OPERATION PLES DRAI PAPUA NEW GUINEA DROUGHT

THE PNG AND AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCES WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE PEOPLE OF PNG DURING THE 1997 – 1998 DROUGHT

UNCLE SAM JOINS AUSSIES IN PNG

The most experienced pilot in the Australian Army’s 5th Aviation Regiment is arguably a visitor.

CH-47 Chinook pilot Chief Warrant Officer Mark Samuelson, US Army, is one of the last of his kind. He is currently on a two year exchange posting with the Australian Army and is serving with the Australian Defence Force Contingent to the Drought Relief Effort in Papua New Guinea.

CWO Samuelson, or as he’s known in Australia ‘Uncle Sam’, began his career in an All American tradition.

In 1970 he left his farm in Boone Iowa, at the age of 22, to become a helicopter pilot in the US Army.

Shortly after qualifying as a pilot he found himself flying UH-1 Iroquois helicopters, also known as Hueys, in Vietnam. He later served in Germany and then saw action again, with the 101 Airborne Division, flying CH-47 Chinooks in the Gulf War.

Like himself, the helicopter he commands is not the youngest kid on the block. But also like himself the Chinook is still one of the best cargo helicopters in the world.

CH-47s are also known as Brahmans in Australian service and are on their first operational deployment since being re-introduced into the Army in 1994.

"I think the Chinook is doing a great job over here. You know, the more the Australian Defence Force uses this helicopter the more I think they’ll want to use them. They’re just so versatile and reliable," CWO Samuelson said.

At the moment the Australian Chinooks from C Squadron of the Townsville-based 5th Aviation Regiment operate out of one of the most remote areas in PNG.

The airfield at Kiunga near the Irian Jayan border is large enough for Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-130 aircraft to land with large amounts of supplies for the Chinooks.

The helicopters then transport rice, flour or cooking oil to people in need in outlying communities. Currently they are assigned the task of delivering 8857 20kg bags of rice, 1742 bags of flour and 3750 litres of oil to communities in Western Province each month.

"Our payload is high. We can carry up to about eight tonnes and, at the current rate, we can deliver as much as the ‘Hercs’ bring us," CWO Samuelson said.

He also said that this humanitarian mission may be his last: " After my stint in Australia I’ll look at maybe two more years at home then I’ll get out," he said.

As to what the future may hold he’s not sure but his wealth of knowledge and experience should keep him busy.

According to Chinook loadmaster Staff Sergeant Anthony Griffith; "What that bloke doesn’t know about Chinooks and flying could be written on the back of a postage stamp."

By: Captain Chip Henriss-Anderssen - November 13 ,1997

Uncle Sam joins Aussies in PNG Picture Gallery.