All the Infantry would be hunched up at the back of the chopper; all laden down with 100 lbs of food ammo, weapons , water; the commander of the Infantry  is called The stick commander. At the appointed place; usually a rice paddy with infected water ; the commander would wave the men forward to take up positions beside the chopper side gunners; propped in the doorways with their machine guns on slings attached to the roof . The gunners would commence firing at anything that looked a bit suspicious and the men would leap into the filthy waist high water ; sread out and at the command of the stick commander ., advance in arrowhead formation towards the tree line nearest. The casings from the chopper gunners were landing all over us . The S*** had hit the fan , no time to do anything; but get the hell over to the tree line; sweep through the area; consolidate and then came an OG [orders group] When all orders and routine had been sorted out, the lead Infantry fighting section would "saddle up" set the compass bearing and away we all went. Into what; we did not know. but we did have an objective to get to; so the patrol, be it Company or platoon sized would commence;. If there were wounded and dead. their needs came first; then re group and form a defensive position until any wounded or dead could be collected by a "dust off chopper". If there was not enough enemy in the area; they would chopper us out to an area where there was something.OMG; I got to hate the sight and sound of choppers. BUT they were VERY brave men and afraid of nothing. A chopper is difficult to learn how to fly; to do it with gun fire coming at you from every where is a hero's task. The pilots were mainly young American Warrant Officers; I admired them, very much, they took chances ; but they knew what their duty was and they did it.