by Enrique B. del Rosario DaNang, Vietnam, 1964 Fly me somewheres north of Soc Trang, where they are having quite a fight, and the Vee Cee come a-sneaking from the jungle in the night. Arm my helo with guns and rockets - leave behind the rice and pigs - for today we go for glory, boys - we're gonna shoot some MIGs! Hear the motor straining, boys - we'll surely pop this rig, but who gives a damn, boys - we're gonna get a MIG! They took off from DaNang Field and headed across the bay. No fear they held, no thought of death. Just one thought - to be an ace today. Across the flooded rice fields, over jungles green and still, straight as an arrow the heroes flew northward to find a MIG to kill. He scanned above, he looked below, 'til late the hour, 'til darkness neared, then turned, disappointed, southward, for not a single MIG appeared. "My pods are full of rockets and there'r bullets in my guns. I ain't done a-huntin' yet - I'm gonna have my fun." He spotted something in the distance, but now he's low on gas. "'Tis my only chance for glory - I've got time for just one pass!" He lined the specks on the crosshair. His iron finger began to itch. "Now I have 'em where I want 'em - I'll kill the sons of bitch!" Banking left, rolling right, now he's got them on the mark. The rockets flew out like thunder - the guns began to bark! "Talley ho! Talley ho!", he cried - his wingman did the same - for his guns and rockets found their mark, his score, his claim. At five he shot, and five went down - not though the swept-winged MIGs. Down to gory death he flamed five no longer squealing pigs. Copyright © 1964, 2001 Enrique B. del Rosario |
Notes and footnotes: Do you remember when some incident occurred on the Tonkin Gulf? We were in DaNang and we were put on the alert because of something going on but we weren't given the entire need-to-know clearance. Rumors flew - North Vietnamese tanks and MIGs were on the way to hit DaNang - was one of the rumors I thought I overheard. I think it was Captain Michael Barkovich to Captain George Boemerman...forgive me if I'm wrong. Then Boemerman said, "that's awright, we got our stingers to take care of any tanks and MIGs those North Vietnamese may care to throw at us."
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5/18/99: From: Jack O. Johnson, LtCol, U.S. Army (retired)
Dear Enrique: |