After riding in it, Larry Castagneto made a decision.
âI said to my dad âIâm going to fly one of those one day,ââ he said. âEight years later, I was.â
Castagneto flew Hueys on combat assault missions as an Army pilot in Vietnam from 1970-71. He was assigned to the 162nd Assault Helicopter Company, 13th Combat Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade in Can Tho. He flew 850 combat hours in C-model gunships in the Mekong Delta from November 1970 to November 1971.
He received 27 Air Medals with V devices for valor, and a Bronze Star.
âWe would generally go out with two gunships and seven slicks (troop transport Hueys),â he said of the combat assaults into hostile landing zones. âOur job was to search, find and destroy. Thatâs what we did. And we generally got into hostile fire every day.â
Troops share memories of holidays spent away from home U.S. soldiers and Santa at Forward Operating Base Clark, Afghanistan, in 2013. (Army) Christmas away from home and far from the people you love most can be a drag, but that absence and longing you may feel this week has been endured by those who came before you in the services. In that spirit, here are some memorable stories from troops about the holidays they spent away from home in service to the country. Here’s hoping you’re reading this while surrounded by those you love. If not, we hope these stories help you pass the time and reinforce that you are not alone even if you’re far from home.