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A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-26-03....Memorial Day - Remembering SSGT. Richard A. Fitts
dansangel
Posted on 05/26/2003 4:25:58 AM PDT by 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
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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?
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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!
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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
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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 nations leaders, and military personnel, and their families and friends. May God hold them close to His heart.
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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.
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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
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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
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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: freepers; fun; givingthanks; memorialday; military; remembering; surprises; veterans
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To: dansangel; All
The Commission administers, operates, and maintains twenty-four permanent American burial grounds on foreign soil. Presently there are 124,917 U.S. War Dead interred at these cemeteries, 30,922 of World War I, 93,245 of World War II and 750 of the Mexican War. Additionally 6,010 American veterans and others are interred in the Mexico City and Corozal American Cemeteries. For details about these cemeteries click on the link to the right. The following maps are available:
ABMC CEMETERIES
61
posted on
05/26/2003 6:06:40 AM PDT
by
Dubya
(Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
To: dansangel
Well, since they (there are three eith the third and last coming out in December) are probably the only movies I'll be seeing for awhile, I don't go see movies alot anymore as I can't afford them and I don't like that they are so full of filthy langauge and too much sex and nudity and lack of morals that I refuse to subject myself to such filth. I rented "Pilp Fiction" once because I kept hearing about how good it was, but when I put it on to watch it, the first five minutes were non-stop cursing and filthy language, so much so, that I rewinded it and returned it to the rental store without watching it further.
62
posted on
05/26/2003 6:07:49 AM PDT
by
Pippin
( I know that my Redeemer liveth!)
To: Dubya
Hi, Dubya!
63
posted on
05/26/2003 6:10:05 AM PDT
by
Pippin
( I know that my Redeemer liveth!)
To: dansangel
We *ALL* need to send Hollywierd a message - We will not support you as long as you dirty the memories and reputations of those who have served and those that continue to serve. Oh, I agree with that. Hollywood hasn't entertained me in years and it finally sunk in that somewhere back there in the past they stopped entertaining and started corrupting. I no longer give them the chance...stopped going to the theater and renting movies a few months back.
To: Pippin
Doing good, hope you are alright.
65
posted on
05/26/2003 6:12:49 AM PDT
by
Dubya
(Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
To: nicmarlo
Hurry Back!
NOT!!!!
Just kidding! I love ya, nic! :-)
66
posted on
05/26/2003 6:14:39 AM PDT
by
dansangel
(America - love it, support it or LEAVE it!)
To: Dubya
Thank-you ((((((((Dubya))))))))) for your informative posts. These are things that we need to keep into perspective when honoring and remembering our fallen heroes.
67
posted on
05/26/2003 6:15:59 AM PDT
by
dansangel
(America - love it, support it or LEAVE it!)
To: All
![](http://www.abmc.gov/kr5.jpg)
The Department of Defense reports that 54,246 Americans service men and women lost their lives during the Korean War. This includes all losses world wide. Since the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC honors all U.S. Military who lost their lives during the War, it has tried to obtain the names of those who died in other areas besides Korea during the period June 27, 1950 to July 27, 1954, one year after the Korean Armistice. At the memorial is a Honor Roll database where all 54,246 should be listed. Unfortunately, a fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri destroyed many of the records of service personnel and a complete listing is not available. To date, the database includes the names of 38,424 service men and women who died during that period. The Korean Honor Roll database, including photographs, is now on the web.
As there has been no peace treaty, those Americans who lost their lives in the Demilitarized Zone of Korea, since the Armistice have been included. The 8,196 Americans who were Missing in Action or lost or buried at sea and commemorated at the Honolulu Memorial are included in the database at the Korean War Veterans Memorial. An Honor Roll certificate for each of the American Dead included in the database is available to the public.
68
posted on
05/26/2003 6:16:30 AM PDT
by
Dubya
(Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
To: Pippin
Oh my. Pulp Fiction? Yikes, that has to be the absolute worst as far as filth. You poor thing! You're lucky your TV didn't self-destruct! LOL!
