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2008 DC Reunion Registrations
Needed Quickly if Attending!
FINAL DEADLINE is AUG 28th!
Get Yours In TODAY!
It is now time to send in
your Reservations
to attend. Keep an eye on your
e-mailbox, too!!!
Your Reunion Committee
Frank (Slapper) Sovich, Chmn.
Mick (Gipper) Gibbar
Bob (Redeye) Harris
Don (Over) Mercer
Dave (Zeke) DeKoker
Letter from
Rustic Wait-a-Minute (42)
Dave,
You are always sending out
good stuff and I enjoy it. Sometimes
I think back to what we all did and what it took in our day to earn one Air
Medal. As I recall, it was twenty
combat missions 120nm or more from “home”, with a 1-50,000 map, at night with
an antiquated Starlight Scope or a $15,000 "Coffee Can", where, at times,
the only thing lighting the pitch black Cambodian night was the sparkle of
small arms or the red/orange tracks of tracers. I'd say we earned every one. But over the years, I've noticed the Air
Medal, typically associated with combat, has lost that luster and
significance. The overuse of this
award in peace time has diluted the value and meaning it was supposed to
represent.
I was cleaning out the
garage today and came across a paper I thought you'd be interested in. It was issued by the Headquarters, IX
Troop Carrier Command, on 15 November
1944. Here's the meat of what it says
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"Section II: Awards of the Air Medal
........Headquarters, United states Strategic Air Forces in
Europe, subject: 'Awards and Decorations', dated 8 Sep 1944, an AIR MEDAL is awarded
to the following named officers, organizations and residences as indicated,
for the meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flights during
the period 17 Sep 1944 to 23 Sep 1944.
As Troop Carrier glider pilots, these officers demonstrated
exceptional airmanship and resolution in the execution of missions vital to
the vertical envelopment of enemy positions in Holland. Piloting their gliders over extended
routes in difficult weather, and braving hails of flak and small-arms fire,
they formed part of the vast glider armada which successfully landed
thousands of airborne troops and huge quantities of combat equipment and
supplies at designated objectives behind enemy lines. Their outstanding
achievements in the greatest operation in military history reflect the
highest credit upon the military forces of the United States."
A single Air Medal, but
what it represented was the heroism and perseverance to preserve the free
world. The operation referred to
here is "Market Garden".
The first name on the list, 1Lt. Clyde M. Litton.
Before Market Garden, he
was at Normandy and, like others, went on to volunteer for the Christmas
mission to resupply Bastogne, taking in ammunition and being
"snatched" out with wounded onboard. For all of that, his uniform,
neatly pressed and stored in a steamer trunk, has simply one lonely ribbon,
but what a story it tells.
By the way, he is still
around. The stories would make a great movie.
John Litton - Air Unit
Manager/Supervisory Pilot
Lancaster Aviation Unit
Regional Aviation Group
USDA-Forest Service
Thanks
for the letter John, and thanks for allowing it to be published.
– Webmaster Zeke
Night Rustic
Website Activated Since
Oct. 4th,
2003
YOUR INPUT IS ALWAYS REQUESTED!
Please send all news items
of significant events in your life if you would like them posted here.
The site is hosted and designed
by webmaster Dave (Zeke) DeKoker of Absolutely Graphic!
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R-30 Requests Rejoin!
A previous O-2A driver has recently contacted us and has
rejoined the formation! Some may
remember Tom (Jammer) Jamrosy from the later months of the Bien Hoa
operation. Rustic 30 was his call
sign and he served in our mission from April thru July of 1971. You can find his contact information here on the site.
WELCOME BACK, JAMMER
30!
Ever Wonder how our O-2s got to SEA?
Click here
to read this
amusing account as written by Colonel Wood.
Night Fighter Turns Poet and Author
Order yours today!
One of our own, Don (Over)
Mercer, Rustic 41, has now been officially published and should be commended
for his tireless efforts to become a writer. His first book is in print and
is titled Inverted Flight, A
Collection of Verse. A large part of the poetry he offers
here has been inspired by the events and emotions of the year Don spent in Vietnam
serving both his own country as well as the Cambodian nation. Many of
the poems he has provided us include a prominent appreciation for his love of
flying, for his comrades in arms, the honor of serving, and for beloved
comrades who were lost.
Click here for more detail
and how to purchase Inverted Flight.
We understand that Don is
also deeply into the process of writing two more historical books, one on the
Top Secret Night Rustic Mission and the second on the Rustic Mission as a
whole. We all eagerly await those, Don.
Still Looking - Still Looking, Calling Night Rustics!! We need your Tour photos
Photographs taken during
your SEA tour are needed for posting in the Photo Gallery on this
website. If you have a scanner,
please scan your photos singly or in gang sheets. Save your prints into a .jpg or .bmp format and send as an
email attachment to webmaster. Send
your best stuff, B&W or color.
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Mike Thrower Retiring….AGAIN?!
Now twice retired-- Air Force Lt. Col and
Captain, American Airlines-- Rustic Chunk rides off into the sunset. (Notice the Night Rustic unit patch on right breast of
jacket and "Competitor South East Asian War Games" patch on the
left.)
Rustic 34, Bill Carruthers Airborne!
Bill (left), poses with their primary Mohawk pilot, Brad
Gibbs. A few weeks ago, Bill was
offered a ride in this machine, which is part of the Carolina’s Aviation
Museum. The museum has two OV-1D’s
and since Bill has known Brad for about 25 years, it was possible for him to
get offered a ride. Bill thoroughly
enjoyed the flight.
Bill put it this way, “Dave, I
would like to say that I "flew" the Mohawk, but this was a single
stick version. But in the usual meaning, I was in the right seat, which
considering my flight status in the last 5 years (being grounded) was great.”
Zeke and other Night Rustics may recall working with these
Army flyboys in Cambodia in the dark of night. As he recalls, high-tech Infrared (in those days) was used on
these birds to locate enemy troop concentrations through triple canopy jungle
at night.
Here is the link for the museum. http://www.carolinasaviation.org/flying_aircraft.html
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