Why are there interstate hiways in Hawaii? If you were in a 1952 Ford traveling at the speed of light and you turned on your headlights, what would happen? Why is there no cent symbol on a computer keyboard? If you had 3 M&Ms and ate 2 what would you have left, an M ? Why do we call them elevators or lifts , they descend too ?
jim
USA - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at 22:51:25 (MST)

Billy Blye...or is that billy lies? ....I just checked your "proof" by going to each website you referenced....all neo-con, rabbid, facist sorts. The proof of your "fair and balanced" disinformation is revealed on your own website...you invite comments...but flatly admit you will delete anything you don't agree with!!!!! Go figure? You must of had a real hard time trying to go to school...with all those academic types trying to teach you something you didn't already know!........Damn! All you guys from the 129th need to search the "information" being posted here. (Google does a good job if you are not familiar with search engines.) I found 'Vietnam Veterans Against Kerry' to be equally unfounded in facts...taking information out of context...stretching the truth.. adding in opinion and presenting it as gospel.........In reality, they present GOSSIP......Some on this site have said this is no place for politics. Folks, I've gotta tell ya here and now, it is no time to be sticking our heads in the sand. We, as Vietnam veterans, should be standing up and being counted and heard on the issues of the day. Politicians with selfish interests teamed up with the industrial-military complex to wage war at the expense of an entire generation. The reasons were unclear and shifted. The fighting forces were given no clear objective. There was no plan . There was no exit strategy. The cost in lives and treasure bleed our nation.......These things happened in "OUR" day and it's happening "TODAY".If we stand idlely by and allow this to happen again, then shame on us. If not Vietnam veterans, then who?...if not now, when? Now, having just vented, I feel better. Thanks. Regards everyone, C.B.
C.B.
USA - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at 22:35:09 (MST)

Yes, Fred S. told me about the eloquence of Tom Shanahan. I enjoyed reading his thoughts on Kerry, SE Asia and everything else he expressed in his posting. I especially liked, "all gave some, some gave all." It made me pause and envision that wall full of names. I have yet to visit it. The only time I was in Washington, D.C., was in 1964. John Kennedy was in his temporary resting place in Arlington, Lyndon Johnson was in the White House. As we drove through the mountains on our way south from Ohio, I listened to the Beatles, The Stones, CKLW out of Detroit...total Motown. My parents complained, but allowed me to listen. There was no thought of a wall then. No NEED for a wall. It was 1964. We were the United States, STOPPING the infiltration of Communism into Southeast Asia. The Soviet Union was supposedly supplying the North Vietnamese, we were aiding the South. Like Bobby Fischer and Boris...who would win? In the end, no one did. As I told Fred Skaggs...I remember watching the CBS Evening News. My father, an ex WWII vet, Navy, would shake his head at the casualty numbers. US casualties, minimal. North Vietnamese...thousands! He would comment, "With numbers like that, why aren't we winning?" I wondered the same thing and still do. I watch the words written on here and feel honored to be in such company. I cannot wait till June when I will be meeting some of you in Indianapolis. All these years later....The Beatles are gone but for two that remain. The Stones are aging, but still rocking. Motown died with Marvin Gaye. My father has been gone ten years now. Walter Cronkite remains a favorite. Wars are still being fought. And a wall in Washington keeps memories alive. "All gave some, Some gave all."
Sue
USA - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at 20:26:48 (MST)

The dark side of the current White House was on full display last week when top officials of the Bush administration took to the airwaves to destroy the credibility of a man who had honorably served presidents Reagan, Clinton and both Bushes. The character assassination of Richard Clarke, the former White House anti-terrorism chief, was far more worrisome than Nixon's smears of Dean because it concerned not petty crime in pursuit of partisan political ambition but rather the attempt to deceive the nation and the world as to the causes of the 9/11 assault upon our national security Ñ and to justify an unnecessary war in Iraq. First, Bush's aides suggested that Clarke had invented the meeting in which Clarke said the president pressured him to find a link between the 9/11 attack and Iraq, ignoring Clarke's insistence that intelligence agencies had concluded that no such link existed. But on Sunday, national security advisor Condoleezza Rice was forced to admit that Bush had pressed Clarke on an Iraq connection. This backed up earlier assertions by former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill as to Bush's obsession with Iraq from the very first days of his administration at the expense of focusing on Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. That the Bush lies didn't work this time may be because just too many veterans of the U.S. intelligence community are finding their voices and are willing to denounce an administration that has seriously undermined the nation's security. They are speaking out, as 23 former CIA and other defense intelligence agents did in Robert Greenwald's devastating documentary, "Uncovered." They have stepped forward, as did David Kay, Bush's former chief weapons inspector in Iraq. This is an administration that has been dominated by the neoconservative ideologues who condemned the logical restraint of the first Bush administration on foreign policy as a betrayal of the national interest. These neocons have made a horrible mess of things, but that gives them no pause. They went to war with a nation that had no weapons of mass destruction and few connections to terrorism Ñ but have coddled Pakistan, which sponsored the Taliban and Al Qaeda and which recently was revealed as the source of nuclear weapons technology for North Korea, Iran and Libya. The president's team is wrong to believe its outrageous lies can continue to lull a gullible public. Nixon's lies won him a second election, but then he lost the country. Bush smiles better than Nixon, but when the lies are exposed, the smile turns into a character-revealing smirk. That happened last week when the White House released photos of a skit, performed for the amusement of jaded media heavyweights, in which the president pretended to look under his desk for the missing weapons of mass destruction. This may have amused his cynical audience, but to the general public, the carefully lip-synced policy pronouncements of the man who cried wolf has morphed into a sick joke.
The Blade
USA - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at 20:03:23 (MST)

FORMER GREEN BERET TACKLES KERRY Thank you, John Kerry, for helping make us Vietnam veterans war heroes now, but you also were the primary reason that the American public grabbed sturdy unbending brooms of judgment and swept us into the closet of silence and shame for so many years. Now, with your latest unreported insanity, you are getting ready for our society to grab those same stiff brooms and sweep our brave, noble young men and women fighting against the War on Terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, into that cold, dark cell of heartbreak and betrayal, like we Vietnam veterans had to endure in silent dignity. I cannot and will not watch this country go through that again. The hardcore America-hating, Israel-hating, jihad-spouting Muslim clerics in the mideast are very excited and passing around a front page newspaper story from the very anti-American TEHRAN TIMES in Iran. In the country that is home of the world's toughest theocratic dictatorship, an e-mail from Democratic Presidential nominee, you, John Forbes Kerry, sent to the paper by your campaign committee, although they deny sending it, was printed word-for-word on the front page of Iran's main newspaper. Your message states emphatically that, if elected President, you, John Kerry plan to, within 100 days, not only end the War on Terror, but travel to the mideast and elsewhere and apologize for our actions and the actions of President Bush in the War on Terror. It says that you plan to apologize to friends and foes alike. That is right, folks. John Kerry will say he is sorry, and in his mind, all those jihad extremists, who have vowed to kill all Americans wherever we are, will simply forgive us, hold hands with Kerry, start singing "Kumbaya," and all will be right in the world. This is insane! Senior writer Kenneth R. Timmerman in the March 1st edition of INSIGHT, tells about the massive campaign contributions to the Kerry-for-President campaign by three Iranian businessmen living in the US, who are lobbying for the US lifting of sanctions on Iran and accepting the anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, anti-American Tehran regime and the close ties of one to the chairman of Mobil Oil. Pro-democracy dissidents in Iran are shocked and appalled at your remarks, and have reported that in Iran and other Mideastern countries, that all the extremists and anti-west mullahs who strongly supported the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, USS Cole, Marine Barracks, and anyplace Americans congregate, want you to become our President, but they are scared to death of George W. Bush. Just think, The Democratic candidate for President, you, John Forbes Kerry, is endorsed by the Al Q'Aida, Hezbollah, PLF, and Hamas. But on February 27, 2004, in a speech at UCLA , you, while trying to talk tough, despite voting against all major weapons systems for the past 18 years, stated that you will continue the War on Terror, but would use our police forces, and especially those in foreign countries, and you would also put our troops back under the powder blue flag of the United Nations. You recently made comments about Bush making troops fight without Kevlar vests, but you, Senator Kerry, voted against buying them while you were in the Senate. Like the Kama Sutra, Senator, you change positions constantly. You're not going to end the War on Terror, but instead use police to handcuff terrorists and read them their rights; then a week later, you are going to end the War on Terrorism and apologize to everyone we have offended, such as Iran. What is it going be next week, Kerry? You flip-flop more than a beached tuna on steroids. You convinced TV reporters Chris Wallace on Fox and NBC's Tim Russert that a photograph circulating the web and news showing you a few rows away from Jane Fonda at a September, 1970 Anti-War Rally at Valley Forge, was simply a coincidence and that you and Hanoi Jane barely knew each other. But, in fact, Senator, there were only 8 speakers that day, including Fonda, Donald Southerland, and Bella Abzug, and Hanoi Jane funded that rally, and the keynote speaker was you, John Forbes Kerry, executive committee member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. We must be Americans first, and think about our political parties after that. Sometimes we lose sight of that. I have six grown children and two are democrats. I voted for Jimmy Carter. This is not about politics It is about standing up to the ultimate playground bully, and not simply cowering and kissing his shoes. I left it "all on the field" in the jungles back there when I was med-evaced out of Vietnam in March of 1969 and sent back to hospitals in "The World." Although You, Mr. Kerry, painted all of us Vietnam veterans with the yellow brush of My Lai and Tiger Force, most of us, draftees and lifers alike, actually poured our hearts out in the tropical rain forests and in the rice paddies, thoroughly gave it our all, and acted as warriors who had honor. I have a son earning his green beret at Fort Bragg right now and a daughter-in-law on orders for Iraq. I am not going to stand by and watch them go through the same treatment we did, because some of our well-meaning fellow Americans choose to wear blinders and believe things just because they heard it on the network news or simply not care enough to get involved. I am not a "baby-killer, torturer, or murderer," John Kerry. I am a Vietnam veteran and an American who will not soon forget, or ever want to see again, any more jets loaded with fuel and screaming, innocent Americans slamming into our buildings on our very own soil. I have shed enough tears for ten lifetimes. We all have. I will never again let my fellow countrymen get away with making American veterans feel like bastard step-children. Santayana said, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." John Kerry, I now call on my "Band of Brothers," those who have heard the sound of guns and cries of orphaned children, those who hate war more than anyone who has not been there, to join me in this difficult battle ahead. Republicans, democrats, independents, and the apolitical, I call on the 25,000,000 veterans of this country to help me confront this evil facing our great nation, not with guns and bombs, but with our voices, our votes, our computers, and with all our fighting spirit. My fellow veterans, your families, survivors, and neighbors: God bless you and God bless America. You want proof of all I have to say. Here are the references: http://michnews.com/artman/publish/article_2889.shtml http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=6246 http://www.iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2004&m=03&d=01&a=12 http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040229-105340-2864r.htm http://johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0227.html http://nyyrcblogspot.com/ http://www.daneshjoo.org/article/publish/article_3130.shtml Want more proof? Read the very exposing February 27, 2004 article, on page 8, of the NY Sun by Thomas Lipscomb, founder of Time Books and publisher of Admiral Elmo Zumwalt's best-selling book. "ON WATCH ". Also read what the man who pinned the Silver Star on John Kerry had to say about him. The article is entitled "Setting Straight Kerry's War Record " Don Bendell is a former green beret captain, who served in Vietnam on an A-Team and in the Top Secret Phoenix program in 1968 and 1969, as well as in three other Special Forces Groups. He is a best-selling author of 21 books, with over 1,500,000 copies of his books in print worldwide, and a seventh degree black master in four martial arts, who was inducted into the International Karate Hall of Fame in 1995 and Martial Arts Museum of America in 1996. e-mail: don@donbendell.com Don or Shirley Bendell BENDELL ENTERPRISES, INC. PO Box 276, Canon City, CO 81215-0276 (719) 269-3929 Please visit our website: www.donbendell.com , or visit our other website at www.bendellkarate.com
Billy Blye
USA - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at 18:29:01 (MST)

Alvis & Susan, got a big smile on my face today when I opened the mail......as did Debbie when she got home. Thanks from both of us & hope to see ya soon. Two and a wake-up !Clear,
Gale 67-68
Clinton, In US of A - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at 17:38:28 (MST)

