Spec 5 Gregory Allan Wolfe –  Vietnam Veteran

The jungle is noisy but certain noises are distinct and can get you killed. The rattle of dog tags or loose change in your pocket can be heard by Charlie Victor. So GIs taped their dog tags together to keep them quiet. The loose change wasn’t an issue. The Army issued paper change—little slips of paper that resembled small dollar bills in various colors that measured 4 ¼ x 2 1/8”. A nickel was printed burgundy and green, a dime was burgundy and blue, a quarter orange and brown and a half dollar was orange and green. Dollars were also various colors but measured 4 ¼ x 2 ½” making easier to distinguish from “change”. The currency was known as MPC (Military Payment Certificates). 

As a Crew Chief on an OH-6A Cayuse helicopter in the 7th Squadron/ 1st Air Cavalry, Greg knew the value of stealth. That was the job of the Scouts; low level aerial recon. And as a Crew Chief it was his job to make sure his ship was ready for any mission. Anything from convoy escort to infantry support to medi-vac, riverine recon or night mortar watch. Greg served with the 7th/ 1st at Ft Knox, Ky before shipping out with the unit aboard the USS Upsher in January of 1968. He returned in January of 1969 and served the remainder of his three year commitment at Ft Hood, Tx. Yes, there was a lot to learn in Vietnam, from how to be quiet to how to keep a helicopter ready for flight. Greg died in April of 2006 from lung cancer. Could it have been as a result from his exposure to Agent Orange? Perhaps there was more to learn then we knew about.

written by Greg’s friend, Art Stebelton