To All My Vietnam Brothers
Dec 11, 2018 06:08:41 #
Jim70
Loc: Delaware
An d a Merry Christmas to you, sir! Thank you and welcome home - 50+ years later!
Dec 11, 2018 07:50:52 #
Yesterday I received some happy news that some might find interesting. I saw on Facebook where the remains of one of my squadron, HMM-265, pilots, Capt. John House had been recovered in Vietnam in 2015, along with two other Marines. I will try to paste the article rather than try to rewrite it. Let me say that Capt. House was one of the finest officers I had ever worked with. My twin brother, Dan, Capt. House and I were on a USMC rifle and pistol team prior to my squadron going to Vietnam in 1966. Capt. House and the other two Marines whose remains were found have been buried at Arlington National Cemetery. For years I have wondered what happened to him as I had also been scheduled to fly that day as a door gunner.
The remains of Captain John A (JACK) House II of Pelham have been recovered in Houng Phu Village, Vietnam, according to the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency at the Pentagon. Captain House was a Marine pilot whose helicopter crashed on June 30, 1967, almost 50 years ago.
Jack was the son of John and Dorothy House of Pelham and went through the Pelham School system, graduating from Pelham Memorial High School in 1957. He is survived by his wife Amy and son Eric, both now from Hawaii. In addition, his brothers Robert and Mark now live in Meridian, Idaho and Pelham, NY respectively.
Following High School, Jack attended Penn State and Oregon State University, where he met the love of his life, Amy. He enrolled in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps as a prelude to becoming a chopper pilot in the Marine Corps to follow his passion for flying.
By the time his training was complete, Jack was ready for combat, and assigned to “The Dragons,” otherwise known as HMM-265, a Marine Squadron of CH-46A Sea Knight Helicopters based near Da Nang. Many of the Dragons’ missions were to insert Reconnaissance teams into heavily protected Viet Cong strongholds.
On the fateful day of June 30, 1967, Captain House was flying 11 other Service Men into a Landing Zone, and received heavy enemy fire. He aborted the landing, but with the craft mortally damaged. He was able to fly a short distance with the chopper on fire and crashed into high tree cover on a hillside. Seven Marines survived the horrific crash and all testified in their debriefing that if it weren’t for the calmness, skill, and training of their pilot and brother Jack House, that they wouldn’t have made it out alive. Based on their reports, Captain House was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, in addition to other service medals.
The coordinates of the crash-site have been repeatedly excavated and searched over the past 50 years. Early this year, the Defense Department concluded its report that Captain House’s remains as well as two other Marines were finally found together and will now come home.
These three Marines will be buried together at Arlington National Cemetery. As of this date, the burial has not been set, but will probably be this fall.
Dennis
The remains of Captain John A (JACK) House II of Pelham have been recovered in Houng Phu Village, Vietnam, according to the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency at the Pentagon. Captain House was a Marine pilot whose helicopter crashed on June 30, 1967, almost 50 years ago.
Jack was the son of John and Dorothy House of Pelham and went through the Pelham School system, graduating from Pelham Memorial High School in 1957. He is survived by his wife Amy and son Eric, both now from Hawaii. In addition, his brothers Robert and Mark now live in Meridian, Idaho and Pelham, NY respectively.
Following High School, Jack attended Penn State and Oregon State University, where he met the love of his life, Amy. He enrolled in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps as a prelude to becoming a chopper pilot in the Marine Corps to follow his passion for flying.
By the time his training was complete, Jack was ready for combat, and assigned to “The Dragons,” otherwise known as HMM-265, a Marine Squadron of CH-46A Sea Knight Helicopters based near Da Nang. Many of the Dragons’ missions were to insert Reconnaissance teams into heavily protected Viet Cong strongholds.
On the fateful day of June 30, 1967, Captain House was flying 11 other Service Men into a Landing Zone, and received heavy enemy fire. He aborted the landing, but with the craft mortally damaged. He was able to fly a short distance with the chopper on fire and crashed into high tree cover on a hillside. Seven Marines survived the horrific crash and all testified in their debriefing that if it weren’t for the calmness, skill, and training of their pilot and brother Jack House, that they wouldn’t have made it out alive. Based on their reports, Captain House was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, in addition to other service medals.
The coordinates of the crash-site have been repeatedly excavated and searched over the past 50 years. Early this year, the Defense Department concluded its report that Captain House’s remains as well as two other Marines were finally found together and will now come home.
