RIPPLE SALVO… #892… HUMBLE HOST SPENT SUNDAY IN THE HANGAR IN HARD DOWN STATUS … UTAH IS COVERED WITH CALIFORNIA SMOKE AND CLEAN AIR IS IN SHORT SUPPLY… SO I HOLED UP, LOAFED AND READ… In lieu of my regular RTR post I offer this…
FIFTY-ONE YEARS AGO THIS DAY… 13 August 1967… LCDR LEO HYATT and his RADAR/NAVIGATOR LTJG WAYNE GOODERMOTE were shot down while cruising their RA-5C Vigilante through hostile North Vietnamese sky about 20 miles south of the Chinese border at more than 720 knots. They were on their 33rd Rolling Thunder mission and were busy taking pictures when they were smote by enemy ground fire. Their big bird began shedding fiery feathers and an ejection at high speed followed. Both aviators survived the parachute descent with injuries and were quickly captured. LCDR HYATT suffered additional injury as he took a militiaman’s bullet as he tried to evade. Hello Hanoi Hilton and the start of a five-year, seven-month tour of duty as a Prisoner of War. Both LEO and WAYNE served with honor in Hanoi and were each awarded the SILVER STAR and LEGION OF MERIT with Valor device to top their other combat awards, including the DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS…
They were released from the prison in Hanoi on 14 March 1973 to resume distinguished Air Force careers retiring as Colonels and happy ex-Warriors. Shortly thereafter they were requested to submit a little of their POW experience for inclusion in a book project—WE CAME HOME— by Captain and Mrs. Frederic Wyatt, USN (Ret)… Here are the words and thoughts of LEO HYATT on his return to freedom and the land that he loves after more than 2,000 days and nights of inhuman treatment and total deprivation. Would that every American think of America and citizenship in our Republic as did LEO HYATT forty-five year ago… Humble Host has added a title to then-COMMANDER LEO GREGORY HYATT”s We Came Home oral history…
AN AMERICAN HERO COMES HOME … I quote…
“I am originally from New Hampshire. I graduated from the Naval Academy in 1957 and flew F-8’s in my first tour. However, I went to Vietnam in the RA5C and was shot down over North Vietnam on 13 August 1967. Injured in my left shoulder probably can not be corrected after so long a time nor will the 67 months of captivity ever be redeemable for me, my wife, or our two children. However, it was a small price to pay to help guarantee the freedom of millions of people in South Vietnam and the rest of Southeast Asia. Thousands paid the supreme sacrifice while other thousands were maimed. We Americans must learn to accept our responsibilities to mankind to do all in our power to keep men from coming under the enslavement of the cancer to man’s civilization–Communism. We must forever work to attain our goals through four responsibilities.
*Responsible Political Leadership–no more aiding or abetting or providing better propaganda for the enemy than he is capable of producing himself.
*Responsible Press– tell it like it really is but tell “both” sides and not just the sensational caused by the noisy minority.
*Responsible Educators– let us not allow the Communists to infiltrate our schools any longer and corrupt the minds of our impressionable youth, and at the same time, let us teach our people what America is all about.
*Responsible Citizens– use your right to vote, be proud and patriotic and quit being the silent majority. Our President and nation needs your support.
“While in captivity, I was surrounded by men who displayed such fantastic fortitude, honor and devotion to country that it was impossible to be otherwise. God bless them, our country and those Americans who believe in America and do not spend every breath criticizing her and trying to tear her apart.
“Let us make this country once again of the people, for the people, and by the people– the majority of the people– and give thanks each day that we were fortunate enough to be born Americans in the greatest, finest country in the history of man.” …. End quote…
RTR Quote for 13 August: NORMAN M. THOMAS, American Socialist who ran for President on the Socialist Party of America ticket six times, 1944: “The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But under the name of liberalism,’ they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing it happened…I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform.”….
Humble Host will get back to RTR tomorrow… Thank you for your forbearance….
Lest we forget… Bear