ok,I have downloaded my pics from Susans digitial camera.I also have a copy of the "still" pics Simon took,on a CD he gave us. I perfer to E-mail the pics,to any wanting them.More later...its past time for bed as it is. Oh,I forgot one other cast member..Becky,Phils secetary/girl friday. She took her first helicopter ride with Ron (Mr, Paye) at the controls.She started off white knuckled and sounding like a person at a Lamaze(?) class..you know..the deep breathing.She is a pretty, blond young lady , with a bright,friendly smile.She wasnt smiling when boarding the 509.The smile ahe had when getting off the 509,after the flight,could have lit a city up...and it stayed there for HOURS and hours..even the next day.She, and her husband, are again,very nice folks.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 20:59:04 (MST)
I am still trying to "digest" our journey.So much,done in so little time,by so few,for not only us three,but for the 129th as well.The main cast of characters are/were Phil and Jo,,,Simon,Nina and Bradely( their 21 year old son),,Neil,,and finaly Rob.Good men,good people,good friends.Bradley was flying "GIB"/crew chief,in complete Nomex,doing a heck of a job.That head of his was hanging out in the wind,clearing the tail/aircraft,when we first saw the bird and its landing.I dont know about the other guys,but I sure envied him on that first approach.He would have fit right in ,back in Lane,,just a great young man.What can i say about Simon,his Dad? A first rate guy? A hell of a guy? A friend? A gentleman? A guy with a great sense of humor? All that and more! Neil...a guy with 4 different airplanes and parts of them,in his back yard.What a place he lives in,sigh. A crystal clear, small river running thru the woods,just across the road,full of Brown trout and salmon,surrounded by green fields,climbing,climbing ,into forested peaks,guarded by grazing sheep,centurys old stone fences and singing birds.What a nice guy he is too,a genuine member of our brotherhood..yes, he is a combat helicopter vet as well. He spends him time ,trying his best,to save lives now ,flying "dustoff" ,for the local hospitials in the area. Rob..this man could fly a broomstick if he could get it started,heck,he has flown everything else.great guy and you have got to hear the stories.Phil,simply put,is an amazing man.Truely a "rag to riches" story,but the best part is..he is still a great guy and deserves everything he has worked for,and more..and a teddy bear, behind a good guy front,but its no front.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 20:34:30 (MST)
whew,back on again. We did one of those "click here" up-grades,took Susan 3 phone calls and hours spent hooking and unhooking wires,ect.First of all, I wish to thank Jo/Nina (not sure who made them) for those two little mince pies I snuck back thru customs. Susan eyes lit up and she squealed with delight when seeing them. One was eaten before leaving the terminal accompied by sounds of contentment( the second was gone as soon as we returned home).Thank you ladies,from the bottom of my heart ,for your graciousness,your kindness,and your patience, with the three yanks. Nina makes a chocolate cake that has to be an English Nationial secret..mmmm good ,doesnt even come close. Jo, put on a spread simply fit for a king.WOW,just the visual was a treat..then the fantastic odors..mmmmm. One could not have ask for better company,,, two beautiful ladies,whos laughter was like music,two pilots,one "GIB",one BBC camera man, one brother,and all great friends.The evening ended with Mark on the guitar,singing,playing some darn good riffs,perfectly.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 19:59:19 (MST)
Glad to know you all had a great trip to England. Also Ray we are thinking of you.
Ken Strong Jr 72-73
Lafayette, IN USA - Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 14:39:50 (MST)
Hey Neil....Great to you your post brother. Thanks for all that you have done and did for us and the 129th and the "509" We definitely will stay in touch. Thanks for the wonderful meal and time at the "Farmers Arms". I still chuckle about the story, and image of you with the High Heals and nylons on in the driver seat of that helicopter. You should tell it in here. Take care brother..............always a brother........
Mark
USA - Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 08:09:53 (MST)
Hello all, Just a few words from England to say that it was a real pleasure to meet these three gentlemen and that we all had a fantastic time. Fred, Mark and Mr Paye, it was an honour to fly with you Sirs! Phil,the '509' team and i are so glad that your stay was so enjoyable and that we achieved all that we could hope for ...... except MORE flying in 'Miss Jo' ..alas, the British weather got in the way there! To get you all airborne was a real treat for us never mind you guys! It happened the way it was meant to happen; a 129th pilot flying, 129 gunner at the .50 cal and Mark in the cabin in various places closer to Larry than ever....all in a 129th bird! Perfect result! Anyway, just to wish you all out there all the very best from us here in England and to say 'Miss Jo' is a delight to fly and a living, breathing, thunderous memorial/tribute to you guys of the 129th and all the other aviation units that served in Vietnam. Fly Safe, Fly low and fast .... Cheers, Neil Airey
Neil Airey Chief Pilot '509' project <neilairey2@tiscali.co.uk>
Spark Bridge, UK - Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 06:53:46 (MST)
Welcome back safely, im glad you all had a good time & represented us well ( did Fred stay out of the Guinness enough to remember lol)>>> Smitty. & not as an afterthought, Ray i have been praying for you all the time buddy. Jim
jim westwang 71-72
Sheridan, wy USA - Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 20:36:59 (MST)
Fred Skaggs. Got your message. But was already in INDY when I picked it up.......I'll call ya soon Brother............
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 18:48:31 (MST)
I stoped at the grandkids house here in INDY and gonna set out for home later. Will say tomorrow........Good to have my feet back on the ground. Unless were lifted off by a Huey. I could fly in one of them anytime..........Take care all...........always a brother................
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 18:46:54 (MST)
we made it home
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 16:37:59 (MST)
ai guy I would give up a year pay just to spend the time them GUY had to be with 509 SHE A PRITTY LOKING SHIP them guy in Englin & thank to the PEOPLE in Englan They coud be like BROTHER WAIT THEY ARE BROTHER TO ME & I looked at that photo of 509 I would keep her as I had to Tiger WAGON wax her keep her like a new shiney penney but she a Mill. DOLLER GIRL There not a ship that can stand up clouse to HER & THE NAMES ON HER SHE IS PROUD TO SHOW THEM OFF LIKE A MOTHER WITH HER CHILDERN & SHE JUST THAT THEM GYU I KNOW ARE ON BORD EVERY TIME SHE FLYES THEY KEEP HER SAFE BECOUSE THEY ARE THE BEST ONE TO TAKE CARE OF HER SO I STAND UP & SALUTE THEM & HER FOR SHE A PROUDE LADY OF THE CLOUDS. Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 13:07:02 (MST)
Hey Ray....from us guys over in England you hang in the brother. It's 0500 here and we will be headed for the airport soon due to arive in US, I don't know........sometime.....again......last night, well..........kinda a going away party at Phil and Jo's house.........outstanding spread on the table...............when we tell the locals we are going to be on TV they kinda act like we are somekind of Hollywood stars or something.............BTW......if you type in Huey 509 on YOU TUBE , Simon has posted a short peice that he did about the "509".........We are bringing back tons of photos. Even the ones that Simon was taking and in the near future are suppose to be getting a copy of what ever the BBC puts out...............Take care all. We'll be home soon
Mark
USA - Monday, January 29, 2007 at 22:34:23 (MST)
Ray, one down and two to go!
Gale
USA - Monday, January 29, 2007 at 18:16:15 (MST)
HELLO TO ALL. WE GOT THE FRIST TEST DONE INTO THE BLATER NO CANSER AT ALL, NOW I CALL MY DR FO APPTS FOR THE LIVER AND SPLEAN .THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYES. HIPE THE SAME FOR THE LIVER AND SPLEAN GO WELL, AGAIN THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYES ..NOW THEY JUSST GOT TO TELL ME WHY I HAVE AL THIS PAIN EVERRYDAY THEN I BE OK.. A PROTHER ALWAYS RAY ROB ITRY CALLING YOU TOMOROW OK AND RICK AD WINK AND ALEX
RAY
MD USA - Monday, January 29, 2007 at 16:23:33 (MST)
Flight...we are at Simon and Nina's house right now for supper. Have been up in the hill the district all day shoppin' and went to an historical joint up there. Again some of the 16th 17th century buildings. We had the privilege to pull the "509" to the flight line and Stowe gear away in it because Rob was flying it down to London for maintenance. It was kinda, well.... not kinda. sorta,......... well sorta, overwhelming,.......... well not over whelming...it was downright unexplainable as the "509" disappeared of sight. Ron cried, Fred was speechless, and I felt my heart lift off the ground and disappear with her as she became smaller, and smaller, and smaller in the sky..........tomorrow, we board the Silver Bird for America. Wishing and wanting to get home soon and see our loved ones, but also wanting to stay with these wonderful new found friendships...............just ain't much more I can say gang............except a piece of my heart will be left in northwest England.............but........this is only the beginning with these guys.........................take care all.........be with you soon. Today I am older, but coming home soon. Love Fred, Mr. Paye, Mark.............
Mark
USA - Monday, January 29, 2007 at 11:42:12 (MST)
Wink, sounds like a plan buddy! Let us know how we can help or what to bring. That bus is good idea................you know how Gently & Kal get at those parties!! Heehhehe Gale
Gale
USA - Monday, January 29, 2007 at 10:59:22 (MST)
HI ALL I DO MY BEST TO BE THERE .. WE SEE ..I DO TO DR IN 2 HOURS ,TAKE CARE A BROTHERS RAY
RAY
MD USA - Monday, January 29, 2007 at 10:02:51 (MST)
morning flight. hey gale ,yes i'm planing on having everyone over at my place that friday afternoon. it will be either at my home or if i can i'll have it at the club by the pool. a pool party.so to all that friday at my place. i'm about 45 minutes from the hotel, so mybe we can rent a bus to take you all here. this would keep everyone from driving back to the hotel after a day drinking.to pay for transportation here mybe we can take out of the xmas fund. what say you gently. i've been in contact with chris white an he tells me that the news letter with the registration forms will be out late because they having problem in making the golf arranements. so being i live in a golf community i've make arrangments to have the tourament here. it's just to take a few days to get things done.i will call chris later to find out how he made out. ray i know you are more than likely at the hospital by now but just to let you know my prays are with you. wink 3/69-10/70
wink
lake wales, fl USA - Monday, January 29, 2007 at 07:45:08 (MST)
Hi guy the ones over there I would thank them for whot they are doing they got the place to see & wish I coud go there to some day & see that place to. Me & the Wife & Tammy & Scooter went to Savannah & it out of sight & I wish I had know that some of the 129 th guy lived there I am going back & giv them a call & on the new truck has on star no more looking at map just giv them the place you want to go & they load it in your truck computer & tell you how to get there I had no proublem staied at the hyet hotel we had a bit to eat & watch them bring some ship in to dark & un load it a nice place to see but not like whot them guy are seeing over there that a one time in a life to go there & wish I could well got to go take care dont brimg home some PETS from there Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 20:28:33 (MST)
Hello flight, Been a long time since I last posted. Things are about the same with me-still an urban hermit, still spend most days in my woodworking shop. I'm posting for a particular reason: Jim Michener asked me to try to locate the pilot who wrote me about being with Ed Wells in a poker game, the day Ed got killed. Ed left the game to fly the ASAP, got killed, and, afterwards, no one wanted to remove the cards from the card table. Anyone remember that incident? If so, please email me and I'll put you in touch with Jim. Bite and Strike!
Max Whittington <slick868@(REMOVE THIS)easystreet.com>
Beaverton, OR USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 19:49:32 (MST)
Evening Flight..............LZ England update..................weather had us socked in today so all operations were on standby. Ended up the flight was canceled and we head for the AO in Phils car. Destination was Neal's , the air ambulance pilot who brought the "509" to us the other day at Lytham Hall. By the way, when we got back to the hotel last night there was a envolope on thr room door that read "To the 3 Americans" which and some photos taken by the staff at the Hall. It was so kind for them to drop off. Good thing they didn't put "To the 3 Stooches" ;-)))))...............anyways.......We got to Neals place> About an hours drive. Now dig this. You wind up some beautiful rolling hills country side of England. It's up north. Called the lakes distric. The old wooden fence turn into older stone layed fences. Trip back in time gang...anyways we get to neals place. 200 year old gate house to a larger house on top of the hill. He has done work on it for the last 8 years I think he said............BUT.........in his drive way is a actual cokpit of a Herrior jet and a "Lighteing" jet Not sure of the numbers they call it. Also in the garage there is a smaller part of an Lightning jet and in his back yard ( or garden as they call it) is a complete Lighten Jet on static display. Now I'm not talking about a small version if it. I mean an actual Lightnig jet in his back yard. Unbleiveable gang. Absolutly unbeleivable................This guy, well all of these guys are finatics about aviation.After hanging out in Neals house over a spot of tea and crumbits, we set out on foot down the road on foot, down a hill past all the stone fences and Freds favorite, lots of sheep. I'll let Fred tell you about the sheep thing...anyways...up the hill and into a small Englash village alone a river and to a pub called the Farmers Arms. This place was built in the 14th century. Was a coach, stable and watering hole for them back then. There was Fred, Mr. Paye, Phil, Neal, Rob Tierney ( by the way, if you want to do a little reading on Rob you can find a short BIO of him on the Huey's web sight of Phil's) Neals Dad (whos 80, I hope I can walk up a hill like he did when I'm 80) and me. We had an outstanding meal in the 14 century pub. The timbers holding the roof up were so low that you had to stoop to walk in the place and down in the "reception room, there was a burning fireplace and a palor off to the side did just set and relax.........well........you had to be there. I was mezmerised by the joint. After eating we sat around the table and chated and those who could exchanged flying and miltary experiences. I stood up and summed the night up to the company I was with by saying this..........I have everything I want in life including an eternal home someday. If I was to lose all I have here on this earth, I would set sail for this very place and start anew. I just cant; think of a word, or anywords to express the place in time I was at tonight I even ask the owner if the place was forsale. Ron said he would bar tend for me and Fred wanted to work in the skulery.;-)))).........an English Pop-A-Top.Hummmmmmmm..no,no, stop thinking that Mark, Dee would kill you.............anyways........when we were geting ready to leave they ask us if we want to see the original part of the building. They opened a door and it was as if we had steped back in time. The floor was made od huge differnt sizes of stone. Black stone. Some 4'x4' some 3'x3'..........man what another blast to the past.............by then 3 hours had passed and it was time to head home. As has been the custon when we get back to the hotel Phil never tells us what is in store for the next day. And Fred , Ron and I stop into the pub that is hooked onto the hotel. It to is an old fire house that has been added onto. We ran into some young guys that Fred and Ron had ran into the other night and it's not that hard to strike up a converstion after someone heres your American Accent over here( I thought they had the accent) So they gather round the table with us and Fred and Ron startes to tell a bunch of "Lies".Great young men from England just like you guys were at their age. The one wants to join the service over here so we were talking to him about that. All very interesting. Fine young lads to speak with tonight. You guys know what I mean right?;-)))))......anyways before ya know it the last bell gongs and it's time to head to the rooms. I always buy a card that give me 20 minutes of computer time done here in the lobby so I can update you all. They only have one left and I bought it for tomoorw so I can update you then...Got 14 minutes left on this one..............again..........no words can express the hospitality that these "blokes" have shown us. I do know that sometime tomorrow we are going to Simons house because the ladies have something cooked up for us. Going away party I suspect. I sure hope we get to fly tomorrow............sure do...........welp................I wish all of you could be here.............as Phil stated to me tonight, "ya know Mark, we have started something here" How true that is............Phil already has it swilling in his head for a trip to America to see you guys. He has ask about when the VHCMA gig is. You guys have to meet him. He would love that....................I just cant say enough about his dedication to you all....................all of these folks are truly Brothers and sisters of the 129th also.There is just not anything I can say............to really impress on you guys what they have done , not only this trip and taking care of us but with the "509" and their love for all of you and aviation..................gonna stop now to save some of this time I have left to talk with you tomorrow. Night and .................always brothers. The 3 Americans.......eh.stooches.........ehh..muskateers......ehhhh..mousekateers.......aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.........Mr. Paye, Fred and Me..........
Mark
USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 17:12:46 (MST)
Boy!!! Ray and I must have been typing at the same time.....
