Operation Just Cause... ..for as long as it takes
His Wife never had a time to grieve, like most wives she had a family to raise. She tried to find the answers but was met with
closed doors. She tried to pen them. for the truth is what drove her, the not knowing is the worst. You can only hope for the
best. We all have heard stories how a man came home after missing or thought of as dead for so long.
He had 4 boys and each handled it very differently.
The oldest, felt that he had to take over the manly duties, this is too much for a 13yr old to handle but being the oldest......
The 2nd oldest felt that his dad was dead, case closed.
The next oldest boy wrote a letter to LBJ asking him to either bring his daddy home or bomb Hanoi with the A bomb.
The Youngest being only 4 had just only memory, being put in the cockpit of his dad's fighter plane.
See I know these things as I am the youngest of the Boys. I can remember seeing a Navy man come to the door and mom
crying. Why did this man make my mom cry? Men aren't allowed to do that, or this is how I was brought up. You protect the
woman as she takes care of you. But Mom was crying but only for a short time as she had to raise "The Boys" or "The Rich
Boys". But 3 of theses boys had to grow up a long on May 19th, 1967. I was to drugged up to really understand what was going
on. I can remember having a teacher tell me that my dad deserved to die as he was a baby killer. But I would tell people that my
dad was on a secret mission or that he just wasn't home yet, but he would come home soon. See I am told that, we, my Dad and
I had a very special relationship and to this day that is what brought him home. 33yrs later. Besides keeping him alive, just not
with me for many many years because I wanted a Dad; Someone to teach me to play catch or hit a ball, or ride a bike, or how
to go on a date and how to ask a girl out, to drive a car, to go to Father and Sons Dinners/days/banquets with. Mom would go
with me or have on of our neighbors take me but it wasn’t the same. When I turned 15 I finally understood what happened to
dad, as I said earlier I was pretty drugged up during the 1st 28 yrs. of my life. I finally realized that he wasn’t' coming home, see
he was Missing In Action or MIA. I started to tell people that one day he wold come home, I started wearing POW/MIA hats
and T-Shirts and Pins, reading books about Vietnam and on POW's. I told people that we left m Dad behind and had to go get
him, as it was only The Right Thing To Do.
He would have done the same for you. Little by little I became more involved in the POW/MIA issue. I remember having been
told by many adults to just stop whining and give up, they were all dead anyway, but that just made my resolve even stronger.
What hurt a lot was when a Vietnam Vet, they are all my Hero's, asked me why I was wearing "That Shirt". I told him why and
he told me, so, that only Vets had the right to wear that shirt. That hurt a lot, one of my Hero's telling me that I couldn't help bring
my Dad home, where he belonged to American Soil. But I kept going, in the Background until 1990 when I met a man that
helped mold me into what I am today in this issue. I got my Dads files and he and I went through them with a fine tooth comb
one day. He made a Plan of Attack and we started our War, to bring Dad home. So the last 10 yrs. has been a long battle that
looked like it was going to where until 1997 when my Family got a report saying that they found the crash site and was just going
to give up.
It took hundreds upon hundreds of people to get dads case open again. But big break occurred in 1999 when my friend, talked
to General Tucker of the JTF_FA and got my dad moved up from a secondary site to a primary one. This was a after I was told
for a year that it would be a primary site and be done during the dry season as they had to drain the Rice Paddy to get to where
they needed to be.
In October 1999 I know dad's site was to be the 1st secondary site. But after trying to locate a site for 10 days it was now dads
turn. So in October 1999 they opened the crash site. I was told that there was a lot of possible human remains, but it was just
wood. So in Feb of 2000 they went back to the my dads site to dig some more. I got a call on March 13th that SECDEF Cohen
was at my Dads site and was it ok to give my name to the press. I am sure a lot of you remember all the press my Dad Got.
They were able to pull 30 bone chips, a tooth, half a pair of Flight Wings and a log of aircraft and personal effects.
In September of 2000 I was told that the Lab (CILHI) had identified his remains by matching dental records with a tooth found
at the site. On October 10th, 3 days after I got married to my New Wife, my mom and I were presented the "Blue Book" of the
governments proof of Identification. Now 3 weeks later we have buried my Father with Full Military Honors at Arlington
National Cemetery. See I finally got my six feet of ground at Arlington.
