Posted by Jim Brown on July 08, 1999 at 21:58:48:
In Reply to: War Stories c. 1966-67 posted by Steve Meyer on May 31, 1999 at 10:12:30:
: Does anyone recall any tall tales (just possibly true!) about:
: 1. a navigator WOUNDED IN THE FOREHEAD BY A ZIPPER
Reply: As far I know this was true. A navigator took a round threw
the floor - hit the zipper in his crotch which clipped his
forehead - purple heart and letter of reprimand for flying
below threshold alitude. Best bet is to locate airman Bertrum
(spelling may not be correct)- he was on every flight that had
a burnout, low fuel etc. I think he was there.
: 2. bombing a sampan with a FULL BOX of leaflets
Reply: I don't know about a sampan but in route to/from target
out of TSN I used to throw out leaflets thru the door net.
(easier said then done} after I got bored I would rip off
the top of the boxes and kick them out of the aircraft I
won't vouch for everyone opening the boxes before throwing them out.
: 3. a Goon wounded in the right wing on take-off from TSN by a short-fused mortar round
: 4. the Tet 1967 mortar attack on TSN
Reply: I don't know about TET 1967 but I do know before the 199th protected
the TSN flight line - zappers did get to the 47's - someone at TEWS or the 6994
had pictures of the planes and dead zappers.
: 5. a generator "stolen" from the flight ops area at TSN
: 6. grounding of Goons for examination because of wing root failures
: 7. on-the-air chess games via the FM radios
: 8. a race horse named Dinky Dau
: 9. the attempt to get a REAL tiger cub as a 6994th mascot
: 10. SSgt Duke Thompson's "draft notice"
: 11. Hydraulic failure "cured" with the contents of various oil cans, thermos bottles and any other lilquid available
: 12. A RVN Goon, parked nose-down and tail high on one of the TSNB taxi-ways