Happy Halloween to all!!!! Just a word of advice to all the new posts, if you just put the word 'at' in place of @ in your adresses, it will stop the email harvesters. we had quite a time with the mugu guys from africa, a while back. Don't be surprised if you get some emails from some prince in sierra leone, who needs your help in geting all kinds of money out of his country!!!!
Kim La Voie
Livermore , Me USA - Sunday, October 31, 2004 at 20:42:37 (MST)
hi guys. heard about site from kathy blevins,i have been talking to them for a little while about nam.i was in the 498th across the road for a short while,4-5 months. also was with 8th field hospital in nha trang 51st med co(ambulance) and 61st med bat in qui nhon. just wanted to say you guys sound like a very caring group of guys and gals.i have looked quite a ways back in the flight log and was very impressed. hope you guys don't mind if i stop by from time to time and put in my 2 cents or ask questions. our household here is very military as my wife is a retired navy career councelor.only woman i could find that can start to understand the effect of some of the things that have happened. any way hope you guys won't mind me popping in.support our troops but not necessarily our politicians thanks paul mcgrath
paul mcgrath <
idapaul@ivnet>
oglesby, il USA - Sunday, October 31, 2004 at 18:58:36 (MST)
Seems like times does fly, I've been out of the loop for a coupla days as I was @ the Tampa VA Hospital. they replaced my pacemaker for the 5th time in 21 years. I was really impressed with the staff, and the way surgical staff kept me laughing even before the drugs started flowing. I feel I had better care @ the VA Hosp, than when I used to use Civilian Hospitals. Any way regaining my strength, hoping to get back to work in a coupla days. When I think of the Red Sox, it makes me believe that miracles do happen. I shall keep on reading the log as it is a very useful thing for me.
Dennis Fuerstenau <
dpf092003@yahoo.com>
Haines City, Fl USA - Sunday, October 31, 2004 at 10:23:24 (MST)
Kim LOL....good one :-)))).....BOO!!!!!!
Mark or is it?
USA - Sunday, October 31, 2004 at 07:25:19 (MST)
Oh Great!! How are we going to know if it's REALLY Mark at the next reunion?????? Any one willing to volunteer to check?
Kim
USA - Sunday, October 31, 2004 at 07:18:27 (MST)
RAy, if you want to take a trip down memory lane, just key in Red Sox, and add any year you want. I spent a bit of time on memory lane, just reminiscing about Jerry Adair, Mike Andrews, Ken Harrelson, Reggie Smith, Rico Petrocelli. I wonder just how many times Elston Howard came off the bench and drowe in a run, Jose Santiago pitching whenever he was needed, George Scott following Yaz's home run with one of his own....Jim Lonborg ending a two game skid.......I love that game!!!!...Kathy, as has already been said, we used to spend a lot of time over at dustoff. One of our gunners, Junior Johnson, had a brother in 498th while he was with us. Junior wasn't with us very long, he got wounded inland from Miami Beach, september? of 71.........two more days till election!! VOTE RIGHT AND VOTE OFTEN!!!!
KIm
USA - Sunday, October 31, 2004 at 07:15:42 (MST)
...ya know, for my invovlement with the 129th and Veterans, I have been on the front page of newspapers. I have been on the TV news also for the same reason. BUT.......when you have somebody dress up like you for holloween.....WELL!!!!!!now that is finally hitting the big time. Had a young girl that sings in a band that does the Pop-A-Top every Thursday night for open mic night and she dressed up like me tonight for some parties she was going to. Tatoo on the arm and all......golly gee wizz........less she thinks that I am scarry looking....always a brother
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 20:53:07 (MDT)
DAD UPDATE.......Pop is still in the hospital. Wants out bad. Dee and I have been there twice today. He keeps asking me to please get him out of there. Says I aint treating him right. Says all the people there are not very coroprative. Told me to bring the cops with me. Tells me I am mean to him.....then Dee walks in and I say "Dad, you know who that is"?, Pop says "sure, that's my Dee. If I had one like that I would keep her forever". I said to Dee, you brown nose! :-))))...Pops right about Dee though. She is a keeper!!!!..Lucky me!!!!.......When I am with Dad just about the only thing that can calm him down is when we talk about trucks and fixing them. His O2 and pulse rate machine would peep and he claimed it was the Cisco Livestock low air pressure alarm going off. So from the hospital bed me and him was fixing it. I aks him if he thought it was the R12 air vavle. No. no. that wouldnt do that. Finally he fell asleep and woke up and said, did you change the tank. I said yeah pop, the tank had a hole rusted in it and I told him that we had one in stock and he was relaxed and doozed off again. Most relaxed he was all day. We fixed a truck from the hospital bed that was'nt even anywhere near us. So you can guess what an emotional roller coaster we have been on. I want to do all I can for him, but what pop wants is for me to do all the wrong things for him and bust him out of the joint. I would love to do that for him , but it is for the best to go against his wishes. God Bless, just and old worn out Marine......spent some good time with the grand daughter today. She just makes Dee and I laugh all the time. Lily Mia will 1 on 11/11. always a brother.....
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 20:32:25 (MDT)
WELCOME HOME Kenneth and back to LANE Army Air Field. Glad that you are here. There have been a few 498th ones stop in at times here, but you and Kenneth are welcome here anytime and can always particapate in the FLIGHT LOG BOOK. Better yet, you guys should try and make a reuinion sometime. I see you are from Ohio. Me too. Where is South Ponit Ohio? I live in west central Ohio 7 miles from the Indiana border........ ROBBIE, good luck on that job. I am fimiliar with looking up GM parts. Did it for 20 years for Dad. Ask me some questions and I'll see if I can answer some for you. Love to you all. Always a brother,
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 20:17:06 (MDT)
Well, I have a line on a job finally. It's at a chevy/pontiac/olds dealer near me. They need a parts counter man, and want me to come in on Monday and talk to the person on the parts counter now and see if they think I am worthy to hire. I used to work at a Lincoln/Mercury dealership in the 60's, but we were using books to look up parts etc. Can anyone out there (maybe Alex) tell me of a web site I might visit to gain some knowledge/insite as to GM cars and parts. I am off to Yahoo to start typing in General Motors and see what I can come up with. Any help would be appreciated. This place is less than 1/2 mile from my house, and I am now on unemployment so I could use the job......Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 14:13:54 (MDT)
Kathy, welcome to you and Kenneth. The 498th are our brothers also and we're glad that Kenneth made it home to you. A few of our members are diagnosed with PTSD and They have gotten the support and written confirmation of combat situations and such from some of the other members. I myself wrote one for my door gunner and was proud to do it. He has since gotten 100%. Not that I am saying my letter did all of that but I like to feel it had something to do with it. Anyway, you are both welcomed into our humble fold and I'm sure there are others that are better at expressing themselves that will welcome you also. Mark, I hope your Dad is doing better, and bless you for helping him and your Mom....Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 08:32:08 (MDT)
Kathy, if you have been reading the 129th for a month or so, you know we welcome you with open arms. What kind words, and as you can tell, we are all so thankful for this site. Jim & I have been involved with this site for a couple years and things folks say here still make us say "oh, that's why......". True things "flare up" occasionally, but it's just like my big brother-----he would tease the heck out of me, but let anyone try to do me harm and he came out fighting!! These guys would do anything for each other and all the gals that participate are like sisters to me. Welcome!
Jim & Sue H.
USA - Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 07:02:26 (MDT)
My husband was with the 498th from June 25 1970 to April 1971 at Lane Feild--Anson. I have been reading your board for the last month and would like to thank Mark for making such a wonderful place to help people heal and remember the good and bad times on the base. Kenneth has PTSD and all of you regulars have helped me to understand what really was happening to him while I was back here waiting for him to come home. Kenneth has spoken to Lou Ragonese and to George Marshall on the phone just last week. Just reading your support for each other is very gratifying to me. As most of you should remember, the 498th was just across the road from the 129th. Kenneth worked and lived in the motor pool and he flew as a medic whenever he got a chance to fill in because that was his real MOS. Kenneth saw the accident with George Hain and has never forgotten it either. He also was one of the men that came from the Drs building with gurneys when the man was electrocuted at the pool. All of you seem to have such compassion for each other that I envy your closeness. The 498th does have a board of their own but they are not as open armed and caring as your group is. For those of you that are trying to prove claims you just might find a name that would help you on their roster list that you may have forgotten about. I want to thank George Marshall for being so kind as to send me the letters that will help Kenneth prove he is not just imagining what he experienced in Vietnam. I will be writng George a letter stating his experinces too for his file, signed with by affadavid and should have it to you by the end of this next week. I hope my posting on your board doesn't offend anyone, but I just wanted to congratulate all of you for helping each other in times of need. Thanks Kathy Blevins
Kathy Blevins for Kenneth Blevins <
mawmawblevins@yahoo.com>
South Point, OH USA - Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 01:54:24 (MDT)
if you get an email that just says hi,dont open it,virus.
alvis
USA - Friday, October 29, 2004 at 21:51:18 (MDT)
> The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1986. They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up. > > > > Their lifetime has always included AIDS. > > > > Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic. > > > > The CD was introduced the year they were born. > > > > They have always had an answering machine. > > They have always had cable. > > > > They cannot fathom not having a remote control. > > > > Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show. > > > > Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. > > > > They never took a swim and thought about Jaws. > > > > They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. > > > > They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. > > > > They never heard: "Where's the Beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel", or "de plane Boss, de plane". > > > > They do not care who shot J. R. and have no idea who J. R. even is. > > > > McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers. > > > > They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter. > > > > Do you feel old yet?
alvis
USA - Friday, October 29, 2004 at 21:27:52 (MDT)
HI FRED I DO RECALL PETE RUNNELS AND CARL Y NOT EVEN GOING TO TRY TO SPELL HIS LAST NAME AND RUSS WOW AM LONG TIME AGO. YOU MUST KEEP UP ON IT I WAS BORN THERE AND FORGOT MOST OF THEM LOTS OF MEMORIES THANK FRED RAY A BROTHER ALWAYS
RAY
MD USA - Friday, October 29, 2004 at 10:49:57 (MDT)
Ray,my friend, that`s some good recall on the Red Sox......Here ya go Ray.......1962 Boston Red Sox.......Gary Geiger, CF......Pete Runnels, 2nd Base......Frank Malzone,3rd base.......Eddie Bressoud, SS,...... a second year player in LF named Carl Yastrzemski,....Lou Clinton,RF.......Russ Nixon and Jim Pagliaroni split time at catcher.........Starting Pitchers, Earl Wilson,.... Galen Cisco( former All-American Ohio State baseball player),....Gene Conley ( he also played basketball for the Boston Celtics),... Bill Monbouquette,.... and the 6'6" reliever Dick Radatz and... Tracy Stallard ( Who gave up the pitch that Roger Maris`s hit for the 61st HR the year before). The Red Sox finished 8th place in the American League that year(62).........But in the next few years, young rookies with names like, Tony C., Rico P., George Scott, Eddie Foy. That sure brings back memeories Ray!!!!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Friday, October 29, 2004 at 08:43:39 (MDT)
HELLO ALL MARK HOE IS YOUR DAD DOING THANK GOD FOR THAT MIRACLEL , I HOPE HE STAYS, PRAYES ARE WITH YOU NAD YOUR FAMILY..KIM I RECALL THE LAST GAME I WENT AT BOSTON WAS WHEN TED WILLIAMS PLAYED LF # 9 I THINK GARRY GIGGRE PLAYE CENTER I MAY HAVE SPELT WRONG AT TIME I RE CALL A JIM PIESALL PLAYING WHEN HE HIT A HOME RIN HE WOULD RUN THE BASES BACK WARDS, AN THEN A MAN NAMED JACKIE JANSOM PLAYED R F # 7 THEN ON FRIST BAST WAS A MAN NAMED DON BUTTON # 1 THE A MAN CALEED FRANL MALZONE PLAYED 3RD BASE I THINK IS # WAS 3 I KNOW THE NAMES MAY BE SPELT WRONG BUT THATS ALL I REMBER BEEN MAY YEARS.BUT WAS GLAD TO SEE THEM WIM KIM NOT SURE IF IAM RIGHT IT WAS BACK IN 1957 OR SO WELL HOW IS EVERY ONE DOING IAM OK HERE JUST WANT TO SAY HO ABROTHER ALWAYS RAY
RAY
MD USA - Friday, October 29, 2004 at 06:31:57 (MDT)
Mark. Glad your father is where he can get the help he needs. Pain is a great convincer.
Bill French 68-69
Ga USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 22:00:34 (MDT)
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, but I haven't got the energy." "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a Fourth night, there he was, proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree. Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
Rick
USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 20:49:17 (MDT)
Mark just read about your dad, my prayers go out to you and yours
Lou Rags
Dover, De USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 15:02:35 (MDT)
Thanks Ray-we will never forget. Yes Mark, miracles! For all of you who have ordered mangets-they've been mailed. Enjoy, and thank you-Gently
Gently
USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 12:19:10 (MDT)
While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. "Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you." "No problem, just let me in," says the man. "Well, I'd like to but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity." "Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the senator. "I'm sorry but we have our rules." And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne. Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that, before he realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time to visit heaven." So, 24 hours pass with the head of state joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. "Well then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity." The senator reflects for a minute, then the senator answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell." So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?" The devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday We Were Campaigning......
Fred Skaggs
USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 12:15:04 (MDT)
Roger that Mark and Ray,their flight is finished,job well done and waiting,with their feet kicked up,on us to arrive as well. Kim,congrads on the sox! Them sweeping the series put a puncuation mark behind... champions of 2004.
alvis
USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 08:16:50 (MDT)
dad update, First, thanks to all of you for your kind words. Bless you all. After feeling convicted for lieing to my mother last night, a knowing that I would have to go over and see dad today, I ask my wife what I should do. Thank God for Dee. She always has the correct answer for me, Always. She said Mark just be honest with your mom and dad. By the time I got to work mom found out that pops satyed at the hospital last night because he wasnt in his office this morning. KABOOOOM, off goes mom. Wanting to know she was lied to. As Dee said, I was honest with her. I said that I am 53 years old and should know better not to lie, but thats the way you ( mom and dad ) brought me up. To smooth things out, you have to tell a lie. more details of the conversation then I can write here. So then I get to the hospital and tell dad that I love him and in my heart I want him to get the medical attention that he needs. But he insisted that he leave. Told him how smart he was and dum at the same time. just beinbg honest. Told him I recall the days when he used to get on his hands and knees and pray. Ask him if he still believe in Jesus, he grumbled yes.......I went and got the nurse to sign him out and he decided to stay because that is the only place they can administer the meds to relieve the pain he has. he said, " I guess I better stay then"..........will miricals never cease?...........later...thanks gang.love to you all........
Mark
USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 07:53:40 (MDT)
God Bless you Ray. Thanks for what you wrote to Steve. Know that he has read it, and that smile of his you talk about, it's on his face right now.Happy Birthday Steve. Tell the 129th guys up there we all say hi. Man, what a thought. :-)
Mark
USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 07:42:53 (MDT)
HELLO ALL, FRIST THING I NEED TTO DO IS WISH STEPEN HARGRAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. MY BROTHER WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH THAT YOU ARE MISSED BY ME AND ALL OF YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. OF THE 129th , THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT YOU ARE AND THE CREW OF 257 ARE NOT THOUGHT OF, STRPHAN WE HAVE TRYED SO HARD TO GET IN TOUH WITH SOME IN YOUR FAMILY, PERHAPS SOME DAY WE WILL. BUT AGAIN I KNOW YOU ALL ARE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE THAN US, BUT , I WANT TO WISH YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM US ALL . MAY YOU BE AT PEACE ,AN WE ALL WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW NONE OF US WILL NEVER WILL EVER FOR GET THE NIGHT THAT 257 WHENT DOWN. FOR YOU AND ALL OF THE OTHER OTHERS FROM THE 129tH WILL NEVER WILL BE FORGOTTEN, , FOR EACH YEAR WE GET TOGETHER AND YOU ALL ARE REMEMBER AMD THOUGHT OF. WITH THAT I CLOSE AGAIN HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BROTHER KNOW I LOVE YOU AND WILL NEVER WILL FOR GET YOU THE WAY THAT YOU ALWAYS CAME UP AND MADE PEOPLE LAUGH , FOR YOU ALWAYS HAD A SMILLE ON YOUR FACE I MISS YOU MY BROTHER, RAY AS YUO SEE I NEVER WON A SPELLING BEE SORRY JUST HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRON ALL OF US FROM IHE 129th
RAY <
STILWATING@AOL.COM>
MD USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 06:16:28 (MDT)
Mark, My mom died suddenly in 1991, my Dad went downhill for 2 years after that, having all sorts of problems & finally a leg amputated & I had him in the Va here in Sheridan for a year & after the amputation, he was in a lot of pain on the medical unit & was incoherent & raising hell & they called me over from the psych unit to see if i could settle him down. Well, he called me every name in the book & said that if my Mom was alive she would really be proud of me having him locked up in this kind of shape. It hurt very bad to hear that but it wasn't coming from dad, just the circumstances. He died awhile after that in 1993. The upshot of this is that my heart is with you & there isn't a day goes by when i don't wish i had them both back. GOD be with you>>> love & respects>>> Smitty
jim westwang 71-72
sheridan, wy USA - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 01:01:48 (MDT)
Mark, sorry to hear about that. My grandpa sounds alot like your dad in the stubborness. Prayin that he settles down. Can they sedate him? Hope all goes well tomorrow.
Melody Pershall
Amarillo, TX USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 23:04:02 (MDT)
Barry, thanks man.......I love you brother.........
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 20:18:38 (MDT)
mark it sounds like you were discribing my folks. i know dam well what your going through.an i stopped putting up with it years ago. moving to florida meant being close to them ,only an hour away, i used to go see them at lest once very 3 weeks. that was three years ago, now if i go down to see them once very 4 or 4 monthsnow.my mentle health was at stake.so i go as little as possible.knowing my dad as i do it sounds like a carbin copy, from from your dad.for example, he's nice to everyone outsdie his family but his own hardley vere counts. i could never do anything right, it always has to be his way, an if you dont do it his way youur stuped your wrong an the one i love is you dont know what you are talking about. sound familur? mark i delt with my father in my, right or wronge, an you have to do the same. oh an mom who i love dearly is always making excusesfor him. i guess what im tring to say is that you are not alone.im always home if you need someone to talk to. ray sounds like your feeling better,had some material send off to you an gale on lake aston. love tosee you guys down here an for that fact any of my brothers.a lot one can do here.my best to everyone wink from 010 with love 3/69-10/70
wink
lake wales, fl USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 20:05:45 (MDT)
Kim, thanks for the advice, and yes, you are correct, Faith is what I need and have. With out that I would be bonkers. Prayer group helped........ Full eclips starting right now. Almost 1/2 shawdowed. 9:37 here now.
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 19:38:46 (MDT)
Wow Mark, heavy stuff!!! I know it's only a platitude, but.....you can't control anything except how you react to it. We all have our own way of coping with things, and being there for your dad, knowing all the grief he can give you and everyone else....well .....faith!!!! ***** Ray, Fred, is tonight the night???? I heard on the evening news that the Navaho code talker who blessed Kerry today in Michigan also blessed Fenway Park this past spring!!! Maybe this campaign IS RIGGED!!!! hheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....... Frank, I'll check out that web site after the series
Kim
USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 17:30:06 (MDT)
Thanks every body for your words and your prayers. Today was a battle with pops. This morning finally got him to go to hospital. In bad pain. The 15 minute ride over there was nothing but cuss words from pain. I said to him you better be praying and not cussin' pops. Got him to get xrays. 2 broken ribs and crushed virtabray.Virtabrays are supose to look like this = his looks like this > Pain, pain, pain. He said before we left. " I aint stayin' there Mark". I said OK pops. Well doc comes out and says he has to stay. KABOOM!!!! off goes the ole man. Cuss this, cuss that, this is a prison, all the docs are Baptist ( ???? what ever that means I dont know )...he claims he knows better then all the docs he ever dealt with, by the way, he has been trhown out of just about every docs office in the county. He raised hell with the nurses after I got home and they called me. I said I cant do notin' with him. He wont take hard stuff for pain, I told them to hit him with a ball bat then. He cussed me out over the phone and ordered me to come over and bust him out or he would get somebody else to do it. I said, Dad, what ya gonna do, get up and run away?. he said yup! Mind you he cant even walk. ALVIS, you ask about mom., thanks, but that is part of the problem also. Mom has lived a life of lies and secrets for so long that there is no reality in her life anymore. Should of divoreced the ole' man years ago with his runnin' round but subjects gerself to it all and knows all about it but walks around like she is blind and tries to act like we dont know anything. When the subject comes up it's shush this and shush that. He might hear you. I love my mom, but well...I love her...and I love dad. The Lord commands me to do that. And I will, but I dont have to respect them. and I cant. I had to lie to my mom and tell her that I was bringing dad back to the garage tonight, and then turn around and give his girlfriend permission to go to the hospital and stay with him all night so he would stay there. Delema.....ahhh, you bet. Fred S. I know pop is from the greatest generation. He is the smartest man that I have ever met, but at times, he is the dumbest man I have ever met. He has millions and sets in his office with a 25 watt light on in the dark. Has for years. When he could be out enjoying the whole world. When mom is around him he is more meserable then ever. Guilt, I think. It's a big mess, nothin' that nobody else aint been through , I am sure. He is a Howard Hughs type.....I know every family has their skeletons in the closet, but personally, I do not know Of one as messed up as my mom and dad. My older brother forgot my last name, and Larry's daughter, who we raised and my sister after Larry died, lives 7 miles away and I never see her. She is not alowed to talk to us because I told her to leave her boyfriend because he is a woman beater, this I know for a fact, and she stoped talking to us. This is in chapter , lets see, 7 or 8 of volume 4 of the book. ;-)////good thing the Lord gives me a sence of humor yet.......well, tomorrow will be another battle, I am sure. pops thinks i'm coming over to get him out at 6AM so he can be at work and he has test skedguled for 9AM..KABOOOOOM!!!!!!!...I can see it already........we got a prayer meeting tonight. I need it....God Bless you all......and thanks again. Really thanks!!!!!!!...good thing I quit drinkin', or tonight would of been a pie eyed, smoked, blasted, plastered, blitzed, slushed, stumblin' duzzie...........Heres to being sober :-))))))))))) LOve ya all
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 16:29:36 (MDT)
MARK. SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR DAD, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL BE IN OUR PRAYES AND THOUGHTS, MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AMD WATCH OVER YOUR DAD AND YOUR MOM.
