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curmugeonI think I'll throw a name out... Don Slikkerveer. He was a good friend who died years after the Viet Nam War, fighting the demons that haunted him. He was a warrior, a military man. He never had it easy, working his way from recruit to the rank of Major, He served over 20 years, became a pilot, and flew his trusty transport plane on many a mission.
He saw the world, from the evacuation of the Congo as the Congo Crisis was all around him, to flying clandestinely into Laos and Cambodia during the Viet Nam War. He flew in peace time and he flew under fire, it didn't matter to him, he liked the challenge of delivering his payload t where it was needed. He flew relief supplies, he flew bodies back from 'Nam. He and his crew did what some pilots could only dream. He dropped 2000 pound bombs in the jungle to make landing zones. No, he didn't fly a bomber, but they just dragged the bomb out the back with a chute and watched it slowly fall to the ground.
He told of flying from 'Nam to Hawaii with a load of bodies and occasionally with some soldier needing to get home for an emergency. He told tales of a time. when making this long flight, he would cut off the inner engines and feather the propellers to reduce the noise. He also would sometimes use auto pilot and go to the galley to make coffee. One time a passenger asked who was flying the plane. He said 'George' was handling it, George being the nickname for his autopilot.
He flew to Laos and Cambodia to pick up stuff captured by tribesmen in their battles with North Vietnamese Regulars. He has pictures of Hmong villages, Chinese Tanks, and tribesmen standing proudly with their antique rifles. He captured the pride in these people who fought with us.
He flew most everywhere. The Congo, Libya, Lebanon, Dominica, Haiti, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma, Pakistan..... He dropped ammunition to fire bases in Vietnam, making sure the pallets landed inside the compound so the soldiers could fight to survive. He would return to base and inspect the plane, counting the bullet holes and get ready for the next flight.
I don't know why he entered my thoughts, but Don, you will be missed.
He saw the world, from the evacuation of the Congo as the Congo Crisis was all around him, to flying clandestinely into Laos and Cambodia during the Viet Nam War. He flew in peace time and he flew under fire, it didn't matter to him, he liked the challenge of delivering his payload t where it was needed. He flew relief supplies, he flew bodies back from 'Nam. He and his crew did what some pilots could only dream. He dropped 2000 pound bombs in the jungle to make landing zones. No, he didn't fly a bomber, but they just dragged the bomb out the back with a chute and watched it slowly fall to the ground.
He told of flying from 'Nam to Hawaii with a load of bodies and occasionally with some soldier needing to get home for an emergency. He told tales of a time. when making this long flight, he would cut off the inner engines and feather the propellers to reduce the noise. He also would sometimes use auto pilot and go to the galley to make coffee. One time a passenger asked who was flying the plane. He said 'George' was handling it, George being the nickname for his autopilot.
He flew to Laos and Cambodia to pick up stuff captured by tribesmen in their battles with North Vietnamese Regulars. He has pictures of Hmong villages, Chinese Tanks, and tribesmen standing proudly with their antique rifles. He captured the pride in these people who fought with us.
He flew most everywhere. The Congo, Libya, Lebanon, Dominica, Haiti, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma, Pakistan..... He dropped ammunition to fire bases in Vietnam, making sure the pallets landed inside the compound so the soldiers could fight to survive. He would return to base and inspect the plane, counting the bullet holes and get ready for the next flight.
I don't know why he entered my thoughts, but Don, you will be missed.
