Snubby in Vietnam

[SF VET]

Hoping for a better year for all of us, and our Country

The past near two years have been a trial for all of us. Now, not like it was early in WWII, nor in the desperate years of the Depression, or in other challenging times, but still, with the Covid and other social upheavals, it has been a rough year.

Sitting here, smoking some ribs on the grill my wife just got me for Christmas, soon off to church for a late service, I was just reflecting on how I hope the coming year is "better" , whatever that might mean for each of us, and for this troubled Country.

so thought I would post a pic of an airplane, which has seen better days, and yet, sits ready for a rejuvenation, and a time to soar and take to the air again.

I lost my Vietnam Vet hat, but fortunately, was able to source a replacement. Maybe a good sign for me.

I am reminded of the words of a judge at the conclusion of a trial of one of the Sept 11 terrorists. "....we have been thru the fire before... and we will get thru this one likewise."

So, all the best, SF VET

 

[Spartanden]

Merry Christmas Hal....and to all the other Vets on here.
Thank You For Your Service.

 

[Sistema1927]

Re. post 661.

That is certainly going to be a ground up restoration. Stearman? (Even though the landing gear doesn't look just right.) My only experience with a Stearman was when I came face to face with one on the base leg at my home right hand pattern airport and the visiting Stearman pilot hadn't done his homework beforehand.

 

[31FordA]

Re. post 661.

That is certainly going to be a ground up restoration. Stearman? (Even though the landing gear doesn't look just right.) My only experience with a Stearman was when I came face to face with one on the base leg at my home right hand pattern airport and the visiting Stearman pilot hadn't done his homework beforehand.

No, I don’t think it’s a Stearman. The landing gear is wrong, and the fuselage also doesn’t look right to me. Doesn’t look like a AgCat to me either. Maybe a WACO? Regardless, it’s nothing $100,000 dollars won’t fix.

I figured it out, it’s an N3N, the original “Yellow Peril”. Built at the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia.

 

[SF VET]

Hopefully, someone made this bi-wing flyable again. I shot the pic on Agfachrome about 1973, hence it is a bit faded. If it is a Yellow Pearl it was what my dad leaned to fly at Pensacola in the late '30's. He flew a bit over 12,000 hours in WWII, and more in the next 25 years. Very few of his flight class survived the war. Very few...

ribs were good, going to try some beef ribs tomorrow. Plus, finish up making some nice 270 Winchester rounds, for my new pre-64 model 70.

Need to find why my '52 army truck's carb is not right. Coming off the engine tomorrow.

All the best, and stay safe.... SF VET

 

[SF VET]

Chau Doc

Been away for awhile, and wife took back control of the family craft room for her quilting, so had to move my scanner and projector to one of the kid's bedrooms. But have been well.

anyway, visited Chau Doc, a Riverine base on the way south coast, although as far as I could see, it had been turned over to the Vietnamese by the time I was there. As usual, the only way to get anywhere deep in the Delta was by hitching a ride on a chopper going hither and yon. I wouldn't have had any official business at Chau Doc, just wandered around while the US chopper crew dropped off whatever their resupply was.

Here, lots of PBR's, the so called, "Brown Water Navy". There were variations of these jet boats, but all were pretty heavily armed. I think their hulls were some sort of foam or the like. One of my prior college fraternity brothers was awarded the MOH for his action as CO of a PBR. Later gov of Nebraska. Dated Debra Winger, which in my eye is right up there with our nation's highest award for Valor. Remember her love scenes with Richard Gere in "Officer and a Gentleman."

In my own experience, being an Officer and a Gentleman were often often mutually exclusive. In the UCMJ, article 136 was "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer", the catch-all charge for whatever else didn't fit in another article. In war zones, "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer" was a pretty low bar, in my opinion.

Anyway, I am back now, and will see whatever I can find which might be interesting. I have been busy reloading a lot of rifle and pistol ammo, need to get back to the range.

All the best, guys, SF VET

 

[HOGSTR]

Good to see you SF VET...keep 'em coming!

 

[Sistema1927]

In my own experience, being an Officer and a Gentleman were often often mutually exclusive. In the UCMJ, article 136 was "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer", the catch-all charge for whatever else didn't fit in another article. In war zones, "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer" was a pretty low bar, in my opinion.

Often it was better not to be a "gentleman by act of Congress" even if the paygrade was lower. Less pressure.

 

[llowry61]

Welcome back SFVet was wondering if all was ok. Looking forward to additional interesting thoughts regarding your life experiences.

 

[fordson]

Happy New Year, Shipmate, and good to see you back in fine form.