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 15:54:51 (MDT)
Mark, My Grandpa died at 45, and my Father at 59. You`re so lucky to still have him around. He`s part of "The Greatest Generation" this country has ever had, they don`t make them like your Dad anymore. He will be in my prayers and thoughts......
Fred Skaggs
USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 15:41:31 (MDT)
MANY PRAYERS, MARK...
Keith 72-73
ms USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 14:07:52 (MDT)
Sorry to hear about your dad your family is in our prayers. You can only help them as much as they will let you. george
george marshall
USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 08:04:35 (MDT)
Mark, how is your mom doing?
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 05:30:15 (MDT)
Mark, You and Yours are in our prayers. God Bless
Rick
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 22:45:04 (MDT)
Mark, Jim & I know what a tough thing you are going through with your Dad. Sometimes it really sucks to be a grownup. We lost all four of our parents so "been there did that". My Dad was the crotchy sort, too, and I miss him the most I think. It was some of his antics that still makes me smile. I don't have any sage advice for you except do what you need to to live with yourself later. If you do that, you won't have any regrets. I know you are doing your best. We are all glad that you turn to your 129th family when things get tough. Hang in there. We're praying for you all.
Jim & Sue H.
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 21:36:10 (MDT)
Kim, try tarheelrecruits.com, {message board, belltower} for political discussions.
J,W. Wilson
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 19:22:43 (MDT)
Mark, you and your family are in our prayers.
J.W. Wilson
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 19:13:32 (MDT)
Prayers said for you and your dad, Mark.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 18:05:48 (MDT)
Mark, take care. We are all here for you. We don't mind listening. Sometimes that what we do best. While we are listening I know we will be saying a silent prayer for your family. Always a sister Katharine
Katharine
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 15:47:31 (MDT)
Mark, my sympathy to you. My dada left back in 89, went in for a triple bypass, and never woke up. He was a crotchety, opinionated cuss, and I still miss him. Hope your's recovers, and goes when he's damn good and ready!...Alvis, my point wasn't so much what we have, it was how we termed it...Although, I honestly feel that we have enough whizbangs to do us. I strongly feel that we need to get beyond making more than anybody else has, we've already done that. Maybe it's time to get with the program and eliminate them worldwide? I don't want to show up with a shotgun at a knife fight, I'd rather know who wants to knife me, so I can blow his house up, with him inside!!! Hell, the gun might misfire! Still, I don't feel the need to beat up some kid in a sandlot, just because he says he hates me. I won't turn my back on him as I walk away, though. Of course, I don't claim to be any great Christian, either.....I won't pretend to know what the best solution is to all that's messed up in the world, it's petty complicated. Even if we could get everyone in the world gainfully employed, we'd just run out of resources that much quicker than we are now. As I understand it, American's lap up the greatest percentage of natural resources of any nation. Can the whole world use things up at the same rate as us, without us running out of something? And once we start running out, price goes up, only the rich can afford it, and someone gets disenfranchised. BINGO, another bunch of terrorists!!!! It's a vicious cycle
Kim
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 15:08:53 (MDT)
Mark, sorry to hear your Dad is in a bad way. I know you'll take care of him no matter what he says. Ray, It was nice talking to you yesterday, and I remember you telling me about all of the things going wrong around the house, but I was laughing like hell when I read that your water broke friday. I didn't even know you were pregnant..Nyuk Nyuk. Well, the election will be over soon and then we'll be in trouble huh?
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 14:45:16 (MDT)
Mark, that full circle thing is awful isn't it. Our parents become our children. Your dad is inmy prayers. Sticks! Four years and counting---that's great news! Gale, oh, oh:>)) Ray, don't fix it-just forget it! LOL! Gently
Gently
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 14:05:50 (MDT)
MARK I HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT WITH YOUR FATHER,,YOU ARE NEEDED WAY MORE THAN MERE WORDS EXPRESS. NO ONE WANTS TO DEPEND ON OTHERS TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE BASIC TO LIFE AND ENJOYMENT. GREG, I THINK THAT I USED TO FLY WITH YOU ESP. ON TIGER WAGON. I USED TO CREW THAT RATHER THAN SIT AROUND THE LINE SHACK. I PAINTED THE #13 ON THE HAT OF THE BULLDOG HAT OF MY ACFT, BUT I CANNOT REMEMBER THE TAIL # OF THE BIRD THAT I CREWED. ANIMAL YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE PROSTATE CANCER. I HAVE BEEN CANCER FREE FOR 4 YEARS NOW. I HAD PROSTATE CANCER AND RADICAL SURGERY IN 2000, ANY LITTLE ACHE OR PAIN THEY QUICKLY CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT BACK. I HAVE TO BE CHECKED EVERY 6 MONTHS, IT'S PAINLESS TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE IT, BUT IT QUICKLY GOES DOWN HILL FROM THERE. I"M OUTTA HERE GOTTA GO TO WORK. JIM
jim oliver
savannah, ga USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 13:13:48 (MDT)
Thanks for your support guys.
Mark
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 13:07:42 (MDT)
Dads been sleeping like a baby since the nurse left. talked to him a bits, trying to get him to go to hospital. he wont budge. Dang Marines!!!!!!!!!!!gerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrbleeding around the mouth. Says he picked his nose. Shakin' my head at him........
Mark
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 13:06:20 (MDT)
What scares me is that the one that lost the last election is in there now.....figure that out!? :o]]]]
Gale
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 13:05:35 (MDT)
My last comment on the elction (I promise). What scares the hell out of me, is that one of these guys is going to win. Take care my friends. Clear from cajun land.
Frank Loveday
Bastrop, La. USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 12:42:15 (MDT)
Mark, My heart goes out to you brother. My pop isn't doing so well either. He's 85 and just starting chemo for prostate cancer. Thats why I'm going to be in Texas next month. The sad thing is that even if the chemo works, he's still an 85 year old. I'm 30 years younger and I hurt. I would urge all of you guys to get your prostate checked as it is one of the leading problems for guys our age. When caught early blah blah blah..........Alvis, good point about a knife vs. a shotgun. What bothers me,though, is why weapons of mass destruction are the pinnacle of our technology. If we waged peace as energetically as we wage war, I am confident we would be successful. Respectfully, Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 12:41:46 (MDT)
Ray, sounds like things are falling apart around you. Just fix'em and forget'em....it happens to us all. Debbie & I are doing fine, thanks. Mark, it gets pretty touchy and I know how "strong willed" your Dad is. Put yourself in his place...............it would be hard to give up and depend on someone else for everything. Now, once the mind goes, well, that's another matter. I'm sure that knowing you are there for him means a whole lot and I respect you for that. Kids don't always do whats right for their parents......healthy or not. I think you know what I mean!? Always, Gale
Gale
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 11:38:38 (MDT)
HELLO ALL DOING OK HERE I GUESS. GOT TO GO TO BALIT TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE THAT I KNOW HURTS LIKE HECK TOLDT THEM ONLY WAY IS THEY PUT ME TO SWLEEP ALSO HAVE A BIE OPSEY DONE ON PRPASTE OTHER THAN THAT OK, BE SIDES NY WATER BROKE FRIDAY NIGHT HAD TO PUMP THAT OUT, HAD A FRIEND PUT A NEW ONE IN ON SUNDAY. OH SAT MY VCR WENT POOF HAD TO GET NEWONE TOOK 3 HOURS TO GET IN BUT IT PLAYS VCR AND RECORS THEM ALSO DOSE DVDS IT IS SOPOSED TO TAKE YOUR OLD VCRS AND MAKE THEM TO DVDS HAVEN TRYED THAT YET, STILL WORKING ON EDITING THE CAM CORD DOING OK BUT CANT GET THE AROWS AND STUFF ON THE BOTT0OM BUT WORKING ON IT, THIS HIHGT TECK STUFF LOL OH GO SOXS BEING FROM BOSTON GOT TO SEE THEM WINN ONE BEING GOOD TODAY. HOW ARE YOU ALL DOINGHOW ARE YOU ATE YOU AND DEBBIE DOING GALE, HI KAL HI MARK RICK KIM HOW HAVE YOU BEEN DOING, WELL HI TO ALL I MISSED GENTLY HOW YOU BEEN I HOPE YOUR WEEK END GOSE WELL BE SAFE STAY WELL HEY ROB IT WAS GRATE TALKING TO YOU YESTERDAY THANKS RAY AGAIN GO SOXS
RAY
MD USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 08:58:47 (MDT)
His hired nurse just came and gave him some pain shots..........she dropped off papers for him to get xrayed......
Mark
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 08:20:11 (MDT)
Just need someone to listen, I think I am watching my ole'an die is his chair in his office. Some might say, " why dont you do something for him"?....those of you that have met pop know that you dont do anything for him. I can "Fix It" himself. This time he backed his electric cart up and ramed into raised folks on a forklift. pretty sure he broke something. He is not responding to much of anything today. just keeps saying " I aint never felt this way before" and then says " I'll be alright.Dang ole' stubburn Jarhead..........I gave him til noon then told him we was going to the hospital. he says " we'll see"...........he's 78, and his body is ruined.........cant hold his head up. I have to zip his pants for him...........
Mark
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 08:18:09 (MDT)
and another way of looking at it is taking a shotgun to a knife fight.I wouldnt lay down my shotgun and pick up a knife nor allow my opponet to pick up a shotgun.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 07:40:26 (MDT)
Alvis, A different way to look at it is; Can you really expect someone else to lay down their arms if we won't lay down ours? We'd be in a better position to influence other countries if we at least moved in that direction. It's like telling your kids not to smoke while you've got a cigie hanging out of your mouth. We are a great nation, but lets face it, we've got "smart" weapons and "stupid" television. Technology should benefit Man. With respect, Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 at 01:42:58 (MDT)
Kim, do you really believe that any country that wants nuclear weapons should have them?
alvis
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 23:16:32 (MDT)
Kim L. The Sox are hitting great, but the defense looked like a "bad softball" team. They won`t get away with making errors like that in St.Louis. Plus the Cards will hit better at home. Plus no DH, that will move Ortiz into 1st base and a defensive liability in rightfield. Please don`t say put Manny in right, it`s a "adventure" every time he makes a play on the ball..... GO BOSOX!!!!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 18:07:10 (MDT)
I mean I think I am George.
george
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 15:47:37 (MDT)
I again am sure that Kim is a better at explaining what he means than I can understand. George(I think) a brother always.
george
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 15:45:10 (MDT)
Two more to go!!!!! GO SOX!!!!!!! It's amazing hthat they can play like the Key stone Kops, and still win!?! Judith, don't apologise too soon. Usually a reaction like you received means that you struck a nerve, and the person didn't know how to answer! Alex, I understand where you're coming from. Still, I worry that George Orwell was only off by twenty years when he wrote 1984. So much rings true, all the doublespeak, the reversal of reality, the technology. The news isn't about wht's happening any more, for a lot of talking heads, it's what they want to believe, and what they want to tell us. Reality TV? Give me a break!?!?!Who wants to be on a deserted anywhere, and try to eliminate the people? We invnet/construct some of the most horrendously destructive weapons in the world, and couch them in euphemisms, like 'peacemaker', safety shield, or such innocent sounding names. We condemn others for constructing the same things we insist on constructing for ourselves, for 'our safety'. The political party that cries loudest against 'world government' has no qualms about setting up trade venues where foreign countries and foreign business's have the right to sue individual states? We 'GIVE AWAY' our constitutional rights, in order to be safe?.....I don't have the gumption to pick up a gun and march on Washington D.C., and I don't know if it's really necessary to do so, yet. It's up to us, regardless of political persuasion, to elect folks who will follow the tried and true methods of taking care of the citizens of our country, and un-elect those who won't! To me, it's that simple...That's what makes our country the great nation it can be!!!! Judith, I've never felt any closer to anyone than i did when flying with Cpt. Roy (Regent) Mr. Lovejoy, (Soothsayer)and Stretch Mc Kinney! It won't ever happen again, at least not in this lifetime. After we parted company, we went our separate ways, and became whatever the rest of our adult lives had in store for us. Two are dead, kept alive only in memory. If we were to meet again for a few minutes, it would semm like heaven, if we were together for long.....who knows what real differences there are, or were, between us?...We're a very diverse group, with a common bond, our diversity makes us individuals, the common bond hopefully will keep us coming back, even after a blowup....I can disagree, quite strongly, if fact, with any number of folks who post here, and still have respect for them. AS Alvis said, (quite eloquently) we want to get to the same end, we just have different idea's on how to get there.....paix sur la terre
Kim
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 15:32:08 (MDT)
I'm going to be in Dallas,briefly, sometime after thanksgiving. Any chance of getting together with any of you? I don't get to the mainland much and would consider it an honor. Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 15:29:54 (MDT)
Kim I understand you were just trying show the profile some people have us.We all know what those people think of us.I guess that i was just trying to say they are wrong.And that we really don't need one of our own to remind us. A Brother George
george marshall
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 07:47:47 (MDT)
I lost it my friends. For the last several months one of the 129ers who doesn't post here any more has been seending me political "stuff" supporting his candidate and trashing mine. For awhile we had fun with it, but things changed. He became condesending and in the end, insulting, and attacked my intelligence. Last week, I laid into him, attacking back, with words and anger that were totally out of line. The election.... the election...has divided many of us, Veterans and familes, friends and spouses. I'm going to write our 129er, and offer an apology. The divisions and anger many of us are daeling with have to be put aside, especially between you Vietnam Veterans. After all you have been through, and finally finding one another again, and allowing us civilians to join you.....we cannot permit a wedge to be driven into the "family." At this point I doubt any of us are going to change anyone's mind on who we're going to vote for, and when the voting is over next week, are we going to be intact as a family? I'm still very angry over what was said to me last week, and how I reacted to it...but damn..I liked this guy alot once, and I'm going to get back to that place. Let's all get back to that place. And don't forget the Christmas fund!!! L-G
Gently
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 07:23:48 (MDT)
for those of you living near the DC area, itsotb is being shown for free at arlington cemetary and the slick in the flim is being put into the war mesuem at the smiths..as the example from the vietnam war.
alvis
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 07:23:47 (MDT)
Flight: It will be good to get the elections over. Hate to see so much diagreement between our Brothers. We all human and have the right to express our feelings. And trying to sit here and write is hard for some of us to express ourselves correctly. Which we see quite a bit. As I stated in the past. This a public website. Thousands of people visit. I feel the purpose is to attact our Brothers. I guess what I am trying to say is. It's alright to express your views but, don't keep bringing them up over and over again. We must remember that we must try and respect everyone that logs on. I hope we all can start being a family once again. Rick I remember your 1 st reunion in Charlotte. And proud to have shared many more with you and all the rest of our Brothers, whom have made the 129th reunion a enjoyable one every year. San Antonio, TX. June 2005. Mark Thanks my Brother for this website. Judith thanks to you for the Christmas fund. It has helped our Brothers whom couldn't make the reunion without a little help. I encourage all to try and donate this year. I know better than anyone that the dillar is hard to find. But, I know anything donated to the Chrismas Fund will help. ALEX
Alex
Collierville, TN USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 07:17:37 (MDT)
Frank,my friend, all I was saying about the Cleveland Plain Dealer was, Democracy was hijacked by the publisher. Frank please!!!! tell me one thing Bush and the Repubs have done over the last 4 years for middle class. In fact, tell me one thing they've done for the healthcare system. Everyone keeps talking about his tax break. Yet the minimum wages' value is the same as it was in 1929 (pathetic), gas prices are at an all time high (over $55 per barrel), healthcare premiums are going thru the roof (another 10-15% hike in Jan 05), college tuition has inflated under this administration. His answer for better jobs is to get a quality education, yet with prices to go to college on a steep incline, how did that happen?
Fred Skaggs
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 06:20:56 (MDT)
Rev.Pat Robertson Said......to Campbell Brown on MSNBC Hardball...... BROWN: I want to ask you how you feel about the war in Iraq. And if God is calling this war a disaster, does that mean that he is actually opposed to it? ROBERTSON: Well, I don‘t think God‘s opposed to the war, necessarily, but it was a danger sign. I felt very uneasy about it from the very get-go. Whenever I heard about it, I knew it was going to be trouble. I warned the president. I only met with him once. I said, You better prepare the American people for some serious casualties. And he said, Oh, no, our troops are, you know, so well protected, we don‘t have to worry about that. But it has been messy. And I think we‘re going to come out of it, though. I think we‘ll have a free Iraq. But it certainly has been a mess so far........ The transcript is here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5277869 /
Fred Skaggs
USA - Monday, October 25, 2004 at 05:38:50 (MDT)
Oops, sorry George, I didn't finish my thought. I WAS THE PUNK I was writing about!!!! Not anyone else.... Ray, I'm glad you had a good time on the cruise. I have the same problem with terraserver as you do. I'm going to play with it a little more, later on. we'll see how it goes... GO SOX!!!!
Kim
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 16:29:38 (MDT)
I don't disagree with all the conservative folks in the media. Rush Limbaugh, of all people, made a great case of the problem of assigning credence to one's death. Someone who died in the World Trade Canter is worth more to surviving family than someone who died in service to our country! I tend to feel that the surviving family of one who dies in a car accident are just as deprived as those who die because of terrorism.....I didn't hear too many folks going crazy about religeon when mcveigh and friend blew up the Murrah Center in Oklahoma City. Point is, terrorism doesn't have a single face, or nationality. All it takes is someone with a grudge. It's been with us pretty much since the dawn of civilization, and probably will be around for a little while longer....George, I can thank Attorney Bill Rowe for keeping me out of jail long enough to turn 17 and get into the army. After AIT I was stationed at Ft. Stewart Ga. till I turned 18 and went to nam. Our unit kept birds flyable for training VNAF. I got a lot of flight time while working for unscheduled maintenance. Went to nam with Elmer Woods, who was platoon leader for 1st flight while I was in the 129th. When I left my home town everyone was singing Okie from Muskogee and A Boy Named Sue, when I got back, it was New Riders of the Purple Sage, and Panama Red!!! I get a kick out of the acusation of our Press being 'Bastions of Liberalism'... Hearst, Sinclair, Fox, Gannett...HAH!!! Tell a lie often enough, and people will believe it!!!!...As for supporting our trops, give them the equipment, the mission, an enemy they can focus on, get out of the way while they kill em, and GET THEM OUT!!! Anyone wanting to start a draft has a problem. With all the guard units activated, where are the kids of privilege going to hide???
kim
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 16:21:12 (MDT)
Flight, just a comment please.It seems to me that a lot of our "Intellectuals" are getting bent out of shape because some of the News-Media are taking a conservative slant.
Frank Loveday
Bastrop, La. USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 15:03:38 (MDT)
“We had very serious disagreements among ourselves about the war, but the creed was that we never spoke ill of another veteran,” “That ethic has been violated in this election, and it’s pretty shameful,” I, myself have got caught-up in the practice of discrediting another Vet, for no other reason but pure revenge. The same feeling I got in Viet-Nam after doing something I wasn`t proud of, I got that feeling now!!!! And this whole issue of re-opening Viet-Nam has NOT been "a healthy experience" for me.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 14:40:43 (MDT)
That Tera-server website is very interesting. I had trouble navigating around An-Son(too long ago, I'm afaid) But I found my house pretty easily. If any of you want to call in some arty on me, find Kalapana, Hawaii, click once due north, and find Lat: 19.4084426, Long:-154.96212. That's my blue roof, and if you look real close, you can see my wife sunbathing naked in the back yard. (not!). The Black area's that you can see (other than cloud shadow) are recent lava flows. Ho'okahi ka 'ilau like ana! ( Weild the paddles together)[work together] Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 14:38:00 (MDT)
Sorry Ihave been gone for a while.heheheheheI am back now Swashplate was doing better the last I heard. You will see him in San Antonio. Yea! Oscar and Jerry you Shakey and I had a good time in Charlotte. That was the first time we met and my first reunion. I bet Alex won't forget that one. Flight be careful out there
Rick England
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 14:35:20 (MDT)
Kim and Animal, since we "went to different schools together", I started watching what I had to say on this web-site. But my opposition WAS NOT to the war on terror, but to the war with Iraq!!!!You can trace my position back to personal experience`s in Vietnam. Many of those who served on the "front lines" seem against the war in Iraq, having witnessed the tragedy and the cost firsthand.!!!!!I tend to assign more credibility and value to the perspective of the men and women who serve on the front line. With the exception of Colin Powell(who I deeply respect and would vote for President),in contrast, the war planners and politicians are C-level and mid-level management-types disconnected from reality of war. Also CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER TO ENDORSE BUSH -- I learned this morning that tomorrow morning's edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer( always Democrat) will endorse George Bush for a second four-year term. What makes this particularly disgraceful and quite terrifying is that the seven-member editorial board of the PD voted 5-2 to endorse John Kerry. The publisher overruled them and announced the paper would support Bush. The Lorain Journal editors were told that either they endorse George Bush or they endorse no one. So, they are endorsing no one. This is happening in a "battle ground state".
