USAF ROTORHEAD Members

Robert LaPointe

A combat veteran of Vietnam and Desert Storm commenced his military service in 1969.

He began training to gain his pararescue qualifications immediately after basic training.

Upon completing this rigorous training, he soon found himself assigned to the 37th ARRS, DaNang AB, RVN.

During two tours in Vietnam, he flew more than four hundred combat hours as an HH-53 “Jolly Green Giant” helicopter crewmember and performed combat rescue duties that resulted in the saving of over 100 lives.

Sergeant LaPointe remained in Pararescue until his retirement in 1995.

Sergeant LaPointe was NCOIC at the USAF Pararescue School combat operations phase and the USAF Military Freefall course.

Military courses he graduated include: U.S. Army Airborne, Military Freefall Parachutist, Jumpmaster, Special Forces SCUBA, Ranger Mountain, USMC Basic Combat Skills, USAF Pararescue, Pararescue Advanced Casualty Care, Pararescue Advanced Combat Skills, Pararescue Boat Master, Flight and Ground Instructor, Pararescue Flight Evaluator, Basic Survival, Arctic Survival, Jungle Survival, Pararescue Team Leader and DLI Korean Language.

Sergeant LaPointe has flown as a crewmember on the following aircraft: HH-43, HH-3, HH-53, HH-60 and HC-130. He accumulated 2,494 flight hours and slightly over 1,600 military parachute jumps. He has been assigned to both conventional rescue and special operations PJ teams.