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Previous
Mail Bags: 2005, 2006, 2007
2008
To my gunship brothers and fellow members -Your kind and thoughtful expressions of sympathy are deeply appreciated and gratefully acknowledged for the gift to Covenant Hospice in Jeannine's name.
Thank you all for your prayers, phone calls, and e-mails. I appreciate each and every one of them.
Brother
Gus
A
heartfelt Thank you – The family of Barbara Jeannine Sininger and
her husband, Gus, would like to express our gratitude to all of you
for your many kindnesses." Your
prayers, your cards, your flowers, your visits, your gifts of food; all
you did was greatly appreciated. We hope you will continue to remember
us, especially Gus, in your prayers during this difficult time.
We have lost someone truly special but will never forget. She will live
in our hearts forever till we meet her up in heaven, there never to be
parted again. So wait for us dear Jeanie, we are homeward bound.
The Family of Barbara Jeannine Sininger & "Gus"
Daughter: Lee Ann Vaughn Whitaker
Daughter: Brenda Pelloni
Son: Jerry Vaughn, Jr.
Sister: Hilda Campbell
4-16-08
Mini-gun
pins Sold Out but more can be made available I just sent out
the last of the minigun pins from the first order. If there is still
interest please send me your name and I will keep a list as I need
to order 50 pins at a time. Let me know if you are interested and I
will order more when we get close to 50.
Send no money now.
Thanks
Mike Traynor
18th SOS
mike119gunneratverizon.net
Hello to all 17th/18th Gunshipers: Some news of interest to all Association folks.
My
wife and I have moved into the Air Force Enlisted Village Ft Walton
Beach Florida in Sept last
year after a combination of health concerns of both of us dictated
that we should sell our house in Corpus Christi Texas. By the
way, if any of you have not seen the AFEV you ought to take the time
at our reunion in 09 to visit. If you need transportation and a tour
of the facility just contact me. You would not believe how great living
here is. I recommend to all enlisted folks to check it out and
at least get on the waiting list.
Anyway,
while here in the village , I have noticed that there are different
photos of Viet Nam era aircraft hanging in the village rec building
and didn’t
see any of our AC-119 Gunships. I contacted the village director and
asked if it would be possible to hang one of the lithograph photos
of the G-model 119 and I would donate it.
While
the director thought it over, I called Jim Terry in California and
asked his opinion to my thoughts. He said it was such a good idea that
he suggested that I call Wayne Laessig and see if the Association would
donate the lithograph. Much to my surprise, after contacting other
Association Officers, Wayne said the Association would donate the lithograph
of the G-model Gunship with one requirement—we
need to, if possible, have a lithograph of a K-model
Gunship to hang along the side of the G-model. Without
thinking I knew that it should have been that way in the beginning.
Since my conversation with Wayne, and further contacts with the Director
of the Air Force Enlisted Villages, we are now going to have a big
presentation to the Villages with dignitaries such as the Commander
of the 18th FTS L.t Col. Jon Peck assigned at
Hurlburt Field here in Ft. Walton Beach and other local dignitaries
with news coverage. This will go a long way with PR for both our organization
and the Air Force Enlisted Villages. I feel that where ever we can
get a chance to educate/promote to the public our history, especially
to our own young Airmen of our Air Force, we should take that opportunity.
As I travel around the local area, Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Fld, it is
amazing how few people knew of our existence. Anyway, God Bless All
and see you at Branson MO for the 08 reunion.
Garry Gourley
17th SOS FE Tan Son Nhut 70-71
Staying
in touch: In case anyone would like to get in touch, I've changed
to davidgalvanatbtinternet.com
Gunner; 17th SOS, 20th SOS, 415th SOTS, Credible Chase.
Thanks,
Dave
I sure would like to make contact with Ben Collins and Terry Bott if
you have any information on them I sure would like to give them a call.
If you could put this on the gunship web site so maybe they could
contact me, I sure would be grateful. I Would like to thank them for
bringing us all home safe and sound. Ben always left it up to the whole
crew whether or not we should go back in over target when we were under
heavy antiarcraft attack. I remember we had lots of party's together
after missions, I think we are all thanking GOD that we made it back
safe and sound. Sometimes I don't remember alot of things from over
there, and then something happens and I go oh yeah I remember that.
I didn't talk about it for years but now I think I'm ready.
Bob Hamorsky, Joe Alvarez and myself have been talking about this
year's reunion to see if we can work it out for all of us, you know how
that goes. We would like to all go together so we can all see each other.
I have seen Joe several times over the years as he lives in Citrus Heights,
CA right near Sacramento. He's been up here and we've been down there.
Now Bob lives in Springdale, PA. Although we have not seen each other
since Vietnam we do talk all the time. We have never shared pictures
or anything, just talked, so everytime I talk to him I still picture
him in my mind like he looked in 1971.
Steve McCloskey, Tom Nolan and Ron Dreuri I have lost contact with. I did talk
to Ron years ago but then lost contact.
