[QRQ 30]

Like Pete we were to bundle the rucks and jump with weapons only. Of course there was a hitch. At that time, 1966, Group was short radios on account of the Vietnam bui;ld-up. As a result it was required to jump the commo. Being the biggest and youngest on the team (not necessarily in that order) I "volunteered" to jump the commo gear in.

We packed two complete 109's w/ g43 into a PA&E container. I don't even care to guess the weight. To make it more interesting we jumped from a C-47. As I stood, the container rested on my feet. Somehow, they got me to the door and pushed me out right after the other bundles.

When I attempted to pull the safety pin to release the container, it was stuck. I tugged, twisted and pulled all of the way down. At the last minute (luckily) I realized I was trying to pull the reserve safety pin. I found the pin for the container and released it just as my feet hit the ground. The bundle landed on my feet then fell one way and I went the other. I don't even want to imagine the result if I hadn't released that container. I made a minor crater in the ground and my shoulder hurt for the entire problem. Someone had to throw the antenna into a tree for me.

The commo man or whoever carried the pads also carried a .45 with live ammo in Germany. The next morning I attempted to clear the pistol and couldn't. I took it to Eldon Cross the Wpns Ldr and after fiddling with it he said: "I'll be damned. You bent the damned thing!" I had hit hard enough to bend the slide of the ,45 on my hip.

Being young and resilient I laughed about it but a couple of the old timers said that a time would come when I feel each bad PLF I ever made. They were right.