90 Anything else you care to share? (United States Air Force Gunships in the Vietnam)
Description
This article is from the Vietnam FAQ, by Brian Ross, John R. Tegtmeier, Edwin E. Moise, Frank Vaughan, John Tegtmeier with numerous contributions by others.
90 Anything else you care to share? (United States Air Force Gunships in the Vietnam)
I was digging through some of my personal mementos and came upon a
plaque with the Spectre theme song etched on it. Thought you might
enjoy. It is sung to the tune of "Ghost Riders in the Sky", an old
country/western tune.
Here it is:
Fly high you mighty Spectre, you ship of blazing fools
Deal death around the table, and never play by rules
Lift up your wings at suns last ray, and silent like the night
Fly East to where your target lies, and start your deadly fight
Your foes will not suspect you're near, until they feel your sting
Spit forth a flame that points at death, and make your bullets sing
Though flak explode around you, stay on your circled path
Bathe the bad in bloody steel, make them feel your wrath
When all is quiet down below, and flames reach for the sky
Speed home you battle-weary ship, for soon the dark will fly
Speed home you mighty Spectre, touch down at sun's first ray
You've flown to hell for battle, but shun the light of day
Rest, rest you awesome Spectre, lick your battle wounds
And fill your side with deadly store for night is coming soon.
I have no idea who wrote this song, but I remember we had the
instrumental of the record on the squadron juke box, and played it
over and over again, and after consuming an overabundance of adult
beverages, singing these words at the top of our lungs.
Appendices (available at the SHWV website only)
Roster of AC-130 Gunships.
A Short History Of The Development Of The AC-130 Aircraft by Richard
P. Dougherty.
Evolution of the Computer on Fixed-wing Gunships by Richard P.
Dougherty.
Spectre in the Night Sky Means Trouble on the Trail by Lt. Col. James
F. Humphries, Jr. A personal narrative by a bomber pilot of a flight
on a gunship.
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