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"Facts are stupid things." --Ronald Reagan
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The other half of that Hunter Killer Team. As the two Cobras hovered, gathering themselves for
take off on the runway in front of their protected enclosures, one took off, but the second lost thrust and
wheeled over into the area next to the runway, landing on the edge of what we were told was a
minefield in the perimeter area around the airstrip. The next thing we knew, there were perhaps one
hundred to two hundred men running down the runway from the hospital and other buildings, and
some from Forth Platoon, right into the field of potential fire of the mini gun and grenade launcher of
the downed ship. No one knew the status of the electrical system aboard that Cobra, or if she could
suddenly fire accidentally, due to some electrical short, and kill those running toward her.
Unfortunately, the Gunner was killed when the rotor came around and took his head off in the crash,
but fortunately, the mini gun did not fire, so all the "rescuers" lived.
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When a Chinook would land, all hell would break loose in our R.O.N. in the Turn Around. Ponchos we
used for shade, cots, personal belongings, equipment, and dust would fly around in the air so thick
we could not see across the R.O.N., but out in the center of things, with the wit and timing sense of a comic genius, as everyone
else in the platoon was franticly grabbing for his stuff, Augie Pisano would be out in the midst of the chaos
running in circles, tightly gripping his Boonie Hat brims with both hands, crying out, "Let me in ,
Auntie Em. Let me in, Auntie Em."
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"Without censorship, things can get terribly confused in the public mind." --
General William Westmoreland on why the media should be controlled in
wartime.
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Occasionally we'd sight a little Beaver. NCO School Candidates were trained at Benning to guide in resupply drops from Beavers, but this was the only one we saw during our tour in the Delta riding with a Mech unit, which carried its own supplies.
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Our deepest Gratitude for the Sounds used on Hotel Bravo. See the H.B. Credits page.
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