The air was hot and humid
The ground was hard and dry
Ten times I cursed my rucksack
and wished that I could die
I learned to look for danger
In the trees and on the ground
I learned to shake with terror
when I heard an AK round
Boonie Rat
1970
2nd Battalion
502 Brigade
101 Airborne

You never know when its going to happen
You might hear an AK snappin'
You hit the dirt You start a prayin'
And hope someone hears what your sayin'
Firefight

Bill Ellis
Songs of the First Cavalry Division
Vietnam late 1960's

~~~Monday,22,Nov,1943~~~~
Today I'm 23 years old. Wasting the best years of my life away in this New Guniea jungle. I did'nt even have a drink to celebrate it with.
Ten ships take off for mission over Gasamata loaded with 500 pound bombs.
Again our crew is left out. Capt Cole's crew took our ship the 'Blonde Bomber', about 30 mins after take-off, He brought it back in. Said the controls were screwed up. Boy is our ship becoming a lemon. They unloaded the bombs. I started looking for the trouble, changed a rudder trim tabs, tightened the flaps & checked cable tension.

525 came back from the mission with a wound from Ack-Ack.

After evening chow, the red alert is on. The P-38s start taking off. About 15 mins later the all clear sounds, it was a false alarm.

Went to show at the 2nd, "Sherlock Holmes in Washington.

~~~These are the words from my Daddy's private journal, & how he spent his 23rd B-D~~
By Joe Baum
{I cant even imagine this}
Peace & Thanks to ALL VETERANS!!

Wow! Thanks for sharing that, Ruthie.

That's something I can't imagine, either. When I was 22, I had just finished 4 years away at college on a vacation from reality. I liked it so much I kept going to school until I was 25.

Here's to Joe Baum & my 4 great-uncles who saw combat in WWII (but would never talk about it) & all vets everywhere.

Your dad's journal sounds interesting. At first when I started to read it, I thought it was something Woody had written until I looked furthur on down...

Yeah, this journal is very interesting, & glad ya enjoyed the post.
He was complaining about NOT getting to go up on a Bombing Mission, because after most missions, the girl from Red Cross would come by & for each soldier who'd been on a mission, they were given a shot a whiskey. So thats why he was complaining! Mostly he just wanted to go on a mission so he'd get a shot to celebrate with!

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by aka ruthie on Nov 12, 2004 ---</FONT></center>

Shows you how much the military changed in the 20 or so years between WWII and the Vietnam era, Ruthie. I used to drive the Red Cross girls around in "peacetime" Korea, circa 1966-1967, and they were known as "donut dollies" then. No whiskey, just cookies and cakes for the troops! The guys really enjoyed their visits, though.

Mikey, I see what ya mean!! Although, there is an entrie in his journal, to the effect, of the Red Cross Girl, showin' up with Orangeade! {"That's the 1st time THATs Happened"} You can almost FEEL in the pages, all the boys, holding thier breath! With such wonder,as to, IF they'd be getten their Whiskey, or Rye. Or if this Oragne/Lemonade, would be their only reward, for such a very scary days work!
Mostly since Staff/Sgt J.C. Baum & to all that served in those horrible jungles, the Whiskey was about 60-40% at best!
But as this journal states many times over they'd very gladly take that chance, & also {his words} "for a little excitment at least" Anyone whose read this rather 'Heroic Journal' {in my opinion} & hearing about mid-air crashes, while their ship was only far enough away, not to get themselves Blown Out of the sky, Blows my Mind.
In these pages, are stories of 'Ships' barly able to get off the ground, add to that, the fact they were carrying 500-1000 pound bombs!

Staff/Sgt Baum, was in a B-25, {his job} Upper Turret Gunner, anyone know what that Ship looks like??

Just wonderin'
Thanks for listening to only one story of many Great American Heros!
PEACE FOR ALL

Ruthie, the B-25 was a medium-size bomber. It could be flown off carrier decks, and was the aircraft used by Jimmy Doolittle's raiders on their daring bombing raid over Tokyo. I think it had a crew of five or six.

Mikey, In the pictuers I have of the 'Blonde Bomber'~Well it looks purdy darn big, BUT with all of the others, in the skies at the time, I'll take your word!!!
The upper turret, where my dad was the gunner,WAS a tiny place in front of the Pilots & glass all around, so he/they {turret gunners} could see the enemy from all sides & take quick action!~I've been told on many occasions, {NOT by my dad}, this was one of the most dangerous places to be in any air craft, of the day.
I do hope I havent been boring ya'll these last coupla days, I AM so PROUD of this man, {now gone to a more peaceful place} & if he knew I was talkin about his journal, he'd just shake his head & say "Whats the Big Deal?"~
I saw the thread Vets Day~&~couldnt help myself, & wanted to share one small story, of my BIGGEST HERO!~I hope ya'll can understand, & Thanks for the replies!
PEACE, & Bring Our Troops HOME, NOW KID {shrub}!

Ruthie
Excellent! There was another Vietnam song but I could not find the words but it would have been fitting with Faluja going down.

"We have pacified this land 100 times"

Interesting thought!