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WELCOME HOME!
Welcome brother Tomahawks to our association's own newsletter. In
fact, this is the first time we have even uttered that word - association in
print or any where for that matter. We have decided to create a
Tomahawk Association so we could organize information and data, pass on
news of our old friends and set up future reunions. We do not wish to
leave anyone out and there is nothing more to do to join us then to email to
Jay or Russell so they can add you to our list of members - name, address
telephone and other information that will not be shared unless you okay that
use. We do ask to share your email address and we do post those on the
Tomahawk website as often as possible with updates.
There are no dues for this association and when we need
funds we will seek out voluntary donations or sell some unit calendars
books, hats or shirts to generate money for mailings and phone calls, future
reunion costs and maintaining our web presence. In other words,
everyone who was a member of this unit is a member of our association - no
one is excluded.
Since this is our first opportunity to officially thank all
of our past financial angels, I want to extend a thank-you for the support
over the last 3 years that I have received to help with our 2000 Sacramento
Reunion, helping with paperwork for PTSD veterans from our unit, paying for
this website and related costs and for some phone calls made to fellow
Tomahawks. The following people have aided this cause:
Gerry
Trumper
Larry Clark
Jay Riseden
Doug & Carol Hopkins
Roosevelt Wilson
Charles & Marilyn Olson
Scott Tuttle
Syd & Josh McDonald
Fred Harris
Bobby McBride
United Faith Ministries
If you wish to help you can
send any donations to Bill McDonald at:
Post Office Box 2441, Elk Grove, CA 95759-2441
___________________
Jerry
Vickers
Tomahawk - Needs our Prayers and Support!
From e-mail message
to Russell Layton:
Subj: Re: 128th AHC ????
Date: 7/3/2003 4:57:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Nitefall@bellsouth.net
To: Russellklayton@aol.com
Russell, may I introduce myself?
My name is Myrna, and I am currently friend/buddy/significant other to Jerry
Vickers, to whom your email, which I am replying to, was sent. I will first
give you a quick background of myself, and then share with you what is going
on with Jerry. My dad went to flight school in the original Army Air Corps,
served in Europe during the early 1940's. I was two when he graduated from
flight school, so consequently was raised in the Air Force. I married a US
Army Ranger, who served four tours in Vietnam, and who died in 1992 from
Pancreatic Cancer. My brother, Tom Pullen, served with the 282nd Assault
Helicopter Co. in Vietnam, was wounded during Tet one year, completed
his twenty years service and retired from the US Army a few years ago.
Having been a military dependant for 40 years, I am fully aware of the
closeness which develops between those serving our Country and also their
dependants toward others of their kind. I miss my military family hugely.
Now, on to Jerry. I met him in February, this year, and it was one of those
magnetic, love at first sight things for both of us, even though neither of
us believed in that phenomena. He currently works for the UN, via Dyncorp,
having retired from 25 years of law enforcement as chief investigator for
Coffee County, TN, and has been operations officer for two one-year
missions. He was taking his physical in preparation for another assignment
when a tumor in the upper lobe of his right lung was discovered. Tests
showed it to be Aden carcinoma, and plans were made to remove the affected
lobe, when it was found that the cancer had already metastasized to his
mediasteinum, and two tiny spots in his brain. The places in his brain are
located in the posterior section of the frontal lobe, which controls
judgment, emotion, memory and incentive. He decided to fight the disease and
has to date completed ten days of full brain radiation and three out of five
weeks of once weekly chemotherapy and once daily full chest radiation. His
progress is phenomenal. Many of my friends are in prayer for him, and I know
beyond the shadow of any doubt that our Creator is going to heal him. Two
more weeks of treatment and we will know another chapter of the story.
Meanwhile, his short term memory has been affected, as well as some of his
long term.......hence the reason for my writing to you. The men mentioned
below could very well be the same person. Jerry tends to get names confused
a bit. He will respond to your email probably early next week, after he
comes back from his house.
