In the summer of 1986 I started associating with the local Vietnam Veterans of America, Holland Area Chapter 73. Like a fair number of Vietnam Vets I had just not discussed that part of my life, much. As I found out, over the years, I was not unique. There are 2.7 million stories. As I started to listen to these men & women talk about their past I could see that many were talking about their past for the first time. Many had hidden the past away. Slowly they were opening up, glad to be talking to someone who understands their past, other Vietnam vets.
I found that I could make a difference, and started working in Veterans Affairs. In June of 1986 the City of Chicago hosted a “Welcome Home” Parade for Vietnam Veterans. Many Nam vets came from across the country, and as far away as Australia showed up for this important event. I went with some of the Holland Vietnam Vets. This was one of the most electrifying experiences of my life.
There were unit reunions & hospitality suites all over the downtown area. I visited a number of these. I talked to a number of fine Navy People at the Navy hospitality suite. But none of you were there. The Chicago Police Department estimated that there were 150,000 people in the parade. The largest ever in history. It lasted for over 4 1/2 hours, and was about 3 miles long. Afterward there were ceremonies & a huge rock concert in Grant Park, It was a festival weekend. One of the things that impressed me was a sign carried by a veteran, it said …”There are no strangers here, only friends we have not met”. There were no service rivalries there, just a simple brotherhood of those who answered the call to duty in Vietnam. l wish you could have been there, to share it with me.
It was on my birthday, March 24, 1987 that I got the notion to assemble the shipmates. Leaving the power plant I stopped at the VFW on my way home, I had to go pass it every day, but today was my birthday.
I do not recall who came in and sat down, but we started chatting about seeing old buddies. We both admitted to watching the Veterans magazines for a listing of our units. We never saw anything.
At about this point he suggested ‘What are you going to do about it? I had talked with 4 of my Fire Control Tech shipmates by the next evening; Schaeffer, Greene, Dillenbeck, and Vineyard. We got together in Washington DC for the Bicentennial of the Constitution, that 4th of July, 1987.
It was a small beginning. By July of that year there were 18 shipmates on the mailing list. Over the Independence Day week end, of that year, 5 shipmates got together in the Washington, DC Area. I wish we had known that there were more of you living locally. We had a nice weekend together, many old sea stories were retold. We agreed to work toward a larger reunion, with as many shipmates as could be found. This would be in the summer of 1989, in Charleston.
Soon I started working toward more found shipmates. One of the earliest was Stan Smith, in Wisconsin, and Barry Thomas was still in Charleston. Then things started rolling, I had found about 200 shipmates by the time of the 1989 reunion in Charleston. Soon there was an association forming, and shipmates who served as the association officers.
Things progressed slowly through the rest of 1987. In the winter of 1988, a reunion listing was requested of 17 different publications. This brought in a number of names. But more importantly these shipmates knew where other shipmates were located, or where their home towns were. We were on our way. By the reunion date in 1989 we had located over 200 shipmates. Through the reunion date in 1991 we had located over 300 shipmates.
Along the way a number of shipmates have helped with this project. These people are recognized by the Captain Lockee Award.
What I have learned; I learned that Father’s Day was the most important Day of the year. We never came under fire, and no one came at us. We contributed to many Sailors getting back to their ship safely, by way of our air controllers. They are Grandfathers now, the same as we.
That it takes 4 beers to lick closed 300 envelopes. I soon learned to use a wet paper towel, and the beer flavor improved.
That the pleasure I receive is when I see two old shipmates laughing it up like they just did 40 years ago.
The principal persons who contributed time to this association;
Frank Yost, Pete Schaeffer, Barry Thomas, Rich Burdick, Gerry Levesque, J.C. Carlson, Ed Osbome, Captain Lockee, Bill Mellema , Larry Bower, Tom Edwards Manny Seligmann, Stan Smith, Greg Bledsoe Bob McCray, Challis Killgore , Jim Brown, Joe Autovino, Bob Hamilton, Ed Cookenham.