Kao 67/68
USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 16:07:46 (MST)
Robbie... I talked to Ray Friday on Live Messenger for about 30 minutes and he was hurting a bit. He was in pretty good sperits, all things considered. He is pretty apprehensive about his tests tomorrow but wants to get on with it and get things fixed. About all we can do now is keep him and Gail in our prayers and hope things aren't too bad and can be taken care of. I know the Orlando reunion is tops in his mind and wants to get things fixed before that comes. He said he would be looking for me on Messenger as soon as he knows something. Take care... Later.. Kal...>>>
Kal 67/69
USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 16:06:45 (MST)
Ray, hang in there......we're all behind you Buddy! Hey Ray, why don't you get that "flute" out and take your mind off things? You better practice up for Orlando. Gale
Gale
USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 14:35:01 (MST)
HI FLIGHT. I STILL HAVE THE AIN IN THE LOWER AREA. I DO TOMORROW FOR THE BLADER CHECK AND HAVE BYOPES DONE, THIS TIME I BEAWAKE, THEY SAID GOING TO NUM.LIKE I SAID I WILL ASK THEM TO NUM IT JUST BEFORE FROST BITE, HE SHOULD BE ABELE TO ME A BITE THEN WHEN THE TEST IS BACK I KNOW, NOW THE SPLEAN AND LIVER IS DIFFRENT MY FAMIY DR AND THE VA DR ARE WORKING TO GETHER ON THAT, MAY TRY ULTRY SOUND, F IT DONT WORK ,THEYWILL OPEN ME UP, THE VA DR CALLS ME TO STRESS HOW SEROUS THIS IS, JIM WEST THEY SAY MY LIVER HAS A 1 CM CYST IS NOTEDIN THE MID PORTION OF THE LOBE OF THE LIVER AN ADDITIONAL 7-8 MM CATCULUS IN THE LOWERPOLE OF THE ANTEREROLATERAL SEGMENT OF THE LEVT SIDE OF THE LIVER A SMALL OF AIR IS FOUND IN THEBILLARY TREE.IMAGES OF THE SPLEAN DEMASTRATE MULIPLE SCARERS HYPODENSITTIES AVAGING 5-6 MM WITH THE LARGEST 1.6 CC IN THE MIDDEL OF THE SPLEAM THSES FINDINS CAN BE ASSOCIATATED WITH LYMPHOMA.METASTIC DISEASE OROR LESS LIKELY GRAULLOMATOUS DIESEASEAS SUCH HAS SARCOIDOSIS (BUT I DONT DRINK)THE SPLE HAS GROW MILDLY TO 14.4C M IN LENTH AND 15 CM IN AP DIMETER THE KIDNEY HAS A MILD SMALLRIGHT CALULUS WELL THATS WHAT GONG ON .I BEEN TELLING THE VA DR FOR A LONF TINE FINLE THIS ONE DR LISTEN TOOK ME A SIDE SAID IT WAS VERYS SERIOUS ANS MOVE MY APPT WITH THE UROLIGHT ASP I GO TO MORROW SHE ALSO CALLED ME THE SAME DAY SAID SGE DECIDE TO LOK THREW MY RECORDS A FOUND THAT I WAS PASS BLOOD IN URIOM I ALSO TOD HER I HAVWE PASS ALL BLOOD HERE TO] SHE DONT WHY NOONE TROOK ACTION LIKE WHERE TH BLOOD WAS GOING AND HOME COME IBEEN HURTING SO FOR SO LONG I JUST PRAY THEY DONT NEED TO OPEN ME UP TP SEE THE SPLEAN AND THE LIVE WHAT YOU THINK JIN SORRY TO BOTHER YOUALL BUT IAN SCARED TO DEATH A BROTHER ALWAYS RAY THANKS FOR LISTING RAY
RAY <stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 13:08:56 (MST)
Flight, no snow here in Indiana. Actually, the sun is out right now.....sure cold tho'. Fred, Ron & Mark......all of your descriptions leave us all very envious. Like it was said...... the Atlanta flight was great,but,in one of our birds and one of our pilots...I can't imagine how overwhelmed the three of you are.Hey Alex, when are LZ Orlando resevation forms coming? I've got my rooms reserved.........Gently, do you think we can swing our own "pizza party" again on Friday instead of mixing it up with the whole group? Did Wink mention something about having a party at his house like Ron did at LZ Indy? As I recall at LZ San Antonio,a bunch of us went to a BBQ place on Friday.............anyone have any suggestions?? Gale "Go Colts"
Gale 67-68
USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 10:52:35 (MST)
Hey Kal and Robbie, welcome to my world!! lol Have used my snow blower at least ten times since beginning of December!!! Everyone says its really unusual for Colorado. Mark - sounds like you guys are having the time of your life!! Enjoy and bring lots of photos home!!! Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 10:24:47 (MST)
Kal, I know what you mean. I hadn't used my snow blower more than 2 times in the past two years. Now I have 1 1/2 feet of snow on the ground and lake effect to take place tonight coming off of Lake Ontario. I've had to blow out for the last three days in a row. Once it starts here it doesn't want to stop....Ray, how are you doing? can you get to the puter to send us a msg or have Gail let us know how you are? Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 10:11:32 (MST)
Hey gang... Just blew 15 inches, in places, of the powdery white out of the drive and it is coming at about 4 inches an hour.. We are right in the center of the snowband belt today as it is coming off of Lake Michigan. Must be making up for lost time. My snowblower has had it pretty easy for the last couple years and needs the exercise, as I do too..I know now why I bought such a big snowblower as it had to be in slow crawl mode to get it out of the way. Take care.... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
Saint Joseph, Mich USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 09:17:51 (MST)
Fred, Mark and Ron, glad you guys are having a good time over there. I agree that Phil must be a real great guy to do all of this for you and our unit. Have you seen any of the big sights over there? I wish I could have been there with you while Ron was flying the ship. Atlanta was great, but having one of your own flying the ship would have been the best, and listening in on the commo like Mark said he was doing. I sure do envy you guys. Keep up the posts... We have to live it through you guys. Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 07:14:17 (MST)
http://www.huey.co.uk/rob_tierney.php
David Beckham
Manchester, Lancashire UK - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 06:46:05 (MST)
Hey Gang, Having a super time. Great bunch of people. Wish you all could experience a bit of this. The bird looks like it just came of Bell's assembley line. Phil and the gang did an unbeleavable job with it. You would all be proud of it. The brotherhood extends across the pond. They are truly "one of us." Gotta run. Love and |Brotherhood Ron
Ron Paye
Over the pond - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 04:31:28 (MST)
Greeting and salutations flight. Waiting for the clouds to lift for a flight of two. Flying up to "lake District".We have a guy thats been flying/hanging with us named Rob Tierney, the "chuck yeager" of England. I bet he pops up on google.Fish and chipswas had last night,great stuff,chocklate cake with fresh cream..and beer for me.We were invited to to a very nice familys home. English beer is a well kept secrete.We have been treated like royality,great folks,great time.gotta go.Ron did a great job flying,still as smooth as a babys butt. He grined for hours later..naaa..he is still grinning.
alvis
USA - Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 04:21:11 (MST)
Well,sounds great from over there. As you explained it mark, i can feel it all. the only thing i can say is im jealous but i think they have the right people there & i'm glad for you all. Keep havin a nice trip & take care>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Smitty
jim westwang 71-72
sheridan, wy USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 20:20:28 (MST)
Mark, I've tried phoning, e-mailing, and phoning some more. It's not working. I'm fine. I went into town to get water and a newspaper. I probably missed you by 2 minutes. Keep having a great time, and I'll talk to you tomorrow. Tell everyone there I said hello. dee
Dee Jackson <fourfour@hometowncable.net>
Celina, OH USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 17:26:07 (MST)
Hey Mark, you came close to topping the feelings I had as the wopper started up for the rides at the Atlanta reunion!!... It is great to see your postings on the activities over there and be able to "see" things as they are happening through your eyes. Good to see Mr Paye hasn't lost his toutch too as I sit here with a lot of envy... Take care and have a ball.. Love and brotherhood to all of you... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 16:18:37 (MST)
hi Susan..hey flight....\mr.paye is keeping up the pilots rep..no women safe over here.
alvis
USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 16:08:10 (MST)
Mark, what a great account - had tears in MY eyes just reading it and imagining what a thrill is was to sit and fly in a bit of history!!! And I can't imagine a better representative group of the 129th than you guys! Phil sounds like one of those rare individuals that comes along only now and then. Give him a big handshake from all of us!! I think we should make him an honorary 129th'er. What do you guys think! Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 08:44:13 (MST)
mark,fred and mr paye;glad to hear everyone is getting their wishes.it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys.tell fred to make sure he changes his pants,can't have a yank walking around england with a BIG wet spot causing an international incident.make sure you guys get lots of video. i think i would have loved to have been there just to see your faces. paul
paul mcgrath
oglesby, il USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 08:38:12 (MST)
Mark: Great to see your post. Also, hearing of the experieces that that you,Ron and Fred are having. Telling about the approach of 509. Ron's flight and Fred and the 50. Also your flight in the CE well. Remainds me of the reunion in Atlanta. Hearing the enines whining and the smell of jp/4. It brought tears to almost every crew member there. I was disappointed at the time that I couldn't fly in the CE well. But, as luck held out. That september at the St. Louis Air Show I had the opportunity to work the flight line. And also, got to fly in the CE well a few times. Man!! words can't explain the emotions and feeling you have. We are proud of all three of you. We couldn't have a better group of Brothers representing the 129th. And Thank Phil for his dedication to preserving the history of the 129th with 509. A salute to all of you for a job well done. Always a Brother!!
Alex
USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 08:12:16 (MST)
mark, thanks for the vivite posting of the days events. maybe to vivite, with tears in my eyes an butterflies my stomach i read on.the memories an emotions that was sturred up was well, hard to explain. but if i where still a drinking man i would of gotten a strong drink, but i,m no longer, so i'll stick to my meds.in my mind i could see 509 coming in over the tree tops an coming on final approch. i know most of us fluw in the slick in atlanta ,i tkink, but that day did not stur the emotion i felt today. i guess it means more when it's one of your own. you guys have fun and that phil form all of us for his hard work. wink 3/69-10/70
wink
lake wales, fl USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 07:32:09 (MST)
Mark, I've been sitting here for the last 15 minutes after reading your post, reflecting, wondering what to write. Thanks to you for all you've done to make this site happen. Thanks to Phil and friends for their commitment to 509.....beyond that.....I'm speechless! Hope today goes just as well as yesterday:>)) Ask Alvis if he'll show them how to 'walk the skids' heheheheheheheeeeeeee!clear left and rear
Kim
USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 06:06:40 (MST)
OK Thanks Gale, and who ever made the call to Dee. I really am grateful. Is great to know that as I am 4,000 miles from my door that I have brothers and sisters that will assist me with something back there.....Thanks a bunch............we are waiting on Phil to come and get us. Have know clue what is in store for today. Dont know how they can top yesterday but have feeling that they will.............take care all, love to all, always brothers........Mr. Paye, Fred and Mark
Mark
USA - Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 03:47:21 (MST)
Mark, just got on here. Called Dee(sorry...woke her up)and somebody already called and gave her the numbers.
Gale
USA - Friday, January 26, 2007 at 21:40:12 (MST)
OVER THE POND UPDATE...........gee wizz holly cow..........you will not believe the day that these people had for us today.........Up at 0800 and the 3 of us had breakfast here at our hotel. Then around 0900 Simon comes rollin' up in this original WWII jeep. Ron in his flight suit, me in my shirt that Dan Hertlien gave me that he was promoted in while in Vietnam and commo pants were in the back and Fred was up front. It raced through my mind of how back in WWII that soldiers that were stationed here getting ready for D-Day probably made the same trip that we did in a jeep down the same road. My mind was wondering. The sound of the jeep exhaust and the grinding of the gears. The wind in our faces and the country side. Same contry side that was here in WWII just before the invasion. Mind trip, to say the least. We were headed for a old windmill in a town called Lytham. Across the bay was Liverpool. On the way there Ron says to me, I bet they will have a fly by for us at the windmill as a surprise. Took photos with one guy from the BBC and walked around for a spell with Simon, Ken, Nina, Jo, and a few others. cant remember their names. Anyways, no fly by. We were then told that we were head for an old home that was build in the 1700's. Lytham Hall. Google it and you will be able to read about it.The BBC was there but just said that they were just going to do a short interview with us after they filmed us driving up the lane. We were told it would be a short 15 ,20 minute tour. OK we can do this..But when are we gonna see the "509".........so's this nice brit lil' ole mum is showing us around this fantastic old home that allegably has ghost in it too.......anyways.............after about an hour, longer then what we were told we fianlly get out side and the BBC started to interveiw us. Questioned like how was the trip, How do you fell about Vietnam now, How does the sound of a Huey affect you??????...........all of a suddone, in the back ground behind a tree line about 2 miles away..............WHOOOPPP,WHOOOOP,WHOOOOOP,WHOOOOPPPP....louder and louder it gets. Fred and Rons's heads snap toward that direction just like all of yours would too and then I look. Over the tree line the "509" appears in the distance and is making a direct final to the front yard of the Lytham Hall........emotions are running reckless at this time and the interviewed became silent. All eyes, through mist in them, were glued on the "509" and all ears were tuned to the beautiful song she was singing to us. Gang, I cry as I write this just replaying it in my mind of that sight and sound and feelings and well just everything that was churning at that moment............BUT....it gets better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........they set the "509" in the front courtyard and the crew climbs out. Neal the AC, Phil was the PP, Simons son was the DG and the CE was none other then Rod of the RAF that I spoke about last night. Holly cow. The Lytham Hall, the BBC, the Crew, the ladies just about everyone around had kept this secrct from us that this is the way we would be introduced to the "509". Gang, what a beautiful bird she is.............absolutly outstanding shape.................anyways.........Even Phil had tears in his eyes. I'm telling you gang. Phil is a special man that is out to keep your memories alive. The whole dang lot of them is.................anyways the BBC films Ron and Fred and I in just a short lift off while Fred is ripping off short busts from the 50 in the CE well Maybe at 50 ft.......then they set down and we all chat for a spell around the bird. The 3 of us were on top her checking out the blades and engine and the short shaft climbing all over her. I bet for an half an hour our feet never touched the grounf. Maybe longer. Awesome brother' and sisters..awesome..................anyways then we are told that Fred and I and one of the camera men will be taking the "509" back to the airport. YAAAAHOOOOOO......I made the request if I could ride the CE well and was granted. My eyes have once again witnessed the sights that Larry's did...first time I was hooked up on the commo too.....can't say much more about that........you guys know what I mean. That's coming pretty close to Larry is all I can say. REAL CLOSE...anyways......our pilot was none other then Rob the RAF faimed pilot of stealing hueys from Argintins.........what a smooth ride. 10 minutes at 500ft.......from the air there are bomb crators visiable that the Germans made from WWII........anyways we do not land at the airport. Rob puts her down in Phils back yard a bits out in the country after the horse and lammas got out of the way. Man what a smooth ride she was.....BUT wait, thats not all......after a "spot of tea and some crisps"....aaaa shucks, Gently is right....he,he,he,he.........anyways.........Now dig this...........on the flight over the pond, I ask Ron I bet you would like to get your hands on the controls of that bird. His reply was any good pilot would natually give another pilot a chance to have some stick time...........I relayed that to Phil the next day and so out at his farm they we were told that the ones flying the bird back to the airport would be Neal the Pilot Ron, and a few on the ladies. Ones that work for Phil but have never flown in the Huey. At this time. Neal calls out the names of those picked for the mission and when he calls Ron's name he say, " and Mr. Paye, you will be in the drivers seat.......HOLLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!emotions runnin' rampart again.........When ask the last time he had a stick in his hands, (other then his own, Bahahaha) Ron replyed 18 years ago..............Time for the flight, All are straped in........the fires are lit, the turbin starts to whine and the blades start to rotate........the machine does it's lil' whobble and comes up to speed. Thunmbs up is given and as the "509" gently, and I mean ever some beautifully gently raises off the ground, Neal lifts boths hands up in the air to give the signale that Ron has the stick. In a soft, straight up motion Ron lifts her up and genlty tilts her nose and off she goes into the wild blue yonder. You would of though he had just left the controlls 5 minutes ago instead of 18 years ago.........I absolutly outstanding job. I officailly decree that from this ponit on Ron shall be known as MR.PAYE..............lets put it this way, although it will be a few days if not ever that the grinn wears off Ron and Freds faces, that is not what will be the cause the niether of them will have no problem not rolling out of bed tonight......ha,ha,ha,ha,,,,,,,,,,,................awesome.......gang................I wish all of you could be here........unbelieveable.........and all the things I said about these people treating us so kindly............it has doubled since yesterday. WE will be getting CD's , photos and the such of anything that has been recorded or photographed. even the outtakes and the snipits...............love to you all, and to all a goday from Bloody ole England..................what the heck will be in store for us tomorrow...........these people are wonderful...................all our love, PS write soon....................missing you all..................always brothers. Mr. Paye, CE Fred Alvis, and me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!God Bless, you...........Oh yea......after all that we spent 3 hours in the pub for dinner and the such.............PS.tell dad not to work so hard..........................................................
