TBS 2-67 Cruisebook_Updated_7Jan23

Stories
Stories‐The Clock
A Short War Story from Bill McBride
(Mostly True)
One of my few, and most treasured mementos from Vietnam is an
8­Day clock from a CH­46.
We had just been extracted after a bland 4­day recon patrol (don't
recall exactly where), and we were looking forward to cold
showers and warm beer at home base (Phu Bai). Crew chief
ambles back and asks me to put on his helmet With headphones so
the pilot can talk to me. Turns out that another CH­46 had just
made an emergency landing in bad guy land, and they wanted us
to babysit the bird until they could get a real reaction force
(Sparrow Hawk) in to secure the zone.
So we did. We spent a quiet four hours in a 360° around the
bird, .50 cal in the middle, My six troops and the crew chief
manning the line. We probably could have held out for a good two
minutes if pressed.
The pilot was obviously not cut out to be a grunt, but the copilot
was eating it up. We even gave him some camouflage paint and he
did up his face real professional­like. His .38 or whatever it was
constantly at the ready and he even had an extra box of ammo
strategically distributed in the various pockets of his flight suit. We
broke bread (Long range patrol rats) with him, and even showed
him how to use an Itty­wa and C­4 to make coffee.
The Sparrow Hawk arrived and we went home. A couple of
weeks later, the copilot shows up at my hootch with two airplane
clocks ( I took the new one, “Doc” got the used­looking one.),
A‐50
BACK
three survival knives (with sharpening stone). a strobe light, and a
bunch of pen flares.
He says "thanks" for the help that day, drops the loot off to divvy
up among the patrol, and volunteers to go out with us “anytime,
anywhere”.
It is now 1838 and 26­seconds on the clock I only wind on
Monday morning.
Bonus War Story:
First time under fire, trying to break contact. I pull pin on CS
grenade...good throw. Oh shit! forgot to remove the one wrap of
electrical tape holding the spoon to the can.
Chuck not so dumb, however, his aim not that great but tape has
been removed. Only the radioman has a gas mask. Good thing the
wind was in our favor. Tried to invent a cover story but troops
didn’t buy it. End of tour going­away present was a dud CS
grenade with ring on spoon and wrapped with e­tape.
(This gift didn’t make it past the dogs and inspectors in Danang)