Goodbye handlebar mustache!

As a crew chief with HMM-262 QuangTri, RVN we were allowed to grow a stache if we could. Mine was actually neat compared to some of the pilots I crewed for. I remember that as I checked out I was told by several people that Id probably be ordered to shave it before I got back to the world. I also heard that in DaNang and Okinawa but never got the order. I made it home to Pittsburgh, Pa. for leave and then reported to New River for assignment with HMM-365. I got looks and the same comments as I checked in but no order I was assigned an aircraft and had to be there for at least two weeks when one morning at formation I was called forward. The CO, LtCol RH Nelson pinned on a Purple Heart BUT never took his eyes off my stache. You can see his glare in this photo. I remember something about not leaving the hanger with it - and having ten minutes to lose it or else! I took that as an order.