Lt. Gen. Fred McCorkle (left) and Maj. Gen. M. P. DeLong stand in front of an HMM-161 CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter Nov. 1, after flying together for the first time in almost 30 years. The generals last flew with one another in March 1970 while serving as lieutenants with HMM-262 in Vietnam, where they flew more than 16 combat hours together.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (Nov. 3) -- As the evening sun sets, a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter approaches to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Such landings are a common occurrence here, but the two pilots are a mite uncommon-one is a lieutenant general, the other a major general. This is not the first time these two generals have flown together, but it has been a while. The last time was in March 1970 while serving as lieutenants in Quang Tri, Republic of Vietnam. That flight was also in a CH-46.

Needless to say, this Nov. 1 flight is in another time under different conditions, but these two longtime brothers-in-arms still welcome the opportunity to fly under any circumstances. Obviously, each have a passion for flying-the lieutenant general has amassed more than 6,000 flight hours in 50 different series of aircraft, the major general has almost 5,400 flight hours in numerous aircraft types. Lt. Gen. Fred McCorkle, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, and Maj. Gen. M. P. DeLong, Commanding General, Third Marine Aircraft Wing, taxi to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-161's flight line area and shut down the aircraft.

They dutifully complete the post-flight checklist, seeming to savor every moment in the cockpit. The generals exit the aircraft adorned in flight gear, obviously pleased with the flight from MCAS Yuma, Ariz., to Miramar. Lt. Gen. McCorkle is conducting a West Coast tour in his capacity as the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, and visits to MCAS Yuma, Miramar and Camp Pendleton were scheduled.

It is fitting Maj. Gen. DeLong followed Lt. Gen. McCorkle as the Commanding General of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing. Since being assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-262 in Vietnam during 1969 and 1970, the two generals have also both served as the commanding officer of Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1, MCAS Yuma. Neither general remembered the details of their last mission together in Vietnam, although Maj. Gen. DeLong did recall, "it wasn't a test hop, it was definitely a combat mission."

Maj. Gen. DeLong said his flight logbook records indicate that he and Lt. Gen. McCorkle flew more than 16 combat hours together while serving in Vietnam. Both generals are distinguished and decorated combat veterans. Lt. Gen. McCorkle has flown 1,500-plus combat missions, whereas Maj. Gen. DeLong has flown more than 1,400. This degree of combat aviation experience makes their warrior-like call signs even more appropriate. Lt. Gen. McCorkle's call sign is "Assassin," Maj. Gen. Delong's is "Rifle."

If this was their last flight together, it provided both generals an opportunity to reminisce on their first years as young Marine helicopter pilots, serving their country in a foreign land, on the way to becoming two, modern-day leaders of the Corps.