Seems like it was just a few months ago. But everything seems hazy.
Flashbacks and Reflections:
Jan-Mar 71 were a blur of flights, change of personnel and the roommate that drank beer in the shower.The loss of aircraft, the exchange of friendship, the respect for the first up crews, the wounded,anger at the "unseen" enemy, the Hero's and the frightened. Canabalization to keep the craft flyable, and respect for the pitiful raped Hanger Queen. Downed birds, radio chatter, nervous laughter, loss of Sam the Soda-Man, mortars at the movie, hot refuels, beer for a dime, mountainyard and rotor chain bracelets, nightly doses of insecticide, blended with a morning quinine pill. Booze to forget, script was monopoly money, revetments to spring from, Boots on the bar at the 9th Cav, wide eyed newbeeies, a screaming monkey, rotors slashing bamboo, bean cans for rounds to ride on, green tracers, Bulletproof cushions and chicken vests, short timers counting, silent prayers, safety straps, reaching out, silent pride, wings that were earned, separation of close friends, medals that were and were not earned, JP4 in a coke can, clean machine guns, smells that got used to, unauthorized personal weapons, over the berm, dog rides to POL, The silent thank you, blood on the ships floors, C missions logged, dailies pulled, supplies restocked, scout dog in a rigid litter and a defective jungle penetrator, laughing and crying. just wanting out, cold night sweats,bad dreams, fear of the last mission.
15th Med Bn. Goes Home:
Retire the colors, re-name the same, change the spot to spring from,Medevac is Medevac - Fire Support Bases to visit, borrowing aircraft, bartering for replacements, false sense of security, Hotel three, hundred mile an hour tape, sand in almost everything, CMB's and CIB's, unlucky POW missions, a Y cord to share the knowledge, Hooch by the flight line, Flight Ops chatter, red carpet and Fat Albert, other call signs, strength in unity. Rebellion at the EM
Club, Proud Mary songs, IG Inspections, Air Force Killer omelets, unauthorized non-nomax ride to the states, beautiful south china sea, time to leave and forget somebody elses war. unloading the stress of Vietnam and being suspended over it on a bullseye.
Proud of the job, friends that forgot to remember and some said it was a mission, some said it was live training tested, some just dismissed it as a Bad Dream, most said nothing. Flight Wings, Everyone paid the price, some more than others. Some, more than not, if not with their life than with their youth.
Right or wrong it was "our 15 Minutes of Fame in the Sun" and by God, DID WE FLY.
The Flight Platoon Sergeant
