He made it to the rank of lieutenant and was on duty at the Pentagon on 9/11/2001. He survived that, too.
He was a good man, he treated me better than my own brother and I will miss him.
You served your nation well, Forrest, you will be missed by those who knew you.
Update: specifically he served in the 1st Aviation Brigade, 52nd Combat Assault Battalion, 361st Aerial Weapons Company. They called themselves The Pink Panthers, thereby predicting what Chip Ahoy was talking about, sort of.
14 comments:
You have my sympathy, SG. His job was a dangerous one. Over two thousand helicopter pilots were killed in Vietnam.
I'm sorry to hear that, Sixty.
Flew a hog.
Gutsy job.
RIP. Good men are hard to come by lately. My condolences.
Thanks to you all, especially you, AllenS - you were there. I cannot imagine the bravery required to do what he did, but those with whom he served all spoke very highly of Forrest. He was truly a hero.
Bummer. Condolences.
The gnarling teeth painted on the helicopter forced me to think of something heretical.
It looks aggressive, and I guess that is the point. The machine is designed to wreak havoc. It also makes it easier to shoot at. On the ground, the teeth make you want to shoot it out of the sky.
So knowing that, better to paint something your enemy will be spooked to shoot out of the sky. Something that will bother them. Something they worship, or something that your enemy has superstition about, like a turquoise turtle, in the case of Vietnamese. Something that makes them go, "Aw, shit. I can't take a shot at that."
I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for his service.
Sounds like your buddy led a good life and was a good man. I believe he will be peaceful in eternity.
Thanks, Spins, he did live a full life, and once he got home he was devoted to his family, his church and serving his community. I knew he was ill, but I was surprised at the suddenness of his death. He was an absolute character, as you might imagine a helicopter pilot to be, especially one who was shot down in action. Quite a character.
Funny how you can be closer to a brother-in-law than to a blood brother. I'm the same way. My real brother lives back in Wisconsin; my BIL lives in Hollywood, so there's the physical proximity. We also share an interest in beer, spirits, and wine. Plus we are both married to women who grew up in the same family. Family gatherings can revert to inter-sister squabblings. He and I stand back, amused.
Sorry for your loss. My only personal connection to Vietnam is an older cousin, Rick, who served as a gunner on combat helicopters. He came back to find that his wife had left him for a woman which came as quite a shock. He's still alive, though I rarely see him. His father, my uncle, who was a SeaBee in WWII is still alive as well. He must be in his 90s.
The helicopter war paint reminds me of that used on Flying Tigers in WWII.
@Chip: Think of the audacity of von Richthofen, who painted his planes red. "I want them to recognize and to fear me" was his thinking.
Sorry to hear about this Sixty. I just read it.
My condolences.
Remembering him and telling stories is just about the best way to honor his memory.
Thanks, Troop, he lived an amazing life, one that I cannot even begin to emulate.
As I sometimes say here, who's going to fill their shoes?
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