The F-4 was big and it was ugly unless you like functional, but it carried more bombs than a B-17! You could load 18 500 lb bombs on board and we regularly carried 16. That's 4 tons. It had its quirks, but it brought me home every time.

I flew the F-4E's out of Korat Royal Thai AFB into Laos and North Vietnam. I remember getting off the C-130 which flew me up from Bangkok and getting my first sight of the E's. They all had shark's teeth and eyes on them. My first thought was, "I'm in the Flying Tigers." They were the most beautiful planes I had ever seen. My plane was tail number 283 with JV squadron letters.

Everyone who comes back unscathed tends to look the war they were in and recall the fond memories. Except at rare times we tend to forget our buddies who didn't make it or those who were broken, both mentally and physically.

One last thing, combat flying is the greatest game alive. You bet your life and the loser can die. When you come back, it's the greatest feeling there is. You don't want to leave. You become addicted to the after-combat high. Well, enough of an old guy talking about ancient history.