I jumped into your Robinhood website with both feet looking for friends of
mine from a few precious days in Viet Nam. Let me explain.......

I was a Donut Dolly in Lai Khe from 11/67 - 4/68 and again from 9-68 - 12-68. I won't go into my experience here as a Donut Dolly, except just to say that it was perhaps the most defining year of my life. My days in country are still very vivid in my mind, but I can't say that I am that clear when it comes to everybody's names. (I do however refuse to believe I'm getting too old to remember.....so I just tell myself that I never really knew anybody's last name - ha!) Anyway, that's why I'm writing you.

I've set up a website for Donut Dollies and trying to find these girls has been quite challenging, so I can identify with your efforts to find the GIs. In going over your list I did see names of some I knew.....and in fact have pictures of a few on my website. You can go there if you would
like.....donutdolly.com. I've been looking for several pilots actually. We bacame good friends while I was there and I'd love to find them someday and know that their lives are going well. I thought perhaps you could help me find them.

Cpt. George Paul Russ was actually a Lt. when I was there. (Unless this is a different Russ) You have him as Crossbow 36 from 5/68 - 8/68.....which would be about the correct dates. When I left in April of 68 for Da Nang he was a Lt. so perhaps he was promoted.

Crossbow CW2 Bruce Peters was a sweetheart as well as Tom Stanley and many others. I'm not sure if your CW2 Cole is the same pilot I knew there. Could this be Tom Cole? We used to call him T.C. I seem to remember he and John....forget his last name right now.......were wounded sometime when I was gone and they were not there when I returned at the end of the summer.

I saw Cpt. Ron Baker listed, but not Billy Bunton.....a well liked Warrant Officer from...I believe Louisiana? 

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that all of the Robinhood and Crossbows were favorites of the Donut Dollies. The officers and enlisted men treated us with respect and were always fun to be around .....and very protective of us...all of them. And they will always have the my highest respect in return.

There was also a Major Jim Crowder who spent a lot of time with the Robinhoods. I believe he was a Nighthawk actually. Can't remember, but he was sort of a guardian for the little girls in blue. I haven't a clue how to find any of these guys, but thought you might be of help. Tom, Bruce and Lt. Russ were particularly good friends and by the way, if you go to my website
you'll see a couple of pictures of them. You'll have to check out all the scrapbook sections because I'm not sure exactly where they are, but I believe they are in the Misc. photo section which I'm trying to get changed to just the GI scrapbook.

It's quite interesting. I've been in contact with many DDs, but most won't send in their pictures. Maybe they don't want to be found.......I'm not sure!!! Anyway, please feel free to visit us. Click on each girls' picture to find out more and go through all the poetry and scrapbooks. I was also
wondering if you would like to link to our site and if we might link to yours. Perhaps we'll find more people that way.

I hope your life is going well. I came home from Viet Nam, thumbed around Europe with another DD for about nine months, and then married Steve Fortenberry who was an infantryman with 2/28 Black Lions in Lai Khe when I was there. I could never have spent my life with anyone who had not been in Viet Nam, I knew that. Steve later went back for a second tour as a
helicopter pilot and was assigned to the Robinhoods for a few weeks before transferring to the Tomahawks in 1970-71. We have two sons, both pilots themselves. Our eldest is an Army Chinook pilot stationed at Ft. Wainwright (Fairbanks) and our youngest son is a Captain for Horizon Airlines, a commuter airline stationed in Portland, Oregon. Steve and I just celebrated
our 31st anniversary and are living in Anchorage, Alaska. For two Californians it's taken a bit of adjusting but we're doing all right. Steve is a Captain for Japan Airlines and based here. We love the big open skies and mountainous grandeur of Alaska......but of course it's the King Salmon which keeps us here!!!

Well......thanks for spending all this time with me. I hope this fiinds you happy and well. And once again, I invite you to visit our DD website and want you to know I enjoyed going through yours as well. If you can be of any help in finding these gentlemen, please let me know.

My Best,

Patty Bright Fortenberry
Lai Khe Donut Dolly 67-68

MORE PHOTOS OF PATTY & OTHERS