31 January 1968 – On the first full day of the Tet Offensive, Major Joe Bulger (Flight Lead) and 1Lt “Fearless” Fred Abrams were asked to bomb their own base. In the early hours of the day, Vietcong forces had launched an attack on Bien Hoa AB. “The whole east end was hot,” Abrams said.
Just before graduation, led a 5-ship of solo studs to make a flyover of Reese AFB “to show those B-25 pukes what the REAL pilots were doing”. Had Reese all reccyed from the air, or so I thought. In contact with Reese tower, made a perfect 5 ship flyby, when Reese asked: “what is your position”? We had just buzzed Lubbock Municipal. When he pinned my wings on a couple of days later, my instructor, Frank Rodkey, said in a low voice, “Don’t know where Reese is, huh”.
After USAF service, in 1976 Mick worked as Project Engineer, Chief Engineer, Program Manager with several Aerospace companies. He worked on Aircraft Ground Support Equipment Development, MX First Stage propulsion, and FTOS and OIS; Nav/Wep delivery systems retrofit for foreign aircraft, Tacit Rainbow Autonomous radar killer, Anti-missile propulsion systems, Saudi Radio production, and PM training, Comanche Helicopter development, and Standard Missile Interceptor Third Stage Rocket Motor.
Mick’s Daughter Kathy is married to JAG B/G Steve Lepper USAFA 1979 and his Granddaughter Jen, USAFA ’04 is a Capt Bioenvironmental Engineer at Patrick. His Granddaughter Helen is a Colo State grad and a Bio Research Scientist in Denver.
