The message forum is an ongoing dialogue between classmates. There are no items, topics, subtopics, etc.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Message" button to add your entry to the forum.

David Mitchell

FIRST NIGHT - FIRST WEEK    Continued

 - after funny Christmas Eve radio call.......

Christmas Day was uneventful. I did little more than sit around and visit the mess hall to eat. But the day after Christmas, one of the guys poked his head into my cubicle and said “Hey, we’ve got a Huey goin’ down the river to Dong Tam to see the Bob Hope Show. Wanna go along?” I didn’t have to think twice.              

  “Of course!” I said - and grabbed my hat.  

    We jumped into a jeep and headed for the flight line. A couple guys were already there so there were about 6 of us on board for the short 15 or 20-minute flight. We landed and parked on their airfield and walked into the base. Dong Tam was not a Vietnamese town you would find on the map, but a purpose-built American base for the large 9th Infantry Division and a small detachment of Navy river boats. Though a rather bare bones airfield, it had an outdoor theater with a stage and bandshell. The seating was several hundred telephone poles laid on end in rows the shape of an amphitheater. It probably held 1,000 to 1,500 guys. We would soon learn that these shows always started late - very late - for security reasons. So, we sat. And sat. And sat.

    Hope’s cast on this trip included Anne Margaret and yes, she knocked us out, dancing and singing in a tiny black outfit and heels. Bob also had Cincinnati Reds Catcher Johnny Bench and Rosie Greer. And Miss Universe from Australia. I cannot recall her name, but he did a skit with her that still sticks in my memory. 

   Bob was wearing a burlap bag dress and a long scraggly wig while she stood by him in a long, slinky, sequined dress and heels. As Bob leaned his head on her chest doing some silly jokes, there was the sudden sound of weapons firing. They could not see it from the stage, but seated well back in audience, we could see over the bandshell and to our right about an eight of a mile. A “B-model” Huey gunship had dipped its nose and was firing rockets down on some .51 caliber tracers coming back up at it. Bob stopped - frightened, lifted his head and yelled, “What the hell is all that firing?  General, would you call off this war while we’re on please.”

(posted this video before - found the video by accident 40+ years after the fact)

Enjoy the hole video again - look close at 6:12 on the timer - right after Raquel Welch and  

a Phylis Diller interviews. Bob on stage at Dong Tam - Dec 26th, '68. I'm in that audience.

David Mitchell

Her name was Penny Plummer.

You have no idea how much Bob's shows meant to us - and how much this video gets to me - after 57 years.

Timothy Lavelle

Start Rant: I understand that there is a great divide in our country these days but I've lost my ability to understand why, so that is a personal saddness for me. The current definition of "great" is lost on me because it does not match the respect I had for our nation growing up.

I can see the hard chargers, supporters of the new definition of "great" on one side, the secretary of defense and the president - who may now be joined by all the Americans who love a success. We do love a success story in our country. Me too! From all Sunday morning reports the bombing of Iran was a big success. Time will tell but for now that success will allow a lot of US folks to forget about what we have represented to the world and just bask in that "we really are bad-asses" followed by "U-S-A...U-S-A" chanting. A moment of joy for some as we bare out backsides and as a nation, moon the rest of the planet. 

Sec of Def said "people will now know that when Trump says 60 days, he means it". That hit my un-funny bone because now the world has to write in its notebook:

"Reminder, when Trump says 60 days he means it but if he says two weeks then he will likely bomb you TOMORROW".   

"Reminder two: Ignore any rhetoric from America pushing peace anywhere in this world at the same time that they completely support a regime that would wipe out Palestinians from the face of the earth and seperately carry on bogus negotiations with Iran while planning a huge bombing raid on that country". 

So I can understand some Americans saying "Gee, it sure feels great to be great again". I just can't understand why giving up any sense of honor, an honor we were so proud of, can be a good thing.

