Vietnam Slides

 

Vietnam Slides

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I found some old Vietnam slides I took while there,
All were taken in 1970 with a 1/2 frame camera so bare.
I thought that I might discuss them as with you I share,
Some of the things I saw over there to make you stare.

 

 

 

 

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Vietnam Slides

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One day I took my camera and climbed to the roof,
Of the Aviation Building just to catch action as proof,
That I did spent time in the central highlands of Vietnam,
On Artillery Hill near Pleiku, blowing up the bad Vietcong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The firsT picture is looking off to the west of the hill.
The Vietcong rockets often came from there to kill.
The long buildings are living quarters we called hootches.
Where guys firing the artillery lived with their pooches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The next one from the top of the roof is looking northward.
That’s my 3/4 ton truck I drove daily moving forward.
There are two OH- 58A helicopters in their stalls,
Protected by bunkers with steel revetments and all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Next is a pilot checking out his chopper with his crew,
For the daily flight check before heading out to the blue,
On the Air Section landing pad next to the building,
Where they picked up artillery colonels each morning.

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Now the colonel is on his way to a field artillery outpost.
To check things out and talk as him they did host.
There were many artillery outposts close to the hill.
With those big guns shooting out to the jungle to kill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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If you look close to the horizon, a chopper is coming in.
After hauling a colonel out to the boonies once again.
We never knew how long they would stay out there,
But they tried to get back by nightfall from everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We had no landing lights for flights coming in at night.
So the pilots played it by ear when landing their flight.
We had two guys run out to wave spot lights at the pad,
So the pilots could see those light waving army lads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One day the pilots got a hair up their collective asses,
And decided to put on a show for Artillery Hill masses,
They tied smoke grenades to their landing struts,
And flew in cool formation with the hill looking up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We had a couple of dogs at the air section there.
We fed C rations from our supply to the shaggy pair.
My favorite was “Ajax, the wonder dog”, the white one,
They stayed with us as locals would cook them well done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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At the Air Section, I built my own office and parts room,
Because there was nothing there when I did come.
I had a nice place to work and we always had parts,
To keep our helicopters in the air as each day did start.

 

 

 

 

 

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By Bill

Thanks for reading Vietnam Slides,
Bill