A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-26-03....Memorial Day - Remembering SSGT. Richard A. Fitts

dansangel

[dansangel]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, daisyscarlett, dansangel, dutchess, Mama_Bear

Memorial Day

~Remember~

Today as we celebrate Memorial Day
It is important to remember.....
Remember that the day is more than hot dogs and hamburgers
More than picnics and fishing
More than boating and baseball
More than just a day off from work.....
Memorial Day is to remember those that served
Those that sacrificed
Those that suffered
Those that gave all
So that we may live free.


Let us all remember and give thanks.

~dansangel~

Staff Sergeant Richard A. Fitts

I wore this man's MIA bracelet while attending high school back in 1972-73. A similar faded and folded picture accompanied it, giving the man a face that I could carry in my heart. Last year during Memorial Day weekend, a fellow FReeper kindly posted the URL to the "Virtual Wall." Although the bracelet was long gone, misplaced in one of the many moves I have experienced over the past three decades, I never forgot the name that was engraved on the stainless steel: Staff Sergeant Richard A. Fitts.

I followed the posted link to the Virtual Wall and proceeded to look for that brave soldier's name. My heart skipped a beat as I found it. Then, reality sunk in. His name was listed among the killed in action. Feelings of grief for a man I never knew but carried in my heart all these years, overcame me.

Further research on my part yielded the following synopsis (taken from the Massachusetts POW/MIA website):

SSgt. Richard A. Fitts was born on February 23, 1946 in Weymouth, Mass. He entered the Army in January,1966. In Vietnam, Fitts was part of Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observation Group (MACV-SOG) which was a joint service high command unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces channeled personnel into MACV-SOG (though it was not a Special Forces group) through Special Operations Augmentation (SOA) which provided their "cover" while under secret orders to MACV- SOG. These teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction missions in Laos and Cambodia which were called, depending on the country and time frame, "Shining Brass" or "Prairie Fire" missions. On November 30, 1968, Sgt. Richard A. Fitts, Sgt. Arthur E. Bader, Cpl. Gary R. LaBohn, SSgt. Klaus D. Scholz, Maj. Samuel K. Toomey, Cpl. Michael H. Mein, 1Lt. Raymond C. Stacks were passengers aboard a Vietnamese Air Force CH34 helicopter (serial #14-4653) as their team was being transported to their reconnaissance mission area in Laos. Details of their mission was classified at that time, and remains classified in early 1990. However, information received from some of the family members indicates that the mission was related to disarming an enemy munitions store.

The helicopter was flying at 4,000 feet when it was struck by 37mm anti-aircraft fire,went into a spin, crashed in a mass of flames and exploded. The helicopter crashed about 10 miles northwest of Khe Sanh, just into Laos east of Tchepone. The crash site is in heavy jungle, near a stream. From the time the aircraft was hit until the time it impacted out of view, the helicopter was under observation and no one was seen to leave the aircraft during its descent. No ground search was initiated because the location was in a denied area. Later visual search indicated that the pilot's hatch was open, and his helmet was seen 25-30 feet from the helicopter, but no survivors or bodies were seen. All the personnel aboard the aircraft, however, were not declared dead, but were declared Missing in Action, which was procedure when no proof of death existed.

When the war ended, and 591 Americans were releaesed from prison camps in Southeast Asia, not one man who had been held in Laos was released. Although the Pathet Lao stated publicly that they held "tens of tens" of Americans, no negotiations occurred which would free them at that time, nor have any occurred since.

In March 1988, the area in which the helicopter crashed was excavated by a joint Lao/ US technical team. Human remains consisting of 17 teeth and 145 bone fragments, none measuring over two inches, were recovered. The remains were returned to the U.S. Army Central Identification (CIL) in Hawaii.

On January 3, 1990, it was announced that the remains of Richard Fitts had been positively identified from the material recovered at the crash site. That identification was determined by the government's conclusion that two of the 17 teeth belonged to Fitts. Fitts' parents, after having an independent analysis conducted on the teeth, felt assured that the teeth belonged to their son, and subsequently buried them in Boston, Massachusetts. The remaining 15 teeth and 145 bone fragments were said to be unidentifiable.

