The stories told by Marine Corps aviators who flew during the Vietnam War are the kind that make younger pilots stop mid-sip and listen in absolute awe. In Episode 213, Fig and RePete have the immense honor of sitting down with retired Colonel Bill Wehrung, “Horny” — an 87-year-old Naval Academy graduate, Marine A-4 Skyhawk driver, Vietnam combat veteran, and a living piece of aviation history.
From flying before NATOPS procedures were standardized, to launching off hot pads in Vietnam, taking enemy fire twice, and safely navigating an incredible 235 combat missions, this episode feels less like a standard interview and more like pulling up a chair with a master of the craft. With the calm, witty delivery of someone who has seen it all and lived to tell the tale, he sheds light on the stark realities of Marine aviation in the 1960s and 70s.
Listeners will get to hear firsthand accounts of Marine aviation, intense combat operations, the unique quirks of the A-4, self-induced flameouts, New Year’s Eve French 75s, and the legendary moment that inspired this episode’s title: “Don’t bother logging it.”
In fact, that single phrase perfectly captures the grit and attitude of an entire generation of Marine aviators.
This episode is funny, thoughtful, historically profound, and a remarkable look at an extraordinary career. You won’t want to miss it.
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