PARKING TICKET
This is a short story that shows that the Military police, at least in the Da Nang area, had a sense of humor.
Though there were a couple of "official" heliports located near the Commissary and PX buildings near Da Nang, they were often "not close enough" for crews in a hurry. Because the nature of the beast made it possible, helicopters would sometimes be found landed in unusual places nearer to the intended destination.
( For instance, two OH-13's were found landed in the tennis courts.)
On this particular day, an OH-6 had just been picked up from the maintenance section and was on its way back to the Quang Tri area. Though the crew was in a hurry to get back to LZ Betty, there was time to make a quick stop at the PX for some urgently needed items. Rather than land some distance away and then have to walk (aircrew don't walk places), the crew - being good scouts - spotted a closer place to park for the short period of time that was needed. The OH-6 was neatly landed behind a jeep, next to the curb. With its small size, it really did look like it belonged there.
It was not long before the crew returned to their machine. While they were away, the jeep had departed and the Cayuse was left sitting there on its own. When the crew had strapped in to the helicopter, the pilot noticed a piece of paper on top of the instrument panel. The paper was a standard form, with one slight alteration. It read --
"You are landed ("landed" had been written in - the word "parked" had been ruled through) in a no parking zone. As a first offence, this is a warning notification."
by Frank Vanatta