P.S.
I was Traveling Cross-Country with that '67 Mustang and 390 FE....I was running with the Heater going FULL BLAST, to keep the Engine Stabilized, just below Boiling Over. I stopped in the middle of the Trip, let Her Cool-Down and Removed the Thermostat, Back on the Highway, It Got Worse, Not Better. It Boiled-Over! A little Farther down the road, after cooling, I Reinstalled the Thermostat. Back again to HOT, But Stabilized. I was Cruising for Hours at 100 MPH I-70 towards Kansas, Eastbound back to Ft. Riley, then decided to Detor up to Chicago. In the Dead of Summer 1972. The Little Heater Core with the Fan Running at Full Blast, made the Difference. Coolant was 'Straight Water'. Yes!! My Feet were being Cooked and in My Face Like a Blast Furnace, But We Made It! I Loved That Fastback!
...Why Drive so Fast?? I had One Day to Report for Duty. I had a Lover up in Chi Town, later to become My Wife...I drove there First, I think I Stayed for 4 Hours, then Down to Kansas!
...As I mentioned in the Past, After the Engine Rebuild, Break-In and Oil Change...The Return Trip I took from Oakland to Chicago in 22 Hours Flat, Actual Drive Time!! Left Oakland at 1:00PM and rolled into the 'Boulevard of Lights' into Chicago at 1:00PM (by My Watch, Still On Pacific Time)...in the Dark of the previous evening, I had to pull off the Highway and Take a 2 Hour Nap.
That's 2,200+ Miles in 22 Hours On Interstate I-80 Eastbound Averages to 100 MPH...so for every Minute I was stopped Taking On Fuel and Checking the Oil (and Restroom, and drink), I had to 'Make-Up' the Time by Running At 130-140 MPH, when It was Possible! Believe it or Don't! No Brag, Just Fact.
I Challenged Myself to do it. At 1:00-2:00 in The Morning, In 1972, other traffic was near Non-Existent! Imagine Continually 'Cutting' All Apexes, Shoulder to Shoulder, Clear-Over 2-3 Lanes, for Miles. Yes! There were 'Highway Patrols'...There were Also...Doughnut/Coffee Shops!! After Nam, was I going to worry about receiving a 'Wreckless Driving Citation'?? NO!! Those were the Greatest of All Days Behind the Wheel. MJ
What are Boys doing today after they graduate from High School?
I Graduated HS in 1969, 'Oakland Technical HS'. I started College at 17...Laney JC, for a couple of months, till I got tired of working the after school job at 'Housewives Market' 10th and Clay in Oakland as a Stockboy/Cashier. Couple Months I couldn't Handle the Study Load and Dropped-Out. I was never a Good Student.
Being I was an Officer in R.O.T.C, I went before a Board of 3 ARMY Officers to Be accepted to the 'Warrant Officers Flight Training'. Given a Choice of Helicopters...Huey Medivacs, Cobras or Loaches...I Said I wanted to Fly Cobras! They would not have me. Out of three Candidates that day, they took the guy who already had a pilots' license. And The ARMY was in training of South Vietnamese to Pilots to fight their own war.
My ROTC Instructor said "I should Have Worn My Uniform". Rifleteam Capt/Cmdr with numerous shooting Medals, 1st Place Comp Platoon Cmdr. Ist place Senior Manual of Arms, Drill-Down Competition. Senior Year 'award of 'Superior Cadet' 1969. Highest shooter of the school. 2nd highest shooter of Oakland ROTC (6 Schools). 2nd Highest Shooter of the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, 'St Patrics Day Rifle Match' 1969...1(Highest Shooter) Cadet each from 18 Schools in Competition. San Francisco 12 Schools) I came in 2nd by 5 points out of a possible 300. Yes, a Chest Full of Medals. Rank Captain. The prior Year 1968, 'We' were the all-time Champion Rifleteam of the Entire SF/Oak 'Bay-Area'. 4 Chinese Cadets, 1 Japanese Cadet, and 1 Scotsman, Me. I was never the 'Scratch-Man' (they only score the Top 5 for the Team). I became a Member of the Rifleteam, in My second of three years of ROTC...by Out-Shooting the Entire Existing Rifleteam of Seniors. In My third Year if took over as the Captain/Commander. Being R.O.T.C. was in the OAL (Oakland Athletic League) I earned My High School 'Letter T' in 'Rifleteam'.