Jerry's house in in Manchester, TN, 60 miles from Nashville where he must
come daily for his radiation, consequently he stays with me during the week,
since I live only 18 miles from the hospital he must go to. He did not
speak of his time in Vietnam during our first couple of months of getting to
know each other, but after seeing the Black Cat News, which my
brother and sister in law have started for the Black Cat Association
(282nd), he has begun to be interested in his own unit. He has talked
for hours about his time spent with the 128th, and I have seen his
eyes begin to sparkle once again. I think you guys are good for each other.
The address you are writing to,
nitefall@bellsouth.net , is my address. Jerry goes back to his
house in Manchester after his last radiation of the week, and comes back
home on Sundays. Since he is here most of the time, I will ask him if he
wants to continue to use my address for your communications or if he prefers
to use his at hotmail. He comes from a strictly non military background, so
none of his relatives or children have the understanding of the closely knit
bond formed between brothers in uniform. I believe communication with his
brother pilots would be great for him at this point in time.
I realize you are a busy man, and ask forgiveness for the length of this
email. Wanted to inform you of what is going on with Jerry, though, and ask
you to please, please add him to your prayer list. We are both very
spiritual, but not religious. Being widely traveled, we embrace bits of all
religious preferences....which are amazingly the same. Jerry is a wonderful
man. Your prayers, and those of any of the pilots who choose, will be so
gratefully appreciated.
Thank you for your time. Also, thank you for giving of yourself to our
Country. People like all of you who have served are what keep our Nation
free, and I thank our Creator every day for all that you all have done.
Being in communication with you all is beneficial to me, as well as to
Jerry. May our Creator bless each and every one of you and your families?
I am certain that Jerry will not mind if you choose to share the information
of his battle with cancer.
Sincerely,
Myrna
_______________________________________________________________
Association Needs a Board and some
Volunteers
At the present time all we have are 3 people who willing help track data,
history and news and provide this website and newsletter. We hope to take
nominations of those willing to take leadership positions.
Here is what we have now:
Newsletter Editor
and Webmaster for unit: Bill McDonald
Historians & Newsletter contributors: Jay Riseden &
Russell Layton
What we need filled:
Association President
Vice President
Board Members
Right now we are seeking volunteers to fill the positions of the
board. When the board members are established then they will select the
president and vice president. This is how we will start it off, later on
once it is established, we can hold elections if we wish and determine terms
and duties.
So volunteers for the Association Board are now needed. There no annual
meetings except at reunions. All communication will be by email and US Mail
and perhaps a rare phone call. The idea is not to create just another veteran
organization but become more of a loosely gathered group of friends;
fellowship is the goal and not bureaucratic structure with red tape,
politics, meetings and dues paying!
So come join us. We look forward to any and all feedback and we will share
it in our next newsletter.
In The Shadow of The
Blade - Vietnam Documentary
Several Tomahawks were able to meet and fly with me on old 091 The
Shadow Huey that was used for the film this past year. I personally got to
fly with Ben Powell (Nam 1967) and meet several others along the
journey including Mike Waugh (Nam 71 -72) who flew the old bird at
Angel Fire, New Mexico. I am looking forward to seeing the film premiere in
Austin, Texas on November 8th at the LBJ Presidential Library.
Arizona Connection
My old pilot Bob Codney and old crew-chief Bob Warner both live in the
great state of Arizona. Warner who got wounded his first couple of weeks in
the company (July 1967) has moved to Apache Junction. Codney (1967) who
works all over California and the west coast for airport support of some
kind, lives in the big city - I believe Phoenix.
Any news items can be sent to any of the editors of this newsletter.
Editors: Bill McDonald
angelnet@citlink.net
Russell Layton
Russellklayton@aol.com
Jay Riseden JRiseden@aol.com
See information on 128th Action Video
Click on video box BACK TO NEWSLETTER INDEX
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