Captain Larry James Hanley has come home!

Captain Larry James Hanley, a MIA Vietnam Vet has come home!  I would like to welcome home another brother from “across the pond”.  He’s originally an US Air Force Jet Engine Mechanic from Walla Walla, Washington.

For some more background on the man, see the webpage here at the Union-Bulletin.com website.  For more information on his posthumous promotion to Major and of his funeral, please see the webpage here, also at the Union-Bulletin.com website.

It warms my heart every time I hear of another “brother-in-arms” coming home to finally receive the long-awaited peaceful rest he so rightly deserves.  May the good Lord receive him unto his fold and watch over him until once again he is reunited with his family in the hereafter.

Welcome home my Brother,

SparkChaser4

Another “Brother” home from Vietnam

From Military.Com – Jul 03, 2013

Soldier Killed in Vietnam War Copter Crash Buried

A Vietnam War soldier missing since his helicopter was shot down in 1970, was identified
and laid to rest Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dozens of family members gathered in Section 60 to watch a horse-drawn caisson deliver the remains of
Army Spc. John L. Burgess in a casket draped with the American flag.

 

Find the rest of the article at their website located HERE.

Welcome home, my brother!  You’ve done us proud!

SparkChaser4

Memorial Day Wish

Hi everyone, I’ve been rather busy around the house working on many projects including collecting donations for my local Veteran’s of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post in Hillsboro, Oregon by way of Poppies.  As one of many Veterans, I had to stop long enough to make this heartfelt wish.

To all my brother Veterans whether you are still active, retired or simply an honorably discharged Veteran like myself; I want to wish you my deepest thanks and blessings to all that have chosen to serve this country when she needed us the most.  And to those of our brothers who never returned, may you be at peace and may the good Lord watch over and keep you until once again we are all reunited by his side.

For this last group I must say this, that they indeed are what are called true heroes and as quoted from the Holy Bible:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  —John 15:13

Blessed be our warriors and heroes . . .

SparkChaser4

Another “Brother” comes home

This article originated on Military.Com here.  (Check the Military.Com website for further comments about our returning Captain.)   We welcome another “Brother” home at last!  Welcome Capt. Campbell, you’ve long since earned your rest. 

The remains of a U.S. pilot missing since the Vietnam War were identified as those of Capt. Clyde W. Campbell of Texas, the Defense Department said Wednesday.  The department’s POW/Missing Personnel Office said in a release Campbell’s remains would be returned to his family. He is to be buried with full military honors Thursday in Arlington National Cemetery.  The Air Force pilot, who was from Longview, Texas, was flying an A-1J Skyraider that crashed March 1, 1969, while carrying out a close air-support mission in Houaphan province in Laos.

Peace be upon him in the name of our Lord Almighty.

SparkChaser4

National Moment of Remembrance

On this Memorial day show your appreciation for your freedoms earned by the blood of your Veterans.  Check the link below and don’t forget to set your alarm for 3:00 PM, May 28th, 2012!

Link: http://www.usba.com/remembermemorialday/

Bless all the Soldiers that have served or are serving this nation. You have done well, my brothers!

SparkChaser4

Another brother Vietnam Veteran comes home!

Image via Wikipedia

The remains positively identified as Colonel Leo S. Boston have returned home from Vietnam. He had gone down in April 27, 1966 in his A-1H Skyraider plane and will be laid to rest at the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs. See the complete article here. May the Good Lord watch over him and his family during this belated period of closure. God Bless!

SparkChaser4

Vietnam War airman’s remains identified

Missing Vietnam War airman’s remains identified

This article from CNN in full print found here.

By the CNN Wire Staff – June 8, 2011 5:53 a.m. EDT

(CNN) — The remains of a U.S. Air Force pilot listed as missing in action since his plane crashed in Laos in 1967 have been identified, and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors, the Defense Department’s POW/Missing Personnel Office said Tuesday.

On June 21, 1967, Capt. Darrell J. Spinler was piloting an A-1E Skyraider — a propeller-driven, single-seat aircraft — attacking enemy targets along the Xekong River in Laos when villagers reported hearing an explosion before his aircraft crashed. The pilot of another A-1E remained in the area for more than two hours but saw no sign of Spinler.

In 1993, villagers who witnessed the crash told a joint U.S.-Laotian team led by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) that Spinler’s body was on the river bank after the crash, but that it likely washed away during the ensuing rainy season. The team surveyed the location and found wreckage consistent with Spinler’s aircraft.

Note:  During my time over in Asia as an aircraft electrician, I worked on many of the A1-E Skyraiders there. They were referred to by the call-sign of “Sandy” by the men on the ground and we repair crews, and were thought of highly for their ability to loiter for long periods of time while providing necessary ground cover to the men. Please welcome home at last another “lost brother”, Capt. Darrell J. Spinler.  And may God bless him and his family, and give him the peace he’s rightly earned. Amen.

Hand . . . Salute!

SparkChaser4

Arlington Cemetery update . . . again?

For those of you keeping score, this is my fifth update since my original post on June 11th of last year.  All about the ongoing screw-up happening at our national cemetery on misidentified graves.  They are dated: June 11th (the original), June 21, July 27, August 4 and September 21.  If you’re curious or need a refresher on these postings, just do a search on this blog for “Arlington Cemetery”.
 
Back to the update from:  VFW Magazine,  March 2011 Issue

Law Forces Accounting at Arlington

A law enacted in December seeks to ensure better management of Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Public Law 111-339 requires the Army secretary to provide Congress a full accounting of all 320,000 graves and an evaluation of management practices at the Army-run cemetery.

According to the House VA Committee, the law requires a report by Dec. 22, 2011, that includes notification of any gravesite discrepancies, an accounting of all contracts and a status update on implementation of recent Army directives.

I guess we’ll see come Christmas time if they accomplish their goal or not.  I hope they’re successful as it will help to put the hearts and minds of many families to rest, finally. May He watch over them forever!

SparkChaser4

Vietnam Vets – please don’t forget!

Every so often someone will ask me about my time in Southeast Asia. How can I condense two tours and the resulting thoughts and emotions for the last thirty-nine years down to a few measly sentences. Some of my brother Vietnam Vets in Michigan that are willing to talk of it, also have a similar problem. Most prefer to say nothing at all and to be left alone entirely on this subject. I have been social at times but as in this video here states, I too like my quiet times alone with my own thoughts.

If you would like to understand a little more about us Vietnam Veterans, you might learn something from the one mentioned here. You can also check out their website here and even help them out too, if you will. If so, I would like to give you my and my brothers, eternal thanks for your help and may God Bless You!

SparkChaser4

1st Lt. Robert Franklin Dees remains return home.

A Korean War Veteran returns home after more than fifty years being lost in combat.  He has finally been found after confirming by DNA evidence and has been returned to his family for burial.  More details can be found at the Military.Com news article listed here.

All I can say is this, may he find at last the peace that he has so rightfully earned!  And may the Lord watch over him now and always during his eternal slumber. Amen.

SparkChaser4