Rattler/Firebird Association


Rattler, Firebird & Snake Doctor Call Signs

Call Signs Explained

A radio call sign was assigned to each individual aircraft commander. That call sign identified that man, not any specific aircraft. Rattler followed by a number identified an aircraft commander of a slick, Firebird and a number identified an aircraft commander of a gun ship, and Snake Doctor identified a maintenance officer.

Single Digit Numbers
Single digit numbers were used by the company headquarters as follows:
  • 6 was the company commander
  • 5 was the executive officer
  • 3 was the operations officer
Two Digit Numbers
The digits were always pronounced individually, for example Rattler 11 was Rattler One One never Rattler eleven. The first digit of two digit numbers identifed the platoon:
  • 1 was the first platoon
  • 2 was the second platoon
  • 9 was the third platoon, or Firebirds
The numbers ending in six were reserved for commanders
  • Rattler 16 would be the platoon leader of the first platoon
  • Rattler 26 would be the platoon leader of the second platoon
  • Firebird 96 would be the platoon leader of the third platoon Firebird gun ships
Two digit numbers where the second digit was other than six simply indicated a specific aircraft commander.
The maintenance platoon used the call sign Snake Doctor, which may or may not have also used a number, depending on time period.

Disclaimers

You may notice, if you read through the table below, that a few of the call signs don't fall into the above descriptions. Please understand that this information has been compiled based on the recollections of the men. Complete accuracy is therefore not assured. Also, in many cases men had different call signs at different times, based on the job they had at that time. In those cases, men may have had more than one call sign during the time they served with us. Finally, note that the dates shown are the dates the men served with our company and not necessarily the dates they used any particular call sign. If you can help us make this listing more complete, or more accurate, please contact us.

How To Use This Page

If you click on a column heading, the list will be sorted on that column and display only entries that have a value in that column. Because some of the entries contain multiple call signs, or non-numeric characters, the sort is done alphabetically instead of numerically. That means that they are sorted first by the first character, then the second character, etc.

