Racing through Vietcong-held territories toward the untamed Plain of Reeds, Mike Vincent’s squad emerged as an unstoppable force. Mounted on some of the strangest battle vehicles ever seen in warfare, they carved their path through rivers, mangrove swamps, and sawgrass hummocks at a staggering 70 miles per hour, their Air Cushion Vehicles defying terrain that even helicopters couldn’t land on.
With menacing shark’s teeth painted across their bows, these hovercrafts bore down on the enemy like nightmarish land-and-sea metal sharks.
Suddenly, a chilling report crackled over the radio from the last hovercraft in line: they had just hit a landmine. Alarms went off, yet the situation left them no choice but to barrel forward. Halting meant becoming easy prey for lurking enemy patrols. Despite the circumstances, they pressed on.
Upon finally securing a moment to assess the damage, Vincent’s astonishment was palpable. The craft bore a few superficial holes. He later reflected on the incident: (QUOTE) “it takes more than that to stop a skimmer at 60 knots.”
From the beginning, Vincent believed fiercely in the capabilities of these hovercrafts, envisioning them as the ultimate tanks of the Vietnam War, unparalleled in speed and versatility. (QUOTE): “As long as the engine keeps running, there isn’t anything you can’t do with the craft.”
When did the “hovercraft” (and “aircraft”) in the plural change to “hovercrafts?”
ReplyDeleteWhen it became full of eels.
DeleteA former Huey helicopter guy from my Vietnam company later flew on Chinooks. His quote to me was: IMPRESSIVE BUT LOUD could hear them over the Chinook!" My comment to hime was "What the hell you doing on a Chinook!"
ReplyDeleteThe USCG used hovercraft (surplus?) on the Chesapeake Bay in the early '70s. Their main target was unsafe (DRUNK!) boaters. One made a run for it up a feeder creek. The hovercraft took a short cut across a shallow spot. The boater pulled a quick U-turn and tried to leave the the same way the hovercraft came in. Yeah, didn't work. Boat came to a sudden stop. The guy didn't. Went through the windshield. Thankfully the Coasties were good at first aide and got him to a hospital. Still cited him for drunk boating.
ReplyDelete