The next time you see a POW/MIA flag......

[raporte]

Think of Cpt David Nelson. Again, I took this from Atrox88's myspace webpage. I just feel it's worth the time to think about what we lost and what we do about it. The end os this story is most important and many are not aware of what went on in Laos. www.myspace.com/atrox88 In Memory of Joel C Hatley... Rank/Branch: E4/US Army... Unit: Company C, 158th Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne Brigade... Date of Birth: 24 October 1948 (Conrad KY)... Home City of Record: Albemarle NC... Date of Loss: 05 March 1971... Country of Loss: Laos... Loss Coordinates: 163850N 1061544E (XD425405)... Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered Category: 3... Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH1H... Refno: 1717... Other Personnel In Incident: Michael E. King; Ralph A. Moreira; David L. Nelson (all missing)... Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 September 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 1998.... REMARKS: EXPLOD - N RAD C - N SEARCH - J..... SYNOPSIS: [b]Lam Son 719 was a large-scale offensive against enemy communications lines which was conducted in that part of Laos adjacent to the two northern provinces of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese would provide and command ground forces, while U.S. forces would furnish airlift and supporting fire.... Phase I, renamed Operation Dewey Canyon II, involved an armored attack by the U.S. from Vandegrift base camp toward Khe Sanh, while the ARVN moved into position for the attack across the Laotian border. Phase II began with an ARVN helicopter assault and armored brigade thrust along Route 9 into Laos. ARVN ground troops were transported by American helicopters, while U.S. Air Force provided cover strikes around the landing zones.... On March 5, 1971, during one of these maneuvers, a UH1H helicopter (tail #67-17341) was in a flight of ten aircraft on a combat assault mission in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The crew of the aircraft consisted of WO Ralph A. Moreira Jr., pilot; Capt. David L. Nelson, aircraft commander; SP4 Michael E. King, door gunner; and SP4 Joel C. Hatley, crew chief.... While on its final approach to Landing Zone Sophia, and at the time the pilot should have been making his final turn, Nelson radioed that the aircraft had been hit in the fuel cell and that the door gunner had been wounded in the head. He then said they would attempt to return to the fire support base on the same flight path as previously briefed.... After the other aircraft had disembarked their troops and were on their way back to the fire support base, some of the other crewmen said they saw a chopper believed to be that commanded by Nelson burst into flames, crash and explode. As soon as the ball of flame was observed, attempts to make radio contact were made with no success. No formal air to ground search was attempted because of enemy anti-aircraft fire and ground activity in the area. All aboard the aircraft were declared Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered.... In 1988 a former officer in the Royal Lao Army, Somdee Phommachanh, stated on national television that he was held captive along with two Americans at a prison camp in northern Laos. The Americans had been brought to the camp at Houay Ling in 1978. One day Somdee found one of the prisoners dead in his cell. Somdee identified the American very positively from a photo. His name, he said, was David Nelson. Nelson was Somdee's friend and he would not forget him. Somdee buried his friend with all the care he would a cherished loved one, given his limited ability as a prisoner of war. Although Somdee has been threatened, he has stuck to his story. Nelson's family is grateful to know his fate, but outraged that David Nelson died over FIVE YEARS after American troops left Southeast Asia and the President of the United States ha

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[atrox88]

Thanks for posting this raporte. These guys are very near and dear to my heart. Joel is my cousin. He was just a few years older than me.

[sporty2003]

i'm sorry to say that is one story of many. in that part of that country.and i dont think we will ever do anything about it. and that is the shame of that time .some of us will remember the loved one's that got left serving there country.and there has been more since then.but it seems nobody cares it puts a hell of lump in my throat.and alot of us live day in and day out. with that in our minds.

[raporte]

Ya got me in tears again today. Well written, my friend!

ORIGINAL: sporty2003

i'm sorry to say that is one story of many. in that part of that country.and i dont think we will ever do anything about it. and that is the shame of that time .some of us will remember the loved one's that got left serving there country.and there has been more since then.but it seems nobody cares it puts a hell of lump in my throat.and alot of us live day in and day out. with that in our minds.

[Da Gumpmeister]

ORIGINAL: atrox88

Thanks for posting this raporte. These guys are very near and dear to my heart. Joel is my cousin. He was just a few years older than me.

Thank you, Ric, once again for the posts. Makes me glad at times, and sad at times. Glad that I have found others who STILL care, sometimes they are few and far between nowadays. Sad that the losses still go un-noticed by the masses.

atrox, don't know who did your airbrushing, and guess it wouldn't make any difference if I did. The other nite I caught myself just staring at it and crying for over 10 minutes. AWESOME power in so little paint.

I have posted it numerous times. Whilerestoring and building the chopper, I lost a very good friend to the infamous non-existent Agent Orange. Nancy, his wife, was devastated to say the least. It was then that the RWB paint job came into being, and the idea to turn the bike, Momma and me into a traveling reminder of those lost and left behind. Phase 2, the 78 FLH, black and chrome, POW-MIA is on the jack in the grudge as we type. God and $$ willing, it will roll this spring when the grass greens up.

Another great vid, guys. http://all-xfl.com/vietnam.htm

One of the things we do, is when $$ allows, we have business cards printed up, RWB with "The Wall" on the front, and on the back it has- #58,148 If you know or meet a Viet vet, Please hand them this card, andTell Them, "THANKS, and WELCOME HOME" Now have fun and N JOY your Freedom.

[jbnl163]

The thing that bothers me is how a country can just forget about their soldiers who were there representing the very people who are willing to forget about them.

If I'm considering going into the military, these forgotten (by the government) soldiers would weigh heavy on my decision.

[RoadKing62]

HI Ric, Thanks for posting this story,you make very greatuse of the forum to remind us that there is more to life than our bikes and toys. Hoping here thatwhenJohn McCain gets in office he will reopen the Mia and Pow issues. God knows with his background as a POW, if he doesnt open the POW MIA issue its done. In the Boston area a woman by the name of Maureen Dunn runs a road race and walk for the purpose of raising funds and awareness of the POW MIA story. Here husband was shot down over N Vietnam and never recovered. Hope you dont mind, but have included her road race info and her Tel number for information on the event. Its a great event with military music playing and all the free beer you can drink.

24th Annual POW-MIA Race/Walk For Freedom, South Boston, Ma., 5M Cert., 10 a.m, Bayside Expo, Flat along the water, race follows day boulevard, around skating rink and back. Food and drink, DJ, full EMT coverage, water stations, Spitler timing. POW-MIA Awareness Committee, Maureen Dunn, (781) 961-2110, Email:canasta404@msn.com

[mysticwolf]

I have never been in the service, but my dad served in the Koren war. I fly a POW, MIA flag, and think of thosewho lost there lives, or minds for every soldierevery time I see it. I worked with a guy about 20 years ago that served in Nam, and he's a great guy, still is, but there were times you would look at him and he would be in another world, and you could tell thats what he was thinking about, it was sad to see. I love my country[sm=americanasmiley.gif]BUT not my government

[raporte]

I see the government as not perfect, but by far better than most. We will always have differences and it seems we always waste money and such. But as a Vet when the call came I had no problem going. This was back a few years, granted. I also didn't have much choice as you were going one way or the other in the mid 60's. Anyway, my government called the shots.....good or bad.

[Kolni]

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