[ladtx]

In memory of my fellow Vietnam helicopter pilots who were killed in that war the following were lost on DEC 18th. God bless them all.

1964 WO1 Robert R. Thruston III (USAR) -- 117 AVN, Age 24, Fairfax, Virginia
1965 WO1 George W. Rice (USAR) -- 15 MED 1 CAV, Age 27, Pensacola, Florida
1966 1LT Albert J. McAuliffe (USAR) -- C/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 24, St Croix, Virgin Islands
1966 WO1 Joel W. McDonnell (USAR) -- C/1/9 CAV 1 CAV, Age 21, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1970 WO1 Gary L. Bartels (USAR) -- B/7/1 CAV, Age 19, Arlington, Minnesota
1970 CPT Floyd D. Solomon (USAR) -- B/7/1 CAV, Age 30, Houston, Texas

Salute to an Officer & Fine Young Man
Mr. McDonnell was flying as co-pilot with Lt. McAuliffe on a radio relay mission when they crashed in dense fog while trying to make an instrument landing at Hammond Field north of Phu Cat. He died instantly. Joel was an outstanding young man who was very proud of what he was doing. He left behind a wife that he adored. It was my pleasure to have known him even if it was for a very short time. It is fitting that the names of Mr. McDonnell and Lt. McAuliffe are side by side on the wall.
Jerry Berggren -- Crewchief

5 of todays 6 casualties were cavalrymen. From one old cavalryman to these brave men I offer a saber salute and a rendition of the Garry Owen and

FIDDLER'S GREEN

Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.

Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.

Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.

And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddlers' Green.

The origin and author of Fiddlers' Green is unknown. It was believed to have originated in the 1800's and was composed as a song, sung by the soldiers of the 6th and 7th Cavalry. Its first known appearance in published form was in a 1923 Cavalry Journal.

Save a place on the Green for me, guys.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE

SCOUTS OUT!

[lodwick]

Salute!

RIP friends - God bless you all.

[FreeTheHostages]

And of course my place of the heart is a place where men died to make me free.

[daisyscarlett]

Thanks for posting the names of the brave men lost today in VietNam and for posting "Fiddler's Green"...