'Test Fire'

When I went to work I didn't do any drugs except the night Jimi Hendrix died. I heard it via AFVN radio while on Post. We were not supposed to have a radio on Post but, everyone did. 

I heard that News flash and then got a call that I was next in-line for a test fire. The jeep and LT. pulled up to my Post and climbed the ladder up into the tower.

I had smoked a huge joint and then had to what?  

Okay, I prepared my M-60 (safety OFF) and started a 400 round continuous burst into a rice paddy dirt-rise between paddies.

I spelled my name (Patrick) only stopping to dot the 'i' and cross the 't' in my name. 

The Lt. was fuming, screaming at me and threatening LBJ (Long Binh Jail) for me if I didn't fire according to the rules of short bursts while test firing.

The concept is to give the barrel a chance to cool slightly and not impede the barrel's accuracy through overheating. 

Sorry Lt., I am going to finish what I started. After 250 rounds fired, the barrel started to glow *Red* and the projectiles were traveling unplanned trajectories. Left-Right-Down-Up...accuracy lost and the K-9 Handler ran to hide under my tower. I lit up the whole area. 

The Lt. left my tower threatening Jail all the way down the ladder to his jeep & crew. Nothing happened the next day but, the Officers left me alone after that unnerving display of insubordination.

After all-what could they do to me? Send me to Vietnam? HA!

Then I turned my radio back ON and turned it up loud screaming: "F*** you F***ing Gooks-come and get me!!" Tracer rounds (unfriendlies) started whizzing past my tower and I laughed and yelled : "Missed me you F***ing Gooks!!" 

So much for the night Jimi died. The rest of the night was silent as silent as a War zone could be. 

Rest in Peace, Jimi.