| 2010 Mail bag | ||
To
post a MAIL CALL entry please
email the webmaster at retcmsgtatatt.net ** Important
Notice: Previous Mail Bags: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Mail Bag When God closes a door he often opens a window of hope–Welcome to our newest 4th generation AC-119er, Samantha (Reffner) McFarland, weighing
in at 7 pounds 7 ounces, and 20* inches; great-granddaughter of our own 18th
SOS Gunner, Bill Reffner; grand-daughter of Bill Reffner Jr, and daughter of
Catherine (Reffner) and Anthony McFarland. Some of you may remember our
Albuquerque Reunion Banquet where Anthony got down on his knee and asked
Catherine "Will you marry me" to the tune of many "a-h-h-hs" and "o-h-h-hs" from the folks there (causing a few glistening eyes). Catherine said "Yes". Your AC-119 Gunship family. Thank You AC-119 Gunship Association from Frank Hill's Family:
Thank you from Frank Hill's Family for the Newsletter and Web mention,
We have forgotten to mention dad's other son Frankie Jr. I just wanted
everyone to know that he has a son to carry on his name. We lose another brother - Frankie D. Hill Sr died last
weekend from lung cancer. He was a Stinger Gunner in 1969-1970. He’s
survived by his daughter Debra Betterton and two sons. Urgent! Gunship Brother Needs Assistance – One of the benefits of being an AC-119 Gunship Association member is being able to get assistance with Awards and Decorations that are due our members based on their combat service. Sometimes those who could help us are no longer with us and we hit a wall. In those cases, we turn to you, our members and associates, with requests like the following one. If you know anything about this event, please send an e-mail with your information to our Awards and Decorations Manager Mac MacIsaac at: colmacmacatmac.com. Here’s the event we need help with: During a mission on August 11,1972, about 10 clicks South of DaNang AB, a Stinger gunship began firing at a known enemy position. In doing so it received heavy ground fire from enemy ground troops. The aircraft commander ordered all mini guns on-line, but the #3 gun jammed. Gunner Frank Bartlett Informed the aircraft commander of the malfunction and electronically removed the jammed gun to off-line status. While attempting to clear the jam a round, that had not fully chambered, exploded resulting in powder burns to his left eye. Dan McDuffie (Deceased) came to his immediate aid. The aircraft commander declared an emergency and returned to DaNang. The 18th SOS, Det 1 commander, Lt Col Teal, met the aircraft at the end of the runway and escorted Bartlett to the emergency room for treatment. The AC-119 Gunship Association Board Looking for an information source such as after action or mission reports or crew contact on a pair of AC-47's, Spooky 73 and Spooky 74, which provided fire support for me and a small force of Vietnamese popular and regional force troops during the nights of February 14 and 15, 1969. The aircraft were out of Bien Hoa and both Spooky 73 and 74 were on station over my small team providing flares and mini gun support for more than four hours on the night and into the pre-dawn of Feb. 14-15 1969. It just happened to be the eve of the anniversary of the '68 Tet Offensive. My former call sign was Linwood Stumper Two Zero Delta, and the action took place in III Corps over Tanh Linh subsector. Any info or contact would very much be appreciated. Another Brother Leaves Us Stingers, I thought you should know that my dad, Shelby Lucky (18th SOS), left us on October 7, 2009. I'm his son, also a proud USAF veteran, and I think the other Stinger crewmen would be glad to know he went out as he lived, with honor and dignity befitting an Air Force NCO and combat aircrewman. Dad's buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, and he's in good and honorable company there. Yours,
Web Kudos – Hey, great job on the website. I was just doing some searches and found it easily.
Very refreshing to read everything and viewed all the pictures. I
swear I smelled food being prepared on the streets of NKP while reading
and viewing the pictures. Anyone hear of the "Shadow Shooters Society" During a clean up of old papers I came across a certificate from the "Shadow Shooters Society" signed by the "Master of Saigon tea" to
Mr. T.A .Keary as an honorary shadow and member of the triple's. for operational
missions on 17th July 1969. Sad news of another brother's Last Flight MSgt Charles March,
Chief Fred March’s son, passed us the sad news that his father passed away and asked that we post his father’s name on our Last Flight list. We
do so with deep respect and prayers, as we join his family and friends
who mourn his loss but celebrate his life.
Fred retired from the United States Air Force as a Chief Master Sergeant where he served a bomb loader specialist, as well as serving two tours in Vietnam. MSgt Charles March remembers his Dad's pride as a Flight Mechanic/Engineer on AC-119Ks in the 18th SOS, as well as tours in AC-47s and AC-130s. After a proud and full career, Chief March purchased and ran two Laundromats, and his family remembers him as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother. A funeral service was held January 14, 2010 in the chapel of Emerald Coast Funeral Home, Fort Walton Beach. Chief March received military honors by the Hurlburt Honor Guard and local Chiefs paid their respects. The loss of another brother and reflections from his son We sadly received the following from Rick Romandetta about the passing
of his Dad and our brother Dominick, AC-119 Flight Engineer and Life
member #254. Rick’s words are far better than anything we can
add.