Bill, thanks for listening to me and staying in contact. If you have any information
for me on Ben or Terry I would sure like to talk to them and thank them.
Your Friend,
Dan Jensen
262 Pioneer Road
Connell, WA 99326
jbooksateltopia. com
509-234-3838
To
all those who served with Pollman's Pirates:
Hello from Knoxville, TN from that idiot from the back of the plane!
Yep, it's John Coates, left scanner/gunner/packanimal. Recently
I read the note from Frank Bartlett, and after talking with Frank, was
able to contact Dickie Pollman.
After spending some time away from the USAF, I resumed my illustrious
carreer with Naval Air, retiring as a SCPO after a combined total of
22 years. Through a mutual friend, I met a retired dentist from Knoxville, who, despite being a dentist, is a fine lady and writer. We
live in the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee.
I am enternally grateful to Frank, Dickie, and the rest of the fine people of the 18TH for keeping me alive so I can enjoy the life and wife I now have.
Melinda and I are looking forward to joining the rest of the pirates and air gangsters this Fall in Branson.
John Robert Coates
865-588-7780
jrcpennyatyahoo.com
Illness
in the family– We have received word that Gus Sininger's
wife Jeannie has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I know I don't
need to remind anyone what a workhorse fellow crewmate and charter association
member Gus
has been for us. Always, right there beside him has been his wonderful
wife jeannie supporting him as he faithfully supports us. Please
join me and the rest of the Association officers in keeping
Jeannie and Gus in your thoughts and prayers as
they travel through this diffcult time.
Your
Webmaster
Attention
all 71-72 Stinger Crewmembers – My Name is Frank L. Bartlett.
I was a Lead Gunner out of NKP, assigned to DaNang for 11 months, mostly
flew with Capt. Polman, as Polmans Pirates.
I have lost all records (everything) that accounted for all of my
flights. I wanted to make it part of my DD-214. I logged over 200 plus
combat missions and would like to know if anyone has a record of the
flights that I was on as a Gunner. I also flew missions at An Loc .
If any one has a frag sheet, FORM 93, or anything
that contains my name, I'd appreciate getting a copy very much. I was
there in the Nov 1971 to Nov 1972 time frame... give a month or two.
Also, on a mission South of DaNang we made an emergency landing
and Col Teal took me to the emergency room because a mini-gun round
exploded and I received power burns to my eyes. Dan McDuffie and, I believe,
Gus Sininger were aboard.
I am applying for a purple heart from that
mission and require flight crew supporting statements to use as supporting
documentation.
All help is greatly appreciated.
Much Thanks.
Frank L. Bartlett (SMSgt Ret)
602 154th Circle
Bonner Springs, KS 66012-8211
913-724-2118
snfbarts(at)sbcglobal.net
PS don't
forget to change the at for @ in the email
address.
OK
you Yankee Air Pirates you, two short up-dates:
1) NOT FOR YOU....you are too old to 'give-a-shi_' - this for your
kids/grandkids who may(?) think you are 'very special'. LEU's Handicraft Co.
(address below) makes the worlds best sets of MILITARY RIBBONS - both
the current USAF Chief & Vice-Chief wear them....they guarantee their
work
100%...i.e.. If you do not get exactly what you ordered.....they will
'fix'/replace it! They have an 'easy-order' web site.....GO LOOK AT IT! Dig
out your 'old' DD-214....all your ribbons should be on there (unless you got
some 'after' your DD-214 was issued.
Leu's Handicraft Co.
P.O. Box 521
No.1-2 Lane 23 Han Sheng E. Road
Pan Chio City, Taipei, TAIWAN
PH: 886-2-2259-0152
Fax: 886-2-2257-2122
E-mail: leuhandatso-net.net.tw
Website: http://www.ribbons.com.tw
2) I have a copy of a 1hr+38min DVD of a C-82 ('baby' $1.19) landing at the
Hagerstown Air Museum, PA. - IF(?) you would like a copy, send me your
name/snail mail address - I'll get my son J.P. To 'burn' you one....may cost
a buck=beer or two to handle the shipping.
Luck & Cheers & Happy New Year
Col Mac
I was searching C-119 aircraft and came across the AC-119 Gunship website. I have enjoyed going through and reading about all of the events.
My connection to the Shadow program is when it started at Bakalar AFB, IN. We were activated and our C-119's were then converted to the AC-119 at Fairchild in St. Augustine, FL. I was in the Electronics field and was desginated as one of the inspector's who accepted the aircraft as AC-119's. I went many of a trip down and back with Capt Doc Evans during this conversion time.
We were then transfered to Lockbourne AFB, OH. From there we faired the planes to Vietnam, in three different locations. I was at Nha Trang AFB where I worked on the Night Obseration Scope.
Larry L. Hartog, CMSGT, Retired
lhartogatsbcglobal.net
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