MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
In the Vietnam War the USAF's C-123 was known as "Trash Hauler" because it hauled anything and everything everywhere. One day the US Army found it necessary to move a group of Vietnamese villagers to an area that was less hazardous for them. So the villagers and all their worldly possessions were packed into a C-123 for transport to their new home.
Among those possessions was a live boar in a cage made of twigs. The boar was a foul-tempered beast and nonconcurred with every aspect of the operation. So they stuck him in his cage as far in the back as they could get, above the cargo door, to prevent him from taking a chunk out of someone who got too close.
They were cruising along nicely when it turned out that the boar had not listened to the preflight briefing about seatbelts and staying in your seat. Possibly he had requested a window seat or had eaten his flotation device. He broke out of the cage and charged. The assembled multitudes rushed forward, which led to the pilot pointing out that not EVERYBODY could get in the cockpit.
The loadmaster was detailed to go take care of the problem. He pulled out his .38 and crept slowly into the cargo compartment. What ensued resembled a scene from the movie "Alien." It was dark in the cargo compartment, with only a few small windows letting in light. Suddenly the boar attacked! "Bang! Bang Bang!"
Receiving enemy fire from the ground was a frequent occurrence with Trash Haulers. But receiving fire from INSIDE the airplane was something new and of even greater concern, especially to the pilot, who probably had somebody's elbow in his ear. But it was Okay. The beast had been dispatched and presumably somebody had a Bar-B-Que that evening.
This thrilling escapade does raise a question: Why isn't Marlin Perkins ever around when you need him?
Among those possessions was a live boar in a cage made of twigs. The boar was a foul-tempered beast and nonconcurred with every aspect of the operation. So they stuck him in his cage as far in the back as they could get, above the cargo door, to prevent him from taking a chunk out of someone who got too close.
They were cruising along nicely when it turned out that the boar had not listened to the preflight briefing about seatbelts and staying in your seat. Possibly he had requested a window seat or had eaten his flotation device. He broke out of the cage and charged. The assembled multitudes rushed forward, which led to the pilot pointing out that not EVERYBODY could get in the cockpit.
The loadmaster was detailed to go take care of the problem. He pulled out his .38 and crept slowly into the cargo compartment. What ensued resembled a scene from the movie "Alien." It was dark in the cargo compartment, with only a few small windows letting in light. Suddenly the boar attacked! "Bang! Bang Bang!"
Receiving enemy fire from the ground was a frequent occurrence with Trash Haulers. But receiving fire from INSIDE the airplane was something new and of even greater concern, especially to the pilot, who probably had somebody's elbow in his ear. But it was Okay. The beast had been dispatched and presumably somebody had a Bar-B-Que that evening.
This thrilling escapade does raise a question: Why isn't Marlin Perkins ever around when you need him?
