A Mission Log from Vietnam (might just be the best thing on DU today)
NAF Cam Ranh Bay
Republic of Vietnam
August 15, 1971
Noon, local time:
It is near 100 degrees F, but feels much hotter in the ubiquitous tropical heat of Cam Rahn Bay. The port engine -- one of two big Wright Cyclone R-3350-30Ws -- is a bitch starting, but finally growls and coughs beautifully. We taxi for takeoff in the heavy Lockheed SP-2E Neptune. The flight engineer starts the two outboard Westinghouse J-34 jets and finishes reading the checklist as we lumber onto the runway for a “feet wet” (over water) departure.
12:30 local time:
Hon Tre Island slides under the port wing as we climb into mercifully cooler air over the azure South China Sea. “Portcall” tactical control calls a flight of southbound F-4s, which pass uncomfortably close on the starboard side. The mission controller comes forward with a report on the mission gear status and takes our orders for breakfast, which he cooks in the small galley aft of the wing beam. Steak and eggs for me, please. And coffee black.
13:30 local time:
We are abeam Hue, still “feet wet.” We will be turning in “feet dry” at Quang Tri, just south of the DMZ. The flight engineer and mission controller confirm the final check of mission and survival gear. Another black coffee, please. Showtime.
14:00 local time:
“Panama” tactical clears us into the target area, which today is a long oval racetrack from just outside the Mu Gia and Ban Kari SAM arcs to points way down the Ho Chi Minh trail in the “Steel Tiger” area of Laos. As we make the turn over Quang Tri we hear the Lockheed C-130 callsign “King,” our Airborne Command & Control Center (ACCC), on guard talking with a “Sandy” (A-1 Skyraider) which has come off a target near Tchepone with battle damage. Now a “Mayday” from Sandy … he is going down near the trail. Damn. We’ll be starting the day working SAR (search-and-rescue) on Sandy.
15:00 local time:
Sandy was working an RF-4C (“Strobe”) shoot-down. The Strobe 02 backseater was in the basket being hoisted aboard the Jolly Green when Sandy got hit. Sandy lead watched his wingman’s chute and provided close air support until a second Jolly Green arrived. We loitered nearby with the DF gear ready. Didn’t need it today.
16:00 – 18:00 local time:
Standard mission on the trail. Lotsa coffee. NVA radio traffic is nil on HF. But that will pick up before PAVN units move out headed down the trail.
19:00 local time:
Darkness comes quickly in the tropics. Now it gets scary ‘cause you can see the 37mm and 57mm anti-aircraft fire from the batteries along the trail. We are seven hours into the mission with eleven more to go. Yes, coffee black, please. Thanks.
21:00 local time:
The mission controller is back up for our dinner orders. Steak and eggs again. More coffee. “Moonbeam,” the night ACCC C-130, calls a SAM launch, vicinity of the Mu Gia Pass. No sweat for us.
22:00 local time:
The sky is as ink black as a Rothko canvas, and star spangled. The beauty of the night is as incredible as the dangers it hold. Why am I here?
23:00 local time:
We are fighting sleep now. The wa-wa-wa of slightly out-of-sync props is the most soporific sound in the world, when fatigue is driving. The trail is coming alive, though. The NVA are so brazen that they are running convoys with headlights blazing down the middle of the A Shau Valley. An OV-10 FAC, “Nail 15”, calls for snake and nape on a line of trucks near Ta Bat. Two F-4s from Phu Cat respond.
00:30 local time:
Moonbeam calls an “Arc Light” (B-52) strike on the Khe Sahn 270 for 30 miles. A SAM battery near the DMZ opens up on the B-52s. A 57mm battery near Tchepone opens up on us. Green balls float softly towards us, dropping away a couple of thousand feet below. Wild Weasels work on the AAA and SAM batteries. Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you can know …
01:00 local time:
The eastern edge of the target area is getting difficult to work. There are multiple fire missions (artillery) from numerous FSBs near the A Shau. An Army OV1 Mohawk on a SLAR mission on the trail has battle damage. We pick him up visually near Khe Sahn as he limps back to Phu Bai. He makes it home.
02:15 local time:
The flight engineer and mission controller secure the aircraft for a refueling stop in Danang. All mission related documents are locked in canvas bags and all trash is stuffed into burn bags. Top-secret crypto stuff. A Morse intercept operator from the back, bleary-eyed and shaky, brings me another cup of coffee.
02:45 local time:
Danang tower clears us for a visual to follow a flight of Marine F-4s on a 270 overhead break from the west. We land and taxi in for a load of 115/145 aviation purple passion juice (gasoline). Quick turn. Who the hell wants to hang around Danang at 3 am?
04:45 local time:
We are airborne again. Southbound, feet wet, RTB (return to base) Cam Ranh Bay. We will burn the aux jets all the way to Cam Rahn. METO power on the big compounds recips. Two turnin’, two burnin’! We are doing 280 knots (325 mph). We are dangerous. We are nauseated from the coffee, but we still pour it down. Pour it down and pour it on. We touch down at Cam Rahn at exactly 06:00 local time, eighteen hours after departing on what was a rather typical mission. The strongest drug available to us was caffeine. We are wired now. We will unlock the Sandman club and have the breakfast of champions: a couple of ice cold San Miguel beers, stale popcorn, and the smokers will burn a cigarette or two. And maybe a good puke, when the reality of the night sets in.
DemoTex ca 1970: FTA
= new reply since forum marked as read
For a moment, I felt I was back in 'Nam. 
I appreciate this.
Would Love for You to meet my OIF Vet Son.
.
He'd Love to hear Your Fire Watch stories, too.
Thank you for this one.
My brother was a forward observer in 'Nam from 1968-69, or thereabout.
He came home OK, not a scratch on him. It was a tense year for me and my mom.
Glad you came home too.
Hi Peggy!
back atcha!
Much Love & goood Vibes.
