CH-53 SAR Vietnam era-tail recovery or side door?

Mr. Clark,

All the pictures and videos I have seen show the rescue hoist over the right front door.

Ditto, only saw side door being used, which was mounted there
John
helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission

Mr Clark,
I can say definitively that all survivors on both C/HH-3E's and HH-53C's would have been hoisted from the right front door, since that's where the hoist is located. There were operations where we employed from Jolly's via fast rope, rope ladder or rappel from the rear ramp, and we even do so today from Pave Pigs (MH-53). We also do most drops and RAMZ (Rigging Alternate Method Zodiak) from the rear ramp. Of course if there's an LZ nearby and it would limit our exposure to ground fire, we'd prefer to get the survivor packaged up and then have the Helo plop down and take the PJ/survivor onboard.
Down at OLH (PJ school house in Kirtland AFB) we never trained for any hoist Op from the rear, and I've never seen a hoist mounted there operationally.

Hope that helps.

I spent the last 5 years of my USAF career in ARRS, Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service, retiring in 1984. Everything I saw during that time with H-1 Huey's, H-3 Jolly's, H-53 Super Jolly's and H-60 Night Hawk's was from the right side.
Most fixed wing aircraft have the pilot/Aircraft Commander sitting in the left seat. Most US helicopters have the AC in the right seat for some reason. Maybe being able to see the hoist ops out the right window has something to do with it.