March 29th is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a day meant to pay tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were prisoners of war or who were listed as missing in action. It was established in 1973 by then-President Richard Nixon. This story describes my experience on the day I departed for the War. And it pays tribute to all veterans who served during this fraught time, given the political turmoil our country was experiencing. “If you are awake and wondering why we have been flying donuts for the last 45 minutes above this blanket of clouds, it is because the runway a ..read more

I have two lovely daughters. It has been a joy to watch them grow and enjoy their success as adults and parents. The younger, Julie, sent me a photo of The Wall, the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, where she and her own daughter, Helen, were visiting over the Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is an American holiday honoring the men and women who died in our country’s wars. What better place than The Wall to spend a few minutes reflecting on those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us and our country. Because the etched names of the KIA (killed in action) are above, below, and almost as fa ..read more

LRRP, an acronym for Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol, (pronounced lurp as in burp) was the name of a small, heavily-armed team of 4 to 6 soldiers used by the U.S. Army in Vietnam. Their mission was to patrol deep in enemy-held territory. They provided most of the intelligence on enemy presence, strength, and movements. They moved stealthily and mostly unseen through the jungle doing their utmost to avoid contact with the enemy. I interacted briefly with LRRP teams during my tour in the War (1970). I often think of them in the context of the quote by the Slavic diplomat Konstantin Josef Jirece ..read more

Veterans Day, November 11, 2020. My first thoughts are on those Vietnam veterans who, after 50 years, still have lingering physical and emotional difficulties. Then I think about soldiers, some of whom I knew personally, the ones who jumped from my helicopter almost daily into god-awful places in pursuit of a determined enemy hell-bent on killing them.  I think of them because they put their lives on the line in dramatic fashion and often gave it, the ultimate sacrifice. It was personal for me only because I watched them bravely “jump” from our helicopters. As long as my luck held and my ..read more

“You must be nuts! How can this be fun?!” —said my sweet wife with some exasperation in her voice. This was early one morning during the third week of January. The outside temperature was hovering just above freezing. With cheerful anticipation, I replied, “It’s supposed to be a bright, sunny day in the mid-40s. By the time I drop off the Blue Ridge into North Carolina, it will be in the 50s. Actually, it’s going to be a great day for a ride,” I said, truthfully but unconvincingly. Winter on a clear day in the Blue Ridge Mountains. From my home in southwestern Virginia, I was headed to a BMW m ..read more