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 14:05:10 (MDT)
Here you go Fred A.,,,"Beyond the Euphrates began for us the land of mirage and danger, the sands where one helplessly sank, and the roads which ended in nothing. The slightest reversal would have resulted in a jolt to our prestige giving rise to all kinds of catastrophe; the problem was not only to conquer but to conquer again and again, perpetually; our forces would be drained off in the attempt."......... Emperor Hadrian AD 117-138..............Little bit of history!!!!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 13:19:10 (MDT)
dang, the point I was trying to make remains rather vauge.I was trying to say,lets not be occupiers.
alvis
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 10:59:43 (MDT)
commenting on todays issues,iraq in particular. I was at the firefighters museum here in indy two days ago. On the wall was a copy of a letter from the president of the united states at that time in history.Anyway, it concerned cuba and our upcomming war. Mind you, this was when we invaded cuba.Anyway, the pres. stated that our mission would not change,we would free cuba ,then leave,not occupy as many were shouting for us to do.this was 110 years ago,perhaps we should learn from our history.
alvis
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 10:56:28 (MDT)
I have read Kims post about 3 times and guess I can also make a comment.Mark you weren't out of line you have a right to post your thoughts.I find Kim a much better writer than I am a reader,butI found some things that upset me I am not a cry baby,I was not an idealistic punk.I went because my country called me.I didn't want the right to say I was in a war.And lets not forget hundreds of thousands who did there best even though they were told to go DIE OR GO TO JAIL.(Kerry) of course its political its poltics .I judge a man on what he has done, not what he says he is going to do.I hate this new Viet Nam I can see it all happening again. People dieing boys girls all ages.They are trying to start the draft up again, I have an 18 year old son so you know I care. I dont want him to experince war But if he is called I expect him to support his country.Kim, please, Know one wants you to leave, this post may upset someone its not my intention but if someone gets upset I won't feel I have to leave. You are apart of the family and we need you but please don't call us names and then be upset if someone dont like it we all have the right to post.Forgive me my spelling, Ilove you all you are my family. George Marshall 129th from Jan to Dec 1970 I got to go home a little early.
george marshall
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 10:53:11 (MDT)
Yup, it would have been nice! The press made a big thing about bush stopping in Ft. Meyers yesterday, and Marine 1 landing at the Red Sox exhibition field! I have a neice who lives in Houston, it would have been a fun series. She had options on tickets in Houston, and promised to get me in with her, if I could have found my way down there... Mark, bothers, I don't write what I do just to create controversy. I honestly feel that we have the ability to change things in this country, by relating our experiences to any who will listen. I've read a lot about a lot of things, and find it ironic that we tend to repeat (accept) things that are told us by so called experts! I think about how I grew up, going to school and reciting the pledge of Allegience, along with the Lord's Prayer. Even back then, I wondered why I had to say that God was 'invisible'while saying the pledge! It's all indoctrination, as kids, we accept things, because people with authority say them, just like the Muslim kids do. I think that the greaest thing the framers of the constitution did was try and learn from the Europeans of the day. The Catholic influence on the mainland, the Anglican influence in England. We have to remember that this was an experiment, there was much they did, which had no precedent. For the most part, it's worked pretty good. One of the most idealistic issues was caling for a two party system, in which one party HAD to be in immediate oposition to any idea which came from the other! That was supposed to insure that there was always debate before anything was put into law. Unfortunately, (in my opinion) losing the debate was seen as ignorance on the part of the opposition, so....winning became more important than debating. It's nothing new to have rancor in our political system, read some of the campaigns from the late seventeen hundreds. Makes today seem rather bland!!!!!! I have a great deal of respect for what you've done here, and the underlying reason for it, and look forward to continuing to be a part of the group, thanks bro
Kim
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 10:27:14 (MDT)
Kim LaVoie, Bosox up 1 game!!!! It would have been interesting if Houston would have won, Boston Liberals vs Texas Conservatives??? Media would have played that angle for sure. Man, forget "college football", It`s Basketball Season on "Tabacco Road"!!!!!! Which I don`t really mind, because I LOVE college basketball!!! J.W. Wilson, is US Rt.70 what they call "Tabacco Road"? Mark, I remember back in the early 90`s, I/H in Springfield was bought by NavaStar and they were making trucks.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 08:23:29 (MDT)
Fred A. yep, I'm not surprised about that dogtag scam. Especially when she said she bought 600. Too many to be true.....
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 07:02:21 (MDT)
Mark,bullshit! stop beating yourself up.Something was said that hit close to home.We ALL misread things once in a while,even I am guilty of that.Its called being human.
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 20:39:25 (MDT)
Robbie, I heard somewhere,a few somewheres, that the gooks are now using dogtags( fake ones) to simply get coins from the tourist.Its dispicable,but we all know the cons and the lenght they would go to ,to get into our pockets.The poor folks trying to make extra bucks didnt make me mad but the crooks did.This particular sham is the worst.
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 20:36:26 (MDT)
I just got an email from my Sister that lives in Jacksonville Fl. I'm not sure if the info would be of use or not but thought I would post it. Hi Mort, I get the Enquirer which is a gossip magazine and found an article about a lady who went to Viet Nam on a visit and bought six hundred dog tags. She is trying to match them up with the people they belong to and has matched several. She lives in California and is doing this online and I am sending the website address. I’m not sure if it’s anything you could use concerning your vet friends or not but I thought it would be worth a try. If not, throw it away. The address is: WWW.Vietnamdogtags.com.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 20:04:03 (MDT)
I agree with what animal said "It's difficult to express feelings with the written word, without voice or facial expression" I believe that is what causes a lot of the controversy in here. When I post in here I do a lot of back spacing and re writing things. Even then I'm not certain that what I say might be taken out of context, and this is why I try to keep most of my posts light hearted. I've read this over 5 times and replaced quite a few words, and I think it is ready to go....Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 19:54:24 (MDT)
I'm sorry group. I guess I spoke out of line or something. I am not an educated man and so really dont have an opinion on anything, nor do I understand the pros and cons of it all. I'm really not much of anything sept just a good ole' boy, thats a peacemaker, from the heartland that still believes that apple pie and America go together. I guess that the world has become so complicated that I just dont understand it all. I do know how to do one thing though, and thats how to love someone, and I love all of you. Thats all I do. Kim I apoligize to you personally , and by no means expect you to leave the site. As Alvis said, it would'nt be the same and you are correct. Things in here should make us think...........I spent part of the afternoon with some Nam Vets that read the write up in the paper about the Pop-A-Top and Larry and me. They drove 80 miles to visit. Befor the visit was over, we all cried together. I guess thats the kind of stuff I understand better then all the political stuff going on in the world. They brought me gifts to put on display for the museum. you know,.........things like that is what I understand I guess.......again......sorry....always a brother
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 19:49:56 (MDT)
Jane fonda never went to the paris peace talks either to talk to the nva and vc.Kim, I respect your views and the right to say them.I also believe that Mark, you misread Kims statement.Kims cares a great deal,otherwise he wouldnt be inputing his views.In all his statements,a common thread runs through each of them , a deep caring and the tragdy of war.I can certianly respect and appericate that( and agree).I believe we each lost something over there,mark a brother,others... a close friend,some a family member,but every single person that comes in here,every single one,has in some way ,lost a part of their innocence.Its simply a matter of degrees.Most of us are haunted by one or two memories,perhaps more.For me, the dreams are mostly gone,depression remains at times,perhaps servivor guilt.The war is over forAmerica,but it remains much a part of the lives for the folks that come in here, for one reason or another.Kim, you are an asset this this site and it would be a much poorer place without you.You and I might disagree on the path to take,but we do agree on the destanation.We all want our men out of the quicksand now called iraqi.
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 17:20:11 (MDT)
Thanks for the support Animal, I know full well that a lot of us DO CARE what happens to our servicemen and women!!!!
Kim
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 16:52:03 (MDT)
Dying is a fact of life, it awaits all of us. That's why I take it personal when our government sends people out to fight. I don't want one of my kids to dy for some swaggering, bellicose fool! If American's must die while protecting our way of life, I only hope it's for the right cause, for the right reasons. Mistakes will be made, poor command judgement, superior forces, things like that. Mark, I'll defend my perspective, every time I feel it is insulted. I served, it's my right. Other rights we have as American citizen's include the right to petition congress for the redress of grievances, which is what John Kerry did in 71. He wasn't in Hanoi, he was in Washington D.C. If that's unpatriotic, then the German's must have had a gay ole time reading the congressional record during ww2, the North Korean's must have fallen all over themselves too......Anybody ever read the story of tail gunner Joe? There's one who wrapped himself up in the flag, and nearly destroyed the constitution singlehandly!!!! All in the name of 'DEFENDING AMERICA'!!!! If what I say is disrespectful to the group, just say so, and I'll leave. Alot have already done so, for their own reasons. One less won't change things too much. It's too bad that just because I don't think like the group, and see things from a different perspective, that my writing is seen as attacking others. What I read here makes me think, and I hope what what I write does the same. Do I think I'm changing anyone's mind??? No way
Kim
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 16:21:43 (MDT)
Mark, I didn't interpret Kim's posting as a blanket statement; "We don't care". I understood it to be more of a question "We don't care?" or maybe " Don't we care?". It's difficult to express feelings with the written word, without voice or facial expression. I don't think anyone here is insensitive to the sacrifices made by our brethren. Regarding Hanoi Jane; She certainly was insensitive to our sacrifices, but she has appologized to Viet-Nam veterans for her actions during the war, and I for one, accept her appology. I'm sure this doesn't sit well with some of you, but forgiveness is part of the healing process. Having said that, I wouldn't buy one of her workout videos either. With respect, Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 16:01:26 (MDT)
Mark, it brings tears to my eyes reading your post. I start thinking about your Brother and Mine and all of the Brothers that have died in this war. Like you said, they did what they did. They died.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 15:05:55 (MDT)
Kim.......dont lump me in your statement of "WE DONT CARE". You would'nt have this forume to to blow off steam in if someone did"nt care, and miss, his brother. Have a little respect for someonelses feelings other then your own, brother. In the present day war already some other brothers care and miss their brother too. But they did what they did. Died.....................
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 14:47:31 (MDT)
Well, put 25 local miles on the bike visiting friends. The sun is getting low in the sky now so I thought I'd come back and have some coffee to warm me up. I left the grounds in from the last time and when I went to empty them I banged something and coffee grounds all over the floor. SHIT.... Good thing i'm mot married, would have gotten yelled at for that. Of course no one to clean it up but me. It's always nice to get out on the open road and crank the throttle a few times. Hope everyone's doing ok..... Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 14:31:04 (MDT)
Hanoi Jane never served anyone but herself. No enlightenment there...I never bought her workout tapes either
Kim
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 13:21:17 (MDT)
holding my tounge here,but jane fonda went to vietnam too and i aint forgiving her either.
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 13:01:37 (MDT)
Honor/ Character...if you've got it, nothing else matters, if you don't have it, nothing else matters. No one can take away what we have, no one can give us what we don't have! As a coach, I've had too much of an influence over the athletes I've instructed. That's made me rethink my teachings over the years. I grew up, as most of us did, believing that a winner never quits, and a quitter never wins. True in athletics, not true in real life. I dealt with a young lady who stayed in an abusive relationship, and reflected that it was her teachings that kept her there. I was a part of her teachings. I came to terms with the fact that I went to vietnam as an idealistic young punk who wanted to experience war.. I also came to believe that we went there on a lie, stayed there through political malfeasence, and walked away without accomplishing the mission! NO ONE PERSON MANAGED TO MAKE ANY OF THIS HAPPEN!!!!! There was complicity on all sides, with us, the soldiers in the middle. I did the best I could, within the limitations placed, with what I had. NO one can take that away, through truth, or lie. Kerry did what he did, and a bunch of crybabies don't like it!! Well, boo f***ing hoo to them!!! It's an issue, thirty three years later???? B*l* s*i*t!!!!! It's politics, pure and simple!! I wonder why we still carry the rap that we're a bunch of crybabies, looking for a handout, getting no respect???? Hell, we get what we ask for, or, even worse, we allow ourselves to be used, by the same forces that used us in the first place, to perpetuate the system! Even today, we're into another war based on a bunch of lies, creating another generation of us, and WE DON'T CARE???????
Kim
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 10:54:09 (MDT)
Sorry Fred. I was probably concentrating on the last part of that post and was thinking it was you. Spence, I hope you're feeling better. Ray, how are you feeling Brother? Have you gotten back to your old self yet? Hope so. It's about 56 degrees here and teh sun is out. Thinking about cranking the scooter up and racing around until I get cold. Might be the last chance I get here in NY. YEEEEHAAAAA..
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 10:26:45 (MDT)
Rick.....speaking of Swash Plate, I recall you saying that he was going through some pysical problems. Any update on that. he is a nice guy. And have you heard from Stacy McLaine latly??????????
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 09:55:02 (MDT)
Gale....yeap I recall that excusion in LZ Phoenix. The one Aussy Vet had the limo rented and and ask if we wanted to go shoot pool at a bar called the "Durty Drummer". Welllllll, why not. There was me, Billy Perri, Swash Plate, Larry Kwaitkowski, the cowboy driver, and the Aussy and I think Rick England was there also. We jump in the Caddy and head out but we needed to stop at a carry out and get some smokes. We pull up to this place that has all its windows and doors bared and no one inside speaks english. had a hard time telling them that I needed Swisher Sweets with tips. Finally got some and head to the Dirty Drummer. It was a nice place with a couple of pool tables. One table was open so we diciced to play a few games. The cowboy walks up to the table that 2 guys and their gals are playing a game on and throws quarters on the table and says " This table is ours". I was expecting for him to get wacked upside the head with a pool stick but the guys looked at us and looked at each other and with out a word being said laid their sticks down. Guess the fact that Billy and I had boonie hats on, the cowboy had his 10 gallon hat on, Swash Plate had is 1st Cav stetson on, Larry had on a 1st Aviation Brigade hat on and the Aussy was wearing a red bandanna around his neck and talked funny was reason enough to let the table go instead of picking a fight with us. Why the cowboy took the table I have no reason. We got back to the hotel and I laughed myself to sleep telling Dee the story. I think that was after Rick, Swash Plate and I went and visited Good ole' Oscar and Jerry from Michiga, and if ya know Oscar and Jerry, well..heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheA good memoir of time well spent with the 129th and other Vietnam Vets. Thanks guys.....Love and blessing to you all........
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 09:51:50 (MDT)
sorry flight that was personal probably should'nt have shared it.abrother geroge
george marshall
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 09:45:07 (MDT)
George hope you enjoyed that pint of beam we shared last night you will always be with me,,A friend and a brother,, george
george marshall
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 09:42:51 (MDT)
A slow hand salute goes out to George Hain. Robbie, I don't recall if you were at LZ Phoenix or not...sorry, but, I remember Mark taking off to town in a limo with a "cowboy". Remember that Mark ole buddy? ;o) Mark, I'm having trouble pinpointing Lane without another map. A little closer "Soooooom" would help. Ray, glad to hear that you and Gail enjoyed the "boat ride". As far as the anger thing, I used to have a bit of a problem and got it under control. Then, after working as a Postal Window Clerk for 30 years, it stared re-surfacing. That's one reason I retired when I did and I feel great now................of course, Debbie has a lot to do with that. I still have a lot of "time outs" tho......just need to be by myself for a while. Works for me. Clear, Gale
Gale
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 08:29:34 (MDT)
Its not me, its a friend of ours. Thanks anyways.
alvis.
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 08:03:32 (MDT)
Lou Rags, after reading your post about George Hain, I looked through my box or Rocks I brought back from Indy with me and I have George's here. If you would like to have it, I could send it to you. If you feel it would be a constant reminder, then maybe you might decline but I painted a rock for each member of the unit that didn't make it back as we did. Sky background with a few clouds, tailboom of a helicopter with George's name and 129th on it. If you feel you might like to have it, send your address to me at bulldog265@bluefrog.com........Mark, I do remember the Manhattans in downtown Louisville and you trying to get that bum to give you a quarter. Dee and I were both laughing like crazy and embarassed at the same time.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 07:11:56 (MDT)
Mark, I can't say I can see Lane at that point, I'm just pretty sure that is where it is from looking at the maps I got from you. Looking at the River, you can see one tributary that turns back from the main portion to the mountains, and I can see that on the map and the terraserver. Really couldn't see the duck bill though. I wish we could "Soom" in a little closer. Glad to hear Bud is ok. I wish Debbie could get a break though. Slow hand salute to George Hain.....Fred, I hope you feel better. My Brother is going through the same treatment and tells me how sick he feels after also.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 07:00:30 (MDT)
slow hand salute,respectively rendered.
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 06:31:14 (MDT)
You can watch it here for free. The name of it is "stolen Honor".The sshort part I watched had a few good sences in it://www.buttondepress.com/BostonManifesto/stolenhonor.wmv
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 23, 2004 at 06:28:59 (MDT)
Before the night is over, today marks the anniversary of George Hain's death. Slow Hand Salute to you George and to all those who witnessed it and have lived with the memory.
Tom Ragonese
Dover, De USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 21:42:20 (MDT)
For those of you that dont know Spence, we was with the 173rd airbourne "over yonder".His unit has a xmas party at the "Pop aTop" and he makes sure the 129th has a standing invatation every year to it.Ron,myself,Susan and a friend from (a NAM Loach pilot) Dayton have attended.He is also the guy that Mark Jumped with this past summer.many of you have met him at the Kokomo reunions.Once in a while he post in here.His addy is spence173@earthlink.net. Thanks, he is truely a brother to our unit and any nam vet.
alvis
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 20:55:47 (MDT)
Alvis...thanks for posting that letter from Spence..........I'll call him tomorrow.
Mark
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 20:55:32 (MDT)
I just recieved this e mail from our friend Spence.Those of you that know are met him know what a great guy he is. I hope he doesnt mind me posting this email.The reason i have is ti inform mutal friends of his condition. Please email him a friendly hello, it would make him feel better, I am sure. thanks, alvis.....Hi you all, wow thius chemo is hell. can't remember ever being this sick. Oh well guess they know what they are doing. Tired most the time just don't even feel like livimg a times. ( months of this is going to be a long time. hope to see you both at xmas. TA TA for now-----
alvis
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 20:46:26 (MDT)
Just got the phone with Bud Rainey. Things are going ok for him and Debbie. Foot is doing better. She is going back to work in Nov. for a spell to keep her seniorty and then has to have heart surgery in January. Keep them in your prayers. Bud sounds pretty good and says all is well. Still doing a lot of golfing on his days off........Love to you all....
Mark
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 20:33:24 (MDT)
I didnt buy anything Ray,nor am i going to.
alvis
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 19:43:19 (MDT)
Robbie....Yaeh thats the way I did it first, but was not concintrating enough to oreintate myself as to which way to go from both the An Sons'. I knew that An Son was close to Lane. It just worked out better for me to walk it over from Qui Nhon......Robbie , can you see LANE?..........RAY...you do not have to buy the photo from the site. You can, but you dont have to. The photos can be viewed for free. It cost $9.00 and something to register to be able to buy the photos, and the photos cost depending on the size and kind you get. But by all means you do not have to purchase it just because you looked at it. Ya DIG....Hey Ray, is the clear coat that I put on the walking stick holding up ok?........not chipping?..always a brother.....
Mark
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 19:42:05 (MDT)
more than glad to help if I can do anything let me know all my info is current in contacts. george, a brother
george marshall
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 17:26:22 (MDT)
HELLO ALL I MUST BE DOING SOMETHING WRONG THEY WANT ME TO BUY, DID YOU ALL BUY IT, IF SO I DONT MIND, I JUST DON'T UNDER STAND HOW IT WORKS BUT I LIKE TO GET IT EVEN IF I HAVE TO BUY IT IF SOME CAN HELP I WOULD LIKE THERE HELP THANKS, I GUES IAM A BIT SLOW ON UNDERSTANDING THINGS SORRY RAY A BROTHER ALWAYS
RAY <
stilwating@ail.com>
MD USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 17:06:37 (MDT)
thank you George.
alvis
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 16:00:33 (MDT)
Mark, try this. GO to the terraserver, and put in An Son instead of Qui Nhon and it will give you two hits. Take the one that says 13 latitude and 109 longitude and that almost puts you on lane i believe. Maybe a little bit north west where that one river tributary goes in by the mountains. Isn't that it?