 

[SF VET]

It is sometimes said than our military is a reflection of our
American society. But knowing some officers and troops in my own experience, I have to wonder if putting on a uniform somehow tweaks the weird just a little to the abnormal. I will relate some of these individuals from time to time.

When I was back to Bragg, after my SEA tour, I lived for a year in a two story BOQ, by the traffic circle that used to have the statue of Iron Mike. Another captain lived on the floor above me. Once I was washing my VW in the parking lot, and he came out in the morning, and in our chat, asked me what I thought of the big Lincoln he was using. I thought it a bit "pimped out", but only commented that I liked the color. He then told me it was his wife's boyfriend's, and he was just using it for awhile .

Another time, he invited me up to his quarters for a party. He was planning to write a book on the SKS, and had about 40 variations in his room. I left after awhile, and in the morning, he came down and told me, he being pretty hung over, that the girl he had picked up downtown had stolen his gold dog tags and his wallet, and he had no idea what her name was, or where she had gone. I offered my condolences. He was in the 82nd.

Sometimes I wonder what became of some of the officers I met in my own active army years.

Or the captain pilot, onto whom I had pawned off two Canadian bar girls, who gave him the clap. He at first blamed me, but I told him I had nothing to do with his affliction and he just needed to get a shot for his "non-specific urethritis", then term used when an officer picked up a "social disease."

Next, the Chieu Hoi project.

Stay safe, and all the best... SF VET

 

[Richard Simmons]

Been away for awhile, and wife took back control of the family craft room for her quilting, so had to move my scanner and projector to one of the kid's bedrooms. But have been well.

anyway, visited Chau Doc, a Riverine base on the way south coast, although as far as I could see, it had been turned over to the Vietnamese by the time I was there. As usual, the only way to get anywhere deep in the Delta was by hitching a ride on a chopper going hither and yon. I wouldn't have had any official business at Chau Doc, just wandered around while the US chopper crew dropped off whatever their resupply was.

Here, lots of PBR's, the so called, "Brown Water Navy". There were variations of these jet boats, but all were pretty heavily armed. I think their hulls were some sort of foam or the like. One of my prior college fraternity brothers was awarded the MOH for his action as CO of a PBR. Later gov of Nebraska. Dated Debra Winger, which in my eye is right up there with our nation's highest award for Valor. Remember her love scenes with Richard Gere in "Officer and a Gentleman."

In my own experience, being an Officer and a Gentleman were often often mutually exclusive. In the UCMJ, article 136 was "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer", the catch-all charge for whatever else didn't fit in another article. In war zones, "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer" was a pretty low bar, in my opinion.

Anyway, I am back now, and will see whatever I can find which might be interesting. I have been busy reloading a lot of rifle and pistol ammo, need to get back to the range.

All the best, guys, SF VET

Are you talking about Kerry? He was the first Navy SEAL to be awarded the MOH. I grew up in SW Nebraska.

 

[SF VET]

Yes, Bob Kerry, he was the chapter president of my fraternity when I pledged in '65, coming out from Northern Virginia. Out of the five colleges I applied to, only NU accepted me, and that only because technically, they had to. I was apparently not thought to be a good candidate for higher education. Bob's younger brother was in my class. I was back at a party one nite, years later, and his brother was there, and picked up the phone and was told Bob had been wounded. He lost a foot in that action.

My wife is from Fairbury. I grew up as a Navy dependent, so only lived in NE as a toddler, and when I was back as a college student. Since I never "had" a home state, growing up all over the world, long ago I sort of adopted Nebraska, or maybe Nebraska adopted me and I consider that great state my Home. We get back pretty often, wife's family still in the Fairbury area. I went back to Lincoln in '73 for pre-med classes for 18 months. Then to the med school in Omaha. Met my wife on a blind date in Lincoln. I was 7 years between marriages. In retrospect, I needed those 7 years. One thing I learned in my army years was the ability to have a razor sharp focus and a relentless dedication to what I needed to do to accomplish something important.

Loaded up another 500 rounds of 9mm this AM. One of our club's shooting buddies has a memorial service this afternoon. He was a great guy. For a decade three of us would meet for some sort of dinner every Tuesday. The Three Amigos, we called ourselves. Now only the Two Amigos.

Had an inch of snow last nite, so of course my SC area is completely shut down.

All the best, SF VET

 

[pmanton]

In my own experience, being an Officer and a Gentleman were often often mutually exclusive. In the UCMJ, article 136 was "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer", the catch-all charge for whatever else didn't fit in another article. In war zones, "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer" was a pretty low bar, in my opinion.

I remember being in a mess hall in RVN and hearing a major rant and scream that he was going to court martial whichever one of us who took the catsup off the Senior Officer's table.

This was back at Bien Hoa 101st Abn 1968.

I wonder if he retired at Flag rank.

