VIETNAM WAR

[robert]

http://airwarvietnam.com/ac130.htm

16th SOS
AC-130 56-0014

RTAFB Ubon, Thailand

ca.1971

Diary of a Spectre
by
Dan Int-Hout
16th SOS, 1970, 415 SOTS, 1971-1972
Spectre Assn # 146.
AC 130 Gunship


In March we had a reality check. A couple of planes were hit but made it back. Actually the same plane was hit twice with the same crew, 30 days apart (both on a full moon night). The NOD operator found a piece of shrapnel with .37 stamped on it lodged between his glasses and his skull after the first hit. After the second, he discovered, at the bar, that he was wearing the same flight suit as when they were hit the first time. Shortly after this discovery, he was wearing nothing but a zipper.

Then in April, we lost one, with both Ireland and Towle on board. I gave up music for a while after that.

In May, as the rainy season was beginning, two of our planes had 'the UFO incident', on sequential nights in southern Laos . On my flight, I spotted a light, which we orbited. The light, however, was above the jungle canopy, based on shadows created below it. The IR operator said it was cold, and the BC said it was giving off more energy than a GCI site! Everyone on the flight claimed a visual on the target. We tracked it for 45 minutes, while the nav tried to get permission to fire on it (in spite of my negative recommendations!). Eventually, we figured that the light was following a circular path, following us! The command post asked if we thought it was carrying supplies south. As it was performing maneuvers that no aircraft known to man could accomplish, we said it was probably not a hostile supply vehicle, and permission to engage was denied. On our return, intelligence said we were pulling their leg, having heard the prior night's report of the flight to the same area. I contacted a buddy on that flight (Capt. Gillespie) and he confirmed having seen essentially what we saw. No more was said of this incident.