LZ X-RAY Commanders names

[Pyros]

Flown by Maj. Bruce Crandall, CO of Company A, 229th Combat Aviation Battalion "Snake 6," Moore conducted a high-altitude recon of the proposed LZ X-Ray at the base of Chu Pong mountain. Crandall was an all-American high school baseball player and a superb athlete; he was my roommate at flight school and later was a flying buddy in our first aviation unit. Two other fellow company commanders included Maj. John Radu, "Tiger 6," who commanded the gun company, "D"/229th, and Maj. Dick Rogers, "Preacher 6," who was the CO of "B"/229th-all old comrades from the 521st Engineer Company (Topo Aviation). An equally fine officer, Maj. (later Col.) Willard Bennett, "Cobra 6," was the CO of "C"/229th, another lift company.