Mark
USA - Friday, January 26, 2007 at 19:44:29 (MST)
Can I designate a soul to contact Dee at 419-678-4697 and give her these numbers. No emergency I just want her to ahve them. I was talking to her earlier but the phone I had ran out of credit..My hotel number is +04401772684696 Room 19. Phils office number is +0441772687775 and his cell phone is +0447836687775. Gale would you do that please and then post it in here that contact has been made with her in the next 6 hours. You could call her tonight if you like and tell her about my phone going bad. FLIGHT, if Gale does not post in the next 6 hours that contact has been made can another one of you do it. After that amount of time it will be shortly after that that I will be able to call her again myself......thank gang..now....for and UPDATE...........always a brother
Mark
USA - Friday, January 26, 2007 at 18:38:22 (MST)
Hello Flight...........I want to post this and then I will come back in and give an update. Can I designate one of you to call Dee at home which is 419-678-4697 and give here these numbers. I was talking to her but the phone I was useing ran out of credit.My hotel number is this +04401772684696, room 19. Or these 2 numbers +0441772687775 (Phil's office) or +0447836687775 ( Phil's Cell) There is no need for her to call me right away. Just let her know the numbers. She will call me later today.........Gale would you do that, and I gues if you get through to her will you post it here so others won't make the same call. If it doesn't get posted in here in say in 6 hours then would somebody else do it until it comes up in here that she has been contacted and has those numbers. Like I said, no emergency, just want her to have these numbers..............Love you guys.....always a brother........
Mark
USA - Friday, January 26, 2007 at 18:31:59 (MST)
Mark, sounds like you're having a good time and the guys are treating you like royalty. It's kind of like that picture I took of you in Louisville in that chair in the hotel when we got so $%^&*#ed up. By the way, my toilet flushes on the left also...?????Take lots of pics Mark.. Love ya Brother. Rob
Robbie
Rochestere, NY USA - Friday, January 26, 2007 at 15:04:46 (MST)
Oh geez....I bet they all come back with British accents(and skirts to wear at Kokomo). I talked to Ray today....@$#%$#&&)^()*_)_!@$!@# VA! Keep him in your prayers. L-Gently
Gently
USA - Friday, January 26, 2007 at 13:50:33 (MST)
Mark & the guys, hope you guys are really having a good time there. Make sure that whatever they do for the BBC you get a tape or better DVD of it. They should know how to get something on NTSC instead of PAL or better yet HD. All we have here right now is an antenna and last night was whatching a BBC news report, but lost the signal out of Indy. So hope to read more post from you all tonight..
Ken Strong Jr 72-73
Lafayette, IN USA - Friday, January 26, 2007 at 12:38:33 (MST)
I think they're called the Falkland Islands. The brits kicked the Argentines out after some pretty hairy episodes. The U.S. press made it out to be a cake walk, but most anyone who was involved will say it was a pretty nasty affair. Mark, it reads like you're associating with a pretty amazing guy there. Enjoy the ride :>))
Kim
USA - Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 19:18:23 (MST)
the first post should read "Couldn't" have been more nicer. The second one does........Goday from Jolly ole' England mates....................
Mark
USA - Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 16:51:09 (MST)
Back at the hotel. 2300 here now. 5 hours diff from the east coast of USA. Had a wonderful supper at a place in some little town near by. Can't recall the name. Phil (owner of the "509" and his wife Jo. Simon ( of the BBC ) and his wife Nina. Neal ( Med chopper pilot and "509" pilot) and his girlfriend Heather. And a guy named Rob from south England. Story about Rob is his was in the battle to get the Faulkrins (spelling), back from Argentina and went down there and stold a huey from them and used it against them during the battle back then. Interesting guy with loads of stoies. We have been told to gear up for flight in the "509" in the morning. To wear layered clothing because it will be chilly. When we ask Phil what else was planed for tomorrow allhe would say is," I'm not tellin'". That would be lettin' the cat outta the bag. So who knows whats in store tomorrow. I'll tell ya flight. These folks round here couldn't have been more nicer to us. What hospitality they have shown. It only raises my awearness that we as (the 129th) being realted to them by the "509" have to do more to help their cause out. They are bending over backwards with heart felt ambision to help the history and memory of the 129th alive. We need to support them more in any way we can. My time is running out on this machine so will sign off for now. I thank you for the oppertunity to represent all f of you this upcoming days. God Bless..............I love you all..............always brothers....Fred, Ron, and Mark........................
Mark
USA - Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 16:48:19 (MST)
Back at the hotel. 2300 here now. 5 hours diff from the east coast of USA. Had a wonderful supper at a place in some little town near by. Can't recall the name. Phil (owner of the "509" and his wife Jo. Simon ( of the BBC ) and his wife Nina. Neal ( Med chopper pilot and "509" pilot) and his girlfriend Heather. And a guy named Rob from south England. Story about Rob is his was in the battle to get the Faulkrins (spelling), back from Argentina and went down there and stold a huey from them and used it against them during the battle back then. Interesting guy with loads of stoies. We have been told to gear up for flight in the "509" in the morning. To wear layered clothing because it will be chilly. When we ask Phil what else was planed for tomorrow allhe would say is," I'm not tellin'". That would be lettin' the cat outta the bag. So who knows whats in store tomorrow. I'll tell ya flight. These folks round here could have been more nicer to us. What hospitality they have shown. It only raises my awearness that we as (the 129th) being realted to them by the "509" have to do more to help their cause out. They are bending over backwards with heart felt ambision to help the history and memory of the 129th alive. We need to support them more in any way we can. My time is running out on this machine so will sign off for now. I thank you for the oppertunity to represent all f of you this upcoming days. God Bless..............I love you all..............always brothers....Fred, Ron, and Mark........................
Mark
USA - Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 16:46:51 (MST)
Mark, Fred, and Ron... enjoy the time there! We're looking forward to seeing the photos. Does ANYONE out there (more likely in the Class of 1971) possibly have a photo of James Michael Young (KIA June 1971)? Lurch, Dan Baxter, Tom Hausman? I'd like to get his image put into Bill's book.
Dave
USA - Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 16:13:47 (MST)
Hey Gang, We are here. Got in this morning aroung 0700 time here. Awesome flight, absolutly a blessing. All is going well. Have been down to Phils house and met his wife and some of the crew there. Simon has been follwing us around with a cam corder every where we go. He works for the BBC. And tomorrow there will be more film crews here. Eat at A locale pub already and then got a li' sleep and then went down to Neals hanger. He is the medavac local pilot round here and pilot of the "509". In a bits we are headed out to a place to eat and meet up with some more people. Not only do they drive on the left side of the road , they flush on the left side of the camod here. Strange.........Susan, Fred says hi and we all say hey to all of you over here. What an oppertunity to be here for all of you..............will try and give a daily update ..............Have I told you guys that I loved you yet today........God Bless.............always a brother...........
Mark
USA - Thursday, January 25, 2007 at 12:04:34 (MST)
BOOK UPDATE: I need to get good emails for the following folks: Doc Hyatt, Jack Hustwit, Keith Weisheit, Kim Lavoie, and Gerald Morgan. If you are one of these or know them, please send the good email address to me via email - need to send them some info reference the book. If you haven't sent me a Before (NAM) and After (now) photo of yourself to include in the book, please do so ASAP. I'm shooting to send this thing to the publisher just after mid-february. Thanks. Bill
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 10:14:03 (MST)
Good Luck on the other side of the Pond guys!!! Take lots of pictures for the book!!! Be sure to stay dry - remember, Englands national flower is mildew!!! God keep you safe. Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 08:30:20 (MST)
Please dont mention Jane. That "Un-American" doesnt deserve the "honor" to get mentioned on this page.
Bruno E Sanchez
Laredo, Tx USA - Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 07:36:52 (MST)
Have a good one, i can't imagine Fred loose in England with all that Guinness, someone keep a watch on him, Neat thing you are able to do.Photos plz>>> Smitty
jim westwang 71-72
Sheridan, wy USA - Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 05:08:07 (MST)
Fred........Check, rgr................see ya later..............always a brother............
Mark
USA - Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 04:35:38 (MST)
MARK..dont forget your passport
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 21:08:58 (MST)
kal; no they were 2nd and 3rd class petty officers from the newlondon ct. coast guard station.it was my brother in laws funeral. i'm letting it ride for a few days to see if i get any less pissed. then i don't know for sure what i'll do. but i think i'll suggest a few days of extra duty learning how to fold the flag. if you recieve an assignment and you don't know how to complete the assignment then you should make it known before hand to your superior. there were 3 of them and they could have given him the dumb end of the flag.i think they were all guilty of stupidity.i got their names now i'm waiting to see if i cool off.
paul mcgrath
oglesby, il USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 20:03:20 (MST)
Paul, were these active duty types? I know our local VFW and Legion posts have volinteers doing most of the local funeral honor guard duties. They are volunteers and have requested more help as a lot of their regulars have gone south for the winter. I know if I was to do it that I'd probably mess it up more than a few times B4 getting it right.. They were probably more imbarassed than you were POd..not that it was right...Practice make perfect.. Take care... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 19:16:27 (MST)
Paul,you might want to go a little higher than their CO. The co gets his butt chewed,and it WILL NOT happen again.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 18:44:10 (MST)
flight; first goodluck to the guys going to the uk. second does anybody know where i can get hold of a copy of the poem about the passing of a soldier. i don't remember if i saw it here or elsewhere.third how pissed would you be if you were at a funeral for a fellow vet and the honor guard did not know how to fold the flag and had to redo it a couple times.should i call their co or just let it pass. any answers would be appreciated. i have 12 year old kids in scouts that know how to fold the flag. see ya in kokomo paul
paul mcgrath
oglesby, il USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 18:41:35 (MST)
Heck Gale, if you aint doing nothing,come on by and see us off. Take some pics..we ALL wantto kiss Debbie goodby..hehehehe.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 18:36:08 (MST)
Oh, for those wanting to check out the facts,he is on the POW list. Greg Hanson
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 18:34:24 (MST)
Fred, Mark, Ron.......you guys have fun and take lots of pics. See you all in a few days. Gale
Gale
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 18:31:57 (MST)
About the Orlando reunion. I have just invited my uncle to stop by our unit room. He lives kinda close to there.I hope he accepts. Does he belong there? Make up your own mind.He was in the Navy,flying fast movers over Laos,Cambodia,and North Vietnam. He was shot down (1972?)by a Mig,air to air missle.Captured and was in the Hanio Hilton for a few years. He was there when Jane did her thing. Anyway,I am trying to talk him into dropping by. As you can imagine,this is a difficult thing for him to do. We will see.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 18:31:33 (MST)
Mark, Talked to Ron tonight. He will meet us at the airport at noon. I told him of the last email,requesting for us to bring pics of when we were over there,including Larry. Ron said he has already bought a few "pounds". $100 dollars = 45 pounds at todays exchange rate.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 18:23:15 (MST)
Mark, send me your new e-mail addy! Thanks
Gale
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 08:58:57 (MST)
Flight, the weather at LZ Manchester,UK looks favorable for a successful mission. Other then the fact that it will be cold with some rain with a couple days of some sun. Not sure of exactly what days they are going to be doing the filming...........
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 05:39:40 (MST)
Ok Fred............Dee leaves for school around 7:15. I will set out after that. Usualy takes 1 1/2 hours to get to kids house in Fishers so a lil' longer to your place. I'll be there. Where are we meeting up with Ron?...............
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 05:25:52 (MST)
Mark,I think we should go in on a couple of cartons of cigerttes for them.They cost $100 a carton there,about $35 here.
alvis
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 18:21:25 (MST)
Mark, they want you to be there 2 hours early for "overseas" flights. We need to leave my house about noon.,.My phone number is 317-272-1725.We screen the calls thru an answering machine,so dont freak out.My adress is 881 Seabreeze Dr.,Avon In.46123.Getting to my house from yours..Take 465 around to the west side of Indy ,approaching the airport ,FROM the north.At the 10th street exit, take 10th street WEST.You are now about 5 miles from my house.At about a mile,you will pass a high/jr high school on your right(north). Another 1/2 mile you will go under a railroad track.Continue on straight.The road changes from 10th street to 100 county road.( you cant tell the differance except for the sign)The last traffic light you come to,there will be a big (new) hospitial on your right (north). At the 3rd new housing area on the left (south),turn left.Thats Lakeland Farms and yes,there is a sign.If you get to a traffic light that has a school/church on both sides of the road,you have gone about 3 blocks to far.Anyway,when you turn into Lakeland farms..go to the end of the street,turn right.Again,go to the end of that street,turn right.We live in a single story home surrounded by two story homes.Its about 5 houses up the street, perhaps 3 from the end on the right (east) side of the street.Its funny,I cant google in my house number,but i can get the one down the street. I can see my house. Its an old picture,the privicy fence i built,is still in its 2 bundles, in the back yard.Across the street you can see a huge old ,oak tree,in the back yard.
alvis
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 18:14:30 (MST)
To the team heading to England: You guys have a great and safe trip. Mark - be sure to get some good photos of the gang and the ship for the book!!! Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 16:58:51 (MST)
Somehow, "Cavemen" seems to work too... Kim, yep did Snoopy missions too. Those were pretty creepy, especially into the Suoi Cau or An Lo areas.
Dave
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 13:48:32 (MST)
Bruno, as I recall the EM club was on the other side of the hill from the 129th hooches. Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 12:10:05 (MST)
FRED ALVIS..........Need your phone number. need to know how to get to your house. What time do I need to be there on Wednesday sos we can get to then airport on time. Don't they request you to be the a couple of hours early nowwa days? or call me...419-678-4697 or 419-733-3154...........always ............
Mark
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 11:40:34 (MST)
Fred, Where exactly was the "EM" Club??? The NCO club was "somewhere" on the top of the hill. But, I don't remember where the EM club was.
Bruno E Sanchez
Laredo, tx USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 09:32:53 (MST)
Hey gang, regarding the request for info on the 129th between 1973 and 1979 - disregard! Got the info. Bill (btw - the "Bulldogs" and "Cobras" are now the "Cavemen" - B Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 82nd Aviation Regiment at Ft Bragg). There will be a page on them in the book along with their logo._
Bill Wolf
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 09:25:39 (MST)
I Just missed out on complete tail rotor chain on ebay. Sold for $301.40..............always ............
Mark
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 09:02:43 (MST)
Ken, it would be awesome to include those stories in the book. I would also like to get a copy of the tape recording and maybe use it in one of my videos. I'm trying to get everything done by mid-February, so if you can expedite it I would appreciate it. Bill
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Monday, January 22, 2007 at 08:43:25 (MST)
So nice to hear the owner, coach and one of the players of the Colts interviewed give the glory to God first. Then talk about the game. Fred and Ron, I am bringing our daughters lap top along on the trip. I ask David the web master if it would be possible to get an daily update posted from us and he said he probably could handle it. England will never be the same after the coming week;-))))......always a brother............Mark
Mark
USA - Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 21:20:19 (MST)
sorry Kim,but, YES ,the Colts won...superbowl.here we come.
alvis
USA - Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 20:28:56 (MST)
Bill,about that time for the 129th, I was at Ft Benning and remember reading about the unit at Bragg. I was understanding that the colors were retired, achived until they were brought back to the unit. After that I watched as the 121st AHC was boxed up and again with another company. I am going to send pictures in responce to your email, but besides Larry Lackey who I have been talking to is WO Lee Hendrix. We talked for three hours one night last month and could write a chapter with the two times he was shot down within a few days of each other. He is also the one that had a tape recorder connected to the intercom on one of the missions where the gunner and CE were both hit with the same 51 round sending them home. I will try to call him this week and make sure he got the email. Flight, have a good week and brothers I hope everyone the best with medical problems.
Ken Strong Jr 72-73
Lafayette, IN USA - Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 16:25:08 (MST)
MEMORY TEST: Need someone to fill in a history gap for the book: I know the 129th left Nam in March 1973. And it became part of the 82nd Combat Aviation Battalion in July 1979 at Ft Bragg. WHAT WAS IT DOING AND WHERE BETWEEN 1973 AND 1979. (I have its history after 1979 so just need that period 73-79). If you have the info, please email it to me or, if that's no possible, post it here. Thanks. Bill
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 14:37:47 (MST)
When I got to the 129th....First day my "handlers", were to show me around the An Son (Lane) and get me settled in........First place they took me was the EM Club to "drink lunch" and after being sociable for a few beers......I was hammered at 2 o`clock in the afternoon. Being that I wasn`t much of a drinker.....I went to my hooch and fell asleep. And I could hear "people" walking through the hooch, and they stop at my bunk and say, "Who`s this friggin guy".......But in the next "cubicle" was Sancho......Al Sanchez.....da man......Sancho introduced himself....and checked me out..... Then used a line right out of the movie, "Platoon"........"You be cool Fred, and later on I`ll introduce you to "the heads".........Sancho very quickly, "hip me" to the "clicks" of the 129th.......That was the first thing I noticed about the 129th.....lots of "clicks"......I think that`s what motivated me to stay to myself.......I hated clicks......So when Sancho took me to meet, "the heads"......Most of them were from "Dust-Off"........But by being exposed to the "Dust-Off Cafe" crowd.....most of my friends and buddy`s came from there. Now of course, Sgt. Meeks, gave me the "lowdown" on who "not to hang with" in the 129th......."the party crowd".......So I made a effort to stay away from the 129th gang......because they knew who they were and was gonna try to bust them.........So I stayed to myself and would keep my "stash" over at "dust-off"......At some point, I`m sure, I was kinda of a enigma.......Charlie Solomon would always ask me me," Where do you go at night Skaggs"?.......I maintained a good relationships with my 129th brothers.....I just didn`t want to get caught up in the BS
Fred Skaggs
Somewhere in, NJ USA - Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 07:19:33 (MST)
Hi guy whot would make me mad was the 60 they had brand new one & the one we had was a bout worned out I felt like graving one of those little turd burer & get his 60 & throw his ass out & them little S OF PP COULD FLY WORTH A DAM I LOST A 35 mm movie camer it blow off the seat & I watch it land in rice patty I was climing out of there I going to hit that sucker in the head with a pice of pipe I had with me but my AC stop me I told him the next one that does it I dont care if they bust me to E1 & the C they were geting were pretty new & when I was a grunt you were glad to see some that were caned in 1945 & you looked for peaches & pound CAKE it was the best thing in C well the wife got home & my daughter & her but hole other half . take care Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 20:29:25 (MST)
WOW Smitty and Fred......like sittin' here readin' a history book. WOW man......End of 71 I was on Okinawa. The unit I was with, H&MS 36 (Head Quarters and Maintenance Squadron)Had returned from Vietnam in March of 71. I got there in June. I left in January of 72 and they went back to Vietnam in March. What a quirk of fate...........always a brother..........
