This time of the year is always difficult for me. As a Vietnam helicopter pilot i have experienced first hand the death and destruction of combat. The loss of several of my friends and witness to the loss of life of so many nameless soldiers is on my mind on Memorial Day. I quickly learned not to get too close to the people I worked with because you never knew when one of them would not make it back to camp. Human nature, as it is, draws you closer to people anyway and those are the friends I think about now. The other day I found these names of guys from little old Tullahoma, where I lived in the early 60's, on the "Virtual Wall", and while I didn't know any of them personally I do understand the great loss felt by their families.
TULLAHOMA:
PFC GERALD DOUGLAS ANTHONY
PFC HOMER B BELL Jr
SP5 TERRILL EDWARD BRADFORD
PO2 FREDDIE RAY KELLEY
2LT KENNETH LEE KIRKES
SP5 WALTER DANIEL SMITH
SP4 RANDY NEAL WARD
1LT TIMOTHY LANE WORTH
I want to take this opportunity to mention a very good friend, Pat Fitzsimmons (Fitz), who was shot down and killed just one month after I went home. God rest your soul, Fitz.
I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend, and remember why we celebrate.
Tom Harney
CW4, AVN, US Army, Ret.
Class of '66, THS
TULLAHOMA:
PFC GERALD DOUGLAS ANTHONY
PFC HOMER B BELL Jr
SP5 TERRILL EDWARD BRADFORD
PO2 FREDDIE RAY KELLEY
2LT KENNETH LEE KIRKES
SP5 WALTER DANIEL SMITH
SP4 RANDY NEAL WARD
1LT TIMOTHY LANE WORTH
I want to take this opportunity to mention a very good friend, Pat Fitzsimmons (Fitz), who was shot down and killed just one month after I went home. God rest your soul, Fitz.
I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend, and remember why we celebrate.
Tom Harney
CW4, AVN, US Army, Ret.
Class of '66, THS
