I was in the 366th TFW in the bomb dump. My job was working as line delivery
on the night shift. I had picked up 2 trailers of 500lb bomb from the line delivery
trailer parking area and started out through the jungle to the flight line. I just
pulled out onto the “Taxi Way” a little ways, towards the jet parking area, when
I was watching an F-111 taking off. It got about 20 ft. (I think, by now) off the runway
when it tilted up and the engines cut (I thought all these years that it had a flame out,
until I just read the story). The F-111 came crashing down about center of the runways
and the pilot and weapons officer got out. The Security Police had their special vehicle
there and I believed scooped them up. I had jumped from my vehicle with the 2 trailers
of bombs and jumped into the drainage ditch for cover and watch the show. The firetruck
started in but the windshield blew in and they retreated. My radio was in the vehicle.
Where there was a lull in the explosions and action I scrambled out of there in my vehicle
with the 2 trailers back to the line deliver area. I contacted control and was told that all flights
were cancelled for the rest of the morning. Scared the crap out of me, being by myself with 2
trailers of bombs, radio inside the vehicle, but came out unharmed. I was also worried about
any critters in the drainage ditch with me and some flying debris, I was really close to the action. Nobody but Control knew that I was out there on that end of the runway, they kept calling me.
I just recently put in and was approved for PTSD using this incident as was remarkable that I
had the right date. It only took a couple of months from putting in for PTSD to seeing the
psychologist to being approved, even though PTSD had been in my records for years. So,
if anyone needs to use this also to help out with their disabilities.
Reading the story in the bulletin board and the story by Jim Traywick helped. First time
I have ever mentioned it. I don’t really talk much about what happened………………………….
Terry A. Brandner
1972-1973
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