Bruce L. Muller, Crew Chief

17th SOS, Phan Rang, 1969-70

Bruce didn’t provide much info except that he was in SEA from May 1969 to May 1970 and that he was a Sergeant (E-4) with 4 years in the service, and that he was in Maintenance as a Mechanic and Crew Chief.

Thankfully, someone else remembers his time in AC-119s with the following from 17th SOS Aircraft Commander Preston Davis:

Our Shadow 62 mission (in the A Shau Valley near the Parrot’s Beak) took .51 caliber AAA hits in the left wing and engine, which caused an engine fire. They had to jettison the flare launcher, illuminator, guns, ammunition, and NOS to reduce weight, but were able to safely land at Tan Son Nhut.

That occurred August 16, 1969, and that’s where Bruce comes in. Preston remembers:

Sergeant Bruce Muller, the Crew Chief, repaired the aircraft with a new engine, propeller, and turbine (which were all destroyed by the fire), and patched the holes in the wing and fuel bladders.

Bruce finished recovering the aircraft in December, and returned it to service to fly again.

Not bad.