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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2016)
2C THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016 :(/&20(729,(71$0 %HQ+XQW¶V¿UVWGD\VLQ DFRPEDW]RQHFRLQFLGHG ZLWKWKH7HW2IIHQVLYH By BEN HUNT For The Daily Astorian Jan. 31 , 1968 R WKHUH , ZDV &RPLQJ RXW RI D GHHS VOHHS ZRQGHULQJ ZK\ WKH ¿UHZRUNV ZHUH VR PXFK ORXGHU QRZ,WZDVWKHVWRI-DQXDU\, ZDV LQ %LHQ +RD9LHWQDP$ \HDU ROGNLGIURPWKHFRDVWRI2UHJRQLQD WUDQVLWEDUUDFNVZDLWLQJWRJRRQ.3DW KRXUV S FREE PUBLISHED THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH January 2015 ess Chronicling the Joy of Busin er ‘I I in the Columbia-Pacific B Region striverbusinessjournal crbizjournal.com • facebook.com/coa Volume 10 • Issue 1 stry spo allenges Inside: Indu copes with ch Shellfish farm an conditions oce nging s optimistic despite cha tlight: Taylor remain NEWS County makes a splash ‘F ong R Feb. 1, 1968 ZDV VWLOO FUDFNLQJ HJJV ZKHQ ZH KHDUG WKH VWDFFDWR¿UHFUDFNHUSRSVRID¿UH¿JKW¶ )RU HYHU\ KXJH URFNHW H[SORVLRQ WKHUH ZHUH VHYHUDOVPDOOHUPRUWDUURXQGVWKDWWKXGGHGLQOLNH JLDQWV¶VWHSV²VORZO\ZDONLQJDFURVVWKHFRP SRXQG VHDUFKLQJ 'XULQJ D EULHI OXOO WKH 1&2 QRQFRPPLVVLRQHGRI¿FHUZKR¶GYROXQWHHUHGXV IRU.3FDPHGRZQWRJHWXV³$UP\¶VJRWWDHDW´ KHVDLG³%UHDNIDVWVWDUWVDWFRPHKHOORUKLJK ZDWHU´:HIROORZHGKLPXSWKHKLOOWRWKHPHVV KDOO ,WZDVDODUJHSO\ZRRGVWUXFWXUHZLWKWKHNLWFK HQLQWKHEDFNDQGWDEOHVLQIURQWZKHUHVFUHHQHG ZLQGRZVORRNHGDFURVVWKHURDGDQGLQWRWKHMXQ JOH¿OOHGJXOO\EHWZHHQXVDQGWKHQH[W$PHULFDQ LQVWDOODWLRQDFRXSOHKXQGUHG\DUGVDZD\ ³)ODVKOLJKWV RQO\´ KH VDLG ³:H GRQ¶W QHHG WREHWDUJHWVDQ\PRUHWKDQZHKDYHWR´,EHJDQ FUDFNLQJHJJVLQWRDELJSRWKROGLQJWKHÀDVKOLJKW LQ P\ PRXWK 2WKHUV ZRUNHG DURXQG PH ÀDVK OLJKWVLQWKHLUPRXWKVRUXQGHUWKHLUDUPV$QRF FDVLRQDOPRUWDUWKXGNHSWWDONWRDPLQLPXP,ZDV VWLOOFUDFNLQJHJJVZKHQZHKHDUGWKHVWDFFDWR¿UH FUDFNHUSRSVRID¿UH¿JKWFRPLQJIURPLQIURQWRI WKHPHVVKDOO:HDOOGURSSHGZKDWZHZHUHGRLQJ DQGPRYHGWRWKHIURQWWRZDWFKWKHDFWLRQWKURXJK WKHVFUHHQZLQGRZV ,WZDVWDNLQJSODFHPD\EH\DUGVLQIURQWRI