18 Comments

I was in the audience that day in 1970 and appreciate the "security" the Blues provided us. If my memory is correct, there was a distant explosion, which drew some appropriate "quip" from Bob Hope, and laughter to all.

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Charles, thanks for your comment. And what a small world moment! Since you didn't get shelled or rocketed, can I take credit for saving your life, too?

Feel free to post pics, if you have any.

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I was at Pleiku at the time . . . Bob had given us a pass because in a previous year he and his entourage had been "tapped" pretty hard. He decided then that Pleiku was a "hard pass" . . . :) Obviously they should have had your crew tag along as mobile security . . . then we might have been able to see him as well.

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Yep, I was there in '70 for the same show at Phu Bai with the 101st Airborne. We had a smaller theatre, but the troops were just as enthusiastic, I'm sure. Our audience had quite a few that were in stand-down along with us REMFs. Since it was a division HQ, we had multiple security assets in very close proximity and as you note, the VC understood the consequence of attempting to set up in the area. We had taken a few rounds from time to time in the past and the birds usually made fairly short work of it. But everyone was on high alert for this.

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I am always pleasantly surprised at the things I learned about my readers from comments on things like this.

Thanks.

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Hey John,

Great story and great footage. I flew cobra pink teams with 229th Assault in the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cav. What you say about the Blues cannot be overstated. They were armed to the teeth, terrific fighters and fearless.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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Thanks, Barry. You are correct about the Blues. I love those guys.

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My father was over there at that time, not sure if he caught the show. He was in the 5th SF and spent a lot of time sitting in the side of a Huey, looking for Charlie. He did get shot down twice. Thanks for looking out for them.

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Hats off to your father, Jeff. I hope he's still around. If he is, please give him best regards from a 10th Group guy with a son who was in 5th Group.

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On December 23rd, 1970, it I had the same mission, with the same outcome. Bob Hope and his show performed at Camp Eagle, in Phu Bai. My company, B, 2/327 was deployed throughout the foothills, soutnwest of the base, in the so called "rocket belt". I also had our scout platoon as QRF, waiting on the pad, if required. We could hear the music and banter from the show.

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I love that story, John! In 1970 I was living the good life in Taipei. I was stationed where other guys took their R&R. I've led a charmed life.

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Are you saying you were a REMF? 😂

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Yes! We had spy planes and fighters in Taiwan and Makung (island site offshore) crushing NVA and Charlie from the skies. U-2. SR-71. etc. The U-2 flew out of a site southwest of Taipei and the SR-71 flew out of Okinawa. The U-2 in a modified version is still at work. The SR-71 was just getting started, wrapping up its tour of duty at the end of the 20th century. The spy planes took recon of targets and the aftermaths of bombing. You probably recall Nixon bombing the dikes of North Vietnam, John. Taiwanese (ROC) pilots were flying the U-2 in 1970-1971 when I was there. Americans flying the SR-71. Taiwanese (ROC) flew some of the fighters out of Makung. If you think Taipei was a sweet location, you should have seen life in Colorado Springs when I worked for NORAD inside Cheyenne Mountain.

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Sierra Hotel!

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I remember seeing one of the shows televised, I think, on NBC maybe? or at least filmed clips of a show Hope played in, could it have been, Da Nang? Am I remembering this childhood memory right?

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I think your memory is still intact! He appeared at numerous bases the length of Vietnam.

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You mislabeled Ann-Margeret as Joey Heatherton, if you are indeed going clockwise from top left.

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I sure did. Fixed now. Thanks for the catch, Doc.

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