A door gunner provides firepower cover for a helicopter disembarking or loading troops, as well as other nearvehicles, ships, and aircraft. The door gunner, who is usually armed with a machine gun, can fire a large number of rounds in a short period of time in an attempt to keep hostile forces from firing on the aircraft. One exception to the machine gun can be found in the United States. Armament for the door gunner on a Coast Guard helicopter. A sniper rifle is typically used this soldier to disable the engine of a fleeing watercraft. When the gunner is not firing a weapon or providing cover for the helicopter, he or she frequently assists the crew chief with pre-flight or post-flight inspections, as well as combat observation duties.
As the helicopter’s utility in combat situations grew, the door gunner position became necessary. This was the time of the Vietnam War for many countries. In the side door of the aircraft, American and Allied helicopters were equipped with a.30-caliber machine gun known as an M-60. The weapon was mounted on swiveling mounts the first soldiers performing door gunner duty to provide cover fire for soldiers getting on or off the plane at a landing zone. The door gunner’s position provided very little cover, and it was not uncommon for him to be shot or killed in the first few seconds of a firefight.
Many door gunners, frustrated the M-60’s lack of mobility due to the swivel mounts, successfully advocated for the weapon to be suspended rubber straps. This allowed the gunners to move the machine gun over a much wider range while also increasing the aircraft’s cover. The door gunner’s job in flight was to survey hostile ground positions while creating detailed mental maps of enemy encampments, troop movements, and other battle observations. Commanders were usually given this information during a post-flight debriefing.
The door gunner’s other responsibilities include cleaning and maintaining the aircraft, as well as assisting the crew chief with any inspections. The gunner is also trained in basic first aid so that if any wounded soldiers are loaded onto the plane, he can help them. The door gunner is first and foremost an infantry soldier, trained in the art of war and capable of taking up small arms and fighting if the helicopter is shot down or otherwise disabled.