William Dunlap. Tammy, thank you for joining us and reminding us that we are not the only ones who have vowed to make sure the 129 fallen are remembered. Make yourself at home here, we're all family(politics aside- LOL!) and we welcome you as a friend of one of our fallen, William Dunlap. I'll write more to you back-channel.... I just wanted to help make you feel comfortable here, among this group of strangers who will soon be extended family. Katherine M.,William was with Michael, and Don M., Tammy would be happy to send you Williams' photo(which is on the "Virtualwall" already). Welcome Tammy-you are among friends. Always there for our Veterans-Gently OH! OH! OH! I almost forgot!!!!!!!! Gale and Debbie are getting married Saturday!!!!!!!!!!! congrats you two!
Gently
USA - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at 09:09:33 (MST)

ast week an opinion piece in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz about the killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin said, "This isn't America; the government did not invent intelligence material nor exaggerate the description of the threat to justify their attack." So even in Israel, George Bush's America has become a byword for deception and abuse of power. And the administration's reaction to Richard Clarke's "Against All Enemies" provides more evidence of something rotten in the state of our government. The truth is that among experts, what Mr. Clarke says about Mr. Bush's terrorism policy isn't controversial. The facts that terrorism was placed on the back burner before 9/11 and that Mr. Bush blamed Iraq despite the lack of evidence are confirmed by many sources Ñ including "Bush at War," by Bob Woodward. And new evidence keeps emerging for Mr. Clarke's main charge, that the Iraq obsession undermined the pursuit of Al Qaeda. From yesterday's USA Today: "In 2002, troops from the Fifth Special Forces Group who specialize in the Middle East were pulled out of the hunt for Osama bin Laden to prepare for their next assignment: Iraq. Their replacements were troops with expertise in Spanish cultures." That's why the administration responded to Mr. Clarke the way it responds to anyone who reveals inconvenient facts: with a campaign of character assassination. Some journalists seem, finally, to have caught on. Last week an Associated Press news analysis noted that such personal attacks were "standard operating procedure" for this administration and cited "a behind-the-scenes campaign to discredit Richard Foster," the Medicare actuary who revealed how the administration had deceived Congress about the cost of its prescription drug bill. But other journalists apparently remain ready to be used. On CNN, Wolf Blitzer told his viewers that unnamed officials were saying that Mr. Clarke "wants to make a few bucks, and that [in] his own personal life, they're also suggesting that there are some weird aspects in his life as well." This administration's reliance on smear tactics is unprecedented in modern U.S. politics Ñ even compared with Nixon's. Even more disturbing is its readiness to abuse power Ñ to use its control of the government to intimidate potential critics. To be fair, Senator Bill Frist's suggestion that Mr. Clarke might be charged with perjury may have been his own idea. But his move reminded everyone of the White House's reaction to revelations by the former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill: an immediate investigation into whether he had revealed classified information. The alacrity with which this investigation was opened was, of course, in sharp contrast with the administration's evident lack of interest in finding out who leaked the identity of the C.I.A. operative Valerie Plame to Bob Novak. And there are many other cases of apparent abuse of power by the administration and its Congressional allies. A few examples: according to The Hill, Republican lawmakers threatened to cut off funds for the General Accounting Office unless it dropped its lawsuit against Dick Cheney. The Washington Post says Representative Michael Oxley told lobbyists that "a Congressional probe might ease if it replaced its Democratic lobbyist with a Republican." Tom DeLay used the Homeland Security Department to track down Democrats trying to prevent redistricting in Texas. And Medicare is spending millions of dollars on misleading ads for the new drug benefit Ñ ads that look like news reports and also serve as commercials for the Bush campaign. On the terrorism front, here's one story that deserves special mention. One of the few successful post-9/11 terror prosecutions Ñ a case in Detroit Ñ seems to be unraveling. The government withheld information from the defense, and witnesses unfavorable to the prosecution were deported (by accident, the government says). After the former lead prosecutor complained about the Justice Department's handling of the case, he suddenly found himself facing an internal investigation Ñ and someone leaked the fact that he was under investigation to the press. Where will it end? In his new book, "Worse Than Watergate," John Dean, of Watergate fame, says, "I've been watching all the elements fall into place for two possible political catastrophes, one that will take the air out of the Bush-Cheney balloon and the other, far more disquieting, that will take the air out of democracy."
The Blade
USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 19:48:27 (MST)

"Gently" emailed me regarding this site and encouraged me to visit and write. I was a neighbor of William (Billy) Dunlap when I was a little girl growing up in Tucson. I just recently became aware of "The Virtual Wall" and have submitted some comments and recollections of Billy. I also found an old snapshot of Billy and his wife Ramona - if anyone would like a copy, just email me. If anyone remembers Billy and has stories to share, please do so. I would love to hear more about him. He and his family were such good friends of ours so many years ago. My son joined the Army Reserves last year; he is graduating this May and heading for Missouri for his AIT and then may be deployed to Iraq. Scares the hell out of me. Glad to have found this site - thanks Gently - and will visit daily. TJ
Tammy Joyce <arriba59@earthlink.net>
Pueblo West, Colorado USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 18:56:59 (MST)

Cherry, where are you? I just wanted to jog your memory about a day of resupplying Koreans in june 1969. You, Mr. Rau, BeBee and Me rolling down the mountain in Bulldog 465 after losing left Pedal. Hope everyone else is ok. Still thinking of your Mom Fred.. Hope she's ok... Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 18:28:56 (MST)

A slow hand salute for John Tardif, RVN69, 101st Airborne. Bone cancer.He was a good friend, twisted more than a few zig zags with him, took a lot of all night rides, when the rest of the world just didn't seem to understand the issues that haunted us. Bronze star recepient, threw it away out of shame, said the real heros are the ones he couldn't save. He went to the wall in 94, invited me along. I'm glad I didn't go. He came back worse than when he went...who are we to judge another's combat experiences?..it's affect on his (or her) outlook of war? Aviation has an aura about it, dash, savior fair, panache......we know it as all encompassing; exciting, boring, terrifying, mundane, sensible, farce........all of us view things differently, we're shaped by our experiences. Our common link is that we've been there, done that...THAT'S what gives us the right to talk about it!...Vietnam Vet...hell, our company clerk can make that claim!! Our experiences were different from the grunts, riverine, Air Force, Navy..SOG. Our common link is that we were all there, smelled the same smells, saw the same country.....
Kim
USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 15:49:19 (MST)

Tom Shanahan...You`re one of MY personal Hero`s....You have the guts to stand-up and be counted. You and I have had many back-channel commo`s and I`ve always admired what you stood for and had to say. I`m not as eloquent and articulate as yourself, but I`ve always admired the way you`ve mastered the written word MY Brother. When I spoke to Sister Sue about the 129th having brothers that could express themselves as far as writting.....You and a couple more 129th brothers I know, came to mind. But your post stirred my soul and I just had to step out and thank you my dear brother. Baron...My Brother....I know your there for me. Thank You Gently for your kind words. And everyone that has expressed their concern. A dear friend from back home told me, that this will be another "lesson in life" that your mother will teach you. Her Grace and love will touch you and make you see how special you can be as person.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 12:49:07 (MST)

I donÕt post often. This is not meant to rabble rouse or make anyone angry and apologies in advance for anyone who thinks this is political. It isnÕt. ItÕs about Nam and vets. I have been reading a lot of condemnation of KerryÕs 1971 testimony. A lot of words being written about some of the words of another Nam vet.

http://www.c-span.org/vote2004/jkerrytestimony.asp

This is a link to the (totally non-partisan) C-Span Web site which contains the complete testimony. While there is much discussion about it, I have doubts that many have read the full text. So there it is at the link. It is long and it starts with:

Legislative Proposals Relating to the War in Southeast Asia Thursday, April 22, 1971 United States Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 11:05 a.m., in Room 4221, New Senate Office Building, Senator J. W. Fulbright (Chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Fulbright, Symington, Pell, Aiken, Case and Javits

My own thoughts on it-

As to the allegations of war crimes, yes, they happened. Not every unit; not every man. But they happened and it was general knowledge that they happened. On a macro level, the chemical warfare (Agent Orange and other chemicals) dumped on our own troops and on Vietnam has caused untold horror to be visited on that country and upon generations of children born mangled and deformed; upon food crops that are forever genetically altered; upon barren ground; upon chemically tainted fish that whole or deformed pass those chemicals into the population to alter and deform that population. The bombing and the bombs and the land mines continue to explode taking the limbs of the innocent. The millions who died in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos to feed the greed and the egos of those in power who now go on book tours and tearfully say mea culpa. I've got a place in hell for their mea culpas.

On a micro and more personal level, when the miniguns roll towards a small tree line target, anyone with eyes to see knows that the entire hamlet, the whole village is at times soaked with 7.62mm rounds. When flechettes are fired, God Help anyone out in front of those tubes. When the 40mm pumpkin chunker fires, some of those rounds will actually hit the target if the peter pilot is real good with Kentucky windage. Those women and children hiding behind the straw walls of their hootches and huts had no protection. On the night flare missions sometimes the flares set whole villages on fire after they hit the ground. 2.75" white phosphorous "marking" rockets put out white heat and a fireball that set fires and stuck to any flesh in the way. The family water buffalo were sometimes killed from the air on orders of the Koreans to "lay a trap" for the VC who would supposedly come and butcher it for the meat. And some stories say that sometimes we just dropped things or fired as we flew along. They were only gooks, slopes, chinks and so what. The dead ones were always VC.

No one likes to think about what happened in Nam. Easiest thing in the world is to forget or gloss it over or to become outraged that some rich son-of-a-bitch like Kerry would make up stories that call "all" Vietnam veterans baby killers. Well he never did. And he never would. Odd isn't it how no one paid any attention to his testimony for 33 years.

He went and served with honor. He came home and he had the guts to testify before the Congress of the United States which was his duty and his right. We took an oath to Protect and Defend the Constitution of The United States. We did not take an oath to protect and defend Lyndon Johnson or Richard Nixon or George W. Bush or anybody else. He DID report the atrocities. He DID talk about the lies and the nonsense that were that war that continued to take the lives of America's finest young men and women. God Bless him for it.

We were sent into an impossible situation and we did the very best we knew how to do. All gave some. Some gave all. And some of us went a little nuts in the process. And from their graves those who sent us now have us fighting each other, attacking each other, calling each other names, defending this side or that. Well, I wonÕt attack those who went and served. I see them on the street corners shouting to Heaven. I see them in thousand dollar suits leading industry and the nation. I see them in VA hospitals. I see them everywhere. All colors, all stripes, all manner of Brothers and Sisters who served. I might agree or disagree with them but I wonÕt attack them. THEY went when called. YOU went when called. God Bless you all. Soothsayer 67-68
Tom Shanahan
Phoenix, AZ USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 11:31:11 (MST)

Fred S.-I know where your mind is right now having lost my father last summer, and it will be along time before the skys are clear again. It sounds like your family is solid and you know this family is-so we're here and our prayers go out for all. Gently
Gently
USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 11:00:45 (MST)

The Other Side of the Wall Reflections by Lee Teter At first there was no place for us to go until someone put up that BLACK GRANITE WALL. Now, everyday and night, my Brothers and my Sisters wait to see the many people from places afar file in front of this Wall. Many stopping briefly and many for hours and some that come on a regular basis. It was hard at first, not that it's gotten any easier, but it seems that many of the attitudes towards that war that we were involved in have changed. I can only pray that the ones on the other side have learned something and more Walls as this one needn't be built. Several members of my unit and many that I did not recognize have called me to the Wall by touching my name that is engraved upon it. The tears aren't necessary but are hard even for me to hold back. Don't feel guilty for not being with me, my Brothers. This was my destiny as it is yours, to be on that side of the Wall. Touch the Wall, my Brothers, so that we can share in the memories that we had. I have learned to put the bad memories aside and remember only the pleasant times that we had together. Tell our other Brothers out there to come and visit me, not to say Good Bye but to say Hello and be together again, even for a short time and to ease that pain of loss that we all share. Today, an irresistable and loving call comes from the Wall. As I approach I can see an elderly lady and as I get closer I recognize her. .......It's Momma! As much as I have looked forward to this day, I have also dreaded it because I didn't know what reaction I would have. Next to her, I suddenly see my wife and immediately think how hard it must have been for her to come to this place and my mind floods with the pleasant memories of 30 years past. There's a young man in a military uniform standing with his arm around her...... My God!...... It's...it has to be my son. Look at him trying to be the man without a tear in his eye. I yearn to tell him how proud I am, seeing him standing tall, straight and proud in his uniform. Momma comes closer and touches the Wall and I feel the soft and gentle touch I had not felt in so many years. Dad has crossed to this side of the Wall and through our touch, I try to convey to her that Dad is doing fine and is no longer suffering or feeling pain. I see my wife's courage building as she sees Momma touch the Wall and she approaches and lays her hand on my waiting hand. All the emotions, feelings and memories of three decades past flash between our touch and I tell her that it's alright. Carry on with your life and don't worry about me...... I can see as I look into her eyes that she hears and understands me and a big burden has been lifted from her. I watch as they lay flowers and other memories of my past. My lucky charm that was taken from me and sent to her by my CO, a tattered and worn teddy bear that I can barely remember having as I grew up as a child and several medals that I had earned and were presented to my wife. One of them is the Combat Infantry Badge that I am very proud of and I notice that my son is also wearing this medal. I had earned mine in the jungles of Vietnam and he had probably earned his in the deserts of Iraq. I can tell that they are preparing to leave and I try to take a mental picture of them together, because I don't know when I will see them again. I wouldn't blame them if they were not to return and can only thank them that I was not forgotten. My wife and Momma near the Wall for one final touch and so many years of indecision, fear and sorrow are let go. As they turn to leave I feel my tears that had not flowed for so many years, form as if dew drops on the other side of the Wall. They slowly move away with only a glance over their shoulder. My son suddenly stops and slowly returns. He stands straight and proud in front of me and snaps a salute. Something makes him move to the Wall and he puts his hand upon the Wall and touches my tears that had formed on the face of the Wall and I can tell that he senses my presence there and the pride and the LOVE that I have for him. He falls to his knees and the tears flow from his eyes and I try my best to reassure him that it's alright and the tears do not make him any less of a man. As he moves back wiping the tears from his eyes, he silently mouths, God Bless you, Dad.... God Bless YOU, Son...... We WILL meet someday but in the meanwhile, go on your way...... There is no hurry....... There is no hurry at all. As I see them walk off in the distance, I yell out to THEM and EVERYONE there today, as loud as I can,......... THANKS FOR REMEMBERING and as others on this side of the Wall join in, I notice that the US Flag that so proudly flys in front of us everyday, is flapping and standing proudly straight out in the wind today.................................. THANK YOU ALL FOR REMEMBERING.........
.
USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 10:14:49 (MST)

