Below the Huey Cobra is a stack of 1943 packaged C-ration cases that will provide food for our next 2 or 3 meals. Wearing a complete uniform was required to be served a meal but our sweat soaked clothes and metal helmets came off immediately after we left the mess area. This meal was not C’s but fresh Army food made from powder or canned items (A Rations) and were also well aged WWII vintage material (it was not really food so it must have been material).

One of the better jokes the Army played on us was the radar unit atop the tower. It was designed to locate enemy soldiers but the targets they sent us were mostly fantasies. Our gun crews spent many sleepless nights shooting at imagined enemy formations. One of the operators is standing near the base of the tower and wearing a neatly pressed, form fitting uniform.

Dave Stafford operated (with help) one in Vietnam and contacted me about the above remarks. In an attempt to be funny I failed to tell the many times these units worked well. My bad! Dave came thru in the June battle at Fire Support Base Crook.