In a place far far away...called Chu Lai in Vietnam, whilst picking my nose waiting for the engineers to correct a technical fault on my Chinook....was engaged in watching the Marines landing their F-4's. One of the chappies answered the question...."How does a Marine fighter pilot know he has landed gear up?". The poor fellow made a beautiful landing...to realize the gear was still in the wells....put both engines into Afterburner....roared off the end of the runway northbound...initiated a very slight right hand turn towards the water....made it to what would have been a nice crosswind leg....continued the right hand roll for a bit...then two nice ejections with proper landings into the South China Sea. Seeing no Rescue aircraft heading towards the swimmers...we cranked our bird and rigged our rescue hoist. Being Army pilots...never having winched over open water...surely never having winched swimmers. Before it was over...the second swimmer was waving us off....but not to be deterred....we finally got the two of them up and back on dry land.