Billboard: 1950, Leonard Chess releases on his own label, Muddy Watters, "Rolling Stone" Good to see you back , Fred, Trust that I am here to assist in your Mothers Fight. Anything you need? Just say the word ," My Brother".
Baron
USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 06:08:20 (MST)

Again, thanks for the out-pouring of prayers and concern................I just read a "upbeat article" in the USA Today newspaper.....This is long but, great article. Maybe the 60`s and 70`s were not so bad.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kids are listening to their parents Their parents' music, that is Young fans open ears, minds and wallets to rock's roots ........... By Edna Gundersen........... USA TODAY............. Jamie Horton, 14, considers himself a fairly savvy music-loving teen. The Los Angeles ninth-grader trawls the Internet for rock discoveries and totes an iPod packed with 3,000 tunes. His favorite band? Queen. Not late-'90s rock outfit Queens of the Stone Age, not late-'80s metal band Queensryche and certainly not latter-day rap diva Queen Latifah. Jamie reveres the glam-metal British quartet that flourished in the '70s with mock operatic Bohemian Rhapsody and the anthemic We Will Rock You. ''I don't like new wannabe punk like Good Charlotte,'' he says. ''Led Zeppelin was the first old band I liked. Then Pink Floyd. Now it's The Who and Queen.'' One contemporary band that he does appreciate is U.K. sensation The Darkness. Why? ''They're similar to Queen.'' Jamie is not alone in his obsession with the sounds of the '60s and '70s. Though difficult to quantify, the trend of youngsters craving oldies seems to be gaining momentum. Kids are snatching up Beatles and Led Zeppelin discs, flocking to ZZ Top and Steve Miller concerts, researching the troubled histories of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Sabbath and scouring their parents' record collections for Jimi Hendrix licks and Allman Brothers Band jams. ''I could be some of those people's grandpa,'' singer Gregg Allman, 56, says of his band's current flock. Celebrating its 35th year of touring and recording, the Allmans just wrapped up a nine-night stand at New York's Beacon Theater after releasing new double live album One Way Out. ''We see kids out there, and we still have hippies,'' Allman says. ''I don't see a gap between generations. It's all ages, all types. Kids usually say, 'I found out about you from my dad.' Or they ask for an autograph for their mama. That makes you feel dated, but we welcome them with open arms.'' Wed to a rootsy blues-rock tradition, the Southern group never pandered to a younger demo, and Allman suspects it's that purity that drew teens to the fold. ''To last this long, you have to be the real thing,'' he says. ''I don't have any gimmicks or fancy clothes or firecrackers. That stuff never crossed our minds. Genuine rock 'n' roll -- the right phrasing of a drum beat and a bass guitar -- can move your soul.'' Allman and brother Duane, who died in 1971, found their direction by searching for the roots of music that flowered in the '60s. ''We wanted to see what we missed, so we found Robert Johnson and Big Bill Broonzy,'' he says. ''That's what kids are doing now, seeing where stuff came from.'' 'Yeah yeah yeah' to the Beatles Beatles historian Martin Lewis began spotting a young wave of Fab Four fanaticism as emcee of Beatlefan conventions the past 14 years. Boomers constituted half of the audience in 1990. Now 75% of attendees are under 30, and many barely in their teens. As marketing consultant for The Beatles Anthology, he met with label execs plotting campaigns targeting fans 45 and up. ''I've got news for you,'' Lewis told them. ''I'm the oldest guy at Beatlefan conventions.'' Sure enough, a marketing survey showed that the under-30 constituency scooped up 40% of the first Anthology run. ''I've interviewed those kids,'' Lewis says. ''I've said, 'Surely you'd rather listen to Justin Timberlake. Why are you here? Were you forced by your parents?' But they chose to be there.'' Teens saying ''yeah yeah yeah'' to The Beatles proves ''we've sold younger kids short,'' says James Austin, vice president of A&R at Rhino/WMG, which specializes in reissues and retrospectives. ''We tend to think they like only what's popular on radio.'' In repackaging early rock, targeting fortysomethings was until recently his key strategy. ''In the past year, I've been asking myself how we can reach these younger fans,'' he says. ''They're a hidden bonus. Kids today are a lot more sophisticated and more open than anyone realizes.'' Catalog sales were up 17% last week over the corresponding week in 2003 and so far this year are 7.6% ahead of last year, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Classic rock accounts for a sizable chunk of the pop catalog chart, which tracks all albums more than three years old. Although SoundScan doesn't identify buyers by age, industry observers detect a significant upswing of teen interest in oldies. The experts point to several factors that explain the trend of forward-thinking cyber kids reaching backward for music: * Shifting attitudes. Self-respecting baby boomers dismissed their parents' Al Jolson, Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra records as corny and dated. Kids now exhibit broader tastes rather than the Mod-or-Rocker mentality that divided British Invasion devotees. ''As long as it's good music, it doesn't bother me that my dad likes it too,'' Jamie says. ''He took me to The Who, and that was easily the best concert I've been to.'' He favors the ''big music'' of seminal rock because ''the guitars wailed and lyrics had more meaning. Queen went overboard on everything. You don't hear singers like Freddie Mercury anymore.'' Mercury died in 1991. Jamie was 2. In the '60s, coming of age meant reinventing pop culture, rejecting heritage and distrusting anyone older than 30. Not so now. ''There's not so much peer pressure to identify with a particular genre or even generation of music,'' says Jeremy Hammond, head of artist development at Sanctuary Records. ''It's much more about defining one's own unique tastes. Back then, you had to choose a lifestyle associated with a genre. In England, you were in a gang of rockers or skinheads or Mods. Potheads wanted psychedelic music. Those boundaries are gone.'' Classic-rock icons, like classical composers, defy fashion and ''overshadow any perceptions of coolness,'' he says. * New bands plowing an old field. Hip emerging bands freely emulate and name-check musical ancestors, kindling fan interest. ''So many new bands are flashing back,'' says Sean Ross of Edison Media Research. ''White Stripes, The Darkness and Jet; it's all AC/DC. As music gets retro, kids get curious about the real thing.'' When rising rock stars rave about The Kinks, sport Hendrix T-shirts or cover Bob Dylan songs, young fans investigate those roots, says Craig Kallman, president of Atlantic Records, home of the Led Zeppelin vault and current sensation The Darkness. ''We're seeing a resurgence of bands that have been inspired by the greatest rock bands of all time,'' Kallman says. ''The Darkness embodies the spirit of Queen, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC with fundamentals that made those bands huge: great songs, a fantastic front man, incredible musicianship and a sense of fun. They counter the dark, angry, self-loathing nu-metal that has dominated alternative rock for so long.'' Flamboyant rock stars, blistering guitar solos and hard-rock bombast ''all went by the wayside as rap-metal took shape in the '90,'' Kallman says. When bands like The Darkness and Jet arrived, ''the spontaneity, creativity, freedom and energy, all the elements that made rock such a defining sound, cut through to kids.'' * Easy access. Classic rock is not only ubiquitous -- in TV ads, reissues, reunion tours, soundtracks, copycat bands and recycled hits -- but it's also instantly available. An obscure tune is only a few keystrokes away. ''The Internet has turbo-charged the renewed interest in great bands of the past,'' Kallman says. Finding rare gems used to mean scouring used record stores, garage sales and classifieds. Paid downloads and illegal file-sharing allow easy sampling and cherry-picking. Among the more popular digital tracks, according to SoundScan: Elvis Presley's A Little Less Conversation, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes and Elton John's Tiny Dancer. ''Kids want to experiment, and technology facilitates that,'' Austin says. ''They don't have to shell out 18 bucks to try something. They can preview a track for 30 seconds, and buy it for 99 cents. I'm a big fan of the record store, but it's going to be a dinosaur.'' Likewise for ''stagnant'' radio's narrow formats that don't cater to youth's eclectic palate, Austin says. ''Young listeners are reaching for something else, and they often find it in the past. Don't be surprised if they start checking out Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney.'' The Internet has turned grass-roots movements into brushfires as info-age addicts steer search engines toward rock's back roads. It's a phenom that recharges the fan bases of such perennials as the Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, David Bowie, Steve Miller and Lynyrd Skynyrd, whose best-of album is a fixture on Billboard's catalog chart. ''We started out appealing to the working-class blue-collar audience, and now we see their kids at our shows,'' Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington says, noting that teens in attendance aren't rookies. ''They know the words to every song, old or new, and they know our whole history,'' he says, referring to the deaths of three players in a 1977 plane crash. ''I hear from younger fans who learn about us from the Internet or VH1 or their parents or maybe something Kid Rock said about us.'' * The riches of rock's golden era. Few modern-era albums linger long on the catalog chart, but hits sets and vintage landmarks, especially Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon (listed for an unprecedented 1,390 weeks), show exceptional staying power. Perennials include Bob Marley's Legend, AC/DC's Back in Black and Queen's Greatest Hits. The Beatles, Dylan, Rolling Stones and Zeppelin are reliable sellers. Why are kids taking nostalgia trips to their parents' playgrounds? Zeppelin's bait, says Kallman, is ''mythic lifestyles and iconic personas. The music is grandiose and gentle, shaped by blues and heavy metal and textured by British folk and California psychedelia.'' Plus, ''they turned the amps up and played as loud as they could,'' says Jeffrey Logan, a junior at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, where he founded a Zeppelin fan club called Led Heads. Members gather to share and analyze classic rock on MP3s, burned CDs and DVDs. Though he admires such modern acts as the White Stripes, Jet, Green Day and Offspring, Jeffrey worships Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Bowie, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Beatles and similar vets. And he has a whole lotta love for Led Zeppelin. ''Every single song had a unique and flamboyant riff,'' Jeffrey says. ''I love the crazy guitar and Robert Plant's screaming voice. Their music is unpredictable and outrageous. It's a lost genre. We formed this club to spread the word.'' Jeffrey, 17, doesn't mind that his heroes were also his parents' faves and that many of them are dead or eligible for Social Security. ''They're just very cool old people,'' he says, adding wistfully, ''I wish they were still young so I could experience them in their heyday. Music back in the day was about the sound, not about the image like it is now. New bands like Simple Plan and Rooney are kind of repetitive and wimpy. It's all going downhill.'' * The paucity of contemporary rock idols. Oldies fill a void, says Kristin Clarke of Park Ridge, Ill. ''Before I listened to classic rock, there was nothing I really liked,'' says the Lincoln Middle School eighth-grader. ''Every new band has one good song and the rest of the CD is garbage. On old rock albums, every song is great. I'm always hitting the repeat button.'' Kristin, 13, got hooked through her brother's AC/DC and Kiss records, Pink Floyd cliques at school and Chicago's classic rock station, WLUP (The Loop). ''At first it was weird, but I became totally addicted,'' she says. ''Aerosmith's my favorite. I think Steven Tyler is the coolest. Their stuff sounds so good, who cares how old they are? It's just fun.'' Fun is one lure drawing young Americans to rock's golden years. Today's music 'clouded by cynicism' ''Look at (the late Who drummer) Keith Moon's cheeky impudence,'' says Beatles expert Lewis. ''Eddie Vedder's image suggests he'd cancel a tour if he broke a fingernail, it would be such a trauma. So much of original music today is clouded by cynicism, a blasŽ attitude, irony and flippancy. ''Young people like to feel uplifted, but the culture has a sneer on its face so they turn to music, albeit frozen in time, that has an exuberant optimism. Artists in the '60s and to a degree in the '70s dared to hope, perhaps naively, that things could get better. Teens should be joyous and optimistic. There's plenty of time to be bitter and twisted later.''Please
Fred Skaggs
USA - Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 05:11:33 (MST)

Fred, I would also like to pass along best wishes for your Mom. I hope everyone else is doing good.... Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 21:01:22 (MST)

Yaw Gently that was him. I kinda liked him. Frank
Frank Loveday
Bastrop, La USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 20:04:43 (MST)

Best wishes to your mom and your whole family Fred. Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 18:19:16 (MST)

