I was a Bombardier-Navigator in an A-6 Intruder squadron, Attack Squadron-75 (The Sunday Punchers), on the USS Kitty Hawk in 1967 and 1968. Flew many many missions over North Vietnam at night and in crappy weather (The A-6's forte). Most of these missions were single plane flights. The most exhilarating flying I ever experienced. I can say that because I survived to come back, four of my friends did not come back, just disappeared into the jungle never to be found again, one of the dangers of single plane flights.
For the most part, we were NOT welcomed as heroes or anything else when we came home. If we were lucky, we were not recognized. Some folks had earlier ran away to Canada but that was not my make up, I had signed on years earlier to do a job and, when it came time, I did the job. I am happy to say I did not know anyone who ran off to Canada. My pilot, Gerry, and I were proud to have been able to do what we had trained to do for all those years.
We both agreed that the war was totally stupid, both in being and in execution with no actual goal as to the end game, but that stupidity was not our job.
Thanks for listening to me rant...
For the most part, we were NOT welcomed as heroes or anything else when we came home. If we were lucky, we were not recognized. Some folks had earlier ran away to Canada but that was not my make up, I had signed on years earlier to do a job and, when it came time, I did the job. I am happy to say I did not know anyone who ran off to Canada. My pilot, Gerry, and I were proud to have been able to do what we had trained to do for all those years.
We both agreed that the war was totally stupid, both in being and in execution with no actual goal as to the end game, but that stupidity was not our job.
Thanks for listening to me rant...