I remember the night with all the flares...please be patient with me while I write

[Redstone]

some things that need to be written, for reasons that I'm not quite prepared to share with you yet. OK?

Be my friend and just read; I know you can do that, wonderful friends that you are.

That night, the flares were everywhere; they were kicking them off the ramps of C-130s; the Broncos were throwing them out; we had a fire unit of 82-mm mortars launching them, and a battery of 105s firing two flare rounds for each AP round they fired.

Everybody in the air hit the treeline with everything they had; even the Bird Dogs used their spotting rockets for effect instead of for spotting. And the air that night was full of everything that could fly. We had Fast Movers hitting the treeline and the road with GBUs and Napalm; we had Scooters doing gun runs fifty meters in front of us because any other ordnance would have hit us even though we were heads-down.

And that was after the Arc Light strikes a few hours earlier.

The flares made a very wierd kind of light; it's not like the real world where there are shades of grey. Everything is either blindingly, strobe-light lit, or a shadow blacker than death.

It's for another time for me to continue this story; I have a kitty competing for lap space with my comnputer, and with the limited time I have left, I'll give the time to the damn cat.

But I have stories to tell.

More later.

Redstone

[flvegan]

1. Looking forward to it, sir.

[Redstone]

3. I had a Dragon team who I had to hold back for the tanks that General Fucking Giap

was going to send to us; we knew that was coming. We had to save the few guys who had LAWs, and our only 50-cal for the BMPs and BTRs. They were coming too. And did.

It's just so damn hard to tell where anything really is, when it's either summer-noon bright or just not there when the flare burns out, except for having been seared into your retina.

I cannot rewind this movie in my mind anymore tonight.

Sorry for putting you all through it.

Redstone

[Swede]

2. That must have been intense.

[Kajsa]

4. Please let me know when you continue

your story, Redstone.

I really want to read it, and I'm looking forward to
the rest. You were there, like my brother was.

You are a good writer, and I don't say that to
everyone.

:pals:

[trof]

5. It's funny. Ok, not 'ha ha' funny, but weird.

I understand everything you said.
I'm what's called a 'Viet Nam Era' "vet".

I was in the air guard from '63 until '71.
Never got shot at and never 'fired a shot in anger', as they say.

But I understand the terms you use.
The 130s and the Broncos and the Fast Movers and the Bird Dogs And the Arc Lights.

I'd like for you to keep telling us about it.
Thanks.
Just...thanks.
trof

[Redstone]

8. I talked with a Buff bombardier on an overnight flight from Chicago to Hartford one night,

and he told me that the 500 meters in front of us where the Arc Light hit was an accuracy tolerance of plus or minus ONE SECOND of pickling off the bomb load.

Ee-yow! Let me tell you, the other passengers near us on that plane went home with nightmares after that guy and I shared beers and stories.

Redstone

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. My dear Redstone...

I am looking forward to any future installments, whenever you get to them...

Thank you, sweetie...

You are an amazing story-teller...yes, you are...


:hug:

[Droopy]

7. Tell us more, Redstone

[Redstone]

9. Later, but thanks for asking. ONLY Mrs R knows that the denoument of that night, the thing that

haunts my nights 37 years later...and her instructions are that, when I'm gone, as far as my sons are concerned, the stories I've told her are only stories.

They're stories I'll tell you guys, since you asked. Not things for me to be particularly proud of, or for my sons to hear.

There are other stories, but it's that one night full of light and death that won't leave me.

More later. Maybe tomorrow.

Redstone

[bluesbassman]

10. Thanks Redstone.

I know what it takes to talk about those experiences. I feel honored that you have chosen us to share them with.

[Mike 03]

11. I'm always delighted to read anything you ever have to write, Redstone.

You are someone here who I respect immensely.

It sounds like you have a story to tell, and we are all listening.

ON EDIT:

I have enormous respect for you, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that.

[leftyclimber]

12. Thank you for feeling like you can share this with us, Redstone.

I, for one, am touched.

[hippywife]

13. I'm sorry

that you or anyone else has to carry war memories forward into the lives of themselves and their families. I hope that writing them out helps purge what haunts you.

Sad that with so many who have experienced these things that more don't stand up and say "Hell no!" when the call comes 'round again.

Peace to you, Redstone. :hug:

[Redstone]

14. And I wasn't EVEN a damn soldier! People don't know how damn many wars there were over there;

I was in one of them that never hit the newspapers; I was a civilian employee of a company under contract to the Air Force, and found myself in a combat situation for which I had agreed with the company that employed me might happen, but you kmow that $1500 per month was damn good money in 1972, so it was a chance that a 19-year-old might take.

Then things took a wrong turn. I'll try to not dream of that night tonight.

Redstone

[Jamastiene]

15. Thank you.

:hug:

[begin_within]

16. sounds like my 4th of July

[Xipe Totec]

17. Well written - a pleasure to read.

Thanks!

-XT

[LeftyFingerPop]

18. Thank you for sharing this Redstone...looking forward to more. n/t

[Wetzelbill]

19. If you end this with a badger fistfight

I'll know you've been stealing my work. :)

That's well-written. Fascinating, I hope I can catch it when you tell more.

You know the only thing that haunts me is a woman. That's bad enough. :)

[Redstone]

22. Thank you for pitching in to my thread. It's always good to hear from you. Truth.

Redstone

[PaddyBlueEyes]

20. Brother

Ive been there...I know the feeling...:hug:

[Redstone]

21. I'm touched to have you call me "brother." I am.

Redstone

[PaddyBlueEyes]

28. You are my brother

eternally... Garryowen!

[Redstone]

23. I may finish this tonight or may not; Mrs R has just wrapped me in three blankets

that she warmed over the fireplace, so I'm not inclined to type much.

But the denoument has much to do with the night full of light, so stay tuned, if you wish to do so. It won't be for the squeamish, but it's going to be said nonetheless.

I don't have long to tell these stories, but they'll be told.

Redstone

[bluesbassman]

24. Damn man, I'm stunned.

To have you share this here is an incredible honor. My dad served in the Aleutians, and Kwajalein Atoll in the second world war. He never spoke much about it when I was growing up, but near the end of his life he and I spent hours discussing his experience, and I am a fortunate to have those memories of his. It's an unbelievable honor to be a part of you're recollections of the time you spent in combat. I served in the Carter peace time army '76 to '79, so I can not personally relate to what you went through, but I was close enough that I can feel what you're relating.

Thank you so much for this opportunity Redstone.

[Dystopian]

25. Thank you, Redstone

I also heard the stories.
Our children will never know.
He is gone, and I will take those stories to my grave....

Thank you for sharing.

peace & love to you~

[Ptah]

26. I'm glad you made it home

salute

[Ptah]

27. B-52 Avionics tech here

I'm glad that Arc Light was within tolerance.

I did my best.

USAF 1970-1974(E-4}

[Blue Diadem]

29. (((((((Redstone)))))) We'll be here waiting for more, when you are ready.

Yes, there are some things that need to be told and you write it so well. :hug: Thank you for sharing your memories of another time and place with us.