Fred, My best wishes that Ruby keeps an eye on your mom..........Casey
Matt Casey
Hemet, Ca USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 17:50:59 (MST)

Was that little guy with the big ears, Ross Perot?? :>))) Gently
Gently
USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 15:05:44 (MST)

Where is Pat Paulson when we need him.
jim
USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 14:34:45 (MST)

I kinda wish the little guy with the big ears was running again even if he was on the paranaoidal side. Frank
Frank Loveday
Bastrop, La USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 13:45:51 (MST)

Fred: Your Mother is in our thoughts and prayers!!1 Alex
Alex
USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 12:48:27 (MST)

Fred: Sue is correct Jan was the one in the car wreck. Take Care Brothers and Sisters. Alex
Alex
USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 12:43:22 (MST)

S%&t, I cant even get my own email address right...fatien1@aol.com
jim
USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 10:39:32 (MST)

FRED, the one that was in the car accident was the same one who died.ALVIS send me an email I have a picture Kerry joke for you...fatien@aol.com
jim
USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 08:12:59 (MST)

And while we discuss Kerry, our youth are being killed because Suddam had(has) weapons of mass destruction. Remember? They're all lairs. I'm going with the lesser of two evils-Kerry-though he was never my first choice. Gently
Gently
USA - Monday, March 29, 2004 at 07:24:52 (MST)

I believe it was Jan who was in the car accident and was never the same after that. Sad story. Fred S...your mom is still in my thoughts. Take care...
Sue
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 23:43:13 (MST)

Fred Alvis, First thing...sounds like you need a "labor union" in there at Lowes. Then they couldn`t change your "work schedule" without a two week notice. Then you could go fishin when you want to. Kim, sounds like your right, but they usually come in on the web-site, when we are not putting stories on here. When it`s silent in here. Damn, we can`t get a straight flight from Raleigh to Columbus. I either have to change in Pittsburg or Dulles(D.C.). I`m driving next week-end, I can do it in 6 1/2 or 7 hours depending on traffic. Thanks again ladies and gentlemen for all your prayers and concern. Which one of Jan and Dean was in a bad car accident back in the 60`s and almost killed themselves? One of them was.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 21:27:45 (MST)

LOts of us have done lots of things, some we're proud of, others??????? My issue is one of hipocracy, it's ok while it's part of a "youthful indescretion", it's different when we're "responsible adults" bush, 2000. I took a few minutes and read the past postings, and I have no more use for the ghost writer than you have. I think it's some wanderer who just like to drop in, al a mugu, and stir the shit. Tom, I don't know what kind of company commander you had, my feeling was that Johnny Durdin had no love for us gunnies, and would have shot down any reccomdations we could have made. He was quite upset with us when we hovered around with the searchlights and landing lights on one night, looking for a contact in the wire. Accused us of being 'glory hounds'!!! Hovered is not the right term, slow flight is more accurate!
Kim
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 20:26:40 (MST)

sad note to report. Jan Berry, of jan and Dean,is dead at age 62. Deadmans curve, surf city,little old lady from pas...ect. r.i.p.
alvis vvak
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 18:45:04 (MST)

Reading thru the paper this Sunday morning and I found this written in the Vent section: "My Heroes are the helicopter pilots, crew chiefs and gunners who served in Vietnam under fire on a daily basis. Most just thought they were doing their jobs and never thought to put themselves in for medals. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 28, 2004 in the Metro Section
Tom Pedersen
Lawrenceville, GA USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 18:14:06 (MST)

glad you let me know how you feel about that,as I am also a X coke head,among other things. alvis, member of vietnam veterans against kerry (vvak)
alvis
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 16:17:43 (MST)

Kim, never said I liked Bush, but would rather have him than hanio John. Thinking i should refrain from this subject, it upsets lots of folks, including me.
alvis
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 15:59:18 (MST)

Freddy, prayers said again, hoping for the best for your mom.
alvis
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 15:56:28 (MST)

Eight years of peace and prosperity......Scandal in the White House......Election is what we need....From coast to coast to Washington.......So America voted on a President....No one kept count....On how the election went.....From Florida to Washington..."God Damn" said one side....And the other said the same.....Both looked pretty guilty.....But no one took the blame.......From coast to coast to Washington.....So a new man in the White House......With a familiar name....Said he had some "fresh idea`s"....But it`s worse now since he came.......From Texas to Washington.....And he wants to fight with many....And he says it`s not for oil......He sent out the Army.....To police the world.....From Bagdad to Washington......What is the thought process.....To take a human life......What would be the reason......To think this is right.......From Heaven to Washington.....From Jesus Christ to Washington.......
John Mellencamp
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 15:19:02 (MST)

Fred S. Good thoughts and well wishes for your mom.....Alvis, I was trying to stay non political on this site, but......anyone who wants to love a draft dodging coke head is welcome to, that's what georgie boy is to me..wealth and privelege got him a safe billet, doing what most of us aviators dream of being able to do, play warld war fighter ace, without getting shot at. I have my doubts about Kerry, but, at least he was there....I can't say what he did or didn't do, I didn't walk in his shoes. I was shaped , along with my views of the 'glory of war', by mine, as you were yours.
Kim
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 11:56:57 (MST)

Just a quick check in. Praying for your mom and family Fred. And as for me I care and it matter to those of the greatest generation that had there boys over there. You just never see any of it in the media...but I don't think ANY of the politicians care about anyone but of course themselfs and special intrests. The "guy" who started this political stuff should be kicked...its not the place for it. Personally I think both choices are rotten. Hope all have a good week.
Melody Pershall
Amarillo, TX USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 10:26:14 (MST)

I was thinking about Fred and his mom yesterday, thinking that no news is good news. Well, today I see that the news is more frightening than we thought. We have to trust the doctors to do the best possible job and take it one day at a time. When my dad was diagnosed with terminal gastric cancer, out of the blue, it devastated me. My family is small. I have only a younger brother. I lived one day at a time and prayed a lot. We "Baby Boomers" are at the stage in life when our parents are getting older and medical problems become a reality. Hang in there, Fred. You and your mother are in my thoughts. I'll give you a call when you get back to NC.
Sue
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 09:59:25 (MST)

Morning Flight, I`m broadcasting from my brother`s house in Mt.Vernon,Ohio, we just came up here to pick-up a few things. Plus he has computer. Well my mother is in more serious condition than she potrayed to us kids. My mom had cancer of the unterus(sp) and cervix in 1962 and they removed evrything then. Throwing her into menopause at the age of 32, but she made it thru life dealing with it. Now they have found what us kids thought was a "pimple" on her leg, that`s what what mom told us kids. Well they found a positive hit in the "private area" and they are sending her to The James Cancer Center at Ohio State University. So it`s more serious than SHE told us. We are kinda freaked out right now. My wife and sister-in-laws are with her in Columbus, and getting ready to go the Cancer Center this Thursday to find out if it`s going to be more surgery and therapy. My Mother-In-Law and my brother and sister-in-law are going with her Thursday, my wife and I have to be back in N.C., so we will fly home tonight. But we will come back next week-end and drive home then. So thank all of you for your prayers, I`m sure she will need them. BTW....POLITICS is the least of my worries right now, but I`ll take a shot when I get in the right frame of mind. Just a hint, if you don`t make a $250,000 a year and don`t have a strong portfolio of investments, it`s economics and outsourcing that should be taken seriously. As far as Nam Vet status....it never meant a thing to the "greatest generation" and don`t mean a thing to the "generation X`ers". In their eyes it was a "unpopular war" and we were and still are losers in their eyes. Shit....I`m more upset NOW than I was before I got on here. Thanks again for your prayers.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 07:58:07 (MST)

good morning all, off to work,my schedual was changed yet again.( so much for fishing today).Freddy, hope this post finds you and your mom in good health. (bless all moms). alvis, v.v.a.k.
alvis
USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 05:26:27 (MST)

It amazes me how politicians use their experiences to validate themselves and how we as people of the greatest nation in the world will go along with some of those ideas or montras. What makes me feel sick to my stomach is exactly the fact that Kerry, if being considerate to other Viet Nam Veterans merely stated that he served, didn't like it, and moved on with an impressive record would be an honorable thing to do. I feel that he brings dishonor to many Viet Nam Veterans (as well he brings dishonnor to all veterans). Instead of taking some good credit for good things he did, his Spin Doctors are merely trying to drive the opponent into the ground. Again while doing so, he is breaking the hearts of good people who went and did what their country asked (and in some cases told). It is attitudes like this that perpetuates the protests of this current war and villifies today's soldiers who are serving their country. No one cared that our former president took part in burning this country's flag (because after all that is free speech (sarcasm). To me the bottom line is yeah Kerry desrves respect for his actions but he does not have to act like he is the only righteous Viet Nam Vet. If his opponent was not a Vet from the Viet Nam era, His service might not be more than a mention. He could have used his service to our country as a platform to bring Healing to Viet Nam Veterans who have been waiting for a long time for that. Instead he uses it to earn points with all the old time war protesters and generation X'ers who for some reason love to despise our current president.
Tom
Dover, De USA - Sunday, March 28, 2004 at 02:01:15 (MST)

sorry folks, but I am a little pissed by this kerry crap, so let me post the following, i wont do it again....This is written by a vietnam hero who is also a writer. Just some > > >thoughts to ponder - > > > > > >Letter to John Kerry: > > > > > >My wife had rotator cuff surgery earlier this year, and the recovery > > >is terribly painful Then, she developed a staph-epi infection, and > > >they had to cut the same scar open and operate on her again. Just > > >thinking about the pain and anxiety of facing that painful surgery a > > >second time in the same wound, makes me cringe. That experience, > > >however pales in comparison to what I am going through right now, in > > >my heart. The old hurts are surfacing and the feelings of betrayal by > > > >fellow citizens, and their leader stirring them up, are breaking my > > >heart again. I am being cut in the same scar. > > > > > >How did we who served in Vietnam suddenly become cold-blooded > > >killers, torturers, and rapists, similar to the Nazi SS or the > > >Taliban? > > > > > >Most of us were American soldiers who grew up idolizing John Wayne, > > >Roy Rogers, and all the other heroes. That was why I volunteered. > > >But for Political expediency, you have rewritten history, again. > > >After spending only four months in the country of Vietnam, you > > >testified before Congress in 1971 with these exact words about > > >incidents you supposedly witnessed or heard about from other vets: > > >"They personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from > > > >portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut > > >off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed > > >villages, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and > > >generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam." > > > > > >I was a green beret officer who volunteered for duty in Vietnam and > > >Fought in the thick of it in 1968 and 1969 on a Special Forces A-team > > > >on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, just for starters. We were the elite. We > > >saw the most action. > > > > > >Everybody in the world knows that. But we did not just kill people, > > >we built a church, a school, treated illnesses, passed out soap, > > >food, and clothing, and had fun and loving interaction with the > > >indigenous people of Vietnam, just like our boys did in Normandy, > > >Baghdad, Saigon, and everywhere American soldiers ever served. We all > > > >gave away our candy bars and rations to kids. Opened our hearts to > > >oppressed people all over the globe. > > > > > >My children and grandchildren could read your words, and think those > > >horrendous things about me, Mr. Kerry. You are a bold-faced, > > >unprincipled liar, and a disgrace, and you have dishonored me and all > > > >my fellow Vietnam veterans. > > > > > >Sure, there were a couple bad-apples, but I saw none, and I saw it > > >all, and if I did, as an army officer, it was my obligation to stop > > >it, or at the very least report it. Why is there not a single record > > >anywhere of you ever reporting any incidents like this or having the > > >perpetrators arrested? The answer is simple. You are a liar. Your > > >medals and mine are not a free pass for lifetime, Senator Kerry, to > > >bypass character, integrity, and morality. I earn my green beret over > > > >and over daily in all aspects of my life. > > > > > >Eight National Guard green berets, and other National Guard soldiers, > > > >have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and you totally dishonored > > >their widows and families by lumping National Guard service in with > > >being a draft-dodger, conscientious objector, and deserter, just so > > >you can try to sabotage the patriotism of our President who proudly > > >served as an Air National Guard jet pilot. > > > > > >I have a son earning his green beret at Fort Bragg right now, and his > > > >wife serves honorably in the Air National Guard, just like President > > >Bush did, and I am as proud of her as I am my son. I volunteered for > > >Vietnam and have no problem whatsoever with President Bush being our > > >Commander-In-Chief. In fact, I am proud of him as our leader. > > > > > >John Kerry, you personally derailed the Vietnam Human rights Bill, > > >HR2883, in 2001, after it had passed the House by a 411 to 1 vote, > > >and thousands of pro-American Montagnard tribespeople in Vietnam died > > > >since then who could have been saved, by you. Earlier, as Chair of > > >the Senate Select Committee on MIA/POW Affairs, you personally > > >quashed the efforts of any and all veterans to report sightings of > > >living POW's, when you held those reins in Congress. You have fought > > >tooth and nail to push for the US to normalize relations with Vietnam > > > >for years. > > > > > >Why, Mr. Kerry? Simple, your first cousin C. Stewart Forbes, CEO, > > >of Colliers International, recently signed a contract with Hanoi, > > >worth BILLIONS of dollars for Collier's International to become the > > >exclusive real estate representative for the country of Vietnam. > > > > > >"Hanoi John," now that it works for you, you beat your chest about > > >your Vietnam service, but to me, you are a phony, opportunistic, > > >hypocrite. > > > > > >You are one of those politicians that is like a fertilizer machine: > > >all that comes out of you is horse manure, and you are spreading it > > >everywhere. > > > > > >Medals do not make a man. Morals do. > > > > > >Don Bendell Canon City, Colorado > > > > > > > > > > > >Don Bendell served as an officer in Four Special Forces Groups, is a > > >best-selling author with over 1,500,000 Books in print, a 1995 > > >inductee into the International Karate Hall of Fame, and owns karate > > >schools in southern Colorado. > > > > > >In the 60's, Kerry spoke at a anti-vietnam Rally and with great > > >dramatic flair, he threw away his vietnam metals. It received a lot > > >of press. > > > > > >One problem, Kerry later admitted they weren't his metals - He had > > >left his at home, but he would have definitely thrown them away if > > >only he had not forgotten to bring them with him - definitely would > > >have - if only. One catch - He still has the metals and made the > > >mistake of sharing that fact recently. > > > > > >I guess it's tough to remember those dramatic moments - especially > > >when you may have had a less than noble agenda. > > >
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:34:47 (MST)

evening flight, pictures of "the Bridge" are in the gallery listed under "BRIDGE" the crew chief was Les Sprague. Les is the one that kept me sane while I was in the 129th. he transfered to maint. shortly after the crash so he and I were in the same hooch. and the aircraft was 68-15371. it is on page 2 of my website and also listed here on the 129th site at http://www.129th.net/68-15371.html it has the whole story about the crash. have a great weekend ,,,,,, Trike is coming along :-D Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:33:13 (MST)

