Odd but instead  4th , what   was recalled  is instead  April Fools  1967  and  just  one  spent in  combat.    Fractured  2   vertabrae  C-6/C-7  around  4 PM  Operation  Junction  City, Tay Ninh  City  War  Zone  C biggest  para drop since  D-Day, 82nd  and  101st.  Displaced  a  few thoracic  and  extruded  L-4/L-5 same   ejection  seat malfunction  trapped in  cockpit, left leg  pinned under  seat bottomed ( happens  as  you  are ejected next thru  canopy not  blown   with   seat  armed  at bottom) while  we figured  put  what  was happening  and  get  it  done during   6G pull out  from  2000 feet to 10K.  Just  took slight  negative  Gs on level  off ,  could  raise  all 3,000 pounds  ( an easy 500# times  6) I’d  been  using  one  foot to move.  Go to a  gym and  try it!  Woulda been the  world  record.  Seat  back up and  could  see out? I reinstalled  the  safety pin removed  pre take off list  until we landed about  dusk.  Not  a prime condition in  getting  shit  shot at  us  by  1OK RVN  down below operation  was  moving  out  to Cambodia  border.

Always have   had  left   arm paralysis  episodes since  but   on  July  2nd  my  right   arm  went  out  with severe  pain  radiating  from neck  thru blade  to inside  arm to  small fingers. NOTHING in my  meds  covered  the  pain and  sleeping  was  hard  to come  by with   blazing  hot  whirlpool soaks and   codeine   24/7. Bad  weekend  for    sick call at  WellMed  but  got in  Monday for  eval and    cervical radiculopathy rt side got me  finally  steroid   6  day series to gobble  Wed PM.   Next  spine clinic  apt on  Aug  5th. Getting  good  relief  now  but  been doing  all posting  over on message  bd to cut  down on  the  pain episodes  while sitting up.  When can’t  even read Playboy  sitting on  the  guest pot due pain?  ya  got  probs, believe  me!

48 years later still seeing  the  results of   a  brief  episode  of  pure panic exertional rhabdomyolysis using  last  conscious minute  of  what  I felt was  death balanced  on  the knife  edge of  survival. Re-taught  roll the  dice  at least  gives  you  playable odds.  All bets  since  and just  one of many along  with hundreds  hours  in combat seem smaller wagers  viewed  this  angle from 30  at ancient  77.  Live means  you  won.  8

Hard to compare any   with   2  spent  in  combat, 1966 and  1967 . 500# fireworks and rockets  red  glare.  I’d landed  at Clark AB, PI with a  severe   tropical ear infection  Memorial  Day ’66 and  spent  more time in the  Flight  Surgeon’s  office  than  the  2 week class and  flight  training as PACAF B-57   dive  bomber  from  straight and  level  SAC B-52s.   For  sure helped lead to Rt  ear  removal in  ’80  after  medical retired Oct ’77   for  April ’67  combat  injuries  and  10 year  hanging  in to  stay on  flight  pay. Too much finally   began Jan ’77 hospitalization and  Mar.  lumbar  back surgery, Wilford  Hall Med  Cntr  Neurosurgery  and lengthy  recovery.   One  day October  in USAF  and  covered? Next  day totally  on my own  and   disabled   unemployable  to all extents with  a young  family in  tow. Work in progress