(I won't go into the Machine-Shop awards, or the Chronical Newspaper Photograph Competition, I Won...with a Photo of My Tabby Cat wearing Pink Sunglasses.)
I then signed up to go to the School of 'Rotary-Wing Aircraft Maintenance and Repairs', Ft Eustis, VA...after Ft Lewis, WA Basic, it was school/training at Ft Eustis, VA. A 5 Month course all under 'Spit and Polish, Toe the line at 4 AM, and KP'. With very little time for individual study. As Class #110, our Team pulled Study Sessions of the CH-47 Chinook. I Graduated, last student of the Class to be promoted in Rank as a Spec-4.
I was schooled as a Crewchief in CH-47 Chinooks. Sent to Nam after a week at Home. Spent a week at Cam-Ran Bay, entry point, then sent down to Soc-Trang to serve in the 16th AIR CAV, 307 AVN BTN, 1st AVN BRD. Huey Gunships and Slicks 'The 4 Horsemen' and Huey Cobras. The ARMY in all it's wisdom sent me to a squadron on Ships I never trained for. So they then, sent me to a refresher course up in Phu-Bai, to train on Cobra Gunships. See Picture M. Jack Cobra Crewchief. I look Tired, 3rd Day of NO Sleep. In a combat zone 'they' only have to allow you a few hours of sleep, in 3 days. We all Worked around the Clock...something about an Assault on a Prisoner camp near the Cambodian Border
2 Months in the Hangers when I was asked "do You want to Fly??" HELL YES! Another $65/Month Combat Pay. It wasn't about the Money! I flew on Huey 'Slicks', as a Crewchief/ Doorgunner, Sitting Behind a M-60...NO Confirmed Kills! After Convoying up to Can-Tho Airbase, a month with the Cav , then I was transferred to the 147th Assault Support Helicopter Co, 'Hillclimbers' Chinooks. Crewchief/Flight Engineer, Sitting on 2 Cans of 5000 RDs Each 7.62mm NATO, Strapped one on top of the Other, to form a Seat. To sit behind a M-60 Machine Gun, Lightly Modified (with Pennys under the Re-coil Spring) for a Higher Cyclic Rate...Right Door. I was in-charge of the 'Stairs'. NO Confirmed Kills, But all of My Pilots returned Home Standing and Walking. I flew over 200 arial combat missions, Documented 350+ Combat Flight Hours. Shot-Down 3 times (forced landings) and Wounded Once, and Poured Blood out of My Boot, onto the Floor, with a Green Sock, turned RED...Earned 8 Air Medals among Other pieces for Bravery and Valor. A few ARMY Commendations. 'Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry'. Was put in for the Bronze Star. 'Slinging/Nets' loaded with everything from High Explosive Artillery Shells, 12,000-14,000 Pound net loads. (all With 7200 Lbs of JP-4 on board), 12K was our limit. The 14k load...we had to go to WEP (War Emergency Power) and drag it 100+ feet to gain 'Transitional Lift'. By the time of lift-off the net was Smoking! The Center Spine of the Chinook was Curved Downward from the Weight on 'The Hook'. We were Delivering Ammo to Firebase Alfa and Bravo, 105's and 155's Artillery Pieces on top of a Bulldozed Flat Mountain TOP. When Approaching the Base, Hillside, Just one RPG Shot, and I would Not be Here telling You This!! These Armor Guys could Hit anything out to 36 Miles and into Cambodia! Also, we flew Arial Flame Munitions Bombardments Over Nui-Gai Mountain, Nothwest Vietnam, at the Border. These were netted loads of (9) 55 Gallon drums of Napalm (Mixed on the Spot, Gasoline with what was described as 'Ivory Flakes', you need to be old enough to know that use to be a Laundry Detergent!) We Dropped it into the Hollow Mountain VC Stronghold. Then the Cobras would fly in and light it off with a 20MM Vulcan Cannon...Out of the Right Door Window, I got it all on Film with a Regular 8MM Bolex Camera. I was promoted to Spec-5 E-5 after only 18 Months in the ARMY, Unheard of!