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 13:30:54 (MDT)
MARK I GOT A GOOD LOOK AT LANE, I HAVE TO LEARN TO USE THE TER SEVER I LOOKED FOR LZ ENGLIS INWHAT YOU SENT I GUESS I DONT KNOW WHERE TO LOOK BUT I FIND IT, I NEED TO LEARN TO USE THE TREA SEVER SO I CAN ZOOM IN IT SOUNDS NEAT THAMKS FOR THE PIC DO YOU HAVE A PIC OF THE CRASH SIGHT YOU CAN SEND ME IF IT NOT TO MUCH TROUBLE I MAY NOT FIND BUT I WILL TRY I SAVED THE TARA SEVER I PRATICE I GET IT. SOON OH YOU KNOW I HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE STOP ME AND WANT TO SEE THE WALLKINGSTICK, AND I MUST TELL THE STORY BE HINDIT , I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGHF MY BROTHER RIGHT NOW IAM TRYINF TO DEAL WITH SOME PROBLEMS IN SIDE ME, BUT SLOLY WORKING THEM OUT I GUESS I WENT INTO A BIG STATE IF DEPRESSION JUST NOW STARTED GOING OUTSIDE WELL I GUESS I WENT ON ENOUGH TAKE CARE LOVE YA ALL A BROTHER ALWAYS RAY BE SAFE ATAY WELL
RAY
MD USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 11:45:30 (MDT)
Actually the rjsmith web site < http://www.rjsmith.com/ > I post below has numeruos maps of Vietnam and probably lots of the AO's that you guys flew in. LZ ENGLISH, LZ CRYSTAL, HAPPY VALLY and such. Check it out. Love you al
Mark
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 10:15:04 (MDT)
Robbie or anybody looking at the satalite photos of LANE. Go to < http://www.rjsmith.com/6836-IV-An-Son-Vicinity.html > and oreintate yourself with geometric references. Such as the river just to the east, right, of LANE that the map shows. The river has a ponit or duck bill looking section to it just east of Lane. That point of reference can be seen on the satilite photo. Then look farther west a little on the photo and "BINGO" LAN
Mark
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 10:12:16 (MDT)
Robbie, instead of hitting the pan button and SOOMING, hehehehe;-), in, try putting the arrow on the left of the actual photo of Qui Nhon and letting the picture reload. For me it reloads a little farther west each time.......LANE is there. I swear. It's good for me to look at it.
Mark
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 10:01:45 (MDT)
Hey all. Anybody hear of an individual with the last name of Jamison, served in the 129th '66 and early '67? If so, give me a hollar. Best to all! Dave Wells
Wells <
dswells62@bellsouth.net>
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 09:42:36 (MDT)
Alvis I haven't been on for a couple of days. I got the same from the DVA not combat related .they went as far as saying that the 129th wasn't in any combat(in 1970).I am begning to think that the 129th was always a covert company .But what you need is buddy statements that will confirm that you were in combat.I was in maintnance so I cant help you with that but if you are claiming stressors that just happened in the company(in 1970) I can help. george, a brother
george marshall
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 09:13:26 (MDT)
Did I say Soomed? I meant Zoomed and I Zoomed in until it told me I couldn't go any closer. Gently, the check's in the mail.....Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 07:21:36 (MDT)
Mark, I went to that terraserver site, and soomed in as far as I could and then hit the north west pan arrow 4 times and saw what I would think is the remains of Phu Cat air base. It was pretty cool to say the least.... Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 07:12:07 (MDT)
from my understanding, we will be issued new/different VA ID cards.Some goverenment brain finally figured out that having our ss numbers,date of birth,and names on the front,in big letters,perhaps wasnt the best of ideas in this age of identity theft.
alvis
USA - Friday, October 22, 2004 at 05:22:52 (MDT)
Gary, a big Welcome home and back to Lane from the 129th......Gale???? You been back to the Photos of Lane from the satilite yet? Any body else go to the web site I post as to where to see Lane in 1999?.....I had some transperent copies made of the Map we have of Lane and I'll be danged. I see some little black rectangles, (roofs), in the same spots where some of the hooches are at on the photos, and the transparents. Absolutlly amazing!!!! I have to tell you guys that looking close at these things have put me in a zone of some kind. I feel nervous, or something. I'm pretty sure I have located the mountain that the "257" is on. To stare at it, well........................................................................
Mark
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 22:08:12 (MDT)
Just thought id say hi my name is gary i was with the 394th in 1966 one of the 1st ones there i guess we put up the tent frames and sand bag bunkers from the pictures ive seen on here things really changed after i left. anyways if anyone was there then please let me know i'd be glad to chat sometime Gary
Gary Sink <
gsink@comcast.net>
minneapolis, MN USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 21:05:44 (MDT)
Fred S. About 15 miles south of Asheboro on highway 49 { DENTON} there is a farm that has working steam engines. 1910 steam tractor, saw mill, log peeler. Every July 4th week end it is opened to public. It will take 2 days to see everything. You might be able to visit it now.
J.W. Wilson
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 19:42:52 (MDT)
Aye Fred, sox are hot!!! I hope it comes to an Astro's/ Sox series. The thought of Clemens pitching against his old team.......I think the Pedro thing was an attempt at rubbing it in, almost backfired!!! Our local rivals, Jay high school, has a thing about leaving a game when the team is losing, we noticed that a lot of Jay fans were at the game, rooting for the yankees. Everyone left after the seventh! Alex who???
Kim
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 19:19:17 (MDT)
Fred S.....International in Springfield made and still does I think farm tractors. The red ones. If I recall they also moved a international truck plant from Ft. Wayne, IN to Springfield also. The tractor truck company are the same now.....Ah yes, the New Idea Farm Equipment Company in Coldwater. Was a thriving factory for years. Started around 1908 I think and actually closed it's doors just 5 years ago. At one time it had it's own foundry and made it's own engine block for their stuff. Started out making manure spreaders, and eventually made combines and all sizes of tractors. The block I grew up on was just a field away from the factory and that place used to bang away 24 hours a day ( I could hear the press' from my house ) back in the 40's, 50's ,and 60's... Late sixties and early 70's it got bought out by Avco. Made the same stuff but did some down sizing then. Then I think White bought it and then Allis Chalmers and then a company names Agco. At its' hayday it employed up to 3500 workers. I remember back in the 60's, when it was quiting time for the day shift, you didnt want to be anywhere near my street for 3 blocks. The cars raced out of there as if they were at Daytona. Lots of workers were from Indiana and just about everybody in Coldwater worked there too. A Family named Oppenhines started it. I'll try to dig up some real history about the place. What I said is just from memory.
Mark
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 19:15:47 (MDT)
KIM!!!!!!!! RED-SOX NATION!!!!!!! My wife moved over to her parents hotel room last night because I was getting so excited about the game......should have left Lowe in for as long as he could have gone. I got nervous when Pedro came in, that was bad move. ANIMAL, HAPPY BRITHDAY My Brother, what are you now, 39 and holdin!!!!!! You did the right thing for yourself and I respect that!!!! Shit...My wife and I are so crazy, BOTH PARENTS begged on our wedding day, PLEASE DON`T HAVE OFF-SPRING!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!! Married for 20 years and the party continues.... In moderation, Of Course!!!!
FRED SKAGGS
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 18:34:30 (MDT)
Mark, I just got back from Asheville,N.C., My Barry Goldwater loving out-laws(in-laws) are in town. But we went to the Biltmore Estate(Vanderbilt`s House). My father-in-law and I was looking at the old farming equipment, it was ALL built in Coldwater and Springfield, Ohio. A old side-cut hay mower was made buy Ideal Equipment Company, Coldwater,Ohio and a hay-bailer made at International Harvester Equipment Co. Springfield ,Ohio. Dates were 1928 for Springfield and 1930 for Coldwater. Could you check with your dad and see if he has some history on the Ideal Equipment Co. PLEASE!!! BTW Mark. my father-in-law is a "war history" buff, well he ask me if you have sold the Top yet? Because he wants to come over to Coldwater and look at the place and film it while it`s in it`s "full glory", he loves stuff like that!!! He`s still here with us, looking over my shoulder as I write this. Now we are going to set down together and drink a fresh Heineken or two and watch "We Were Once Soldiers" together, and let me "brief" him on the helicopter and Mang Yang Pass
Fred Skaggs
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 18:16:52 (MDT)
Robbie, I remember back in my drinkin' days when you and I and Dee had some Manhattens in the Brown hotel in Louisville. Thats the day I tried to bum a quarter off a pan handler in the street on the way back to our hotel. Good memory of hangin' with a guy that hung with Larry. I love ya man......
Mark
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 18:13:08 (MDT)
I'm thinking about making myself a manhattan and really getting that glow on. I don't think I'll drink enough to get neon, but maybe enough to get pastel.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 16:32:41 (MDT)
Robbie, you've always had that glow about you.:o)
Gale
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 15:46:39 (MDT)
You're looking neon from over here, Robbie. :>)))
Gently
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 14:18:34 (MDT)
Went to the V.A. Hospital this morning after cleaning myself all out and not eating anything solid since Tuesday. They put me on the table and took some xray's of my kidney and bladder etc and then the Dr. came in and injected dye into my blood stream. They then took more pictures and turned me this way and that, put some more dye in and took more pictures. When they do that it makes parts of your body feel real warm, and you get a metallic taste on your tongue. It goes away after a minute or so though. It took about an hour and I have to go back Nov 9th for a consult with the Dr. So I know nothing at this point. Hope everyone is doing ok. Judith, I want to get a couple of those magnets from you. I'll send you an email. Hope everyone else is ok... Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 12:36:01 (MDT)
Happy birthday Greg, nice bio & it was a pleasure to serve with you & am glad to be a part of your memories as you are of mine. Like i said awhile back, i was kind of selective who i got close to (you are one). I still member the incident at the guard bunker (eh).>>>> smitty
jim westwang 71-72
sheridan, wy USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 11:11:50 (MDT)
Happy Birthday Animal!!! Glad you're with us. The car magnets I had made up that say "I served" have come in. The words are printed over an American flag type of background, and they're very cool. Our VVA Chapter is selling them as a fund raiser for $5 each, and I have 500-so email me with you address if you want 1 or 101, include a little for postage and I'll get it/them out immediately. You're not going to find them anywhere else:>))) Jsinger@uwm.edu. Kal, send me your address and I'll get yours out tomorrow. Did you want two of the "I served" or one "I Served" and one "We support our Veterans?" I also have the "POW-MIA" and "We support our Troops" magnets. The "I Served" can certainly be sold for more than $5 because no one else has them-so buy some and sell them for more for a fund raiser for your group. Additionally, it's time to start thinking "Christmas Fund." For those of you who are not familiar with the 129th endeavors to help one of our own, what we do is make donations to the "Christams Fund" and help send some of our own to the re-unions if they can't afford to go, or if they need financial assistance in some other way, we're there for them. Last year we collected, I think it was, $1365, due a generous contribution of a Tail Rotor bracelet by Don Miller, which we then auctioned off on the site. The bracelet was purchased at a very hefty price by one of the wives of a 129er for his Christmas gift. Her generous bid took us over the top, and we were able to get two 129ers and a wife to the re-union last June. We still have $120 left from last year. The Committee to decide who gets what is made up of Mark, Alex Fernwalt, Rick England, and myself. The only person who knows how much anyone gives or doesn't give is me, and it remains with me only. So if you can't donate, please do not feel bad-no one else knows, and I understand. Most importantly, if anyone knows of anyone who needs help getting to the re-union or help to pay bills, let me know: I will then inform the Committee and a decision is made on who and how. If you yourself need help, please do not hesitate to let me know. Think Christmas....think 129ers in need. Now, having said all that,does anyone have a very cool item they would like to put on the "Bidding Block" this year?????? And lastly, your donations should be sent to me but I'm not going to put me address on the site. Please email me for such, or check our contact page. Remember, everything is confidential, both your donation and who gets what for what. Please trust that your committee is very fair and very honored to be involved in this "giving" project. Phew! Sorry about the long post, but I had alot to say:>)) I'm usually such a quiet person. LOL!!! With a smile-Gently
Gently
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 07:13:52 (MDT)
So Gale, it worked for you?
Mark
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 04:44:41 (MDT)
Hi Rainer, Alvis, and Family. It hurts hearing all the problems many of you are having with the VA and your determinations. Maybe I'm just one lucky person or something to get things done quickly without any problems. My last 2 determinations were completed in less than 60 days. And everyone that I have talked with here have said there is a big push to get these done quickly to support the Vets. Heck I was getting letters every week saying they were still working my case. Maybe it is just this state. Contact the DAV in your area and maybe they can help also. The DAV represented me, appeared at the determination meeting, and sent me a notification of the determination approval before the VA did. I am very impressed with their help. Get in contact with your congressmen and senator and tell them about the lengthy determinations. Be glad to talk with anyone just post yor phone number and I will give ya a call to try and help. Take care and God Bless.
Rick
USA - Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 00:28:27 (MDT)
Mark, that's pretty neat buddy. I'm gonna have to study it some more in the morning when I'm more awake. Gale
Gale
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 23:14:29 (MDT)
If ya want to, you can play around with the satilite photo moving it around and probably can see lots of places that you flew in.....have a good trip ;-)
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 22:14:53 (MDT)
Hey family.......try this and see what you get..............STEP 1. Go to < www.terraserver.com >..........STEP 2. Go to Search and scroll down and click on ?CITY INTERNATIONAL?...........STEP 3. At CITY, type in Qui Nhon and then select Vietnam and click search..........STEP 4. click on ?VIEW?......You should see Qui Nhon......STEP 5. Click on the left of the photo 5 different times and you should be able to see the road that veers to the nouthwest. Straight above where it seems that road stops is LANE. The sorta diamond shape , brown looking area...........Check it out and see what you think. Let me know if it works for you.....always a brother
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 22:09:27 (MDT)
Happy birthday Animal. Glad you are here. 30,000 beers. Wow....J.W. and all that was there, the garage 129th mini was a night I will think about during my last breaths.
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 21:29:06 (MDT)
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!........gotta tell ya all this. I am setting here right now stareing at a satilte photo as recent as 1999 of the LANE AO and the mountain ranges just to the west where the "257" went down. 2 weeks ago I found a web site that has satile photos of all over the world. I typed in Qui Nhon and "BINGO" there it was. After studing the photo and the Topographic map of the Qui Nhon that I have ( vintage 1969 ) and oreintating myself with the roads and mountains I moved the photo over to the LANR AO. "BINGO" there it is!!!! I know nothing about photograpy, but this web site that this picture is at a 15 resolution. What ever that means. After studying that photo some more I can find the Song Ha Thanh river, and a "all wheather, loose or light surface, 2 or 3 lane road" that veers southwest off of Highway 1. Off of that there is a "fair or dry wheather surface" road that heads to the northwest ( No Number). That road meets an intersection that splits, one road heads southwest, the other heads north, up to LANE. The road close to the entrance of LANE ( according to the map and photos that I have collected) seems to split into 3 roads. One headed northwest, one headed northeast, and the center one north into LANE. Studying the photos that some of you have sent me of LANE , the topographical map is pretty acuate as to buildings and the such. The low mountains or hills just west of LANE are visable in them and farther west are the higher ones. In the Satilite photo the roads are all there yet. At the range of hight that the photo appears some very well place black squares and lightly visable in the order of the hooches of LANE!!!!!!!!! WOW Family, ya gotta see these photos!!!!!!!.,Tomorrow I will go to a local store and get a transparent made of the Map and then lay it over the photo to confirm my findings. I will make sure that some how ASAP that these photos get on the web sight. I know things have been slow getting up but this is of utmost prioity. I promise.......WOW, this is the closest I have been to LANE yet. Might not be that exciting to some, but it is to me. Too have my eyes on the land that Larry and all of you walked on blows my mind. I will get a closer look at the crash site AO of the "257" tomorrow.........sorry for this being so long, This is bittersweet for me. I look at the photos and map and photos you have sent and get really lost in them and have to pull my mind back from it all for a minute. Closer to you all then ever. God Bless, who ever we vote for, I hope it is in compliance with the will of God. Always a brother.....
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 21:21:51 (MDT)
Happy birthday Animal. Smitty, Mark, and guys that was a great night in Mark's garage.
J.W. Wilson
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 20:15:54 (MDT)
Freddie Skaggs....what the agenda for tonight? history, or heartbreak?? I'll be lilstening on the local radio station, I can't stand to watch anything on that right wing, scumbag, neo con fox network!!!! Anger, yeah Alvis, I got it. Mostly I direct it at our elected self annoited elite gasbags sumbitches!!! If our oath of service was to defend the constitution from all enemies, both foreign and domestic, do we have the right to attack the dipshits who usurped our constitutional rights?
Kim
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 17:33:36 (MDT)
One of the commets the vet rep said to me was that ptsd was only awarded to combat situations. I just looked at him and couldnt believe what I was hearing.I had to tell him twice that I was a door gunner,crew chief,on a helicopter. It didnt seem to phase him. I guess only grunts were shot at.Perhaps this is why they told me a few years ago that my ptsd isnt combat related.Thats the goverenment answer judith,and they cant be wrong.guess I am just a nut.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 17:00:54 (MDT)
happy birthday ANIMAL.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 16:12:23 (MDT)
Here's my bio: I was born Oct.19,1949 in San Luis Obispo Ca. The second oldest of seven kids, we grew up moving every few years. My Dad sold Medical equipment and my mom was a nurse (Both ww2 vets). We lived in Milwaukee, Denver, So.Cal, Charlotte, and Wheaton, MD. I liked school a lot because it was the only place I knew that had girls and football. Graduated from South Mecklenburg HS in Charlotte, Played around at Appalachian State for a couple of years and found myself draft bait. Joined the army to Fly Helicopters and went to Basic(Ft.Polk),Flight school(Ft.Wolters, Ft.Rucker) and Dust off school(Ft. Sam). Found myself at Tuy Hua with the 283rd Med Detachment in Mar,71 as a newbie peter pilot dust off jockey. The 283rd was absorbed by the 498th Med Company at Lane a few months later. When they stood down, I was sent to the 129th and put under the wing of Rick "Rebel" Smith, A fantastic pilot who could actually make flying in a war fun. Dave Powers and Smitty also stand out in my memory as mentors. Flew a few Combat Assaults, Sling loaded (Slung load?) Tons of rice, Shot some big game (Sharks,Peacocks,Elk), Landed on a moving train, and tormented the Korean RTO's, O club staff, and the chain of command in general. When I finally made AC, I continued to fly mainly one ship missions resupplying the Korean firebases, and the occasional C.A. I ended up flying Tiger Wagon for a couple of months when I got short and still have the cheap ass lighter the Korean general gave me. As an AC I flew a lot with Smitty, Festus, Augie, and our punk ass newbie platoon leader Cpt.Benson, who read me articles 13,and/or 15 because of my excessive facial hair, tie dyed T-shirt, unauthorized patches and attitude. I got DEROS'd and discharged in Feb72, and ended up back in Charlotte,NC. Worked at a Cheese Shop, Door Jamb Factory, construction etc.until I got into Art as a renovation technique. Later, just art as Art. I figure I drank about 30,000 beers and smoked hundreds of joints over the years (hey, anything in moderation). It took having a family to finally sober me up and realize the Joy of being straight. I couldn't have done it without the VA being there for me. Now I am a small business owner, and parent of 3 teenagers getting paybacks for all the trouble I caused as a young punk. My wife goes into counsiling with me every other week at the Vet center and things are looking up. I am rated at 50%PTSD and Taking Meds to keep my anger in check. Soon My company (Stoneface/Hawaii) will have a web site and I will invite all of you to visit. That's all for now, a hui hou !, Greg Henkel
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 15:32:18 (MDT)
Raineer, I have been to Julia Carsons office a few times.She seems to work alittle harder than the other congress folks we have "on our side".Blath or whatever his name is, didnt even respond the first two times I tried to contact his office,ans he is the representive for this area. Carson isnt, but she still went to bat for me.Might be time to go she her office staff agin if this doesnt pan out in A timly fashion.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 12:48:03 (MDT)
Alvis , I know what you are talking about with the anger and dealing with the VA is sure to bring it up in me. Been waiting since March for any kind of a determination, they might make it sometime in December now. Everytime I call I get a runaround maybe its time for my Representative?