What we have said as a nation is "Any country who we can pick on without massive reprisals CANNOT have a nuclear weapon." We have chosen Iran as our proof. Can you imagine for a moment what we would do if anyone said "America cannot produce microprocessors" or anything like that? We would say "who the eff are you to say what we can and cannot have" and we would turn loose the dogs. But for some reason it's okay for us to do the same with others. Because "Hey, we're GREAT!!"

Before you applaud the Whitehouse, I sincerely hope you'll take a moment to just wonder how right we are these days.

Just to clarify, if I ranted against Italy, would you think I hate Catholics? Of course not. So I rant against Isreal because their actions are abominable but I do not hate Jews. And we are totally supporting Isreal's atrocities. All the while telling Putin that he should leave Ukraine in peace. How pathetically funny we are. How empty our words.

With no honor we have no true voice in this world.

End Rant

David Mitchell

Interesting point Tim:

ranting against Israel's current genocide (mass murder) of Palestinians (50,000+ by now) is not the same as antisemitism (or ranting against Jews). But it's hard to make that distinction in today's political conversation.

Last time I checked, Palestinians are actually human beings - too bad they are led by Hamas morons. It seems equally difficult to criticise Hamas without people being accused of anti-Palestinian - ism. 

Another point lost in the conversation is the sizablle (and once much larger) number of Palestinians who are Catholic - a point totally ignored by most of the "Christian Right" in America. And the abuses and mis-treatment the entire Palstinian population have received by the Israeli Government. The illegal occupation by Jews of West Bank settlements is still one of the root causes of all this mess. But we dare not oppose anything the Israeli Govt. does - now that would really be "anti-semitic"!

David Mitchell

OFF TOPIC

Any DOC MARTIN fans out there?

I've been watching for years but missed some early episodes. Last night I caught the episode where Louisa finally delivers their child in a tiny remote countryside pub.

Loved it!  Terrific episode!

John Maxwell

Michael McLeod

Jack. I'll say this in the least corny way possible: I know you. And so I know absolutely that what you did was absolutely in character, meaning that If I'd been there to watch it happen I'd have known way beforehand just exactly how it was gonna play out. 

David Mitchell

Bravo Jack!

Mark Schweickart

Jack -- I thought for sure you were going to say that as you watched this Arab lady push her baby carriage towards the gas station to redeem the lottery ticket you gave her, you saw a contingent of ICE agents swarm around her to haul her and her kids away. So glad your story ended on a more positive note.

And to change the subject. I have been exchanging emails with classmate David Dunn for some time now, and recently he was wondering if there were any plans for a 60th reunion next year. I told him I hadn't heard anything, but would toss the query onto our site here to ask if anyone knows anything. So that's the question: Anyone know anything about a geezer-fied, celebratory, get-together next year? 

Michael McLeod

wow. a 60 year reunion would be quite the geezerfest. 

David Mitchell

I thought we decided years ago that the last one would be in Donna's condo in Barcelona - where we were going to use her balcony as a driving range to hit golf balls down over the adoring crowd below. But that got switched to Clares driveway for reasons noone ever explained to me.

And this next one was supposed to be a Toga/Pool party at Mike's house in Orlando where we would offer cheap wheelchair rentals. 

But what do I know?

I guess I know one thing. It won't be in the white House Rose Garden.

David Mitchell

And it will be a long time before anybody can top Steve Hodges Acadamy Awards Movie title recitation.

Timothy Lavelle

NEW GAME:

You get to ask any two classmates who their favorite author's were/are and why.

If someone wants to just volunteer their favorites without waiting to be called upon...Dave and Mike...they have to buy a round of drinks at The Geezerthon you are talking about.

I will start us off...and yes, I can hear you sighing loudly and saying "is this what we've come to?"...so I choose Jeanine Eilers and Joe McCarthy.

No more than three authors from each, some books or stories that are notable, and who you might read next. This "next" rule allows for you to imagine what might be fun to read about no matter whether you ever do or not. The auhors don't have to be famous or have a lot of books so no real rules. Just who do you like and why in the reading realm.  Then you each choose the two people (classmates) that you wonder what they are.

Joe? Jeanine? What do you have for us?

