Table of Contents
PROLOGUE
Rain Unending
THE MEN OF PLAYTEX AND LIFE IN VIETNAM
Walking Fish • The Technicians • Liftmaster •The Roommates • The Hootch
THE 159TH, THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE MISSION
The 159th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion (159th ASHB) • The Aircraft • The Mission
OCTOBER 14, 1970
Monsoon Flying • Weather Checker • Loose Lips • Last Ditches • Even the Bad Guys Get the Blues • Once Started
OCTOBER 16, 1970
Show Time
OCTOBER 17, 1970
Much Pain, No Gain
OCTOBER 18, 1970
Playtex 820: Roommates Go Flying • Playtex 831 • The Weather Hold • Routine Maintenance Playtex 831 • Broken Bits
OCTOBER 24, 1970
Recovering Playtex 831 • Playtex 831 Returns to Liftmaster Pad • Playtex 820 Goes North
OCTOBER 25, 1970
Playtex 820 Has a Tiny Problem • Liftmaster Prepares for Super Typhoon Kate • Domestic Matters
OCTOBER 26, 1970
Kate Makes an Entrance • Cameraman James Taylor • No More Party Today
OCTOBER 27, 1970
Anticipation • Cameraman Barry Fivelson • Congratulations on Your New Assignment
TYPHOON JOAN ARRIVES AND THE TYPHOON TRUCE BEGINS
Warning Order • Meeting the Locals
OCTOBER 28, 1970
Launch! Launch! • Alice and Strider Go Flying in Playtex 506 • Playtex 506’s Crew • The War is Suspended, Day One • Hovering Practice • The New Mission Begins • Weather Hold • Playtex 820’s Crew • War Stories and Lunch • Day One Ends • Domestic Matters, Part Two
OCTOBER 29, 1970
Day Two: Playtex 506 Launches Again • The Rescues Begin Again • The Newest Playtex Pilot • Two Wheeler • Surprises • The Next Round • Panic • Getting Tired Now • Playtex 107 Calls it a Day • Not Lost, Merely Disoriented • Playtex 542 Returns to Liftmaster • Bits and Pieces • In Playtex 506, the AC Makes a Decision • RO1N—Remain Over One Night
OCTOBER 30, 1970
Day Three: Playtex 506 • Normalcy •
OCTOBER 31, 1970 - THE AFTERMATH
The RLOs • The Roommates, Part 2 • Strider • Cobb • Steiner • The Locals
EPILOGUE
They Still Live
APPENDIX Who They Were
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
GLOSSARY
