For Elkgunner, Guard Service in Vietnam

[feclnogn]

Elkgunner,

I continue to see you slam Bush for his service in the Guard. Here is something for you.

On 3 January 1969, Major Bobby G. Neeld and then 1st Lt. Mitchell S. Lane departed Tuy Hoa Airfield, South Vietnam, on a 2-aircraft flight that was forced to divert to Phan Rang Airfield, Khanh Hoa Province, South Vietnam due to adverse weather conditions. Phan Rang Airfield was approximately 100 miles southwest of Tuy Hoa Airfield. The next day, 4 January 1969, Maj. Bobby Neeld was the pilot of the lead aircraft, call sign "Taco 81;" and 1st Lt. Mitchell Lane was the pilot of the #2 aircraft, call sign "Taco 82;" that comprised a 2-aircraft flight on a Troop Assault Preparation mission against enemy positions near a landing zone (LZ).

Taco flight departed Phan Rang Airfield at 0717 hours on the briefed mission and was to return to their base afterward. However, after completing the strike mission, Taco flight was again diverted to Phan Rang Airfield by Tuy Hoa Operational Control due to deteriorating weather conditions. At the time Taco flight changed flight paths, Maj. Neeld had a fuel load of 5400 lbs. and 1st Lt. Lane had 5000 lbs. The fuel requirement for the flight from Tuy Hoa to Phan Rang was 1750 lbs.

Captain Lane was my fathers room mate and friend. Captain Lane was a member of the NM Air National Guard. Bush actually voluntered to go to Vietnam but did not meet flight time requirments. I know there is an ongoing pissing match elsewhere on this board and I prefer to stay out of those. I like some of you posts and your opinions but I think your ops on Guard service are WRONG. Just ask Lanes family if you think I am wrong. I thought I would put a face on this topic for you.

Stay well
Scott

Here is a link to the full document its worth a read. The ohter gentleman listed was also a member of the NMANG.

Complete Document

 

[JoseCuervo]

Fecl,

Thanks for the story, and the link. I am still unclear on what happened, as the details are lacking. Was it hostile, mechanical, weather, or pilot error?

I hope you don't think that I somehow hold Guard in a differ category than Active. Just Dubya's hiding within the Guard..

As for Dubya,

During his answer to my debate question in 1994, Mr. Bush said he could have been called up for duty in Vietnam. He had to know that was not true, either. On his Guard application, the future president checked a box saying he did "not" want to be considered for overseas deployment. Additionally, he was hundreds of hours short of flight time required for foreign duty, and the aircraft he flew, the F-102 was no longer being used in Southeast Asia.

 

[feclnogn]

EG,

I will not delete this post but have a few things to add. Unfortunately you will have to wait until tomorrow. My sister got back from Afganistan yesterday and we had a BBQ for her, and I had a few to many margaritas and i am going to bed. See ya tomorrow.

I would hope that this thread does not become a shit slinging post.

scott

 

[JoseCuervo]

Fecl,

, and glad your Sis got back... But after too many Margaritas, "tomorrow" always seems to hurt...

[ 04-25-2004, 22:36: Message edited by: Moosie ]

 

[Moosie]

Fecl, HAven't seen ya in Awhile, Kiss your SIS for us and thank her for keeping everything on the straight and narrow

 

[ELKCHSR]

Hey, tell your sis thanks for serving and we really apprciate it...

 

[pawclaws]

And pass lauds and thanks to sis from Paws please!!

Former SSgt, USAF
Former TSgt, USAFR
Former TSgt, NMANG
Former MSgt, OHANG
Former 2/Lt, CAP
Corporal, CSA, Mosby's Raiders

 

[feclnogn]

Former TSgt, NMANG

???

When was this if I might ask.

Actually my sister is over there with a group called JHPIEGO. They are helping teach the women over there how to be midwives. She is not in the military. She was also helping the Afgan economy recover. I think on this trip she bought 21 rugs.

 

[Moosie]

And thank her for the Rugs she brough back to help the Economy !!!!

 

[pawclaws]

Fecl I think that was 79ish.

Worked for a very brief time up at Kirtland AFB in the CBPO Training Function.

 

[Ten Bears]

I know that there is a differnce between active and NG service, but when called up, there is no difference.

 

[pawclaws]

Yep ; when you serve with the Nat Guard, you work just like normal every day; then one week-end a month and 14 days a year you put on a uniform and train in your military specialty. Same deal with the active reserves. Only difference between the two is that as a reservisist you can be brought on federal active duty as an individual where as a guardsman your entire unit must be federalized. On military active duty you put on a uniform and go to work every day just exactly like your civilian counterparts. Some slight differences exist however where armed training is involved! With the Technician program and status it really gets strange. This is where a reservist or guardsman is technically a federal or state civilian employee who wears a uniform complete with an equivalent military rank associated with the branch of service involved. It gets so confusing that in one instance I was carrying ID cards as an AF TSgt, USAF Dependant, USAF Civilian employee GS-07, and Civil Air Patrol 2/Lt. When I answered the phone I just said: "Foreman". In one unit Iworked with two other fellows. I was an Air Reserve Technician; GS07/TSgt on weekend drill I dropped the GS-07 and was just a TSgt. Another fellow was a GS-07/MSgt. On week-ends he dropped the GS-07 and was a MSgt. The third fellow was not a Reserve Technician. He was a non- competitive -exempt civilian employee GS-06. Both we GS07s were his superior; except on the week-end because the GS-06 was a reserve officer 1/Lt Maintenance Officer assigned as our boss!! (Pretty cool huh!!)