Mark
USA - Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 17:39:26 (MST)
ok,anyone remember going on the mission to find the downed civilian aircraft that took off from Quin Hon? It missed clearing the mountian top. perhaps 30 or 40 dead.We found the wreckage and the bodies.
alvis
USA - Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 15:22:09 (MST)
Ray, it was good talking to you the other day. Sorry you're hurting. I'll keep a good thought for you. You know I love you Brother....Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 09:02:32 (MST)
I came to te 129th in late spring of 71. Not but a few days & the guy from avionics on lsd tried to steal the ship & fly to the states. Lots of pics of that crashed by the 1st plt line shack. We did some CA missions but a lot of it was ash & trash, resupply mostly to the outposts. At some point here Jimmy Young was KIA. We always flew with a Korean RTO & seems like they were always wanting something. There was one of those Large deer south of lane & he wanted it. AC flew back, gunner tried to shoot but guns jammed, tailed the ship around at a high hover & i put about 15 rds in the back of its head. The rto,gunner, & myself tried to get it but to no avail. We had to get the PP out of the ship & finally loaded it. We took it straight to op-6 & they already had a fire going thanks to the RTO. they gave us a bunch of stuff including 2 cases of crown korean beer which i fondly remember drinking most of. I would not find out until the Indy reunion that the AC was Cpt (baccer)Baxter & PP was Gary Carlson (baron). Still cant remember who the gunner was.Johnny D Durden (cpt) was co & Cpt Bish Xo. We would not get Maj Jones till later. I flew c&c with Cpt Durden on a couple ca's & began to dislike him. A number of times we got a few lead ships shot up before he would call in tac air to soften it up. Then finally 1 flight in the lz, then 2, then cold. Rok very efficient, sure have a lot of respect for them. Thay used black Jack pershings rules & i remember 1 guy went awol & was executed by firing squad in their compound (cant remember date).Summer went on & we flew our missions, very long days but still managed to pour a few down at night. To Dney the fact that there were racial tensions as well as a hard drug problem in the unit would be a lie.We tried to keep Heroin users in the motor pool & away from maint or flight. I was on the famous Typhoon run to Phan Rang (legendary) with the tearing up of the place & theft of a lot of items,including 2 great woven wicker chairs that belonged to the General. They were searched for but well hidden in officers Country & never found ,we were inviter never to return to Phan rang. The Typhoon went North but as we went through South pass, i remember gaining & losing 1000ft just like that. Never got sick but in all my flying time that was the closest. I remember a time when we went in South of lane quite a way. Shadow (Alton Page) at the helm,cant remember pp or gunner but was probably willie from miss. We went down in a 1 ship LZ & out came a Squad of Roks with Dinks hot on their tail. lots of firing i was hot & had to be careful as they were coming from my side. took a couple in the skid, tail boom & rotor disc. Shadow being very brave & smart, would not pull pitch till we had all 11 or so on & the yanked in collective. Max Power. As we topped the ridge the pp said he saw the torquemeter coming down through 60# i looked up & still >50. we flew a few miles down the valley & set down. I inspected everything i could & seemed to find no damage. We called Lane & circle red x for 1 time flt. let koreans off , returne to Lane & into PE. I actually believe that Shadow, thru his actions, saved our lives because if we had to go back for 1 or 2 grunts we'd have been shot to pieces. He should have a DFC for this but hindsight is 20-20. I have been staying with him at some of the reunions & love him like a brother. Spent a lot of time with Crazy Fred Alvis as he was my gunner for some time. A real question on who was crazier but i think we made it bearable. Another one i love. His memory is better than mine & he writes well. I had put a .50 cal on my side of the ship for firefly. Destroyed a concrete hootch with it one night. As fred alluded to LZ english, Salem, & orange got hit on the same night as part of a small offensive The dates escape me. We were in the air on firefly & covered lz Salem as it had been overrun & i remember firing the 50 to the outside of the wire hoping to god not to hit any friendlies until 2 gun teams were scrambled & one got on station. Seemed like an hr but was more like 20 min. Boy did the guns raise hell. It may very well have been in response to this buildup that we had the large CA, inserting 3 companies of roks somewhere south of Bong Son. We left them 2-3 weeks & when they called for extraction, they asked for a Chinook?? well we went in with one & they filled it with captured weapons (no prisoners). they displayed them in the Korean compound & there are pics of them. Fall 71, Vietnamesation was beginning in ernest. they were turning over fire control areas to the arvns & we were being continually denied permission to fire. We also began to get vnaf pilots. This is when i started going downhill, nightmares,drinking more etc. My attitude was shit & when i complained about not being able to fire back a few times, they sent me to a shrink in quinhon who said i was gun crazy & lighten up or some shit. Then early one Am Fall 72 late, we were called to a radio station on a small island off QuiNhon. It had been Mortared heavily from shore during the night. When we landed, they put a Dead American on our ship , covered with a sheet. he had been caught under a falling beam & burned to death. We lifted & were going to graves reg. in QuiNhon when i got the Mortar crew in sight. Requested permission to fire 3x & was denied. I was furious. Fred said it took a week to calm me down.I got in an argument with the xo & said i was going to quit flying but i loved flying. I think the only thing that saved our asses in late 71/early 72 was the NVA/vc fear of the Koreans or we would have been toast. God Bless Them. My memory has a lot of holes in it, still have the nightmares, probs sleeping & all the other stuff you guys have. They say i have Chronic ptsd with rules of engagement issues & Diabetes 2 related to agent orange exposure. All this being said, i would go again if they would just give us a fair chance to win. Some people i served with i loved, some i hated. I guess it is that way with all things. regardless of who you were & are, you will always have my undying respect>>>>>Smitty
jim westwang 71-72
Sheridan, wy. USA - Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 07:31:52 (MST)
Fred, I remember Cpt. Sudman as the ops officer. Sudsy? I haven't ever seen him post here though. Christmas 71 I was in Long Binh, with the 120th and HHC, 1st Ave. Bde. It seems that we covered a snoopy in November that got all screwed up because of weather. The Koreans were looking into the area west and southwest of us for any signs of a buildup. They got into some contact inland from Tuy Hoa as a result of a snoopy that turned into quite a fracus. I think we talked about it on this site, Dave Powers was in snoopy low........in the guns during the latter half of 71, we spent a lot of time doing reaction force duties at many bases. It seems funny when I relate to some of hte vets from the early years that LZ English was a fraction of it's size from 66. Anh Khe was all but deserted. The funky forth at Pleiku was leaving, Tuy Hoa was a ghost town. We flew from Bong son clear to Duc Pho to provide cover for a medivac one evening, about an hour each way. Low fuel lights never impressed me, made the minutes seem like hours :>))......getting back to that snoopy. We put in at Anh Khe because of the weather, spent the night sleeping? with my 60. ( the place was pretty much deserted, and the cidg's weren't happy to have helicopters sitting there, grounded by the weather)Next morning after things cleared up, we flew south of anh Khe on a 2 ship sight seeing tour, pretty country, little clearings with water falls, deep pools, streams every where. The hair on the back of my neck was itching like crazy! As beautiful as the country side was, I couldn't help but feel that we were going to get into a big fight at any moment. Funny...after we got back to the scrub country inland from Miami beach, we relaxed, shot a couple deer, and came home.
Kim
USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 19:32:30 (MST)
Alex, Fred, am looking forward to the feedback!!! I've add some more to those missing years including the battle of an khe pass where we lost 3 people. The draft is now 242 pages and I'm expecting it to be at least 300 by the time its ready for print. I've done a LOT of formatting and editing since your drafts. But I'm mostly interested in any corrections you found!! I just sent out about 100 emails to 129th people trying to again encourse them to send me stuff. Got some positive emails and a couple phone calls. Thanks again. Fred, I need the exact name of the 129th corporation as it will actually hold the copyright and be the recipient of any profits. I'll want to talk with you on the phone at some point on some of those type of logistics. Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 17:23:14 (MST)
speaking of the book...we need input..smitty,kim,freddy,animal,shadow,Ken,larry lackey,lurch,baron...we need the history for 71,72...any of you guys remember the historian? what was that big assed CA in late 71..the PZ was over at the ROK airstrip? Dennis, do you remember the tail numbers of the bird that was lost xmas of 71?Anyone remeber going on a snoopy low with me ,just east of the An Khe pass and to th south? we ended up hitting a monsoon rain squal and the pilots told us to stick our heads out the doors to tell them if anything was in the way..we were looking for somebody or something,cant remember.Anyone remember that bird that the ROKS walked into in the pz,running down the hill? the bird crashed and rolled down the hill,we took some ROKS into the hospitial lz..maybe in Tuy Hoa or Quin Hon,,again,cant remember.Smitty,about the time we were on fire fly stanf by,,LZ english got hit hard and they scrambled the guns,,,anyone remember? Me and someone had gotten the mission to throw out flare canisters...only about one in 6 worked. common guys,the pages are empty for 71.72.
alvis
USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 16:10:48 (MST)
Gently: I called and talked to Ray. All we can do is pray for him and Gail. I know Gail will get him to these Doctors. Ray knows he can call me any time if he needs me. Hope everyone has a safe weekend. Bill I have read the rough draft. I have seen some area's that need corrected. thr history part was good. I will get the draft back to you with what I think needs corrected. Always A Brother.
Alex
USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 15:50:07 (MST)
Ray, we will be praying for you at our house.I remember when i had to have the heart surgery & was so scared. Please keep us posted. I love you both. Jesus Fred, What a story, i didn't think i was that bad >>>>>>love & respects to all>>>> Smitty
jim westwang 71-72
Sheridan, wy USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 15:44:20 (MST)
Hey Ray, my prayers are with you.. I was wondering why you hadn't been on the messenger. What bothers me is why the doc is waiting till the 29th. It seems that with the concers she had expressed she would be in the "get right to it" mode. Take care bud and I am pulling for you... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 10:55:07 (MST)
Ray, keep positive thoughts in your mind. Know that we are all pulling for you and you are in our thoughts and prayers. Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 09:11:06 (MST)
HELLO FLIGHT, WELL THE DR CALLED BACK AGAIN , I ASKED GER HOW BAD IT REALY WAS, SHE SAI BY THE PAPER ITS BAD. THAT IS WHY SHE IS PUSHING SO HARD FOR THE TEAST TO GET SOME BIOPSIES' I KNOW FOR SURE ON THE 29TH BUT I HURT SO BAD. BUT SHE IS VERY CONSENED ' SO I GUSS I WAIT TILL JAN 29th I LET YOU KOW I LOOK HERE NOW AND THEN TAKE ALL OF YOU. GOING BACK ON COUCH ABROTHER ALWAYS RAY I LET U KNOW IF I HEAR ANY THING
RAY <stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Friday, January 19, 2007 at 08:43:02 (MST)
I talked to Ray today, Gently said it right, our friend is pretty nervous. Ray in going in for some test Jan 29th.I told hom thats a good sign...jan,29th =129th. I told him we will see him in orlando..not to worry.
alvis
USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 20:25:10 (MST)
Hi GUY RAY phone no. I like to talk to him & let him know how I feel & how GOD can help he help me & cleared up the polyts that the DOC,S told me that I would have in me for the rest of my life but they were not. just for a short one they are NOT A ONE IN SIDE OF ME & Glenda & ME are praying for YOU Art.
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA> USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 18:32:49 (MST)
Please keep our dear Ray in your prayers. HE is facing a poissible diagonis of cancer and needs our prayes. He's frightened and could use a phone call or two. He can't sit very long due to the extreme pain it causes, so he hasn't been on his computer. Our dear friend is worried and in great pain...he needs us. Love-Gently
Gently
USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 14:28:25 (MST)
Fred Alvis - if you have a picture of you from Nam, can you scan it and email or mail it to me? Thanks. Bill Wolf
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 12:59:36 (MST)
was just gping thru some of my old writting..grrr at Bill(chuckle)..and thought I would post this again..there were a few reasons i wrote it,one was for gently..more of this is true than isnt,,forgive the language but thats how i remember it... Start of the day. Damn alarm clock sounds like bells on a fire engine. Way too early to be up, shouldn’t have stayed over at Smitty’s (Jim Westwang’s) hootch so late playing Spades, smoking bong son bombers and drinking. Gotta quit that shit and start getting some sleep. Where did that damn hootch maid put my clean Nomax? Gonna have to say something next time I see her. Walk outside, not caring if the door slams behind me. Jeez, it’s still almost dark, mists are still at ground level. Feels cool now, but going to be a hot one again. Light up a mandatory smoke before going inside the latrine to take my morning piss. Place stinks worse than usual; I let the smoke drift up to my nose to cover the smell. Open the door, check for spiders, snakes, rats or bugs. Don’t find any, so I take my task in hand, finish the job, and let the door slam behind me. Someone, still in bed, yells, "Damn, you’re a noisy bastard, Alvis." “Fuck um,” I think. Walk over to the mess hall thinking, “Damn, I sure would hate to have their job; those guys must get up at 4 in the morning and work all day. Sure glad I'm on a flight crew.” As I walk into the mess hall, I see Smitty sitting with a few other chiefs, all grumbling no doubt, about lazy ass gunners. Grab some coffee, toast, eggs. SOS looks like crap this morning, so I stay away from it. Damn, my head hurts. Smitty looks over at me, smiles, makes some noises about how fine the day is. Yeah, right, it’s still goddamn nighttime to me. I notice a few pilots at the other end of the mess hall talking amongst themselves, no doubt about how lazy the gunners are. I take a seat next to Smitty, and he tells me we're going up to An Khe and Pleiku today. Be sure to have some C rations; it’s going to be a long day. Finish my first cuppa joe, noticed the sky has brightened and so has my attitude. Our AC, Shadow (Alton Page) has already left so we know its time to drift down toward the flight line. Smitty tells me to grab the guns and he will meet me at the ship. I drag my boots a little, trying to scuff up the "newness" of them, a sure sign of a FNG. Buckling my guns to their mounts, I try and stay out of the way of Shadow and Smitty pre-flighting. Checking the ammo cans, I see it rained again last night; water has collected in the bottom, rust starting to show on the .30 caliber links. Shit, I think, should have put them inside the cabin last night. I change the ammo (with Smitty giving me one of those looks that says, “You should have stored them inside last night, you lazy asshole, FNG,” and, “You trying to get us killed?” looks). Mr. Page saw this also. (Sigh) I will not let it happen again. Smitty and I help the pilots slide their armor plating backs up into position, it being hard for them to do strapped in. We hop in, plug in our coms, and wait while the preflight checklist is completed. In just a few seconds (they had started while we buckled in) we hear Shadow say, "Well, let’s light the fires." I quickly lean out the door and make sure I haven’t left the rotor tie down strap on. As the shrill scream of the Lycoming L-13 engine starts to increase, I watch the blades start to turn, slowly, then faster than the eye can follow. I clear my side of the aircraft, Smitty clears his and adds, " Tail is clear." Mr. Page comes to a hover and we hear over the intercom,” Everything is in the green." Shadow backs up, going about 2 mph faster than a hover, talking to Lane Tower, getting instructions for taxi and take off. I noticed the sun was just coming into view, another beautiful Vietnamese sunrise. Shadow responds to Lane’s final words, which are always...”Have a good day.” We start our take off, passing thru transitional, and up we go. Looking for aircraft that Lane Tower advised us of, we report them to the pilots as we spot them. ”Aircraft at 2 o'clock sir." "Roger that, thank you," or "Got ‘em, thank you," they respond. Thanks to Smitty’s advice, I had mounted a C ration can on the infeed side of my 60. I watched the ammo belt slap around in the 100 mph breeze. The can kept the ammo feeding just right so it wouldn’t get hung up when - not if - we needed it. Flying at first in a northerly direction to get around where the mountains ended at Lane, we reached altitude, then turned west, inland toward An Khe. Following the river and highway 19. Looking at flooded rice paddies, it seemed the ground was a green blanket with shadows from clouds, dancing and playing, racing us across the landscape. Smitty tells me to watch out for Fast Movers, as we are getting near Phu Cat Air Force Base. Phantom jets are so fast, they will be on you in seconds and near misses are almost as bad as actual impact, because the turbulence from them can upset the ship. About here is where the rice fields drop off and barren country starts. One can tell it used to be fine, fertile plains, but being too far from Qui Nhon, the people had left, perhaps for safety, perhaps a better life. Perhaps they were dead. The mountains on Jim’s side of the aircraft (south) follow us our entire trip. Rugged and uninviting, looking full of bad guys, they were beautiful, nonetheless. Secret little valleys asking my Georgia forest raised self to explore, leading off into dark valleys, all covered in jungle, shadows, hidden places. "Forbidden fruit" I think, ”Go into there and get your ass shot off." (Jim, Shadow and myself, as well as others, would later go into some of these valleys to "hunt"). It was rare indeed when a single ship would venture into the mountains, backing Lane and going all the way to An Khe. Passing by Phu Cat, almost all civilization ended, except for a few small villages next to the Song Ba River. The closer we got to An khe Pass, the more barren things got, looking very much like a no-mans land. The mountains that covered LZ English and Bong Song traveled inland meeting up with the mountains that covered Lane. They formed the An Khe Pass which, in turn, was the gateway to the Vietnamese highlands. The An Khe Pass has been a scene of fighting and ambushes since the Japs were in Vietnam in the mid '40s. Many a French convoy got the shit shot out of it in the late '40s and early '50s in this most famous of all passes. Just at the base of the pass (in the mid '60s), the 1st Cav used to have a staging area for CA’s into Happy Valley. They also got the shit shot out of them. Anyway, as the mountains started to close in on us, Smitty clicked on his mike and told me, "Over there is Happy Valley, that’s one place you don’t want to go into. We always lose ships in there. A few months ago a crew member took a .51 calibre thru the wrist, then the chest, KIA instantly.” The pilots were discussing the weather conditions. It also seems that the weather can change almost instantly, trapping an aircraft above, below or in the pass. As we approached the entrance, I noticed Highway 19 start to twist and turn. I watched the road as we entered the pass. Making U turns, with steep drop-offs on the side, it wound its way up the pass. I was amazed at what I saw. Aircraft bodies littered the pass, fixed wing and helicopters. All had crashed. On the top of the towering peaks, to the south side, the Koreans had a firebase. The left side (north) towered above us as well, with no firebases there. I thought that was kinda strange. We exited the pass, the hills giving way to towering elephant grass plains, an entirely different look to the country. This was late in 1971. In Feb. of ‘72, Tet hit Vietnam with a bang. The North Vietnamese army held the north side of the pass, while the Korean side held on by the skin of their teeth. The pass was closed to convoys (which never was that safe for them anyway) and air traffic passed thru there, many times under the gun. For all intents and purposes, the NVA held the pass. The Korean firebase needed supplies badly, and replacements for their many wounded and dead. The 129th AHC was assigned this task. The firebase was under constant siege and the 129th was their only hope for the week of this battle. It took people with brass balls the size of Texas to fly into that place; ready-made ambushes waited for helicopter crews. Any VC or NVA that shot down a chopper received an instant field promotion. They did NOT take chopper crew prisoners as a rule; they shot them on sight. The entire north face of the pass - those parts below AND above - was infested with NVA. My hat is off to any and all helicopter crews that flew anywhere near that death trap. For those that flew into it, your courage is the stuff legends are made of. I salute you.
