Tour 1 for me and chopper jockeys were issued S&W .38s with a shoulder holster. One of my classmates got shot down and was ejected from the bird when the hit dirt. Woke up face down with NVA poking him in the ass with bayonets. His hand was by a quirk of fate holding the butt of the pistol. He said later that he preferred death to POW status, so he rolled over, drew his piece and killed his 3 tormentors.
He liked his .38 quite a bit.
Dan I had a friend ( also a Dan) that flew choppers in Viet Nam and hes a gun guy. He wanted to go one better that the Model 10 that was issued and brought his own Model 15...along with 1K rounds of HP. Needed it one day on a hot extraction, hovering the bird just above the stumps so wounded could be loaded on, he saw Charlier emerge from a shell crater with his AK about 25 yards away. Too far forward for the door gunner to swing on, and couldn't move the bird while Charlie drew a bead on him. Million dollar shot coming up! A quick one with the Model 15 landed on Charlies forehead and averted what would have been a VERY bad day.
