Vietnam Veteran News with Mack Payne

Back in episode 620 we took a look at the story about how the remains of 33 Australian Vietnam Veterans killed in that war were finally returned to their homeland. In this episode we will look at another Australian Vietnam Veteran whose remains were returned home to its final resting place.

American Vietnam Veterans took it for granted if we should be so unfortunate as to lose our life in the service of our country the one thing besides death and taxes we could depend on was that our remains would be sent home to our grieving families. Apparently from these stories that was not true for Australians serving in the Vietnam War. Families there had to endure the cost of shipping the remains of their fallen loved ones home on top of the grief they were already suffering.

In a story from The Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia titled Corporal Reg Hillier laid to rest at Adelaide River War Cemetery submitted by Jill Poulsen we learn of another fallen Australian Vietnam Veteran remains coming home to rest in his native land. Reg Hillier grew up in Darwin on the northern coast of that country. He worked on cattle ranches and in the process gained the nickname "Territory."

In 1960 he enlisted in the army. He was deployed to Vietnam as a Section Leader in June of 1965. Sadly at the age of 26 he was killed at Binh Tuy Province in 1965. He was buried at the Terendak military base in Malaysia because his parents could not afford the 500 pound fee to bring him home at the time.

Hillier’s body was laid to rest at the Adelaide River War Cemetery on June 11. If you would like more information on this effort to return Vietnam Veteran remains to Australia CLICK HERE.

In this episode we are going to look at a story that will warm your heart. It comes from WOWT News, Channel 6, Omaha, Nebraska and is titled: 5,000 people pack Eppley to welcome Vietnam vets home. It was submitted by Brian Mastre. The story Mastre tells is about an Operation Airlift flight that took 501 Vietnam Veterans from Nebraska and Western Iowa to Washington, DC so they could tour the monuments to their military service.

The veterans were treated to a surprisingly friendly reception at the airport in Washington. They watched in awe as strangers and business travelers stopped in their tracks, paused their busy lives, and said thanks at 7:30 a.m. to the Nebraska veterans decked out in their distinctive red t-shirts. This was followed by an emotional tour of the monuments with the Vietnam Memorial Wall eliciting the most emotional reactions of all.

The most surprising element of the Operation Airlift trip was what happened upon their arrival back home at the Eppley Airport. There was 5000 local citizens awaiting their return who issued a warm welcome to the veterans that they should have received years ago when they came home from the war in Vietnam.

Most all Vietnam Veterans experienced a chilly reception upon their return. They were shut out as if they were strangers knocking on the door in the middle of the night and there was no answer when their deeds called out to their country inside and their words went unheard. But thank the good Lord above that is changing and the country is beginning to see its Vietnam Veterans as the heroes they truly are.

The Operation Airlift operation put on by the good people of Nebraska is proof of the changing attitude Americans are exhibiting toward all Vietnam Veterans. Let's hope it continues for the better.

Muhammad Ali has passed from the scene. He was a well known boxer and showman who continually proclaimed himself to be "The Greatest." There is no question that he was a great boxer but he was also a draft dodger. He persisted in his Muslim faith in refusing to serve he damaged his sparkling boxing career. In this episode we are going to highlight another boxer who did answer the call of duty from his country and serve in Vietnam. This boxer is Bob Carmody and his story is featured in a story from ABC News titled: Unlike Muhammad Ali, Fellow Boxer Bob Carmody Went to War submitted by Tim Dahlberg, AP sports columnist.

Carmody was a tough 5-foot-2-inch powerful young man from Paterson, New Jersey who entered service in the US Army in the late 1950s. While serving with the 11th Airborne Division his tendency to get into scraps with his fellow soldiers led him to being placed in the Army boxing program. He excelled in the program as he fought in matches across Europe. He fought good enough to make the 1964 Olympic team. One of his teammates was Joe Frazier who later fought in three epic matches against Ali himself. Carmody and Frazier became good friends and both won medals in the Olympics, Frazier won the gold and Carmody took home the bronze medal for boxing.

