As most of you know, I served in Vietnam and belong to a group of veterans comprised of men that served either in my unit or sister units of the 7/17th Air Cavalry. Tonight, as has happened many times, one of my "brothers" posted a special memory and I am going to share that memory of his with you. The reason I am posting it here is to show that although many of us may argue about world events and can at times be bitterly divided, we who have been there do not support military action lightly. Unlike some politicians, we know the horrors of war and the cost to those sent off to it. I also post it to show many the price we are willing to pay to ensure your continued freedom of expression and I ask only that you reflect on this mans words, who I will identify as "Vic."
I can't begin the events of today Oct.26 1972 without first telling
you about Lt.Carlos Pedrosa. This was the kind of man if he said"how are you doing?"he waited
around to get the answer.He always took an interest in everyone.
One day that comes to mind with the Lt.was a day a bunch of us
gunners and crewchiefs were bored.We were sitting around pulling the
tracers apart and lighting them along the flightline to watch them
flip through the air.It wasn't long before someone in operations
noticed and sent someone to tell us to stop.Who was sitting there
with us, no other than the Lt.We were told to stop,he got chewed out.
I was in a routine at the end of everyday I would first clean the
slick,put the ammo away then sit on the floorboard and clean the
guns.The Lt. would come by and sometimes read his letters from home
to me or just talk.Usually he'd tell me to slow down,that I didn't
need to be flying everyday,every mission.
I'd just grin and tell him I couldn't help myself.I loved flying
too much and was afraid I'd miss out on something.He was like that
with everyone.He for sure had to be the most liked guy on base.
On Oct.26,I was the gunner on one of the chase ships.We had two
teams out this day,one on the ground along the flightline at Kontum
airfield the other out in the AO.
The Lt.'s team was down, ours was on are way out.As always the
Lt.stood along the flightline giving everyone the thumbs up.As our
ship was going by,he had his thumb up and with his other hand he was
telling me to slow down.
It was right then the sound of rockets could be heard,everyone was
running for cover.The Lt. turned to the nose of his slick to grab his
Cav. hat,he reached it the same time the rocket did.Right there in
front of me I saw the rocket blow this gentle,beautiful man apart.
Capt.Gerrisher was flying C&C that day yelling over the mike for
everyone to get out of there.He wanted everyone to try and find out
where the the rockets were coming from.Of course you never could find
out,they were always gone by the time you got there.
The Lt. was killed,Larry Neal the crewchief had his whole side full
of shrapnel.To this day his arm just hangs there,the gunner received
some wounds and the interpreter had a piece of shrapnel hit him right
between the eyes.The docs pulled it out and he was OK.
All missions came to an end that day.We went back to Holloway,it
was the first time I didn't clean the ship.I put the ammo away,had
the guns locked up without cleaning them.I went to my hooch laid on
my bunk and I know didn't talk to anyone for several days.I don't
remember anyone ever talking about the Lt. after that.
Sgt Ohs was on the team to secure the area,Mike lynch has a picture
of the slick sitting on its side right after it happened.It's under
Kontum on his website.His crew went in and got the guns and stuff off
it after the area was secure.Capt Gerrischer on the C&C bird had
picked up the wounded and the Lt. right after it happened.
A few years back I recieved a call from the president of the VVA in
NY.They were dedicating a plaque to the Lt.at his old high school in
Queens NY.It seems they couldn't find any family or friends that knew
him.They went to the wall in Washington and I had signed the book
saying I knew him.They needed to know something about him for the
dedication,so I told him all I knew.He told me the Lt.came from the
poorest area of Queens and as a spanish man it was cosidered quite an
accomplishment to become an officer and a pilot.That's why the
dedication.It was a privilege to know him and a tragedy to see him
lost. Victor Htrp 17th