So I ran the Marine Corps Marathon today...

[Irish_Dem]

45. Yes I remember when they were getting shot down in greater numbers.

No one talked about it much but we knew some planes were not coming back.
And our friends and their family would suddenly get sent back stateside.

Did I tell you how I knew it was getting bad?
One day my father was getting ready to fly out to Da Nang.
(That is where he always said he was going but I knew the kind of airplane
he flew and what he was doing, behind enemy lines.)

Anyway one day he comes out with a pistol on a belt around his waist.
I said what in the world is that thing you have there Dad.
It looks dangerous.
He said if his plane gets shot down the crew is going to shoot their way out of the plane.

I thought for the love of God, things must be serious when USAF crews are being given
guns.

The pistol as small, and I knew my father could not hit the broad side of a barn
if his life depended upon it. So I figured the gun was for another use if captured,
if you catch my drift.

Yes I know personally air crews were flying into enemy territory on the regular.
And yes they would need stealth, highly trained rescuers.