Roster & Email

Debriefing

Photos 

Do You Remember

Casualties

MAG 11 History

MOS Codes

Glossary Of Terms

Vietnam Era Song Titles

In the spring of 1969, Don and I were assigned a TPQ mission; but this hop was a rare event, a daylight mission. Furthermore, we had unusual ordnance, five 2,000-pound bombs of World War II manufacture, with a fat, blunt, high drag profile and box fins. Since Easter was approaching, our artistic squadron mates had repainted the bombs as psychedelic colored "Easter Eggs".

We got airborne and checked in with the DASC who diverted us from the planned TPQ and told us to contact a FAC flying around the Ashau Valley. We checked in with the FAC, and a flight of A4's checked in behind us.

The FAC briefed us on a target he wanted us to hit with our 2,000 pounders, a bunker in the middle of Ashau Valley. That presented a small problem. We were under direct orders from the Group Commanding Officer to not perform any single aircraft dive-bombing. I radioed the FAC with a terse version of the order. The trailing A4 leader radioed that he would be our wingman. That seemed to make it legal, neat, and tidy.

The next problem was that we did not have any ballistic information on the WWII vintage bombs.  I looked up the data for a moderate drag bomb and rolled-on an additional 20 or 30 mils for the sight depression.  Kentucky windage is OK for drift, but this was really pulling numbers out of the air.

The FAC described the target as a bunker. An earthen bunker, in the middle of a field not easy to see up close and from a slant range of 20,000 feet, it is impossible. I rolled out looking for the bunker; Don was calling the altitude, airspeed and dive angle. About half way down, I thought I saw something, corrected the run, and watched. I was lucky, as I approached the release altitude, I was sure that it was the target.  The pipper moved through the bunker, at the release altitude, at the proper airspeed and at the correct dive angle. I pushed the pickle, releasing three of the bombs, got the aircraft nose coming up, and then radioed the FAC "Three Easter Eggs - on the way". The FAC said, "What did you say? … Oh WOW, that's neat." The FAC followed shortly in an excited voice, "Bull's eye! You demolished it. Great hit." As we turned downwind I inquired, "Where do you want the last two?" He replied, "Hit your smoke." The next run was easy to start, with the huge column of smoke and dust. I pickled the last two bombs with the pipper centered on the base of the dust cloud. I'm not sure what we hit, but the FAC was ecstatic. We checked out with the FAC and thanked our A4 wingmen. They replied with "Enjoyed your show!" We returned to Danang, Don and I commented that we had never heard a FAC get so excited.

We did not know then and to this day we have no idea what was in the bunker or why FAC was so excited. Maybe it was the bombs painted like Easter Eggs.


Biography:

Don Diederich enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950.  He became an enlisted Navigator in 1958, flying with almost every transport squadron.  He was appointed a Warrant Officer in February 1966.  In May 1966, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.  He began flying the A6 in 1967 and served in VMA (AW)-224, VMA (AW)-242, VMA (AW)-332, and VMA (AW) -533 and as an Instructor in MAWTU (where he flew with all Marine A6 squadrons).  In 1975, the Commandant of the Marine Corps selected him as the Naval Flight Officer of the Year.  Don Diederich retired, with 28 years of service, in 1978.

Jim Perso was commissioned via NROTC in 1964; he attended The Basic School and Flight Training.  He flew with VMA (AW)-224, VMA (AW)-242 and as an Instructor in VMAT (AW)-202 and MAWTULant (Marine Air Weapons Training Unit – Atlantic).  He left the Marine Corps in 1971.

View My Guestbook

Sign My Guestbook