Good read.
I liked the additional information about the author.
"Additionally, in 1965, he and CPO Peter Slempa took part in a double, night, water pickup by a Fulton Skyhook Equipped S2A “Tracker” Aircraft "
I remember my SERE class setting up an fulton extraction of a cargo container. The container skidded a few feet sideways and then took off like a rocket. Can only imagine what kind of ride that would be.