In Hot

Told through the eyes of a Marine Lieutenant who dropped out of college, this autobiography recounts the Vietnam tour of Joseph L. Hutton, Jr., in his own words. Joining the Marine Corps, and then working his way up, Hutton provides an “inside the wire” and sometimes humorous, often exciting, look at the life and daily routine of a Marine Aviation Lieutenant flying the UH-1E Helicopter. As he and his friends fought an unpopular war, these young men fought hard, played hard, suffered personal losses, and enjoyed successes together while suffering the hardship of separation from their loved ones. As members of Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 167, the only Marine Helicopter squadron ever formed in combat, and at one time the largest helicopter squadron in the Marine Corps, they faced difficult conditions and accomplished significant missions while working short-handed and under the pressure of adverse weather and significant enemy resistance. They performed the unlikely and accomplished the near impossible, developing their own tactics and procedures while receiving conflicting guidance from the ever-changing leadership, all done without recognition or reward. Illustrated throughout with images from the author’s private collection, this autobiography presents the story of Hutton and the brave young men with whom he served.

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph L. Hutton, Jr., served his country in the United States Marine Corps for 25 years. He has followed his military service with a variety of occupations, including airport manager, math teacher, soccer referee, and is currently working as a substitute teacher in Onslow County, North Carolina.

Joseph L Hutton, Jr.
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 234
Bibliographic Info: 62 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9742-0
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5511-6
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments x
Preface 1
Prologue: Republic of Vietnam, Midsummer 1970 5

 1. Moberly Junior College: Moberly, Missouri, 1966 7
 2. Boot Camp, Marine Corps Recruit Depot: San Diego, California, 1966 12
 3. Naval Air Station, Memphis: Millington, Tennessee, Fall 1966 18
 4. Keesler Air Force Base: Biloxi, Mississippi, 1966–1967 20
 5. Marine Corps Air Station: Beaufort, South Carolina, 1967 23
 6. OCS, Marine Corps Base: Quantico, Virginia, 1968 28
 7. The Basic School, MCB: Quantico, Virginia, Summer 1968 33
 8. U.S. Army Primary Flight Training: Ft. Wolters, Texas, Fall 1968 38
 9. Advanced Flight Training, Hunter Army Airfield and Ft. Stewart: Savannah, Georgia, Early 1969 43
10. Final Qualification, MCAS(H) Santa Ana: Tustin, California, 1969 48
11. Moberly, Missouri: Fall 1969 52
12. En Route to Vietnam: Fall 1969 54
13. South Vietnam: October 21, 1969–September 30, 1970 56
14. First Flight 64
15. Qualifications and Designations 74
16. Experiments with Weapons 76
17. Intramural and Social Activities 79
18. Bob Hope Entertains the Troops 84
19. Rest and Relaxation: Sydney, Australia, January 1970 93
20. Control Problems 95
21. Lost Camera 99
22. Dings on the Tail Rotor 103
23. Night Fright or Which Way Is Up? 106
24. Eagle Claw or What Country Is This? 110
25. April Fools 117
26. Sniffing Out the Enemy 119
27. Rockets Across the Demilitarized Zone 123
28. Magnet Ass 125
29. Reviewing the Troops 127
30. Hogs and Napalm 130
31. Crew Rest 132
32. Meritorious Copilot 135
33. Troop Insert 139
34. A Flight Demonstration 142
35. Rocket Practice 145
36. Night Medevac: June 10 and 11, 1970 148
37. Section Lead 155
38. Cold Cokes Served on a Mountaintop 156
39. Recon Rescue 159
40. Recon and Tigers—Oh My! 163
41. How to Become the O Club Officer in Two Easy Steps 166
42. Guns, Guns, More Guns and Some Slick Hops 169
43. The Squadron Duty Officer 171
44. ­Twenty-Four Coke Grenades 175
45. Oil Can Bombs 177
46. III Marine Amphibious Force 179
47. Fishing the Explosive Way 181
48. Orange Basketballs 183
49. The Miss America USO Show 185
50. Overloaded Medevac 188
51. Returning the Navy 191
52. How High Can You Go? 194
53. Another Painful Loss 196
54. Winning the Hearts and Minds 199
55. Farewell Dinner 202
56. Home at Last: October 1970 205
57. Semper Fidelis 208

Appendix A: Numbered Call Signs, After April 9, 1970 211
Appendix B: III MAF Command Chronology Civic Action, August 1970 212
Appendix C: III MAF Command Chronology Civic Action, September 1970 216
Appendix D: Monthly Flight Time 220
Bibliography 221
Index 223

• “In Hot: Memoir of a Marine Huey Pilot in Vietnam is a very interesting journey of a dedicated Marine Corps aviator from the start to the ending of his military aviation career. Joe Hutton accurately and vividly portrays the encounters of the HML-167 helicopter squadron aircrews who provided varied and oftentimes intensive 24/7 support for the USMC soldiers fighting an unpopular war.”—Mike “MAl” Smith, Colonel (Ret), HML167 Squadron Mate

• “Joe Hutton’s book brought back many memories. It’s an honest account of a young Marine aviator’s war in the early years of helicopter gunship support. Veterans will read it knowingly, and others will learn more about helicopter combat in Vietnam.”—Michael J. Williams, General USMC (Ret), former ACMC (September 2000–September 2002)

• “This true story reveals the route taken by a young man from Missouri during the turbulent 60s. The draft laws throughout the United States placed high school graduates primarily into the U.S. Army. Joe Hutton was faced with the decision, to become a draftee following his 1-A draft notice or to join the United States Marine Corps. He joined the Corps and this is his story. His movement through the Corps and flight training placed him in a Huey Gunship (HML-167) in Vietnam as a First Lieutenant and I, also a first lieutenant and also from a small farm in Missouri, flew in MAG-16 (Marine Air Group) in separate squadrons…me in a Phrog (HMM-262) and Joe in a Gunship. His abilities as a talented Gunship pilot were well known. I had the unique experience of knowing he was on my shoulder when flying medevac going into combat zones. His call sign was Comprise 11 and when I heard that over the air, as we dropped into those zones and clawed our way out of those zones, just knowing he was there steadied the flight. He became the Generals pilot a top-pilot and I as a CH-46 Phrog driver who occasionally followed along behind just in case he might need a lift. This book has magnificent detail and it will be on my book shelf with worn pages as I grow older and reflect on those days when we both were young Marines and friends in Vietnam… I salute him.”—Lt Col “Hal” Walker, USMCR (Ret)