At 29, I was the "old man" among the warrant officers ( 2 years earlier as Motor officer in Korea, I was the youngest WO in I Corp Arty), I flew guns for a short time ( not long enough to make AC), then without warning or consultation, I found myself in charge of D.S. Maintenance. I guess the powers that be figured I had fixed trucks all those years, I ought to be able to fix choppers. Fortunately I inherited a great bunch of maint. folks who taught me the trade. That's how I became "Ghost Doctor" & I stayed in aircraft maintenance until I retired in 1978.

Photos above - Korean Service 1966 , I'm front row on the left

                         Vietnam in 1968

Bill Young, Dennis Ely & Mike Bucove

Me- Earl Courtney

Looking up the beach

Standfield, Burkhart & me, Earl

Denis Reinhart & a large deer

Old Barge on the coral off Panel 1

Last spring I answered the phone & was asked "Do you still sit on the bunker & play guitar & sing?" I said "I still play guitar and sing but not on a bunker & who the hell is this?"

Turns out it was Bob Wiggins who was visiting Dan DeLor in Ozark ,AR. They came up for a visit the following day. As we recalled old times, Dan reminded me of the time he threw the CS grenade under someone's bunk ( I don't recall who the recipient was). I do recall my hooch was directly downwind & my gas mask was in my duffel bag on top of my room. In all my years in the Army, I had never used an Aviator gas mask but I quickly retrieved it & after a 30 second self-taught class, I was somewhat of an expert. As I exited the hooch, I saw most everyone was about as well prepared as I was. Dan said the wind changed and & he got the worst of it.

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