John Yasar wrote:
boB wrote:

Quite flying experience Bob, ever made it to Korea? That is where I am
right now though heading back to stateside soon. The once glorious Cobra
is on display here at Humphreys now. Koreans are still flying it though.


Hey John.... I feel for you over there. My first tour in Korea was in
1974, Camp Casey, 2ID flying Cobras. I know you still have those
practice alerts still, especially with the tension up north. But just
after I made PIC I was down in the Ville when the sirens sounded. Back
then we didn't stop to get in a uniform, hell, most guys brought their
beer with them. I ran straight to the airfield thinking it would be a
roll call and that's that. Instead they threw me my logbook, told me a
new Captain would be my front seat and they were arming the Cobras. I am
SOOOO lucky. A North Korean gunboat was being chased up the coast and
we were ordered to go sink it. Now how in the hell they thought we could
even see a blacked out boat but the weather was too bad, we couldn't get
over the mountains. If not for that I would be dead I think. All cocky
and bold then, I realize now there was more than ego required.


2nd tour in 1981 with the 4/7 CAV when we were at that prison of a
place, Camp Stanton. I don't know if it still exists but it was hell on
earth. Later they moved to Uijongbu (sp) and Camp Stanley.

Lost a wife after both tours. As it turns out, it was a good thing.


I discourage that because I've written many letters of recommendations
for great crew chiefs, who would make great pilots, (we already taught
them to fly) but watched all the rejections because they were in a
critical shortage MOS. Right now I believe all jobs in the military
are critical and I don't think many Warrant packets will get approved
until it gets better. That may be a long time.

Bob, every other month about 60 to 70 enlisted soldiers are being picked
up. That is still a good number. Last board however selected a great
number of E-6s and only 2 E-3s. I will applying as an E-4 most likely
and they still pick at least 15 SPCs everyboard. I am though an aircrew
member, but just an armament guy and am sure that not in a shortage MOS,
again I have heard from our medevac guys that they are in need of crew
chiefs.

That is great.... maybe there were more applications for Warrant when I
was in but there were many packets disapproved, and they were good
soldiers. Take care over there.....

--

boB
Wing 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)