Barely a month later, on February 8, 1990, the Department of Defense announced that the remainder of the crew had been positively identified and would be buried, along with the Vietnamese crew, in a mass grave in Arlington National Cemetery. Fitts' name was included on that tombstone along with the other Americans because the Pentagon believed some of the bone fragments belonged to Fitts. Thus, even though the remains were scientifically unidentifiable, the cases were closed on these individuals.

Critics of the U.S. Government's identification of the entire crew of the helicopter point to a similar incident some years ago. In 1968, unidentifiable remains attributed to a group of U.S. Marines killed near Khe Sanh on February 25, 1968 were buried in a mass grave in St. Louis. One of the deceased was identified as being Marine Sgt. Ronald Ridgeway.

Five years later, Ridgeway was released from a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp, giving rise to considerable speculation as to the validity of the positive identification of the other remains buried in St. Louis.

There are still over 2300 Americans who remain prisoner, missing, or otherwise unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Nearly 600 of them were lost in Laos. The U.S. Government, by early 1990, had received nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing in Southeast Aisa. Many authorities believe there are hundreds of Americans still alive today, held captive.

In recent years, the numbers of remains returned from Vietnam and excavated in Laos has increased dramatically. Government strategists happily point to this as "progress" on the POW/MIA issue, although most of these remains are still unidentified. Indeed, many families, having had independent studies of the remains to assure accurate identi- fication, now have answers to long-awaited concerns about their loved ones. However, when remains are positively identified, the U.S. Government closes the books and the search for that missing man ends. Can we afford to close the books on an American who may be alive waiting for his country to bring him home?

How many will serve in the next war knowing they may be abandoned?

How many, indeed?

Each person reading this today, Memorial Day 2003, must make a vow:

Never must we ever allow another member of our military to serve his or her country, preserving our freedom, in the fear that they will be forgotten.

May God Bless our military members abundantly, and may He place His bloodline of protection around each and every one.

Thank-you...*ALL* of you, who haved selflessly served your country, past and present.

We Will Never Forget!

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 05-24, 05-25-03 ... The Week In Review

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

God Bless Our Military

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below are names of some of our FReepers' loved ones who are serving our country. If you have someone you would like to add, please address a post to Billie; Daisyscarlett; Dansangel; Dutchess; Mama_Bear; and we will add their name to this list. As we pray for them, we pray also for all our nation’s leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.

~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~

We ask Lord, that You guide the leaders of our great country in their hour of decision. The burden that has been placed on their shoulders is overwhelming. We ask that with Your infinite wisdom You guide them gently to the right decisions.

Please give us the strength, Lord, to get through each difficult and devastating day that faces each of us and our country. Protect and guide our Military that are now being called to duty, strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OhioWfan........................son mystery-ak..........son, husband Gogrammy................grandson Inspectorette...................son Blessed American..........nephew Slip18..........................nephew anniegetyourgun...........nephew Pippin....niece,nephew,loved one Doug from Upland......son-in-law weldgophardline.....brotherinlaw Future Snake Eater..........cousin WaterDragon..son-in-law,grandson BeforeISleep...................son Warrior Nurse...........active duty SK1 Thurman...........active duty David Osborne.........active duty fc2tomschermuly......active duty bkwells..................active duty LadyX....................grandson LongCut..................active duty Trish.......................active duty The Mayor................niece fawn796..................nephew

Maigrey................cousin ladtx....................2 sons Mama_Bear...........nephew gator girl............husband severa................husband MozartLover...........nephew LBGA........................son SpookBrat...........nephew Himyar.....................son boxerblues............2 sons the piper...................son sheeza...............husband kemathen7...........husband Diver Dave................niece deadhead................cousin JimRobinson.....2 nephews Armymarinemom.....3 sons Consort...........2 daughters Darheel..................niece dixie sass.............nephew BeAllYouCanBe.........son AgThorn.............2 sons kneezles...........son MozartLover...........son

[Mama_Bear]

Mama_Bear is planning to visit Down Under beginning this coming Wednesday. I wonder if her tour includes New Zealand? I envy her!

