Medal of Honor by Matt Jackson

Author:Matt Jackson [Jackson, Matt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Back in the Saddle

“I’m bringing a hood so I can get some instrument time, if that’s okay,” Cory said as he and Sinkey walked out to the aircraft after retrieving their flight gear. Flight helmet, leather gloves, knee board, maps, sidearm with extra bullets and Ka-Bar knife. Chicken plate was worn over their Nomex two-piece flight suits as that was easier than carrying it. Stopping by Flight Operations on the way to the aircraft, Sinkey picked up their mission sheet, which had all the information about their mission for the day. This was something new to Cory. The mission sheet had the mission number, aircraft tail number, crew’s names, contact information for the unit you would be flying for, and the location to meet those you would be supporting. Also any follow-on missions for the day, such as if you would have a combat assault to fly later with another unit. Cory’s experience in the past was that you contacted Flight Ops when you started the aircraft, and then you received a call sign, frequency and location to fly to for your first mission. It was discovered in Cambodia that the NVA had a more sophisticated communications monitoring capability than anticipated and had been listening to aircraft mission assignments. This would cut that capability significantly.

Arriving at the aircraft, Cory placed his gear in the right seat and Sinkey put his in the left. As the steps to the rotor head were on the right side of the aircraft, Cory started climbing up to inspect the rotor head. Sinkey walked around the front of the aircraft, holding what appeared to be a laminated checklist.

“Dan, you check and I’ll read off the checklist,” Sinkey indicated.

“What? I’ll just knock it out,” Cory said, looking over his shoulder as he reached for the last rung.

“Nope. We have to use a checklist now.”

“You’re shitting me, right?”

“Nope, major’s orders. He wants checklists used whenever they’re available, and each aircraft has one now.”

“Okay, if that’s what he wants. Seems like a waste of time to me, but, hey, I’m not in charge.”

“Man, they made you an RLO and you got real smart,” Sinkey said, giving Cory a smile.

“Real smart, sir,” Cory responded with a grin. “Start reading and I’ll do the checking.” Cory climbed up to the top of the aircraft and positioned himself at the rotor head. After fifteen minutes, Cory and Sinkey strapped in and went through the start-up checklist. Finally, in Cory’s mind, they actually started the aircraft.

“When’s the last time you flew?” Sinkey asked.

“July twenty-seventh, when Copenhaver crashed.”

“That was your last flight?” Sinkey asked with a bit of a surprise.

“Yeah, been in school since then. You want to take it out or are you brave enough to let me do it?” Cory asked.

“Do you still remember how to do it?” Sinkey responded with bit of laughter. “Yeah, you can take us out. Hang on, guys,” he added for the benefit of the crew, “the RLO is taking us out.”

“Oh shit,” someone said over the intercom, along with the first line from the “Hail Mary” prayer.

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