Fred Scaggs, fingers crossed and prayers said.
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:27:48 (MST)

jim crow, you need to get the facts straight. Mark, can you ask the site manager to look up and indentify the dick head that posted all that crap,then bar him ,and best of all, let us know who it is?
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:25:53 (MST)

hanoa john IS NOT a hero, period..# purple hearts without spending one minute in a dispesery,nor one drop of blood.in 3 months? dont make me laugh. he hit his head on a beam or something?IN my opinion, jf kerry is a tratiorous bastard.His testomony in 71 proves he is a bald face liar.Hanoia kerry threw someone elses medals over the fence...he forgot his that day..(yea right),now the hang on the wall of his office.He told congress that we killed pets,dogs,kids, chopped off ears and heads..many more hings, but did he,as an officer ,report it? hmmmm?sorry folks,people thinking kerry is a hreo pisses me off.He served 3 months over there,went home 8 months early, called nam vets children killers, thus helpimg n. vietnam and making things harder on the pow's.hero my ass.
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:20:24 (MST)

dont be a dick like who ever posted all that political crap.
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:08:03 (MST)

Warning, Do NOT click on murheads (cherry) addy under his post.It leads straight to porno sites.
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:06:11 (MST)

Two robins were sitting in a tree. "I'm really hungry," said the first one. "Let's fly down and find some lunch." They flew down to the ground and found a nice plot of newly plowed ground that was full of worms. They ate and ate and ate till they could eat no more. "I'm so full, I don't think I can fly back up into the tree," said the first one. "Let's just lay back here and bask in the warm sun," said the second. "O K," said the first. So they plopped down, basking in the sun. No sooner than they had fallen asleep, when a big fat tomcat up and gobbled them up. As the cat sat washing his face after his meal, he thought... (you're gonna like this one) "I JUST LOVE BASKIN ROBINS."
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 21:00:42 (MST)

Fred S. , sorry to hear of your Mom's condition, hope she is able to recover well & i will say prayers for her. >>>Jim
jim westwang71-72
sheridan wy, USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 17:23:33 (MST)

Those bridges you're all talking about wouldn't be what I call the Twin Bridges at Bong Son, would they? If so, they're pictured in the Gallery section under my name, first photo. There are two bridges side by side, one (the westerly) appears to be a railroad bridge. Prayers for your mom, Fred S.
Dave Powers
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 17:02:32 (MST)

This is Bulldog Cherry getting back at you all. I see that you are talking about the Aircraft accident that happened jusm before I got to the 129th. The photos were taking by a Aircraft Commander who did not wish to fly under the Bridge as he told me I was too short. He asked The PIC John Stoner to wait until he got into postion so he could take the photos. Well they did not make it. There was a road bridge and a railroad bridge right next to each other and the road bridge was higher off the water than the railroad one. Stoner realized to late that he would not make it under the railway bridge and tried to pull up thus the accident. It was Helicopter #68-15317 and Stoner and Sp4 Bendor did not survive the crash. The pilot stayed in contact with some of the old bees and I think that he lost his foot after months of trying to save it. I dont remember who the Chief was but I flew with him as he survived with just a minor burn on his arm that he received pulling the pilot out of the wreck. The bridges were east of 26th Regiment Main CP but I dont know what names they went by. Also I was told that one weke before this wreck that a whole flight of Bulldog 2nd Platoon Aircraft flew under the bridges going from the east to the west. This crash took place going from the west to the east. the lowest bridge was to the east. I looked at both those bridges many many times and never had any desire to underfly either one of them. Also I think that I am having a problem with my internet connection. I have not received any mail from any one since 3-15-04. I also have been having some major personal problems so if I dont get back at you right away please understand. Skaggs and Snapper I am still hoping that you might locate some old photos of me. Hang in there all my brothers from the 129th. Regards Bulldog Cherry.
Dick Muirhead
Susanville, Ca USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 12:07:22 (MST)

Top Ten Coservative Idiots Of The Week>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1) George W. Bush..... If you need any more evidence that the Bush Administration was looking for any excuse to go to war against Iraq, here it is. Appearing on the CBS News program "60 minutes," Richard Clarke, the former top anti-terrorism advisor to George W. Bush, said that on September 11, 2001, "The president dragged me into a room with a couple of other people, shut the door, and said, 'I want you to find whether Iraq did this.'" After Clarke explained that the government had already looked into it and found no conection to Iraq, Dubya responded (as only Dubya could), "Iraq! Saddam! Find out if there's a connection." Clarke got the very clear impression that Bush was trying to intimdiate Clarke into giving the answer which Bush wanted to hear. So, the FBI and the CIA got together and wrote a report which basically stated that Iraq was not involved in the 9/11 attacks. When it was sent to the National Security Advisor, Clarke says that the report "got bounced and sent back saying, 'Wrong answer. ... Do it again.'" Of course, this revelation should come as no surprise to any non-biased observer with an ounce of sense. Anyone can see that Bush would have given his left testicle for an excuse to attack Iraq. 3,000 Americans were killed in cold blood, and this sick bastard uses it as an opportunity to settle a score for his daddy, using totally fabricated evidence. Disgusting. 2) Donald Rumsfeld...... But of course, Bush wasn't the only person responsible for this disaster. The "60 minutes" interview with Richard Clarke showed that Donald Rumsfeld was probably even more jazzed about attacking Iraq than his boss was. According to Clarke, on the day after 9/11 Rumsfeld was arguing that the U.S. needed to attack Iraq. The intelligence community, of course, explained that al Qaeda was in Afghanistan, not Iraq. To which Rumsfeld responded with perhaps the single most idiotic justification ever for attacking another country: He said that there weren't any good targets in Afghanistan, but there are lots of good targets in Iraq. What the hell? So now the United States of America invades other countries because they've got lots of good targets? These people are sick, sick, sick! 3) Donald Rumsfeld (again)........ Fortunately, Don ended up looking quite the ass last week when MoveOn.org released a video of his lying, hypocritical performance on Face The Nation. See, for a while now the Bushies have been trying to push the idea that nobody used the phrase "immediate threat" in reference to Iraq - and they seem to have started believing their own lies. Said Rumsfeld on FTN: "You and a few other critics are the only people I've heard use the phrase 'immediate threat.' I didn't... and it's become kind of folklore that that's what happened." Oh really? Team Bush seems to specialize in folklore and rewriting history - but Thomas Friedman called them on it this time, reading a direct quote from Rumsfeld himself, made on September 18, 2002: "Some have argued that the nuclear threat from Iraq is not imminent, that Saddam is at least five to seven years away from having nuclear weapons. I would not be so sure." Responded Rumsfeld, "Well, I've tried to be precise and I've tried to be accurate..." Yeah, right. Obviously you haven't been trying very hard, Don. But if that quote wasn't quite incriminating enough, Friedman immediately presented Rumsfeld with more of his own words, also from September 18, 2002: "No terror state poses a greater or more immediate threat to the security of our people and the stability of the world than the regime of Saddam Hussein." For a good laugh (followed, unfortunately, by a sinking feeling of utter disgust at the brazen lies of the Bush administration) check out the video. The look on Rumsfeld's face is priceless. 4) Team Bush.......... We all know how much George W. Bush wants to spread democracy around the world. Unless of course it's a "bad democracy" like Haiti, or a "good dictatorship" like Pakistan, or Saudi Arabia. But believe it or not, it seems that Bush also believes in turning a blind eye to democracy if it means he can get a good deal on some cheap sweaters. Back in July of 2003, Bush signed a bill and issued an executive order which would ban the import of products from Myanmar, aka Burma, in order to punish the country's military leadership for cracking down on pro-democracy movements. "By denying these rulers the hard currency they use to fund their repression, we are providing strong incentives for democratic change and human rights in Burma," said Bush. Oh yeah? It was discovered last week that Our Great Leader has been flogging campaign clothing on his website with a rather revealing tag attached - "Made in Myanmar." But as usual, the Responsibility President has placed the blame squarely on someone else, this time the company that shipped the pullovers, Spalding Group of Louisville, Kentucky. I mean, come on. Clearly, it was not the Bush campaign's fault. How were they to know that they were selling illegally imported "Bush-Cheney '04" clothing thus propping up a freedom-hating dictatorship? Well, yes, okay. They could have read the labels. 5) Dennis Hastert and Henry Hyde........... It looks like Spain has also joined the list of bad democracies following their general election two days after a series of terrorist bombings which killed more than 200 people in Madrid. The Spanish people chose to oust prime minster (and friend of Bush) JosŽ Mar’a Aznar, and that did not sit well with some U.S. lawmakers. "Here's a country who stood against terrorism and had a huge terrorist act within their country, and they chose to change their government and to, in a sense, appease terrorists," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert. "The vote in Spain was a great victory for al-Qaida," said Rep. Henry Hyde. What bullshit. The bombings in Spain were a great victory for al-Qaida, the election that followed was a victory for the Spanish people. Tossing around the suggestion that an entire nation are terrorist appeasers because they exercised their democratic rights is throroughly irresponsible - and Hastert and Hyde appear to have overlooked the staggeringly obvious conclusion that the Spanish electorate chose to get rid of the government which failed to protect them from terrorists. Why on earth would they want to re-elect the government which brought al-Qaida to their doorsteps? JosŽ Mar’a Aznar said that he would protect the Spanish people by dancing to the Bush administration's tune - and he failed spectacularly. Perhaps the new government will do a better job of stopping the killing. 6) Paul Wolfowitz............ But when it comes to Spain, Hastert and Hyde aren't the only conservatives putting their feet in their mouths - Paul Wolfowitz has been toeing the party line with equally disastrous results. Wolfowitz also thinks that the recent election in Spain is a sign that the Spanish people are in league with al-Qaida, but instead of sneering at their democratic process, he decided to try flattery instead: "The Spaniards are courageous people. I mean, we know it from their whole culture of bullfighting," said he during an interview with PBS last week. Way to stereotype an entire nation, Paul. "This is an ignorant comment," remarked Madrid firefighter Juan Carlos Yunquera. "For a top official, it shows he doesn't know what he's talking about." Said bartender Oliver Iglesias, "We are indeed very brave. But no one here likes the war in Iraq. And there's a big difference between killing a bull and killing a person." You know, I'm so glad that Bush has surrounded himself with highly accomplished foreign policy experts like Paul Wolfowitz. Their experience and class just comes shining through. 7) Rhea County, Tennessee, Commissioners......... Do you ever wonder what happened to that county where they held the Scopes "Monkey Trial" back in 1925 to outlaw teaching evolution in schools? Me neither. But nearly 80 years later they're back in the news, and this time they're trying to outlaw gay people. You heard me right. The county commissioners of Rhea County, Tennessee, voted 8-0 last week in favor of charging gays and lesbians with crimes against nature. They also asked the county attorney to find a way to ban homosexuals from living in their county. According to commissioner J.C. Fugate, "We need to keep them out of here." Somehow, I have a feeling that there won't be many gays moving to Rhea county any time soon, but that's just a hunch. After a "wildfire" reaction against the measure, the county commision overturned their decision two days later. Attorney Gary Fritts explained "There has just been so much misunderstanding about this. It was to stop people from coming here and getting married and living in Rhea County." Actually, I don't think there was any misunderstanding at all. 8) Tracy Ammons and Michele Combs............. Traditional marriage is under attack! But this time, it's by high-ranking officials in the Christian Coalition. Oh, the irony! Tracy Ammons, the former Senate lobbyist and outreach coordinator of the Christian Coalition of America, and Michele Combs, the organization's vice president for communications, are getting a divorce - and it's a nasty one. Combs has filed hardball civil claims against her husband Ammon unless Ammon will give up custody of their 3 1/2-year-old child. (Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Christian Coalition have something to say about kids needing two parents?) Combs also hired a private investigator to entrap Ammons in an infidelity sting. Meanwhile, Ammons has refused to pay $36,000 in support and legal fees to Combs, and was briefly put in jail. To top it all off, Combs' divorce is being bankrolled by Roberta Combs, the president of the Christian Coalition. And these are the people who are telling the rest of us who we can and cannot marry. I'm guessing that they blame the sucky state of their own marriages on all the loving, committed gay couples out there who want equal rights. 9) Republican Lawmakers........... Oh the hypocrisy. According to the Los Angeles Times thirteen Republican members of Congress have written to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg asking her to recuse herself from any cases involving abortion. Why? Because she is taking part in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Distinguished Lecture Series, which is co-sponsored by the NOW legal defense fund, which sometimes files legal briefs before the Supreme Court. "As legislators, we believe your actions call into question your ability to rule with impartiality on any case involving abortion," said the letter. So let me get this straight - Ruth Bader Ginsburg should recuse herself from all abortion cases brought before the high court because she's going to give a few speeches which are being co-sponsored by the National Organization of Women, but Antonin "Quack Quack" Scalia can go on a quiet, private hunting trip with Dick Cheney before he hears a case which could directly affect Cheney's political future (see Idiots passim) - and that's perfectly okay? What rubbish. 10) The Bush Administration............... And finally, here's another one for the "they'll do anything to win the election" file. We noted last week that Bush's top man on Medicare was warned he would be fired if he revealed how much the recently passed White House-backed Medicare bill would really cost - it turned out that the Bush administration knew all along that the bill would cost up to $150 billion more than lawmakers thought it would, but they kept quiet until the bill was passed. Anyway, it was revealed last week that the Bush administration recently produced a series of phony news reports lauding the bill, which were distributed to news stations who broadcast them as if they were real. Yup, the "honesty and integrity" administration used taxpayer money to create these "video news releases" which come complete with shots of Bush getting a standing ovation before signing the Medicare bill, "interviews" with HHS Tommy Thompson (reading off cue cards), a fake pharmacist agreeing with a fake customer that the new law sounds like a "very good idea," and paid actors playing the part of journalists. TV stations in several states then broadcast the segments as part of their regular news programming, their viewers completely unaware that they were watching government-produced propaganda. Mind you, what better way for a phony president to promote a phony bill than with a series of phony news reports? I guess 1984 was a good year for Republicans.
Don`t Be A " Dick" Like Cheney
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 10:39:30 (MST)

