Gary and Ivy Robert,
Many thanks, Ivy for drawing attention to the WWII photo site.
The photos were compelling!
Very infrequently, my father would quietly pull out his navy blue book,
a small ragged Bible he carried in the chest pocket of his uniform,
or few photo’s of his days as a navy coxswain.
When he did, he was silent.
We, his family never intruded on his thoughts.
He shared more, somewhat in his later years……….age 55-61.
After, he lost his vision, he couldn’t see those mementos.
He’d packed them away, out of our questioning eyes.
He did reflect fondly,about many of the men he served with.
Some he spoke of with birth names, other’s with nicknames.
George Johnson, JC Pike, “Horsecollars”, and others.
When he talked about those guys it was usually some silly memory.
A funny story, a time of laughter they enjoyed together.
Perhaps that is another force the bond of laughing, which pulled them through.
He only kept in contact through Christmas cards with the Texan,J.C. and George,
a rugged Montana cowboy whom he met at Camp Farragut training.
They met as wide eyed young lads.
They watched each others backs throughout their time together.
They arrived back stateside as weary men with old eyes.
Dad loved those navy friends, he referred to them as closer than brothers.
He had a clear respect and depth of understanding with many veterans of the Dunseith
area. Kenny Tooke, George Gregory, his brother Emil Metcalfe,Andy Patenaude and others.
Veterans of Foreign Wars, were men who shared a common knowledge,
and a communication,where they didn’t have to talk they just understood.
Our family, still doesn’t touch many of Dad’s mementos.
We look and wonder…….
Thanks Ivy for sharing that site.
Vickie
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2/6/2008
Halloween time in Dunseith was a treat. Neighbors made homemade fudge, popcorn balls and caramel apples for our huge bags. KC Sine lived two doors down from us and Margie made great caramel apples. They got to know us kids pretty well and it was the first place we checked whenever our brother Jerry “ran away.” Margery made this irresistible with her treats. They knew my brother Greg was a little character and decided to play a trick on him for Halloween. He absolutely hated onions and would pick every smidgeon out of anything he suspected of having them. When we stopped at their house with our trick or treat bags, Greg got two caramel apples. We were all jealous since we only got one and he taunted us with this specialness by dancing around the house with one in each hand. With a face made to look like he was dying of pleasure, he took a big bite and tasted “onion!” The caramelized onion flew as well did a few bad words when he ran to rinse his mouth in the sink. We thought it was a pretty good joke and considered it special that KC and Margery would take the time.
Marge Landverk! We used to walk past your fenced back yard down our alley and gawk at the beautiful flowers in your mother’s garden. I have memories of being in your house and hearing a sleepy old clock tick. Somewhere, I believe, there are photos of you and my sister Janice sitting on the sofa in your very fluffy pastel prom dresses.
Paulette LaCroix
Again, thanks Gary!
PS.. What was the name of the guy who wore all the coats, even in the summer (not Sy) and said he wanted to go to the moon? He had a lot of kids and his wife seemed perpetually pregnant. They lived on the road to the dump grounds I think. I have loved hearing all these stories and memories. More and more I remember places and people that I thought I’d forgotten.
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Message from Bobby Slyter (70):
gary
General recognizes pilots for daring rescue mission |
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| Story and photos by Spc. Nathan Hoskins 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Air Cavalry Brigade |
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| BAGHDAD, Iraq (July 29, 2007) – The top U.S. general in Iraq presented awards to four Apache pilots for their part in the July 2 rescue of two other pilots downed by enemy fire during a July 27 ceremony in the Victory Base Complex here.
Gen. David Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Forces Iraq, honored the four pilots of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, and eight others who helped rescue the pilots. Chief Warrant Officer Allan Davison and Chief Warrant Officer Micah Johnson, both AH-64D Apache attack helicopter pilots for Company A, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, received Distinguished Flying Crosses. Davison and Johnson landed their attack helicopter in a hostile area and evacuated the two downed OH-58 Kiowa helicopter pilots of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade. Apaches only have two seats, so Johnson, the front seat pilot, let one of the Kiowa pilots take his seat in the Apache while he and the other Kiowa pilot strapped themselves to the outside of the aircraft and sat on the wings, said Johnson. “It looked like they were both in pretty good shape, but one of them kind of looked like he had been through enough, like he was a little shocked, as I would be, too. I told him to get in front,” he said. Once the pilots were strapped in, Davison, the pilot in command, took off and headed to Baghdad International Airport where the pilots were dropped off. While this was taking place, their Apache wingmen were circling above providing security. Those two pilots, Chief Warrant Officer Seung Choi and Chief Warrant Officer Troy Moseley, received Air Medals for their efforts. Although happy at being awarded medals and recognized by the top commander in Iraq, the pilots said their greatest reward was finding the downed pilots alive. “We’ve seen a lot of aircraft shoot-downs,” Johnson said in an interview after the rescue. “Every one that we’ve all probably seen, it’s resulted in burning aircraft and black smoke and usually catastrophic loss of life. If not loss of life, then there have been serious injuries. Just to see those two alive, it was amazing. It was great.” |