In January 1968 the Huey in which I was serving as a door gunner was shot down near Khe Sanh, RVN. We were way outside our normal op area, temporarily detailed to the Marines, and therefore out of range of our normal reaction force. The pilot sent out a Mayday, which was soon answered by a Jolly Green Giant SAR helicopter, who also just happened to be well south of his normal op area. Those guys usually conducted their SAR operations over the fence in North Vietnam. Anyway, Jolly Green pulled four scared Army guys out of the jungle and took us straight to Da Nang and safety. When we landed and thanked the crew, we found out that the pilot was a Coast Guard aviator. Up to then, I didn't know that the Coast Guard had any people in Vietnam. I found out that Coast Guard pilots were so good at SAR, that many of them were loaned to the Air Force to fly Jolly Green missions. And one of them saved my life.
Ever since then, I tip my beanie to each and every Coast Guardsman I meet.
So, thanks Coastie!