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41
22 July
Major Roberts Just had an oil failure/engine seizure. Was shooting an HPA when it Froze. He crash landed it over the end of the runway around end that it Aircraft is a strike -- sheared all the gear & pushed in the nose -- Broke his leg against collapsing armor plate but otherwise OK -- will be Medevaced to the states. They haven't figure out what happened. On Mine -- an oil filler line frayed through -- hard to believe somebody didn't notice a frayed line -- particularly on an aircraft that was a [illegible] for a leak and was being serviced every day.
Continuing to fly not [illegible] one hop a Day. 311 picked up two more Majors -- Rod Lawrence and Gayle Harlan -- both look good. Major Harlan taking over as XO -- Sam heads off to Japan again for [illegible] surgery -- doubt if we'll see him again.
23 -
LTCOL [illegible], Mitch Drury, Doug Baxter, Denny Bowen -- a near record night at the club. Deacon played from 1830 - 1930 - then "Lord Jim" till 1000 -- then more music till 1130 -- Quite a few drunks wandering around that night. Bert Witting Dan Sartz I've seen since I don't know when. Smuggled back two bottles of Rum from[illegible] but that didn 't last long.
Club slowly showing improvement - and it looks like we may get the stage, head, Dressing Room & new bar built soon.
42
25 July -
Had two [?] this morning off the alert pad - with Dick Jacobs leading. First was a 1.5 orbit with a salvo drop of Hopoh & snaks at the last minute [?] could make it home. Sheng O2 was [?] - first time I've run into him -
We'd just landed when they sent us out again - Same ord -
43
29 July -
Den "D" last night at midnite - somehow managed to drop one bomb on take off - [?] 100 ft off the south end. Two wide [?] [?] north of the DMZ - APR-22 operating thank god.
Also [?] a day section KL "A" with [?] [?] - really stumbled onto that one Went to [?] to get money & suit bay & they needed a pilot -
Wing club meeting at may - ( ) Typically [?] governments committee duscovered inward keys, hours, free juke box - bay [?] only beneficial part was talking to Hank Castle about supplies for us.
[?] party tonite with langusta - which I'll probably miss as 8!00 TPQ - SGT Mullman gone to Danang to try and get our bar tools and some Rum - at last
Plan to daze out mine area this afternoon - imporve seating capacity & viewing of theatre. Also meeting with LTCOL Rice on O club [?]
44
[letter]
31 July - 1 Aug -
Continued [?] flying as I've been going to Danang 3 our of last 4 days. Booze, sodas, [?] HSA for supplies - Still marvel at amount of damage done to Danang always last rocket attack buildings buckled - [?] holes everywhere mostly from when the ammo dump blew up.
Heard first official word of Forestal fire - Sounds pretty grim - Pushing A/C & ordanance over the side.
Duke Savage had a run in with a tree - bashed in the SCat & damaged [?] "doors"
Terry Cermell took 50 & 30 cal hits today also some of his own shrapnel I guess = Another magnet ass ! -
Roger Morgan - C117 Crew -
3 Aug
Flew to Cube with LT Shochoen Bird with Major Jake Morra - [?] [?] - good [?] till AD12 (Phil) then it clobbered in - MAJOR mona lost his radio so I led him through a hastily set up tacon 2 - went right through a t-storm while in holding but [?] [?] - one trouble sit him up for ring O7 when Dots was 23 - 15 3 rain - great fun - Great braking act [?] -
Parking by Forestal and observed fire damage - Agh ! - 155 killed 65 injured . Latist theory - Hot starting A-4 touched off a missile (either Sidewinder or Zuni - it hit belly tank of another A-4 and that set the whole ass end of the ship going - 26 A/C destroyed nine F-4, 14 A4, 3 A5 31 damaged - ship will probably go back to [?]
Did a little shopping - haven't bought much yet though - Gunner Teyalque and Terry disappeared into town.
Catched the sandpiper had a few beers and to bed -
45
6 AUG - 1967
Returned from Cubi via C-117 - 4 3/4 hours - The first 2 hours of which were as rough as I've seen - Brought back stereo system for club, lights, tape recorder for myself - clock - misc supplies - 6 bottles of rum which probably will last one night. MAJOR Morice and somebody from 211 were supposed to bring two birds back but doubt if they ever made it
[?] had been driven into ground in the last week - Terry Kline hit a tree during a napalm run, Dutell Savage also - Fox [F?] take out the telephone lines off the end of [?] MAJOR Bill Becker bounced off a sand dune after a strafe run - Polished up the drop tank and bent the tail a bit - Min aft 6 [?] 800 ft
Review in the bar - FACS - Dick Bloumberg, [?] Roth, George [?] - (Trying to sell a [?]) Sullivan's down from III HAF for a couple of [?] MAJOR Foley [?] wing.
Got scrubed off the nite alert pad with Jim Hagro - Cover for a emergency Sparrow Hawk - Dream Hour 38 got shot down 5 miles north of Dong Hui - Sparrow Hqwk was [?] & me [?]
Basketball interest has started up - 311 played 211 in Seabees court - 41 - 39 - [?] from getting in shape playing ball than just running up & down the beach -
They've got part of the ceiling in E-5 Club - [?] along [?] .
New Squadron LT -- Jim Smalyte (sp)