18th Aviation Company Otter Nest
You call We Haul You All, Low Slow and Reliable, Still Flying.
This chapter is where we will record your emails of laughs, tears and thoughtful experiences of your time in Vietnam or back home. Please feel free to tell your stories (long or short), so we can share it. Send your email to the Webmaster. We thank you in advance for the memories (right Bob)?
The Flower Bar
Who remembers the Flower Bar of Nha Trang? It was one of the earliest bars in Nha Trang town with a Vietnamese lady who turned it over to her 19 or 20 year old daughter that could speak real good English (especially when you had a couple drinks to many) along with a little make-up that went a long way (and so did other things).
The Lobster named Joe
Francois Restaurant - (John Lynch photo credit)
TWA
As it was a great morale booster for the company back in 65.
We (the 18th Aviation Company) had an Otter at the time with a tail no. of 707.
The story went like this to the best of my memory.
I'm guessing the pilot got told about that one as far as the EM went and other officers of the unit it was a great morale booster.
The Orphanage Story
A certain orphanage in town is grateful to the members of the 18th Aviation Company from year 1962 up to 1966 for the continue support for the kids.
I remember giving in 64 and 65.
I think as I recall there was a free will offering every month.
The Year: 1955, This Is What We Said:
Oh the things we say and never keep promise to it. How many times have you heard this. The year was 1955 and some of us was in the Military or getting ready to join the Military or getting ready to get out of High School to join the Military.
1. I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it will be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $10.00. (Editor's note: It is still impossible to buy a weeks groceries today 2009.)
2. Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $1000.00 will buy a used one.
3. If the price of cigarettes keep going up, I'm going to quit. Twenty cents a pack is ridiculous. (Editor's note: you are still bitching at $5.00 a pack in 2009.)
4. Did you hear that the post office is thinking about charging 7 cents just to mail a letter. That is way too much. (Editor's note: The post office is still not doing their job and now they want Saturaday's off. We are now paying .44 cent to mail a letter in 2009.)
5. If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store. (Editor's note: When I was working before joining the service in 61 I was paid $.75 cents a hour and when I joined the service I got $68.00 a month. Based on a 40 hour work week that equals to $42.5 cents per hour for 160 hours per month benefits not included.)
6. When I first started driving, who would have thought that gas would someday cost $.25 cent a gallon. Guess we'd be better off to leave the car in the garage. (Editor's not: When I came back from Vietnam in 72 I was paying $.27 cent a gallon for premium.)
7. I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more ever since they let Clark Gable get away with "DAMN" in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either Hell or Damn in it now.
8. I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas.
9. Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $50,000. a year to play ball? It would not surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the president.
10. I never thought I'd see the day that all of our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.
11. It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married woman are having to work to make the ends meet.
12. It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.
13. I'm afraid the Volkswagon car is going to open the doors to a whole lot of foreign business.
14. Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the government takes half of our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the right people for the offices?
15. The drive-in restaurrant is a convenience in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will catch on.
16. There is no sense going on short trips anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $2.00 a night in a hotel.
17 No one can afford to be sick any more, at $15.00 a day in the hospital, it's too rich for my blood.
18. If they think I'll pay $.30 cents for a haircut, forget it.
