H-34 on deck of Hospital U.S.S. REPOSE

The U.S.S. Repose loitered off the shore of Viet Nam so we could take wounded Marines directly to a state-of-the-art hospital.

We could get wounded from the field to the O.R. in 15 minutes.  Look closely, you can see the H-34 on the heli-deck of the ship. 

An amusing story here:  Capt. Paul Courtney was taking wounded out to the Repose.  He called ahead, asking the ship's crew to bring him a carton of Raleigh cigarrettes from the ship's store, something Paul could not get at our base. The radio operator asked Capt. Courtney is he saved those Raleigh coupons, hoping perhaps that if he didn't, the radio operator could have the coupons for himself.  Capt. Courtney's immediate response was, "Of course I collect those coupons, where do you think I got this nitfy helicopter?"