During my first solo night flight out of NAS Whiting Field North, Milton, FL an RVAF student flying a T-28B got too close in and chopped the vertical stabilizer off the T-28 being flown by his fellow RVAF student while on final approach to NAS Whiting Field South. Big ball of fire and miraculously the stud in front survived. We did not fraternize or take training with the Vietnamese or Thais.
After my first tour in the RVN I went back to PNS to instruct carrier qualification ground school and as the RVN nor Thailand didn't have any carriers, home they went after instrument training and before gunnery training.
Shout out to your dad and uncle. It is often said that flying is endless hours of sheer boredom interrupted by stark moments of terror.
Go Irish,
Semper Fi