We Did The Right Thing. Welcome Home Dad.
It has been a long time coming.
I love you.
Your Son,
Written11/5/00
(Thanks to Karl Kristiansen for sending this one in) "There are so many things that are written about the Wall, but never
anything of being on the other side. I was inspired by the picture,
'Reflections' that I use as wallpaper on my PC and a recent story,
'Autumn
Wall'."
At first, there was no place for us to go until someone put up that
Black
Granite Wall. Now, everyday and night, my Brothers and my Sisters wait
to
see the many people from places afar file in front of this Wall. Many
stopping briefly and many for hours and some that come on a regular
basis.
It was hard at first, not that it's gotten any easier, but it seems that
many
of the attitudes towards that war that we were involved in have
changed. I
can only pray that the ones on the other side have learned something and
more
Walls as this one needn't be built.
Several members of my unit and many that I did not recognize have
called me
to the Wall by touching my name that is engraved upon it. The tears
aren't
necessary but are hard even for me to hold back. Don't feel guilty for
not
being with me, my Brothers. This was my destiny as it is yours, to be
on
that side of the Wall.
Touch the Wall, my Brothers, so that we can share in the memories
that we
had. I have learned to put the bad memories aside and remember only
the
pleasant times that we had together. Tell our other Brothers out there
to
come and visit me, not to say Good Bye, but to say Hello and be together
again, even for a short time and to ease that pain of loss that we all
share.
Today, an irresistible and loving call comes from the Wall. As I
approach
I can see an elderly lady, and as I get closer I recognize
her.......It's
Momma! As much as I have looked forward to this day, I have also
regretted
it because I didn't know what reaction I would have.
Next to her, I suddenly see my wife and immediately think how hard it
must
have been for her to come to this place and my mind floods with the
pleasant
memories of 30 years past. There's a young man in a military uniform
standing with his arm around her.......My God!.......It's...it has to be
my
son.
Look at him trying to be the man without a tear in his eye. I
yearn to
tell him how proud I am, seeing him standing tall, straight and proud in
his
uniform.
Momma comes closer and touches the Wall and I feel the soft and
gentle
touch I had not felt in so many years. Dad has crossed to this side of
the
Wall and through our touch, I try to convey to her that Dad is doing
fine and
is no longer suffering or feeling pain. I see my wife's courage
building as
she sees Momma touch the Wall and she approaches and lays her hand on my
waiting hand. All the emotions, feelings and memories of three decades
past
flash between our touch and I tell her that it's all right. Carry on
with
your life and don't worry about me.......I can see as I look into her
eyes
that she hears and understands me and a big burden has been lifted from
her.
I watch as they lay flowers and other memories of my past. My lucky
charm
that was taken from me and sent to her by my CO, a tattered and worn
teddy
bear that I can barely remember having as I grew up as a child and
several
medals that I had earned and were presented to my wife. One of them is
the
Combat Infantry Badge that I am very proud of and I notice that my son
is
also wearing this medal. I had earned mine in the jungles of Vietnam
and he
had probably earned his in the deserts of Iraq.
I can tell that they are preparing to leave and I try to take a
mental
picture of them together, because I don't know when I will see them
again. I
wouldn't blame them if they were not to return and can only thank them
that I
was not forgotten. My wife and Momma near the Wall for one final touch
and
so many years of indecision, fear and sorrow are let go. As they turn
to
leave I feel my tears that had not flowed for so many years, form as if
dew
drops on the other side of the Wall.
They slowly move away with only a glance over their shoulder. My
son
suddenly stops and slowly returns. He stands straight and proud in
front of
me and snaps a salute. Something makes him move to the Wall and he
puts his
hand upon the Wall and touches my tears that had formed on the face of
the
Wall and I can tell that he senses my presence there and the pride and
the
love that I have for him. He falls to his knees and the tears flow
from his
eyes and I try my best to reassure him that it's all right and the tears
do
not make him any less of a man.
As he moves back wiping the tears from his eyes, he silently mouths,
God
Bless you, Dad.......God Bless, YOU, Son.......We WILL meet someday but
in
the meanwhile, go on your way.......There is no hurry.......There is no
hurry
at all.