XV$UHGGLUWURDGFDPHGRZQWKHKLOOIURPWKHOHIW DQGDFURVVLQIURQWRIWKHPHVVKDOO7KHMXQJOHEH JDQDERXW\DUGVEH\RQGWKHURDG7ULSOHURZVRI FRQFHUWLQDZLUHGH¿QHGWKHERXQGDU\7KHJXDUGV ZHUH RQ RXU VLGH RI WKH URDG EHKLQG D VDQGEDJ IRUWL¿FDWLRQ²VKRRWLQJRYHUDQGDURXQGLW7KH HQHP\ZDVDFURVVWKHURDGLQWKHMXQJOHQRW \DUGVDZD\DQGWUDFHUVZHUHÀ\LQJEDFNDQGIRUWK ,WVRXQGHGOLNHPXOWLSOHVWULQJVRI¿UHFUDFNHUVJR LQJRIIDZDYHRISRSVDQGÀDVKHVWKHQDOXOO ,WZDVTXLWHDVKRZIRUDQHZNLG $JXDUGFDPHUXQQLQJLQWKHVLGHGRRU³*HW WKHKHOODZD\IURPWKRVHZLQGRZV´ KHVKRXWHG ³7KH\FDQVHH\RX´-XVWDVKHVDLGLWDVSUD\RI PDFKLQH JXQ ¿UH WUDFHG DFURVV WKH IURQW RI WKH PHVVKDOO7KHJX\QH[WWRPHVFUHDPHGDQGZHQW GRZQ,GRYHXQGHUWKHQHDUHVWWDEOH,FRXOGKHDU P\KHDUWEHDWLQJ,ZDVVFDUHG,KXJJHGWKHFRRO FHPHQW ZDVDZDNHQHGDFRXSOHKRXUVODWHUE\D¿UH¿JKW HUXSWLQJRXWVLGHWKHHQGRIWKHEDUUDFNV²RQO\ DERXW\DUGVIURPWKHZLUHDQGMXQJOH7KHVHU JHDQWDQG,VWRRGRQHLWKHUVLGHRIWKHGRRUZDWFK LQJWKHWUDFHUVÀDVKEDFNDQGIRUWK ³*XHVV,ZDVZURQJ´KHVDLG³7RREDGWKHVH VWHSV DUH OLW XS PDNHV XV DQ HDV\ WDUJHW JXHVV ZH¶OOKDYHWRZDLWWKLVRQHRXW´7KHQ,KHDUGWKH ¿UVW³FKLWFKLWFKLWRIEXOOHWVSRSSLQJWKURXJKWKH WKLQZRRGZDOOVRIWKHEDUUDFNV7KLVPXVWKDYH EHHQZK\WKH\GLGQ¶WZDQWXVWRVOHHSXSKHUH :KDW FRXOG , GR" &DQ¶W OHDYH 'DQJHURXV WR VWD\7KH RQO\ WKLQJ , FRXOG WKLQN WR GR ZDV JR EDFNWRP\EXQNJHWRQWKHÀRRUDQGSLOHPDW WUHVVHVDOODURXQGPHWZRWKUHHOD\HUVWKLFNDQG KRSH7KH¿JKWLQJFRQWLQXHGIRURYHUDQKRXU, OD\LQWKHGDUNDQGOLVWHQHGWRWKHVQDSRIURXQGV FRPLQJWKURXJKDQGZRQGHULQJLI,ZRXOGPDNH LW,ZDVWRRJUHHQDQGVFDUHGWRNQRZLIWKHPDW Submitted Photo WUHVVHVZRXOGKHOSRUQRWEXWWKH\ZHUHDOO,KDG Though trained as an all-systems mechanic, Ben Hunt became a helicopter door gunner ,FRXOGQ¶WVHHZKHUHWKHVHUJHDQWZDVDQG,GLGQ¶W in Vietnam. FDUH,ZDLWHGLQWKHGDUNOLVWHQLQJWRWKHFDFRSK RQ\RISRSSLQJJXQVKRWVULVHDQGIDOORQFHDJDLQ ,Q D IHZ (YHQWXDOO\ .3 ZRQGHULQJ LI ,¶G EH NLOOHG VR VRRQ DIWHU DUULYDO CHINA Hong Kong PLQXWHV WKH ZDVRYHUDQG,ZDV (YHQWXDOO\WKH¿UH¿JKWHQGHGDQG,GULIWHGRIILQWR VIETNAM ¿ULQJ GLHG IUHH WR VSHQG WKH WURXEOHGVOHHS0\VHFRQGQLJKWLQFRXQWU\ Hanoi GRZQDQGWKH UHVWRIWKHGD\GRLQJ Feb. 2, 1968 JXDUG FDPH WKH *, 6KXIÀH IURP Gulf of LAOS RUWKHWKLUGQLJKWLQDURZ,ZDVDZDNHQHG RYHU ZLWK RQH OLQH WR DQRWKHU South Tonkin HAINAN E\H[SORVLRQVDQGD¿UH¿JKW¶ KLV KRRGHG ZDLWLQJ :KDW FRXOG China ,JRWXQOXFN\DQGZDVSLFNHGIRUJXDUGGXW\, ÀDVKOLJKW WR ,GR":KHUHGLGWKH\ Sea k Demilitarized VHH ZKR¶G QHHGPH"'LG,KDYH ZDVQ¶WWKULOOHG,ZDVJRQQDJHWWRSOD\JUXQWDIWHU Zone (1954-75) EHHQ KLW +H D ZLOO" 0RYH DOO$WWKHDSSRLQWHGKRXU,VKRZHGXSDWWKHDUPRU\ iv Da Nang ZDV OD\LQJ LQ DQG ZDLW ¿OO WRGUDZP\HTXLSPHQW,ZDVKDQGHGDQ0DQG THAILAND WKHDLVOHEHWZHHQWKH LQJ RXW WKH IRXUFOLSVDQGDVWHHOSRWZLWKQROLQHU³:KDWWKH KHOODP,VXSSRVHGWRGRZLWKWKLV"´,DVNHG WDEOHV FU\ IRUPV ³3XW LW RQ \RXU KHDG LW PLJKW VDYH \RXU DVV LQJ VRIWO\ %\ DI ³:KHUH \RX WHUQRRQ DQ\ZD\´ Area in CAMBODIA detail , SORSSHG WKH VWHHO SRW RQ P\ KHDG LW FDPH KLW"´ DVNHG WKHUH KDG GRZQSDVWP\HDUV,FRXOGVHHDERXW IHHWLQIURQW WKHJXDUG EHHQ QR Bien Hoa ³,WKLQNLW¶V V K R R W L Q J RIPH³:KDWDERXWDÀDNMDFNHW"´,DVNHG ³6RUU\IUHVKRXWEHVLGHVQRWKLQJ¶VJRQQDKDS P\OHIWOHJ´KH IRU VHYHUDO Ho Chi Minh City South (Formerly Saigon) China VDLG ³,W KXUWV KRXUV DQG SHQWRQLJKWWUXVWPH´*UXPEOLQJ,IROORZHGWKH Alan Kenaga/ 100 miles Sea EO Media Group OLNH KHOO´ 7KH WKH FDOO ZHQW 2I¿FHURIWKH'D\RXWWREHVKRZQP\SRVW,WZDV JXDUG PRYHG RXWIRUDJHQ QHDUWKHEDUUDFNV,KDGRFFXSLHGWKHQLJKWEHIRUH WKH OLJKW GRZQ Ben Hunt’s first three days in Vietnam were at Bien HUDO IRUPDWLRQ DERXW\DUGVEDFNIURPWKHURDGPD\EH KLV OHJ WLOO KH Hoa. 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MRZO EHWZHHQEXQNEHGV+DOIWKHJX\VZHUHVPRNLQJ VSHQWWKHUHVWRIWKHPRUQLQJKHOSLQJZKHUH, DQGLILWZDVRXWVLGHLWZDVDDQGVPRN\ ‘The great Tet Offensive ZDVWROGIUHTXHQWO\VWDUWOHGE\WKHEXUVWVIURP DVKHOOLQVLGH WKH&REUDVDQG+XH\*XQVKLSVEHJLQQLQJWKHLU ³/RWFRROHUXSWKHUHRQWKHVHFRQGÀRRU,DO of 1968 was done for me.’ JXQ UXQV RQ WKH MXQJOH DFURVV WKH URDG 7KH\¶G UHDG\SXWP\GXIIHOXSWKHUH´+HZDVROGHUWKDQ \ ¿UVW OLJKW , KDGQ¶W KHDUG ¿ULQJ LQ RYHU DQ VZRRSDFURVVWKHFRPSDQ\DUHDDQGRSHQXSZLWK PHPD\EHDQGDVWDIIVHUJHDQWLQDQ$UPRUHG KRXU DQG WKDW ZDV IURP RII LQ WKH GLVWDQFH WKHLUPLQLJXQVDQGURFNHWVDVWKH\FDPHRYHUWKH 'LYLVLRQ PHVVKDOO7KH\ZHUHGHWHUPLQHGWRNLOOHYHU\WKLQJ ³,WKRXJKWZHZHUHVXSSRVHGWRDOOVWD\GRZQ 7KHVN\ZHQWIURPGDUNJUD\WRPDJHQWDWRUHGRU DQJHDVWKHEXUQLQJUHGEDOOVXQURVHRYHUWKHMXQ LQWKHMXQJOH RQWKH¿UVWÀRRUWRQLJKW"´ JOH6RRQWKH2'FDPHWRUHOLHYHPH,WXUQHGLQ $FURVV WKH JXOO\ DW WKH QH[W$PHULFDQ FRP ³:HOOZKDWWKH\GRQ¶WNQRZZRQ¶WKXUWXV´ P\VWHHOSRWDQGULÀHDQGKHDGHGIRUWKHFKRZKDOO SRXQGWKH\KDGRYHUHQHP\ERGLHVOLQHGXS ³,GXQQR,GRQ¶WZDQWWRFDWFKDQ\VKLW´ 7KH¿JKWLQJZDVRYHUIRUQRZ7KHJUHDW7HW DORQJWKHKLOOVLGHRQGLVSOD\IRUDOOWRVHH,¶GQHY ³7UXVWPH7KLVLVP\VHFRQGWULSWKURXJKKHUH HUVHHQDORWRIGHDGERGLHVMXVW0U6WDPSVRXU ,¶YHDOUHDG\GRQHRQHWRXUDQGWKHVHDWWDFNVDUH 2IIHQVLYH RI ZDV GRQH IRU PH:H FRXOG KLJKVFKRROOLEUDULDQDQG8QFOH$QG\,VWDUHGDW DOZD\VKLWDQGUXQ:RQ¶WEHVTXDWJRLQJRQWR KROGIRUPDWLRQVDQGJHWRQZLWKWKHEXVLQHVVRI WKH$UP\6RRQ,ZDVRQD&KHDGHGIRU4X\ WKHERGLHV0RVWZHUHZHDULQJRQO\VKRUWV6RPH QLJKW´ KDGEURZQEORWFKHVRIGULHGEORRGRQWKHPRWKHUV ³, JXHVV , FRXOG WDNH D ORRN´ +H ZDV ULJKW 1KRQ DQG WKHQ D &KLQRRN KHOLFRSWHU WR 3OHLNX OD\ZLWKWKHLUDUPVRUOHJVDWLPSRVVLEOHDQJOHV LWZDVPXFKFRROHUXSVWDLUVDQG,NQHZKHZDV ,WZDVWKHEHJLQQLQJRIP\\HDULQ9LHWQDPDQ $WVRPHSRLQWWKDWPRUQLQJZKHQWKLQJVZHUH SUREDEO\ ULJKW DERXW QRERG\ ¿QGLQJ RXW :KR HYHQW WKDW ZRXOG DOZD\V EH ZLWK PH DQG ZLWK IDLUO\FDOPVRPH9&VDSSHUVPDQDJHGWREORZ ZRXOGKDYHWLPHWRVHDUFKDOOWKHHPSW\EDUUDFNV DQ\RIXVZKROLYHGWKURXJKWKRVHWLPHVLQWKDW WKHORFDODPPRGXPS7KHH[SORVLRQIHOWOLNHDQ RUZDQWWR",GURSSHGP\GXIIHORQRQHRIWKHPLG SODFH Ben Hunt left Warrenton to enlist in the Army HDUWKTXDNHDQGVWRSSHGHYHU\ERG\GHDGLQWKHLU GOHEXQNV7KHUHZDVDQLFHFURVVEUHH]HFDUU\LQJ WUDFNV ³:KDW WKH KHOO ZDV WKDW"´ :H ZHQW RXW WKHZDUPVFHQWVRIWKHMXQJOHWKURXJKWKHEDUUDFNV in 1966 . Though he was trained as an all - systems EDFN WR ZDWFK WKH KXJH VPRNH FORXG DQG KHDUG XS KHUH , ÀRSSHG GRZQ RQ WKH EXQN DQG VRRQ mechanic, he became a helicopter door gunner. Today, he is the proprietor of Sunset Lake Farm. 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