I was a 67M20 Light Observation Helicopter Crewman and assigned to AC 15094, a T-41 Mescalero as a Crew Chief at Ft. Sill Oklahoma. I was assigned to 3 of the 26 Artillery TAB. As a crew chief on the T-41 I would fly as a TAB spotter in the co-pilots seat and instruct the OCS Candidates on how to direct artillery fire onto a target. Most of my pilots were Transition Pilots with little experience with fixed wing aircraft. Some were training as FAC Pilots, Most of them were back from Nam and wanted to be fixed wing certified before they left the Army.



The 2 OCS candidates would sit in the rear seat and with a little help they were soon able to direct artillery fire on or near the appointed targets. Ideally, the pilots would instruct the candidates. But after a few close calls flying between the artillery batteries and the targets, the pilots and myself would agree to a common sense approach to target acquisition.