[ Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: George G
Date: 3/17/2004
Time: 4:27:57 PM
Remote Name: 65.130.96.209
I remember the CanTho Rat Finks. Having made many pre-dawn trips to CanTho airfield in order to catch a ride to one of my six delta sites for a radio TTY maintenance mission. Of my 428 total flights there was one I remember with the Rat Finks that started this way. Just past O' dark hundred one morning we had a long delay because the preflight check revealed the lucky penny went missing from behind the safety wire in the middle of the prop nut and we naturally waited for a crew member to go find a replacement Lucky copper penny, which thankfully to eveyones relief he did. I can't remember anymore if the Rat finks had Otters as well as Beavers, maybe one of you guys can tell me. Also, on one of the routes around the bottom of the delta a stop would be made, I think at Cam mau where passengers might be left off to wait, and twice I was left off alone at the runway for about an hour to wait while they took another person to the last stop south and brought people back to Cam mau, then picked me up again. During this time I was left at the air field I noticed only RVN looking troops a ways in the distance, living in a Armored Personnel Carrier shell with poncho flies, and hammocks strung to its sides by the runway. No other americans. I hung out in the high grass with my tool box and .45 and prayed for you guys to make it back safely. There were lots of flights in different air craft and with other units, and often now the lines blurr in hazed memories. On one flight out of Cantho, probable not with the Rat Finks, I noticing the crew chief of an otter talking on the head set looking out all the windows checking the wings, and when we landed I asked him what was going on back there and he showed me a couple bullet holes in the plane. Though I shouldn't have been surprised I always was because I never heard the bullets hit any of the aircraft over the engine noise. That same droning noise of the engines that always seemed to put me to sleep right away on those ten minute to half hour hops around the delta. For me it felt cool and safe up there, I trusted you guys and I never woke up dead. Thanks for the many safe flights all of you avaitors.
George