Swapping Stories
I receive a fair bit of email from readers and I enjoy all of it. Recently, I received a note from Nolan, who appreciated the selection of music in Privateer Tales. If you’re new to the series, Captain Liam Hoffen (our hero) has a peculiar appreciation for ancient music which happens to correspond with the music of my teen years. Nolan went on to share a memory of his from Vietnam that was sparked when I offhandly mentioned AC/DC would be making it into Corsair Menace. There’s no lesson hidden here, just an amazing memory from one of many warriors to whom we all owe our freedom.
The text is unaltered from the email and I received permission from Nolan to post it.
AC/DC is good. Some Paradise City by Guns and Roses would be appropriate too. I flew attack helicopters in Vietnam and we kept our ADF tuned to the radio station in Saigon for reference. On a really boring counter mortar patrol one night the crew were begging me crank up Mustang Sally by Wilson Puckett. At nearly max volume an anti-aircraft gun opened up on us and I was punching rockets, my first pilot was firing the mini guns and both door gunners were working their guns so I couldn’t turn down the volume. The fight lasted about as long as the song. After a minute of silence, my crew chief said, “That was coool!”
Nolan – you and your buddies were out there doing what was needed and doing it in style. Thank you and all the brave men and women who put themselves in the line of fire for all of us at home.
And, Nolan, if you’re reading – here’s a youtube link for Mustang Sally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwB40qTfuvI
