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Dixon-74.jpgThe magic of AKAII purchased the red-hot Akai 1800-SD tape recorder that recorded 8-track tapes. The price back then was $238.
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Dixon-75.jpgAKAI makes The Army Times24Apr68 - Army Times does an article on the new Akai 1800-SD. This was like reading science fiction at the time. Bought one and sent it home. Can't tell you how many tapes I made after I got home....
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Dixon-76.jpgThe Magic SlotYep...that's where you stick the head of your 8-track cartridge and record YOUR choice of music. This was extremely "high tech" in its day. The machine is still around and working.
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Dixon-77.jpgMilitary EntertainmentA "successful audition" is one thing; complying with para-3 is another. But, there's also a case of not being around to play, also.
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Dixon-77a.jpgNot availableA little malaria got in the way of playing bass for Martha Raye and her overseas tour.
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Dixon-Hospital.jpgC-141 StarlifterGot violently ill one night and went into a coma at Qui Nhon. This beautiful bird evacuated me to the Phillipines. On the flight, I saw a guy on a stretcher suspended on the next tier up. When his sheet fell off, I saw that he had lost both legs and left arm. I was partially paralyzed at the time and didn't know if I was going to live, but I remember thinking how lucky I was compared to him. I often wonder what happened to this brave soldier.
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Dixon1.jpgHere I am!Here is me in Duc Pho wearing a 2/9th camouflage beret (that's my 3/4-ton commo truck in the background- notice the hex insignia on the door)...
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Dixon10.jpgShining throughThe sun appears to be shining through the Chinook as it makes its landing.
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Dixon12.jpgCamera cutupsWe had a great team of guys & we had fun too on occasion. Roman, was a real cut-up and was always doing something funny. Here he is making rabbit ears on Hunter (commo wire man from East St. Louis) and a sergeant– whose name I forget because he was from Baltimore and we always called him "B-More"! Tthis was taken near Duc Pho as we were preparing to go to the dreaded Bong Son area. Sgt. "B-More" (who insisted "don't call me sergeant!") was injured in a VC attack on a bunker and was shipped out afterward if I remember right. Roman went to another battery.
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Dixon13.jpgPitching inWhen things got dicey... even though I was a commo guy, there were times when I had to get out there and hump ammo with the guys on the guns. We were all kids, but looking back, we were all brave men too...
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Dixon13a.jpgPitching InGetting with the program...even us Commo guys!
Note the "macho" version of artillery ear plugs. No wonder we go deaf as seniors.
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Dixon14.jpgDeadly attackA friend of mine was killed when this gun took a direct hit from a VC attack. This is what it looked like when it was hauled away on a deuce and a half truck.
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