The Most Dangerous Flying Job in Vietnam | Hugh Mills

Send us Fan MailHugh Mills flew the OH-6 “Loach” as a low-level aeroscout in Vietnam — statistically the most dangerous flying job of the war. Shot down 16 times, three Silver Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Purple Hearts. Author of the classic memoir Low Level Hell. 📖 Low Level Hell: https://a.co/d/0glrcnww CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction — how Greg Coker connected them + “Low Level Hell” 00:02:59 Growing up across the street from Bill Clinton 00:29:49 Officer Candidate School — marching inside a dumpster 00:49:50 He promoted himself with drugstore mercury 00:52:00 Stepping off the plane — what Vietnam smelled like 01:20:23 His first mission at 20 — adjusting live artillery 01:35:49 The minigun and the grease-pencil gunsight 01:47:48 “That’s not Mr. Jones” — the burned pilot 02:07:59 Thunder Road — “orange basketballs” and getting shot down 02:14:36 The “dead” NVA officer and the map case 02:42:48 Capturing an NVA major — the tax collector (Bronze Star) 02:58:25 The Silver Star mission — an AK-47 between his pedals 03:06:00 “Bad Day for the ARPs” — 28 men vs a regiment 03:19:39 Three Purple Hearts — shot through both cheeks 03:31:43 Losing Jim Amy and Jimmy Slater 03:43:43 He landed his helicopter on a sinking plane’s wing 03:55:42 Margaret — the love he found and lost 04:26:44 The A Shau Valley — “the worst place I’ve ever been” 04:51:32 His own rocket blows off his tail rotor 05:10:31 “Where’s your hat?” — “Somewhere in Laos” 05:16:04 The rescue — the blind PJ, “I’m 701” 05:28:32 Third tour and the general — “check your grid” 05:32:51 He attacked an NVA flag from inside North Vietnam 05:46:03 Pony One Six — the name he hid for 30 years 06:03:17 His wife of 52 years 06:15:31 Why none of his pilots ever took their own life 06:21:24 My Lai — the real hero nobody remembers 06:24:54 The OSS medic who saved Ho Chi Minh 06:40:18 “The way I fought a war is gone” Sponsors: Thinking about buying a home or refinancing? Nuwave built a dedicated page specifically for Vanguard Wall listeners so you can connect directly with the team assigned to our audience: https://nuwaveanchor.com/i/thevanguardwall Serious supplements “For Those that Run Towards” www.hoplitenutrition.com Use Code VANGUARD15 for 15% off 🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast 🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall ⚔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297 📧 Connect/Sponsor: [email protected] 📡 The Weekly SSE intel brief (free): https://intel.thevanguardwall.comThinking about buying a home or refinancing? Nuwave Lending built a dedicated page specifically for Vanguard Wall listeners so you can connect directly with the team assigned to our audience.Get started here: https://nuwaveanchor.com/i/thevanguardwallNMLS #1722624 Patreon advertismentSupport the show                                                             🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast                                                      🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com (code VANGUARD15)  🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall                                           ⚔️ Patreon (early access + Discord): https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/                                📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297  📧 Sponsor Inquiries: [email protected]                                                                                                     💪 Hoplite Nutrition — veteran-built supplements made in the U.S. Code VANGUARD15 for 15% off   Subscribe & Save → https://hoplitenutrition.com