One Other Mission, of 200, was 12 Chinooks Hauling 400,000 Lbs of Rice to Villages in Nam and Cambodia. Took us 3 weeks to do it. We Fed Starving Children!! I told the Very Old Man carrying a 400 pound Burlap Sack, Rolled-Up off the 'Ramp' and onto his Back, Effortlessly!!...Compliments of the American Taxpayer! I have Never seen more Skinny Legs! We Stayed, for awhile, Armed and Guarded the Villagers while they Boiled up the Rice and Ate it, so the VC could Not Rush In a Steal It. There were so many other unforgettable Missions, after 52 Years, they can still keep Me Awake, All night.
Out of the Army Honorably Discharged from Ft Riley, But, Busted down to Spec-4 with (4) Article 15's and One 'General Courts Martial'...for a Variety of reasons, mostly Awol when on the duty roster (I never looked before leaving on the Weekend), late for Monday morning formation (was up in Chicago)...and for 'Calling-out' a Buck Sargent to fight, while IN Company Formation. Ordered to report to the Commanding Colonel..." Mister You Have One Foot in the Stockade, and I am ready to through away the Key!!" Busted One Rank and $350.00 to the Old Soldiers' Home. 30 Days to go, and I am Honorably OUT! It ended with the Colonel, "by the Way...Have You had Your 'Re-Enlistment' Talk, Yet??" My Reply, "No Sir, I have had enough of 'This Mans' ARMY"!! At the 138th Eng Grp, Ft. Riley...The 'Full Bird' Commanding Colonel was a Alcoholic, Passed-Over Twice for Promotion to 'First Star', General.
I Married, that Girl in Chicago and started College again. but I could Not stand to be in a Classroom for more than 15 Minutes. Could Not afford books, eat and pay rent, I dropped out again diagnosed with Severe and Cronic PTSD. After My First Marriage at 20, She was all of 17 Years...lasted 1 Year, when She Left and went back home. (I invoke the 'Romeo/Juliet' Law). I Loved Her and Let Her Go, She could do Better than Me. Thank You for The Letters I received Every SINGLE Day I was in Nam! GOD Bless You. KMD.
Being Broke, I Would hitch-hike from Kansas all the way to Chicago Twice, all the 1200+ Miles, on everything from a Harley, to a Semi, to a Hippy Van. All in the Darkness of the Middle of the Night. My Girlfriend having a Part-time job, would pay for a Plane Ticket back to Kansas City, then a Taxi to Junction City (one reason for being late to MONDAY Morning Formation).
In the Middle of the Night, the semi driver dropped me off on the side of the Freeway (Frank of the 'Lay Trucking Co.' When He had stopped, I was Broke, He Bought me Dinner, He Picked me up from the side of the Road. Turned Out He had Lost his Son in Vietnam!!)...Dropped-Off in South Side Chicago, as a Highway Patrolman pulled-up stopped and ORDERED me to "get off of His Interstate!...when I come back around here on My Shift, and find You still here, I Will Incarcerate You!!" "Yes Sir! I'am Moving". I jumped the Fence and Walked all the way from south side Chicago, up to Elk Grove Village. At 2:00 In the Morning, I walked the entire distance, staying in the CENTER of the Boulevard, in the Darkness lit only by scarce street lights, there was Zero Traffic. I expected to be confronted by Any Gang(s)! After all It 'Is' South Side Chicago'!! I Marched Boldly, as if I Owned the Street! But, with Respect for where I was. I carried NO Weapon but a Duffle Bag. 'I am a Vietnam Veteran...come and Get Me!!' 'They' Let Me Pass in Peace! I saw No Persons...not even a Cat! The ONLY sound was my boots echoing off the closed, darkened storefronts. I guess now, everyone was sleeping. All this, to be with My Girl, for a few hours.