alvis
USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 12:59:09 (MST)
Hey Gale,,found you a ford...just needs a bit of interior work and perhaps a bit on the engine as well..http://www.modelthaven.com/63f.html
alvis
USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 12:27:00 (MST)
Mark, i emailed Phil and ask if they wanted anything from here and also if they wanted us (or BBC) to adhear to any dress code. Heres the answer..Hi Fred, Ron, Mark Good to hear from you. No suits please!!! Smart casual is fine over here and don’t forget the warm layers! Whilst emailing, the BBC who will be doing the filming have asked if you have any photographs from when you served in the 129th Company in Vietnam and Mark have you any of Lawrence for the same. Regards Phil
alvis
USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 11:57:33 (MST)
Monday we went to mom's for lunch. Dee and I, 2 of our daughters and 2 of the grandchildren. Dee was off work Monday so we had some time to stay afterwards. Our granddaughter,(Lily) who thinks she is a real princess, and in my eyes she is, loves to play upstairs at my mom's. Running from room to room and pretending that Dee is the kid and I am the dad. Of course she has all kinds of orders and rules for this little fun time we had. I had to pretend that I was sleeping in one room while Dee was the kid playing in another. Mom's house is probably about 100 years old and it's the only house she has lived in in Coldwater. They bought it back in 1953 for $9,000. Big money back then. During my life growing up in this house I at one time had used all 3 of the bedrooms upstairs as my room. I can still go into each room and daydream out the windows and recall and get flashbacks of particular days and a happening in each room. As I was pretending to be asleep, upon Lily's orders, I lay there slipping into a self induced flashback trying very hard to imagine that I was 15 again and that the noise I heard in the hallway was mom putting laundry away or one of my brothers foolin' round. I actually got to the point of my imagination that if I closed my eyes for a short time and then opened them that I would have traveled through time and that I really was 15 again. It didn't work. I opened my eyes and I was still 55. What crossed my mind though was this. I lay in the very same room I did when I was 15, I closed the very same door I did when I was 15. the last thing I looked at before I closed my eyes was the very last thing of something that I looked at when I was 15. The sound I heard in the hallway came from the very same hallway I would hear sound from when I was 15. The sunlight was coming through the very same windows it did when I was 15. Same sky. The space that my body occupied was some of the very same space I occupied when I was 15................none of all that stuff had changed. It all remained the same as it was when I was 15..........to be honest with you, and now as I reflect on that moment.........I too, was 15 again..........for a split second, nothing had changed since I was 15..........I wasnt drinkin' wasnt druggin', just takin' a trip in my mind. Who needs a machine to travel back in time? We all have that ability.........Tap into it if you get the chance. Being 15 again , even if just for a second, well, it was fun.............................a day in the life of me................................your 15 year old brother...........
Mark
USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 07:55:51 (MST)
bill, diddo on draft.
wink
lake wales, fl USA - Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 07:07:35 (MST)
Bill,,,recieved the book today...almost finished with it,more later
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 22:01:54 (MST)
mark,it just makes sense to park at my place or Rons. I live north of the airport,5 miles west of 465,just off of 10th street in hendricks county
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 17:48:23 (MST)
BOOK ALERT: Hey gang, I'm working on the section called "Then & Now". This section will show photos of us then and now. I've received some photos from a few of you. I'd like to ask ALL of you to send me a photo of you then and now via email (VNHeloReunion@aol.com) . Thanks! Bill Wolf
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 09:22:08 (MST)
Fred.....I havnt decided what I am going to do yet. WE dont leave until the afternoon and so to go to our daughters house would not work out. Nobody will be there. Thanks for the invite to come to your house. I may do that, or I just might head to the airport and park there so's I can just hit the road home from there. I'll flip a coin to see what I may do.
Mark
USA - Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 08:55:23 (MST)
Alex,I have forewarded on to you,Phils response
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 07:08:31 (MST)
whew...got them printed.all 3
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 22:21:19 (MST)
watch it Gale,,,I will sneak over to your house in the middle of the night and park a chevy there.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 22:19:27 (MST)
Mark,are you going to your daughters and have her take you to the airport? You are certianly welcome to park here,ride to the airport with me (Susan will take me).Going to ask ron the same tomorrow.If I cant print the tickets here,will go to the airport tomorrow and have them do it using the ticket numbers..
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 22:16:18 (MST)
having touble downloading the tickets.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 22:13:15 (MST)
Dang Gale, I didn't think anybody noticed;-))))........was my slip showing????
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 19:26:15 (MST)
Mark, Ron, Alvis.............................."integrity"? Hmmmm, I dunno!!! Alvis, don't let that big bully Mark pick on you. I think I might have seen him in a "mini skirt" at Kokomo come to think of it. Heehheehheheh..................
Gale
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 18:41:38 (MST)
Thanks guys, You are special to me...............Fred, There will be no girls along on the trip. Dee is not able to make the trip. Unless you plan on wearing that "Mini-Skirt" you had on at Gales last year.;-))).....and if you are, I surly wil not be talking to you;-))))))
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 10:46:05 (MST)
Alex, I was trying to get onto the VHCMA website to register for the reunion, but their site doesn't come up. Is there a problem? Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 08:42:45 (MST)
Mark - I agree 110% with Wink!! You ARE a 129th'er!!! Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 08:36:57 (MST)
To Our England Bound Gang: Please get me some good fotos of you guys and the ship for the book!!!! I'll save a spot at the end of the book for it! Bill
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 08:34:43 (MST)
morning flight. yes mark, its quite an honor, but keep this in mind. if it wasn't for you wanting to keep the memory of larry by starting the 129th wed sight, we as vet of the 129th would not be where we are now. so i say to you you are the 129th. so take it all in an enjoy it. larry would want it that way.
wink
lake wales, fl USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 08:13:24 (MST)
They are still in my "in box" Mark. Susan's computer has the printer on it so will wait till she gets home from work. I called Ron yesterday and gave him our flight schudale.I sent two pics of you (and dee),one of me,and cant find Ron's pic.They ask for them to ID us at the airport.Hell,they dont need pictures..just look for the prettest girl on the plane,,Mark will be with her.Look for a guy trying to talk to all the other pretty women..that will be Ron.Look for the guy wanting a beer..that will be me.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 07:52:20 (MST)
Got my e-tickets. Did you Fred and Ron?..............again Flight, I keep thinking of what an honor has been bestowed on my to be a representative in behalf of you, the 129th. It's over whelming to me and I hope I can do you justice. With Fred and Ron there I am confident that your integrity will be in good hands.........honored to be called one of yours...............always a brother..............
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 16, 2007 at 06:05:40 (MST)
Havn't been here in a while so thought I would stop by and say hello. Hope everyone is doing well.
Melody
Amarillo, tx USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 22:58:00 (MST)
thank you Alex,good work. Its been forwarded on without comment.
alvis
USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 21:04:24 (MST)
Hi got the new scanner & you cant see nothing but slides I am geting them in line & I have to look at each one & put the First div. 68 Top tiger & 129th &then I will start but got to get the Better HALf to help me with it I am not to good with the book part of this scanner that how come she the BETTER HALF & she got her new 07 gmc four door she wont let me drive it when she not with me well got to go got to work on the car. Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 09:23:30 (MST)
Hi how it going about the ship. Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 08:55:26 (MST)
Mark,if you want to find it on Goggle,its northwest of London. Find Blackpool on the coast.Itsabout 1/2 way between Blackpool and Preston. Kirkham seems to be across the interstate(?) from Whisham a585-a583
alvis
USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 08:26:17 (MST)
Mark..this is the e-mail of our schedule....Hi Fred, Ron and Mark Your flights for your UK trip are as follows:- Outbound Journey 24 Jan - CO2243 Indianapolis to Newark 1420 – 1625 24 Jan - C020 Newark to Manchester 1935 – 0720 (arrives 25 Jan at Terminal 2) Return Journey 30 Jan - C021 Manchester to Newark 0900 – 1200 30 Jan - C0621 Newark to Indianapolis 1515 – 1741 Your flights are actually booked on an e-ticket and I will forward that to you in a few days when I receive it from the travel company. Accommodation Your accommodation has been booked at the Premier Travel Inn which is just down the road from where we are based in Wesham. Simon Johnson and I will meet you from your flight at Manchester on 24 January and deliver you to your Hotel. Hope that the above is okay. Any problems, please let me know. Regards Phil
alvis
USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 06:44:35 (MST)
Phil.......I will see what I can do.......thanks for the update...............
Mark
USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 04:26:41 (MST)
Message for Mark Jackson. Hi Mark, have received your new email address and have tried to reply but our emails are being returned. So we are receiving mail from you but unable to send mail to you. We think your system has us down as 'spam mail' and won't let you accept emails from us. It may be that you need to remove us from your spam filter. Could you check and let us know. Thanks. Phil
Phil Connolly <philconnolly@btinternet.com>
USA - Monday, January 15, 2007 at 02:33:20 (MST)
I will be durned if i know. FAA?, congress people? US military? all 3? My next day off i am hitting the congressmans office (and woman),then ,hopefully,the local FAA.
alvis
USA - Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 19:29:52 (MST)
Hi Flight, can someone post what we would be writing about exactly as to who has to approve or grant permission? I have been dealing with Sen Buyer for some time and will cut & past the info in a letter to him. Thanks on that plus has anyone remembered this tail number? When you guys are there can you get a copy of it's historical records?
Ken Strong Jr 72-73
Lafayette, IN USA - Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 10:25:55 (MST)
Thanks Auther....KIM..thanks for the behind scenes work. I forwarded on your emails.
alvis
USA - Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 08:57:25 (MST)
Hi guy got the scanner for the 35 mm slides & Alvis I send you one Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 08:47:50 (MST)
http://www.huey.co.uk/
alvis
USA - Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 07:05:37 (MST)
72-21509 is the tail number ,Art
alvis
USA - Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 07:04:06 (MST)
what the tail number of it cant we get the AC & P Pilots help with thisI amgoing to call Richard he was my ac on 351 & tiger Wagon. Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 17:34:14 (MST)
what the tail number of it cant we get the AC & P Pilots help with thisI amgoing to call Richard he was my ac on 3511 & tiger Wagon. Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 17:33:10 (MST)
Hi guy the ship that got the KIA & MIA on what is it Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 17:28:50 (MST)
Dave, the 24th
alvis
USA - Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 16:12:36 (MST)
I've requested some help from the offices of Colorado Senators Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar for Mr. Connolly's predicament. I'll let you know what I find out. When are you guys leaving?
Dave Powers
USA - Saturday, January 13, 2007 at 10:51:59 (MST)
@@@..ALEX..@@@.. I couldnt open "the history".
alvis
USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 19:19:55 (MST)
ok guys,anyone have pull with the FAA? What about a crongress person? If we act fast,Marl,myself or Ron can hand deliver permission. They want to tone down the 129th..we gonna let them?
alvis
USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 19:18:06 (MST)
I e-mailed Phil also in reguards to Dons post about them trying to take away the "colors"..this is his reply... Hi Fred Basically what is happening is that the British CAA have said that they have no problem with us flying with the US Markings on the Huey PROVIDING we have the relevant permission in writing from US Officials stating that they have no objections to us carrying the markings. Unless we gain this permission in writing we will have to remove/cover the markings when flying and can only display them when static. We have been in touch with the American Embassy in the UK but it is low on their list of priorities at present and with the new season of air shows approaching we could do with some help in gaining this written permission a.s.a.p. We have asked Ralph Chappell if he has any contacts that could help and he, as stated in Don’s posting, is in touch with his local Senator with a view to getting something in writing for us to provide to the CAA. So, again as in Don’s posting, any help anyone can provide in gaining this letter of permission a.s.a.p. would be gratefully received. Ralph Chappell’s details should you wish to contact him are:- Email Address: captrechappell@yahoo.com Tel: 336 659 8983
alvis
USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 19:15:43 (MST)
he didnt say Mark. This is the e-mail i recieved today... Re. the UK trip – flights/accommodation are being booked and we are just waiting for the details and as soon as these are in we will email the details to you, Ron and Mark. Best regards Phil
alvis
USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 19:13:38 (MST)
Fred A. Phil must have gotten my email then?
Mark
USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 18:39:51 (MST)
Mark,I recieced an E-mail from Phil this mornig. He states the passage and stuff has been booked but he is waiting on the details.He said he will email you,me and ron with the details when he gets them.
alvis
USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 14:36:01 (MST)
Hey Cue.....good to see you. I can't get the VHFCN to work either. Must be revamping it. I have no email at all working. Fred A. has phil got a hold of you yet?..........
Mark
USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 12:21:03 (MST)
Does anyone have any idea what happened to the VHFCN website? It doesn't seem to be accessable anymore.
Harrell Guidry
Groves, Tx USA - Friday, January 12, 2007 at 05:07:34 (MST)
then i best put other books aside..were suppose to be gone the 24th thru the 30th.
alvis
USA - Thursday, January 11, 2007 at 21:48:58 (MST)
Dear old Dad told me to never volunteer for anything... I never was very good at listening to his advice...