Rainer Bauer
Indy, USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 11:44:28 (MDT)
Mark, I am talking about an anger that comes on you like a frieght train.It usually shows its ugly head when dealing with goverenment types about vietnam.Its some kind of suppresed fury. It does show it head at other times,but ALMOST always, it has something to do with vietnam.Years ago,it would come on me in almost any situation,but nam situations always brought it on. It didnt always have need to assert itself,like yesterday,the guy was a naice guy and being polite,but I started shaking and cuss words started slipping out into my part of the conversation.It was like a tide comming in,unstopable and overwhelming if I stayed where I was.It drowns you in a sea of black, uncontrolable, rage.It can make you cry, its dirty,nasty ,its very unpolite.It takes you to a point where you can almost understand tImmithy Mc Veighs reasoning.Not agree with it,but understand it.Its evil,its colored black or red,its a thunderstorm,its fury,rage,beyond simple anger.I cant explaine it,but it scares the hell out of me when it slips intome, when it demands me.I cant control it,I just have to do like Ray says,get the heck out of there before I explode.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 10:32:04 (MDT)
Ya gotta have a high speed connection, hang on..... Amazing Video! Redbull Air Race in Budapest This WILL get your heart pumpin'..... .
http://www.atcbox.com/Downloads/Movies/Aerobatics/RedBull_Airrace_2004_Budapest.wmv
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 10:13:05 (MDT)
HELLO ALL. I GUESS LIKE MOST OF YOU ALL ALL I HAVE A REAL HARD TIME WITH WITH WITH MY MY ANGER TO . AMD I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT GOING TO COME OUT, I TRY TO CONTROL IT AT TIMES IN DO. BUT WHEN I DONT WOW I GO OFF. BIG TIME. AND JUST LOSE IT ALL. BUT I DONT GET VIOLENT JUST YELL. I KNOW IF I HIT SOME ONE THEY HIT BACK AND I LOSE BUY MOST OF THE TINME GAIL GETS ME AWAY OR SECIURTY COMES, AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S NOT MY FAULT. BUT IAM TRYING AND SEEM TO BE CONTROLING IT IF JUST BULDS UP IN SIDE SOME HOW AND LIKE A BOM GOSE OFF AT TIMES FOR A REASON ATTIMES FOR NO REASON RIGHT NOW MY MIND IS MIXED UP I SAM SEEING THE CET CONSLER AT 23 DONT KNOW WHAT HAPPEN, OH MARK WE ALL READY BOOKED ANOTHER BOAD RIDE THIS TIME THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE CARRRIBEAN IN OCT. WE DID HAVE A GRATE TIME WELL I BEST GO THANKS WINK SEE U SOON ROB GOOD TALKING TO YOU RICK I CALL YOU AND ALEX I CALL YOU TO GENTLY LET US KNOW WHAT DAY IS G0OOD TO CALL OK OH JIM O WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CALL YOU NEED TO TALK TO YOU BAD THAK THAKS FOR WRITING I SEE MY CONSLER SOON WE SEE WHAT HE SAYS A BROTHER ALWAYS LOVE YA ALL RAY
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 08:51:54 (MDT)
By no means am I trying to compare myself to you guys and the anger issue, but I think it excest in all of us. Just the other Friday night I thought that I would stroll up to the Pop-A-Top to see what was happening and I just walked through the door and there was this drunk trying to kick everybodys rearend. I grabbed him by the coat and through him out. Because he was being disrespectful to the place. He took his coat off as if he want to duke it out with me. Now, if it would have been 10 years ago I would hate to think what I would of done to the guy. I am sure it wouldnt of been pretty. I have had rage in my before that I have lost all control and kinda blacked out. Not often , just a couple of times. I never have seen combat, but there is something in me that I know that if I dont control "IT", "IT" could cause me some trouble. And I never saw one second of combat.I dont know. Maybe it is there in all of us, just tapped into easier in some of us then others. Then again, What do I know:-)
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 08:27:03 (MDT)
I know what you are talking about that anger started in Nam and has been with me ever since.I have to have some control of every thing I do .I also think that the anger is a defense mechanism to tell people to back off and give us some room. george, a brother
george marshall
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 07:43:23 (MDT)
Hang in there Ray. Good idea to make the apponitment. Maybe just the fact that the build up and anticpation before the trip, and now that your back that is all gone. Hey, I got an idea. Plan another trip!!!!:-)......you take Ray, it'll all work out. Now you are back amongst your family. Tell us what you liked the best and least about the trip. Where did you actually go on the ship?
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 06:57:22 (MDT)
HELLO ALL ,WELL MADE IT BACK FROM THE BOAT RIDE OK. IT WAS GRATE. WANT TO THANK BARRY FOR OPNING HIS HOME TO ME AND MY WIFE. WE HAD A GRATE TIME .WINK WE THANK YOU SO MUCH. BUT NOT SURE IF THIS IS NORMAL BUT AS SOON AS 9I STEPED FOOT AT THE AIRPORT I FELT I HIT A BRICK WALL. AMD HAD THE WORLD ON MY SHOLDER. I DIDNT SPEAK AT ALL , I FEEL BAD I DID'T EVEN TALK TO THE GRAND KIDS. AND THATS NOT LIKE ME I CALLED BARRY THAT MONDAY HE SAID IT;S NORMAL, BUT I BEEL LIKE THIS ALL WEEK, SO MADE AND APPT I SEE MY VET CENTER TODAY I FEEL SO UN BALANCE, IS THIS NORMAL I FEEL IAM GOING NUTS , I THOUGHT THE TRIP WOULD HELP NOW NOT SO SURE WELL THANKS FOR THE EAR A BROTHER WHO SEEMS TO BE MORE MIXED UP MORE NOW RAY
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at 06:49:12 (MDT)
Hey Alvis. Know what you mean!!!! But brother things are looking better. You may think we are on the back burner but with the conflicts that are going on there is a big push to take care of the Vets. Evaluations are being processed faster and more in our favor than ever before. My son-in-laws father works for the VA in Denver and he has stated that there has been great improvements in the past few years. Keep your chin up. Take care and God Bless.
Rick
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 21:08:22 (MDT)
Went to the Va hospital today to get a flu shot. They were out of vaccine.So,while in downtown indianapolis,I decided to go to the federal building to apply for a ptsd,tinnitus and hearing loss claim.After being told that my case would be on the back burner for about 9 months because of iraqi veterans, we got down to my case.Seems the longer I stayed there and talked, the more a black anger/rage started to fill me, just under the surface. It was all I could do not to jump out of the chair and leave the building.It was scary to me,as this anger is very distructive and I have no idea where it comes from,nor is it a reasonable anger,to my way of thinking. The case worker was polite and professinal.I stated nam vets have always been second rate citizens and to be put on the back burnner is nothing new.I dont know where this black anger comes from,but when it comes,I need to get the hell away from whatever satuation I am in.Anyone else ever experience this?
alvis
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 19:55:24 (MDT)
On the 22nd, Lou. Gently
Gently
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 14:49:31 (MDT)
yeah, the intensity of the friendships was something to behold. It's pretty amazing how a few months can be seared into memory forever. I never felt that I was a good enough crewchief to look down on any one else. My experiences with newbie gunners were ot recap my own first few firefights. I had a terrible time getting my left hand to feed my 60 in sync with the firing rate, I feel it took forever to get the hang of windage when shooting at 9 oclock. I did bang one gunner up beside the head for forgetting to pull the mailbag off his minigun one time on an asap!!!! Peter pilots used to scare me, I couldn't understand how the 'old salts' could make the ship into such a stable platform, yet, the bunnies had a hard time keeping it on target!!! .....I don't really feel all that good about creating another generation of us, though. I wish the guys and gals could be fighting and dying for something more than some politician's fantasy. I'm beginning to understand how Germany could turn into the country it did under Hitler. I get the impression that as long as they wear a rag on their head, we might as well kill them!! Where's the democracy in Kuwait? Saudi Arabia? Oman? UAE? Syria?
Kim
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 14:16:05 (MDT)
Hey Smitty, I often think of that night in the garage. It's those kind of memories that I shall never forget.To be hanging with you guys. What an honor. How you doing brother?
Mark
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 13:23:58 (MDT)
Yeah, about a week or so into my first trip in 69 to the 120th, we lost a ship with 5 guys aboard. Learned quickly not to make close friends & by the time i got to the 129th in 71, i was very emotionally hard & drank a lot, smoked too & it still wouldn't keep the boogie man away. I trusted & knew some of you then (you all know who you are). Tried to drink it away for another 10 years after getting out & found out that didn't get it done. This site & you all have been the closest thing i've found to any help. Really remember sitting up in Mark's Garage that night before the ride to Indy & just yappin>>>thanks>>>peace>>>love>>>smitty
jim westwang 71-72
sheridan, wy USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 12:39:16 (MDT)
whewwww, for a bit there. I thought I had been bared (86th) for some of my views/ opinions.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 12:32:15 (MDT)
Oops.......forgot to pay the bill.........page was off line fer a short time today. Check is in the mail so they turned the page back on. Sorry bout that.
Mark
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 12:17:20 (MDT)
Speaking and thinking on this subject, I have a question.Somewhere during my tour,a switch was tripped. I didnt bother to learn,nor care, about new guys (cherry,fngs,ect)names nor learn about them.I didnt make fiends with them,nor care to hear their lifes story beyond "where you from".I tried to fly with floks I knew and trusted.When I did get a cherry as my gunner , it took a few flights before I let him inside the walls I had erected around my soul. Anyone experince this? Seems it hasnt disappeared from my life after all these years either.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 07:10:17 (MDT)
Kim, when you boil it down to bare bones,I think its that way in all our past wars.I agree with your statements wholeheartedly.I think its surprising to most new folks ,on a battle front, how deep friendship can be.The concept of "God and Country",the Flag,and other ideas deemed to fire up our patroitism,pales to the bond of "brother in arms".It seems the very basics of lifes purpose become much clearer in a combat unit.Sometime, life is pretty much" black and white"and all socities b.s. is unimportant in a fighting unit,or any unit that death and his pale horse, rides with.When your next heartbeat might be your last,things become clearer.
alvis
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 06:58:00 (MDT)
Story on CNN this morning. Seems the grunts in Iraq are starting to understand that they're not over there fighting to make America safer from terrorism, but, just serving to keep each other alive!!!!! Welcome back to Vietnam!!!! I've got to admire them for wanting to serve with their buddies, just for the comradeship, hearing things like; I'm closer to the guys in my unit than I've ever felt before..........We're in this together, it's my job to help keep my buddy alive, and I know he's doing the same for me....... We should be proud of our government for allowing soldiers to feel that sense of togetherness again! What a country!!!!!!!
Kim
USA - Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 04:21:11 (MDT)
Hey All. Hope all is OK. Robbie , Dee and I are doing just fine. Thanks for askin' brother. RAY, you home yet?????....tell us about your trip. Hey Fred S. Small town Coldwater #1 in the state again this year for the division. Maybe this will be the year they win it all. We are friends with the head coach. real great guy. Brings more then just football to the table for the team. A man of deep morals and and he passes that on to the kids more then football. Gale and Debbie, you guys doing ok over there. We gots lots of rain today. Chased the farmers out of the fields. Most crops are off sept for some corn. Good yield in these parts this year. No bites of the Pop-A-Top yet. Just nibbles. Secured a one of dad's buildings over in Celina to set up a meseum over there. It's time the 129th went tax exempt so wez can get some military armor around there. Got plenty of ground space adjacent to the building. Actually the building is an old Amish barn. I used to have a music studio on the top floor of the one. Pop had some major work done to it this summer. New roof, walls and some new 88x8 oak timbers installed to replace the rotten ones that were in it. No electrick, will have to rig that up yet. Ted, if ya dont mind I'll just keep the rotor blade down here so wiz can just transfer it to the new building when the time comes. Had WLIO TV out of Lima come down and do a interview about the Pop-A-Top today for the nightly news soon. told them all about moving the stuff but they still wanted to do the interview. Said the picked the newspaper story up on the AP wire. I try to lead a low profile but my face keeps getting plastered in the newspaper. Now on TV." I finally hit the bigtime". ;-)))) ra ta, da ta , da ta....ra ta da ta da ta, ra ta da ta daaaaaa, aaaaaaaa a, aaaaaaa,a a a!!!!!! HEY! Thats a, thats a, thats all folks!!!!!
Mark
USA - Monday, October 18, 2004 at 17:39:46 (MDT)
Fred, I agree it sure was fun to fly. It wouldn't have been as much fun looking out the window of a fixed wing aircraft though. Sometimes when we were flying along and those white puffy clouds were right there, it would seem as if you could just step right out on them. Glad I never tried it. I guess you were right about the Ohio State game.
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Monday, October 18, 2004 at 09:17:44 (MDT)
this is the way it is written----------There were about 12,000 helicopters that SERVED in Vietnam, we have specific tail numbers for 11,827 from ALL SERVICES. It gives several pages that list each aircraft nomenclature for the Army, Air Force and Navy and Marines, it ends with this sentence. THE REST WENT TO OTHER COUNTRIES. Now figure this,about 4,000 kia,s were helicopter crewmen. You do the math.This figure doesnt,of course, also include grunts and other passengers on ships that had kia,s.Brave? proud? couragous? We did a hell of a job fellows.I dont believe anyone of us thought of ourselves in those words, but you know what? They discribe us, in hind sight.Perhaps we were to young to think in those terms or perhaps we were surrouned by such bravery each day that in became common place in our eyes,that we were just doing our job. We knew it was dangerous,one in 10 or 11 folks killed there was a helicopter crewman.Damn, it was fun to fly.
alvis
USA - Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 19:54:13 (MDT)
Cute Alvis, here's one for you. A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower when the doorbell rings. After a few seconds of arguing over which one should go and answer the doorbell, the wife gives up, quickly wraps herself up in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next door neighbor. Before she could say a word, Bob says, "I'll give you $800 to drop that towel that you have on." After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her 800 dollars and leaves. Confused, but excited about her good fortune, the woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets back to the bathroom, her husband asks from the shower, "Who was that?" "It was Bob the next door neighbor," she replies. "Great!" the husband says, "Did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?"
Rick
USA - Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 19:52:57 (MDT)
One day an Irishman who had been stranded on a deserted island for over 10 years, saw a speck on the horizon. He thought to himself, "It's certainly not a ship." And, as the speck got closer and closer, he began to rule out the possibilities of a small boat and even a raft. Suddenly there emerged from the surf a wet-suited black clad figure. Putting aside the scuba gear and the top of the wet suit, there stood a drop-dead gorgeous blonde! The glamorous blonde strode up to the stunned Irishman and said to him, "Tell me, how long has it been since you've had a cigarette?" "Ten years," replied the amazed Irishman. With that, she reached over and unzipped a waterproofed pocket on the left sleeve or her wetsuit, and pulled out a fresh pack of cigarettes. He takes one, lights it, and takes a long drag. "Faith and begorrah," said the man, "that is so good I'd almost forgotten how great a smoke can be!" "And how long has it been since you've had a drop of good Irish whiskey?" asked the blonde. Trembling, the castaway replied, "Ten years." Hearing that, the blonde reaches over to her right sleeve, unzips a pocket, removes a flask and hands it to him. He opened the flask and took a long drink. "'Tis nectar of the Gods!" stated the Irishman. "'Tis truly fantastic!!!" At this point the gorgeous blonde started to slowly unzip the long front of her wet suit, right down the middle. She looked at the trembling man and asked, "And how long has it been since you played around?" With tears in his eyes, the Irishman fell to his knees and sobbed, "SweetJesus ! Don't tell me that you've got golf clubs in there too !!!!
alvis
USA - Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 19:37:47 (MDT)
Hey, what happened to my last post? This damned old computer. I'm sure it couldn't be me. I have all of my faculty's. I think.. Just got back from seeing my daughter and 3 Grandkids. It's always fun, and they run me ragged. I only have one daughter, and she is still the apple of my eye at 31. I forgot what I posted that last time, so it really couldn't have been all that important....Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 13:34:04 (MDT)
will do lou,hope things are going ok with you, george
george marshall
USA - Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 10:12:16 (MDT)
Roger that Lou.
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 16, 2004 at 18:02:49 (MDT)
Hello flight, Oct 22 will mark 34 years since George Hain walked into the tail rotor on the ship I was working on. I haven't had a restful nights sleep since it happend, I see it over and over again. On some nights I still feel the jolt when it struck george.So on Oct 22 take a minute to remember george and say a prayer for him.
lou rags 1
dover, de USA - Saturday, October 16, 2004 at 13:58:53 (MDT)
TOLD CHA SO~~~~~~~~~~
THE EAGLE
USA - Friday, October 15, 2004 at 22:18:12 (MDT)
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Friday, October 15, 2004 at 14:48:25 (MDT)
Ohio State is gonna take 4 or 5 defeats this year, NO BOWL, They are young, and 14 0f the starting 22 from last year, were drafted into the pro`s. That`s a record for one college team in a draft. Robbie, when the best player on the team is a "field goal kicker", you got problems. They have only scored maybe 2 or 3 offensive touchdowns this year, no running game, no passing game, NO OFFENSE!!!!!! Defense is "trademark" Ohio State defense always tuff. Iowa will beat OSU by 3 touchdowns Saturday......it`s that bad this year
Fred Skaggs
USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 14:08:49 (MDT)
Fred A. Yep, I have one of the 3/4 inch ones and it was giving me fits. What I did was every place it told me it found a stud, I would go to the floor and drill a small hole in the wall to see if there was actually a stud there or not and am finally getting somewhere now. Am almost done. I appreciate the come back.... Are you working on any old cars now?
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 11:15:50 (MDT)
Robboe, I am sure you know this, but am saying this for those who dont know. There are 2 types of stud finders, the cheap ones only go about 3/4 inch, the better ones go 1 1/2 deep to find studs. Also,when using a stud finder, mark the studs from BOTH sides of the stud, otherwise, when you try to insert a nail, you will only hit the one edge you found .
alvis
USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 11:06:16 (MDT)
Flight: Jim Westwang the w32 virus must attach to someone's address book. The w32's Ihave been getting are having names from the 129th log. Such as Cupps email,CCBoom,Miller etc. I been getting notices for months. My Roadrunner services will notify me when an email with the virus is present and deletes it. I have trying to understand the reasoning behind some of the commo in the past few months. I haven't been posting much or even checking the log as much as I use too. Just isn't like it used to be. Where we all were Family. I know Families disagree at times. About 1998 I found Mark Jackson thru Charlie Rains of The VHCMA. It was a blessing to have this site. We have had the opportunity to meet our Brother from the past. Able to share our experiences. To help our Brothers in need when they need comfort. To be there when someone has lost a loved one. I get alot of emails complaining about some of the writing. But, I believe we all have right to post. But, I think we need to be more mature when we write. I have had the Honor & privlege of meeting most of you in the past 5 years at the 129th reunions I started having. And I want to thank Mark and David for posting the reunion iformation for everyone. The Reunions just like this web site has helped me deal with some of my memories. Plus, got me to the VA. Finally this just hear say. I was informed months ago that the Blade and The Patroit was expressing some of their views in a North Carolina Forum. Or newspaper. The source thought that both the Blade and Patroit is the same person by the writing they saw. At the present I haven't seen the writings that I was informed about. Also can't remember which newspper or forum these writings were in. If the person remembers maybe they will email me and refresh my memory. Lets try a little harder to work together on our postings so we don't offend others. I posted a few times that I catch static about my thoughts. Alex PS Alvis Liz and I are heading to the Smokie Moutains in two weeks. I will be thinking of you. While I having a good Time.
Alex
Collierville, TN USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 10:35:24 (MDT)
Hi gang, just want to say thanks to all who have called , sent card and emails and for all the prayers. They have really helped sue and i with this cancer deal. they started chemo on me tuesday and are giving me the highest rate for 4 hours every 21 days. Theyu say that they have a good return raste on this and I should be up and running in 9 months or so with it stopped. Still will be at the xmas party and justr will not be as wilded. was great seeing you all at kokomo. Hotel phne for this year is 419+ 586 4919 airborne xmas. thanks again see you soon
steven m spencer <
spence173@earthlink.net>
Elida, ohio USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 10:18:15 (MDT)
Drinking a beer and putting up molding around the front porch and I'm ready to throw my so called stud finder across the room. AAAARG........
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 10:15:16 (MDT)
Who's the expert on Ohio State Football. One of the Fred's? Will Ohio State beat Iowa on Saturday?
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 10:07:45 (MDT)
The weather here in the desert this time of year. Thanks Robbie for asking. How is your weather? I here Fl. is nice this time of year. Gale and Ray should be seeing Wink soon down there. Flight please be careful out there
Rick England
USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 09:51:32 (MDT)
New York...New York......................After reading all the latest posts, the concensus would be that Ron Taylor is full of shit.....How's everyone else doing? Rick E, how's your weather? it's getting cold and wet here. Mark, how are you and Dee doing? Don Miller, how's Donna doing? Smitty and Kal, are you still riding? It's getting a bit cold for me here. Pete Rhome, how's things in Cleveland? How's Niki? Gently is Joe's head still swollen from all the praise he received? (just kidding about that). Cherry, good to see a post from you in here again. I sent you an email with a pic of me and Mike Solar. Fred and Fred, I read all of your posts and wish I could write as eloquently. Ray, I suppose you're not back from your trip yet. Hope you and the wiff had a good time. Gale and Debbie are you two still in your honeymoon stage? I'm just jealous. Alex and Liz I miss you both. I'll send more pics of the Grandkids when I get some. Rainer hows that ranch going? Do you need any old cow hands? Well, gotta continue my quest to find a job
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 08:21:18 (MDT)
The Yankee`s Are My Daddy!!!!!! Kim LaVoie, I told you Schilling is hurt!!!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 05:28:41 (MDT)
To ron taylor..I really feel sorry for you,I think your mind has gone the way of kerry,just a dreamer with no sence of reality.For one I would like to have you post your DD214 showing your tour in the Nam,and not one made up because if your were in the Nam you wouldn't be bragging of what went on,you would have a case of ptsd so bad you would be committed.It sounds to me you are a wanna be but couldn't make the grade a brother would never put down another brother.To all my brothers who were in the Nam I stand firmly with you and will always watch your back.We did then and will do so for ever.God Bless the Nam Vets who I served with and for those who have past With respect T.J.Stem 129th cobra 686 65/66
tj stem <
cobra686@omniglobal.net>
ingram, tx USA - Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 04:32:00 (MDT)
NOW HEAR THIS~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE POST IN HERE TODAY WITH THE NAME "RON TALOR" SIGNED TO IT, IS ACTUALLY A REAL POST FROM A "RON TALOR" ON ANOTHER WEB SITE CALLED "CRIAGSLIST"~~~~~~~~~~~~BUT~~~~~~~~~~~~ IT WAS NOT POSTED BUY "RON TALOR" IN HERE. IT WAS POSTED BY "THE BLADE", AKA "NCY NY AMERIKA" ( October 05, 2004 at 13:13:25 WAS COPIED OFF A POST ON THE NATIONALREVIEW.COM WEB SITE), (AKA) BILLY BLYE ( OF LAST YEAR ) AND PROBABLY THE SOURCE OF MANY MORE OF THE POST THAT UPSET THE GROUP IN HERE. IT'S PRETTY EASY TO COPY AND PASTE ANYTHING FROM THE NET ALREADY WRITTEN BY SOMEONE ELSE, THEN POST IT ELSE WHERE AND NOT SIGN YOUR NAME TO MAKE IT APPEAR TO OTHERS THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT~~~~~~~~~~~~ I HAVE BEEN HOVERING HIGH ABOVE THE LOG FOR YEARS. YOUR IDENTITY IS KNOWN. ANY MORE OF YOUR SPUE IN HERE WILL BE ALERTED TO THE GROUP AND SOON REMOVED. IF YOUR POISON CONTINUES I WILL ALERT YOUR SERVER AND HAVE YOUR LINE CUT. 129TH, I HAVE YOU COVERED. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~CONFIRMED~~~~~~~~~~~
THE EAGLE
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 22:07:22 (MDT)
Aye Fred!!! Pedro looked good on his last outing...we'll see...Animal, it's good to get reminded of the humanitarian acts performed by our slick brethren :>))
Kim
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 17:44:47 (MDT)
Regarding Ron's posting; Is war barbaric, savage, cruel, inhumane and harmful to civilians etc? Well Duh! Always has been, always will be. As far as the number of atrocities committed, You're the only one I've ever heard quote the ridiculously high percentage of incidents. A lot of Vets are delusional, get some help! To hear you tell it, it would have been easier to just shoot civilians instead of rescuing them during flooding, flying them to get medical help, or many of the other humanitarian gestures I DO remember taking part in. You lack credibility as far as I'm concerned...........Greg
Animal
Puna, HI USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 17:08:54 (MDT)
laughing here, Cris, why dont you say what you mean.