In February 1968 he was supposed to become assistant coach of the Army boxing team but the Vietnam War got in the way. His unit the 199th Light Infantry Brigade was ordered to go to Vietnam but he could have avoided the combat assignment. He had connections with the Army boxing team establishment that could have gotten him out of the assignment but the highly popular staff sergeant was having none of it. If his friends in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade were going, so was he.

Oct. 26, 1967 he was killed on a night patrol in III Corps of Vietnam. He left a wife and newborn son. Bob Carmody was a boxer who served his country and made the ultimate sacrifice. Bob Carmody RIP.

It is a tough thing to have lost a son in Vietnam. In this episode we take a look at a family from Johnstown, PA who lost a son in that war and their lives were changed forever that sad afternoon when they received word their son, Reed May, Jr., died in Vietnam after stepping on a land mine. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is trying to help preserve the memory of all the fallen heroes of Vietnam. Its mission is to  Match each of the more than 58,100 names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall with photos, background information, and perhaps even shared memories about their lives.

A story in The Tribune-Democrat titled: The faces of heroes: Effort to find photos of Vietnam vets proves challenging by David Hurst tells not only the story of Reed and Josephine May but also about the efforts to find all the missing photos of Pennsylvanians whose names are on the Wall. The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in Harrisburg is helping out. It has posted a list of approximately 400 missing "faces" on its www.dmva.pa.gov web page.

If you would like to contact the writer of the article here is contact info: David Hurst is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5053, [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @TDDavidHurst and Instagram @TDDavidHurst.

A list of soldiers photos still unaccounted for from Cambria and Somerset Counties is provided below. If have any information that may lead to the discovery of pictures or information about any of these fallen veterans please contact The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at its website: www.vvmf.org:

Cambria County

John A. Bradley, Lilly (10/23/1947 – 2/7/1968)

Peter M. Coleman, Ebensburg (10/26/1944 – 1/31/1968)

George W. Daniels Jr., Franklin (3/22/1950 – 10/9/1970)

John L. Davis, Conemaugh (10/4/1946 – 4/21/1967)

Martin J. Davis, Patton (8/25/1947 – 8/2/1968)

Martin J. Hanlon, Gallitzin (5/28/1950 – 12/27/1970)

Louis J. Kelley, Conemaugh (9/8/1948 – 6/14/1969)

Robert J. Prazinko, Revloc (8/11/1934 – 2/1/1967)

Paul E. Reed, Franklin (10/25/1940 – 10/31/1970)

Reed R. Ross Jr., Flinton (4/27/1949 – 12/4/1969)

Somerset County

Robert Ivan Cox, Rockwood (7/10/1949 – 8/31/1969)

James Elliott Dewey, Glencoe (9/24/1946 – 4/4/1967)

Larry D. Griffith, Somerset (11/11/1949 – 1/9/1970)

Robert James Nicklow, Garrett (2/19/1946 – 7/11/1967)

John Lester Wilhelm, Berlin 5/4/1926 – 1/21/67)

For a full list: http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/

U.S. Representative Chris Gibson of the great state of New York is doing a tremendous service for the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans. They have been excluded by the VA from receiving treatment and compensation for Agent Orange presumptive diseases. Gibson has been leading the legislative fight to attain equity of Agent Orange treatment and compensation for that group.

The Blue Water Navy refers to all the personnel who served on the ships off shore during the Vietnam War. There was a total of 726 US Navy vessels that plied the waters adjacent to Vietnam during that War. They included the aircraft carriers, destroyers, the battleship and all the support ships. Research done by none other than the Australians showed the reason why the Blue Water Navy veterans are suffering worst cases and higher numbers per capita of those diseases than any other specific group of Vietnam Veterans. It was a weird situation but it is what it is. Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans are dying right now because they cannot get help from the VA.

Paul E. Travis, a friend of this podcast and a victim of an insidious Agent Orange cancer let me know about an article in The Daily Mail titled: Vietnam’s Lingering War: Agent Orange by Katie Kocijanski.  The Article described the work Representative Gibson is doing to help the situation. HR-969 the proposed bill in the House which he introduced months ago is languishing in the House Armed Services Committee. In the meantime he was able to get the House to pass an amendment to the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act that might help the situation if the Senate passes a companion bill. We all owe Representative a high five.