Dave
USA - Thursday, January 11, 2007 at 16:32:47 (MST)
BOOK UPDATE: The rough drafts (yes, its rough) were sent out today via US Postal Service. It includes the manuscript, a letter of instructions, and a return envelope with postage. I'm asking to get them back to me by February 1st. I know it's not a lot of time, but I am trying to have it published in time for Orlando and there is still a lot of work to be done (final drafting, legal issues, printing, etc.). I appreciate you folks that volunteered!!! Bill
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Thursday, January 11, 2007 at 12:15:02 (MST)
Bill, what's the deadline for our input for the book?
Dave
USA - Thursday, January 11, 2007 at 11:19:25 (MST)
BOOK UPDATE: Well, I've got my five victims....err....Volunteers for reviewing the first rough draft. Thanks!! Again, I want to thank EVERYONE that sent me information. I"ll keep you all posted on the progress - the goal is to have it ready by Orlando! Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Thursday, January 11, 2007 at 10:12:39 (MST)
Yup Kal....22.9% weekly:>))) Stops people from asking me for money:>)) L-G
Gently
USA - Thursday, January 11, 2007 at 10:12:05 (MST)
BOOK UPDATE!! I still need two more volunteers to review the first VERY rough draft of our 129th book. So far I have Alex, Alvis, and Dave Powers. Need just two more. I want to get these out in the mail tomorrow, so if your memory is still semi together, send me an email with your snail mail address ASAP (that means real soon for those of you who are pilots). Thanks! Bill Wolf
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 17:15:58 (MST)
To our England bound Brothers. Have a safe trip. You need to try and sleep on the way over due to the time change. Liz has made the trip to London on many occasions and always tell about being up long hours that first day, to get on thier schedule. Phil was telling me about the art on the Huey. And the government may them to remove it. Being an Historical aircraft might help. Alvis: I will will email you the history Phil wanted by the end of the week. To the rest of my Brothers and Sisters have a safe evening.Always A Brother!!
Alex
USA - Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 15:58:56 (MST)
Hey Judith.. At 22.9% weekly interest rate, please clue me in at where I can get some of that...Even at 2.29% weekly.. I know now that we have the right person managing the money... Take care.. C ya... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 15:08:45 (MST)
Geez I miss this place. Kim....no way! Mark..it's his and make it wild. What a guy! Thank you for the thought:>))) And England!!! Ron, Fred and Mark? Too cool...way too cool! Make sure you guys post while you're over there...and Ron, no mooning! We have a little cash in the Christmas fund if you do get into trouble though....at 22.9% weekly interest. I talked to C.P. and Jean the other night..ya gotta love'em. Anyone hearing from Ray these days? Love to all....always here-Gently
Gently
USA - Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 11:27:24 (MST)
Phil,can you fill us in with more info about Dons post?
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 09:09:53 (MST)
Re. visiting the UK - The Southerners may have the reputation as being bandits but we think you'll find us Northerners (anything north of Watford Gap) far more civilised and certainly not out to rip you off! Anyway, there doesn't seem to be many English citizens living in the South any more! We look forward to extending our northern hospitality to you. Phil
Phil Connolly <p.connelly@huey.co.uk>
UK - Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 05:01:21 (MST)
I just got this in the mail. sorry if it has been mentioned before but I have been off line for a while and haven't caught up on the log yet. PLEASE help if you can..........Don, There is something you guys can do to help Phil. The British CAA is trying to make Phil remove the US Markings from the aircraft. Hit your Senator and Congressman, ask them to intercede with the State Department and the DOD to get Phil a letter stating they support his "flying memorial" and state they have no complaint regard the aircraft being operated in its current markings. If you can....get the word out to anyone you can and ask they send a letter, e-mail, or make a phone call to their US Congress representives. I am in touch with Senator Burr (R-NC) about the matter and his office has made contact with the State Department. Brian Hunt in Burr's Office is the fellow coordinating the effort. He can be reached at 336-631-5125 in Winston-Salem, NC. Ask your Rep's office to contact him about pursuing this matter. Regards, Chappell
Don Miller
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 23:41:14 (MST)
American translation= smokes,$107.00 a carton...gas,$7.36 a gallon...chips, french fries..sausage,mash,peas,mash is mashed potatos..this is a favorite dinner..knackered,tired/wore out....fags,cigerettes..dosh, money...
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 18:10:41 (MST)
Susan has family in London,she was born there and stays in contact. She has been talking to them about this trip and has ask them a few questions for me...I will post parts of the email...you can see the difficulty we are going to have... Well its sort of a bit of both we don't use stirling anymore we use decimal currency. We have a £1 coin, 50p coin,20p coin, 10p coin, 5p coin, 2p coin, 1p coin. Then in the paper money £20, £10, and £5. For richer people there is also a £50 note. The 50p coin is the equivalent of the old 10shilling note, 20p is the old 4 shillings, 10p is the old 2 shillings, 5p is the old shilling. All a big con they reckon its cheaper but when you work it out back to the old £ S d its a lot dearer. As for the grub that depends who's serving it up, you will be hard pushed to get a roast dinner, some of the pubs do a Sunday roast in the afternoon. Christ knows what the local dish is in Manchester, down here the place is full of takeaway food, Indian, Chinese, Cantonese,pizza, Kentucky, McDonalds etc etc the list goes on. If you want something British to eat you have to cook it yourself. Unless you find a not to ponsy cafe or resturant then you can have sausage mash and peas, the good old British fry up, egg and chips pretty much what ever you want. He will notice the difference in our burgers that's for sure ha ha. Is Fred staying with this bloke or in a Hotel? What day is he coming over I've forgot? Poor sod will be knackered by the time he gets there he has a very long journey with the flight as well, I guess that will be about 8hrs eh? tell him to bring lots of dosh it is very expensive over here to do anything. How long is he over here for? I bet he will hate it so different to what he is used to. Still once he cops that helicopter he will be in seventh heaven. We drove to Nottingham a couple of weeks ago and it took us 4hrs, and Manchester is further on. My fags here cost £5.50 for 20 that's about $10.66 or more petrol is about $1.84 a litre Fred will have to take care or as I said they will rob him blind. They are very quick to spot someone who doesn't understand the money. Christ they even do it to people that do!
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 18:00:41 (MST)
Bill, I would like to take a stroll down memory lane,and to see where it started.I will e-mail you my addy.Might even read it on the plane going over yonder.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 17:56:52 (MST)
Bill, I would like to take a stroll down memory lane,and to see where it started.I will e-mail you my addy.Might even reqad it on the plane going over yonder.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 17:56:38 (MST)
BOOK UPDATE: I have finally completed the first rough draft of the book. It's 184 pages at this point. It was a tough process as there isn't any official history for 1971-73 and many photos are missing names and/or info. But did the best I could. I am looking for about five of you that I can send a rough draft to for review and any input. If you are willing to do this, please send me a snail-mail address to my email: VNHeloReunion@aol.com. I want to get the drafts out in the next week and would like to get them back by the end of the month. My goal is to have it ready for the Orlando reunion. Thanks so much to everyone that contributed!! Bill Wolf
Bill Wolf <VNHeloReunion@aol.com>
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 17:30:12 (MST)
Thanks Fred. I will email Phil now. I have not given him our chnage of address yet. Thanks again...................always a brother.
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 08:42:20 (MST)
Hi Fred Just a thought, I spoke with Mark last night about the trip over here. He is having problems with his email address and has yet to send us his new email address. Should you be in contact with him at all could you please pass the same message on to him about needing his full name as displayed on his passport a.s.a.p.. Much appreciated. Regards. Phil.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 06:41:52 (MST)
Mark...Phil needs your full name as it APPEARS on your passport,to book tickets. This must be done ASAP. If your having trouble with emails,post here and i will forward on.Thanks buddy
Alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 06:38:16 (MST)
Fred Alvis and Ron Paye, I talked to England Phil yesterday and he said that they are trying to get tickets for us from INDY to CHI-TOWN. Then to England non-stop. Is that OK with you guys? I mentioned that maybe we could do a road trip to Chi-town then hop on the flight to England and Phil said that we shouldn't have to make a 5 hour road trip then hop on a plane. I told him that one flight was enough for me to handle but if we do have to make the leg from INDY to ChiTown I spose I will. I must confess to you flight that I am scared as all get out about flying and have had 2 of our prayer groups lay hands on me to ask the Holy Spirit to calm my heart. Then I stop and think of all the times that you guys went up in your ships facing death in the as close as a nanosecond and I realize that this is a mission I must complete. My first task will be to bring Glory to my God, secondly will be to be the best representative that you guys have ever had as far as somebody that was never even in the unit, let alone not even in Vietnam. My love for you out weights the fear. I consider a Honor and a Privilege to serve my God and to be associated with you. My actions will exemplify that...........always a brother
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 06:11:42 (MST)
Dan.... I really don't think the version makes any difference as I believe most of the immages require that you are hooked to the net and come from their site as you are using it. I also think they only use the better, higher resolution shots on the more "interesting", "populated" areas. I also wonder if the area, being mainly foliage and boondocks, has a bearing on the appearence of the pictures. I would think though that you ought to be pretty clear looking dowm to a few K feet.... Rick, Looked like the Buckeyes came to town thinking this would be a "done deal" and found they were the "done" part of it.. As bad as the end turned out for them, it was a pretty good game to watch.
Kal 67/68
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 06:10:08 (MST)
CP. So grand to see your post brother. Glad to hear you are ok from the mishap. Be careful out there. Not much of football fan anymore but sure did feel bad for the Ohio team. That just didn't seem to be the team I have heard so much about that was on the field. Fell asleep before halftime. I could just see the momentum on the Florida side..Oh well, good thing that there is more to life then football..Dan H. I have been told by Google earth that the reason the Lane AO is a blur is because they just haven't taken a photo of that AO at a closer resolution. If you move a few clicks to the North you will see that the Phu Cat AO is as clear as you speak of here as we view the US landscape...........always a brother..............
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 05:57:40 (MST)
Bad Game sorry the Bucks lost. There is going to be 14,000 people at the airport and ten extra jets put on line. I think there was half the state of OHIO in AZ. this past week. Traffic was bad. Flight be careful out there
Rick England
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 05:45:22 (MST)
My free version of Google Earth is a blur below 20,000 ft. in Vietnam. I can see my cars in my driveway, but nothing out of country. I downloaded the July '06 Beta V4.0.16xx. What are you running Kal?
Dan Hertlein
USA - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 05:03:05 (MST)
howdy cp long time no hear. glad to see you are still checking in.
paul mcgrath
oglesby, il USA - Monday, January 08, 2007 at 18:05:42 (MST)
Hi ya CP/.
alvis
USA - Monday, January 08, 2007 at 17:35:34 (MST)
Hey CP.. Good to see you post!!! Sorry to hear abt ur accident, BUT glad to hear that you have come thru it OK as well as the bike. Hey, stuff happens and usually they only make you more aware of your surroundings, as they should. Now, as far a computer problems, there are some pretty good "free" programs out there that will help keep the gremlins out of things. I use mostly free stuff here and have not had any major problems. There are also some good cheap stuff out there that work well too. U and Jean take care. Hey, the VHCMA reunion is in Orlando, FL. this June, U ought to see if you can make it.. Take care.. B C'n Ya.... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Monday, January 08, 2007 at 14:19:00 (MST)
GO BUCKEYES.......
Fred Skaggs
Somewhere In, NJ USA - Monday, January 08, 2007 at 14:09:35 (MST)
Flight, Respects to all.... C.P. Bloomfield here.... Writing from our public library... Have looked through Flt Log.... Kal & Smitty, I wrecked my bike awhile back..... Am OK now, Bike was a mess, but fixed now..... Am back on it, when wx permits, so all is well.... Mark, Glad you and Dee have your Log House..... Proud for you..... GENTLY, I hope I have your correct phone number, Jean & I want to call you either tonite or tomorrow nite, need to talk about a project..... I check in at the library occassionally so anyone can leave a msg here on the log if you want...... I Trust things are as they should be with all of you...... GOD is watching over you all...... ktf,(keep the faith)..
C.P.
USA - Monday, January 08, 2007 at 10:31:51 (MST)
Hi guy go to this sight www.iwo.com/heroes.htm
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 19:56:25 (MST)
Hi guy I going to order my 35 mm slide scanner monday & I was going throw some of my old pc & found a video card that I can from my daughter two years a go it better than the one that in my pc now she gave 150.00 dollers for it hook up my pc to the tv & I am going to try to get a movie film scanner got some of the 68th top tiger & 129th on the film & I will put some on cd. I am going to bring my dvd player to look at the picture in june. went to out back to eat today & there was a guy from IRAQ went over & talk to him & welcome him home he was a grunt got his leg mest up I told him from all the brother & sister that we are behind all of you brother & sister over there the people are so glad for whot the US has done for them & like there fredom they got now that they never had befor. got to go Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 19:12:07 (MST)
Mark, there's a lady in Wisconsin who does a lot for us. I'd like it very much if you'd send it to her, C/O the 129th. She said she'd like to have one, and it'll give me an excuse to bid on the next one you make....... guys, I don't know what your plans are while in England. If you plan on doing any London sightseeing on your own, you might want to go online and pick up transportation passes before going. It's the cheapest way to get around, and there's included admission to a lot of tourist spots.
Kim
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 19:06:33 (MST)
Mark... Hey, I have been around the Messenger quite a bit lately..Have talked to Ray and Gus there along with Paul and even Dennis once and others a while back. I will be there tonight after 7:15 your time. You are right on the placement of the marker for Lane as I said it was close. I think it is located where the hooks were at but, as you said that was Lane too..L8r... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 16:59:08 (MST)
Kal and Gale, the grids in Degrees, minutes, seconds for the "Arrow Point" in the road I speak of is 13 47'.38" @ 109 05'.75". I know it is not far from where it is listed on the Google Earth deal, and as I said before, the Google Earth ponit is also Lane. Just not the 129th AO.........
Mark
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 16:58:14 (MST)
Kal, actually the "Line Shack" I made reference to below, I believe is the shack for the "Flippers". The 129th Line shack in the photos I speak of is located just to the left of the road that leads down to the "Arrow Point". Just below the rows of hootches, half way down the road and in between what appears to be the 129th living quarters and the flight line..............
Mark
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 16:51:51 (MST)
Alvis: Glad to hear Ron Paye can make the trip. After talking to you. I thought I would check with my DM about being off to go. Th answer was that I couldn't get the time off this month. because They were pulling the store manger out and I will be running things at the Zone for the next few weeks. A real disapointment. Liz was checking on flights and etc. just in case they would have said yes. It's an honor to have you all representing the 129th. Well to the rest of the 129th remember Orlando is getting closer. Starting making plans to attend. Always A Brother!!
Alex
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 16:33:56 (MST)
Hey Kal, Not to dispute what you say about the location of Lane on Google earth, you were there, I wasn't. But I can say that I have studied photos, maps and Google Earth very closely and I am 100% sure that where they say Lane is, is in fact the location of where the "Hooks" were at. Which would be the 196th "Flippers". Which of course we know was Lane also. A lil' side bar of info about the 196th is, the guy that bought the Chrysler franchise from our son-in-law that my dad had, was stationed at Lane, with the 196th, the very same time frame as Larry. 68/69. Small world.....anyways.......I am a self proclaimed expert on the Lane AO through my studies. But, if I may, if you go to the GALLERY section and go to "LANDSCAPES" and in the first set of pictures, top photo, there is a good photo of Lane from the air. Also the 3rd photo, taken just a little to the right of the 1st one is good too. In those photos you can see what I have been told is the "Line Shack" The building with the 2 wide open doors. To the left of that appears to be, and what I have been told, is the living quarters AO for the 129th "Hootch's". In that location , by the hootch's, there is what appears to be a road that leads down the hill and to the left side of the photo. Then the road appears to veer off to the left, and right making the shape of an arrow. That "Arrow" point has been my reference point in my studies. Also, my vintage 1969 Topo map that I have clearly shows that "Arrow" point in the road. Also, in the pages of the Official Crash Investigation, from Ft. Rucker I received a couple of years ago of the crash of the "257" somebody had taking a topo map,( the exact vintage of the one I have ) and drew the flight of the last mission , and , impact AO of the "257" Which not only shows the "Point of Reference" that I have been using but also clearly shows little black boxes that represent buildings. Reason I am saying all of this is, I have taken that map, made a transparency of it and inserted it on the Lane AO on Google Earth and that "point of reference" and the black boxes can be visibly seen on Google Earth, which is present day. Which means some of the structures are still standing as of the last satellite photo taken.Which is 2006.What is neat about doing it that way is you can make the map fade in and out and as you look very closely you can still see what appears to be the "Hootch's". Or at least some of them at Lane. Also, Tiger Strip is visible, and also what appears to be some sort of circular gun set up of some kind and I am positive that I have the map in the exact location. I also, as you know, can fly around the AO and I have taken the route that whoever drew of the "257"'s last mission and fly along with it. Kinda freaks me out a little, but hey, this is the mission I embarked on. Tell ya what Kal, lets hook up on MSN messenger tonight , if you are available, and we can talk more about it. Like I said, I'm not disputing what you say, just letting you know what I have found,OK?. I also will email you the transparent map, you can add it to your Google Earth, and another photo of Lane that I have that is not on the web site............WOW....did I ever get windy!!!.;-)))).I love all you guys............take care and God Bless........always a brother.......