President Bush got some laughs at a Washington dinner when he spoofed the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but some family members of dead G.I.s said Thursday there was nothing funny about it.
Don`t Be A "Dick" Like Cheney
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 10:24:36 (MST)

For those blinded by partisan hatred, we need to review this one more time. John Kerry, regardless of his politics, his post-war antics, and his voting record, is a bona-fide national military hero, wounded numerous times in combat, and a recipient of the Silver Star and the Bronze Star, as well as three Purple Hearts and, btw, personally saving another man's life. Period. End of story. While there are any number of Senators and Congressman who I wouldn't spit on if they were on fire, John Kerry is a hero, and there is nothing you can do to change that fact.
Jim Crow
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 10:13:28 (MST)

a time to kill and a time to heal,a time for war and a time for peace.
ecclesiastes3:2,3:8
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 08:36:09 (MST)

the song is nice, but we are the ones attacked.Vietnam veterans aint fonda kerry.War hero my ass.
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 08:26:01 (MST)

You have made great planes to span the sky.....Gave sight to a blind man with another man`s eyes....Even made submerines stay submerged for weeks.......But it don`t make sense... You can`t make peace.......You take one man`s heart and make another man live....Even go to the moon and come back thrilled.....You can crush any country in a matter of weeks....But it don`t make sense.... You can`t make peace.....You can make a transfusion that can save a life.....Even change the darkness into broad daylight.....You can make a deaf man hear and a dumb man speak....But it don`t make sense that you can`t make peace.....
Robben Ford
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 07:38:19 (MST)

Reap what you sew, got to pay those dues, only our love will save us from the world war blues......Turn your TV on, check the six o`clock news, people dying got the world war blues, ain`t nobody winning, everyones gonna lose, only our love can save us from the world war blues......Somebody makin money, you can bet on that, come judgement day, they got to pay it all back, this world is burning on a bitter fuse, only our love can save us from the world war blues....
John Mayall
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 07:28:26 (MST)

helicopter folks are the mounted soliders of our day
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 05:43:17 (MST)

Its also a good helicopter poem,a cav guy sent it to me..alvis..they can sue me.. Fiddler's Green Halfway down the trail to Hell, In a shady meadow green Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped, Near a good old-time canteen. And this eternal resting place Is known as Fiddlers' Green. Marching past, straight through to Hell The Infantry are seen. Accompanied by the Engineers, Artillery and Marines, For none but the shades of Cavalrymen Dismount at Fiddlers' Green. Though some go curving down the trail To seek a warmer scene. No trooper ever gets to Hell Ere he's emptied his canteen. And so rides back to drink again With friends at Fiddlers' Green. And so when man and horse go down Beneath a saber keen, Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee You stop a bullet clean, And the hostiles come to get your scalp, Just empty your canteen, And put your pistol to your head And go to Fiddlers' Green. -------------------------------- The origin and author of Fiddlers' Green is unknown. It was believed to have originated in the 1800's and was composed as a song sung by the soldiers of the 6th and 7th Cavalry. Its first known appearance in published form was in a 1923 Cavalry Journal.
alvis
USA - Saturday, March 27, 2004 at 05:39:18 (MST)

Well come on all you big strong men Uncle Sam needs your help again, got himself in a terrible jam way down yonder in Vietnam,So put down your books and pick up a gun were gonna have a whole lotta fun.......
Country Joe and the Fish
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 21:15:11 (MST)

Sorry Alvis but "Fiddlers Green" is reserved, writted by & for Cav type troopers. Frank
Frank Loveday
Bastrop, La. USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 20:33:34 (MST)

"Fiddlers Green" can be found on the Heli-vets page under Memorials........Hi all.Lilly, our 4 month old grand daughter had her surgery. All is well. She is home already. Freddie, Good news about your mother........be back later....always a brother, Mark
Mark
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 19:27:02 (MST)

Freddie, Praying for your Mom!
Jeff
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 18:09:09 (MST)

gently, I am going to try to find that poem about fiddlers green.It belongs in here and should be posted on certian dates. now let me think.....
alvis
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 17:11:11 (MST)

Thanks, Baron. No one said it would be easy. I guess some days are just a little harder to get through than others. I guess I wish the world were perfect and try too hard to make it so...but it just doesn't seem to make a difference. Fred...sounds like the situation with your mother may not be as bad as first thought. One day at a time, my friend. Know you are in my thoughts. Sometimes just feeling the support of friends makes a huge impact on how one views life. I hope I can meet you all this summer.
Sue
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 16:30:23 (MST)

Jerry Falwell was seated next to Former President Clinton on a recent flight. After the plane was airborne, the flight attendant came around for drink orders. The President asked for a whisky & soda, which was brought and placed before him. The attendant then asked the minister if he would also like a drink. The minister replied in disgust, "Ma'am, I'd rather be savagely raped by a brazen hobag than let liquor touch these lips!" The President then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know there was a choice......" I just had to get things back to a little more upbeat!!!!! My mother will be OK I think...my brothers both are there and they seem to think things will be fine
Fred Skaggs
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 15:43:20 (MST)

Hang in there Sue, Things are not always as they appear at the onset. I remember a bad day of mine back in late (71). I had no mission that day and was lying back in my lower bunk,headphones on , listening to to the Moody Blues, ( Knights in White Satin). I was thinking back to my childhood and summers at the lake when I heard a loud voice, ( Baron), over the music. I pulled the headphones off and threw open the curtain to find one of our new pilots doing the ,( Curley Shuffle),. His eyes were huge, at least 2.75 inches. He spoke quickly,( Regent went down in the pass,), " Regent went down in the An Khe Pass. They are getting an aircraft ready and they want you to go",. I ran down to opperations while Pilot cranked the ship. I'm thinking to myself, ( What is Regent doing out alone),. Lt. at opperations says , (Yes, there is an aircraft down in the pass, go take a look). I run to the waiting ship, strap in and am immediatly cleared by Lane Tower for A. S. A. P. departure from Wiskey One. On the climb out I'm getting some strange feedback from the cyclic. We get well into the Northwest pass and and the feedback becomes overpowering , throbbing, pushing back , the aircraft climbing now and I push with both hands and it finally breaks through , now the aircraft is in extreme nose low attitude. I said, "Boys, This is not cool ", .I Gently turned that rig around and back to Lane with a Big Red X. Went back to Opperations and L. T. tells me that they had just gotten word from Regent that there was in fact an A. R. V. N. helicopter on the rocks in the An Khe pass. Not much recognizable except for a small section of tail boom. It has taken me three weeks to do it but I have finally gotten myself all the way back to the first rule of the army. And no one said it would be easy, like Jeff said, " It's a big Elephant, You have to face it like a man",.. Oh yea, Maintanance told mne later that day they could find nothing wrong whith that aircraft.
Cobra Baron
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 11:52:32 (MST)

FRED, et al: Yes, all of us in this group are now approaching the age where, if we are fortunate enough to still have our partent, we are going to have to face them having medical problems and such. I've spent most of the past two weeks either at the hospital, where my dad has been touch-and-go after a serious operation, or over at the folks' house, taking care of it and my mom. One of the reasons I'm taking early retirement is so I can take care of them and their home, which they'd like to live in as long as possible. Still, as one guy once said to me, "As long as you're looking at grass from the green side, you're going to have problems. But it beats the alternative."
Max W.
Oregon USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 10:51:58 (MST)

Lt.Shaw was the maintenance officer for 2nd flt, he was one of those officers that the enlisted men really liked, a couple of times he would wipe down my swash plate while carrying on an easy going friendly conversation, always seemed to have a smile. He was one of those people that brings to mind the saying "only the good die young". I could not have known him for more that a month as I had only arrived in country on 13 March,yet I remember him well. Rest in Peace....
jim
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 08:23:00 (MST)

Fred...I hope things work out ok for your family. Need to keep the faith... As for Clarke...I don't know what's been going on in the news. I seldom watch it...too many bad things and I have enough BS in my life right now. I WILL say one thing...the company I work for is owned by the Carlyle Group. Carlyle Group is run by ex-Pres. Bush. Oddly enough, my tiny printing company is overshadowed by all the other investments the group has made in firms dealing with, guess what?? Terrorism. The group has come from a few million in worth to BILLIONS...all since 9/11. Check it out online. Lots of info...Group formerly had the Bin Ladens in it. On Sept. 11, the Group put the Bin Laden family that was here on a plane and it flew them to Europe for their safety. Same difference...When the Oklahoma City Bombings occurred...The Then President should have gathered up Timothy McVeigh's family...and gave them a haven of safety. Shady dealings here...
sue
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 07:16:48 (MST)

Tom Shaw's birthday is Sunday , March 28th. We salute you soldier. Always there-Gently
Gently
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 06:33:17 (MST)

Yea..yesterday was one of those days you would like to forget. My mother called yesterday and in a routine check up the doctors noticed something. A few weeks ago she had a biopsy. It came back postive for cancer, so everyone in my family is in a little up roar. She survived cancer back in 1962, so I`m hoping this is something that can be taken care of. She`s a rock and a tuff ole gal so she very positive about things. Wow I`ve been watching this Richard Clarke testify at the 9/11 commission. Man he seems to be really serious about his views. My gut feelings is he`s telling the truth.....I reminds me of the "Watergate" hearings in the 70`s. Ray...My Man....measure twice or three times and cut once...old carpenters saying.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Friday, March 26, 2004 at 05:51:25 (MST)

Did you ever have one of those days when things seemed overwhelming and you questioned your reason for moving forward? Today was one of those days for me. My trust in a friend was badly shaken. I looked for answers as to why bad things happen to good people, but I could find no explanation. Mark, I went to the cemetary tonight. It was raining, but I didn't care. I see you gave Larry some new flags. I spent some time with him. It's my place where I go to think. I came away with no more insight into why the world is like it is, but at least was calmed by the silence. I look at the postings of the brave men on here and am honored to be in their company. I touched the raised letters of "Jackson" on the monument and feel grateful to have met Larry's brother, Mark, and Dee. I think of them as gifts. And a sign that there are good things yet to come.
sue
USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 22:21:55 (MST)

