WHY MEN FLY AIRPLANES

You are correct about the PVS-5's. They were indeed ground NVGs adapted for aviation use first as full face and then by applying the "cut away" to the face plate. Interesting you were in San Antonio. I was assigned to the 351st ASA Co (90th ARCOM - USAR) at Fort Sam from 1979-1983. The ARCOM had a flight detachment which was first at Randolph AFB and later moved to a leased hanger on the San Antonio International Airport. My first flights in the left seat of a Huey were from the airport to Camp Bullis where I was taught to hover on the huge drop zone they had installed for the 82nd ABN DIV.