Ron Draper, Headquarters Platoon, says he got to the Snake Platoon once. He was coming into country in April 1967 from Clark Air Force Base on Japanese Airlines (JAL), and their flight was re-routed from Saigon to Pleiku, probably because the Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon was under attack. As they were landing in Pleiku, a firefight erupted and the JAL captain told everyone to “get the hell off” his plane and “don’t get in front of the engines,” because he was leaving. They got off and dove for the nearest bunkers, watching the plane leave with their luggage, which they got back three days later. The 509th RR Group called the 2nd Platoon, who had probably been watching the shooting from their luxury accommodations on the hill, and asked them to watch over their new guys who were stuck on the Pleiku Airbase. The new guys got a ride to the 2nd Platoon area and stayed with them in the tents overnight. They went back to the airbase the next day and caught a C-130 to Saigon. Ron says what he remembers of his brief stay are big bugs and red dirt.
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