Born April
1st 1931 in N.Y., N.Y. he was 1 of 4 children raised by Catherine & Frank
Romandetta, who is survived by his 2 sisters, Teresa Deleo and Angi
Ferrar, and his brother Frank Romandetta. Meeting my mother,
Louise, in 1954, they were married a year later in Boise, Idaho, and
in the 54½ yrs that followed, their family grew from 2 children (my
sister Rusty & I), to include: 4 grandchildren - Stacy,
Lindsay, Kyle & Stephanie and 3 great-granddaughters - Allyssa,
Lily & Adrian. A New Life Brightens Our Fold Add one more to our AC-119 extended
family – “Uncle
Bill” Reffner’s Great-Grand-daughter! Congratulations from your AC-119 Gunship extended family Another Brother Lost We sadly inform you that Jeffrey A. Winter, of West Bend, Wisconsin
and formerly of Cedarburg, passed away on Christmas Day, December 25,
2009. He is survived by his wife Lynn, daughters Amy DiCristo and Tammy
Ellison. Jeffrey was one of our Stinger Gunners who often flew with “Mingo” Marsland and “Uncle Bill” Reffner, and proudly earned his Stinger nickname “Donkey”. Catherine Reffner (McFarland), Uncle Bill’s Granddaughter, tells us, “We can not let what he did in his life pass with him. He will be greatly missed by all of us. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Thank you to everyone for all that you have done over the years to keep us free.” For anyone desiring to send messages to Jeff’s family, please contact Catherine or Bill Reffner at cbscruffyatcomcast.net. Another Gunship Brother Passes On Newell Riley was born in Puyallup WA, May 23, 1947 to Newell R. Lee, Sr. and Stella (Mikus) Lee. He was an alumnus of Enumclaw High School ('64) and Central Washington University ('68) where he obtained his Bachelor's degree in education. Newell was an officer and pilot for the United States Air Force serving two tours in the Vietnam War. During this time he flew AC-119s (earning the Distinguished Flying Cross) and C-130s. He completed his service to our country achieving the rank of Major. Upon leaving active duty in '77 he moved his family from Hampton VA back to the Enumclaw Plateau. He retired from the state of Washington DOT/Aviation Division ('09) where he and colleagues were charged with coordinating searches for pilots of downed aircrafts across the state. He was a Royal Arch Mason with the Crescent Lodge #109 for 41 years, a volunteer firefighter with K.C.F.D. #46, where he also served as Medical Officer, and Valley Regional Fire and Rescue Dist. #44 for 30 years, a member of the VFW #1949, Eagles #1387, the Gold Prospector's Association of America/Lost Dutchman Mining Association, and WA Prospector's Association. His was a life of service, family, and community. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Sandra, and mother-in-law Amy Roché. He is survived by his wife Alice of Auburn, daughters Alicia Woods (and husband Michael) of Auburn and Danielle Lee (and husband Scott) of Bonney Lake, granddaughter Alyssa Lee, step-daughter Melinda Holder, fathers-in-law Charles Roché of Yakima and Bill Wesley of Auburn, and brother-in-law Chuck Roché of San Luis Obispo, CA as well as a multitude of cousins throughout WA, TN, and VA. Donations can be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the VFW #1949. Newell's ashes will be interred with his wife Sandra's at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA. A memorial service will be held at Crescent Lodge #109 in Enumclaw, at 11 am on Saturday, January 23, 2010. All are welcome. The family thanks Week's Funeral Home in Enumclaw for their services and guidance. http://obit.weeksfuneralhomes.com/obitdisplay.html?id=739601&listing=Current Webmaster note: our AC-119 Gunship Association sent a contribution to the Leukemia Society in Newell Lee’s name. THANK YOU VIETNAM VETS A Thank You to all Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we get from home. Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?" In my opinion, it all came down to one thing: Vietnam Veterans. I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated them so poorly back then. When they returned was even worse. The stories are nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us. After Vietnam, it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake. Somewhere during the late 1970's and on into the 80's, we realized that we can't treat our warriors that way. So ... starting during the Gulf War, when the first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treat our troops of today like the heroes they were, and are, acknowledge and celebrate their sacrifice, and rejoice at their homecoming ... instead of spitting on them. And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq. Our country knows that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we are all better because of it. Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve with here in Iraq. They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom. But when I get back home, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank every Vietnam Vet I encounter for THEIR sacrifice. Because if nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake and now we treat our warriors as heroes, as we should have all along. I am the beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice. Semper Fidelis, Major Brian P. Bresnahan Some History | The Gunships | Photos 
Copyright ©1998-2010,
AC-119 Gunship Association |
||
Fredrick David March
Dominick
Romandetta 
Jeffrey
A. "Donkey" Winter