This is Minuteman

CONTENTS

Preface    ix

PART 1: In Country
[ 1 ]  Day One    2
[ 2 ]  From “Oops” to “Oh Shit”    4
[ 3 ] 200 Raw Recruits    11
[ 4 ] The Long Ride to Christmas    16
[ 5 ] From Snowbird to WOC    19
[ 6 ] The Hill    25
[ 7 ] Flying Blind    34
[ 8 ] Flying Tiger Airlines    42
[ 9 ] My Hooch    45
[ 10 ] Really Learning to Fly    49
[ 11 ] Close to the Vest    58
[ 12 ] Not Like in the Movies    60
[ 13 ] Tien Phuoc Numba 10    65
[ 14 ] More Tien Fuck    68

PART 2: On the Controls
[ 15 ] No More Tien Fuck . . . Please    72
[ 16 ] Minuteman Two-Three    78
[ 17 ] Wall of Shame    81
[ 18 ] Red Cross-Ordered Mail    84
[ 19 ] New Guys and New Missions    88
[ 20 ] Special Forces – Again    91
[ 21 ] Snow Removal Officer    94
[ 22 ] Snowflakes    99
[ 23 ] Life at the Manor    101
[ 24 ] “Dinks in the Open”    105
[ 25 ] Dinner, Anyone?    110
[ 26 ] A Perfect “High Overhead”    112
[ 27 ] All Aboard    117
[ 28 ] Little of This, Little of That    119
[ 29 ] Australia R&R    124

PART 3: The Plan
[ 30 ] Back in the Cockpit    128
[ 31 ] More of “This and That”    131
[ 32 ] Getting Short    135
[ 33 ] An Offer You Can’t Refuse    141
[ 34 ] Muskets    145
[ 35 ] Death Becomes Real    159
[ 36 ] Going Home    162
[ 37 ] Going Back    164
[ 38 ] Musket Three-Two    166
[ 39 ] R&R    171
[ 40 ] Light at the End of the Tunnel    177

PART 4: Home and Beyond
[ 41 ] So Close, But Now What?    184
[ 42 ] The Massachusetts Army National Guard    193
[ 43 ] AGR    209
[ 44 ] OIF    212
[ 45 ] Casualty Assistance Officer    219
[ 46 ] JROTC Wareham and the Final Flight    221
[ 47 ] One More Dance . . . Please    224

In Conclusion    229
Acknowledgements    232
History of the Huey    234
Bell UH-1H Huey    235
The Wall    237
Glossary/Term Quick Reference    240