Myself, two slick pilots, Joe Sheeran,
and Ed (flame over the Delta) Gallager, and a Cobra
jock, Ray Murphy, had gone to Saigon on an off day to visit
a friend that had
been in a bad Crash. A Slicky-pooh from one of our
Vinh Long AspHalt Companies, I believe his name was Jim
Miller.
We had taken a Loach and of course, as I was the only one
who had mastered the beast, was flying!
While there we went to an Air Force Officers Club. With our
Stetsons and yellow Cav Scarfs and Cocky attitudes, we
managed to have a
group of Air Force shits get us drunk while telling many a
Cav Stories....
We then bought 22 bottles of "Matuse" wine and brought it
back to the hospital.
It was dark by now and the only cups we could find were
urinals and these itty-bitty paper cups used to dispense
medicine.
Before long the whole ward was drunk and getting too
loud.
In comes the ugliest, and oldest round eyed nurse I
had ever seen. She got quite indignant, called us a
few names I can't repeat on this net, and then threw us
out.
Our next mission was to decide who was sober enough to fly
the Loach home.
After about 20 minutes of more drinking (wine) and the
realization that I was the only one there who was rated in
the aircraft, it was agreed I would attempt to fly.
Instincts took over and I managed to get the beast
cranked and started my take off....about 50 feet of the
ground I told Ed Galager he had it, surrendered the controls
to
him.... I told him how fast to go and fell asleep!...
I was awaken to AK-47 fire from the rear of the loach, I
woke up and snatched the controls back from Ed thinking he
might have taken us low level,
at night and we had run into some bad guys. As my eyes
began to focus I began to realize that we
were at about a thousand feet and it was the two
dipshits in the back of the loach firing out the door just
to watch all the flash and sparks come out the barrel of the
AK.
Trying to get my bearings, I looked down and noticed
Ed had been flying in a near Southern heading which should
have taken us to Vinh Long.
It was really black that night and the lack of ground
lights, other than military installations made it hard to
figure out where we were....then I spotted what I thought
should
be Vinh Long...we had another discussion about it and it was
unanimous.... it was either Vinh Long or Can Tho.
I then called the Vinh Long Tower, requesting landing
instructions and trying not to sound drunk.
The tower immediately came back advising me I was clear for
landing runway 27.
"Rosher that Vinh Loong Towr, Coulds I's requesh a SHTRaing
approch!"
The Tower Came Back "Roger 19er your cleared for a straight
in approach to runway 27, are you all right 19er, your radio
sounds funny."
Of course a loud round of laughter could be heard throughout
the Aircraft.
"19er turn on your landing light when you’re on a 1 mile
final." I acknowledged.
When I got what I thought to be a 1 mile final I advised the
tower and turned on my landing light.
I could see it reflecting of the haze so I knew it was
on.... then from the tower I hear,
"19er Please turn on your landing light" I stated "It is
on!"
The tower came back "Well sir, we don't have a tally
on you, are you sure your landing at Vinh Long!"
This required an immediate debate among passengers and
crew. Someone pointed out the officers club about 50 feet
below us on the right.
We were sure we were at Vinh Long....
Before I could confirm, the tower came back...
"Warwagon 19er, we have a tally on you...continue your
approach and make your approach directly to the ground, once
on
the ground....DO NOT MOVE! Is that understood
19er!" I replied, "ROSHER THAT!"
When I touched down, all four of us on the aircraft were
looking around and we realized I had landed by making our
approach perpendicular to the runway which had us
coming towards the rear of the tower while the guys in the
tower were looking off to their left.
Several cute comments were made about how they had changed
the runway after we had left that morning making it the
shortest runway in Vietnam but by far the widest!
After receiving a
well deserved chewing out by a SP4 tower operator,he told
me that he would not report me,
and to never let it happen again....
He didn't need to worry... I think I scared myself
enough that night not to ever do anything quite that stupid
again....
The tower called
the Troop and they sent one of our own loach
pilots to retrieve the aircraft.
By the way.... Ed
Gallager fell in love with the OH-6 that night and joined
the Scout platoon, Ray Murphy also was so impressed that the
OH-6 had gotten 4 drunks home
without a "real" pilot, he too came over to the Scout
Platoon and flew Scouts the rest of his tour!
This was a stupid thing done by a stupid bunch of kids that
had a happy ending only because God protects Fools and
Drunks!
Never did find out the name of the Tower Operator that
night, would like to thank him some day!