I certainly remember the day I got shot down the 6th of June 1964 the ocean
down the 6th of June 1964 the ocean
down the 6th of June 1964 the ocean government had requested a show of
government had requested a show of
government had requested a show of support from the United States we were
support from the United States we were
support from the United States we were tasked to go in and fly some missions
tasked to go in and fly some missions
tasked to go in and fly some missions over there as a kind of a show of force
over there as a kind of a show of force
over there as a kind of a show of force the last pass the last mission there was
the last pass the last mission there was
the last pass the last mission there was a big funk airplane Township everything
a big funk airplane Township everything
a big funk airplane Township everything started to fail all the red lights
started to fail all the red lights
started to fail all the red lights started to come
started to come
started to come I forget how high I was when I ejected
I forget how high I was when I ejected
I forget how high I was when I ejected but looking around at where I was gonna
but looking around at where I was gonna
but looking around at where I was gonna land one tree in the middle of the
land one tree in the middle of the
land one tree in the middle of the clearing and I hit it my right hip right
clearing and I hit it my right hip right
clearing and I hit it my right hip right knee were badly banged up
knee were badly banged up
knee were badly banged up I had dispatched a number of the air
I had dispatched a number of the air
I had dispatched a number of the air America pilots under missions they’re
America pilots under missions they’re
America pilots under missions they’re dropping ammunition in rice noir outpost
dropping ammunition in rice noir outpost
dropping ammunition in rice noir outpost and one of the pilots came into there’s
and one of the pilots came into there’s
and one of the pilots came into there’s a plane down we all knew that we would
a plane down we all knew that we would
a plane down we all knew that we would be crossing the most dangerous area that
be crossing the most dangerous area that
be crossing the most dangerous area that you could cross there’s not much of a
you could cross there’s not much of a
you could cross there’s not much of a chance on our
chance on our
chance on our little single-engine aircraft make it
little single-engine aircraft make it
little single-engine aircraft make it over to kept him and then coming back as
over to kept him and then coming back as
over to kept him and then coming back as soon as they started to break into a
soon as they started to break into a
soon as they started to break into a hover everything interrupted I knew
hover everything interrupted I knew
hover everything interrupted I knew there was no chance of them being able
there was no chance of them being able
there was no chance of them being able to land and pick me up so I didn’t wave
to land and pick me up so I didn’t wave
to land and pick me up so I didn’t wave them off there’s a very courageous man
them off there’s a very courageous man
them off there’s a very courageous man there on the ground what a brave act
there on the ground what a brave act
there on the ground what a brave act your gorilla so to speak that were under
your gorilla so to speak that were under
your gorilla so to speak that were under communist control were alarm and started
communist control were alarm and started
communist control were alarm and started to lead me off toward their camp when
to lead me off toward their camp when
to lead me off toward their camp when you’re kept in the prison you were
you’re kept in the prison you were
you’re kept in the prison you were locked in a room
locked in a room
locked in a room it was always I’m gonna get out of this
it was always I’m gonna get out of this
it was always I’m gonna get out of this when I get away from here somehow
when I get away from here somehow
when I get away from here somehow someday nothing’s going to happen unless
someday nothing’s going to happen unless
someday nothing’s going to happen unless I make it happen it was going through
I make it happen it was going through
I make it happen it was going through that drill when I had the first
that drill when I had the first
that drill when I had the first encounter with another prisoner his name
encounter with another prisoner his name
encounter with another prisoner his name was boo and me came over and sat down
was boo and me came over and sat down
was boo and me came over and sat down beside me through sign language he said
beside me through sign language he said
beside me through sign language he said walking so pointing and eventually it
walking so pointing and eventually it
walking so pointing and eventually it was just when the right time comes
was just when the right time comes
was just when the right time comes that’s when we’ll go
I went out and started pushing up the
I went out and started pushing up the fence and he came running down and I was
fence and he came running down and I was
fence and he came running down and I was right behind him I knew we were going
right behind him I knew we were going
right behind him I knew we were going away from the bad guys that one that was
away from the bad guys that one that was
away from the bad guys that one that was the key point but I didn’t know for sure
the key point but I didn’t know for sure
the key point but I didn’t know for sure when me was headed he hadn’t given up
when me was headed he hadn’t given up
when me was headed he hadn’t given up hope and look the first opportunity to
hope and look the first opportunity to
hope and look the first opportunity to escape but thanks to his bravery and the
escape but thanks to his bravery and the
escape but thanks to his bravery and the things that he did we were able to
things that he did we were able to
things that he did we were able to complete the mission I don’t think you
complete the mission I don’t think you
complete the mission I don’t think you can go through a life-and-death type of
can go through a life-and-death type of
can go through a life-and-death type of the experience and come out the same way
the experience and come out the same way
the experience and come out the same way it went in you realize that life’s
it went in you realize that life’s
it went in you realize that life’s pretty fragile so I think they have a
pretty fragile so I think they have a
pretty fragile so I think they have a more positive outlook on life afterwards
”
Be First to Comment