Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
Sent in by Chris Rich
Wednesday, June 23, 1999
Just some of my thoughts on this past week.
I am sorry in advance if I missed anyone's name, it was not on purpose it was just a busy week and met so many new folks. I got in to DC on Tuesday about 8pm and to my surprise my luggage was with me. I caught the super shuttle to the hotel, walked into the Lobby and there was my sister Kimmie sitting on the couch. Let me tell you guys what a knockout, after BIG HUGS and talking for a few mins we went out side for a Smoke. We were having a smoke when this little red head come up behind me, Another Sister Diane, Ok so the Airforce Kids got one over on me. See Diane was to fly in the next day but they had her plane tickets all messed up so she got them rearranged to fly in on Tuesday. What a Surprise! Again, guys we got the best-looking sisters any guy could have. After some talking and me getting settled into my room we went to Dinner at TGIF and a trip to the Wall we hung out for a while I think until about 2am. Diane's Dads name is very high up on Panel 3 east line 9. So I did a little covert Operation, headed up top and got a rubbing for her, while I was walking out of the Wall I could here those too humming the theme song of "Mission Impossible". After this, very long day I had to head off to my room. I was crashing with a friend at the Sheraton.
Early day the next day I got a call from Kimmie and Diane at geeezz, I don't know, 8:30 or so, saying it was time for breakfast. So I jumped in the shower and tossed some clothes on and grabbed my bag and headed over to the Merriot for breakfast. Me with Two Beautiful women that will cause any guys ego to soar. After Breakfast it was off touring around DC, we went to the Wall so I could place a packet I made up and than off to Pentagon City. See a few days before, Diane had told me that a guy she knows in GA makes POW/MIA Bracelets and I wanted to give some people them in DC. But in the rush, only had a day or two they got messed up "Capt Richard Rick" That was close but no cigar. :}}} We go into Things Remembered and tell the girl behind the counter we would like the "K" Turned into an H. She was not sure if she could do it but did a very nice looking job.
After a lot of Ice Tea as it was a Gorgeous day in DC we were off to the Library of Congress (LOC) to check the reels with our dads info on them. On the way over to the LOC we fed the squirrels some Garlic flavored Pistachio nuts I had brought with me. They actually liked them and started to follow us :}}}]. I found several new things, Kimmie confirmed some things but the reels that Diane had were all messed up, not in any one order {{{{DIANE}}}}. Geezz the memory is starting to fade, I guess that Ginko stuff that Kimmie told me to take ain't working to good. We were going over to VA to have dinner with an IRC friend Tom and Debbie and their son Michael that night. We missed out stop so we called them from the next one and they came to pick us up. They took us out to dinner.
Afterwards we went back to their house and sat outside and watched the fireflies until it started to rain. Tom went into his office and came back with 3 POW/MIA Coins which he gave to each one of us. We laughed and joked and kidded around but by 11pm we had to get back to the metro as last train was soon. Thank Tom and Debbie and Mike, that was the break we needed. At about midnight another Wall run. We stayed till about 2am or so. Back to the hotel and went through our dads files, as the conf was starting the next day. We found several things similar and even Diane had my dads final mission in her file, now go figure her day AF and mine NAVY, her dad POW in SVN, my dad Shot down over NVN and about 18 months apart.
Kimmie had to go to bed as she had an early meeting with some PJ's that morning so Diane and I went down to the 2nd floor, where the conf would be and found a table to sit at while continuing looking through all the files so we could ask JTF-FA, DMPO, DOD, CILHI about the discrepancies or questions about our dads cases. Sound like fun so far? This is the life of MIA Kids.
For an example, I asked him for Brown or Spicy mustard he said they didn't have any but they did have Dijon mustard DAHHHH. So there we are Laughing and Catching up and meeting new friends. After dinner we all went back to the Sheraton and I caught Steve and Gunny and a few other of the activists on what I had learned at the LOC and the new docs in my dads file. It really is great to have others so involved in the POW/MIA issue that care about others to bounce ideas and share information with. We arranged a game plan on Kimmie's and Diane's and my dad's case as the conf was starting the next day.
