I was a marine helo pilot '69' to '74'. orders from a west coast marine air station in '71' to my squadron in danang got changed enroute, without my knowledge of course, and I spent much of the next year in a carrier group off the vn coast. We provided contingency response/support for any ground action or pilot rescue that was required. It was a quiet tour that dramatically changed for the squadron after I rotated to conus in '72'. during my tour but there were boring, hilarious and tragic events nonetheless. It included a squadron helo flying in the fog and almost landing on a soviet carrier in the area. We had been sent to the Indian Ocean during the India Pakistan war. No losses or political incidents. Tragedies included eight crew being lost one night when two of our helos had catastrophic control failures and one huey that was tossed off the carrier deck when doing a maintenance check in high winds. Crew rescued.
All in all my service years were priceless, despite the unpopularity of the war, for broadening my experiences, working with committed young men from all walks of life in sometimes difficult circumstances and offering wide ranging travel especially throughout asia..
Since leaving the marines I've served forty-nine more years in public service to include federal law enforcement, and for the last twenty-seven years, conducting child abuse investigatiions for the court in boston. I am the old man of the court.
One more point. Fellow '69' and old fraternity brother Charley Miller had a career in education and has founded schools in Honduras and Vietnam where he is likely still active.
He, and others in public service or are active volunteering, deserve recognition.
Enjoy the holidays Bill.
Sláinte,
Joe Fahey
Hull, MA