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 17:07:55 (MDT)
A bit over the top, re-Ron!!!!!!! Kim LaVoie, if the Yankmees beat Pedro tonight, I `ll be calling the Yankmees, Daddy!!!! Schilling has got to be hurt, last night he was all over the place.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 16:35:32 (MDT)
There's a wee bit of incredibility your story Ron, to put it mildly!!!! I certainly haven't been around to see all the wars America has fought, but I have read enough to believe that we have no moral high ground when it comes to being 'clean killers'!! Still, not every soldier in Nam saw combat, in fact, very few did! There was savagery enough to go around, on both sides. Most of the books that have been written from first hand accounts speak of acts of barbarism, only because they were the exception, not the normal course of action. Hell, just read accounts of what we have done to American's in this country, from Rosewood Florida, to the tv shots of that poor dude getting yanked out of his truck in Los Angeles and taking a brick up side his head!!!!......I really don't believe that we Vietnam vets behaved any worse in our war than any other American's did in any other war. People who never saw combat will never understand the emotional stress of combat, and the reactions to that stress.
Kim
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 15:45:22 (MDT)
I hane't posted for some time, but the post from Ron Taylor was more than I could stand.Man you are so full of shit it runs out your eyes. I spend three tours in Nam and never once saw the things you are claiming. The personnal effects of mia was gone thru by a CO, Pt.Leader or some one close to the Mia. The Pictures you say you saw would never have gotton devoloped or returned to the person.Go post your junk some where that people will beleive you because noone in their right mind would beleive the crap you posted.Guys like you give the rest of the Vietnam vet a bad name.I will end this by saying you can kiss my ass because you are full of shit. Sorry Brothers and Sisters but this guy pissed me off. roger
Roger L Cress <
ncrcr1945@yahoo.com>
Sherrills Ford, nc USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 14:47:09 (MDT)
Ron Taylor, to put it politely, I think you are full of shit.Thumbs up wasnt used by anyone over there except heilcopter crews,and most of them,most of the time, like most everyone in vietnam ,at the time you were there,used the peace sign.You state no one cared if we killed civilans or not,nor cared if we bombed or napamed innocent people.Thats total bullshit as well.There are rules to war and 99.9% of the time,they were adheared to. Sure, non combantants got killed,BY ACCIDENT, but shit happens.Some of our folks were killed by accident as well. Collecting of body parts? Body parts STINK.Not only would your friends tell you to get rid of them,The officers would lock your heels inside of lon bin jail.I knew of a few cases of psychocic behavior. When these appeared, the person was wisked out of the unit THE next day.Vietnam wasnt one huge Mia Lie massacre and when that happened, the put all of us on short notice that ,that kind of thing would not be tolerated.Unfortunatly Ron,high school kids will believe you,BUT NO NAM VET WILL.I think its time for your prosac and thorzine to be upped.Go tell your lies elsewhere
alvis
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 13:58:01 (MDT)
Personally, i never saw any of that kind of thing myself in 2 trips???? Why not???? Will have to agree with lou Tehnet on this. On another note, someone has a virus W32Netsky, I have recieved several e-mails from members of our unit & my Virus scan removed it so there was no message, I wrote to Ron Paye & he called me & said that he sent no e-mail to me so--- it has gotten to someones address book & is forwarding. I have a Norton full security package. It has stood up so far. Suggest everyone check for virus>> respects to all>> smitty
jim westwang 71-72
sheridan, wy USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 12:24:36 (MDT)
Want to spend mre then a day in Vietnam through photos and poetry, go to http://pzzzz.tripod.com/nampoemsNpix.html always a brother,
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 12:20:36 (MDT)
Haven't posted here in over a year but read this everyday, anyway I just couldn't let Ron Taylor's post go with out a comment. My opinion of his rant is that it is totally made up. With rare exceptions did bodies get to a mortuary with personal effects. The whole post does not pass the LOGIC TEST. Can you emagine soldiers carrying around portfolio's on combat missions so they can look at them and share them with fellow unit members while in the field. If they weren't out in the field at the time of death, then their personel effects were were processed by their unit prior to the personal effects being shipped home to the next-of-kin and anything of that nature would have been taken out and not shipped home. If I'm wrong, I'm sorry but untill proven wrong I believe Ron Taylor is making up War Stories. Bulldog 16 "Lou"
Paul Tenhet <
pqt2@trilobyte.net>
Tooele, UT USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 10:21:11 (MDT)
For the maps , click on 69th link and then the ToPo link off of that.
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 08:57:17 (MDT)
Looking for maps of Vietnam???? Just found this place. Check it out http://www.rjsmith.com
Mark
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 08:54:16 (MDT)
Ron, please allow me to paraphrase: I pray that as a survivor of Vietnam, you are able to go on and make the most of your life. The Vietnam war is over but it will never really be over. Knowing what you know and remember, please try to find some peace in being their for our soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a short documentary called "Ground Truth" in which these soldiers talk about "their" war but the stories might as well be yours. The video is free to Veteran groups but to others it is $10. The web site is: thegroundtruth.org. With gentle thoughts-Judith
Gently
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 08:03:47 (MDT)
From what I can find researching the net : The army quit spraying agent orange in 1970. 1970 was also the year they sprayed the most of any years that it was sprayed.I found the site about a year ago and haven't been able to return to it.I will try again today and if I can find it I will post the it a brother ,george
george marshall
USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 07:59:19 (MDT)
I joined the Army, knowing I would probably be sent to Vietnam. I thought I was doing something for my country. I worked at the US Army Mortuary, Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam during 1968-69 at the height of the war, the year the most American's died. Almost every soldier killed in Vietnam came through our mortuary to be shipped home. Although we didn't do all the body preparation and embalming, there was a smaller Mortuary In Da Nang and The Tan Son Nhut Mortuary processed probably 70% or so of the K.I.A.'s (American's Killed In Action) from across Vietnam. Part of my job was to sort through all the personal property of K.I.A.'s. While doing this function I saw many, many thousands of pictures that were obviously atrocities committed by American Soldiers. Such as the rape of children, women and men; and even pictures of G.I.'s having sex with corpses. Also summary executions by a pistol or M-14 or M-16 and also people being stabbed and beaten with things that most likely killed them. Whether those individuals who were stabbed or beaten with various objects lived or died; I don't know for some of them; but I do know that just the act of stabbing them or beating them with some heavy blunt object was an atrocity. And some of them were on the ground appearing to be dead in other pictures. I saw pictures of what appeared to be living human beings, since they were sometimes sitting up or standing; having body parts cut off, like ears, noses, fingers, toes and even genitalia. Yes, while the person seemed to be alive and screaming about it. Sometimes there were "before" and "after" pictures and certainly the people having their body parts chopped off were not looking good in the "after" pictures; and many appeared to have been shot or murdered in one fashion or another after they had their body part(s) cut off in excruciating pain. Many soldiers had pictures of their "trophy" collection, large number of ears, fingers, etc that they obviously had taken off a high number of people that they killed to get them. I saw pictures of a single soldier shooting groups of people and sometimes more than one G.I. firing into groups of people that were sometimes standing clumped together, sometimes sitting on the ground. Including groups of children, groups of women, some of mostly men and many mixed groups of children, women and men; including people of obvious grandfather/grandmother age. Then I saw the pictures of the same groups of people laying dead on the ground. And often the Lyndie England thumbs up pose by one or more American Soldiers in the pictures. Or there would be "trophies" taken from the dead lying on the ground. Some of the dead American Soldiers had only a few pictures of such atrocities, some had many hundreds. Sometimes there appeared only one or two or a few guys showing in the pictures of atrocites, sometimes it appear to be a whole squad or major parts of a company. One guy I processed seemed to have the job of digging mass graves for the people we killed in the area whereever he was. He had a couple hundred of pictures of him on his bulldozer digging long trenches, and then the trenches would be full of bodies; many of them children, women, old men, old women, babies; so it was obvious that they weren't "combatants".... He looked so young and healthy, always had his shirt off smiling. Corn-fed farm looking boy. Then someone shot him and I got the job of sorting through his personal property and seeing these pictures of the results of our mass killings. So much obvious tragedy. So much of it dealt by America to innocent civilians. I heard many people brag about killing Vietnamese in cold blood out of rage or numbness or boredom or as "sport." The atmosphere in a war zone is like stepping onto an alien world. American Soldiers went off the deep end as a routine occurence, either quietly or not; the stress of seeing your buddies die and seeing your buddies killing innocent people or killing combatants led to a sort of mass psychosis. People would do crazy stuff on a daily basis; and it just made you go into another dimension of yourself to even cope with it. And many times that other dimension was not a happy camper, it was an angry violent part of our personalities. When I first encountered these type pictures, I brought them to the attention of various staff and they all told me the same thing: there's nothing to be done about it; discard them because we can't send them home with their personal property, it would traumatize their family and loved ones.... and I'm sure that's true. There were many pictures of American Soldiers with their Vietnamese "girlfriends"; even lots of married guys and pictures of group sex, all kinds of unusual activities, including gay sex w/Vietnamese and among some soldiers. I discarded all those pictures too. I talked to a chaplain about it and he had the same attitude, discard them and forget about it. I did discard them, but I sure couldn't forget about them anymore than I could forget the 8,000 or so dead American Soldiers that were always passing through the mortuary in the year I was there. Some with tiny holes so small I couldn't believe they wouldn't get up off the embalming table, they looked so alive, some blown to bits and when we'd open a body bag they'd be just chunks of flesh and bone. Some swollen blue-green from exposure to water; and their skin would pull off as you tried to move them around. Some just swollen huge from being exposed to the high humidity and heat of Vietnam. It happened quickly, within a couple of days of being exposed to the high heat and humidity. Some piles of melted human beings; melted together like plastic melts from the high heat of a fire after a plane or chopper crash or APC or tank got hit and burnt everybody inside up. And if the bodies weren't brought out of the field quickly they'd be home to a multitude of bugs and insects and we'd have to kill them w/chloroform. We had such a voracious bug population at times we had to get trucks w/insecticides to back in the mortuary and spray to knock the population back some. We pulled cutoff body parts out of American Soldier's footlockers on a daily basis. Many many skulls, that seemed to be a popular "trophy"; but also regularly... finger bones, hands, toes, feet, some arms and legs, jawbones, spinal bones, dried up fleshy parts, including male genitalia and some female too. Little shriveled up things that look like eye balls, ears, tongues, nose cartlidge, every part of the body seemed of interest to somebody at times. Someone in the mortuary set up a "footlocker recoveries" trophy case where we'd put different things we found in footlockers in the case for a while, then replace them with something else coming thru. A reminder to everyone of how strange the war made us Americans act. With every dead soldier came a report about the cause of death; usually one paragraph and sometimes two; and there were Vietnamese atrocities against American's too; usually it would be a short capture period and then execution; they'd capture an American and execute him near where they captured him. That was horrible and immoral too. It didn't show up as the cause of death very often; but it did happen. The pilots they caught up North seemed to get the most torture and abuse. Most deaths they caused came in combat or being shot out of the air or something violent and quick; whereas the torture and abuse things we were doing to them en masse was astoundingly vicious. And I'm talking about what we did to civilians. Soldiers we captured were subjected to horrendous torture many times, then many got summary execution. The fourth or 5th day I was there, I had arrived from Cam Rhan Bay to the headquarters unit that many of the Mortuary Personnel were assigned to; it was a 3 story hotel and I was up on the roof where they had set up tables and a place to drink a beer. It was right on the road, and absentmindedly I saw a 3/4 ton American Truck come by with a couple of American Soldiers in the back w/a prisoner, don't know if he was VC or NVA or innocent. I do know that one of the American Soldiers had his foot planted firmly on the back of this guy's head; he was laying face down on the metal bed, the roads there were one endless pothole; and I could hear the smack of this guy's face bouncing up with every pothole and smacking back down because the G.I. has his boot on the back of the guy's head. Very loud noise that everyone on the roof could hear, even though the street was crammed with vehicles and noise. The guys face was a bloody mess and I had of course, never seen anything like that, and there was a sargeant major right beside me and I looked at him in astonishment; he said "they're questioning him don't worry about it"; he saw my shock and just laughed it off. As a 19 year old I knew I was in a war zone but didn't know what that meant really, until that moment. The same day they took me over to the mortuary and as a low-ranking Pvt E2 they gave me the tour of the mortuary and watched me turn green and then laughed when i puked my guts out. Most newbies did the same thing and they had a ritual of doing it to all the newbies. I wasn't Graves Registration they just picked me out of the blue randomly when they needed a body for the low man on the totem pole work. I had never seen a dead body until i walked in that huge cavern full of bodies in all states. After i finished puking they put me to working assisting the morticians, bringing bodies in and out of the walk-in coolers, cleaning the mess up of blood and human body fluids and tissue, cleaning the tables, cleaning tools, washing the blood and tissue right down the drain that ran out to a ditch right behind the mortuary. It always stank of blood and rotting tissue and formaldehyde and chloroform; there were no environmental controls and anybody anywhere near the mortuary got a big dose of some horrible human plus toxic chemicals to smell. Agent Orange was sprayed almost daily around the whole airbase, we'd play football in the areas that were still wet from spray; they told us it was safe; now many of my peers are dead and dying from it. By dumping directly on the Vietnamese we've caused generations of widespread birthdefects; the ground where we dumped hundreds of millions of gallons on the Vietnamese is still unfit to use to this day. I think whoever thinks that American Soldiers didn't commit many, many thousands of atrocities and war crimes in Vietnam is either Naive and doesn't know or want to know the truth; or telling lies; because I and most honest Vietnam Soldiers know what went on there was horrible on both sides; but we were killing them 100 to 1; and 50 of those 100 were innocent civilians who were just trying to plant their rice and vegetables and stay out of the way of both sides. We didn't give them that option. We took their lives, knowingly. Napalm, Bombs, Ground Assaults, Artillery, Agent Orange dumped directly on civilian villages. We knew what we were doing, everyone up the whole chain of command knew we were killing high numbers of civilians; it was Standard Operating Procedure. The command structure encouraged the de-humanizing; calling them "gooks, slanteyes, rice eaters, dinks" and many other bad things that made them non-humans to be murdered at will. The same thing is happening in Iraq, where we kill the "camel-jocks", "sheepfuckers ragheads" in their beds in their civilians neighborhoods; or holding their children in their arms walking to the market; and think nothing of it. They weren't Americans and wouldn't be voting for Bush anyway. Over 10,000 Innocent Civilians we've killed, at a minimum and probably many more. Something's wrong with our system. Bad wrong. The people who say it's okay to kill all the innocent Vietnamese and Iraqi's have something wrong in them. Racism is a big part of their rationalizing. The rest is something bad inside them that has turned them numb; something that let's them discount the lives of human beings who just happen to live in a different land, speak a different language and have a different culture from us. Something's wrong with our society that we turn out so many of these numb hate-filled people. Something's bad wrong. It was wrong in Vietnam, it's wrong in Iraq. Ron Taylor US Army Mortuary Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam 1968-69
Ron Taylor
Portland, Ore. USA - Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 07:22:57 (MDT)
Fred, I'm still laughing about the REDNECK reality!!! I hope Jr's penalty doesn't have an impact on the final standings. It's pretty chickenshit (that word again) of NASCAR to play that game with the drivers....Agent Orange, when did the military stop spraying that shit? The gift that keeps on giving......Baron, you still out there?
Kim
USA - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 at 13:47:54 (MDT)
Hello Flight and those who read this flight log, This is Bulldog Cherry signing on again for the first time in a long while. I caught a virus in my computer and then a trogan. I was unable to log onto the flight log for a long while due to the virus I think??? I had to take down my hard drive and start from scratch three days ago to fix the work of the trogan and now I seem to be back up talking with you guys that I had the honor to serve with in Nam. I went to Utah on my vacation this summer (July) and spent a weekend with Jim Jobe, Bulldog Hobie, who was my next door neighbor at Lane for my last five months in Nam. I was overwhelmed at how after about five minuets it was as if we had never lost contact with each other for 3o plus years. I have been staying in touch with Cobra King, Ray Evans, and Baron, Ralph Pete Nolen. I hope to make it to the VHPA reunion in San Francisco in July of 05. What has happened to the guys out there who were emailing me??? Once in a great while I get one from Mark I got one a few days before the trogan that was very inspirational, but I have not heard from Robbie, or John Stone or anyone else in a very long time. As stated I could not read the flight log and therefore lies the fact that I dont know what was up with the Log Guys. I have not heard from Jim "Cups" either. I am very happy to be back up and running with my Dell and I have changed internet service to Frontier Net. The E-mail address is the same as ever but the last part after the @ is frontiernet.net. If you have my old address and want to say hi to me that is how you would do it. I have been blessed this summer to have been able to work a whole bunch of O.T. where I work. I was able to find a shop in Reno that is doing a 129th Company patch for me. I have to order them in groups of 12 and have not received the first run as yet but if they come out OK and any one wants one let me know and when I have an order of 12 I'll get some more. The patch will look just as the sole surviving one I have from Nam with the less than Bulldog dog but that is what I wore so proudly while flying missions in Nam with my brothers in the 129th. I have to end for know but hope you are as glad that I am back as I am to be back. Billdog Cherry Dick Muirhead
Dick Muirhead <
dickandbarb75@frontiernet.net>
Susanville, Ca. USA - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 at 13:18:07 (MDT)
Kim LaVoie, I`m mad as hell about Dale Earnhardt, Jr., , 25 points and $10,000 fine!!!!!NEW RULE for Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Don't punish rednecks for being rednecks, for publicly saying the words, "It don't mean shit." You can't fine a redneck for that. That's not just an expression to them, it's the entire redneck philosophy! Lost your job? It don't mean shit. Wife run off with the UPS man? Don't mean shit. Entire rationale for a war proves to be false? It don't mean shit. That's the beauty of the lifestyle. If rednecks had to pretend they cared about stuff, they'd be yuppies.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Tuesday, October 12, 2004 at 05:44:37 (MDT)
agent orange, liquid bullets,the gift that keeps on giving,sprayed and betrayed
alvis
USA - Monday, October 11, 2004 at 21:39:50 (MDT)
Yea Fred, I'm rooting for the Red Sox and John Kerry this fall. The one great thing about sports, every year brings a new hope, and, if it doesn't pan out?????? well, life goes on!! :>)) RE: agent orange deaths. I've lost a few from my home town, and it is quite upsetting that we've become so complacent about it. Do we REALLY ACCEPT that our politicians are just a bunch of opportunisitc, pathological lairs!?!? Of all the lies, half truths, misstatements, spin, wishful thinking,and revisionist history regarding our little war, agent orange ranks right at the top!
Kim
USA - Monday, October 11, 2004 at 18:30:48 (MDT)
Say flight, if you would like to log on to a web site to view Mt St. Hellens, go here. http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/ They update the photo every 5 minutes. If it goes off again like it did in 1980, I hope the ash goes south this time. The usual air flow is north and east.