Call Sign Listing

NameRattlerFirebirdSnakedoctorDate
Owen, Bill 95 69
Engel, Dale1898 Nov 67 - Nov 68
Irby, William10  5/70 to 5/71
Freeberg, George H. 93 08/64 to 11/65
Schwem, Duke16  08/64 to 08/65
Stanford, Harold D.2  08/64 to 09/65
Stone, Gordon L. 96 08/64 to 08/65
Foles, Shelton R.12  10/64 to 10/65
Clapp, John W.11  11/64 to 09/65
Ginter, Duane L. 91 11/64 to 10/65
Young, Ray  Snakedoctor11/64 to 11/65
Holland, Joseph P.  Snakedoctor 211/64 to 07/65
Lowery, Roy J.13  11/64 to 07/65
O'Byrne, Joseph T. 94 11/64 to 05/65
Henderson, Lewis6  11/64 to 11/65
Donnelly, Steven W.16B  12/64 to 06/65
Gnecco, Robert J.22  12/64 to 08/65
Taylor, Billy W.  Snakedoctor12/64 to 11/65
Crouch, Curtis S.5  12/64 to 04/65
Campbell, Allie H.25  ??/64 to ??/65
Davis, Harry L.23  01/65 to 01/66
Kleiber, Donald G.24  03/65 to 02/66
Hargrove, William T.  Snakedoctor03/65 to 02/66
Leming, Joe  Snakedoctor03/65 to 02/66
Birnbach, Richard A.11  04/65 to 04/66
Holdcroft, Duke J.20  06/65 to 06/66
Pitts, Archie17  06/65 to 06/66
Foote, Neil H.18  07/65 to 05/66
Arndt, Denis L. 91, 92 08/65 to 08/66
Eggleston, Robert A. 91, 92 08/65 to 08/66
Mateyko, John21  08/65 to 08/66
Thompson, Robert G.3  08/65 to 05/66
McNamee, John J.12  09/65 to 09/66
Moore, Jim28  09/65 to 09/66
Martin, Steven J.19  10/65 to 03/66
Bogle, Charles S. 93 11/65 to 11/66
Haid, Donald J.6  11/65 to 4/66
Grant, Charles R.23  11/65 to 05/66
Holloway, John A.20  11/65 to 11/66
O'Connell, William (Bill) Francis27  11/65 to 10/66
Withers, Jerry22  11/65 to 11/66
Gordon, John16  11/65-06/66
Horton, Jack26  11/65-06/66
Farnham, Donald 96 11/65-06/66
Helmick, Glelma O.3  ??/65
Cieliesz, Joe13  01/66 to 08/66
Hopkins, Doug15  01/66 to 01/67
Bailey, George F.29  03/66 to 03/67
Breton, Joseph  Snakedoctor03/66 to 02/67
Carey, Gordon6  04/66 to 10/66
Hand, Dennis W.13  06/66 to 06/67
Hingston, Wilford E. 98 06/66 to 06/67
Horn, Jack 91 06/66 to 06/67
Moseley, Robert L.5  06/66 to 12/66
Beverung, Paul W.28  07/66 to 12/66
Billings, Randy W.17  07/66 to 08/67
Hennigan, William J.26  07/66 to 05/67
Howard, Conrad R.14  07/66 to 07/67
Keller, Bill 95 07/66 to 07/67
O'Quinn, David W.11  07/66 to 07/67
Frye, William H.1696 08/66 to 08/67
Meader, Jerry C.26  08/66 to 11/66
Teelin, Paul A.23  08/66 to 08/67
Wilhelm, Jay S.22  08/66 to 08/67
Bianchini, Richard 91, 97 09/66 to 09/67
Jones, J. Mel 92 09/66 to 09/67
Richard, David P.25 Snakedoctor09/66 to 10/67
Scott, Beryl19  09/66 to 09/67
Shirley, Jerry D.10  09/66 to 09/67
Boltinghouse, Pat L. 99 10/66 to 07/67
Daugherty, Joseph P. 90 10/66 to 10/67
Morris, Arnold C.6  10/66 to 02/67
Dunning, Wally W.15  11/66 to 11/67
Ellingsworth, David A. 93 11/66 to 11/67
Jackson, George16, 5  11/66 to 11/67
Johnson, Edward H.3  11/66 to 10/67
Lurvey, William A.20  11/66 to 11/67
Marshall, William K.23?  11/66 to 03/67
Norris, James R. 90 11/66 to 06/67
Hall, Thomas W.5  12/66 to 07/67
Wolf, Tom26  12/66 to 11/67
Griffith, Tom 91 65-66
