Reggie received third degree burns over 42% of his body. He lost an arm and an eye.

There were others. Pat McCarthy died with Bill Fraser in a Bell. Montano Centeno died with Jerry Booth in a H-34. The H-34 was well known for its magnesium body and high-octane aviation fuel. It caught fire easily and burned furiously. Flight Mechanic Fred Alor died from a blade strike while fleeing the aircraft after it suffered a hard landing and collapsed the landing gear. It was speculated that Fred was so afraid of fire that he failed to wait until the blades had stopped.

Lowell Pirkle was also a flight mechanic. He died performing a service for his country. The ceremony at Arlington was a solemn affair. The precision those who performed as pall bearers, the three gun salute and the sounding of taps, had a sobering effect. You were literally surrounded with history, tradition and honor; you could feel it. Memories of my helicopter flying days with Air America and the flight mechanics I served with flooded my mind. I feel that the honor bestowed to Lowell Pirkle was also bestowed on all the others who died or were wounded. But the honor also goes to those who survived apparently unscathed. No one was closer to the wounded, the dying, the wretched and the poor than the flight mechanic. They saw it; they smelled it and they felt it. There was no way they escaped unscathed+even though the scars were not always visible.

Most of Air America's flight mechanics went on to lead very fruitful lives despite, or perhaps because, of their injuries and experiences. Reggie Boston is a GS-11 with the US government. Willie Parker is a senior planning analyst with United AirLines Maintenance Department. He logged some 5000 hours the C-5 as a flight engineer in the USAF reserves and was recalled for a year of active duty during Desert Storm. Gary Gentz is a senior area manger with Rolls-Royce Allison. Hal Augustine has been with Rolls Royce for 13 years and is a senior field service Tech. Rep. Bill Long is now with DynCorp at Fort Rucker as General Foreman Aircraft Maintenance. His son just graduated from a very good university and is now an Ensign with the US Navy. These are just few of the success stories about Air America's flight mechanics. It is apparent that Air America had some very talented people and the flight mechanics were among the best.