Dan Hertlein
Sumner, WA USA - Monday, October 11, 2004 at 14:00:58 (MDT)
Kim LaVoie, GO REDSOX!!!!!!!This team was "buildt" for a " 7 game series" with the Yankmees!!!!! They GOT to do it this year!!!!!!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Monday, October 11, 2004 at 07:45:18 (MDT)
Kim! John Chauncey and I was in the moonlighters at Eustis also. I thought it was better than the day classes. Charlie Rains who is in charge of the Vhcma was in the class before us. Just a comment on that, never mind as Glida would say. hehehehehe be careful out there
Rick England
USA - Monday, October 11, 2004 at 07:01:15 (MDT)
Rick, yeah I thought John was an alright guy in basic and also when I saw him at Lane. sorry he has chosen not to come back to the fold but I do understand. I had to do a lot of soul searching before I went to Williams a few years ago to see Les Sprague. I still think if I hadn't found him on this site I would have never come to the Phoenix reunion. the meeting in Williams was something I had to do just because it was Les. it helped me come out of my shell esp. after I was around about 250+ vets at once. I realized I wasn't the only one thinking the things I was and felt the way I did. I think the reunions are a great way to help get over problems. I can't wait till I can go to another one. KIM, hey bro don't feel bad about what happened to my computer. I had it in a shop and the guy told me the spyware was so deeply imbedded in my system that the only way to get rid of it was to delete windows and reinstall it. when I saw the site you suggested I thought I might be able to save it. and it did work a little but apparently, it found something in a file that it couldn't remove with out removing a major dll, exe or whatever. and when I told it to delete the file ............... oops. it didn't work anymore. I am back up and running again and I am finding a lot of the stuff I lost again so it was more of an inconveniance than anything. the main thing I was worried about loosing is still in here so ............no big deal. well enough of a book tonight, hope everyone had a great weekend. Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Sunday, October 10, 2004 at 21:04:53 (MDT)
Msrk, I could always liven things up by making some comments on our president!!! LOL. I'm feeling a little sheepish because of my advice to Don about the spyware remover program that wiped out his computer. Serves me right for giving advice about these things!....I was at useless in the winter of 69-70. Seventeen years old, going to Va. Beach and drinking 3.2 beer...Rotten stuff. WE had night classes due to the number of classes there. Old WW 2 barracks, Newport News right outside the gate. Got to be friends with a guy named Dawson, who also boxed golden gloves as a teenager. He got me drunk on wine for the first time in my life. Got so loose I shit myself after I passed out! I met him again at Lane, spring of 71, he was in the 61st AHC. He'd changed big time, all black power, anti white, anti war. I think he spent his last days there living in An Son, never even bothered to come to his unit till he deros'ed
Kim
USA - Sunday, October 10, 2004 at 17:01:25 (MDT)
Don I went school with John in the fall of 67. WE went to the 129th together in Jan 15 of 68 and you seen him on his second extension because Wink knew him also in gun platoon. It sounds like he did about 3 extensions after John Thorp was killed. I had his phone # called left a meesage but no return his voice was on the machine so he is not ready or may not ever be ready for contact with us. Which is ok I just hope he is doing better. He lives in oregon somewhere I lost his address. I will never try to contact him after I tried once he knows we are here. Its up to him now. I have pics of him at Eustis. He use to live in Mesa. I think his uncle was the Chauncey that had the arbian horse ranch and own the TV channel. He is a good man and I hope he can contact us some day.Flight be careful out there
Rick England <
bd431@mindspring.com>
USA - Sunday, October 10, 2004 at 11:37:43 (MDT)
Mark, sorry to hear you're going to sell the Pop-A-Top. When will this happen? It's going to make a lot of Vietnam Vets sad to hear this, including this old vet. I know you've got your reasons,so as Dylan would say, don't think twice it's alright.....Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Sunday, October 10, 2004 at 08:15:27 (MDT)
there is a very good, free download, called " web root, cookie and cache' "cleaner. Its easy to use and non-dangerous to established files. helps keep things running faster and smoother
alvis
USA - Saturday, October 09, 2004 at 21:05:22 (MDT)
Why is this place so quite? This place take some casualties in that list fire fight in here?
Mark
USA - Saturday, October 09, 2004 at 18:01:18 (MDT)
Sorry got my times crossed when I was there was in late october 69 sorry bout that flight.A brother, george
george marshall
USA - Saturday, October 09, 2004 at 09:51:36 (MDT)
I was at fort eustis in aug of 69 is that the same time.I was schooling as an hydralics rpm. 68H20 Went to Nam after 30 days leave ,never touched another hydralics part after school.I then got awarded the prop & rotor mos 68E20 in Nam. when I got to state side I was awarded power train mos 68D20 (they didn't need any more Prop & rotor personal) When I was discharged I had 3 critical mos's That was after only 2.5 years in. Move up fast in the Army. . a brother, george
george marshall
USA - Saturday, October 09, 2004 at 09:48:50 (MDT)
Rick, when did you go to Eustis ? I went thru basic with John, but he got held back for a medical problem and finished basic the next cycle. he was from the Phoenix area. I went on to Eustis in late Aug or early Sept. I got lucky after Eustis and went to Germany for 14 months then to the 129th. I was surprized to see John was still there. he must have really liked the 129th because just after I got there he went on 30 days leave and came back for another 6 months. ( I liked the 129th too but NOT THAT MUCH LOL ). Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Friday, October 08, 2004 at 22:11:31 (MDT)
To view the artical about the Pop-A-Top go to www.DaytonDailyNews.com. Got the 129th web sight mentioned in it. To little to late I am afraid, we are really selling it this time. Still plan to get a building to have the military artifacts on display and to honor all Veterans just dont know where yet. Maybe one of my dads buildings. Will explain more later. Love to you all, always a brother,
Mark
USA - Friday, October 08, 2004 at 21:04:26 (MDT)
dayton daily news, wend or thrusday of this week. They wrote up an article about the pop a top
alvis
USA - Friday, October 08, 2004 at 16:04:39 (MDT)
LOL!!! Gently
Gently
USA - Friday, October 08, 2004 at 12:20:42 (MDT)
Hey Frenchie! I rmemeber John Thorp an Chauncey real good . Chaucey and I went to school together at Eustis. That was a sad day seeing that truck in the morning.****Judith I can't believe Ron would set you up like that he is a very nice guy he just likes showing his privates to everyone hehehehehehe.**** Ray is leaving on his trip today be careful out here.*******
Rick England
USA - Friday, October 08, 2004 at 11:28:33 (MDT)
Hey Frenchie! I rmemeber John Thorp an Chauncey real good . Chaucey and I went to school together at Eustis. That was a sad day seeing that truck in the morning.****Judith I can't believe Ron would set you up like that he is a very nice guy he just likes showing his privates to everyone hehehehehehe.**** Ray is leaving on his trip today be careful out here.*******
Rick England
USA - Friday, October 08, 2004 at 11:27:59 (MDT)
Ah, Gale...I didn't turn around because YOU and Ron set me up. Don't play innocent here. Most of us know you too well for that. Ray, adios! L-Gently
Gently
USA - Thursday, October 07, 2004 at 12:27:41 (MDT)
Spence, good to hear from you and it's always good to see you at Kokomo. Sorry about your health problems and we'll keep you in our prayers. I think that "jumping off the bar" is one thing you could probably drop from your activities. (LOL) Still not sure about the Xmas party....we'll see. Flight, I got stung by one of those Rhinoceros Beetles at Lane. I thought a scorpion had got me and was rushed to the medic. Does anyone remember who the guy was (67-68)that was immune to scorpion poison? I think he was stung a couple of times and wasn't even worried about it. Clear, Gale
Gale
Clinton, In US of A - Thursday, October 07, 2004 at 08:42:16 (MDT)
Hi all. Was great to see you all at Kokomo and having you stop down at the 173d area. Don't forget our 129th and 173d xmas party at pop a top is coming up DEc 4th. Motel in Celina is Holiday Express 419 586 4919. As for me Kokomo was a little hard. After returning I found out the I had cancer in the right lung and some of m bones on the right side. they tell me they have a 90% cure rate so will be starting that shortly. Thanks all you great Nam brothers who have called and sent e-mails it has made it a lot easier on both sue and I. I hope to make the xmas party but may not be jumping off the bar this year. Mother says i have to slow down a little but hope to see you all there. again thanks for your calls, e-mails and prayers
steven m spencer <
spence00@earthlink.net>
Elida, ohio USA - Thursday, October 07, 2004 at 07:57:58 (MDT)
Well A voice from the past what’s up Bill Whelan? We did have some entering times didn’t we? I think for you’re your sake they could have improved on the taste of some of the stimulants. Does the name Gould from New Jersey jog your memory any? Walking down all those twisted alleys and turns to get to Ann’s House… Fighting Rhinoceros Beatles… MP’s Coming in… Popason breaking out his bottle of black jack for shots… going up that rickety later. I don’t remember did we even have a rifle? Rick I Took That Picture of John Thorp. I knew him pretty good was a sad way to go. I had Hundreds of pictures I had developed at the dark room on across the hill. Four marriages later I don’t seem to have very many left. Ray glad your GPS is working now. None of us want you out there lost. Robbie how is that job-hunting going? Jobs are in season down south…as a mater of fact we are rebuilding the entire middle of Florida. Come on down… A couple more snow birds more or less wont matter…
Bill French 68-69 <Frenchie745@(RemoveThis).comcast.net>
Sav, Ga USA - Thursday, October 07, 2004 at 01:18:54 (MDT)
Gale, yes I got them. as soon as I posted that I hadn't seen any pic's yet I went to my mail and they were there. also I got a pic of John Thorp from Rick and I have it posted on my site ( thanks Rick )........... RAY, HAVE A GREAT TIME BRO. Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 22:31:29 (MDT)
Hi flight. Gale could you send me pictures of kokomo.
J.W. Wilson
USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 20:33:27 (MDT)
Yes, Judith, I do have good pics from when we met Ann. Now if I would just get the software loaded onto my computer so I could send them out. They turned out great though. Ann, how are you doing? What's up?
Jim & Sue H.
USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 18:30:50 (MDT)
Hey Ray, U an Gail have a great boat ride. Keep your eyes on those island girls... Thanks Gale for the pictures!!.. They turned out pretty good. Ron ought to be famouse with a set like that!! Maybe it was lucky that Gently didn't turn around..Also Gale, that statement a day or so ago was well stated!!..U all take care.. C U L8r... Kal...
Kal Bergstrom 67/68 <n8auu (at) email . com>
Saint Joseph, MI USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 17:07:00 (MDT)
Gale, if you get a chance could you send me the pictures from Kokomo, thanks Rainer
Rainer Bauer
Indy, USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 15:25:35 (MDT)
Rick, Gently didn't turn around cause Ron set her up. :o)) Sorry Errr Gently.
Gale
USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 10:48:01 (MDT)
Gale thanks for the pics they are great. I hope to make it next year. Gently I see you didn't turn around is that because you knew you would see the pics later? hehehehehehe
Rick England
USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 10:25:01 (MDT)
Bill Whelan its good to hear fronm you. I remmeber those days. We were innovators in allot of new crew duties. I am sure Frenchie can remember this also. I Remember flying for 2 days straight one of those nights we flew flares. You went to sleep in the hell hole the next day. Then the Major from Maint. was coming down the strip towards you so I walked up to him and diverted him by walking back to maint. he told me I would be a good crewchief if I didn't take drugs. I liked to get him in the ship for a couple days and at least one flare misson with those green thingies coming at you. see what he takes to stay awake.enough of that.*******Bill the next reunion is in San Antonio hope you can make it.**** I don't know if you heard from past commos Bob Hiedenreich died from cancer of Agent orange. We had a memorial at the last reunion he was known by the 129th and allot of other crews from the Vietnam helicopter Asso. Bob help allot of brothers in that group. Frenchie jump in here if you will. Bill you be careful and hope to see you in the future. Flight be careful out there. clear left
Rick England <
bd431@mindspring.com>
Wittmann, Az USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 09:43:36 (MDT)
THANKS FRED. AS YOU SEE I DON'T READ MUCH or under stand a lot BUT ONCE EXPLAINED I DO SO THANKS FOR TELLING ME' BUT WE DO PLAN TO HAVE A GOOD TIME IAM GOING TO LOOK THAT PROBE VERVER UP SOUNDS INTERESTING, AGAIN THANKS I GUESS ONE CAN ONE CAN LEARNMUCH FROM ANOTHER. BUT IN MY CASE I HAVE TO HAVE IT EXPLAINED TO ME AND I THANK YOU FRED TAKE CARE .AN HI GENTLY , HOW ARE YOU DOING ROB TAKE CARE AS WELL AS THE REST OF YOU AND MARK AGAIN THANKS SO MUCH MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.LOVE YOU ALL ABROTHER ALWAYS. AGAIN I MAY NOT KNOW MUCH BUT I AM WILLING TO LEARN IF ONE JUST TELLS ME AGAIN THANKS FRED S A BROTHER ALWAYS RAY
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 08:39:42 (MDT)
Ray,my friend, "Never leave the boat" is from the movie "Apocalypse Now". They got off the boat to "pick mango`s", and had some problems. But my favorite line in a movie of all-time is from "Pulp Fiction", when Samuel Jackson sez,""And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to betray and poison my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee." Then he kills the person. I think it`s from Ezekial 25:17 in the bible. God has some "great lines" in that book!!!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 07:58:19 (MDT)
Don, didn't you get the Kokomo photos that I sent you yesterday? If anyone one else wants them let me know. Ray, just make sure you don't forget the camera....we want to see pics of you and Gail on deck. Have fun! ;o)Gale
Gale
USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 07:53:50 (MDT)
HELLO ALL NOT LONG BEFORE WE GO ON THE BOAT RIDE, I TELL ONE THING WE ARE NOT TAKING WITH US IS OUR STRESS AND TROUBLES AND TROUBLES, WE DIDN'T GET A TICKET FOR THEM AQND NO ROOM IN SUIT CASE FOR THEM. OH FRED CAN I ASK WHAT DO YOU MEAN DON'T GET OFF THE BOAT CAN WE GET IN TROUBLE OR MUGED OR SOMETHING JUST ASKING WE NEVER LEFT LIKE THIS BEFORE WELL GOT MORE PACKING TO DO, GOT MOST OG IT DONE, GAIS SAID NOT TO WORRY SAID MOST OF IT IS IN HER HEAD WOW I TOLD HER WELL GET IT THE DARN SUIT CASE TIME IS RUNNING OUT WELL TAKE CARE BESAFE AND THANKS FOR THE ADVICE FRED A BROTHER ALWAYS RAY
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 07:36:32 (MDT)
Don, thanks for reminding me about Kokomo pics: I have a camera on the front sit of my car waiting to be developed, but I couldn't remember what memories it held. Thanks to your asking about Kokomo I now know and will get it developed ASAP. Gale also took photos, one of Ron Paye mooning, of course, but that will not make this site-IT WAS SICK!!! :>) But he may have others he could post. Gale??? Ray, I love it when your sense of humor comes through on the site. People need to know how funny and witty you actually are. Sue, do you have any photos from our meeting Ann that you might want to share? Geez girl! :>))) And the VVA Christmas Party is December 4th-please join us! I'm worried about Cups>>> anyone hear anything? With a wink-Gently
Gently
USA - Wednesday, October 06, 2004 at 07:00:19 (MDT)
new pic posted, John Thorp, thanks Rick
Don Miller
Valley Farms , AZ USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 22:34:17 (MDT)
Ain`t no big thing Ray.......Enjoy your cruise.....And remember....."Never leave the boat"!!!!!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 18:02:04 (MDT)
fred sorry my mistake fred like always i miss under stand things so sorry i guess i took it wrong a gain sorry fred take care ok i tell you i realy need that boat ride get a way and relax from everything it is just at times i get so mixed up you can see that in my posts, again i took it wrong and iam sorry i guess i ws s thinking of these people who don't use there real names like we do. i hope you under stand ok thanks be safe stay well still a brother always ray, oh iam try to leat the flute but having trouble reading notes, i know you know lots about musice if you have time perhaps you can e mail me but under stand if u don;t Ray
Ray <
stilwating@aol.com>
md USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 17:36:30 (MDT)
Ray, I was just showing the variations of the word "coward', it covers alot of bases. Speaking of bases.....Boston and St.Louis world series.....
Fred Skaggs
USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 16:34:03 (MDT)
Robbie, thanks, I appreciate the help but unfortunately the info I lost was much more than what I sent you. what I lost were letters from friends that were there at the time of loss and they told me their side of the story. not the Readers Digest version the Army put out. with the losses we had between 16 march 69 and 11 March 70 I was there I remember what happened, at least as well as this feeble mind of mine will let me remember. but these were stories of men and ships that went down before and after those dates. and yes please send me the list I sent you, it will help me greatly. I'm just glad I had all the pic's posted to my web site that had been sent to me. unfortunately the "originals" before I cropped them etc. are gone. and believe it or not my file that has all my web pages that I up-load from was left alone. I still have all that. it is about a 12mg file. now that file was about 5 years work. it will be put on a CD before the day is over. RAY, hey Bro have a GREAT TIME and when you get back I would love to have some pic's. WHICH REMINDS ME .............. remember before Kokomo I posted " take lots of pictures, I want to see pic's" I haven't seen a one yet. ;-) (did I just goof ?)LOL. anyway .......... Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 16:32:25 (MDT)
THANK YOU FOR THE ENGLISH LESSON FRED S
RAY
MD USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 16:08:16 (MDT)
Hi Flight. I see a bunch of you have had computer crashes. If you ever need some advise please call me before you wipe your computer. I have built and repaired computers for the past 8 years and may be able to help save some of your information. Take Care.
Rick
NM USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 15:34:27 (MDT)
Cow´ard Pronunciation: kou´?rd Noun 1. coward - a person who shows fear or timidity human, individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" cur - a cowardly and despicable person dastard - a malicious coward craven, poltroon, recreant - an abject coward trembler, quaker - one who quakes and trembles with (or as with) fear shrinking violet, shy person - someone who shrinks from familiarity with others milksop, Milquetoast, pantywaist, sissy, pansy - a timid man or boy considered childish or unassertive hesitater, hesitator, vacillator, waverer - one who hesitates (uaually out of fear)
Fred Skaggs
USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 14:24:35 (MDT)
HI ALL SUST WANT TO SAY HI AND SAY SOME TO NYC. WELL FRIST I MUST ASK NYC WHAT IS YOUR POINT. AND HOW COME YOU HAVE NO COURAGE TO PUT WHO YOU REALY ARE , THATS ALL SAY. GALE THANKS WE PLAN TO HAAVE A GRATE TIME ON THE BOAT. HECK THEY WILL EVEN BE A FULL MOON ON THE 13th HECK I MAY MAKE IT TWO MOONS ( JUST KIDDING ) NO MATTER WHAT WE HAVE FUN. I POST AND SAY HI BEFORE I GO TO ALL Y BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I TELL YOU ALL FOR YOU LL HELPE ME COME A LONG WAY, I STILL HAVE BAD DAYS BUT I GET THREW THEM, I ENJOY COMING HERE I LIKE READING THE POSTS I LIKE TO SE MORE OF START TALKING AGAIN, WELL STILL GOTTO PACK. BUT I KNOW WEFOR GET SOMETHING. AS LONG AS I DONT FORGET GAIL I BE OK SHE HAS EVERYTHING AND KNOWS WHATS GOING ON SMILING WELL YOU ALL BE SAFE I TAKE PIC OH AND NYC TRY TO FIND SOMETHING THAT HAS A POINT TO IT SORRY EVERYONE I GUESS JUST SICK OF READING THINGS THAT MAKE NO SINCE AND YES I KNOW WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO POST WHATB WE WANT,,, BUT AT LEAST LET IT HAVE A POINT A BROTHER ALWAYS RAY AND I CARE FOR YOU ALL
RAY <
STILWATING@AOL.COM>
MD USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 14:20:28 (MDT)
You forgot one more thing that He believed........He believed that he had the right to interfere in other peoples business and to interject his own ideas into random websites with out being recognized, more than likely, because he has no friends left to listen to him. That pretty much describes a "coward". "You are a redneck if___________________"(you can fill in your own blanks!):o)))) Gale
Gale
USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 13:40:21 (MDT)
Kathryn Jean Lopez of National Review said: When I talk about redneckery in Redneck Nation, I'm not talking about the Jeff Foxworthy stereotypes. I'm writing about the ideology: What did a typical white "redneck" believe at the beginning of the civil-rights movement 50 years ago?........................................ He believed that race mattered, that race was determinant......................... He believed that free speech was dangerous, spread by "outside agitators" who never learned the redneck speech code: "If you can't say something nice...drink."...................... He believed that all women were either delicate creatures in need of special social protections, or they were roadhouse trailer trash who would spank you and call you "Daddy.".............................................................. He believed that the more irrational and ridiculous your religion, the more fervently you believed in God......................................... He believed the most entertaining way to spend a Saturday night was to watch something get "blowed up real good.".
_________________________________________
NYC, NY Amerika - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 13:13:25 (MDT)
Bruno, got your commo so be expecting a phone call before this friday. "426"
BernieHernandez <
Bernie.Hernandez@HILL.af.mil>
Ogden, Utah USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 10:10:28 (MDT)
Well I haven't posted for a long time, but I read about drugs at Lane, and it caught my eye. I was there at Lane from Feb. of 68 to March of 69. We didn't see any drugs there did we Rick? ha.. I was there one day when introduced to Clark (Head Mechanic).From then on my tour was kind of cloudy. And don't get me started about Obesital. Things were pretty taken for granted then. Some people drank and some people did other things. I was inspected once on New Years Eve by a drunk first sargent who could hardly stand up, to make sure I was fit to fly. I was drinking coffee and Obesital so I could have flown for 3 days.But I wouldn't want to get him in the air. But now things have changed. The Isralie army now gives pot to their troups. They say it helps calm them from battle fatigue. The air force now gives "stay awake" pills to their pilots.And according to them they have to take it to fly. I guess we were just ahead of our time. Something else came across my desk that I thought you would get a kick out of. Jessie Jackson has added former Chicago Democrat congressman Mel Reynolds to Rainbow/PUSH Coalition's payroll. Reynolds was among the 176 criminals excused in President Clintons last-minute forgiveness spree. Renolds received a commutation of his six-and-a half-year federal sentence for 15 convictions of wire fraud, bank fraud and lies to the Federal Election Commission. He is more notorious, however, for concurrently serving five years for sleeping with an underage campaign volunteer. This is a first in American politics : An ex-congressman who had sex with a subordinate... won clemency from a president who had sex with a subordinate..,. then was hired by a clergyman who had sex with a subordinate. His new Job? Youth counselor. IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT? Fly safe out there...Good talking to you.
