mrt
Elite
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2021
- Messages
- 425
About 8:30am a friend and pilot was killed as we were exiting the insertion area. Our ship was on the left side of the first insertion and his ship was on the right , we were merging toward one another at the very end of the area and he was about 150 feet to my right, the nose of their ship dropped and the right seat pilot was fast enough to keep them from all dying and crashing into the ground. One photo is of the crew chief and gunner both have died recently and the only one left from his crew is the other pilot. He looks old and wore out now. I know there is three of us left from my ship but I can't remember who the crew chief was that day we had a lot of replacement mid 68 so a lot of people were just flying on any ship that needed them. We went in at daylight and it had rained all night so the water was all the way back into the tree lines, we shot things up and tried to burn the hootches but the water was so deep the phosphorus grenades were all just fizzling out when they hit the water. I never heard the shot and it was to my left front. He was from Standford NY and I try to remember him each year. For 20 years I sent something to his sister but I think after so long and the death of his older brother she just would rather not be reminded any more. I heard nothing from her two years ago when I emailed but this past year I did get a message from her. It is always short but kind. Every year the list gets a little longer but the people you were with when they died are never forgotten.
