Working with the SF guys was quite interesting.....much more laid back than the conventional force units.
My unit provided support US non-divisional units, SF, Engineers, Artillery, Armor, Navy and Air Force, and the Allied Forces...Thais, Vietnamese, Philippine, and Australian.
Dininng with the various forces yielded some interesting experiences food wise....the most civilized (most surprisingly so) were the Aussies as they had Linen table clothes, plates, and proper eating tools and darn good food.
My next choice was the Thai food....which was heavy on the hot pepper side, followed by the Vietnamese style with lovely Pho's (Soups) and the Philippines with some very nice Lumpia.
There was a field kitchen setup for a 199th Light Infantry Brigade in an area just west of Saigon known as "The Pineapple" as it was an immense Pineapple plantation and the Area of Operations for the 199th.
The kitchen was set up across a large canal from the main road in the area and had a single plank foot bridge to afford access to the Dining area.....with no hand rails.
Arriving for a lunch break....although not working for the 199th that day....we came roaring into land in the Chinook....very low level and doing a completely unapproved sliding skidding banked well over screeching halt kind of landing.....and as I passed over the wee foot bridge I caught a glimpse of a single Soldier caught mid-span on that plank bridge.
The thing that caught my eye in sequence was the sparkling clean starched battle dress uniform, web gear, and camo helmet cover, a pair of spit shined leather boots and a stubby CAR-15 rifle......all 180 degrees in orientation to the canal water (mucky scum filled ugly water). feet up....helmet with one hand on it down....and it was then I noticed the Two Silver Stars on the Camo Helmet Cover.
In lieu of landing for a good steak lunch....I reversed controls turned the ramp to the splashing water and flew off to anywhere but there to enjoy a cold C-Ration Lunch.
I bet the General still thinks today that I did that to him on purpose.....I did not have the courage to offer him my apologies.
The General may have wanted to initiate an action that could have lightened my pay for a couple of months.