As I see them walk off in the distance, I yell out to THEM and
EVERYONE
there today, as loud as I can.......THANKS FOR REMEMBERING and as others
on
this side of the Wall join in, I notice that the US Flag that so proudly
flies in front of us everyday, is flapping and standing proudly straight
out
in the wind today...THANK YOU ALL FOR REMEMBERING.
Submitted,
Giving "Thanks" to Veterans
Veteran's Day is a day set aside to honor all Veterans. It is a day to gently remind us to see and remember all the sacrifices so many men and women have made to this country that we all love and cherish so much.
This year Piqua, OH had a ceremony honoring the Vet's and a special remembrance for the POW/MIA(s). Throughout the service a voice heard over the PA system representing the spirit of a POW/MIA. The voice never said what branch of the service he was from, what war or conflict he fought in, just that he was happy to have been a part of the military that served this great country and how he longed to come back home.
I thought I would be OK with the ceremony but found tears running down my face thinking of all the brave men and women who gave so much. The POW/MIA voice was hard to listen to because I had to think of all the men and women that were left behind and needed to come back home. I thought of the families of the POW/MIA(s) who have came to mean so much to me and the hurt and pain they feel because their loved one was left behind.
The closing part of the ceremony was a 21-gun salute to the Veterans. How proud the Veterans were as each one shot off the three rounds to complete the salute. As they marched off I saw one elderly gentleman walk out of the line and I noticed he had a very bad limp. He walked off by himself as the rest of the group marched off as a unit. I looked at this man, an obvious a WWII Vet and wondered what makes our Veterans so special. I don't have the answer – all I do know is they truly all are.
My seven-year-old granddaughter, when the ceremony was coming to a conclusion kept pulling on my arm. I kept telling her to be quiet until everything was over. When she could finally tell me what she wanted to say, she said it in a way only a child could say. . “Ga (Grandmother) go back and find that POW/MIA who was talking. Lets get him and bring him with us so he can go home and his kids and family will be very happy.” How I wished it were that easy to do.
To all the Vets, to the WWII, Korean, Cold War and Gulf War Vets -- thank you for your service to this country. I owe you a debt that I can never repay. The ceremony might have been small, might not have had enough people attending but I went as my way of saying “Thank You” and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.
Special Tributes to Veterans and Veterans Day
American Veteran Search
November 10, 1975 - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
November 23, 2000- Thanksgiving Day - Longfellow, "A Psalm of Life"
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is updated daily to include new items of interest, new announcements, and new submissions. So be sure to bookmark this page and stop by every day for the latest version of the Operation Just Cause Newsletter.
Veterans Day
November 11, 2000
by Chris Rich
Chris Rich
Read 11/7/00
by Patrick Camunes
YNCS Don Harribine, USN(Ret)
If you have a special 'Thank You' you would like to send to our veterans, please send it to
NL@ojc.org and I will post it in this section of the OJC Newsletter. Thanks!
by Marilyn Grote
Special Links for Veterans
This Month's Trivia
November 10, 1775 - Marine Corps Day
Two hundred and twenty-five years of protecting the nation
The worst Great Lakes shipwreck of the time, the sinking of the "Edmund Fitzgerald", occurred. It was a cold and stormy Lake Superior (Native Americans
knew it as Gitche Gumee) that took the lives of 29 crew members of the ore carrier. The ship was the largest bulk carrier on the Great Lakes when launched.
A day to be thankful for family and friends, and a day to give a special thanks to all of our Veterans.
Words to Remember
"Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime, and, departing,
leave
behind us footprints on the sands of time."
"Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others...he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." ...Robert Francis Kennedy (1925-1968)
There are ways for us to work together to start tearing down those 'mighty walls of oppression and resistance' and gain a full accountability of our POW/MIA's.
Please feel free to browse through the following links to see what you can do to help.
PO Box 264
Stockholm, NJ 07460
1999
http://www.ojc.org/NL
http://www.ojc.org
or when current issues are updated, please send an email to:
"The Moonduster Chronicles"
Submissions of original work posted in all issues of "The Moonduster Chronicles" do not necessarily represent the views of Operation Just Cause, the Operation Just Cause Staff, or its members as a whole. All comments, criticisms and points of view are welcome. Please send them to:
NL@ojc.org
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