Kirby, Rance31  ??/66 to 3/67
Day, Richard 93 ??/66-??/67
Arink, William J.6  02/67 to 08/67
Holgerson, Bill18  02/67 to 02/68
Wiegand, Ken F. 95 02/67 to 02/68
Wyrosdick, James D.32  02/67 to 08/67
Bartlett, Paul E.  Snakedoctor03/67 to 03/68
Bowen, Harold L.16, 3  03/67 to 03/68
Anton, Frank 90 04/67 to 01/68
McAuley, Thomas H.31  04/67 to 05/68
Kretchmer, Michael A.14  05/67 to 05/68
Hall, Will M.12  06/67 to 01/68
Martin, Kirk12  06/67 to 06/68
Cotton, Charlie20  06/67 to 06/68
Carson, Frank L. 97 07/67 to 08/68
Kirila, Michael R.  Snakedoctor07/67 to 02/68
Leopold, Mark E.9393 07/67 to 07/68
Patrick, Bill L.10  07/67 to 07/68
Sims, James  Snakedoctor07/67 to 07/68
Bell, Joe K.6  08/67 to 02/68
Glidewell, John R.71  08/67 to 08/68
Kelly, Bruce C.19, 31  08/67 to 08/68
Parr, Richard A.4  08/67 to 08/68
Bley, John K.15  08/67 to 08/68
Buzzell, Stephen R. 92 09/67 to 05/68
Carlock, Chuck1194 09/67 to 09/68
Collins, Jim M.2092 09/67 to 09/68
Taylor, Richard P.2391 09/67 to 09/68
Welton, Harry W.12, 32  09/67 to 09/68
Cushman, Robert L.15  10/67 to 12/68
Fitzgerald, Robert D.5, 6  10/67 to 06/68
Gibbs, James R.13  10/67 to 10/68
Jobson, James K.26  10/67 to 05/68
Parsons, Robert L. 95 10/67 to 03/68
Webster, Rick W.1995 10/67 to 09/68
Budig, Sherwood26 Snakedoctor11/67 to 09/68
Gagne, Joseph R.444  11/67 to 12/68
Malek, James A.14  11/67 to 11/68
Miller, James N.25  11/67 to 11/68
Burroughs, Bob 96 12/67 to 12/68
Holly, Robert F.27  12/67 to 12/68
Robinson, Rex22  ??/67 to ??/68
Dillard, Dannie28  ??/67 to ??/68
London, William G. 97 02/68 to 02/69
Richardson, Gerald A.3  02/68 to 02/69
Williams, Gerald L.  Snakedoctor 01, 602/68 to 02/69
Champe, Gene E.5  03/68 to 10/68
Rice, Greg 93 03/68 to 03/69
Vishy, Don 99 03/68 to 03/69
Gardiner, Robert J. 94 04/68 to 11/68
Graham, David H.21  05/68 to 05/69
Merritt, Jerry W.28  05/68 to 05/69
Riley, Michael O.17  05/68 to 05/69
White, Billy M.26, 5  05/68 to 05/69
White, Gary E.19, 596 05/68 to 03/69
Fiser, William K.22  06/68 to 07/69
Ericsson, Gerald L.1994 07/68 to 07/69
Igoe, Terry 96 07/68 to 07/69
Joyner, William C.10?  07/68 to 07/69
McHugh, Kelly C. 97 08/68 to 08/69
Rhodes, Donald P.26  08/68 to 03/69
Wilondek, Nate28,4  08/68 to 08/69
Bond, J. Scott15  09/68 to 03/69
Stiffler, William R.14  09/68 to 05/69
Anderson, Gary S.12 Snakedoctor 0110/68 to 10/69
Bandini, Vic J. 99 10/68 to 10/69
Lard, William R.2594 10/68 to 10/69
McDowell, Mark J.  Snakedoctor 610/68 to 10/69
Morgan, Arthur E.27  10/68 to 10/69
Palmer, John D.3  10/68 to 10/69
Wheeler, Dennis E. 98 10/68 to 10/69
Kazmierowski, Lynn M. 92 11/68 to 11/69
Leech, James R.24  11/68 to 11/69
Adams, Jim16  12/68 to 12/69
Goodman, Benny21  ??/68 to ??/69
Irwin, Roy J.1296 ??/68 to ??/69
Combs, Robert M.2097 02/69 to 02/70
Kelly, Tim11  02/69 to 02/70
Puls, Richard H.28  02/69 to 12/69
Waterbury, James A.10  02/69 to 02/70
Blakley, John A. 94 03/69 to 03/70
