Vietnam Chopper Gunner | Insertions, Ambushes & Rescue Flights. Jim Gable!

Video Description

James Gable (Jim) - Interviewed on 12th July 2004 James “Jim” Gable served with 9 Squadron RAAF during the Vietnam War, completing two intense tours as a helicopter crewman and later an M60 chopper gunner. In this extended podcast-style interview, Jim shares a raw and detailed account of life in the gunships — flying into hostile jungle, extracting SAS patrols under fire, supporting infantry on the ground, and engaging enemy forces at close range. He describes the different types of ambushes and patrol insertions, the difficulty of retrieving troops from dense jungle with no landing zones, and the danger of flying low and slow in hot contact. Jim also reflects on returning home to Australia, the challenges of adjusting to civilian life, and living with the long-term effects of PTSD. This is an unfiltered, first-hand account of what it was really like to fly and fight over Vietnam. 📌 Subscribe for more Australian war stories! https://www.youtube.com/@UCLZyV_Z7VMLXZIk-gMkRE_A 💥 Support the Australian War Memorial & help preserve veteran stories: 🔗 https://awm.my.salesforce-sites.com/donationDetails?ProjectID=a035m000000qma7 📌Watch the full interview here 🔗 https://australiansatwarfilmarchive.unsw.edu.au/archive/2169 #VietnamWar #RAAF #HelicopterGunner #9Squadron #AustralianVeterans #warwhispers