Evening flight, I'm gonna have to quit missing days of not reading the posts, it takes too long to get caught up. glad to see all the new people in here, WELCOME HOME !!! MARK our family is growing all the time, thank you bro ! ! ! well things around here are getting better, Donna is doing better but still has a long way to go. AND I finally got me a TRIKE I put the first primer coat on it today so it is coming along, I will post some pic's of it in a couple days if anyone wants to see it. YES Max that is the bird that went under the bridge. I don't know why I couldn't find the info about it on the 129th site. but thank you for giving me the web page. Brooke .......... what can I say about your Uncle ? I still miss him. we weren't "drinking buddies" or anything like that but I started out with the 129th in the T.I. section so I went on quite a few test flights with Stephen. I always had a lot of respect for a pilot that would take a bird up after a bunch of crazy mech types got done with it. it took a lot of " intestinal fortitude " to be the first one to fly a bird right out of maint. and no I didn't have the I.F. I was just crazy and loved to fly. FRED S. I would love to have a copy of your C.D. I can play it while watching my tape LOL. well enough for tonight. Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 22:02:26 (MST)

what a day, jeeze.
alvis
USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 21:08:05 (MST)

Ray,you cant just stick an a/c thru the drywall and wall.once you cut the hole,you have to frame it to support the weight of the a/c.Plus, you have to have trim out side the wall nd some sort of trim inside as well.You also must check to see if an electrical outlet is close enough to plug into.You must also check to see if there is wiring or pipes inside the wall where you plan to put the a/c.Its not difficult, just a little time consuming. Go slow ,check everything two or three times and all should go well.
alvis
USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 20:53:31 (MST)

Ray, you should be able to take the A/C in or out of the drywall. Get it repaired & put it back in or put back a new one. Course if you put back a larger unit, you will have to get the hole enlarged. Take care. Clear.. Frank
Frank Loveday
Basrtop, La. USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 19:28:27 (MST)

I can remeber Stephen Desantis,Mark Jackson, Steven Hardgrave. I rember aDesantis as the test pilot for the mechanics in the hanger. Steven Hargave arrived at 129th when I did. I sure miss all the people that were at the 129th. It is hard on all at came in whole or all most.
John Grace <itzamee@comcast.net>
Manahawkin, NJ USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 18:09:51 (MST)

Dave, I remember that day when that guy tried to get the parachute out of the flare. Don't I remember too that guys were trying to put out the flare with a fire extinguisure?
Stacy McLain gunner <smclain4@hotmail.com>
Flagpole, az USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 12:24:12 (MST)

hello all just one ??? if i put in drywall what would happen if the a/c broke down would i have to remove all the dry wall to put a new one in. as you see i know nothing about home improvement please keep sending idears need all i can get a brother always ray thanks for all who sent so far,i appriciate it really thanks
RAY <stilwating@aol.com>
md USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 11:29:18 (MST)

RAY: Sounds good to me; I'm going to do something similar in the next month or so with my air conditioner, in the living room (it's now in the bedroom). ANOTHER SINGALONG, which was popular with us during my time in country: (to the tune of "The Green Berets") *** Put tennis shoes, upon his feet / His friends will call, him 'sneaky pete' / But let me fly, and get flight pay / 'cause you can't spend, a green beret... ***
Max W.
USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 11:14:59 (MST)

hello flight need a bit of advice from some one who knows home inprovement, we are replacing our windows most need need frames we going with palla windows but one window has a air condition in the window frame all rotten the contror ( builder ) sudsusted to deleat window cause we cant use any way. and it just looks at trees close to house, he said to put a/c in dry wall upa bit higher mounted in the dry wall an no window and save the momey, be cause we dont usethe window any way my ??? is will that look dum if you want e mail me at stilwating@aol.com thanks oh be sure to put in sub fron the 129TH ok we have np clue what to do, he said he's trying to save us money for the frame needs to be done if we dont just seeking advice thanks thank my brothers a brother always Ray
RAY <stilwating@aol.com>
md USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 08:01:39 (MST)

I'm singing...:>))))Gently
Gently
USA - Thursday, March 25, 2004 at 06:31:59 (MST)

Ok, EVEREYONE SING ALONG, An Son oh An Son a hell of a place, the orginizations a f$#%&#g disgrace, with captains and majors and lite colonels too, there heads up their asses with nothing to do. While out on the flight line they bitch and they shout about all the things they know nothing about, with all of their knowledge they might as well be a shovelin s%$t in the South China Sea. And even in combat you're still gettin screwed, you can't shoot the bastards till they shoot at you, you call up for clearance they say wait let me see, you must have a haircut for killing VC.
jim
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 19:19:01 (MST)

WARNING TO NEW PEOPLE... please be careful about putting your e-mail addy in here.Spammers come in to collect addys. Its better to put your e -mail addy IN your posting,rather than at the end of it.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 14:33:47 (MST)

Brooke,welcome to the 129th camp.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 14:30:57 (MST)

anyone remember the arvns that came into pol and started refueling their bird with jp-4? no big deal,but it was a gas powered unit. One of those old helicopters.we had an arguement whether to tell them or not.I was fueling up our bird when the pilot contacted the tower and told them what was happening.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 14:25:29 (MST)

Thanks to those who have responded so far. Steve was my uncle, my mother's brother, she was seventeen when he died. As I am sure all of you who have lost a loved one expect, losing Steve was a huge devestation to my mom's family. For many years she has had a hard time thinking about that day and she has been reluctant to find out more about Steve's time in Vietnam. However, she is now beginning to feel ready to learn more. Although I never knew my uncle I have always been interested in him since I was little, my mom sees some of him in me. I was the one who got her talking about him again. This past Christmas my mom got the tapes Steve made in Vietnam put onto cds and we got to hear his voice and did get a better understanding oh his life there. Steve was just married before he went to Vietnam and was only a few weeks away from coming home when that fateful night occured. Steve was and is very loved and any information or stories you can give us will help us continue to peserve his memory. Thanks so much! Brooke
Brooke O'Donnell <bsodon06@holycross.edu>
Worcester, Ma USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 14:22:12 (MST)

Brooke, welcome to the home of Stephen DeSantis and his brothers. We know that Stephen perished in Sept. of 1969, and we have memorialized him at several sites, but trust that he and our other fallen brothers and friends are always remembered. They paid the ulitimate price, but they live in our memories. Please visit www.virtualwall.org and click on the Letter "D." It will open up all of the memorials posted to our fallen whose last name begins with "D." Then look for Stephens' name and "click" on it. Also, Don Miller, our friend and brother who posts here, has created a web site for all the 129ers KIA-MIA-or POW from the Vietnam War. That address is www.donald_6.tripod.com/129thmiakia1.htm. Some of the men here, these wonderful soldiers who are presently sharing their memories of war, will certainly remember Stephen. Mark Jackson, who started this safe place for the 129ers, lost his brother Larry in the same crash that claimed the lives of Stephen, Richard Sawran, and Stephen Hargrave. You will be contacted...trust me. Meanwhile, if you have a story of Stephen and/or would like to explain your relationship, we would love to hear it. We are family here...and iof we can be here for you, just ask. Welcome..and be at Peace-Gently
Gently
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 09:34:24 (MST)

Lots of crazy stuff... Flares: I recall the incident when a maintenance guy decided he needed a flare parachute for the ceiling in his hootch. He proceeded to open a flare inside the 129th hangar, set it off and severely burned himself, and took a couple of choppers out. POL... it was always tricky when hot fueling, particularly when you didn't how much pressure was in the bladders! I saw a gunner accidently "spray down" his tailboom with JP-4. Nice ball of fire, and what was once OD green was then sooty black!
Dave Powers
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 07:15:16 (MST)

hi animal we landed in a rock lz on day and they put a box on board said it was intel for their s2, end up being a trap, gas us at 1500 feet.
donnie r. purvis <donnie.purvis@us.army.mil>
lexington, nc USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 05:45:04 (MST)

It's a little foggy, but when I was in country, I don't remember any one color of smoke meaning anything specific. If someone on the ground was popping a smoke, the important thing was for them not to broadcast the color(lest every VC in the AO would be popping the same) It would be up to us to confirm "We have red(green,whatever) smoke" Once on a night mission, Marvin the Arvin popped a willy-pete for us on short final instead of a smoke. Let me tell you that was rude! He probably owns a liquer store in Orange County now. Another stupid ARVN trick I witnessed was at the POL in Pleiku. We set down and started refueling hot right behind an ARVN doing the same. When they finished the Arvn started hosing down the inside of his aircraft with JP4 while they were still hot!! Our AC yelled for the crewchief to abort and we got the hell away from them. They never told us NOT to do that in flight school, but they didn't tell us NOT to stare at the sun either. Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 01:34:02 (MST)

One day we were flying ash and trash down south, Onion Head was breaking in a new Peter Pilot,we're comming in in on short final and the ROKs pop "white" smoke, Onion say "NEVER LAND TO WHITE SMOKE" but because this is a battalion base camp it'll be ok, then we all remembered the wisdom of "NEVER LAND TO WHITE SMOKE" they didnt get any resupply that day.
jim
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 01:14:41 (MST)

RACIAL: Not one sniff of it in the 129th while I was there. One of my buds was a black guy named Thomas, and he and Mike Walker and I palled around in the villes together quite a bit, for awhile. I'm originally from Georgia, and Mike had lived in a rural area of northern Florida all his life, but color meant nothing, at that time. One of our most respected pilots was a black WO who had already done part of a tour with the 1st Cav. We were all 'Army green' Ñ some guys were just a darker shade of green, was the way most of us saw it then. Considering my racial upbringing, I think I went through a radical change of attitude about race during my time with the 129th. PATCHES: We didn't have them then, but my cousin worked for a rental car company, and sent me a box of metal 'We Try Harder' buttons, which the gunners and crewchiefs in my flight started wearing; we got a new CO, who was a hardnose pr*ck for awhile, and he made us get rid of them. SMOKE GRENADES: Funny thing about that, during '65 - '67, red smoke meant only one thing: 'ENEMY!' All the other colors stood for various things, but red meant attack. Now red is used for everything, it seems, and it really startles me to see red being popped in films of later times in RVN, and in current use Ñ especially for medivacs! We would have been pretty close to lighting up our own guys, had they popped red near themselves! PS: Note my new email address; MARK, would you please change my old one to this in the Roster? (Others think I'm using the first part because I think I'm so *slick*, but I don't think I have to explain the real meaning here....)
Max W. <Slick868@(remove this)easystreet.com>
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 00:14:24 (MST)

For C.B. I can e-mail you a photo of the Nose Art you want just shoot me an e-mail with your address on it so that I can send it to you as soon as I get my new computer up and running. If you want an actual picture let me know and give me a few days to get one developed from the original. My dad told me you were interested in that.
Tom Ragonese <ragonese@delaware.net>
USA - Wednesday, March 24, 2004 at 00:08:15 (MST)

Yeah Dave, O ring...Bagocina(sp) He was in the guns for a while, I think he's in a picture I have, somewhere. I was in 4/64 Armor in Germany, 74-75. Like everyone else, lots of racial tension. I was in Aschaffenburg, and it seems there was a rape every weekend in the park downtown, almost always identified as a black man. Got a little tedious, just having CID come through our barracks, every week. Mandrax was the drug of choice, after hash. I went local, got off post every chance I got, learned German (somewhat) and enjoyed the culture! Smoke grenades..smile....yeah Dave....I remember. I also remember getting pissed about something at the em club, and getting my chunker, and going up by the pool, and pumping four rounds of cs just upwind of it!!!! wish I could remember why......course, it drifted through the 61st hootches too!!
Kim
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 22:20:26 (MST)

Anyone know anything about Stephen DeSantis?
Brooke O'Donnell <bsodon06@holycross.edu>
West Hartford, Ct USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 19:56:58 (MST)

yes, we had some tough racial sruff at the time i was there, to deny that would be to deny truth. I had a black gunner, skinny young guy by the name of willy. He lived in the same hut as me across the hall but as fred A said he was "talked" into quitting flying. A shame to as he was good. Those were the times--- good or bad---- just was>>> respects...smitty
Jim westwang 71-72
sheridan, wy USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 19:20:16 (MST)

Fred S., Ever hear of the Schweinfurt riots ca 71-72. I was there in 3/7 cav. It was, as you said REAL bad. Staff duty officers carried a side arm for THEIR protection. Had one, a 1LT, stuffed in a single door wall locker and thrown from the 4th floor of those old WWII style german barracks. He lived long enough to identify them. I think they are still at Levenworth. Heavy duty drugs, and I don't mean pot and hash, were also pretty bad. Cav was "lucky" because we spent 250-275 days a year on the border keeping the Commie hoardes at bay so we didn't have that big a problem. Worse that happened to us was one young PFC fire bombed our hanger. Saved all the aircraft but lost all the maintenance records. That was fun putting all that info back together. He may still be in Levenworth too! God, wasn't life fun back then? No wonder what little hair I have is grey!
jeff
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 17:42:50 (MST)

