Pan Am Pilot Rest and Relaxation Story — How to Get Ants Out of Her Pants

PAN AM Series — A Pan Am Pilot Rest and Relaxation Story in Darwin, Australia

This Pan Am pilot rest and relaxation story takes place in the late 1960s, when we flew soldiers from Vietnam to exotic locations for their time off — officially called Rest and Relaxation. Our destinations included Hong Kong, Bangkok, Manila, and Sydney. On one trip to Sydney, we changed crews in Darwin, Australia, and ended up with a story no one on that flight crew will forget.

Flying Soldiers on R&R

On outbound flights, the GIs were wide awake, buzzing with anticipation. Coming back, they were worn out from their short but intense vacations — and they slept all the way back to Vietnam.

We knew many of these young men would never return home. Helping them enjoy a break from the war was a privilege for all of us.

U.S. Soldier in Vietnam

The Layover in Darwin

Sydney flights exceeded the maximum duty day for pilots, so we swapped crews in Darwin, on the northern tip of Australia. With a free afternoon, we rented several Mini Mokes (small jeep-like cars) and drove to a swimming hole with a vine swing.

Like kids again, we took turns swinging off a hill and dropping into the cool creek water.

Swimming hole

The Bra Incident

One of our flight attendants — we’ll call her “Lucky” — swung out over the water and had her bra break mid-swing. Ever the gentlemen, the pilots offered to swim out and help. She handled the situation herself, but it set the tone for an already memorable afternoon.

Photo of girl in water

The Ant Attack

On the way back to the road, we passed massive ant mounds housing equally massive ants. Lucky decided to pose for a picture near one of them, but the ants didn’t appreciate her visit. Within seconds, she was screaming and slapping at her legs — the ants had climbed her jeans and were biting hard.

Large ant hills with large, angry, ants

Two pilots acted fast: one grabbed her under the arms, the other by her feet, risking ants themselves as they carried her clear. The only way to stop the biting was to take her pants off so she could get the ants out.

Why She Wasn’t Naked

Because the swimming hole had no changing facilities, we had worn swim suits under our clothes. We swam first, then picnicked until our suits dried, and finally put our clothes back on over them. Lucky’s swimsuit was still on — and thankfully, the ants hadn’t gotten past it.

If you enjoyed this Pan Am pilot R&R story, explore more from my Pan Am Series, where I share the adventures, misadventures, and unforgettable moments from the flight deck. Visit my Blog to read more.