Chandler, James H.16 Snakedoctor 603/69 to 03/70
Elliott, John29  03/69 to 08/69
Glenn, Rusty 99 04/69 to 04/70
Ecker, Leonard R.28  05/69 to 05/70
Price, William M.6  05/69 to 11/69
Sneed, William D. 7 05/69 to 03/70
Lang, Neal E.4  05/69 to 05/70
Honda, Wallace T.27 Snakedoctor06/69 to 12/70
Kilmer, Eric S.14  06/69 to 06/70
Alsop, James M. 92 07/69 to 07/70
Blair, James E.99 (avionics)  07/69 to 07/70
Gwynn, Edward R.21  07/69 to 11/69
Mikesell, James G.26  07/69 to 11/69
Hitt, Johnnie16, 3  08/69 to 08/70
Grunseth, Gary E.16  09/69 to 04/70
James, Tommie P.6  09/69 to 03/70
Pratt, Tom12  09/69 to 09/70
Callahan, Michael D.26, 3  10/69 to 10/70
Johannsen, Steven B.14 Snakedoctor10/69 to 06/70
Grady, Dry 99 11/69 to 11/70
Hill, Steven E.29  11/69 to 06/70
Israel, Steve18  11/69 to 11/70
Lohman, Richard G.21  11/69 to 11/70
McMahon, Kerry R.19  11/69 to 06/71
Olson, Ronald W.10  11/69 to 11/70
Walters, Jim H.25  11/69 to 11/70
Henson, Chester2, 3  12/69 to 12/70
Duerksen, Forrest C. 95 ??/69 to ??/70
Cahill, Doug18 Admin Officer9-67 to 5-68
Ehrich, Richard R.26X  01/70 to 12/70
Osbron, Roscoe O. 98 01/70 to 12/70
Stanat, Carl J.16X  01/70 to 12/70
Winfield, Les L.13  01/70 to 12/70
Arnout, James H.25  02/70 to 08/71
Bauer, Bruce E. 94 02/70 to 02/71
Beaumont, Mike J.26  02/70 to 09/70
Massner, Earl28  02/70 to 11/70
Dobbs, Mark J.14  03/70 to 03/71
Lynam, Donald L.16  03/70 to 04/70
Redemann, Paul E. 95 03/70 to 03/71
Ricker, Michael E.3xray  03/70 to 03/71
Sienkiewicz, Richard J.16, 596Snakedoctor 603/70 to 03/71
Maurer, Harry "Scott"24  03/70 to 03/71
Marty, Tom J.2696 04/70 to 04/71
Hoover, David 93 04/70 to 02/71
Friel, Mike 92 05/70 to 05/71
Fulbrook, Jim E.20  05/70 to 06/71
Gross, Chuck17  05/70 to 05/71
Harbin, Michael F.21  05/70 to 05/71
Womack, Douglas28  05/70 to 05/71
Mabe, Kenny12  05/70 to 01/71
Davis, Myron D.6  06/70 to 01/71
Freeman, Wendell O. 99 06/70 to 06/71
Froehling, Stuart C. 98 06/70 to 06/71
Grubbs, Paul L.22  06/70 to 06/71
Riley, W. Patrick 93 06/70 to 06/71
Collins, Hubert V 97 06/70 to 06/71
Wasson, Terry P.15  07/70 to 07/71
Theberge, Roger P.12  08/70 to 07/71
Moore, Joel23  08/70 to 08/71
Carlisle, Michael R.10  09/70 to 09/71
Ropes, David G.3/4  09/70 to 01/71
Frazier, Edwin M.5, 6  10/70 to 09/71
Petrey, Carl W.27  10/70 to 09/71
Wolcott, Donald L.14  10/70 to 09/71
Hilliard, Buck 95 10/70 to 09/71
Harrison, Richard S.34 Snakedoctor 0212/70 to 09/71
Nalley, John S.33  12/70 to 03/71
Arne, Gary D.25  ??/70 to ??/71
Decker, Douglas4498 ??/70 to ??/70
Hernandez, Luis P.14  ??/70 to ??/71
Romano, Tony F.16  ??/70 to ??/71
Avey, David E.17  01/71 to 09/71
Grigsby, Danny D.26  01/71 to 09/71
Lane, Doug G. 99 01/71 to 09/71
McGraw, Michael B.19  02/71 to 09/71
Markiewicz, Ronald E. 97 03/71 to 09/71
Merry, William 93 04/71 to 08/71
Shimek, Kirk F.496  04/71 to 09/71
Moss, Sam A.26?  05/71 to 09/71
Sundberg, Ray G. 96 05/71 to 09/71
Eliott, John29  3/69 to 8/69
Eden, Tom17  6/69 to 10/69