69
posted on
05/26/2003 6:17:09 AM PDT
by
dansangel
(America - love it, support it or LEAVE it!)
To: All
I will never forget that we left over 8000 POWs in Korea.
70
posted on
05/26/2003 6:19:03 AM PDT
by
Dubya
(Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
To: Aquamarine
I no longer give them the chance...stopped going to the theater and renting movies a few months back.Excellent. We need to spread the word. There was once an anti-Hollywierd movement on FR that was in full swing when I first joined. I think Mercuria or AnnaZ was behind it. Don't hear much about it anymore, though.
71
posted on
05/26/2003 6:19:08 AM PDT
by
dansangel
(America - love it, support it or LEAVE it!)
To: dansangel
Thanks for the post. Have to go wipe my eyes now. Never forget.
72
posted on
05/26/2003 6:20:28 AM PDT
by
Jimmy Valentine's brother
(MrConfettiman was in the streets while I was still yelling at the TV)
To: Jimmy Valentine's brother
((((((((JVB)))))))))
Thank-you for coming by. I know what you mean. I've been travelling around FR this morning and have had to wipe my eyes quite a bit.
Have a Blessed Day!
73
posted on
05/26/2003 6:23:54 AM PDT
by
dansangel
(America - love it, support it or LEAVE it!)
To: All
74
posted on
05/26/2003 6:27:18 AM PDT
by
Dubya
(Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
To: Dubya
Thanks!
I'm doing fine today! :O)
75
posted on
05/26/2003 6:28:02 AM PDT
by
Pippin
( I know that my Redeemer liveth!)
To: Pippin
yesterday, I heard a veteran who was in DC for the Thunderbirds rally state that the Iraq war was the first time that all MIA's and POW's are accounted for and no soldier was left behind! :O) Great News.
Thanks for posting this.
76
posted on
05/26/2003 6:29:49 AM PDT
by
Dubya
(Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me)
To: Dubya
I will never forget that we left over 8000 POWs in Korea.It's too bad that Korea and VietNam are the "forgotten" wars - the wars whose histories seem to be swept under the carpet.
Thank-you for your posts and urging us all to remember these heroes.
77
posted on
05/26/2003 6:30:07 AM PDT
by
dansangel
(America - love it, support it or LEAVE it!)
To: dansangel
You mean it got even worse after 5 minutes?
YIKES!
I'm glad I spared myself of the rest if it! PHEW!
78
posted on
05/26/2003 6:30:19 AM PDT
by
Pippin
( I know that my Redeemer liveth!)
To: Pippin
You mean it got even worse after 5 minutes?Oh sweetie, it just tumbled downhill the whole way. I was in the company of someone at the time who just *had* to see that filth. Needless to say, I no longer keep their company.
79
posted on
05/26/2003 6:32:38 AM PDT
by
dansangel
(America - love it, support it or LEAVE it!)
To: dansangel; Aquamarine; MeeknMing
That'll teach me to listeen to the so called "in" crowd!
Next time I'll follow my own instincts and look at movies that interest me, good CLEAN movies, although, such creatures seem to be harder to find these days.
I think the third installment of "Lord of the Rings" will be my last movie I go see for a long time. I'm with you and Aqua about boycotting Hollyweird and the Dixie Chicks, I saw a post on the weekned thread about another "bright" uttering from the Dixie Chimps (AS Meekie calls them) I didn't get what it was but apparently they were now trashing Toby Keith. Well, Being a HUGE fan of Toby Kieth, I don't appreciate thier trashing of a true patriotic singer like Toby. Or a great President like GWB. I'm never going to buy or listen to another one of thier songs or cd's again.
80
posted on
05/26/2003 6:41:01 AM PDT
by
Pippin
( I know that my Redeemer liveth!)
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