You recognize any of these characters?
The good looking one is Col. Day, a proud alumnus of the 107th/136th, NYANG
In God We Trust…..Semper Fi!
Posted on 09/15/2004 11:29:03 AM PDT by Portcall24
Every time I read comments about joining the Air National Guard to avoid fighting in Vietnam my stomach turns over and I work to control my rage. Make that comment to the families of Major Bobby Neeld or Major Clyde Seiler, as well as Capt Mitchell Lane, Capt Perry Jefferson, Capt Michael Adams, or Lt Warren Brown. All of these individuals were members of the Air National Guard flying, fighting, and dying for their country in Vietnam and have their names etched on the wall of the Vietnam War Memorial. But that can’t be…”Individuals joined the Air National Guard to avoid going to Vietnam”. That’s what the MSM would have you believe, but once again those crack fact checkers have overlooked the truth. Because that’s not the way it happened at all. All but one of the above named individuals (Lt Brown, an intelligence officer airborne with a Forward Air Controller at the time of his death) flew fighters on combat missions in Vietnam with the four Air Guard tactical fighter squadrons which were mobilized for assignment to Vietnam during the Pueblo incident: the 120th (Colorado), 136th (New York), 174th (Iowa) and 188th (New Mexico). In addition two similar squadrons were sent to South Korea, the 127th (Kansas) and 166th (Ohio). Additionally many of the personnel of the two remaining Air Guard tactical fighter squadrons, the 119th (New Jersey) and 121st (District of Columbia) saw combat in Vietnam, but not with their unit but rather as augmentees to active duty units. [For details of Air National Guardsmen flying, fighting and dying in Vietnam see http://www.ngaus.org/ngmagazine/vietnam1002.asp]
A young Capt George W. Bush could just have easily been mobilized and sent to Vietnam as members of these units that did go. To say otherwise is a slap in the face, not only to the citizen airmen that did go to Vietnam and lost their lives, as well as all the others who have served this Nation in both war and peace. So the rebuttal is that he flew F-102s defending US airspace and the fighters that went to Vietnam flew F-100. Sorry that dog doesn’t hunt either! Depending on the outcome of the Pueblo incident Capt Bush could just as easily have been sent to Vietnam or South Korea for that matter. I controlled F-102s flying out of Tan San Nhut on numerous occasions (67-69) at Portcall control.
And that’s why I have a special place in my heart for Neeld and Lane who were flying as Taco 81 and Taco 82. I was in the dark room (Control and Reporting Post) when they tried to join up in bad weather and flew together. The last radio call ever made was a garbled, “Can’t hack it back here in trail”. They’re still listing as MIA as the wreckage probably fell into the South China Sea. [For details about their last mission see http://users.sisna.com/baxelrod/BobbyNeeld.html]
So when the President says, “he’s proud of his Vietnam era service with the ANG”, I say I salute you and thank you for serving, regardless of where it was.
add it to the list ping.
As an aging American whose greatest dream was to fly in the military (but never could qualify for a number of reasons) posts like this bring tears to my eyes.
Portcall24:
Welcome Home Brother
Thank You for your service to our country.
Portcall, my dad was in Tuy Hoa May 68-April 69, a handsome SMSGT from the NY 136th, Tom Garcia, did ya know him?
My father-in-law was in the Illinois Guard during Vietnam. His unit was split in 2, and the other one (not his) went to Vietnam, and men died. My husband almost spits bile when he thinks about Kerry et al and the slanderous comments they have made against Guard and Reservists. He takes it as a personal attack against his dad.
Oh, sorry, got carried away after reading your post.
Welcome home! And God bless you for your service to our country!
Welcome Home Brother. Excellent info!!!!
oops, my bad should read April67-May68, sorry
You recognize any of these characters?
The good looking one is Col. Day, a proud alumnus of the 107th/136th, NYANG
In God We Trust…..Semper Fi!
BTTT!!!!!!!
Thank you for serving our country and honoring these brave men....
Welcome Home
God bless our armed forces and all who wait for them at home.
Great article. I'm saving this one for the inevitable nitwit relatives to read on their next visit.
Since you gentlemen seem to have contacts with the military I thought I should report the following information which should tie in with investigations by Admiral Schachte who was in the boat with Kerry:
It has been brought to my attention, by a retired individual living abroad, that Kerry only served for a very short time, insufficient, even adding a few years in the reserves, to give him retired status. Friends of this foreign resident who are members of TROA (THE RETIRED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION), have told him that Kerry is a registered member, claiming 'retired' status. And it appears that he could only have received 'retired status' by claiming 'severe disabling wounds', which would entitle him to draw disability pay and retirement pay since the 1970's. As is known, Kerry suffered no wounds which would fall in this category. Before being awarded disability pay and retirement for his 'wounds', there would have had to be a medical examination, board findings, percentage of disability, and application for retirement on these grounds. My foreign resident only knows, through TROA, of his claimed retired status. If, in effect, he is retired and draws retirement and disability pay, this would be a serious and punishable offense, my foreign friend thinks...
What say you, gentlemen?
Thanks for the pic Bro. Three American Heroes!
Welcome home to all Nam vets!
Nam Vet
Many were surprised that units that thought they were safe including the Guard were ordered or pressured into volunteering for overseas service and ended up in Vietnam. There were not many guys hoping to go over.
I was in the Ohio National Guard (37th Division) when the Cuban missile crisis came up. My unit was mobilized. We were preparing to be the first units to invade Cuba if required.
Anyone with a brain knew that with most of our infantry in Europe and Asia, any crisis in the USA would use National Guard Troops. WE all knew what the Casualties were in Normandy invasion and the casualties were in the invasions of the islands in the pacific during WWII.
There was never a guarantee that serving in the guard was going to be safe... Half the draftees during Vietnam ended up in Europe or Korea. It was no more dangerous to be stationed in Germany during Nam than it was to attend drills and go to summer camp with the Guard unit in Chillicothe Ohio.
I know that as an Ohio National Guardsman,I was just one Russian decision away from getting my rump shot at, trying to establish a beach head on the shore of Cuba.
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