Mark
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 16:33:28 (MST)
Fred A. I figured you`d get around to the "dollar to pound" exchange.....$20 US Dollars = 10.38 United Kingdom Pounds......Gonna be a little expensive in London.
Fred Skaggs
Somewhere In, NJ USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 12:25:34 (MST)
Hi Gale... OK.. The cordinates that Google Earth have as being Lane AAF are 13-48-35 North, 109-06-00 East and I believe they are pretty close. Those are in Degrees, Minutes and Seconds. Move your cursor over the Google Earth marker and that is about what your readout in the lower part of the page should say. L8r... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 11:55:43 (MST)
Kal, tell me again what the co-ordinates are for Lane. Thanks
Gale
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 11:21:36 (MST)
Mark, The marker on the Google Earth map is pretty close to the overall lacation for Lane but lane covered a good sized chunk of land with 129th and 498th on one side and the hooks and another bunch of Huey parking pads, unused when I was there in 68, on the other. Looking at the "relief" maps, it does look like it is about right. As you have said the overall picture does look a bit blury but then again I think the overall area has reverted to its prewar condition even though I feel that with all the alterations we made to the hill and area, it would be pretty hard to hide BUT they did, or mother nature has. I really can not find any things to correlate to my memories of the area other than the mountains, hills and vallys around the area. It is hard to believe that all the bunkers, roads, buildings and other man made things that were there have been blotted out in just 35 years. I believe that about all you can do is get some good maps and try to go with past coordinates to pinpoint what you really are looking for. Hey, have fun on the trip accross the pond and maybe you will get a ride in one of "our" ships..Sounds like fun..B C'n ya... L8r Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 10:29:11 (MST)
Mark,its a non-stop flight from Chicago to Manchester. At some point,yes,we would walk up to a counter,ID ourself,and pick up a ticket. I do not know if they are paying our way to chicago,or if thats on us.We leave chicago Wensday and return Tuesday. Susan will not be going with me,time constrants at work...pounds,farthing,bobs,shelings,pence,must figure that monitary system out.Hope you like tea.
alvis
USA - Sunday, January 07, 2007 at 08:21:43 (MST)
Kal, Lane is still a blur for me on Google Earth. Did I see you say that it is clear for you? You do know that where the guy, D.J. Smith I think his name is, has Lane pinpointed is not exactly where Lane is. Lane is to the southwest a little of where he has it on Google. I wrote and told him that but did not receive a response. I do see that the Phu Cat AO is clear and south of lane a few clicks also is.
Mark
USA - Saturday, January 06, 2007 at 21:41:42 (MST)
Hey Gus, forgot to tell ya, Great seeing that you still read. Thanks man...........KIM, I understand that you purchased the WALKIN" STICK. Is there anything special that you may want me to put on it. Such as special name to you of lost com-rads, Ship #. I burn all images into stick so anything can be done. not the best artist but do the best I can. Let me know brother. Fred A. Don't you think that we should be hearing from Phil as to Departures and such and how these tickets are going to be paid for. Surly we don't just walk up to the counter and say the BBC is flyin' us to England, give me a ticket. I need to call him. Good to hear that Ron is going. Didn't phil say something about leaving out of Chicago? I dont know man. Rick , good to see your post and you too Dave, Ken, Freddie Boy,Kal....and of course Gently..................Love to all............always a brother........
Mark
USA - Saturday, January 06, 2007 at 21:38:38 (MST)
KIM I AM STILL HERE GETTINH READY WITH NEW WE MOVED THE NATIONAL GUARD COLORS TO THE #25 CASEY MEARS CAR RIGHT NOW I AM IN SANANTIONO FOR THE ARMY ALL AMERICAN BOWL MORE LATER
rick Stevenson <truckcopter@aol.com>
souhtside, al USA - Friday, January 05, 2007 at 18:12:05 (MST)
How is it that I can fly from Detroit to London for the same as it costs to fly from boston to Miami??? Gotta love the airlines!?!?!?!
Kim
USA - Friday, January 05, 2007 at 14:54:15 (MST)
I have just recieved an email from Phil C.. Alex declined the offer,Ron Paye will go in his place. Mark, where you planning on leaving from?
alvis
USA - Friday, January 05, 2007 at 07:17:33 (MST)
Yes Gale, great BBQ.
alvis
USA - Friday, January 05, 2007 at 05:58:34 (MST)
Hi guy well got tired of laying in bed I layed down at11 & the temp was 61 now it 233 & it 63 out side I think I would string a a hamick on the deck & sleep out there or turn the cold air on & when it inthe 50 or lower I can get some sleep this is warm for this time of the year. My wife talking to my daughter & she got Scooter out in the yard racking leavs the turcky went some place & she cut the grass when they got married he was 46 now he a52 gut size Scooter he getting a bottle now I get down so low just thinking what she has to do teaches school all day then come home & pick up the house she come here now for week ends to rest up but when she got Scooter she so happy her & the wife & Scooter have a good time I tell them to get out of the house & do some windo shoping & that giv me time to pick up the house some we went & look at a new 07 gmc & it was loaded & the guy told us I can beat that that sale tag got on it I like it one thing it got is on star it got a small v8 & four door & when we get one we are going to the place next to pigen forge I cant think of the name Went to the Dolly world are favrit place to eat is the apple barn & aplace we get some muskedine wine I have a hard time spelling some things.I think when I first going to the va had me on haldall & it mest up my head bad I would not even know my own wife I would not have nothing to do other guy I was a loner they find me in the only closet just sitting there & they got at one point to just leave me there & one day I asked the doc can haldallscrew up your head in some cases it can the wife you are not the same guy that I first seen& I told her how come you staied with me your still the same guy in side I MARRIED & I will love you to the day we go to are maker I know if i lost her it would not be long befor we be toghter again she the only one that keep me living & I tried to end it all 5 time but god just would not let that happenI some time get so down that she know when & tell me to lay my head in her lap & it help so much she has not sleep for 12 to 36 hower whenI get that way & some time I cry like a baby & later she tell me that she fealy so bad for all us vet for what we had to see & hide it so long she told me that the gov shoud have don some thing befor we gut out & came home she told me it was just to much of a change that happen to fast from war & thrown into a nother world it was like geting hit with a caryou guy coud not handal it she giv here hart out to all nam vet & they lost so much & got the raw end of the stick by the LOW life back home you guy just wanted to keep to your self & still do at time I tell her some time I nead some time by my self& that when the door closed to thei room sh know I want to be by my self I play musice a little to high & when it stop she come in & hug me & say i love you. She told me she had only went out with one other guy befor me. well I think I will try to go to sleep now I hope I not bored you guy it help to know that you are not just the only one like this we stuck together 7 help each other out in one way or a nother . ART
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Friday, January 05, 2007 at 01:59:42 (MST)
Oooops, spellcheck! That should be "Squealer's"............I remember a girl that we used to call that.:o)
Gale
USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 22:17:31 (MST)
Alvis, I appreciate the thought, but, I understand. I went right through Avon last Friday and couldn't stop to see you. Had some in-laws with me going to Indy to visit Debbie's Dad. We did eat at a great BBQ place called "Sqealer's" up on 86th & Zionsville Rd....ever hear of it?
Gale
USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 22:14:23 (MST)
Went to look at one of those "special" deal vettes today..one thousand bucks. It was over in Kankankee IL,a 3 hour drive,one way.It belongs to one of my daughters ,suitors,boss.Pouring down rain,windy,cold...but hey,its a vette.I dont believe one screw or bolt was left on the car.It was completely disasembled,frame off.cracked body.I didnt even ask the year. It was between a 78 and 82.Way to big a project for me.The guy is a rod builder tho...I was surrounded by 41 willeys,5 window coupes,a 59 vette, on and on,and one very nice, hemi powered duce coupe.Gale,I was going to go down 41 and stop by,but twas getting late,very dark,and STILL pouring rain.
alvis
USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 19:55:44 (MST)
The current issue of VFW magazine has an article in it that says the VA has a claims backlog of 600,000+. They also say that it takes up to 3 years for a new claims processor to become proficient, and another 2-3 years to become proficient as a ratings specialist....it also goes on to say that about 28% of discharged Iraq and Afganistan vets have filed disability claims....no political commentary here, I wonder if the VA workers feel like they're in the middle of a tornado....Kal, I think we lost Alvis for a few minutes yesterday :>)) Rick Stevenson, are you still with us? Only one month before the chase starts again.
Kim
USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 19:23:44 (MST)
Hi guy Iwas with the 1st 73th that was one hell hole you coud not take your one beer from one table to a nother table the bar tender had to do it & I think the little mess me & 5 other guy got in help some get my 1049 a lot faster when you call a cop there a goat ropper Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville , Ga. USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 16:20:38 (MST)
Ft Hood must have been a way station for both coming and going 67Ns. They sent me there after AIT and assigned me to the 1/78 Field Artillary, HHQ Company as an FO. It was not what I wanted to do but seeing those 8" rounds flying over your head was a trip. I requested Nam three times before I got orders to get out of the hell hole but still have friends that returned from Nam there too. I also to change the subject remember the Huey Tow ship at Lane with the 129th. It had tanks painted on the side for kills and it seemed to me the crew was not military and came from the factory with the ship. Again I am not sure about that either as with so many other things.
Ken Strong Jr 72-73
Lafayette, IN USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 12:53:58 (MST)
Art Foster, I too was sent to Ft. Hood after my Nam tour. I got there in Feb 1970. They put me in the 2nd armored div. 6/92 artillery. It was an 8" self propelled gun battery. The 8" was an impressive piece of equipment especially when fired. I asked them what I was doing there with my MOS, and how do I get out. I was told the same thing. If you re-up and go back to Nam you'll get back in helicopters. Told them I really wasn't interested in doing that and became a clerk in the motor pool for the rest of my time in. I agree those Waco cops didn't appreciate being called goat roapers.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 08:21:07 (MST)
Rick... Nope, must have been another mission. I do recall some operations in the area you are refering to though but the one I flew on was SE of Phu Cat. The time frame was about the same, early '68 but the location was on the other side of Phu Cat AB.. Take care Rick.. C U in Orlando... Kal...>>>
Kal 67/68
USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 07:35:31 (MST)
Kal This was west of phu cat AFB towards the ahn Khe I think we are talking about the same place. both flt platoons primary and secondary flares flew that night. We loaded twice with flares.
Rick England
USA - Thursday, January 04, 2007 at 06:10:39 (MST)
you were talking about the old day about cars I had a 65 chev SS with two 4 barrol carb pass up ever thing but a gas station had cut off just in back of the front wheels & put two pluge in each one & had a bout a 4 ft flame come out & in 73 had got a chev pick up had a 327 in it so I was in traid school taken auto motive well that 327 got bored out 60 th. over size pistion cam a holly cob3 speed tran but had one problem coud get the back end to hold on to the ground so had to put some waight in the bed I eat up mustangs & gas then were good time you coud keep one going with a few hand tools not like today I be glad when spring get here & I can start working on my 57 International it a golden jublee custom a50 anv. truck & they maid less than 3000 of them & got a 57 international cub low boy tractor with a 42" mowers deck all yellow Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 23:18:56 (MST)
Guy you shoud be on the ground when Puff open up 300 yards it will eat your but up & that six " I theank is wright it got a bunch of gooks from walking over us but the best gun ship is a C130 with a 105 & a 40mm plus vocan cannon working out & thouse guy hit a hut with that 105 at night & we had to have some clouse air strike & when the F4 came in you coud see the number on the wings & about 2ft down fron the F4 a couple of 500 lb heded to there spot if you would not put your hands over ear they would ring for a time I know the first time & it was the last time. Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 22:33:42 (MST)
Hi Alvis I am going to get this month or next mounth a scanner for 35mm slids I can put them on cd & hope to put them on the gallery & I hope to get a lamp for my S8 film of the 129th & bring them to Orlando & the 68 top tiger will try Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville , GA. USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 22:14:36 (MST)
Kim,the only orther vette I remember is a 63 split window coupe. The guy got drunk and ran over some curbs,breaking the A frames,or bending them. he offered me the vette for 300 bucks.I bought a 1948 jeep instead and headed for the hills..gold camp road..rampart range road...back side of williams canyon...11 mile,twin lakes,ect.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 20:37:05 (MST)
Kim.... would you believe 192,000 little squares and thats without the end zones.. A lot of squares to fill.. I was only stating what I was told so it sounds like we were both fed a line of BS.... Rick, the area as I remember it was between where the highway turned west to Ahn Khe(?) and the mountains east of Phu Cat AFB.. Seems like I flew out there a couple days later and the bods were stacked like firewood.. All in black PJs.. I don't remember the name or number of the operation but it was a pretty big one.. Later..Kal..
Kal 67/68
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 20:33:54 (MST)
Authur, can you get your pics/slides on CD? I am sure they would be of great interest.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 20:32:42 (MST)
Mark,your still planning on going aint you? hope so.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 20:31:17 (MST)
Kim, I dont know if I would have wanted anything to do with Lam Son 714. Jesus man,the helicopter units got the crap shot out of them. Some units lost more helicopters than they started with...replacement were shot down too. 51 cals,antiaircraft guns and missles,heck,the airfirce lost a bunch of fixed wings there as well.Several ARVN divisions ceased to exist.I dont know man,would that be the "D" day of Vietnam? The Frozen Chosin of Korea? I suppose when I was there,I would have jumped right in,but age makes me think a bit.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 20:29:29 (MST)
Hey gang.. Take a look at some real helicopter areobatics.., www.glumbert.com/media/aerobatics WOW!!!!... C U L8r.... Kal...>>>
Kal Bergstrom 67/68 <n8auu (a) email dot com>
Saint Joseph, MI USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 19:59:09 (MST)
Just thinking....march of 72. I had been back home for a month, and there was nothing shaking in my home town...no work, no money, just unemployment checks, too much time and nothing to do. It didn't take long to get sick of the kids who I used to hang with before going in the service. Banal conversations...my mind was 12oooo miles away, wanting to return, Stretch wanting me to return. I started to go back in, but was told that there was no openings for 67N's......I missed it soooo much! had a feeling that I'd been cheated. couldn't make it in time for the Cambodian invasion, was pulling guard duty during lam son, spent a bunch of time flying, getting into little firefights ( to my way of thinking), and just when I get back home, the shit hits the fan!!!....I know now that one was all confusion, after ten, they started making sense, developing a rythm, after twenty it was old hat and that something unexpected could happen at any time.
Kim
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 18:02:52 (MST)
?
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 17:48:26 (MST)
Kal, even at 6 inches, that's still 90000 little squares to fill :>)) Still, I remember the first night mission when the guns went hot. The ball of flame that rolled back over the gun on my side, the blaze of red going down range......impressive!!!!!! Of the things I wish I still had, Mike McKinneys letters to me about the easter offensive ride somewhere near the top of my list. The 129th caught hell, in his words. Tom Peterson, who I met in Louisville, told of getting huey gunships back, with TOW missles on them as anti tank weapons. Made me feel good, thinking that there was still a use for those 'old dogs'... I hope I wasn't imagining that.
Kim
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 17:46:58 (MST)
Fred...CP. L-G
Gently
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 14:49:33 (MST)
Hi guy I got a picture of PUFF but the left side when I was with the 68th top tigers at & had a u2 picture they were on air force base where the freedom birds cam in at & when I went home one night on the news they sead there are no U2 in nam how they told a lot of $hit on the news back then about over there. Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 14:43:57 (MST)
invitation
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 12:27:12 (MST)
Alex has declined the invation.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 12:26:28 (MST)
Fred, I don't remember the '65 Vette, but do you remember Dave Wallace (generator shop-guy)? He had a '62 Vette. Sold it to another GI for $500... the interior was trashed and the body was almost completely primer gray. With his proceeds as a down payment he bought a '72 Vette. He did a tour in Nam (Americal?), and I remember waking up one night hearing a bunch of cussing and loud whacks eminating from Dave's room... he got beered up and was trashing the drywall with his golf clubs.
Dave
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 07:37:15 (MST)
Kal here is some info on that mission. We flew all night on that one. It might be the same one????*********Coordinance was (CR05193008) Just a little ways from Phu Cat on the side of a little mountain. I have attached a page from our Operational Report Lessons Learned. Read 3 April 1968 I have the incident report but for some reason I can't copy and paste from word. I can copy it if anybody would like a copy. it tells about flare ships and gunships and puff. There were 179 nva dilled thqt nigth they were trying to over run 2/17 artillerey base. Flight be careful out there
Rick England
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 07:33:07 (MST)
Fred, I think you're thinking of that guy from San diego (I forget his name, but it wasn't Childers) with the brand new Competition Orange-with Black Racing Stripes Chevelle 454. As I recall, he bought that "super muscle car" with a RE-UP bonus and while he was driving home to San Diego (for a 30-day leave he also got as part of his RE-UP) he blew the engine... imagine that, RE-UPing for a burst of six and having a brand new hot rod parked in the lot with a blown engine and 5.75 years left on your enlistment. Childers was about 5'-2", brown hair, walked with a little swagger, and spoke with a thick Virginia accent. Remember the little red and white circle we had to wear behind our rank insignia on our black ballcaps? I lost my circle once, so made a new one out of a piece of a Marlboro carton... passed inspection.
