European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 22, 1966, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Riding a phantom in Viet Nam Dave Stockman hell was hoi to reporter holding  phantoms Streak into the  blasting off after a Small band of Viet Cong in fighters loaded with rockets and 20mm Cannon ammo sounds like going after a mouse with an elephant recently Pacific slant and stripes was invited to go along on a strike by f4c phantom jets of the 950th tactical fighter part of the uth tactical fighter Wing commanded by a Cal the first big question was finding Pilot willing to take along a couple Hun dred pounds of dead weight in the rear unlike some flying the phantom is a woman to men the added danger of not having a second Pilot to take Over in Case things get Dave assistant Deputy commander of operations for the of is a 15year Man with b2i combat serv ice during the korean there was a time when fighter pilots were led by 21yearold colonels with White scarves trailing Over Thuli Shoul Ders Gallant knights who did Battle in baseball Caps and buzzed the cos Lent upon returning from a this re Porter met some when he was a b17 Crew member in world War the spirit lingers no but the Jet jockeys of today Ora a Breed few of the aircraft commanders Are under and its a no nonsense bust a when they go into Thev Are Loii ded Down like Tho knights of Olif who needed help to gel on their before mounting the you must be cheeked out on to Muny Emer gency procedures hut you feel like Ell inn the Pilot to go ahead mid Inive you behind if election Lime what with i n Para Chute u Rudlun strapped a Roubid your n survival kit strapped to your a brain inc Sci helmet and oxygen shoulder garters to hold Lynnr lots and a clip Board tied to your you feel the Price of Prog Ress from the Bush Bill Cap Duys has been one thing Hast arc still Likely to git up curly on the Day of a the briefing was at 5 und we Learned the target was a Camp i the so Miles North of Plolkin Korntum province a major stronghold of the Viet our four plane flight was to be led by diet Tom who is one of the in pilots n Vietnam with u Mig to his his Copilot was 1st Joseph duller tile 2 plane was piloted by Harold with 1st Rich Ard Tollivor in it rear the third plane was in inc hands of Altous a Vercit and 1st Garnet Ben Nett while Stockman had Slot the Weatherman gave us less than Welcome valleys in the target area would be filled with ground fog und visibility would be Down to the it will Clear up but that wont help he added with cheerful before leaving he you arc Given a blood a packet of Docu ments that includes the prom to of a handsome Reward to anyone who brings you Hack to Friendly looking at the target 1 decided this would be about at Likely us cashing u Kkt paycheck in the mid dle of the Congo each Plune was currying 76 of the antipersonnel rockets and rounds of 20mm in the the gulling gun with its multiple barrels suspended be Low the the shuttered muzzle of a pistol had been on a table at the a sign with it read do not fire More than 3sccond gun parts Are getting old und they can blow no question about Roberts explained the various speeds and angles of attack that might be if you in in at less than 13 de Grees it will he strictly then he if we get ground fire going Well Start strafing to keep their Heads the entire briefing lasted less than 10 minutes und had the tone of a hurried business by Wallace i it was when Slockum flipped the switch and fired up the two j79 jets that Power one of the fastest planes in the sky he taxied to he checkpoint where he were armed and a final inspection was made of he there was trouble with one of the rocket but  have it fixed la a couple of Stockman soon the four phantoms were lined p i staggered position for Well g at 15second ill out on the a afterburner a second after we Start to if i hit it too soon the tires will slip on the up ahead Roberts poured on the Coal and twin blow torches of White flame shot from the plane As ii started hurtling Down the aluminium slab Airstrip with incredible there goes 2 then 3 and a room the Airstrip proved to be  rough As our plane roared ahead faster and faster Mill we were h 2m and Stockman Back on the the phantom shot up through the Tow of seconds to reveal a Brilliant world of Sunshine and White far a you Coull within a ridiculously Short tune the four phantoms were flying at Well Point in taking chances when were loaded or Uio som nuts flight to the target Down below the around fog promised the stars and stripes