A Time To Recall

Such a long time ago when we went to war   across the beautiful South China Sea. We flew into the fray with conscience yet unborne;   my ticket, flight F2C3. Our duties, quite different from stateside,   put us often in moments of stress; And the threat of extinction from incoming rounds   was then coupled with sheer loneliness. A typical shift was long and tiring,   observing from gun-bunkers and towers. Or perhaps walking K-9, or riding patrol,   we kept each other awake and alert for hours. From town patrol to "shakedown" control,   from mortar pit, maintenance, or QRT. From flight line "ramp rats", and those three man SATs,   to the flight chief, and don't forget CSC. Occasionally we'd escort a convoy and provide safe passage,   a questionable break from routine. But the memory most droll was on clearance patrol,   when aiming stakes were too often seen. But nothing that good lasts forever,   and sometimes the bad guys would hit us. While mostly we kept old Charles at arms length,   we could never quite make him forget us. Both seasons would pass (hot and wet / hot and dry),   and the creatures were all out for blood. Through venomous spiders, and most-deadly snakes,   and leeches that lived in the mud. There were rice-eating beetles, and flesh-eating rats,   and lizards that kept you awake, to centipedes, scorpions, mosquitos and ants,   sometimes it was too much to take. The inclement weather could well last all season,   while bringing the wind and the wet. The poncho you wore could keep out the downpour,   but you ended drowning in sweat. The sandblasting monsoons arrived with due force,   eroding once elegant facial features, but what the sand didn't take, and the sun didn't bake,   was attacked once again by the creatures. Yet we answered the call, and it wasn't a ball,   but we managed to walk through that door. Though no flags were unfurled for our trip back to the world,   I salute you, flight F2C4. F2C3--flight into Cam Rahn Air Base, Vietnam. F2C4--Cam Rahn back to the US. Shakedown--checking viet civilians leaving the base for contraband. QRT--mobile quick reaction team. ramp rat--a cop working the flight line areas. SAT--mobile three man patrol (security alert team). CSC--central security control Aiming stake--used by the enemy to line up on targets so they could shoot   with relative accuracy in the dark. Written April 19th, 2002 © on Apr 19 2002 10:05 AM PST   18 • 0 • 10