...to the Present.
My Current Marriage and Children...we just had out 48th Anniversary!
I always felt that after all this Action and Excitement, I would NEVER be Excited about anything Ever again, for the rest of My Life. I was Right!! Excepting for:
Loosing My Virginity, Not in Nam. With a Beautiful Young Girl in Chicago. Well Worth the (4) Article 15's for Missing Monday Morning Formations!!
Getting Married, and the Births of My 2 Daughters and My Son. I Brought ALL 3 Into This World!
Every Minute Spent driving that '67 Mustang GTA Fastback 390FE Blew The Engine And Tranny, Then Built Her Back, Most Bad-Assed and UNBlowable!
And Last...everytime I fire-Up that Wonderful Pantera Cleveland to Cruze It!! An Engine My Son and I built together. And, perhaps a well Received Pass or two. When You Take Your Pantera Out for a Cruze, Just Know HOW Unique You Are!!
...I Started working and Paying Taxes at age 15, one pays No Taxes while in a Combat Zone. I Asked to Enlist and Serve this Great Nation, in Her 'Darkest Hour'...so I Never Allowed Myself, Not One Complaint, because I asked for it! I went to Vietnam Not to Take Lives, But to Save Lives!! I turn 72 this November, I am a Scorpio/Sag. ...oh, by the way, when the Draft was picked 2 weeks later, My Number came Up as #9, I would have been 'Forced' In as Infantry.
Thanks for Listening,
All the Best,
Marlin.
If anyone here is Offended by My writings, please Note, and I will Seace and Deices. It's just easy for me to write here, before going on paper.
...I just need to add, I was also diagnosed, with "the Inability to Make Friends!". The psychiatrist (She) left out...'Has a Problem with Authority!'
Last, I was examined and tested, proven to have a severe case of Tinnitus, 'Ringing in the ears'. Has nothing to do with the ears, it is 'sensed' in the center of my head. Started about 10 years ago. Sounds like a LOUD Over-Revving Jet engine. It's the last thing I hear before I fall asleep, when I can get to sleep, and the first thing I hear 'when' ever I wake Up. The Doctor tried to trick me by asking...."does IT wake You up??" I replied NO!, it doesn't wake Me Up because the Only time I do NOT hear it, is When I am Asleep! In fact when I am awakened by either, needing to go to the restroom or by My Wifes' Snoring, it is near Impossible for me to return to sleeping.
"...Silver Wings upon Their Chest, These are The Men Americas' Best!" S/Sgt Barry Sadler 'The Balad of the Green Barets'. Crewchiefs earn their Wings.
I NO Longer Have Friends! ALL My Friends Have Died!!
I'am writing a Book, You just read One Chapter 1 of it. Just ONE Story, NON-Fiction, I have Hundreds of them! All UNbelievable, even by Me! My Memoirs, All Truth, NO Exaggeration, Nothing Made-Up. And, I did experience 'Lost Time'.
...Next Chapter: 'The Night of the Righteous Gun'. 4 Times Ordered to Kill, and Dis-Obeyed!
Other 'Possible' Chapters:
NOT in any Order. Some including Photos by MJ.
155mm to Cambodia./ The Showers./ The 'Piss' Ditch./ Cobra Down Recovery (Chinook)./ Guard Duty Tower./ Cobra Collision and Inverted./ Ordered to kill 2 (old man)./ Ordered to Kill 3 (old women). War Emergency Power Chinook)./ Max Altitude Test (Huey)./ Shot Down Cobra (in the Field Repair)./ Extraction Mission 'The Four Horsemen'./ "Sir, a 'High Performance, 3 O'Clock Low" (The Mig)./ Hooking up the Load./ Saved by the Belt, 3 Rats for Dinner./ A Talk with the LORD./ Taking Fire 3 Shots through a Fuel Bladder,/ White-Out./ 'They' Thought I Was Dead,/Test Fire Flamingo Lives!./Tail Rotor Shot-Up./100 Letters./pick up Lone Surviver of VC Ambush./Drop off of 'Agent' at Cambodian Border.