David Mitchell

Dammit Tim,

You Left Coast guys (who've barrely finished dinner by now) would ask that kind of great question just when we are tring to get to bed here on the Right coast.

Now I can't go to sleep until I toss out a few names.

For fun and exciting fiction I want to say Robert Ludlum (the "Bourne Identity" guy). But in later years I may have to go for John Grisham (The Firm and Pelican Brief). 

I confess, I have not read much fiction in years.

If it's heavy serious non-fiction I have to say Thomas Merton (Seven Story Mountain) -  his life search for Faith after an atheist upbringing) This man actually helped my dad recovr from deep depression after coming home from WW2. He and dad became friends while Dad made retreats at the monastery at Gethsemani Kentucky.

I'll buy the first reound. 

David Mitchell

How could I have forgotten the wondeful Frenchman, Antoine St. Exupery - a writer and aviator. Wrote about flying th e mail over the Andes and North Africa in the twenties and thirties, and also combat missions during WW2. Some of those topics may not sound exciting but his writing is superb.  

(Wind, Sand, and Stars - Southern Mail -  Flight to Arras, and many others)

And of course he is most famous for "The Little Prince" - a book written in a "children's" style but embaces themes of adult love and loss.  A little prince visists other planets and offers philosphical opinon - that happiness is not attained with material possesions, but through the heart.

I think it was translated into over 600 languages and dialects! 

I guess I'm down for the first two rounds now.

David Mitchell

I think the funeral for St. Exupery was the third largest crowd in French history - after Charles de Gaulle and of course (no. 1 all time) Edith Piaf.

Timothy Lavelle

So, Dave,

The change you made to your face for post 15810 leads me to give you a C- for your physical impression of Joe McCarthy. But a worthy effort if totally unsuccessful.

But, in post 15811 (the one that followed directly after 15810 after you came back from the bathroom) after returning to your regular photo and impersonating Jeanine's voice and talking about French funerals is a complete failure according to The Society for Doing Jeanine Eliers Impersonations (SFDJEI). As an aside, the Society was in howls and throwing food at one another over your reference to Edith Pilaf without ever mentioning her famous rice dish. 

Dave, everyone knows, literally Dave, Every-Effing-One knows Jeanine ended her studies (and subsequant world-class documentaries) about funerals with the era prior to the start of WWI. Please try to keep up. Possibly you were actually trying to sound like Charles Boyer, "Every Leetle Breeze Seems to Wheesper Louise") it's just a really bad vocal audition for you there.

I am awash with joy to let you know that the SFDJEI has accepted your proposal to buy the first TWO rounds at the World's Fair, Geezer Edition next year. 

Joe, Jeanine, "I'm down and I can't get up!"...help a fella out here.

Still waiting for the qualudes to kick in. 

David Mitchell

Could it be time to check your "levels'?

David Mitchell

Question:

We did all learn to read books - didn't we?

David Mitchell

7 - FIRST NIGHT - FIRST WEEK 

Continued

After the Bob Hope show a boring week ensued. I was not yet on flight status and spent most of the time being quite bored. But on the afternoon of December 31st some news seemed to be taking hold of just about everybody in our squadron. I sensed it was important, but it took me a while to discern what it was. Finally, several of our guys explained it to me. 

One of our three Troop commanders - "Dutch Master Six" - (a Major Thompson) had had made a colossal recovery of an American soldier while on it's mission that day in the southern Delta - somewhere on the edge of the U-Minh forest - down near Ca Mau ("cuh mow").

As they were finishing their search mission and heading back for nearby refueling, one of their door gunners sighted a guy running and waving his arms in an open rice padddy. They turned back and realized he was American because he was bearded and light complected. They dropped down and picked him up, then flew him back to the refueilng point, where they transferred him to another helicopter to fly him up to Binh Thuy Field EVAC hospital in Can Tho.

