Launching CALCMs over the western desert of Iraq at night while some guy with a 57mm AAA shoots at the sound of our jets overhead. No chance in hell he'd hit us, but we could see the air bursts 15k below us.

Delivering a full load of M117s on top of some IA arty batteries on a ridge line and delivering some badly need help to the Aussie JTACs in the valley below who were getting pounded by the arty. Not a peep from the guns after our drop. The coolest part was watching the orange glow of each bomb's impact ripple out for miles against the undercast (also at night).

 

Here is a bigger version of it. It was photoshopped.

http://www.cyclerides.com/texas_aggies.jpg

 

Hearing a 20ish year old Army guy say on the radio, "Thanks, you really saved our lives today."... more than once.

 

That's the best !

 

Awwwww.......not fair

 

Great photo anyway. Here's a Ranch Hand flyby at Bien Hoa 1967. They just returned from a mission having lost an airplane and four crew members to groundfire. Five is a little wide but he had a number of hits also.

 

1. Shaking the grease covered 19 year old plane captain's hand as you climb into the bomb-loaded jet he's just spent hours prepping for you...and then shaking the same hand again 5 hours later as you climb down from the now bombless aircraft...it's all about the people around you!

2. An already great salary...and you're going to give me $80+ a day per diem to party in whatever country or city I happen to land in on the weekends? Oh, and your gonna give me a $40 million rocket ship to fly there in?

3. Can you say GI BILL and near full tuition while your on active duty!

we can go on and on....

 

Perhaps he was intentionally leaving that slot empty........

 

Good on ya, sir...........

 

First and foremost, the amazing people you get to work with and around, every day.

The first trap on the boat, like losing your virginity and your first car accident at the same time, you're not really sure what happened in either case

Taking a cat shot at dawn into a rising sun

Thanking God you just survived another night trap on a moonless night with a pitching deck (after sitting in marshal wondering why you're doing this)

Far away port calls with some of your best friends

Hearing thanks from the guys on the ground

Specifically remember tanking off a British VC-10 in northern Iraq, on NVG's under a partial moon at 1am thinking "wow."

Ripping off a sht hot break behind the boat (sorry Xhooker, real pilots break prior to the round down!!!) and flying a sweet crester all the way to the wires (or a fly through down to the ace, either are memorable)

Airshows and talking to kids

Flyovers for major sporting events and getting the rock star treatment

Having your brother in-law (who is a millionare) say he would trade places in a second with you

Did I mention the great Americans you get to work with?