No, sadly, our trip won't include New Zealand. If I had my druthers, I think I would druther visit New Zealand. We won't have time after the convention to go there. But, I've heard it is beautiful. I wish that we could spend another week after the convention to just go sightseeing, but leaving our business for 10 days is stressful enough as it is.

Let MamaBear know so they can contact us if they need any help or just want to call in on some Kiwis.

Thank you shaggy (love your screen name!) for the contact info, and dansy, for passing it on......that is so nice of you! :-)

[shaggy eel]

,,, you're welcome MamaBear. Travel well!

[Dubya]

Good nite Pippin.

[Dubya]

WOW! Nice pictures.

[TexasCowboy]

LOL!
Do you remember how long ago it was that we discussed this?
It seems like ten years, but I guess it was only a couple since the Pre-Boomer threads were going.

Yeah, I was only about five when I would sit on the floor at my moma's knee watching her eyes as she listened to Walter Winchell broadcasting the news.
My brother was on a destroyer in the Pacific, and I figured if it was bad news, her eyes would let me know.
I remember the letters with the lines blocked out.
People would scream today about how the government has no right to do that, but we accepted it as the right thing to do to protect "our boys".

No, I'm sure the fervor was higher then, but this feeling of patriotism today is so refreshing that I revel in it.
Thank God the American people have once again become a testament to the fact that this county was founded on God, guts and guns, and thank God for the men and women who use those tools to keep us free.

[Dubya]

My father, my hero


Star-Telegram

As I lay awake at night, I think of the millions of Americans who sleep soundly under the blanket of protection provided by our country's military men and women. One of those men is my father, Jerry Culpepper.

I've been blessed to have a family full of "military heroes." My father is one of 12 children, five of whom served in the military: J.O. Culpepper of Vermilion, Ohio; Denise Culpepper of Plano; Jimmy Culpepper of Mesquite; Johnny Culpepper of Lawton, Okla.; and my dad, of Arlington.

To be a Culpepper is to be a patriot.

My father hadn't spoken of his years in Vietnam before I asked, "What does Memorial Day really mean?" I had always known that my father was a war hero. I just didn't understand to what extent until the day that I asked the question.

My father has always modestly said that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. As a Marine, he was in Vietnam from 1961 to 1966. Among his decorations are Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and a Navy Cross. President Johnson honored him as one of the most decorated soldiers in one of his two tours in Vietnam.

As a teen-ager, I would lie on the floor with my dad and ask him how he got all the scars on his body.

One of the first stories my father told me about Vietnam began: "I was a POW for 91 days." He was held in a 4-by-4-foot bamboo cage, with his hands and feet tied together. His captors tortured him by driving burning bamboo sticks under his fingernails.

He escaped by gnawing loose the ropes on his wrist and then freed 31 other POWs, including a Navy commander. Although my dad was wounded in the left kneecap, he carried the commander, who was also wounded, on his back for four miles.

I could go on forever telling of my dad's gruesome Vietnam experiences.

But you will never hear him say that he wished he hadn't been in Vietnam. He lives to tell the stories of those he knew and the experiences he had. I can't think of a better way for Americans to learn about what those who served this country had to endure.

I'm proud of my father for the boy he was, the father he is and the grandfather he has become, but most of all for the hero he always will be.

I will always celebrate Memorial Day in memory of my father and all the veterans who fought to preserve our freedom and way of life.

They will never be forgotten. I vow to keep telling my dad's story. My children will know him not only as their grandfather but as a man of honor, determination, love, sacrifice and hope and (greatest of all) as my hero.

Jimmye Walker Arlington

[RaceBannon]

No. Filth was LAST EXIT IN BROOKLYN

Pulp Fiction was a 'B' movie in comparison...

[Dubya]

JROTC cadets stood at attention by a helmet, a pair of Army boots and a rifle Sunday during a memorial service for Sgt. Troy Jenkins at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, Alabama. Jenkins died April 23 in Iraq of injuries suffered days earlier.