Racial stuff was just starting as I was leaving. Went to the EM club to get a pizza with Pete Rhome, while standing there a fight broke out between two drunks. One white and one black, and somehow I got hit from behind and knocked out cold. Next thing I knew was Pete had me drapped across his shoulder on one side and carrying the pizza. He carried me to the "flight surgeon`s" office. And I had to get 14 stiches in the back of my head. Pete said some guy nailed me from behind. Pete sucker punched that guy and pull me away from the crowd. Pete was a tuff Cleveland city boy, so he could box a little bit. But some black guy from the 61st try to start some stuff over at "Dust-Off and they just ignored him. And I would see him around over at the 129th, and they run him off. But you could see it was coming......Germany was REAL bad for racial stuff. But I had a real close friend named Tom King from Cincinnati...Tommy was to busy trying to be Jimi Hendrix, to get caught up in that stuff. Real weird the racial stuff was like heroin...it just appeared one day and raised it`s ugly head.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 16:23:33 (MST)

We used to do the mini mortar thing with M60 tracers... pretty cool. Usually it was from a guard tower. Its civilian counterpart was throwing .22 shells into the campfire. What a combination: 18-19 year olds with all the ordnance you could play with.
Dave Powers
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 14:40:05 (MST)

anyone ever do the 50 cal trick, besides me? take a 50 cal tracer round, pull out the bullet,empty out some podwer,pierce the bottom of the tracer,put the bullet back in the shell,pour the remaining powder back over the round as it sits in a morter like position,light the short trail of powder you had so carefully made,then run like hell for about 20 yards.We called them mini morters. things would shot up in the air about 30 feet,spinning like crazy,glowing as only tracers do. shrug, sometimes we got bored.Started a grass fire once,doing that, things calmed down for awhile after that.While I was at the 129th, only once was there racial trouble in the flight hootches. Most of that crap stayed with the ground huggers.Smitty, you remember that black gunner we had for a while? good guy, but he let the other black guys talk him into stop flying. Was a shame that happened, he really liked it.Sometimes he used to talk to me about the pressures he was under. tough spot to be in.He was the only black crewmember I ever flew with,or saw.I think black pilots heard some of that same crap about uncle chucks war,perhaps they were able to avoid alot of the social pressures excerted on the crewmembers.I know I liked flying with shadow and another guy, big fella,looked like he could have played pro football. Now what the heck was his name.....
alvis
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 14:23:51 (MST)

Max Yes!! remember having some of the 7.62 cans with all tracers in the belts. But, most of them were every 5th round on the stansard 7.62 cans of ammo. But on night fire missions it was a steady stream of tracers. We would soak the barrels in jp-4 and cover them with oil and ready to go once again. I think Roger Steele came up with the jp-4 to clean the barrels of the m60's. Hated to hear that he was killed at Fort carson in 66 in the Chopter crash. Hope you can make Indy!! would be nice seeing you again. Jim H. and his wife Sue are going to make it this year. Would like to welcome Home all our new 129th Family!! Alex 129th 65-68.
Alex
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 12:55:24 (MST)

Kim, we had some racial stuff, started when a brother decided he could wear a fish net shirt, cut off jungles and flip flops to the EM club the asst. manager, white guy, told him he had to leave and put on proper clothing he came back with a 45,the mananger, a black NCO pulled out a revolver told the guy to leave, he didnt,manager pointed the gun at the ceiling,pulled the trigger, didnt go off,pointed it at the floor,pulled the trigger, it went off and hit the bro in the foot or leg,the following week someone threw a CS grenade in the club through the front door, while at the back door were a group of brothers, well armed. But not much happened after that. I started carrying a pen flair gun after that, I figured at close range it would do some damage and give me time to Di Di. Which reminds me of the time,cant remember his name, this guy had the flu or malaria, anyway he felt like shit had a high fever, this other guy kept messing with him, he finally got pissed went down to the flt. line got his M60 and started shooting over the hootches. I think he was shooting from near the orderly room.He got an art15 out of it because of his condition at the time. And then there was the fragging of the XO.
jim
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 11:59:57 (MST)

Kim, do you remember "O-Ring"?
Dave Powers
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 11:20:19 (MST)

Mike Miles, 'BLAST FROM THE PAST," I was just telling C. B., Fred Skaags, and Kim that I was going to back away from the site for a few days and catch up with some personal commo., with the fine people who helped me over my initial hump into the ," Cyber 129th," I'd typed a long story this morning to share with C. B. but lost it in a fraction of a second. Thinking that I could try again later and I had better get to work,I checked the flight log one more time and found your welcome post. You can probably see the smile on my face. My head is filled with far too many words for my clumsy fingers to type . I will contact you directly but please come back here and join in the fun. Seems my most solid form ,"positive form" of communication is right here. Since Kim, Fred Scaags, and C. B. spoke with me a year ago by phone I have had this sort of half full, half empty , feeling in me. Since I have come to this site a couple of weeks ago I have found that perhaps that can be changed. Thanks to all the hard work, and thoughtfulness that these fine people have put into this great," Home of the 129TH." Thanks to all ! Fred Scaags, Kim ,C. B., Jeff, Dave Powers , Little John, Shadow, Animal, Don, Smitty, Alvis, Cupps, Sue, Gentely, Mark and ALL.
Gary Carlson
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 11:19:13 (MST)

If anyone has a problem with me posting updates about "itosb", please tell me and I will stop. I post this as a "fyi",dont want to piss anyone off.In the middle of all that mess, you will see that they are showing "itsotb" at the indy reunion.(in the shadow of the blade).
alvis
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 11:05:54 (MST)

Kim, I also remember the patch removal thing. It was sad... Like you, I appreciated the integration we enjoyed at Lane. I still would love to see Lovedog and Chico check in here.
Dave Powers
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 11:02:16 (MST)

fyi.........Hello friends, Lots of good stuff going on In The Shadow of The Blade... Four Central Texas screenings this April: Saturday, April 10 6:30 p.m. In Support of The Moving Wall. Sponsored by the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Johnson City, Texas. Part of a week-long "Welcome Home Tribute Honoring Our Vietnam Veterans." www.nps.gov/lyjo/VietnamWall.htm. Event is free and open to the public. (This will be a wonderful opportunity to visit The Moving Wall in a spectacular natural environment.) Saturday, April 17 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 25 5:00 p.m. Worldfest International Film Festival in Houston. They've added a second screening due to "extremely high interest." Visit worldfest.org for information about special hotel room rates, tickets, and the competition. ITSOTB is one of 11 documentaries out of hundreds of entries chosen to screen in this major festival...that's a win right there. Saturday, April 24 11:00 a.m. Private screening for the 25th Aviation Battalion at their Killeen reunion. (Let us know if you'd like a screening for your reunion. We'll be showing at VCHMA in Indianapolis and VHPA in Florida and we have some others organizing right now...) Our DC Independent Film Festival screening went well and we made some important contacts but we didn't win: "not experimental enough" and up against a doc on Afghanistan. Yep, politics are part of the indy film business too....But it doesn't really matter; making the finals was the win and it was great to screen and see some old--and make some new--friends in the Beltway, including David Moore and the good people at the Library of Congress Veterans Forum. ITSOTB's "star," 091 has been accepted as a donation to the Smithsonian Museum of American History and they've contracted with us to include some ITSOTB clips in the exhibit opening Veterans Day this year. You can see our final tribute to the helicopter that made such a difference for so many at www.intheshadowoftheblade.com/what's new. In that same space soon we'll be starting a new "Rotorwash" section (thanks Karen Lee Hill) as a place to tell more of the untold stories. Look for photos, video, poetry, and stories there rotating regularly. And we've begun adding out-takes in the "editing room" link...some are funny, some are touching and some are just cool stuff that we love. ITSOTB, Inc., our non-profit arm, is organizing its board and delighted and honored to announce that Colonel Ernie Sylvester (ret) has volunteered to serve. Ernie is the current DUSTOFF Association president and a veteran of the 57th Med Det, "The Original DUSTOFF." He's also a long-time and good friend of the Blade who has served as a subject matter expert and wonderful teacher to this writer. ITSOTB, Inc.'s current focus is developing a research-based secondary educational curriculum connecting high-school students with Vietnam veterans to learn their stories. Thanks to all of you have participated in the ongoing initial pilot. I'm hearing great things back from both sides. Visit the ITSOTB, Inc. button to learn more about the non-profit. Hope to see you all soon somewhere as we take the show on the road. As always, thank you for your help, your support, your stories, and, most of all, your friendship. Have a great day! Cheryl Cheryl Fries Creative Director In the Shadow of the Blade ª www.intheshadowoftheblade.com Arrowhead Film & Video 512-328-0099 512-657-7880
alvis
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 11:01:27 (MST)

Fred S... There were times in Nam when I thought there were two of everybody (ha). Fred A... yep, I'll send it to you from my home computer. Send me an e-mail so I can be sure I have your eddress. Smitty, that was me who sent the photo to you. Smoke grenades: what fun they were, eh Kim? Animal, I remember the ROK's loading/unloading those black plastic jerry water cans onto our ship. They'd get a "bucket brigade" thing going to do the job. Some confused guy got the group started unloading the empties up at the firebase, so on one side of the aircraft they were loading the empties, and on the other side they were unloading them. Along came one of their officers who took a large screwdriver, whacked the guy on the head and straightened out whole the mess. The kimchee breathe was a powerful weapon in its own right! Remember the RTO "Jon", Animal?
Dave Powers
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 10:57:13 (MST)

I remember going on the flair missions. Might have been with smitty."crs" I do remember one in about 5 or more went off,the rest where duds.Smile,so what else is a guy to do? aim them my friends,aim them.I was sent to a shrink cause I threatend to kill one of the pilots.shrug,must have been a poor week.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 10:56:11 (MST)

Jeff, we were ordered to remove any patches that didn't pertain to a company. NO platoon patches!! This was in response to a lot of blacks who started wearing a red black green patch..black power? Liberia? At any rate, there was a small revolt when it happened. One of the best protests I can recall was Mr. Lovejoy, who tore his cobra patch down the center, and left the outer half on his shirt! Spring/summer of 71, there was a lot of black/white issues at Lane. MOstly in the 61st and Cav. It spilled over to us, in a small fashion, but, thanks to guys like Stanley Roberts, Mr. Page, Chico Smith, and a lot of others who's names I can't remember (getting CRS disease!)most of us stayed together as a unit. Lupo, Arroyo, Vega, Vargas, Martinez,Miyamura, it's great to think back to the integration of the 129th, and how most of us got along, especially when compared to what some of the other units went through. Whites outnumbered all others when it came to the pilots, but the enlisted side was pretty well mixed,ethnically. we white fought amoungst ourselves more than anything else, I can't recall any racial garbage that went beyond a few words, usually patched up within minutes of it happening. Keep in mind, this is just one white boy's opinion.
Kim
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 10:41:55 (MST)

Rick? Gail? Tom? Don? Where are you guys? Gail Beard gets married April 3rd!! A week from Saturday!! Always there for our Veterans-Gently
Gently
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 10:26:54 (MST)

Mike Miles.......good to see your post. Hope all is well with you and glad that you did check in today to find Gary's name. You going to INDY?????????......mark
Mark
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 08:39:04 (MST)

Hey Gently......Did Jim at the VA get the card and photos that I sent him?............Mark
Mark
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 08:37:26 (MST)

The pilot I've asked you to send cards to at the VA here in Milwaukee now has an email address thanks to some Vietnam Veterans who stopped in to visit him: jimsarchet@yahoo.com. Please drop him a note, a joke, or a funny card. He has to type with his left hand, one finger actually, so be patient in recieving a reply. Thanks to all-Gently
Gently
USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 08:32:29 (MST)

Did I read in here somewhere that you were no longer allowed to wear plt patches at Lane? If that is so I am damn glad I was gone by then. The only chickens--t thing I remember was getting stopped by MPs once in Qui N. for having on a white T-shirt under my nomex. Seems the Support Command general put out an OD t-shirt only edict. Hell my OD ones had long since been beaten to death by the hooch maid. Had to watch out wearing those white ones in the the city-I imagine they had a real sniper problem. Probably trying to fight their way into the USO for a strawberry sundae or else a trip to the steam bath(I am using the politically correct name). I think the MPs gave me a DR that I was susposed to give to the CO. If I ever run into him I'll certainly do that. Skaags, What is it with this cold weather? I am two weeks past short pants only date. Ya'll, as they say, take care.
jeff
lake norman, USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 07:49:38 (MST)

I don't know why I went on the web site this morn. Glad I did. I see Gary Carlson has popped up on the radar screen. Gary and I were best buds in flight school and went to RVN together. I have always wondered how he was doing. Glad to hear he is OK. Fred gave me Gary's phone number a few months ago and I just could not find the words to call and say 'hi'. Gary, welcome home my friend. We need to catch up on the past 35 (has it been that long??!!) years.
Mike Miles <michael.miles@gsa.gov>
Easton, MD USA - Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 06:04:41 (MST)

Sometime durring the Easter offensive we were in the area up by the pass, the RTO tells us there is A ROC genereral on OP 1 and needs a ride, the first thought was, what the hell is he doing there?, the NVA had