a425couple
September 20th 10, 03:55 PM
"HeyBub" > wrote in message ...
> (from an e-mail)
> Subject: Fw: Do you remember Viet Nam?
>
> What the Hell was on 572's right wing ?
>
> THE 'SPIRIT' OF THE AVIATOR !
> Here's a great one for all history buffs and aviation fans!
> What the hell was on 572's right wing?'
> The result of MacNamara's ordnance shortage in 'Nam..... .we 'gave them
> everything we had..... EVERYTHING!'
>
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayva25bomb/va25specbomb-001b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayhelp/index.html&usg=__ds23gK0x0qxuVjwiKkvjz1MZxc8=&h=373&w=700&sz=59&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=E-qBgK2QuBmG4M:&tbnh=68&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoilet%2Bbomb%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa fe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLJ_en%26biw%3D802%26bih%3D4 81%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=314&vpy=76&dur=2500&hovh=164&hovw=308&tx=142&ty=73&ei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&oei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0
> A true story from VA-25. Just as this AD was being shot off, we got a 1MC
> message from the bridge, 'What the hell was on 572's right wing?'
>
> For those too young to remember, during the Vietnam conflict, carriers
> were so woefully short of ordinance that missions were often launched with
> only a half load just to keep the sortie rate up so that the REMF'S in DC
> would not send out blistering messages about failure to support the war
> effort, etc.
>
> Given that the loss rate approached, and sometime exceeded, one aircraft a
> day, all will understand that there was a degree of reticence to launch
> with less than a full load -- if I must dance with the elephant at least
> let's make it worth while. Nevertheless, the indomitable spirit of the
> carrier aviators, and their squadron-mates, prevailed in some rather
> perverse way.
>
> I have every hope that today's successors to the mantel left at the Cubi
> 'O' Club bar persevere as well. Kick the tires, light the fires, bolt for
> the blue and brief on guard -- last one up is lead. Back in 'Nam', if you
> weren't on USS MIDWAY in Oct 1965, I thought you'd get a kick out of one
> squadron's ingenuity. Yes, this really happened. Once again history is
> stranger then fiction, and a lot funnier:
>
> In October 1965, CDR Clarence J. Stoddard, Executive Officer of VA-25
> 'Fist of the Fleet', flying an A-1H Skyraider, NE/572 'Paper Tiger II'
> from Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS Midway carried a special bomb to the
> North Vietnamese in commemoration of the 6-millionth pound of ordnance
> dropped. This bomb was unique because of the type... it was a toilet!
>
> The following is an account of this event, courtesy of Clint Johnson,
> Captain, USNR Ret. Captain Johnson was one of the two VA-25 A-1 Skyraider
> pilots credited with shooting down a MiG-17 on June 20, 1965. Clint
> Johnson was also a classmate and Company-mate of mine at the Naval
> Academy.
>
> 572 was flown by CDR C. W. 'Bill' Stoddard. His wingman in 577 was LCDR
> Robin Bacon, who had a wing station mounted movie camera (the only one
> remaining in the fleet from WWII).
>
> The flight was a Dixie Station strike (off South Vietnam) going to the
> Delta. When they arrived in the target area and CDR Stoddard was reading
> the ordnance list to the FAC, he ended with 'and one code name
> Sani-flush'.
>
> The FAC couldn't believe it and joined up to see it. It was dropped in a
> dive with LCDR Bacon flying tight wing position to film the drop. When it
> came off, it turned hole to the wind and almost struck his airplane.
> It made a great ready room movie. The FAC said that it whistled all the
> way down. The toilet was a damaged toilet, which was going to be thrown
> overboard.
>
> One of our plane captains rescued it and the ordnance crew made a rack,
> tailfins and nose fuse for it. The squadron flight deck checkers
> maintained a position to block the view of the Captain and Air Boss while
> the aircraft was taxiing onto the catapult. Just as it was being shot off
> we got a 1MC message from the bridge,
>
> 'What the hell was on 572's right wing?'
>
> More pics:
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.strangevehicles.com/images/content/118710.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.strangevehicles.com/content/item/118710.html&usg=__bmVon8RZmnGGmLoomwcO3ilnUE4=&h=548&w=800&sz=140&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=xht6zq11rle-9M:&tbnh=107&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoilet%2Bbomb%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa fe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLJ_en%26biw%3D802%26bih%3D4 81%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=505&vpy=66&dur=4000&hovh=186&hovw=271&tx=192&ty=88&ei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&oei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0
>
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/42906/2980194030051667340S600x600Q85.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.myspace.com/yukioseki&usg=__I7mKF0xaQJTSt91zwWs1iGnXIRk=&h=450&w=600&sz=38&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=t7Y2cQXyqzEuBM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoilet%2Bbomb%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa fe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLJ_en%26biw%3D802%26bih%3D4 81%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=108&vpy=62&dur=4953&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=151&ty=109&ei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&oei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0
>
> Video "Operation Sani-Flush"
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwfWhYFt1zM
So, what was the answer that was given to the bridge?