The man was Green Beret First Lieutenant James (Nick) Rowe, captured five and a half years before in a fire fight, and held prisoner (along with about four other Americans) in bamboo cages. He had survived where the other three or four fellow prisoners had died of malnutricion, disease, or simply "giving up" and avoiding food. He had made several attempts at escape and had become a nuisance to his captors - and was about to be executed.

The excitement lasted for days around the airfield.

I remebered his story years later and bought his book - "Five Years To Freedom" (see below) at a book sale at the Denver Dry Goods department store in Cherry Creek (where he had appeared in person, but I was too late to meet him in person. (Darn!)

After his recue, he was immedaitely promoted two ranks to Major and went back into the service for several years as head of a special training school for captured prisoners.

Sadly, about 20 years later, I was watching the news and heard a shocking report. Major Rowe had become a specail laison to the Phillipine Government in Manilla. On his way home from work in Manilla one hot day, his driver had lowered the bullet-proof windows due to broken air conditioning in the car. While at a stop light, a motor cycle with two young men (hired by the local Communist party) pulled along side the car and machine gunned both Rowe and his driver to death.

TBC

finally got the photos to work

I beleive this is one of the most unique and unknown stories in the entire Vietnam war.

John Maxwell

Jeanine Eilers (Decker)

Tim,  I just read my assignment.  I don't always keep up with my email since we are gone frequently or totally busy.  But I'm working on my response.  

Timothy Lavelle

Thank you Jeaine. I'm looking forward to your choices.  

And Mike, I am not trying to rule you and Dave out. But in truth, if someone says "I like fire" Dave immediately responds with "that reminds me of a big fire in Phuc Mi Valley, Viet Nam" or you immediately say "I have always loved fire, not matter how it has hurt people it has also been man's best tool...". and while both are valid as hell, they stop others (in my humble opinion) from bursting forth with their own stories. Your immediate posts don't stop me but as I've said, this is cheap therapy for me. So, don't take it personal...I am just farming for new and maybe different opinions. 

Here's a goofy opinion...GOOFY OPINON STARTS HERE: ?Whoever read "Great Expectations" and when finished had any great expectations that the next read would be as...compelling?!?

Maybe if we did not challenge kids in high school to scale "Wuthering Heights" or try to trail along behind "Ivanhoe" or wonder what the eff "Silas Marner" was even about BUT INSTEAD just taught them or let them experiment, with any book, any literature they enjoyed enough to talk about in class...or not talk about...then they would be learning that reading can be so much fun, mind bending and world opening. 

Nothing we read in high school appealed to me that I recall. Maybe you guys did have a real favorite from back then that I just can't recall. I would love to hear. Later, I was lucky enough to find a book on a shelf in the latrine in VN (not in Phuc Mi Valley though) that began me reading . It was the right time and place in my very slow maturity. Maybe because a great deal of my life has been spent on my own, I've always had a book or two as companions no matter where I was. END GOOFY OPINION HERE.

So, my game here is a selfish one a bit. I want to see what you're reading or have read and what I may have missed out on that maybe I'll give a chance now.  If you don't want to wait to hear from Jeanine or Joe then just have at it. I'll be listening for sure. 

Party on.

David Mitchell

Tim,

I thought your "NEW GAME" post (15807 ) was a fun idea. Apparently there are only about four of us still following the  Forum (I guess they don't enjoy "cheap therapy") - either that, or nobody has read a book. 

BTW - My nomination for worst book I had to read for High School - "Great Gatsby". 

(speaking of a book on a latrine shelf - I also picked up a book in the trash on our flight line maintenace shed. It was a paperback titled "Grandmother and The Priests" by a woman camed Taylor Caldwell. I knew my parents and their friends had all read this author so I grabbed it out of a waste barrel. A bunch of short fictional stories told by priests who were frequent guests around "Grandmother's" dinner table. Wondeful short stories! 

She wrote a lot, including "Dear and Glorious Physician", a semi-fictional account of the life of St. Luke, from his childhood on to medical school in Alexandria, and eventually one of the Gospels - fascinating read!

One more nomination - "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown. So compelling I couldn't put it down, but so sad and depesssing I could not finish it.

John Maxwell