Oh By the Way, 28 Years Later

submitted by: Alva Leon Matheson

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In the summer of 1999 I was invited to travel to Nellis AFB to help present to the young fighter pilots in attendance, an accurate depiction of the BAT 21B SAR. A large number of the original participants were there including Gene Hambelton.
As one of the on-scene commanders during the Bat 21B SAR, I had many conversations with Gene during the SAR, but I had never met him. His eventual rescue was a ground extraction and I was being sent to other bases in South Vietnam to attempt to kill the tanks that were heading south from the DMZ. After the war my only contact with Gene was when I read about him in Darrel Whitcomb’s book, The rescue of Bat 21.
When I arrive at Nellis and entered the auditorium, Gene was there with several white haired pilots who were participants in his rescue. I walked up to him and looking nearly straight up (Gene is tall!) said, “Hello Gene, my name is John Van Etten.” He brought his eyes down to mine and said...”No, you are Nail 32, I would know that voice anywhere.”
It took me a bit to recover from that statement.