Dick Davis: Little Old Ladies in Da Nang Can Be Dangerous
Doug Meffley2019-10-10T13:22:25-05:00One day in Vietnam, Dick Davis volunteered to lead a re-supply convoy out into the field. He ran into trouble from an unexpected source.
Melvin Copeland: Too Tall To Fly, a Tuskegee Airman Provides Support to the Red Tails
Doug Meffley2021-04-20T13:49:08-05:00When Mel Copeland joined the Tuskegee Airmen, he wanted to be a pilot. At 6-foot-4, they couldn't close the plane's canopy over his tall frame, so he became ground support for the fabled unit.
William “Del” Cathey: Putting A Country Back Together
Doug Meffley2019-10-10T12:20:11-05:00After the bombs fell on Japan and ended World War II, William (Del) Cathey and the 24th Infantry Division got to work building the country back up.
Gene Bednarz: From Chicago to China and Back via Peleliu and Okinawa
Doug Meffley2019-10-10T11:55:04-05:00Gene Bednarz enlisted after watching the film Guadalcanal Diary about the 1st Marine Division. Soon, he found himself attached to that exact Division in the South Pacific.
Joe Ayres: A Lucky Shot Earned Him a Spot
Doug Meffley2019-10-08T21:43:43-05:00Joe Ayres was a student at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College when the United States formally entered World War II. Two years later, he enlisted in the Army and played a role in three critical battles that helped end the war in Europe.
Thomas Zilla: Boy Scouts Prepared Him To Be Awarded The Bronze Star
Doug Meffley2019-09-16T12:05:05-05:00During his service in Vietnam early on during the war, Thomas Zilla had occasion to put his Boy Scout first-aid training to use to help treat a fellow soldier following an attack.
William Ziegler: An Alternate Reality
Doug Meffley2019-09-16T11:55:20-05:00Bill Ziegler remembers when he realized that Vietnam would be an “alternate reality.” In May of 1969, Bill arrived in country as an Artillery Section Chief, and he was being shot at before he could even get off the plane.
William Siska: Service in the “Brown Water Navy”
Doug Meffley2019-09-16T11:35:06-05:00“I know what it’s like to be shot at and missed.” That’s how Bill Siska described part of his experience in the U.S. Navy stationed in Nha Be, Vietnam.
Ronald “Buzz” Hunt: Serving with the Popular Forces at Hotel 1
Doug Meffley2019-09-13T11:31:25-05:00When his initial assignment in Vietnam proved to be too slow for his liking, Buzz Hunt volunteered for a company that conducted patrols to safeguard "Hotel 1," a job he did for 10 months.
Esther Gleaton: Be Careful What You Ask For, You Might End Up In Vietnam
Doug Meffley2019-09-13T11:20:29-05:00Esther Gleaton convinced her parents to let her join the Army so she could see the world, ending up with an extended tour of Vietnam.
Clelia Ginay: 98-Year-Old Navy Officer Recalls Early Life Challenges
Doug Meffley2019-09-13T11:00:50-05:00Early in life, Clelia Ginay experienced a great deal of misfortune, but she persevered. She said “My life started when I joined the Navy.”
John “Gene” Craig: Training Sailors and Educating Students – A Life’s Passion
Doug Meffley2019-09-13T10:50:45-05:00John "Gene" Craig was a crypto officer aboard the USS Mississippi when it was decommissioned, making him responsible for destroying all classified material on the ship.
Phillip Cirullo: Join The Navy, See The World
Doug Meffley2019-09-13T10:00:19-05:00During Phillips Cirullo's time in the Navy, he served aboard three different vessels. The majority of his time came on the brand new USS Enterprise, the first-ever nuclear powered aircraft carrier.
Thomas Chambers: A Chief Who Has Seen More Than Just Engines
Doug Meffley2019-09-13T09:44:41-05:00After four years of active duty in the Navy beginning in 1963, Thomas Chambers went on to serve 29 more as a member of the Reserves.
Richard “Doc” Campbell: Silver Star and Purple Heart Corpsman
Doug Meffley2019-09-12T11:44:39-05:00On August 7, 1969, Corpsman Richard Campbell's medical training, and valor, rose to the occasion.
Terry Cable: A Life Powered By Diesel Engines
Doug Meffley2019-09-12T10:44:54-05:00Terry Cable's tour of duty in Vietnam included time aboard the USS Satyr, a vessel equipped to repair the boats that patrolled Vietnam’s rivers and canals.
Jim Zwit: The Driving Force
Doug Meffley2021-04-20T13:47:25-05:00Jim Zwit calls it the driving force of his life. His memories, and his respect for the memories of the eight fellow soldiers killed one evening in Vietnam are too important to be anything else but the impetus behind the major mission in his life.
Gary Nelson: Gunner’s Mate On An Icebreaker
Doug Meffley2019-08-02T21:27:11-05:00Three times Gary Nelson has traveled to Washington D.C. with Honor Flight Chicago, each time accompanying a World War II veteran on this journey of thanks. The next HFC flight on August 7th, 2019, will be Nelson’s fourth, but this time it will be different. This time, he’s the veteran being thanked.
Charles Luhan, Jr.: Combat Engineer Becomes Santa Claus
Doug Meffley2019-08-02T21:16:15-05:00At his company compound in Vietnam, Charles Luhan, Jr., would fly the City of Chicago flag (which has four blue stars) when he had the chance. When he did this, his company’s compound would receive unusually more rocket attacks than normal. The company commanding officer told Charles, “Can you take down that four-star flag, they think you’re a General.”
Barbara Lloyd: Military Service — Just What A Family Does
Doug Meffley2019-08-02T20:44:25-05:00Barbara Lloyd was born into a family with a history of serving our country. Impressed with her brother, Ken’s, travels in the Navy, Barbara became “crazy about the Navy” which planted the seed of her serving in the military.