Re: Medivac flying into hot LZs

>Subject: Re: Medivac flying into hot LZs
>From: grglnsctt@cs.com (GrgLnsctt)
>Date: 7/31/2003 5:00 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20030731180057.10408.00001366@mb-m05.news.cs.com>
>
>>As they came up on station we would light a small piece of C-4 on every
>track
>>so he could see our perimeter and he'd set it down in the middle. Brave
>men.
>
>Bill,
>
>We were out on a night roving patrol and one of the guys cramped up. The
>chopper pilot got to our approx location and we got him a little closer by
>just
>listening to his (noisy gawdamn) blades. About 40-50 feet off the ground he
>turns the headlights on, hovers, gets his pkg and he's gone. Our location
>compromised, the leader decided to pick up the pace a bit.
>
>- LMAO
>
>Best Regards
>
>Greg
>
>
He sure did turn on his light just before landing but it was a directional
light that illuminated the area below him where he was landing. I forgot about
the light.

I know it wasn't a search light so what the hell was the light, Merc?

Bill Clarke

In article <20030801205437.27544.00000825@mb-m23.aol.com>, FatmanE
wrote:

> >Subject: Re: Medivac flying into hot LZs
> >From: grglnsctt@cs.com (GrgLnsctt)
> >Date: 7/31/2003 5:00 PM Central Daylight Time
> >Message-id: <20030731180057.10408.00001366@mb-m05.news.cs.com>
> >
> >>As they came up on station we would light a small piece of C-4 on every
> >track
> >>so he could see our perimeter and he'd set it down in the middle. Brave
> >men.
> >
> >Bill,
> >
> >We were out on a night roving patrol and one of the guys cramped up. The
> >chopper pilot got to our approx location and we got him a little closer by
> >just
> >listening to his (noisy gawdamn) blades. About 40-50 feet off the ground he
> >turns the headlights on, hovers, gets his pkg and he's gone. Our location
> >compromised, the leader decided to pick up the pace a bit.
> >
> >- LMAO
> >
> >Best Regards
> >
> >Greg
> >
> >
> He sure did turn on his light just before landing but it was a directional
> light that illuminated the area below him where he was landing. I forgot
> about
> the light.
>
> I know it wasn't a search light so what the hell was the light, Merc?
>
> Bill Clarke

We had two lights, LT.

http://www.airshowactionphotography.com/lions02/14.jpg

The searchlight is in the belly just aft of the radio compartment door.
We can swing it down with an spring loaded toggle switch on the
collective and can traverse it from left to right. The aircraft on the
right in the photo has his searchlight partially extended. Further aft
in the belly is the landing light which will extend but not traverse.
You can see the lens of the landing light just aft of the light colored
square on the belly of the left aircraft.

We didn't like to use either one because it wiped out the night vision
of anyone within a quarter mile, including the two guys in the cockpit
and painted a big bullseye on the aircraft. If it was a matter of
turning the light on or flying into a tree, you turned the light on.

Modern aircraft have a filter on both lights to prevent them from
washing out your night vision goggles.

John Mercadante
B-7/1 Air Cav, 1970-71

"John" wrote in message news:010820032120575849%jmerk06@earthlink.net...
>
> Modern aircraft have a filter on both lights to prevent them from
> washing out your night vision goggles.
>
> John Mercadante
> B-7/1 Air Cav, 1970-71

Modern aircraft? Damn if that didn't make me feel old.

Carl Hatchell

In article , Carl Hatchell
wrote:

> "John" wrote in message
> news:010820032120575849%jmerk06@earthlink.net...
> >
> > Modern aircraft have a filter on both lights to prevent them from
> > washing out your night vision goggles.
> >
> > John Mercadante
> > B-7/1 Air Cav, 1970-71
>
> Modern aircraft? Damn if that didn't make me feel old.
>
> Carl Hatchell

They had a big "Welcome Home" fandango for returning troops at the Ft
Sill PX today. While I was standing at the entrance eating my
chocolate cake and flirting with the cute little AAFES babe who was
serving it, it dawned on me that it was thirty two years ago this month
that I returned from Vietnam.

How old does *that* make you feel?

I have outgrown my bitterness and am glad that the brave professionals
who kicked Saddams ass are being welcomed home, but I don't recall that
anyone baked *me* a cake.

John

"FatmanE" wrote in message news:20030801205437.27544.00000825@mb-m23.aol.com...
> >Subject: Re: Medivac flying into hot LZs
> >From: grglnsctt@cs.com (GrgLnsctt)
> >Date: 7/31/2003 5:00 PM Central Daylight Time
> >Message-id: <20030731180057.10408.00001366@mb-m05.news.cs.com>
> >
> >>As they came up on station we would light a small piece of C-4 on every
> >track
> >>so he could see our perimeter and he'd set it down in the middle. Brave
> >men.
> He sure did turn on his light just before landing but it was a directional
> light that illuminated the area below him where he was landing. I forgot about
> the light.
>
> I know it wasn't a search light so what the hell was the light, Merc?
>
> Bill Clarke

> They had a Bank of landing lights for night Recon or Perimeter
patrol. Its called a, ' Fire Fly ' mission. Cold, very Cold.

Thank you much. It seemed like a search light but I didn't think you guys had
one.

I can probably count on my hands the number of times we used our searh light.
As you say, made a mighty fine target for Chuck.

Bill Clarke

>Subject: Re: Medivac flying into hot LZs
>From: "John‰]Â*
>Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â
*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â *Â*"
>jmerk06@earthlink.net
>Date: 8/1/2003 11:10 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <010820032310021025%jmerk06@earthlink.net>
>
>In article , Carl Hatchell
> wrote:
>
>> "John" wrote in message
>> news:010820032120575849%jmerk06@earthlink.net...
>> >
>> > Modern aircraft have a filter on both lights to prevent them from
>> > washing out your night vision goggles.
>> >
>> > John Mercadante
>> > B-7/1 Air Cav, 1970-71
>>
>> Modern aircraft? Damn if that didn't make me feel old.
>>
>> Carl Hatchell
>
>They had a big "Welcome Home" fandango for returning troops at the Ft
>Sill PX today. While I was standing at the entrance eating my
>chocolate cake and flirting with the cute little AAFES babe who was
>serving it, it dawned on me that it was thirty two years ago this month
>that I returned from Vietnam.
>
>How old does *that* make you feel?
>
>I have outgrown my bitterness and am glad that the brave professionals
>who kicked Saddams ass are being welcomed home, but I don't recall that
>anyone baked *me* a cake.
>
>John
>
>
There is an old country song, "If I'd known you was coming I'd have baked you a
cake".

Maybe they just didn't know we wuz coming, Merc.

Welcome home brother.

Bill Clarke

>
>
>
>

"FatmanE" wrote in message news:20030802193328.14537.00001337@mb-> >
> There is an old country song, "If I'd known you was coming I'd have baked you a
> cake".
>
> Bill Clarke

Bill,
Another old country song favorite was:
"If I Had Shot You When I Wanted To, I'd Be Out By Now."

Carl Hatchell