Bill Whelan <
bwhelan@theprintingworks.net>
Elk Grove Village, IL USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 09:51:36 (MDT)
Don Miller, I have that list of MIA/KIA's with their ship#'s and such that you sent me. If you want me to send that back to you I will. Sorry you lost so much of your info. Ray, good luck on your Boat Ride. Hope you and Gail have a good time....Rob
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 09:37:11 (MDT)
Ray...you've got me laughing again:>)))) Love ya-J
Gently
USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 07:54:41 (MDT)
HELLO FLIGHT JIM GLAD U GOT PIC I BE SENDING YOU MORE OK DO YOU WANT SOME OF ATLANTA TO. AND DON MILLER I BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND YOU WHAT I HAVE TO. OK MAY TAKE A WHILE, FOR AS OF FRIDAY ME AND GAIL GO ON A BOAT RIDE FOR 7 DAYS, WE GOT FROM FL TO A PLACE CALLED COST AMAYER I KNOW ITS SPELT WRONG, BUT I CANT EVEN SAY THE WORD THERE WE SEE SOME RUNINS OF SOMETHING I FOR GOT WHAT, THEN ON TO A OLACE CALLE BELIVE MEXICO. THEN TO A PLACE I CANT I FORGOT ALTOGERHER THEN HOME. BUT THE MAIN THING I HAVE A NICE GET AWAY HE HAVE A ROOM WITH A BELCONEY I GOT A SUIT. MY SHOES WERE HARD TO GET I HAVENT BOUGHT A PAIR OF THEM SINCE THE KIND THE ONES THEY VALLED SNAP JACKS IT HAD A SLIDING THINK IN THE MIDDEL. BUT I GOT MY SHOES FINILY. BUT I HAD TO GO TO THE LITTLE BOTS DEPT, BUT THE LADY AT THE MENS STORE CALLED THE LADY NEXT DOOR THERE TOLD HER HOW I FELT GETTING THEM THERE SO SHE PUT ME AS FAR BACK AS SHE COULD. BUT GOT A GOOD PAIR. CAN'T BELIVE I TAKE A SISE 6 AND ALL THIS TIME I BEEN WEARING A 7. I KNEW THEY A BIT BIG BUT COULD GET AWAY IT SNEEKES LOL WELL CANT WAIT TO GOI SAY BY THUR.TAKE CARE ALL HOPE THIS WAS NOT TO LONG. A BROTHER ALWAYS , TAKE CARE GALE AND DEBBIE , N NICE TALIKG TO YOU RICK AND ALEX AND MARK I ENJOY ED IT DON'T FOR GER JIM WESTWING ( NOT THE OTHER JIM ) AND DON IF YOU WANT PIC OG THE REIOUN I SEND U WHAT I HAVE I GOT ATLANTA TO LOVE YOU ALL GENTLY YOU TASKE CARE TALK SONN BY MAIL A BROTHER ALWAYS RAY
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Tuesday, October 05, 2004 at 06:44:56 (MDT)
Jim W. man can I relate to your problem. I had pic's and info that can NOT be replaced. after giving it some thought I remembered that some of the files that I lost was info about 129th KIA/MIA's that is now gone forever because I don't remember who sent it to me and their e-mail address is gone anyway. so as I have said before (and I never take my own advice) BACK-UP YOUR FILES ! ! ! ! ! ! ! maybe I will learn this time. maybe it was the file that Alvis sugested I don't remember and I can't find it in the log but it doesn't matter, I am sure it was something I did, not the program. but still the possability of messing up your computer is still there. that is why I say be careful. Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Monday, October 04, 2004 at 20:09:13 (MDT)
HELLO ALL, JIM WEATWING I BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU SOME PIC I SEND SONE A FEW AT A TIME OK I START ON WHAT YOU SENT ME OK I WONT SEND MANY I HAVE TROUBLE OPING ZIPS BUT IF YOU DONT TELL E HOW MANY AT A TIME TO SEND OK HOPE I CAN BE OF HELP A BROTHER ALWAYS. OH WHAT MADE YOUR PUTER CRASH, SEEMS LIKE LOTS GOING DOWN LATLY JUST WONDERING GOING TO SEND YOU A E MAIL WITH PIV HOPE YOU GET LET ME KNOW RAY
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Monday, October 04, 2004 at 19:16:23 (MDT)
Hi all, recently crashed computer, back up now but lost everything, address book, all pictures, including Indy, If one of you would volunterr to send those indy pics back, i'd appreciate it, damn i hate losing all that stuff, Repects to all>>>smitty
jim westwang 71-72
sheridan, wy USA - Monday, October 04, 2004 at 13:08:54 (MDT)
Mark, our friend from Kokomo, Bruce, worked in the vendors tent most of the weekend, but he and his wife(red cowboy hat), Kim, would stop in to say "hi" and eat at least once a day. Very tall, kinda skinny, and as Gale said, "big cigar." When I get Kim's address I'll forward it on. Ray said he is leaving for a boat ride! LOL! He's going on a cruise! Boat ride..funny Ray! Keep your GS program on-those ships are huge:>)) L-G
Gently
USA - Monday, October 04, 2004 at 12:25:29 (MDT)
Mark: Did you ever recieve the personnel rosters I sent. Alex
Alex
USA - Monday, October 04, 2004 at 09:46:43 (MDT)
Flight: A lot of commo. Remember we have had the Blade and Patriot and a other nameless folks always leaving their views on this site in the past. They come and they go when we don't acknowlege them. Through the good and bad postings on the log we must remember it's open to the public. That means we will get what anyone decides to write. I know Mark set this site for the public and to find Brothers of the 129th, families of our KIA'S. Rmember this is a public site. Anyone can visit the site. These postings don't bother me. Some it does. But, I respect Mark's feelings and views. It's his site. No word on Cupps. Alex
Alex
USA - Monday, October 04, 2004 at 09:35:50 (MDT)
Don, I tried "spy sweeper" that Alvis suggested and it worked fine. Mark, Debbie & I visited Larry and the 129th gang at the Moving Wall that was in Terre Haute yesterday. Nice weather & a nice turnout. Flight, I left Lane May 68 and I didn't know of any drugs that was used by anyone. Of course, I wasn't looking for them. I know that it was bad enough trying to fly (or work on) a chopper with a beer hangover. Stayed high on Hamm's, San Miguel, 33 or anything we could get. Clear, Gale
Gale
USA - Monday, October 04, 2004 at 08:19:27 (MDT)
Kim, the program I used was the one you posted I think. I can't find it again. but it wiped everything I had for a working system. all I had was DOS I had to re-install Windows on my computer which of course wiped everything I had in any windows based file. all my pictures, music, etc is gone. it did leave some of my files alone like my 5 years of genealogy research ( thank God )but all but the last month of that was backed up so I wouldn't have lost much. I really don't know if it was something I did (most likely) or something in the program (doubtfull) but the possability of really messing things up IS THERE. Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms, AZ USA - Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 23:31:08 (MDT)
Don MIller, which spyware program did you use? I'm pretty much a neophyte on this thing, and did'nt have one bit of a problem using them. Fred, the common wisdom is that it was congress shutting off all supplies to Vietnam that lost the war. They won the Easter offensive, with American air support, and probably would have won the war if we'd kept the supplies coming, as promised.....lesson to foreign governments...don't believe American politicians!
Kim
USA - Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 17:40:19 (MDT)
1973 saw a huge buildup of North Vietnamese forces in South Vietnam, contrary to the Paris peace agreement. But the US, under President Nixon was unable to do anything because of congress voting to restrict his military powers, and because everyone wanted OUT of Vietnam. 1974 saw US aid to South Vietnam drop to next to nothing. This resulted in shortages of ammunition, clothes, fuel, medical supplies, food. In fact shortages were so great that ARVN soldiers were deserting in droves, morale was non existant and black markets were rife. At 11.30am on 30 April 1975 the NVA troops ran their red banner over Independence Palace in Saigon. The war was finally over, with millions dead and maimed and a cost of billions of dollars!! We had won ALL the battles, but lost the war!!
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 13:15:53 (MDT)
Early 1972 saw what was known as the "Easter Offensive". The North Vietnamese launched an all out assault against the south using over 125,000 men, this was mainly aimed at the ARVN forces. The assault ground to a halt because of the inability of the north to keep many of its forces supplied and the tremendous mobility and firepower of the US air support. The official report states that North Vietnam lost 100,000 men and more than 450 tanks, they also lost the capacity to launch another major assault for at least 3 years. 1972 also saw a breakthrough in peace talks and at last, a means for the US to withdraw its remaining forces.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 13:14:09 (MDT)
By 1971 the US forces in Vietnam were reduced by about half, morale was worse, drug use was much worse, apathy and a couldn't care attitude prevailed. Everyone wanted "out". The peace talks hadn't reached any agreement and by the end of 1971 the North Vietnamese were building up supplies and weapons down the Ho Chi Minh trail and the DMZ for what looked like an all out offensive.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 13:11:58 (MDT)
1970 saw the overthrow of the Cambodian Chief of State-Prince Sihanouk, this resulted in the NVA forces of 50,000, who were using part of eastern Cambodia as their base areas to attemt to overrun the Cambodian forces. As this could change the course of the Vietnam war, the US and ARVN forces mounted a combined attack against the NVA in Cambodia. They succeeded in routing the NVA and recovering over 18 months supplies of weapons and ammunition plus destroying their major base camp. 1970 saw a much safer South Vietnam, free from large battles with mostly VC free hamlets, it also saw a huge increase in the US forces of low morale, drug use, awols, desertions, refusal to follow orders and fragging.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 13:09:09 (MDT)
hello flight, been gone a couple days and the reason is I downloaded the spyware killer program that was mentioned below, BE VERY VERY CAREFUL WITH IT, check over all the items it finds before you tell it to delete them. when it was done with my computer all I had left was DOS. all my programs, most of my files, and all my pictures were GONE. I just got back up this morning after I reloaded windows, and in case you don't know ..... that wipes everything else off the computer so it is like I just bought this thing. enough about that. I was reading below about the drug use in the 129th. I left in March of 70 and there was some use by then. I never tried any, NOT, because I was better than anyone else but because I was too scared to. I liked my booze, till one night I was totally blitzed and we had someone try to come in the wire over by the POL dump. by that time I was in charge of a reactionary force ( F Troop as we were affectionately called) and I was so drunk I couldn't get my head clear. that scared me so much that I don't think I had more than a couple shots at any one time the rest of the time I was there. in fact when I left I gave someone a half bottle of Chivis Regal. ( I think it was Roger Austin but I'm not sure.)well I guess I've rambled enough for now. I think I will see if I can find some other of the places I used to go on the web. Later, Don
Don Miller
Valley Farms , AZ USA - Sunday, October 03, 2004 at 11:37:41 (MDT)
Hello all. Been really busy with my grandparents lately. My grandpa is really gotten worse. I think this will be our last Christmas with him either in mind or body. He has gotten a bit mean with this alzheimers setting in. He likes to say some thing but I know its not really him saying it. I cook...ALOT clean alot as well. I no longer have a life really. I owe it to him though. He is hte only father I ever knew and I can at least show him the respect he deserves and to help him keep his dignity(he was always so worried about a clean house and can't do it anymore.......With the drug talk going on it reminded me of my uncle. He came back different from Vietnam, as I am sure you all did. He was never able to let go of drugs, alchool or the memories that haunted him. The drugs and alchool killed him. I miss that guy. Despite the substance abuse he was one of the kindess people I knew and would do anything to help that he could. I learned alot from him. I have had two big influnces in my life from Vets. One is my grandpa who was in WWII and my uncle of course. There are things that irritated me sometimes from the way my grandpa acted about my uncles service but i've learned to let it go. My main problem with these two bafoons running for president is the way they have split so many vets apart. Politics is politics but I think they both have gotten to dirty with there service stuff. I guess I am babling. Still looking for people who knew Olen Wayne Garrett. Thanks and hope all have a great week this next week.------Mel
Melody Pershall <m e l o d y 1 1 8 1 @ y a h o o . c o m>
Amarillo, TX USA - Saturday, October 02, 2004 at 23:08:31 (MDT)
Fred we were there at the same time Jan To Dec 70 for me I gotta go home a little early.Do you have a picture in the gallery I sure would like to place you.You are correct about the drugs that were being used at that time I had forgotten about some of them. I want to add that I tried some of the stuff speed, pot but left the narcotics alone I used pot in the evenings that was about it.I to remember a guy falling down at guard mount and wondering why nobody did anything this guy was going to stand guard duty but it was just ignored. I know no sin first stone. I also remember having to stay awake all night on grard duty because I couldn't wake the other guys up ( bt's).it wasn't that it was hard to do I really didnt't mind.It just kinda scares me to remember now.Some of use took some risky chances.There were a few mecs. that were not preforming at there best and we had to watch them but all most all of us were very very careful.We realized that lives were at stake. It scares me to think that 19 yr olds were working on combat aircraft any way.Fred I sure would like to talk with you bout old times I can't seem to get an email to you .Is there some other way of contacting you.I sure would like to talk but if it is to tough for you to talk about I understand. Glad to be home a brother george
george marshall
USA - Saturday, October 02, 2004 at 08:14:33 (MDT)
I went to a "inner-city" H.S. school, located on the northern part of The Ohio State University campus. My sophmore year 1965, "pot bust" were common in my high school. By the time I graduated in 1968 it was like "they just look the other way". But when I got to Nam, BT`s No. 10`s and 7.5`s, Obesitol( French diet-medicine, speed), and reefer, was the drugs of choice in January of 1970. But by the time I was coming home in January of 1971, "King Heroin" was making a "foot-print" in Nam.
Fred Skaggs
USA - Saturday, October 02, 2004 at 06:33:34 (MDT)
I agree with Kim. drugs had made their impact by 71.I had a friend from high school that was also in the unit,in maintainence,heavy into heroin.20 dollars for a gram of 97% pure china whute.Yea, we had to check over our ships when they came back from 100 hour inspections. tins,we found a soft drink can below the floor compartments,WHERE the push pull linkage was.We couldnt believe it.Speaking of pot,i sent home joints to friends,one at a time,in letters.Most of you know about a certian captian I threatend to shoot. My friends back home loved getting a letter from nam with his name on the letterhead.
alvis
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 21:59:02 (MDT)
George, that's pretty much the way it was in 71. Add some racial tension to the mix, and it just made for a gay ole time!!! I smoked only enough to prove I wasn't a narc, and pretty much left it alone after. I'd done my share in Ft. Stewart, Ga, prior to going over, and was still a little tender in the mind. I recall that going down to the flight line during the monsoon season just about flipped me out, everything looked plastic. (mescaline?)...Like you said, we did what we did. My time was filled with skagg freaks, falling asleep in their food at the mess hall, in the hangars, on the pol trucks. We had a couple who used to break out the rockets, grenade,and mini ammo. I was always a little leery when my ship came out of PE, I didn't trust the work they did. Too bad, I guess it lumps the good mechanincs in with the junkies, but, it was my and my crew's asses on the line. Just got a little paraniod about it.
Kim
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 20:26:40 (MDT)
Oh wanted to be clear I don't take drugs anymore only the ones Doc has for me . But wanted to ask does anybodys ceiling move up and down kinda breaths like LOL just checkin.A Brother George
george marshall
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 20:04:27 (MDT)
here I am again hope I don't get in a mess. When I got to lane in early FEb Late Jan. drugs were every where people were smokin pot and joints laced with opuim,and takin narckotics(sorry bout the spellin) the dust off guys were very in to china white though it wasn't very well known yet I'm not sayin all or a large ammount were using but it was there and easy to get and was used.We were young and wanted to be accepted it was a war zone we wanted to be told what was . I'm not sayin it was ok but it took me about 10 years give or take to get it out of my system.And don't any of you be ashamed for what you did in your youth it was what was put before us and we responded accordingly like the times asked of us.There were some who didn't partake and my respect goes out to them they were the stronger of us I know we all did what was ask of us and did it with pride we were the best of the best we were there. This is something we all have taken a bad rap for it is part of our time, people are still backin away from VIET VETERANS cause we scare them ,but we know we are some of the best AMERICANS that ever were because it was a diffcult time. Thats all I gotta say ( and as always its probably out of contexted but I am apart of you all and am proud of it. ) george
george marshall
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 19:53:43 (MDT)
Good Afternoon: Hey Bernie Where are you ??????Check in or give me just a "check Call" hombre.Senor Animal good to see you check in. A big hello to Gently & Diane . Bill Shilleto where are you ????? E'NUFF SAID. Bulldog 426 out
Bruno E Sanchez
Laredo, TX USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 16:03:11 (MDT)
Mark, I have changed email addresses. fricabeunme/alltel.net. Would you please email me at the one in this posting so I can have yours in my address book. I have been reading everyday and am going to remain quiet. I am not crazy about what is going on in here. Everyone can speak their peace, I just won't speak mine. I won't go far. I always read. Love to all my brothers and sisters. Katharine
Katharine <fricabeune/alltel.net>
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 14:26:30 (MDT)
HI ALL I SHOULD HAVE READ DOWN FARTHER WOW THE MEMORIES ROB I DO REMEMBER NOW BUT WAS FUN THEN LOL BUT DONT DO IT NO MORE NOW IAM A GOOD BOY, HOPE THAT DON'T CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK OF ME LOL TAKE CARE ALL A BROTHER ALWAYS RAY
RAY
MD USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 14:18:46 (MDT)
HELLO ALL SMILING ROB YOU KNOW WELL I DIDNT MAKE YOU LOL I GUESS WE HAD OUR OWN WAY OF RELASING THE TENTOIN IN US. ROB I DID GO TO THE VIEWING, LAST NIGHT, I MADE IT TO THE CIFFING WENT TO SAY A ORAYER, LOOKED AT HIM, AND THE TEARS FLOWED LIKE A WATER FALL, I COULD NOT EVEN START IT. TOLD HIS WIFE I WAS SORRY, BUT I HAD TO STEP BACK SOME. EVEN NOW I CRY SO I STOP BUT ONE THIG I HAVE LEARNED I NEVER GO TO ANOTHER ONE, THEN MY CONSLER CALLED AND CANSLED SAID A FRIEND OF HIS WAS KILLED THE OTHER DAY, SAID WE TALK AT THE SWEAT LODGE TOMORROW NIGHT. WELL I BEST GO. YOU ALL TAKE CARE ROB TAKE CARE. IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEK MARK I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGHT I LOVE IT MANY THANKS, RICK ARE YOU DOING OK ALEX I CALL YOU GALE AND DEBBIE YOU ALL TAKE CARE FRENCHIE I FINILY GOT GPS WORKING JIM O HOW ARE YOU DOING WELLL NEXT FRIDAY ME AND GAIL GO ON OUR BOAT RIDE, CAN'T WAIT. WE NEED THE GET AWAY. IF I MISSED ANY ONE YOU ALL BE SAFE A BROTHER ALWAYS AND WILL ALWAYS CARE FOR YOU ALL. BE SAFE STAY WELL RAY
RAY <
stilwating@aol.com>
MD USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 14:03:10 (MDT)
Gently.which one was Bruce?...what did he have on in Kokomo......sorry to here that Ron.
Mark
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 13:22:11 (MDT)
Robbie, I cancelled my last VA appt because they had me down for a (upper?)GI. I just had a colonostopy and I hadn't complained of anything. Yesterdays appt was for the Lab??!! Drove almost 100 miles roundtrip for them to draw one tube of blood...........don't know why and didn't see my Dr. (Shrug) I dunno. Mark, I hope your friend is doing ok. Did you put your trip to Nam on the backburner? Ron,Last time I saw Bruce he had that "big" cigar in his mouth.:o/ The moving Memorial Wall is in No.Terre Haute this weekend. Debbie & I will probably goes say hi to the 129thers on the wall Sat or Sun. Also in Newport just north of here is the Antigue Car Hill Climb which consists of a drag race of sorts. Vintage cars(1942 & older) try individually to get the best time from a dead stop to the top of very steep hill. It's been gonig on for years. You ought to hear them flathead Fords get rubber in 1st, 2nd & 3rd gears.;o) Huge flea market, food vendors, antigues and car show rounds things out. Hope the rain stays away for a couple more days. Rick England, you out there buddy? Animal, good to hear from you. Clear, Gale
Gale
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 12:51:49 (MDT)
Yeah Mark, I did smoke that stuff, but only because Ray made me do it. Smiley was sure mad at me when he found out because I was gunning for him at the time. Him and I shared the same hooch, and when I came up from the flight line just laughing like crazy, he knew something was up. Smiley never did that stuff. He was a boozer as you can tell from some of the pictures of him and Larry. Gently, I'll let you know as soon as I get back from having my tests run. Ron Paye, sorry to hear about your frined passing. Ray also had a friend pass away last week and he said he was thinking about going to the viewing. You alright out there Ray??????
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 12:24:02 (MDT)
Robbie-keep us posted on the blood in your urine tests/results. We lost one of our Kokomo friends last night. Bruce had a heart attack and died. He was a good friend of Ron Paye, and fun to be around at the campsite. Lety us know if we can help, Ron. In our prayers-Gently
Gently
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 11:46:34 (MDT)
Robbie.....I'm here. Read 4 or 5 times a day. I think that the stink that has been going on in here this week has turned some off. Sorta makes me a lil' disappointed. Thats not what this place is about. As soon as I get this funeral out of my head and spend tomorrow with the grand sons I'm going to review all that has been said this week and come to a conclusion. You smoked that stuff. Not you brother;-))))))))
Mark
USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 10:45:47 (MDT)
Hey Ray, remember that night you took me down to that shack and we smoked some hooch with op wrapped around it? Man was I screwed up. I sat in the shitter watching people come and go for quite awhile. The people that came in must have thought I was nuts, because I was talking a mile a minute. Crazy shit........Where is everyone?
Robbie
Rochester, NY USA - Friday, October 01, 2004 at 10:39:29 (MDT)