Sidney (Bernie) Perrine:  

1956-1957 127th FIS, Kansas ANG, McConnell AFB, Wichita, KS. Aircraft Hydraulic Repairman. 1957- Ft. Leonard Wood, MO combat engineer basic training. 1958- Ft Rucker, AL flight simulator instructor school. 1959- Ft Richardson, Alaska, Flight Simulator Instructor/Air Traffic Controller. Received certification as FAA air traffic controller. 1961-Ft Riley, KS, Air Traffic Controller. Shipped from Ft Riley to classified location, (Vietnam), via Oakland, CA shipyard on aircraft carrier w/ 21 of our aircraft. We were the 3rd Army aviation unit sent to Vietnam. 1962- Nha Trang, Vietnam, Air Traffic Controller. 1963- Laguna AAF, Yuma Proving Ground, AZ Air Traffic Controller. Took Army discharge and joined U.S. Air Force in October, 1963. 1963- Tinker AFB, OK, Air Traffic Controller shift supervisor. 3rd Mobile Combat Communication Sq. 1965- San Isidro AB, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Air Traffic Controller shift supervisor. 3rd Mobile Combat Communication Sq. Operation, "Power Pack". 1966- Keesler AFB MS, Attended ATC Instructor School. 1966- Kessler AFB, MS, Lead Instructor. Taught Radar Approach Control at USAF Air Traffic Control School. Awarded Master Instructor Rating. Received certification as FAA private pilot at Gulfport, MS airport flight school. 1970- Thy Hoa AB, Vietnam, Air Traffic Controller Shift Supervisor. 1971- DaNang AB, Vietnam, Air Traffic Control Shift Supervisor. DaNang control tower, during this time, was one of the worlds busiest control towers. Since we were in operations against an armed hostile enemy force it would be common to work multiple emergency aircraft including battle damaged aircraft, wounded/fatal air crew injuries. DaNang had a nickname: "rocket city" 'cause we had many rocket attacks. 1972 - Whiteman AFB, Mo, Control Tower Chief Controller. Awarded Aircraft "Save Award" for saving an imperiled aircraft. Pilot was lost and running out of fuel. We found his position and guided him to a safe landing at the nearest airport to his location. He landed with 10 minutes of remaining fuel. Also, assigned as USAF and FAA Facility Examiner. Each newly assigned controller was placed on training status to assure their knowledge of air traffic control, safe operating procedures and local policies and procedures. At the end of this training period they would be required to pass a written and oral test and also work traffic in a manner that was acceptable to the examiner. If qualified, the examiner would then certify the new controller was qualified to direct traffic in a safe, timely and orderly manner. Additional duty as Unit Security Officer. 1973- Key Field Meridian, Mississippi. Active duty Air Traffic Control Advisor to MS Air National Guard 238th Air Traffic Control Flight. Awarded the Magnolia Metal. 1975- Sheppard AFB, TX Air Traffic Controller. 1976- Keesler AFB MS, Attended ATC Humane Resources Tech School. (Honor Grad). 1976- Sheppard AFB 3750 ABGp CBPO. Assigned as, Chief, Airman and Officer Records Unit. 1977- Retired as Air Force Master Sergeant with 20 years and one day of active duty service. DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN COMBAT OPERATIONS? IF SO, COULD YOU DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH WERE SIGNIFICANT TO YOU? DaNang AB, RVN. Operation "Lan Som 719" and "Dewey Canyon". In support of defending Khe Shan. Feb 1971 thru Mar 1971. Critical landing and take-offs were at an all time high at DaNang control tower. Awarded the Bronze Star Metal. FROM YOUR ENTIRE SERVICE CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR MEMORY STANDS OUT? Danang Tower Memories #1. Every morning when our controller crew walked up the DaNang control tower steps I would mention to all, "well, I wonder what we'll see today"? It turned into sort of a ritual or even a statement for good luck, like a jock wearing a pair of lucky sweat socks. One March morning in 1971 that luck didn't kick-in. The weather that morning was el stinko. Cloud ceiling at 1000 feet above ground and visibility at 2 miles. We were working our normal heavy load of departing F-4C phantom's for their, troops in contact, (TIC) mission's loaded to the max with Mk-82 bomb's and napalm canister's. Every time I saw these aircraft launch I thought, man, I'm glad these guy's are on our side! They could really reek some heavy havoc. Mid-morning, shortly after we had cleared "Gunfighter 44" for take off, we all heard a very frantic "mayday, mayday, mayday gunfighter 44's been hit" on our primary tower frequency. That transmission had been made by the weapons officer who sat in the seat behind the pilot. This crew member was referred to as the "GIB", (guy in back), The pilot was not responding and apparently was incapacitated. The "GIB" was flying the aircraft and was in quite a panic state of mind. So, the "GIB" is doing one heck of a good job just maintaining control of the aircraft. Remember, he's in cloud, (IFR), with about 45,000 pounds of high performance fighter aircraft strapped to his butt and he's in the BACK seat with very limited forward vision because of equipment between him and the pilot in addition to the bad weather plus, there is a large hole in the front left side of the Plexiglas canopy and blood and other matter is flying back into the "GIB"'s face. OK, so we don't have a visual on "Gunfighter 44's" position because of the weather so have no choice but to have the "GIB" switch radio frequency to DaNang radar approach control so they can get the aircraft in a position to be lined up to the runway so as to make an emergency precision radar instrument approach and by some miracle make a safe landing. By this time the Air Force Commanding General located at 7th AF Hq in Saigon has been briefed on this very critical situation. The general's decision was to break off the approach to DaNang and give "Gunfighter 44" a vector, (heading) to Plieku AB because their weather was much better increasing the chance of a successful landing plus this would give the "GIB" more time to jettison fuel and ordinance to lighten the aircraft's landing weight. The general in Saigon then decided that a safe landing anywhere would not be possible so his orders were to have the "GIB" eject the pilot then himself. This order was carried out. The HH-53 "Jolly Green Giants" rescue chopper's were parked immediately below DaNang tower. We heard their claxon horn go off and immediately observed the chopper rescue crews sprint for their machines. In just minutes they were en route to the "Gunfighter 44" ejection site.The choppers stayed on tower frequency and we could at least listen to the rescue attempt. When the chopper crew made the pick up, and I will never forget their words, "DaNang tower we have the crew, one good and one bad". The pilot had been killed instantly and the ...Expand for more