> (from an e-mail)
> Subject: Fw: Do you remember Viet Nam?
>
> What the Hell was on 572's right wing ?
>
> THE 'SPIRIT' OF THE AVIATOR !
> Here's a great one for all history buffs and aviation fans!
> What the hell was on 572's right wing?'
> The result of MacNamara's ordnance shortage in 'Nam..... .we 'gave them
> everything we had..... EVERYTHING!'
>
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayva25bomb/va25specbomb-001b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.midwaysailor.com/midwayhelp/index.html&usg=__ds23gK0x0qxuVjwiKkvjz1MZxc8=&h=373&w=700&sz=59&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=E-qBgK2QuBmG4M:&tbnh=68&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoilet%2Bbomb%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa fe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLJ_en%26biw%3D802%26bih%3D4 81%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=314&vpy=76&dur=2500&hovh=164&hovw=308&tx=142&ty=73&ei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&oei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0
> A true story from VA-25. Just as this AD was being shot off, we got a 1MC
> message from the bridge, 'What the hell was on 572's right wing?'
>
> For those too young to remember, during the Vietnam conflict, carriers
> were so woefully short of ordinance that missions were often launched with
> only a half load just to keep the sortie rate up so that the REMF'S in DC
> would not send out blistering messages about failure to support the war
> effort, etc.
>
> Given that the loss rate approached, and sometime exceeded, one aircraft a
> day, all will understand that there was a degree of reticence to launch
> with less than a full load -- if I must dance with the elephant at least
> let's make it worth while. Nevertheless, the indomitable spirit of the
> carrier aviators, and their squadron-mates, prevailed in some rather
> perverse way.
>
> I have every hope that today's successors to the mantel left at the Cubi
> 'O' Club bar persevere as well. Kick the tires, light the fires, bolt for
> the blue and brief on guard -- last one up is lead. Back in 'Nam', if you
> weren't on USS MIDWAY in Oct 1965, I thought you'd get a kick out of one
> squadron's ingenuity. Yes, this really happened. Once again history is
> stranger then fiction, and a lot funnier:
>
> In October 1965, CDR Clarence J. Stoddard, Executive Officer of VA-25
> 'Fist of the Fleet', flying an A-1H Skyraider, NE/572 'Paper Tiger II'
> from Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS Midway carried a special bomb to the
> North Vietnamese in commemoration of the 6-millionth pound of ordnance
> dropped. This bomb was unique because of the type... it was a toilet!
>
> The following is an account of this event, courtesy of Clint Johnson,
> Captain, USNR Ret. Captain Johnson was one of the two VA-25 A-1 Skyraider
> pilots credited with shooting down a MiG-17 on June 20, 1965. Clint
> Johnson was also a classmate and Company-mate of mine at the Naval
> Academy.
>
> 572 was flown by CDR C. W. 'Bill' Stoddard. His wingman in 577 was LCDR
> Robin Bacon, who had a wing station mounted movie camera (the only one
> remaining in the fleet from WWII).
>
> The flight was a Dixie Station strike (off South Vietnam) going to the
> Delta. When they arrived in the target area and CDR Stoddard was reading
> the ordnance list to the FAC, he ended with 'and one code name
> Sani-flush'.
>
> The FAC couldn't believe it and joined up to see it. It was dropped in a
> dive with LCDR Bacon flying tight wing position to film the drop. When it
> came off, it turned hole to the wind and almost struck his airplane.
> It made a great ready room movie. The FAC said that it whistled all the
> way down. The toilet was a damaged toilet, which was going to be thrown
> overboard.
>
> One of our plane captains rescued it and the ordnance crew made a rack,
> tailfins and nose fuse for it. The squadron flight deck checkers
> maintained a position to block the view of the Captain and Air Boss while
> the aircraft was taxiing onto the catapult. Just as it was being shot off
> we got a 1MC message from the bridge,
>
> 'What the hell was on 572's right wing?'
>
> More pics:
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.strangevehicles.com/images/content/118710.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.strangevehicles.com/content/item/118710.html&usg=__bmVon8RZmnGGmLoomwcO3ilnUE4=&h=548&w=800&sz=140&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=xht6zq11rle-9M:&tbnh=107&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoilet%2Bbomb%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa fe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLJ_en%26biw%3D802%26bih%3D4 81%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=505&vpy=66&dur=4000&hovh=186&hovw=271&tx=192&ty=88&ei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&oei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0
>
> http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/42906/2980194030051667340S600x600Q85.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.myspace.com/yukioseki&usg=__I7mKF0xaQJTSt91zwWs1iGnXIRk=&h=450&w=600&sz=38&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=t7Y2cQXyqzEuBM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtoilet%2Bbomb%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa fe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLJ_en%26biw%3D802%26bih%3D4 81%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=108&vpy=62&dur=4953&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=151&ty=109&ei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&oei=LI-TTKiCBsP_lgfpwoynCg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0
>
> Video "Operation Sani-Flush"
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwfWhYFt1zM
So, what was the answer that was given to the bridge?