These three Marines will be buried together at Arlington National Cemetery. As of this date, the burial has not been set, but will probably be this fall.
Dennis
Dec 11, 2018 10:29:24 #
Dec 11, 2018 11:21:57 #
Dennis2146--Thank you for posting that article. Very moving. As a U.S. Army helicopter pilot who also crashed in Vietnam, but survived, I appreciate that story and the fact that Capt. House's remains were recovered, also that he was honored with the DFC. It is always heartwarming, although bittersweet when a serviceman's remains are brought home as in this case, yet it brings closure to the family. RIP D'ai Uy.
Dec 14, 2018 10:15:26 #
I don't have a beard but......
Thanks for making it back............remembering ALL the one's who didn't.
Merry Christmas to you, ALL of you and us.
Thanks for making it back............remembering ALL the one's who didn't.
Merry Christmas to you, ALL of you and us.
Dec 14, 2018 10:19:45 #
Holiday thanks to all those posting their appreciation for those of us who served in Vietnam. Have a very merry and blessed Christmas and a happy New Year. We are proud to have had the opportunity to serve our country.
Dec 14, 2018 12:01:10 #
Wingpilot wrote:
Dennis2146--Thank you for posting that article. Very moving. As a U.S. Army helicopter pilot who also crashed in Vietnam, but survived, I appreciate that story and the fact that Capt. House's remains were recovered, also that he was honored with the DFC. It is always heartwarming, although bittersweet when a serviceman's remains are brought home as in this case, yet it brings closure to the family. RIP D'ai Uy.
Thank you. Thank you as well for your service.
I believe it was a 1st Air Cav unit next to my squadron at Marble Mountain but I can’t recall the exact unit.
Dennis
Dec 15, 2018 14:14:55 #
I join you in wishing a merry Christmas to all spent aChristmas or two in Nam.(Phan Rang,66)
Al 615 TFS.
.
Al 615 TFS.
.
Dec 17, 2018 11:36:21 #
I missed the post the first time. I happened to be looking for something else and saw it. The words "Viet Nam" brought back a lot of memories...some good, some not so good. But it was a long time ago and painful memories dull somewhat over time.
Thanks to everyone that has ever served in the military forces of our great nation. And Welcome Home, Vietnam Vets.
Thanks to everyone that has ever served in the military forces of our great nation. And Welcome Home, Vietnam Vets.
Dec 17, 2018 21:20:53 #
Georgia Jack wrote:
I missed the post the first time. I happened to be looking for something else and saw it. The words "Viet Nam" brought back a lot of memories...some good, some not so good. But it was a long time ago and painful memories dull somewhat over time.
Thanks to everyone that has ever served in the military forces of our great nation. And Welcome Home, Vietnam Vets.
Thanks to everyone that has ever served in the military forces of our great nation. And Welcome Home, Vietnam Vets.
DITTO
Dec 18, 2018 22:51:57 #
Hard to believe it was over half a century ago! Merry Christmas BROTHERS and SISTERS!
Dec 19, 2018 08:19:37 #
Dec 19, 2018 10:30:41 #
Fifty years ago, today, I would have been in Vietnam for 15 days, getting my "in-country" checkout in the H model Huey. I don't recall that Christmas brought a big celebration, although the officers' club hosted a nice steak dinner along with a holiday happy hour. I'm assuming the NCO and EM clubs did the same. As usual, thought were directed stateside, hoping our families were having a merry Christmas in our absence. At least we didn't get hit on Christmas!! I can't say as that was true for the guys out in the field. Anyway, Happy Holidays to all my brother Vets out there who have served and who are serving. And let's keep the "V" in Vet/Veteran a capital V. Thanks for starting this thread Hueydriver. Dang I miss that helicopter.
Dec 19, 2018 16:12:20 #
Fifty years ago today I was arriving home from Navy Boot Camp, Great Lakes, Ill. Jan 4, I reported to Jax Naval Air Training Center.
Dec 19, 2018 16:51:43 #
Sobering to think that half a century ago we were in a strange land (where we were hated by everyone), and today, at least in my case (I’ve been soooo lucky), I can experience Christmas surrounded by my loving wife, children and grandchildren. Many of our brothers in arms were not so lucky. Remembering them this Christmas and thanking the good Lord that, although old, I’m here and not there. Those of us who survived and were not maimed (mentally or physically) are indeed lucky men and women.
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