Woody,

Proper hydration was highly emphasized during the VN war - and the point was
easily and quickly driven home on the searing flight decks off Yankee and
Dixie stations. Manned up and waiting your turn for the huffer, even with
the open cockpit, made one a believer.

During our first post-line period port call in Subic (April, when things
weren't REALLY hot yet) I went straight to the Navy Exchange and bought
several plastic baby bottles and caps (but not the nipples). Before each
launch I filled them with the offerings of the Ready Room scuttlebutt and
stuffed same in my g-suit pockets (held 6 - 3 each leg). I usually consumed
at least two between man-up and launch, plus another one or two during the
mission. This left me 2 - 3 available if I were forced à pied into scenic
North Vietnam.

Never found myself fumbling for the funnel either.

--
Mike Kanze

"When you're majoring in abnormal psychology, ALL television is
educational!"

- Frank & Ernest, 3/9/04


"Doug "Woody" and Erin Beal" wrote in message
...
On 3/13/04 11:21 PM, in article
, "Krztalizer"
wrote:

Piddle packs. My kid found two in a bottom drawer somewhere and held it
out
to
me, saying, "I don't want to know."

Had a pilot **** in the canteen once - tried to hand it back to me to
dispose
of ("Are you nuts, sir?? Fling it out your own door!") but I don't
recall
using
one of those scanky-ass relief tubes (Is it plugged, or not? Care to
find
out?) or even piddle packs for that matter. Most of our missions were
less
than six hours and I had an 8-hour certification on my bladder so it was
never
much of an issue. On @#$%# P-3 flights, it was.

v/r
Gordon

Personally, I felt it very important to be hydrated... especially over bad
guy country. It'd be a bad deal to get bagged and start out on the ground
short of water. On a 6.5 to 8 hour mission, I had to learn how to use the
piddle pack. Admittedly, it took some time to master. Always managed to
throw 2 to 3 overboard after the trap.

On the other hand, I fly with guys that can't make it through a 1.3 hour
hop
without peeing at some point. Still can't figure that out.

--Woody