You can help by contacting your Representative and Senators and ask them to support the proposed legislation to help the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans. Contact information is available at govtrack.us.

You can contact the writer of the article at: 518-943-2100, ext. 3323, or email [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @katiekocijanski.

Another Veteran’s Day is approaching when we will honor our veterans. To most Vietnam Veterans everyday is Memorial Day because most of us often remember those who fell in that war. We all appreciate what the Nation does to remember its veterans. In this episode we will remember two special Vietnam Veterans. Their story comes from Time.com and is titled: How Two Navy SEALs Saved Their Fellow Soldiers in Vietnam. It was submitted by Dick Couch the author of the book By Honor Bound.

The two honored veterans are Lieutenant Tommy Norris and Petty Officer Mike Thornton. They were both Navy SEALs who were awarded the Medal of Honor. Thornton’s award was the first time in modern history that a recipient received the Medal of Honor for saving the life of another recipient who happened to be Tommy Norris. Norris was awarded the CMOH as a result of his actions in the spring of 1972 when he went into North Vietnam to rescue two downed Air Force pilots. He pulled off the daring feat and then went back in to save a third pilot but unfortunately that pilot was killed before he could make the rescue. Norris’s actions were so outstanding they made a movie about the operation. It was called BAT 21 and starred Gene Hackman and Danny Glover.

Six months later Norris led another raid into North Vietnam which included Mike Thornton. In that operation the five man team encountered a battalion of NVA. Norris was seriously wounded and Thornton carried him one quarter of a mile while under heavy fire from the enemy to safety. Their exciting exploits were detailed in Couch’s book By Honor Bound.

Mike Thornton and Tommy Norris are members of a shrinking fraternity of CMOH winners. There are only 79 left and they both think that’s good because it means fewer Americans have to risk their lives fighting for their country.

Losing a loved one in the Vietnam War was a terrible thing to happen to anyone. It causes changes and heartache that lasts a lifetime. The incredible grief of accepting the remains of a fallen hero is sometimes too hard to bear. Meeting and accepting the remains at an airport was a difficult obligation. Imagine if there were no remains returned for the grieving family to accept. It would make even more difficult putting the anguish and heartache behind.

For Australians killed in Vietnam the sad situation was made even worse due to the policy there that families had to pay for the remains to be returned home to Australia. Recently a total of 33 remains of Australians who died in Vietnam were scheduled to be brought home. The occurrence is written about in an article found in The Hawkesbury Gazette title: Remains of Vietnam War dead to return via Richmond RAAF Base Justine Doherty and Tim Barlass.

Doherty and Barless relate that "it’s been a very long time coming, but finally the remains of 33 Vietnam veterans and dependants are coming home – 50 years after they died. The remains will be flown into Richmond RAAF Base on Thursday, June 2 in two RAAF C17 Globemasters." The Australian Department of Veterans Affairs said it will be one of the largest single repatriations of Australian service men and dependants in Australian history.

The article told the poignant story of the son of a fallen Australian Vietnam Veteran. The son's name was Michael Bowtell, 55, of Orange. He related that when his father died in Vietnam his mother who had three children and one the way. The Army took away her housing assistance and then she was told she would have to pay 500 Australian Dollars to have his remains shipped home. She could not raise the money so her long lost husband was laid to rest in Malaysia but not his remains are coming home.

Sometimes Vietnam Veterans wonder if anyone remembers or appreciates our service to our country in that God forsaken convoluted county fair they called a war. Especially after how so many of us were verbally, physically and spiritually abused when we came home. In this episode of this podcast we will learn that in one place out in the heartland of this great country the memory of Vietnam Veterans and their courageous deeds done for the country are being remembered. A story from The Lone Tree Reporter titled: 7th Graders Visit Iowa Vietnam Wall submitted by Tom Dickey tells the story of what one group of students are doing to honor the memory of Vietnam Veterans.

