Johnny Hubbs

San Antonio, Texas

My name is Johnny Hubbs and I served in the US Army in the Vietnam War as a door gunner with the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Division from 1971-1972. My job title was 67A1F Door Gunner on a UH-1H Huey helicopter. My job was to protect the helicopter and its crew from the enemy firing up at us from below. Our mission was to always support and protect our men serving in the infantry in the jungle below. They counted on us to bring them food, water and ammunition, and also to pick up the dead and wounded.

I was just 18 years old when I served in Vietnam.

Everyone that flew in those helicopters volunteered to do so. You had to want to fly in them. I would never, ever, change what I did in Vietnam. I knew I was helping the men below. Every pilot and crew member who flew on Hueys felt the same way.

Was I scared? Yes I was. Every minute. Every mission that I flew on was a different scenario and it could have easily been our last mission. We knew, though, that the men on the ground needed us everyday and it was up to the helicopter crews to make sure that they had everything they needed to do their missions. We never left a man behind, if we could help it.

I’m proud to have served in the Vietnam War and have never regretted it. I would do it all over again, if they ask me to. Today I am proud to volunteer with the Fort Sam Houston Memorial Services Detachment (Honor Guard) here in San Antonio. Our group participates in ceremonies providing our Veterans Full Military Honors at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. This group as been doing this for 20 years now and has provided 26,075 Military Honors to date for our Veterans who have gone before us.

Thank you for reading my short story of my service in the Vietnam War for our great country, that I will always love.

“WE MUST NEVER FORGET THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR THIS COUNTRY. THEY WILL FOREVER LIVE, IF WE NEVER FORGET!”