Flying Combat Missions In The Mekong Delta With The 191st Assault Helicopter Company

Doug Roller was born in 1949 and grew up in California, Arkansas, Kansas, and Alaska. After his parents separated, Doug moved with his mother and stepfather to Alaska. Eventually, his stepfather ran a business 50 miles outside of Anchorage that included a café / restaurant, gas station, liquor store, and bar. Doug’s interest in becoming a helicopter pilot was sparked in Alaska after seeing a pilot land his helicopter to have lunch in the family restaurant. Inspired by an Army “Be All You Can Be” poster, he enlisted in October 1968 with the goal of flying helicopters. Following basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, he started flight school at Ft. Wolters, Texas, and then Ft. Rucker, Alabama, as part of the warrant officer candidate program. He describes the challenges of learning to fly, including a harrowing first solo landing that required the fire department to be on alert. Doug deployed to Vietnam on April 29, 1970, and was assigned to the 191st Assault Helicopter Company in the Mekong Delta (IV Corps) (he requested the Delta). He flew D-model and H-model Huey helicopters, primarily on assault and resupply missions. He describes several vivid memories of his time flying in Vietnam. His first combat assault was a particularly intense mission into Cambodia where his unit faced heavy enemy fire from .50 caliber and .30 caliber machine guns. He recalls “tracers everywhere” and lots of holes in his Huey, noting they did not fly for two days after. He experienced a particularly hard landing during a resupply mission to the same area in Cambodia where his Huey crashed into a pond. He recounts flying long hours (up to 14 in one day), navigating by landmarks, and the camaraderie and dangers of daily operations. After returning from Vietnam, he spent three and a half years flying Hueys at Ft. Richardson, Alaska, followed by three and a half years at Ft. Rucker, where he served as an instrument instructor pilot. He deployed to Korea for one year and flew medevac missions in Hueys, including patrols in the buffer zone near the DMZ (the axe murder incident was two years before, but everyone was aware of it). Five years in Germany followed, where he continued with medevac missions and was among the first in his unit to transition to flying Blackhawks. He served as an instructor for incoming pilots. His final assignment was at Ft. Lewis, Washington, where he retired in 1990 as a Chief Warrant Officer 4. After leaving the Army, he spent time renovating his house and playing in a band with other former Army personnel. He reflects proudly on his service, stating it was a transformative experience that “changed my life much for the better.”