Tom Dickey is currently in his twenty-eighth season of teaching at Lone Tree Community School. He's currently the 6th and 7th grade Social Studies teacher, junior-high football coach, head girls softball coach, football and track announcer, and the transportation director. In his article in the Lone Tree Reporter he tells about the Hometown Heroes project his class has been conducting during the school year. The main objective of the project was to find resources that could give the student a good military picture of the local Vietnam veteran. The students were able to pursue 100 Vietnam Veteran contacts and through those contacts successfully obtained valuable information about 20 veterans.

Because of the outstanding work done by the students they were invited to the annual Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day on Capitol Hill in Des Moines. The students represented Lone Tree School with the highest character and respect and the way they conducted themselves was a credit to the whole Lone Tree community.

The class was recognized during the ceremony for their efforts by Dan Gannon the president of the Vietnam Veterans Association in the state of Iowa. It is a pleasure to feature the patriotic work done by this group of students from Lone Tree, Iowa.

When one looks at the recent history of the relationship between the US and Vietnam they would be more than mildly surprised to find that the two countries are experiencing a growing friendship. Probably one of the strongest in East Asia. This surprising development is described in a story from The Washington Post titled: Vietnam and America’s surprising turn from foes to friends submitted by Adam Taylor.

Taylor starts by mentioning the recent historic trip to Hanoi by President Obama where among other things he lifted the remainder of the  self imposed lethal weapons embargo directed toward Vietnam. The president boldly stated the reason for the change in policy was only to correct "historical wrongs" and was only a natural course of events. We all know the president was lying (which he is wont to do, i.e. - you can keep your doctor and the Ben Ghazi was caused by a video). The real and obvious reason was the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room - expansionist China. China is pushing itself around in Southeast Asia and we are trying to prop up a proxy in the area to check the Chinese.

But whatever the motivation, the good coming out of it all is that the two countries are beginning to flush the vomit of the past down the toilet and becoming friendly again as we were during World War II.

Taylor lays out in his article the steps that led up to where we are today.

1994: The United States lifts its trade embargo on Vietnam.

1995: The United States and Vietnam normalize relations.

2000: President Bill Clinton becomes the first U.S. head of state to visit the country since the war. Later, both countries sign a bilateral trade agreement, which paves the way for Vietnam to join the World Trade Organization.

2006: George W. Bush becomes the second consecutive U.S. president to visit Vietnam since the end of the war.

2007: Congress approves "permanent normal trade relations" status for Vietnam.

2015: Obama welcomes Nguyen Phu Trong to the White House. Trong is the first Vietnamese Communist Party leader to visit the Oval Office.

The Vietnamese are good people and we should have good relations with them so this is a good development. Just hope the politicians don't screw it up again.

In this episode we will talk about one of the many messes we left in Vietnam. In the estimation of the writer the biggest mess we left over there is the Agent Orange legacy. A legacy of sickness and deformed children. Another mess we left in country was that of unexploded ordinances. Many of the bombs dropped did not go off when they hit the ground but they still could pack a punch if disturbed. As a Cobra gunship pilot, the writer observed many cluster bombs being dropped by our Air Force and wondering if all those fireworks bomblets were going off. According to a story in the Stars and Stripes titled: Death from war-era bomb highlights challenge that remains in Vietnam submitted by Erik Slavin they did not all explode upon impact.

Unexploded ordinance is not a major problem for the Vietnamese. It is not as threatening as say an invasion by China but it is a headache that will not go away without a little help. The Stars and Stripes story reports that "In 2004, 34 people died and 54 more were injured by war explosives in Quang Tri province, according to RENEW statistics. In 2015, three deaths and four injuries were attributed to such explosives.”

Chuck Searcy, is a Vietnam veteran and international adviser for Project RENEW, which coordinates with Quang Tri government and international nongovernmental organizations to clear munitions, assist victims and support post-clearance development. He said this about the situation: “A lot of veterans and American citizens feel we have a moral obligation to try to bring closure to these issues,”

Searcy said this about the situation: “It’s time to wrap up the effort and try to really put in place systems that will allow the Vietnamese to deal with these issues, and manage them in the best way possible in the future. That’s the best contribution the U.S. could make. We seem to be focusing in that direction — and it’s the right thing to do.”

Many Vietnam Veterans feel more effort should be made to find the whereabouts of our POWs and MIA remains. What is your opinion? Feel free to state your opinion on the subject.