 

[fordson]

In my almost thirty years of active and reserve duty, I’ve known some **** head types and some great folks. I may have been fortunate in that I’ve known more of the latter then the former.

 

[SF VET]

It didn't take long to see the difference when a superior officer was protecting and furthering his career, and when another Commander was just making the right and sometimes difficult command decisions necessary for the unit's mission, and trying to protect his troops from unnecessary risks or discomforts.

Nite and day difference in my own military years. On the other hand, I can't recall ever seeing an NCO be very concerned with protecting their advancement; they were always trying their best to meld mission needs with "taking care of their men."

SF VET

 

[SF VET]

Ever since armies have fought, it has always been a goal of the warring parties to convince their opponent to run away, or surrender, or perhaps just get out of the way. The best result was if a former enemy could be somehow convinced to join one's own effort. Combat has usually been a last resort, unless one fights like Genghis Khan, who much preferred to slaughter his enemies. Or sadly, like our own military excursions against the Indian tribes in our own West.

In Vietnam, there was a program dedicated to just such a purpose, getting the VC and perhaps even a disillusioned NVA to "come over." It was the Chiu Hoy program, or something pronounced like that. Sort of like a modern Tokyo Rose attempt, "... why live in the jungle when you can have a life of relative peace and luxury, and even women." I recall leaflet drops, and here is a poster on a wall in a village, recounting the misunderstanding of some local villager, who finally saw the light, so to speak, and now has the correct vision of his role in the conflict. Note he has a Garand slung over his shoulder. I can't read the language, but the pictures say it all.

I suspect he later had a bad experience when the South Vietnamese army collapsed. Of course, it worked both ways. One of my district's small detachment of troops, guarding some small bridge or hamlet, one day, just took their weapons and "went over".

When my own compound's Vietnamese troops captured a turncoat, he was put in the wire cage until an operation was mounted, and said traitor was taken along, and always tried to escape, with the expected outcome. I made sure I wasn't there when that was going to happen. I didn't see it, and didn't know anything about it.

In US slang, I often heard the phrase "Chiu Hoy" in reference to any minor project that was "...heck, I give up on this".

So all the best, and stay safe. Family still asleep, and now another coffee sitting by the fire. Then off to Church and lunch with our Charlotte daughter, who just ran a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon and then on the fourth day a full marathon at Disney. Me, I slowly walk out to check the mail at the end of the driveway.

Oh, I found my M37's truck problem wasn't the carb, it was a failing fuel pump. All good now.

SF VET

 

[CRT2]

Chu Hoi. As a helicopter pilot in Central Highlands I wore a 2” barrel model 10 in an upside down shoulder holster. Also carried issue 4” and on many occasions had a CAR 15. Our unit had access to myriad small arms because we supported CCC (FOB2).

Funny story. In Saigon to procure a mule and was in a bar. Bar owner sent one of her girls over to entice me and as she is stroking my chest she feels the butt of the pistol in the shoulder holster. Her reaction is to scream CID and the 20 plus patrons immediately evacuated the bar. Bar owner was pissed. Got a free drink and invitation to leave immediately.��

 

[Richard Simmons]

It didn't take long to see the difference when a superior officer was protecting and furthering his career, and when another Commander was just making the right and sometimes difficult command decisions necessary for the unit's mission, and trying to protect his troops from unnecessary risks or discomforts.

Nite and day difference in my own military years. On the other hand, I can't recall ever seeing an NCO be very concerned with protecting their advancement; they were always trying their best to meld mission needs with "taking care of their men."

SF VET

I’ve always believed that there are basically two types of individuals within any given military community regardless of the specific branch, that being career military and professional military.

Both have their place however, in a peace time setting I’ve found the former to be more prevalent than the later regardless of rank. I recall a family member who was an Army Major during the first Gulf War telling me about the number of higher ranking officers including generals who, after decades of peace time active duty, immediately started putting in for retirement once things started to kick off in Iraq.

Those were the “career” types who were only looking out for themselves. The “professional “ simply got down to the business of war. I’ve always felt that to serve was an honor and to serve with honor was ones duty.

 

[fordson]

I’ve always believed that there are basically two types of individuals within any given military community regardless of the specific branch that being career military and professional military.

Both have their place however in a peace time setting I’ve found the former to be more prevalent than the later regardless of rank. I recall a family member who was an Army Major during the first Gulf War telling me about the number of higher ranking officers including generals who after decades of peace time active duty immediately started putting in for retirement once things started to kick off in Iraq.

Those were the “career” types who were only looking out for themselves. The “professional “ simply got down to the business war. I’ve always felt that to serve was an honor and to serve with honor was ones duty.

I’d have given you two “Likes” if I could for your last sentence alone.