| This island, five nautical miles off the coast due east of Tuy Phong
and south of Phan Rang, was known to all Caribou pilots as "30 Minute" Island.
The reason for the name was quite simple; as you passed this landmark, you were 30
minutes from touchdown at Can Ranh. Passing this island day after day brought many
discussions of whether it would be possible to land a Caribou on it. Before I
boarded my freedom bird, there were Caribou tire tracks on the island; some damn fool
actually did land on it! The real name of the island is Cù lao Hòn (although I had
to look it up on a map -- I never knew that at the time). |
