It was a lot easier for Charlie to hit a ground crew with a mortar than to bring down an aircraft with a Kalishnikov. (at least a jet - the little Porters we bounced around in in Laos felt pretty vulnerable to an angry guy on the ground with a rock and good arm < s > )

I've seen some very gutsy ground crews do some very brave things - including helping get guys out of planes that came in pretty banged up.

>Tracy;
>
>I should point out that in my AFSC (Air Force Specialty) Ground Radio Maintenance, we had the highest causality rate of Air Force personal during 1964-65. We had higher losses than pilots. One of the reasons (a big factor) was three sites on the DMZ. These sites were protected by Marines. If under attack the Marines would leave and you were on your own – just you and your screwdriver. Entire crews of 16 men would be killed at a time. So getting “Red Lined” was popular with some guys. Marine was not a term that was liked by many Air Force guys up there.
>
>Tom
>
>
>>Sheesh! Article 15s don't have much of an impact on duty now except on your ability to get promoted or to re-enlist during peacetime! In 1965-1975 cutting grass everyday sounds pretty good!
>>
>>Tracy
>>
>>>>>Oh I feel much better now. I grew up on those songs mostly because my sisters force-fed me the music, and now they are my favorites. I was feeling old today (just had another birthday this week and I'm hearing the "you don't understand what it's like - it was too long ago for you to remember" from my daughter lately!) until I read your message Tom! I was in 1st grade that year so I'm feeling pretty good now! :o)
>>>>>
>>>>>Tee, hee!
>>>>>
>>>>Tracy,
>>>>
>>>>That's it...rub it in. Grumble, grumble, "First grade". I graduated from high school that year. Grumble, grumble...
>>>
>>>George;
>>>
>>>You guys are kids! I got married that year and have the worlds best wife and friend! Two years later I was out of the Air Force. When I returned home to San Francisco in 1967 I felt like I was from another world. Hippies had taken over with drugs, strange clothes and a "different way of life". All the guys I grew up with had gone off to the military or college.
>>>
>>>Guys running around with shaven heads wearing bed sheets calling themselves “Hari Krishna” were everywhere. A dollar for Krishna? Funny that when the war in Viet Nam ended you no longer saw the large numbers of Hari Krishna followers. Some guys would do anything for a draft deferment – wear a bed sheet, take a trip to Canada or anyone of a number of other countries.
>>>
>>>In 1964-65 lots of guys in the Air Force were getting orders for Viet Nam. One basic thing you had to do before reporting to Nam was to “sign out”, which included getting checked by the dentist and doctor and a few other requirements. If you missed a medical appointment you received an “Article 15”, which did not go on your permanent record. Instead you got two weeks “extra duty”, like cut the grass for one hour per day Monday thru Friday. Also you were not eligible to go to Viet Nam – you got “Red Lined”. To serve your nation in Viet Nam you could not have an “Article 15”! That changed from 1966 on as more men were required to fulfill the dreams of LBJ.
>>>
>>>
>>>Tom