Relatives said the military told them Jenkins threw himself on an explosive device handed to a fellow soldier by an Iraqi child.

[GailA]

This has been a lovely moving thread Dansy

We had about 75 turn out for AM Legion Post 252's Memorial Day program at our local cemetary. I got to read a poem, the Navy Base Commander Wanda Riddle was the main speaker.

[LadyX]

Yes, TC - probably 90% of the posters here cannot quite comprehend the "way things were," just as we were ignorant of World War I circumstances and experiences.

It explains 'that look' in our eyes - the gleam of distant and precious memories - the wellspring of patriotism and pride that surges and flows through our veins.

It has been so galling to see the swing toward socialism and diminishing of values in this country that one is often dismayed.
However, with dismay comes the steely resolve to 'brainwash' our children and all who will listen to how it should be in America.

For the first time in years, we are gaining momentum again!

Free Republic gives us that opportunity, singly or in groups.

Look into our eyes - - and read our lips!!
We will never simply hand America over to The Spoilers - - -

[LadyX]

Thank you, Dubya, for this compelling tribute to a great hero.

* SALUTE * rendered to Jimmye Walker Arlington

[JustAmy]

[The Thin Man]

"My Gwen died on March 30, 2003. Kari lost her son in the fifth month of pregnancy on March 29, 2003, the day before Gwen died. Convince me that either of those events was God's will for the betterment of the Universe. It won't be easy to do."

I'm sorry that your long-time friend is going through such a difficult time, and pray that the right words of comfort will come to you. I'm sure they will.

[nicmarlo]

I apologize for my scarcity here today....wasn't planned. I've been having awful problems trying to get online today. Late this afternoon, it took over 9 minutes for my home page to load....then when it did, almost as soon as I'd go to FR, my computer (my ISP? the Internet?) would disconnect me....when I did get to FR (finally), nothing would load.....this went on for a couple hours (and this after I shut off my computer and rebooted that way....very frustrating, to say the least). Anyways, that's my story. This happened I think a week or two ago, too. Unfortunately, I don't have cable, and won't be getting it for at least a couple months....it's very late here now, when my service is apparently now functioning.....I'm sure it's the dial up ISP I have.....too much traffic probably, being a holiday.

I hope everyone had a nice day. And, at least I can say, a second time, God bless our military, each and every one! Good night to you all.

[Billie]

Thought I would stop back in and say goodnight and to thank you all for the wonderful and moving words and graphics and music you've posted today. It's a wonderful thing to see the love and admiration for our men and women who have served our country, and the warmth and friendship shown here for our fellow FReepers.

Dansy, thank you once again for today's beautiful thread.

[AbsolutePower]

Thank you, its because people like you why I joined the service. You make the USA .

Semper Fi Always,

[ppaul]

:

:

U.S. Memorial Day, May 30

"Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day.
No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."

:

:

:

:

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

:

[MeekOneGOP]

Sorry for the ISP problems, Nic ! Look forward with playing volley ball with you when it's working better ! :O)

So what Cable Internet will you be getting? I have AT&T. . .er, now it's transitioning to Comcast. Anyway, it is GREAT ! Fast as greased lightening too !

http://barrenshe.tripod.com//sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/kaycameron.jpg

[Pippin]

Good morning nic and Meekie!

I know how you feel, nic!

I have dialup modem too and it's so frustrating because it's so slow at times that when you go to answer a post, by the time you answer gets posted there's a bout 5 or 6 post ahead of yours and your answer doen't make sense anymore.

I'm gonna get cable as soon as i can afford it :O)

[dansangel]

Instead of yelling "is there a doctor on board?", I'd yell "is there a democrat on board?" If you get bored, that line is sure to guarantee a fun ride and time passes a lot quicker.

ROFL!!! Definitely "fighting words" if ever I heard any! I'll keep that in mind in case I am fortunate enough to schedule a trip to your country.

Thank-you for great conversation and correspondence, ((((shaggy eel)))))