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Victor Adams's helicopter was shot down during a mission to rescue a trapped Six-Man Special Forces Long Range Reconnaissance patrol. The six men were subsequently rescued by Captain James Fleming, pilot of a transport helicopter, and Captain Fleming was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor for this action. UH-1F Pilot Major Leonard Gonzales was also awarded the Air Force Cross for his own role in the rescue. After his Vietnam War service Victor Adams flew VIP helicopters in Washington, D.C., until his retirement from the U.S. Air Force on May 31, 1975.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Technical Sergeant Victor R. Adams (AFSN: 13533712), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force while serving as a UH-1F Helicopter Aerial Gunner of the 20th Special Operations Squadron, Nha Trang Air Base, Vietnam, in action near Duc Co, Republic of Vietnam, on the night of 26 - 27 November 1968. On that date, Sergeant Adams' aircraft was shot down by hostile ground fire and crashed in dense jungle. Disregarding his own injuries and the imminence of hostile activity, he assisted the co-pilot from the burning helicopter and returned to rescue the trapped personnel. He succeeded in pulling another man from the wreckage, before the severity of the fire and subsequent explosions forced him to abandon further rescue efforts. Through his superb airmanship, aggressiveness, and extraordinary heroism, in the face of hostile forces, Sergeant Adams reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
I served with Vick Adams in 1st Helicopter unit back in early 70's ,, never heard him talk about Viet Nam other than he had been there and I had as well during same time frame . But then few of us ever did talk of those things.
Benjamin Pritchard
MSgt, (Ret.)
1968-1969, UH-1 Iroquois ( HUEY)
From Year 1968
To Year 1969
Personal Memories
Not Specified
Image
UH-1 Iroquois ( HUEY) Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Specifications (UH-1D)
General characteristics
* Crew: 1-4 * Capacity: 3,880 lb including 14 troops, or 6 stretchers, or equivalent cargo * Length: 57 ft 1 in with rotors (17.4 m)
* Fuselage width: 8 ft 7 in (2.6 m))
* Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.6 m) * Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.4 m) * Empty weight: 5,215 lb (2,365 kg) * Loaded weight: 9,040 lb (4,100 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,310 kg)) * Powerplant: 1� Lycoming T53-L-11 turboshaft, 1,100 shp (820 kW)
Performance
* Maximum speed: 135 mph (220 km/h) * Cruise speed: 125 mph (205 km/h) * Range: 315 mi (510 km) * Service ceiling 19,390 ft (Dependent on environmental factors such as weight, outside temp., etc) (5,910 m) * Rate of climb: 1,755 ft/min (8.9 m/s) * Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (0.25 kW/kg)
Armament Variable, but may include a combination of:
* 2x 7.62 mm M60 machine gun, or 2x 7.62 mm GAU-17/A machine gun * 2x 7-round or 19-round 2.75 in (70 mm) rocket pods