We did another Wall Trip with a bunch of us. Now just a piece of advice for you DON'T RIDE WITH STEVE WHEN HE DRIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Steve looked like a race car driver doing U-turns zig zagging down the road and other things that Stunt car drivers do. And on the way back Steve and I took just a bit to long and we had to put 5 people in his little car. Right away, red lights behind us. Gunny almost took out his id to show to the Cop but anyone that knows Steve he was so very out of context he was Polite and YES even Diplomatic. Go figure. We got off with just a warning and the cop followed us back to the hotel. We all hang out in the Lobby for a while longer than off to our rooms for the night. As Friday was Col. Ted Guys Funeral.
Steve brought his digital Camera and got some Great Shots, no covert operation this night. :}}}
After the Funeral, I got to meet Gary Wright and his lovely family. I wish I had more time to spend with him but things were just so hectic now that things were moving so fast. Sorry Bro. I went up to my Causity officer and told him why I had missed the first part of the Conf, he said No Problem that he wished he was able to go but he had to be in the office.
I snuck into the Last hour and a half of the National League of Families conf and sat in on the SILHI and last part of DPMO. Geeezzz the things they are doing. Like SILHI getting $750,000 extra this yr. so they use it on office space, not on hiring more people or expanding their labs but on office space. Don't you just love the Red Tape? I got out just in time to see Gunny take off, he had to go home early. With the new info in hand the other Activists and I and Kimmie and Diane go off and discuss the items. Seeing the general Public or even concerned citizens are not allowed in the briefings I shared what did go on. Everyone just hung out and talked and than we went to the NAF conf in the Sheraton some very interesting info. After the conf Diane and I headed to the Wall, as I was very upset and had to go.
She and I just sat at the west end talking as I was about ready to hit something or someone with all the new info I had learned the last 2 days. I just wanted to yell and scream and hit the Wall but there were too many People around and I didn't want to draw attention to me and away from what they were there for. We walked over to the statue of the 3 soldiers, yes I tried another covert operation, I place Kimmie's, Diane's and my dads bracelet on one of the Mens arms while coming out I tried the long jump and tripped over the little fence there. I landed on my hand and knee, I was really hoping that things weren't broken but man did it hurt.
So after a couple of hours of talking I told Diane that I ready. We walked down to her dad's panel and said hello. We than went to my Dads Panel and sat down in front of it and she started to ask me questions on what it was like so I could really for the first time talk with my Dad. What it was like growing up with out him, the memory I had about him, the things I missed about him. WOW the feeling just flowed that night, as it had earlier in the day at Ted's Funeral. A couple of other Kids came on over and we talked some more but it wasn't the same safe feeling as it was with Diane. Thank you so much SIS. We caught a cab, actually fairly quickly back to the hotel and I said goodnight. About 4:30am I called her and told her I need her to help me to the ER as my arm was hurting so bad that I couldn't move it. The Paragoddess spring into action I swear in less than 5 mins she was over in my room helping me get my shoes on and buckling my belt for me. We caught a cab to George Washington University Hospital,
Just a few blocks away and She took right over as any paramedic would.
I get into an exam room and they told me to go to X-ray right away. So after thirty mins of them trying to get the x-rays of my arm/hand, as I couldn't move it, they gave me two percodans HMMM the pain started to go away. They finally got the x-rays done. Back to the exam room. The doc came in and told me that he was going to withdrawal the fluid out of my elbow and put lidocaine in its place. He took out between 400-500 Cc's or mostly blood from my elbow and told me I had a Radial Head Fracture. Just an update on this, I went to an orthopedic doc yesterday and NO BREAK just a radial Head Injury which is like a very bad sprain.
