the Marines at Soc Trang, The Marines were operating H-34 helicopters, by doing this I Corps would have two H-34 units at Da Nang. This would make it easier to support, having the same type helicopters on the same base.
On 19 September 1962 the Marine SHUFLY task unit in Soc Trang and the 93rd Trans. Co. exchanged locations. According to VHPA's database airlifting the company to Soc Trang required transporting 47 loads; 855,299 pounds of cargo; 196,142.2 cargo-ton miles; 53,068 passenger miles and 96 hours of flight time.
On 10 January, 1963 the 93rd had a very sad day; when a 57th Trans. Co. H-21 enroute from Soc Trang to Saigon crashed with three 93rd officers riding as passengers. All seven persons aboard the helicopter were killed. The 3 officers from the 93rd were Cpt. Donald B.Toth, 1st Lt. Lewis L. Stone, 1st Lt. Charles M. Fitts.
On 4 March, 1963, the first Machine Gun Platoon, consisting of 1 officer and 20 enlisted men arrived for 90 days TDY from the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii for duty as helicopter door gunners.
On 25 June 1963, The 93rs Transportation Company (Light Helicopter) was redesignated the 121st Aviation Company (AirMobile Light) retaining their men, equipment, location and history.
In March 1964, the 3rd platoon of the UTT came to Soc Trang to help train the forming gunship platoon of the 121st as they were receiving UH-1Bs at this time.
The gunship platoon was called "The Vikings" this name was taken because of the fearlessness of the Nordic Viking. The story goes that an Army Chaplain at Soc Trang was from Minnesota and received permission from the Minnesota Vikings to use their name and symbol for the gunship platoon. A few modifications were made, adding the Rocket tubes and machine guns, placing it on a blue diamond. (See helmet on home page). The nose of each Viking aircraft was painted with this symbol. To become a member of the Viking platoon you had to ask to be a member and each member of the platoon had to vote "Yes" one "No" vote meant that you would not become a Viking. If you received all yes votes you were on probation for 30 days during this period you went to Range "A" at least 3 times. Several members of the platoon evaluated you on your actions while on the Range and on actual missions. After all affirmative votes you were Qualified as a Viking and received your black beret with the blue diamond. You wore your rank on the blue diamond. The beret was worn in the French tradition "over the right eye" Over the blue diamond was sewn the words "Blue Diamonds Devils of the Delta". You also received a black "T" shirt to be worn as a part of your uniform. The Blue Diamonds Devils of the Delta is a reference to mid 1964, when Hanoi Hanna referred to the Vikings as such. During my tour with the Vikings (64-65) I have heard her say, Those murdering criminals that have been let out of prison to come to our homeland to kill our people, need to be silenced, I am talking about Those Blue Diamond Devils of the Delta.
At the end of your tour with the Vikings, hopefully it was for DEROS, you were given a helmet like the one on the home page. It was fashioned from the nose cone of a 2.75" rocket canister. At your going away party you were authorized to run a banana tree through the fan in the officers club. I guess this was to symbolize the several times, when the pucker factor was high, that a few banana trees were cut by rotor blades. I have also seen it done after too much Bamiba, 33 export.
In October 1970, the 121st stopped reporting operationally to the 13th CAB. They started