[Chainmail]

”The US lost 2200 aircraft in the Vietnam War”

Yes - over a ten year span. Our guys fought well in tough conditions and with ridiculous and always changing ROE. Despite all they faced, they got every morning and got going, day after day to the near total indifference or open hostility of our people back home.

To Robe: very happy you made it back - and thank you for your very effective part of our war.

In early 1967, we had a navy F8 overfly us on fire. He punched out right before it blew up and he landed about 400 meters from us and we got him before the VC did. He was very happy to see us and told us stories all night long as we waited to bring him to the rear and then Danang.

[linMcHlp]

Thank you.

[Zhang Fei]

[In early 1967, we had a navy F8 overfly us on fire. He punched out right before it blew up and he landed about 400 meters from us and we got him before the VC did. He was very happy to see us and told us stories all night long as we waited to bring him to the rear and then Danang.]

---

There’s a movie (BAT-21) starring Gene Hackman about perhaps the highest-ranking FSO ever to have a close shave with POW status. The CAS missions flown to kept the enemy away from him were pretty hairy, for both the pilots and the guy they were trying to keep out of Charlie’s hands. He could be forgiven for thinking that the point wasn’t necessarily to keep him in one piece. Has either of you ever been involved in a situation where the mission was similar and life-threatening to you personally, either in delivering the ordnance or inadvertently being on the receiving end?