Click below to listen to “Horse with No Name” by America
Written by John McElligott
“My Horse”
This was the door of a UH 34 D helicopter that we flew out of MM and Dong Ha. Could take many hits in battle and never stop going. Medivac Corpsman dream machine. Only issue was getting hit by a tracer from a 50 cal. This would ignite the plates that were made with Mg+. So we added a large ball pin hammer to our chopper and would go and hammer out any panel that ignited. Made a good mind bender post firefight.
Sitting drinking Beer and watching the smoke from the B-52 exploding in the far back ground.
Now it getting more exciting after drinking a case of Falstaff Beer (gag a maggot) Smoke is in North Vietnam. Life in the fast lane.
Thailand
Checking out my new digs. We made the bunker bigger for me and the rats. Keep in mind the rats were as big as dogs.
not sure this is me but it is!!
My guy ele!!
See the smoke. That’s were we came from and called in some napalm. Definitely was a HOT Zone.
Beach Resort one of our corpsman in Chu Lai
Beach Resort Chu Lai
Lunch after flying all night. Sitting on a cot that I never slept in the whole time I was in Dong Ha!!
Stickum UP!!
Direct hit on the hut behind sick bay bar and grill
Chu Li trolling for sharks
Chu Li planting some grass
Me on my cot with Gerry, and the guy who made my leather bag to sit on in the chopper. Again eating lunch
Gilligan’s Island
My speed boat
Bar hopping in Thailand
Before I lost 60lbs
Tom was a medivac corpsman but drove a forklift during the day while drinking beer
The beach at Marble Mountain
The begininng of the hole that saved us on many a rocket attack in Dong HA.
USO
French Bunker we slept in at night when flying nights. Wish i had my Depends back then. Shit in my pants on a few night gigs.
Always supervising Tom since I out ranked him!!
Sean Barry corpsman lived on C-rats and dam it all pill to stay awake. He later ran the morgue at 9/11. which he is still dreaming about.
The building you see was a catholic church that we would hide behind to avoid getting shot up.
More B-52 smoke in the DMZ Poop in your pants time for the NVA and just another beer for us Dong Ha Boys.
Not where you want to be” South of the DMZ a forward fire base.
Happy Hour! Just finished the day shift and its party time
