Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Traveler on November 26, 2020, 08:34:34 AM
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Thanks Giving 1967, I’d just arrived in country November 15, 1967 and was processing in at Can Tho assigned to camp 101, Company C, Fifth Special Forces Group, 1St Special Forces Lang Vie, a camp located a little south west of a Marine base at Khe Sanh, to functioned as the team medic and weapons specialist, with long rifle capability, but first my name had literally been picked out of a hat and I was ordered TDY to report no later than 1200 hours November 17th, to Long Bihn SOG (Special Operations Group). I was to be part of a six man team made up of 3 Green Berets and 3 navy seals.
Arriving at SOG headquarters I was introduced to the rest of my team it. I was assigned to be part of a overwatch mission to gather intel on troop and weapons movement along what was commonly referred as the Ho Chi Minh trail that ran down the east side through the kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia. The only issue was we were delayed waiting on the seals, they were supposed to have arrived by the 17th but I’m thinking they got redirected. Fast forward 5 days and the mission is changed to an over watch mission conducted by three Special Forces. Our insert point was altered and we geared up for the 30 day assignment. I got three C Rats, 60 pounds of other stuff to carry, the insert was a night jump, no moon as I remember it, and night vision was none existent except for the 14 lb Starlight scope on my M14. It was a HALO jump, pitch black from 27 thousand feet, it was November 22, when we took off, but it was now just after midnight, November 23, 1967 Thanks Giving, I was second man out of the C-7A Caribou, I lost orientation as soon as I was out the door. In that moment listening to the sound of the wind and my own breathing in the oxygen mask I had never felt that alone in my entire life. I thought I saw a team mate so I headed in that direction, keeping a close eye on my altimeter, I opened my chute at 4,000 feet, it was still pitch black, I knew that coming up to meet me was jungle on mountains ground, I keep my legs together, I hit hard, hurt all over, but nothing broken. Now to find my team, Happy Thanks Giving.
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:salute
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Thank you for your service sir!
Amazing nerve stepping out at 27000 pitch black over forrested mountains or even flat ground.
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Thank you for your service <S>
Give thanks happily today and everyday
Eagler
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Thank you for your service sir!
Amazing nerve stepping out at 27000 pitch black over forrested mountains or even flat ground.
Not so much nerve, as training and I just didn't want to let my team down.
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:cheers: :salute
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Not so much nerve, as training and I just didn't want to let my team down.
Yes I am sure it all goes together.