As a 20 yr old Marine in Vietnam in 1967 /68 I will describe what it was like flying on missions as a Helicopter Gunner and Crew Chief with HMM-361, having accumulated 314 combat missions in my 13-month tour. Perhaps this would have been an average tour had it not been for the events of 28 August thru 3 September 1967 at Dong Ha, Vietnam involving NVA artillery attacks." After the third direct hit on our bunker small beams of light appeared in the upper corner, that was good news and bad news. Bad news was all the sandbags were blown away, one more direct hit and I would not be writing this. Goods news was we could put our months up to the cracks to get some air, like guppies in a fishbowl, not that the air outside was much better"Missions remembered .." Why Is He Smiling " , "OK Pass Up The Dead Guy " , " Surely We're not Going To Do This ""MAY DAY MAY DAY WE"RE GOING IN " , " KIA"S All Day" and More. Of course there were good times doing what 19 & 20 plus year old's could do to enterain themselves in a combat zone .The first story Mama Sahn Bitch Witch is one of those " entertaining events ", then there were the " Hand Grenade Pranks " and the " Kentucky Long Rifle Caper " You're invited to come along with me down my Vietnam Memory Lane .
