Vietnam Diary

me around - no jyro approach to the Rwy - Switched to tower & landed VFR direct -

We're pretty well set up on our new [?] - as best as can be expected - lighting still a problem - lots of gear stored [Army?] hasn't moved out yet -

After sleeping most of the afternoon - Spent evening at Squadron briefing - TPQ Dec "C" at 0040 - 1-3 hrs 1-3 actual Rain - day to 14,000 ft - [?] above that - Had an entermitant transmitter which made life interesting - finally lost on [?] [?] appro? - made it ok a [R?] [?] - Hops after that were cancelled for WX -

LtCol Horning didn't launch - no wonder - didn't Kim [?] he was on night schedule [?] [?] hours -

23 - Oct

I [?] I've missed a few days - got started on a heavy nite schedule for about a week & then cost [?] - [?] -

Major Jerry Ellis punched out over the South China Sea - Hit an [?] [?] at 9000 ft blew his instrument panel into small pieces - Engine came unglued - He was lucky to make it to the Sea -

F-4 shot down in same area wasn't so lucky - both Capt and -

Ken Mersh has his End [?] today - Don'k know how he'll make out but it doesn't look too good - One [y?] - one off the end of the Rwy - one gear up landing - and his strike of UK -1 - with complications - Can't tell anything by talking to him Doesn't seem to concerned on the [S?] but [?] and in a while something slips through - He's due to go to [?] on Nov 15 - made of [?] I go if they pull his wings.

Dick Duncan turned his in - Also Marty Franks, and [?] Mayer - don't think its the flying here - just something that's been building for some time. Major Smith in [?] for delivery refresher - been gone 12 days - [Desk?] [Came?]

also gone - same place - [?] Reeves to akugi to pick up a bird - & [?] Cubi - Harry Roberts goes home tomorrow - Bill left for CVT-103 yesterday - today we had 12 airplanes & 13 pilots - not bad - except [?] ODO/RDO's get really long -

I'm going to [D?] school some time this week - then if Phi leaky I've got RR to Bankok for November Not a bad way to wind up 16 minutes got a lot to do in [?]

24 oct

Fell asleep early last night - seems like all I have to do is eat a big meal - One I am [?] on the rack & I conk out - Yesterdays TAUF got care - Rod Betchunk had a generator failure (CSD) Hop with LtCol Henry - 1 hour orbit - alert [?] [?] out - [?] up Soho in one pass - and barely making it home - I was first but LtCol Henry had two hung bombs and so landed with about 700# -

Smoke hop this morning with Major Graham - I got one pod go go ok - one of his event partially - we [?] and 3 - too bad as I thjink we really could have done some good for the LZP - Graham still weak - Dropped his [?] too high - consequently didn't do [?] good - has to be at 150 ft or it dissapates to fast or else just hangs in the air about 400-500 ft off the ground

These guys Steve Argabright Ed Engle Ross Treadwell - Major - Major hjogen, Hoar, Harry Roberts & [?] left for home today -

25 oct

Had a CAS with Bill Egan -1000 meters Northwest of Can tien - Diving through holes - UX 250 354 400 but the scattered went for 2500 to 2000 - hard to dive bomb through a vertical shaft oh well - Did ok - had to abort one run as clouds drifted over [?] line - still 1 bunker dst - 1 bunker opened - seconary all mine - Bell was hitting strut Fell [?] briefly - then ODO all night - wrote the schedule & sacked out about 1230 Slept briefly this morning after getting relieved then 1315 [?] with Col walker - Fragged for snakes & hop but charged to D25 & D8 (ugh) - good snake up - [?] it after orbiting 3/4 hour - great fun - got another TPQ tonight Dac "D" - first in a while -

Dick Bradfield Leary & [?] [?] I think I'll wait a day or two -

Just heard that hop [?] Jack warender that had 48 KBA was operater cochine & vell dobdy got a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry -

26 oct -

TPQ last night uneventful - except I forgot [?tail] Army so this probably two 1240# Duds lying somewhere in NVN Hope that they at least scared somebody - Slept late - 1315 big CAS/DAS - DCA 29 with [?] Stephenson - ought to be good if they didn't charge the ordanance

Been thinking about getting to DraKine - probably leav tomorrow - Cant -

Good gas - shot down an H-34 about 200 meters west of C-2 (Midway between Cen thien & Cam Co). We had orbited for 30-40 minutes[?] & were getting skish - Fiddeled aound swithes [?] - Finaly got on after an OX-5 flight LtCol Taber - They were flying a stateside pattern - High & wide - [?] [?] [?] We only had two for 3 runs - [?] -Controller wouldn't let as [?] free along by the [?] copter - too close - if we'd [?] fuel could have stand up gotten straightened out & probably done some real good [?] as it was I think we did dome good - [?] home with minimum fuel- [?] - idle let done - shutdown with 900#

ODO & Fray [?] till midnight then

back seat TAYF with Dell Egen to get him finished for syllabus - today slept late - TPQ at 0250 - leave tomorrow morning.

VMFA-122 lost a F-4 [?] to Cubi lost all electrically & HAC gear - radar only he could DR - they greated C25 [?] out to sea - Pretty hard to miss the Phillipines

Ken Mersch - leaves tomorrow for 1st [?] - short notice - still don't know the results of his board.

Mac's going to Iwa too - should be fun - Typhone in vicinity of Okinawa so travel not exactly assured.

LtCol Mccary blew [?] today - Please napalm 2000ft High - if you can believe that - Hit 1000 meter aft 6:00 - That guy is going to get in serious trouble one of these days.

30 Oct -

left Chu Lai the 28th - Stayed over Sat in Danang as no trans available - [?] AF Caught maine GVTo Fatuna at [?] - arriving in time for Dinner & a typical Sunday night at O-club - lots & lots of People Ran into Hank Caitle on his way home - also Ed Keane on his way back to Chu Lai 3 months of Medical leave (?)

Passed Sid Snideke, Dick Lane & Major Smith in Danang - Smitty Got his briefcase it went back to Kode?? on a Contental Jet

Enjoyed Sunday night - good music & [?] [?] - up at 0400 & catch plane to [?] around 0900 - checked in and then went shopping for [?] clothes & Xmas presents ordered lot of [?] & [?] - Sweet -

Class tomorrow - School & jammed into one day as Major Derriksen leaving [?] - Ran into J.D. Morris & Jerry Cook - HAC-5 groupies - [?] & see everybody in [?] -

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