Going the long round about way home on Emergency Leave

In 1969 on my first tour to Nam, my dad went into surgery shortly after arrival in the Philippines. Because of his condition it was thought that he might not make it.

I applied for Emergency Leave, and it was granted just as we were leaving for the line. So what might have a short trip to Clark Air Base turned into 'the trip home the extra long way'

I was lifted off by Chopper but because the seas were so rough i had to hoisted aboard. Then after lifting several others up, the chopper was off to the Sacramento AOE 2 for a hoped short stop and then catch there mail chopper into Da Nang. We were delayed on the way so naturally I misssed the nail flight. So I had to spend the night on board the Sac. The first thing I noticed was the speed. she was able to do almost 28 kts while the Katmai could only manage 14 kts. But she was headed for a rendezvous with the Connie the next day where i would again chopper over and catch the 12 noon shot to Da Nang.

Missed that flight again, because this time the chopper was forced to stay in the air delivering supplies to several other destroyers and more ammo to the Connie....So I leaned out the bottom hatch and took same really good pictures.

When we finally landed on the Connie I was told to find a bunk and wait for the next days flight in, so I did. I also managed to find my cousin Jim. We spent the evening talking, watching night flight ops and meeting some of his friends.

The next morning after breakfast i boarded a C-130 mail and passenger plane and was catapulted off of the Connie and headed for Da Nang.

We arrived in Da Nang Air Base at about 3 in the afternoon. I checked in and was told that they had a Pam Am Mail plane heading for Travis Air Base in Northern California. Great!

At 2:pm I woke up from my coomfy spot on the floor to the sound of a VC rocket attack. You might remember this, it was the attack on the Marine Barracks. Guess what. They naturally canceled the flight because Pam Am would not fly into an active "Hot Zone"
So I and the rest of the passengers bound for the states had to wait till morning to see when or if we flew out.

In the morning, they told me that I was to catch a gunship bound for Com Ron Bey Naval Base and hopefully catch a 2 pm flight for Tokyo. Sure enough, at 11 am we boarded the gunship and head to the south over Indian country, escorted by two other Gunship.

At 1:pm, I went through customs and had to turn in all of my weapons. That was sure a disappointment. Then we boarded a Flying Tiger DC 10 bound for Japan and then on for a 11 hour flight to Evanston Washington.

When we left Com Ron Bey at 2:30 pm Thursday. It was 110 degrees when we left. We arrived in Japan at 11:pm in a snow storm. After one hour on the ground for refueling, we then took off for the 11 hour overnight flight to the states. I awoke abut 5 in the morning to our first meal. There were 239 other military personal on board so it took them awhile to feed us all. I then went back to sleep.

At 11:am Thursday morning we arrived in Washington. I caught another plane right after that and arrived in San Francisco for a short stop and then on to Ontario California on PSA. Remember short mini skirts they wore as uniforms? I sure do.

Anyway I arrived Ontario, caught a taxi cause I wanted to surprise every one. I made it home at 2:35PM Thursday Afternoon. 5 minutes after I left Vietnam.

As a side note to all of this traveling, I returned to the ship in a round about way too. but that will be for the next story.