The Don Englebreston Collection
Aircrew Exchanging a Bottle on a Flooded Flight Line at Dusk after a Milestone-Mission Hosing, Southeast Asia, Vietnam War Period
Dusk on a flooded flight line, moments after the ceremonial hosing recorded in adjacent frames. Two men in flight suits clasp hands across a bottle at the center of the group — the drink traditionally presented to an aircrew member completing a milestone or final combat mission — while the fire hose used for the soaking lies coiled across the wet concrete and is being drawn in behind them. A military cargo truck stands at left and a stack of perforated steel planking at center right carries a hardstand placard reading SPOT 6. At the right edge, the propeller and forward fuselage of a Douglas A-1 Skyraider stand in silhouette against a mountain skyline. Shot directly into the sunset, the exposure renders the figures as shadows but preserves the sky and the reflective wet apron. Project: 219827