Originally Posted by
SASless
Vietnam 1968
LZ West near Que Son Valley southwest of Da Nang
Mountain top artillery base
Chinook doing resupply runs with sling loads
Boonie Rat gets caught on the helipad heading for the water trailer with a Jerry can in each hand
In a fit of desperation he seeks shelter in the four hole dunny (fuel drums cut in half for receptacles and burned every day)
Me...new pilot in country
Overshoots the pad...pulled LOTS of power to get stopped
Dunny and said Rat levitates momentarily then over the side of the mountain they go....rolling,bouncing, jumping, contents including said Rat going every which way on its way down to the concentina wire and trip flares
We drop the sling load at its appointed place and peer down the hillside from a hover
Said Rat seen looking like a Chocolate covered Snow Man and not smiling for some reason....he'd pay money at the County Fair for a ride like that
Dilemna....four loads left to go to the LZ where now very upset Rat has access to all sorts of things that go Bang
Extra sortie laid on at no cost to supported unit to fetch a water trailer just for the Unwashed Boonie Rat
Seems a bit funny now but at the time....oh Buddy!
* Cost of training a Chinook Pilot - $ ___________ (fill in price here)
* Cost of moving helicopter and pilot to Vietnam - $ _________(take a stab at price here)
**Value of blowing a shi**er down a mountain and seeing 'chocolate covered snowman' emerge STANKY and PISSED OFF but relatively unharmed - PRICELESS!!