Pop a Smoke: Memoir of a Marine Helicopter Pilot in Vietnam

by Rick Gehweiler

By 1969, the Sikorski H-34 was an older helicopter with severe limitations for combat duty in Vietnam. For pilots like U.S. Marine Lieutenant Rick Gehweiler, the good news was it could still take significant damage and keep flying. His vivid memoir narrates his harrowing, at times deadly flight missions under fire, as experienced in the cockpit, along with anecdotes of tragedy and humor from his 13-month tour through Da Nang and Phu Bai.

182 pages, Paperback

Published May 30, 2022

Reviews

[Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated this book because of its honesty, its brevity and its message. Mr. Gehweiler tells us briefly about his life leading up to joining the Marines, his tour in Vietnam as a Marine H-34 helicopter pilot and the remainder of his active duty commitment. I could feel his emotions brought about by situations and circumstances during his tour. He follows up with an honest reflection of his post war challenges. I very much liked and appreciated his assessment of Vietnam, how we got there and should we have been there.

The book is 169 pages; well worth investing the small amount of time to read.

[Neal Reinhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, not a lot of fluff. His in the cockpit situations were told as if you were there. Life and death can be such a fine line. I will definitely read this again just to absorb the final discussions on this war.

[Tom Hanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former Ugly Angel myself (CH-53D, post-Vietnam War) and recent visitor to the former I Corps area of operations in Vietnam, I value Mr. Gehweiler's book as both squadron and Vietnam war history. (His year of service in Vietnam, 1969, was the most operationally active period of the USMC's in the war.) To read the author's stories and see the terrain such as, Hill 818, The Rockpile and the Razorback, is to understand how difficult and fraught the Marines, in general, and reciprocal engine - driven helo drivers, in particular, daily lives were in executing a mission that was ultimately impossible to reasonably accomplish. Mr. Gehweiler genuinely conveys the joy of flying, a task well-done, and squadron comradeship. I truly appreciate all the effort it took for the author to put his story on paper. It will benefit all of us in understanding warriors and the cost of war, especially current Ugly Angels flying the MV-22.

[mindy grainger]

Like many memoirs but Vietnam Vets, this one is raw and gritty.

It's always eye opening to see what these men went through in their own words without the spin from the news world.

After being to Vietnam. these books take on a whole new meaning and I treasure each even more after reading.

This is a must read.

[Bill Elston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting reading, another pilots perspective worth considering.

Thank you for your service and for a very entertaining and enlightening book. Certainly worth the time to read and consider.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really brought you into the happenings of the Vietnam war. What it took to become a pilot and then what their job was during this terrible time in our history. So many of us have ignored this time or didn't live during this time. This book brought it all back to light. Let us never forget.
It is a very quick read; I highly recommend it to everyone!

[T.G. Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing memoir told in an assured yet understated way that made me not only trust the narrator, but care about him and his mates. Riveting, moving, memorable, and well-written. Bravo Zulu!