Dave
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 07:29:43 (MST)
was childers the one that drove a chevelle(?) with a ram/2x4 sticking up thru the hood? He never could get it to run right?You guys remember a Tony Ionno that had a 65 vette convert,that had all the wild paint on it?
alvis
USA - Wednesday, January 03, 2007 at 03:30:46 (MST)
Hey Kim.... That is true what is said about a mini on a football field BUT.. I heard it was "Puff the magic dragon" with 3 minis out one side of the ship all tuned to 6000 RPM, also I heard it was a 6" square. I remember well the snake of fire slithering its way to the ground while up flying night flare missions neat Phu Cat AB. Sure made my glad I wasn't a grunt hiding out in that area. More memory triggers.... Later...Kal...>>>
Kal Bergstrom 67/68 <n8auu (a) email dot com>
St Joseph, MI USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 21:40:27 (MST)
John, it's been quite a while since I've heard Childers' name mentioned... HA! He was from Virginia and, yes he was a SSGT. I remember that he was dating a 14 or 16-year-old girl at the time we were there (sheesh). I worked for him too, and did a couple of trips out to Camp Red Devil to fix jeeps. I also remember the trainee on the tank gunnery range who took the breach to the face... sad day. I got in on a detail once providing ammo handling support to a bunch of trainees... on the M79 range! The weapons officer told us he didn't want to see any of the ordnance returned, so we proceeded to shoot up the remaining rounds after the trainees left... there were (it seemed) close to 100 left over. That was fun, but my right arm hurt when that day was over. My platoon SGT was an E7 from Alabama, but I can't remember his name... loved to fish over in Eleven Mile Reservoir.
Dave
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 21:17:17 (MST)
Freddy.........how you doing buddy? Can you make the orlando reunion this year? buy you a beer.(or two)
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 18:57:54 (MST)
Kim,I have heard that also..but was always ..in one minute or two..seems the time varied depending on the source. Another that surprises me ..is that so few heard of,or know of, tet of 72
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 18:55:31 (MST)
Mark, I e-mailed him b4 xmas and ask for some "firm" dates..as I have to submit "oficial" time off request on paper. He knows we are in contact but i find myself surprised that email didnt go to us both.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 18:50:30 (MST)
Mark,there was an e-mail waiting for metoday,from Phil...Hi Fred Happy New Year!! Hope you’ve had a great holiday season. Sorry I’ve not got back to you before now re the UK trip. I have had to liaise with the filming crew and the rest of the huey crew to try and come up with dates that suit everyone! We also need to have more than one day in case the weather grounds us!! So, Jo’s been on the case this afternoon and spoken to everyone concerned and we have decided on filming Friday 26 Jan. That means we would like you to travel here on Wednesday 24th. That would give you Thursday to settle in and sleep off the jetlag! We hope to have the filming done in just one day but, like I said, if the weather is bad then we may have to postpone. The film crew are available over the weekend and the Monday. I’m sure even our English winter weather will give us one decent day out of those four!! Flights back to the US would be arranged for either the Monday 29th or Tuesday 30th. Please let me know your preferred date. I’m considering asking Alex Fernwalt to come over too. I think his knowledge of the history of the 129th would be valuable. What do you think? If you agree would you mind contacting him and asking him if he would be interested? If he doesn’t want to come I could ask someone else-a “medevac” guy I met a couple of years ago! Best wishes for 2007!! Phil
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 18:46:14 (MST)
Dan, Randy, I for one would love to read some of the stories from your tours....maybe to compare experiences, maybe because every now and again some sentence, phrase, triggers a memory. I can't recall all the missions I flew, every now and then some one's writing brings something back. Like Randy, I can't say that I have any serious problems that I can trace back to the war. I WILL SAY that since I've been reading and posting here, I recall much, and can remember a lot of the guys I flew with. It's been nice to meet and talk with some of the gang, and learn how the intervening years have treated them....it's funny how we hear things and take them for granted as truth. One of the favorite truisms about the mini guns came back to me, and I did a little math on it. Did anyone ever hear " a mini can put a round every three square inches in a football field on one pass"? That would take 180,000 rounds, about 30 minutes at 6000 per. hhhmmmmm.
Kim
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 18:31:19 (MST)
Fred A. Have you heard from Phil then????.........
Mark
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 16:17:02 (MST)
This guy redefines the limits of rotor driven aircraft. I have never seen anyone that can perform these types of aerobatic moves… that were once reserved for fixed winged aircraft… http://www.glumbert.com/media/aerobatics
Larry Kwiatkowski (Scooter)
Simi Valley, ca USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 16:16:43 (MST)
I was station at Ft.Belvoir, before I went to Nam.....I was "cadre" at the "prep school".....High School kids getting ready for West Point...etc.....It was good duty, Georgetown and U. of Maryland....great party schools.....I took all my "01" classes at the U. of Maryland (Ft. Belvoir Campus).....But for a young man of 18 years old......Washington, D.C. was to much.....Alexandria was neat little town STILL.....After Nam I was sent to Finthen Army Airfield, just outside Wiesbaden, Germany.......for 7 months....They made me the "ration" driver for the mess hall.
Fred Skaggs
Somewhere In, NJ USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 15:05:57 (MST)
Arthur, are you thinking of Kuloleck? He was a crazy dude, I don't think he ever made it above E-2, and didn't care. Our mess sergeant was a guy named Macioleck, but I don't think he ever had anything stronger than 90 proof in his mouth....did you take over tiger wagon after Henderson left?
Kim
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 14:58:22 (MST)
##### ALEX#### Do you have a passport? Larrys daughter will not be able to go.Contact Phil if interested in a trip to England, or call me.The two others under consideration (that I know of) are a Medivac dude or perhaps Ron Paye.Ron,because I know he already has a passport.Alex,your first in line.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 13:31:36 (MST)
Authur, you might ask Smitty about that one,or Kim,I blieve they were both there for most of 71...I got there in Aug of 71
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 13:26:38 (MST)
Hi Alvis I thinking of the other Elvis I just thinking about that LOG CABIN Glenda & me were going to have one bult but know there no waiting in line for the john with 3 of them in the house but it getting to be a little hard going up & down the step my legs are not like when I was a grunt but I think nam for that I got it starst eather pref or something like that th va stick long neadle in yuor legs to see how long it take for the juce to get to a thing on your toe & you get it from that good stuf they sprayed to kill every thing that was groing but the va told me that if I had told then about my legs befor two years they would have got a rating for it it was do agent oragen. I had a service connected for my throat o percent one thing when Iwas in the hospitalQui nhon you guy were working with the Korien & I cant recall if one ship went down or to but I talk to one of the guy they med vac in he sead art we lost some guy Ait was in71 it happen some time after march & there one guy that Larry B. was good frends with cant speel his hole name but it sounds like KOAKlLACK I got some slide of him I think He would put lighter flued in his moth & light a lighter & blow it out look like a flame thrower had he made it home & how can get to talk to him to let Larry talk to him. I went to Larry house last night has a bad hart & breathing problem but still smokes he look like a woman ho 9 month I dont know how long he need a kick in the a$$ to stop him smoking & eating the wright food to help him just pray for him it might help & one thing the wife & me had a good new year & I know you all had good one Glenda & me will see you in Orlando it will be first one so take it eazy BROTHER & SISTER Art & Glenda
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 12:58:54 (MST)
John Dillman!!!! You're back from Iraq!!!! Thank God you checked in! L-Gently
Gently
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 10:15:23 (MST)
KOKOMO RE-UNION DATES!!!! The dates for the 25th Annual Indiana Vietnam Veterans Reunion are Sept 13, 14, 15 and 16. I got this from their website www.hcvvo.org
Gently
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 10:04:46 (MST)
dave, if i didn't know better i'd say that was my story. i worked on the very same vehicles plus m551s. can't remember the names of the bn motor sgt but he was an e-6 childers i think. i was there when we were tng recruits and lost one to a head injury from being hit by the breach. i retired in 98 and spent all but my first two years in armor. really enjoyed my time in springs. weston electric company, the cow palace. just to name a few.
John Dillman <jdillman@sbcglobal.net>
Liberty, MO USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 09:35:49 (MST)
Happy New Year to all! John, my story's very similar to yours. I'm sure I must've known you, but am missing a few brain cells. I left the Nam in January 1972. I heard about an early out program to join the National Guard if you had more than a year left. The recruiter in Nam told me I was too short to apply there, so I should apply at my next duty station (Ft. Carson). After my 30 day leave, got to Carson and they told me the program was discontinued two weeks prior (bad timing for me, apparently)! I spent the next 16 months in HHT 1/10 Cavalry as a tank/track/jeep mechanic, with a short stint as a tire repairman. Worked for Cpt. Megginson at the motor pool. Same story, too with the 67N's. I was told that the MOS was 400-percent overstrength at Carson, and so they offered me an MP job... I told them, "no thanks". Like you, I wanted a job with D-Troop, even if it meant taking care of the horses... no dice. I worked on M114's, M577's, M578's and Gamma Goats. I'm from Montrose, so didn't stick around much on weekends.
Dave
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 08:50:09 (MST)
Rhonda,one may want to bring a small cooler,its inconvenant to "dash" down to the store for a snack or whatever.A hat and sun tan lotion of course.Any pictures. A good book to read,perhaps a camera,comfy shoes. Smokes if you indulge( at the hotel in Phoniex they were about 6 bucks a pack).My wife is a TEA drinker..so we brought bags. Perhaps so cookies/crakers or something to munch on in your room.( I threw in a small jar of peanut butter).We usually have a "129th" room,where all the guys and gals hang out to see "whats up" for the morning/afternoon and generaly vist.Anyone else think of anything?
alvis
USA - Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at 04:22:24 (MST)
Oops, That was Davison, not Davidson Army Airfield.
Dan Hertlein
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 20:19:28 (MST)
Rhonda, please go to the following web site to read about the reunion. http://www.blu.org/vhcma/ It gives the daily activities and where to stay. Many arrive on Wednesday, but if you are short of funds, showing up on Thursday morning will not make you miss anything.
Dan Hertlein
Lake Tapps, WA USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 20:16:50 (MST)
Randy, please tell us about your experience during the 1968 Tet offensive. I was with the 192nd AHC at the time and my experience was lot different. Some day I might tell about it, but I am sure many would not be interested. Phan Thiet was a long way from Lane Army Heliport.
Dan Hertlein
Lake Tapps, WA USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 20:09:15 (MST)
Anything new about the reunion in Orlando? What would be the best day to attend? I read somewhere about information on Walt Disney World. I need all the information I can get. Is there anything that I should bring? Thanks
Rhonda Jordan <jordanrh1941@aol.com>
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 19:57:17 (MST)
Recent talk about what we did after Nam while still in the Army leads me to tell my experience. As was assigned to Davidson Army Airfield at Ft. Belvoir Virginia. Our mission was to support the Pentagon in what was called Operation Pentagon Air Lift. In the event of a national emergency, we were to proceed to the heliport at the Pentagon and then lift the generals to the underground compound in the mountains. When I first arrived in November 1968, there were no Huey helicopters, just the old H-34. It was not long and I traveled with a group of pilots to Ft. Knox, Kentucky to pick up our first group of four or six slicks. The birds were all factory re-builds that had seen time in Nam and had been ferried up from Texas. Some still had bullet hole patches visible. The staff at Ft. Knox had a hard time giving up the aircraft. These were the only craft available outside of flight training schools. We flew the aircraft back to Virginia across the Appellations. What a trip, ridding the thermals up and down. Once back in Virginia we started a regular routine. Crews would rotate from being on call for O.P.A.L., instrument flight training for pilots, and carrying the mail from the Pentagon to Dulles International Airport and back again twice a day for Gen. Westmoreland. It was great duty and, fortunate for me, a great way to de-compress from Viet Nam prior to getting out of the service.
Dan Hertlein
Lake Tapps, WA USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 19:53:41 (MST)
Happy New Year Everyone. Hope this year is the best and you be blessed with healings. Thanks for everything
Michael Walkers Daughter-Rhonda Jordan
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 19:49:21 (MST)
Hi guy Elvas When I came home from nam number2time well they sent me to Texas & put me in a tank unit the first day went to the motor poll there were some tanks & they told me I going to drive one & ionly sead it got no rotter blades & that lifer told me to get out of here & see top he told me I had two things I coud do drive jeep or go back over there so I drove jeep & got tired of that & 1049 for nam & that how I got to the 129th one more thing dont tell a cop inwaco that he a goat roppre then the shit hit the fan Art
ArthurEFoster <TIGERWAGON@MSN.COM>
Hogansville, GA. USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 17:51:15 (MST)
John and dave,I too was at Ft. Cartoon. Arrived in Aug or Sept of 72. Was put into the 1/10th inf., out in the mule barn area. Was with Company,then put in A company,with the rest of the "druggies" and problem childs. When i gotto Carson,they said "we are overstrenght in Aviation, welcome to the Infrantry". I said, "you aint gonna like me".
alvis
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 15:09:50 (MST)
Happy New Year to the Flight! I hope this year brings joy and happiness and continued healing. One of the great joys of my life has been finding all of you (thank you Mark!) and reconnecting. I look forward to seeing many of you again in Orlando! Bill
Bill Wolf
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 14:11:03 (MST)
hi flight heres wishing everyone a very happy new year. bill shillito where are you ce bulldog 682 aug 1971 - jul 1972
donnie purvis <donnie.purvis@us.army.mil>
Linwood, NC USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 12:28:15 (MST)
Hi Flight... Hope that's not too much drivel for you Randy.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 12:05:51 (MST)
dave, who did you serve with at Carson in 72. after returning from VN i arrived at carson in feb. 72 there were 6500 67ns at the time, so i took an assignment w/1-10th cav. my hope was to get to Dtroop but that never happened, so i stayed in armor from there on in.
John Dillman <jdillman@sbcglobal.net>
liberty, mo USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 11:11:50 (MST)
Happy New Year to all. Grandkids are up and we are watching The Lil' Mermaid for the 3rd time in 2 days. Life is great. As you can tell Randy, Not only will we listen to you in here, we actually want to talk to you too. Join us!!!!..........so grand to see all the chatter in here. Love to all.........always a brother............
Mark
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 07:40:11 (MST)
Goodmorning Flight: Hope everyone is having a safe New New Years!! I'm on my way to work. Autozone don't close for New years. Randy welcome Home!! We have had to crossed paths from the time frame you were in Vietnam. I was there Nov.65-Nov.66 and a second tour June 67 thru april 68. I was the pol driver at one time. But, also was a crewchief in the 1st. flight platoon. Spent guard duty at Lane during TET 68!! Some of us have problems. Our experience were different from the next person. But, no matter when you served in the 129th. We all went through some sort of a PTSD event that has stayed with us. I know guys whom never talk about Vietnam. Were here to support everyone whom visits this site. And hopefully, you will be part of our 129th family. Only you can make that decision. Our goal is to Welcome all our 129th Brothers Home. We are Family Here. Always A Brother!!!
Alex
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 07:13:55 (MST)
Randy......Naw.... you can`t be the "outspoken asshole" of the 129th....That`s "my job".....Now RVN has been almost 40 years ago.....But I wouldn`t care to bet, that some of us were friggin "wacko`s" before we went to Nam.......Nam just re-enforced how crazy we could really get.......Luckily, most of my childhood friends in Columbus,Ohio are and still pretty much nuts.......We were "small time" gangsters, with a PHD of the streets.......We majored in "Thuglogy"......Nam taught us how to "smuggle" things into the compound(shipping and recieving), how to steal most anything you needed(Direct procurement, which is the focus in supply chain management, ... The bidding is just one of the many steps which procurement worked,.....selling drugs( You buy a 1/4 pound, sell 3 ounces, you get one free.....Microeconomics........You buy a bale(55 pounds) sell 40 pounds.....15 pounds are profit and sell a case of Jack Daniels....By the "shot"....Macroencinomics........Bringing "working girls" into the compound.....Marketing and Product, Planing and Promotion........Yes.....Randy....Nam made some of us....BETTER CRIMINALS.......
Fred Skaggs
Somewhere In, NJ USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 06:41:15 (MST)
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL. Mark ..... I was wondering about the snakes LOL. Randy WELCOME HOME hope you will stay with us. this IS A PLACE OF HEALING and sometimes we talk about dumb things but it helps ........ "try it ... you'll like it" to quote another in here, STAY SAFE. Later, Don
Don Miller
USA - Monday, January 01, 2007 at 00:17:27 (MST)