Once We Were Aces
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-------- 1 -------- They Let Me Fly “Roger tower, Red 7 is rolling. Ok man let’s go.” Tut moved us forward to line us up on the centerline of the runway, buried the throttles to full military power setting for about five seconds then lit the afterburners. One just can’t appreciate the power of the F 4 engines until those afterburners are engaged! “Man it’s hot! Think this 10,000 feet is enough to get us in the air?” “No problem cause it’s all in the hands,” echoed Tut. He referred to his ability to fly as all in the hands. The summers in Vietnam were especially hot and humid. It was just past noon and it was already 102 degrees outside. The runway was most likely hitting 120 or so, which means not as much lift on the wings. We rotated (lifted off) at one hundred sixty five knots as our bomb laden F 4 overcame the earth’s gravity. Tut pulled up the landing gear and flaps as I switched frequencies to contact Departure and then Monkey Puzzle. I switched frequencies again to locate our tanker. We were carrying a load! Attached to the underside of our bird were twenty-four MK 82 Snake Eyes, about twice the bomb load of a World War II B-17 Bomber. The MK 82 Snake Eye was a high drag fairly accurate 500 pound bomb, usually designed for lower level deployment. When the Snake Eye was released from the aircraft, the fins opened with a look similar to an umbrella opening which actually decreased the speed of the bomb falling to earth. The result of the design created better accuracy and helped prevent damage to the aircraft after the bomb exploded when released at a lower level. We just had enough fuel for about thirty minutes of flying after takeoff, at best, so we had to find that C-130 and gas up. Young Marine Aviators, full of fire, as my dad would say, flying multi million dollar fighter aircraft over the skies of Vietnam and other places in Southeast Asia.
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About the Book
During my tenure with the Marine Corps Air Wing, and later, I often thought of what would have been the outcome, if during the Vietnam War, Marines fighter pilots were afforded the opportunity of air to air engagements as they were during World War I and II and the Korean War. Had that opportunity been realized, Marines may have very well been the first air Aces of the war. The Vietnam War had an impact that fueled the political revolution of the nineteen sixties and impacted our world of today. Those who made such an impact were those so affectionately referred to as the “baby boomers”. Some of these were men in their early twenties were taught to fly state of the art fighter aircraft and deliver bombs, rockets and napalm on the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong enemy. None more so than pilots and Flight officers of the United States Marine Corps Air Wing. I often recall a quote from President Ronald Reagan as he described Marines during a speech in 1985. "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem."
About the Author
During my tenure with the Marine Corps Air Wing, and later, I often thought of what would have been the outcome, if during the Vietnam War, Marines fighter pilots were afforded the opportunity of air to air engagements as they were during World War I and II and the Korean War. Had that opportunity been realized, Marines may have very well been the first air Aces of the war, possibly somewhat similar to those described in “Once We Were Aces”. Marines have held a tradition throughout American history as being the first to fight and the last to leave the battle front. The squadron to which I was assigned in Vietnam was highly decorated with a long history of campaigns and accomplishments. It was one of the first squadrons to deploy to Vietnam and was the last fighter squadron to leave. The majority of the books I have read about US military pilots and air to air combat have been full of technical jargon with respect to flying, nomenclature and advanced weapon systems. I believe this type writing turns off many would be readers. A layman, secretary, or just anyone can read, understand and enjoy this book which also contains a deal of humor which I found absent from similar writings. I was a Drug Agent for 26 years and now I am retired and live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. For a few years I bred and raise American Paint Horses. Now I have three left and I spend the warmer months traveling with my "guys" and riding through some of the beautiful land in this great country.