We got back to the Hotel and had breakfast as the NLF sessions were going to be taped by CSPAN after drinking a ton of coffee, and in the same clothes as the day before as I roommate liked it cold we went to the taping. Kimmie was meeting a couple of PJ's that knew her Dad. If any of you saw the first session you saw me and Diane on the left side. I felt kinda out of place as I was one of the very few in a t-shirt and with my POW/MIA vest on everyone else was in sport shirts…… Well you get the idea. Diane was having a hard time with some of the things said in there as they were hitting close to home for her and her dads case. She left and almost immediately was surrounded by 4-5 Activists, wanting to comfort her. We really do take care of our own.
After the first session I started to go through and highlight things in the new files I had, but my roommate was sleeping so I went downstairs to the lobby to finish up before the Question and Answer period started at the NLF this is a time we can ask anything and get answers. I had a list of good questions and found many things not making any sense. During this time Dennis Johnson and his wife came over and was talking to me and than Gary came over and he was with two women, one asked me if I knew how she was, It had to be Debbie. Hellos all around there. Gary Debbie, Crystal sorry I didn't get to spend more time with you. Things were just to hectic at that time. I had been up seen 0830 Friday and it was now about 2:30pm on Sat. I knew at that time that my surgery really worked. I asked d Steve to go to the questions and answer period for me and went to go for a power nap. I woke up a couple of hours later and headed to find everyone. Time for dinner again. Steve said he talked with General Tucker. The head of JTF, and asked him several of my questions. Gen. Tucker said he will personally get in back with touch to me about this within the next few weeks.
My Roommate went home but said that the room was paid for the last night and I should just enjoy. Boy a room to myself now what trouble could I get into now?.
I stayed up till almost till 2am and missed my wake up calls for 6am and 7am to get down to the Wall by 7:30ish to help lay the roses for Fathers Day. Well I meet Kimmie and Diane they two slept through their wake up calls and we had breakfast and head on down, with Dennis and his wife.
By this time it was pouring rain outside. We stop by my Dads Panel first and I put some things that I had brought with me, a Picture of the Statue of the 3 men with my Dads face super imposed on it, his bio, a copy of the poem "The Last Roll" and contact info to get a hold of me. I had another one just like it but because of the rain I held it against me so it wouldn't get wet. I said happy Fathers Day and talked a bit more. Than off to Diane's panel and she left some things and said what she had to say. Than it was Kimmie's turn none of us were ever alone, Dennis and his wife made sure of that. We said our good-byes and head out of The Wall. We got pics of everyone leaving there items at the wall and a pic of the three of us there.
I wanted to go leave the other pic I made up of the statue of the 3 men and the bio…. At the statue of the 3 men. Well to my surprise I found a pack of smokes that must have some out of my pocket the night before :}}]
No covert operations this time either I just CAREFULLY stepped over the fence put the picture there and VERY VERY Carefully stepped back over it. Got a few more pictures. All of us, Dennis, his wife, Kimmie, Diane and I went to look at the Last FireBase. Just as we were finishing up we noticed a little girl being carried by a man, we ran over to see what the matter was, remember we had a paramedic and I am an old EMT. The girl was having trouble breathing, so we asked for an ambulance to be called. It took over 8 mins for the Fire Truck to get there, they are the ones that respond first and another 5-8 mins for the ambulance to get there. By that time the girl was breathing easier. And also by this time We are all SOAKED I sure hope that no one caught a cold.
We all head back to the hotel and grabbed something to eat as it was almost time to head for the airport for the flights back home :{{{{{. The week flew by so fast, I didn't get a chance to meet, talk with everybody I wanted too.
We caught a cab and said "See ya later" to Dennis and his wife, I never say goodbye. I was the first one flying out so we waited at my gate, big hugs from all and all around.
I will be there next yr. too I will have to attend the conference but I hope to meet you there.
Chris Rich
Proud son of Capt. Richard Rich MIA/USN
