| After flying a sortie to a forward base near the "Parrot's
Beak" area of the Cambodian border, we took off to return only to find that an
approaching line of thunderstorms was blocking our way. Our only alternative was to
enter Cambodian airspace to circumnavigate the bad weather. This photo was taken
from well inside Cambodia looking east at the line of thunderstorms as we headed to the
south to get around them. Since we were forbidden from entering Cambodian airspace,
this was one of those "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situations.
The radar controller following our flight in Saigon understood our plight and
simply told us he had "lost radar contact" as we crossed the border. As
soon as we came back into Vietnam, he just as quickly told us he had regained radar
contact. Despite what went on the official tape recording, he was following us all
the way. I don't have any idea who he was, but "Thanks, Buddy", and I
still owe you a six-pack. |
