Sitting in that seat for 6-8 hours makes for a very long day when the cockpit temperatures routinely ran in excess of 100 degrees and the humidity over 90%. The "D" ring just to my right when pulled would release the heavy protective plates put there to protect the pilot from small arms fire, should he find himself in the water, allowing access to the safety release pin that, in turn, would open the door and let him "swim to safety." Yeah, right. That is, if you could also release and get free of the 40 pound chest protector plate which was attached to his upper body with monkey tape (velcro).
This shot was made just after touchdown aboard, I think, the LPH Tripoli after a very long day flying missions in the northern I-Corps area between Phubai and the DMZ. A San Miguel beer after a day like that, of which there were many, would be gone in one swallow. Seriously. They were so incredibly cold and delicious.
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I recently viewed my Vietnam slides that were converted to digital images and found a shot of you in YT-10 on the deck of the USS Tripoli. Would love to get the photo to you, but don't know how to "blog" it to you. Would love to catch up with you. My email address is dfcors@cox.net
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