Michael W. Dobson  -  Aviation Electricians Mate 2nd Class (AE2)

In the summer of 1970, I had the privilege of joining Detachment One of the United States Navy Sea Wolves (HAL-3) in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam. At that time, Dr. Art Schmitt was the commanding officer and was known as Cdr. Art Schmitt (or “Uncle Art”). Little did I know how fortunate I would be to serve under his leadership in this truly unique fighting force of sailors. All established methods of command had to be rewritten in order to earn the respect of these seasoned combat veterans. Cdr. Schmitt led by example, always there at the front, allowing his men to do their jobs to the best of their ability by giving them the same respect as everyone else in our team. On every mission the possibility of disaster lurked. The mental strain on us was tremendous, yet there was never the slightest problem manning those gunships, no matter how great the odds were against us. I flew 853 combat missions and Cdr. Schmitt is, without a doubt, the best officer I ever served under. His experiences and other Invincible Warriors are well documented in this book. “We Thought That We Were Invincible, The True Stories of Invincible Warriors”. 

Mike Worthington 

The SEAWOLF BRETHERN are undoubtedly the finest the finest group of men that I have had the HONOR and PRIVILEGE of not only knowing for over the past 35 years, but also had the HONOR and PRIVILEGE of flying with as a crew/chief/door gunner helping to save countless lives in Vietnam.                            

The only squadron to ever be commissioned and de-commissioned outside of the United States, this Naval Helicopter Attack Light Squadron-HELATKLRON-3 --- answered the call of “SCRAMBLE THE SEAWOLVES” 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no matter the weather or danger. The call that would put them in harms way to save countless from the SEAL’s, River Boats, and Troops on the ground, Outpost or anyone that needed the “SEAWOLVES”! 

Real stories from the men that flew with the most decorated Naval Squadron-The Seawolves---they never wavered from the flight from the flight in NAM---from the MAINTENANCE and SUPPORT to the gunship detachments. 

This must read book also contains stories of two Astronauts (Apollo 17), (Skylab Three) Four Admirals and other invincible warriors at all levels in various perilous situations.

Pete Freas  -  Seawolf

My senior year in high school I knew with the absolute certainty of youth that I was immortal, indestructible, invincible. Approaching graduation, 4 of my close friends all survived a terrible car crash with only minor injuries. They too, like me, were invincible. I went to war in Vietnam to challenge the gods and men and proved my immortality, my invincibility. Now, in my antiquity, knowing I will die someday, that day is so far off as to be damned near never. I remain immortal, invincible. The stories you read in this book, are real. These are real people in real life, many of whom I knew, all of whom will unflinchingly agree that it is always better to be lucky than good. Despite the image in my mirror, I remain as fragile and vulnerable as a ripe tomato. If you want to understand men, especially those who fly, ride motorcycles, take risks, read this book and know the truth. The truth will set you free; but it may just kill you along the way. You are not invincible. Nor am I, but I can fake it pretty well.

Bob Stoner  - Mobile Support Team Two

I didn't know Art Schmitt personally in 1970, but we had a symbiotic bond.  I was attached to Mobile Support Team TWO, Detachment "Charlie".  Our job was to provide transportation and insertions and extractions of Navy SEALs/UDTs.  Art was the officer-in-charge (OIC) of Helicopter Light Attack Squadron THREE (HA(L)-3, Detachment 1 at SEA FLOAT/SOLID ANCHOR.  Art's group of flying sailors were fearless and we had more than one occasion to call them in to bail us out of trouble when we had some firefights with the bad guys that surrounded our little corner of Southeast Asian paradise. 

During our time on the barges (and later ashore), members of MST-2 and HA(L)-3 crossed paths many times.  I think that our impression of each other's jobs was that these folks were crazy and brave.  I don't think that any of our boat crew would have wanted to fly in those vulnerable, hand-me-down Army UH-1B helicopters.  Likewise, I doubt few of the aviators would have wanted to go up the claustrophobic brown water canals that we did. 

We all had a job to do and we did it the best way we knew how.  We all knew that this operational area was very dangerous -- as I have later learned -- it was probably the hottest op area in all of South Vietnam.  We knew that danger could strike at us any time, but we did not dwell on it.  Most of the time we just shut such things out of our minds.  Perhaps there was a little bit of the "bad things happen to other people" attitude in this.  After you'd gotten shot at a few times and made it back with some holes in the craft, but with everyone intact, there was a kind of "invincibility" bubble that many of us assumed.  Mostly, we did not dwell on such things. 

In 2000, many years after SEA FLOAT/SOLID ANCHOR had faded into history, I found an interesting site while websurfing: www.ptfnasty.com .  This site was dedicated to the fast patrol boats (PTF) that I'd served on in the 1970's.  I did more research and found a site dedicated to MST-2 (now www.warboats.org ).   Soon I was writing articles and providing information on these sites.  My historical curiosity led me to further research and I found the HA(L)-3 site (www.seawolf.org) and the Black Pony or Light Attack Squadron FOUR [VA(L)-4] site, www.blackponies.org