Separating the men from the boys

Hmmm. We usually didn't go below 300 feet in populated areas of the US
- too many phones. But we were going up low-level to Ku-ni range in
Korea, out of Kunsan, four in loose tactical, 420 KIAS, when lead said
"Go Low!" We all squatted down on the deck and went under a high
tension line thatwasn't on our maps - Korean imporvement that hadn't
got to our level yet. We did learm to fly very low level there,
though. Came in handy flying out of DaNang. When the invasion started
in March 72 the monsoon was on - we had to skyspot and loran-drop for
a week or so. Then the weather cleared and we went up to hit a
barracks complex by Vinh. Out over the water, 420 and 200 ASL, abotu
40 miles out to sea. About halfway up we passed, on the sea side, 5
USN DDs, in line ahead. Each one was flying 2 big US flags - must have
been 25 feet long - from the yardarms. I had thought only the RN flew
battle flags. Seen against the buildups over the land, bright sun,
blue water, the sight really pumped me up! Turning inbound we pushed
it up to 500 and let down to 50 ASL. Popped in AB crossing the beach,
rolled in at 14,000 for 45 dive with release at 8000. Looked at
target, flak looked like the USN in the Battle for Okinawa only viewed
from the kamikaze side. I wished I'd figured for a release at 10 but .
.. . Eight of us dropped 6 CBU52 apiece and got out of Dodge. We all
dodged the golden bbs. The CBUs smothered the complex; never did get
any BDA.
The DDs were headed back down the coast as we RTB'd. The beautiful
sight of those ships has stayed with me all of 30+ years.
Walt BJ

Thanks, Walt! That was a hell of a visual...

v/r
Gordon

You're welcome, Gordon. It was comforting knowing the Navy was out
there on our route to and from Pack 1. On a later strike, in April 72,
a SeaKing picked up one of my crews just north of the DMZ. We had
struck a SA2 site NE of Bat lake and #3 in the first flight got a 37
hit just crossing the beach. They lost an engine, were on fire, made
it out over the water, ejected successfully and were in their rafts as
we came back out after hitting the site. (We did kill the radar van,
the primary target) I went up to 15K and to max endurance as their
leader was in a low CAP right over them. I sent my guys off to either
find a tanker or get a quick turnaround while RESCAP was paged. Their
leader went bingo so I descended slowly while waiting for a pickup.
The two guys in their rafts - Charlie Hall and Lee Bohner - were
chatting back and forth on their survival radios - sounded cool, like
they were floating around off Miami Beach! About then a real big
camouflaged helicopter came in from the north. I was on a high downwnd
taking a real good look at him while resetting the sight to 38 mils
for strafe (F4E - with a gun!) But it turned out to be a CH53 USN type
in sand and green splotch camo - had never seen one like that before,
and at first I had thought it was one of the big USSR ones. Just then
a USN Seaking (white and orange!) showed up - he'd been on a mail run
around the ships out there and heard the beeper and then saw the smoke
from the F4. They picked up my crew and dropped them off in our area
at Danang about 15 minutes after we got back. Found out later Charlie
was shelling them with 122mm guns during the pickup! Great service -
too bad the Seaking crew couldn't stay the night, though.
Walt BJ

Great service -
too bad the Seaking crew couldn't stay the night, though.

Wouldn't that have been a party!

It always amazed me what happens when a beeper comes on the radio. For all
directions in dozens of miles, every helo crew on Guard hears it in the same
moment and announces, "ITS OURS!"

Several of my pilots were formerly Big Muthas and each of them have my
unfailing respect. I love the visual of a Jolly coming in from one direction
and a eye-popping "camo" HS Seaking comes charging in, undoubtably squawking,
"GOT EM!" I am grateful your friends Charlie and Lee came through it all ok.

v/r
Gordon