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Here is the content of an email we received recently from JC sharing some of his latest medical issues.
March 6, 2021
My last drive
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Well, I guess I should let everyone know a bit about my memory. On Feb. 5th, 2021 while driving I had what some might call a seizure. In a conversation with my wife, she said I quit responding and still traveling down the highway eyes straight ahead and both hands on the wheel. Then it was off on the right-hand side into the ditch, off a tree, and into two of the units of a Storage Building complex. The wife was able to make it out of the wreckage in a short time but tells me it was maybe half an hour before I was to be extracted. After the hospital visit, we were released with only minor injuries. I have Zero Memories of any of this and the next several hours. The insurance adjuster said he quit when he reached $35,000 in damages. The car had only 7,000 miles but I got a new one free and clear. I am now no longer to be behind the wheel, NO MORE DRIVING. And I will tell you that having to have someone to drive you everywhere you have to go is not good. I am seeing numerous doctors (specialist etc.) J.C.
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Comments (8)
Next I will try and answer any questions. Also I hope you can and will share any of your mission activities here for others to read.
Running Short on Time, we need to preserve our part of history. I was 28 then and will be 83 in June.
And as always, That was the Best Year of my 20 year career because of My Crew (I am the sole survivor), The Aircraft, and The Mission we flew.
Hang in there buddy, you have been thru a lot.
1968/9 was a memorable year for me also, but can’t say it was the best, my tour at Wakannai Air Station was my favorite as a Linguist.
My most harrowing moments are etched in my mind and I live with those quite often.
I do miss those reunions at San Antonio and other venues.
Later,
Doug Milton
If you're in Bridgeport, TX you can have a free ride anytime. Your compatriots in the 362nd TEWS carried me safely in and out of Pleiku during all of 1969, so I'd be glad to return the favor.
Dallas Ward
We served for each other and for those on the ground who may have benefited from our efforts. Tom Angstadt
We are coordinating the purchase of an EC-47 Memorial Plaza paver for 362nd TEWS First Sergeant, MSgt Charley Vernon Neely. Here is some information sent by his son, Richard Neely. This was a different squadron than yours and he was a bit after your time, but wondering if you or anyone else reading this Comment ever crossed paths with Charley. He was the First Sergeant at the 362nd TEWS at Pleiku from 1968-1969.
More info from Richard Neely:
My father's career covered 27 years starting from the U.S. Army Air Corps (or Air Force) to the creation of the U..S. Air Force to his retirement in 1969 at Eglin AFB. He served as a tail-gunner on a B-24 with the 8th Air Force in WWII flying 35 missions (awarded the DFC). He served during Korea but to my knowledge never served in-country. While at Altus AFB (KC-135 SAC) he was wearing the Viet Nam Campaign (yellow one) ribbon.
A little about the son Richard:
Leaving Altus AFB we headed over to Walker AFB in Roswell, New Mexico. It was here, much to my parent's dismay, at age 18, I joined the U.S. Naval Reserves (enlisted in the Carlsbad Surface Division).
I attended New Mexico Military Institute for the year after high school graduation - which was a bad academic year for me. Enrolling in Moorhead State College in Moorhead, Minnesota where my maternal grandmother lived. I ran aground and finally, (lacking common sense or whatever) joined the Marines and made "meritorious" Private and went to Recruit Training at MCRD San Diego. Not doing very well in Radar Fire Control Tech school, I married and moved to the 2nd MAW at MCAS Cherry Point, NC where I became an Aviation Electrician. From there, I was caught up in a replacement draft and ended up going to Viet Nam in 1969 (to 1970) to VMFA-115 as an electrician and leaving days after VMFA was moved to Da Nang from Chu Lai.
Genealogy research of my family shows I had a cousin, Army PFC Gordon M. Gunhus, (Kenyon, Minnesota) who was KIA on Easter Sunday in 1970. VMFA-115 marked my departure by having rockets cook off one of the aircraft while parked in the revetments. I have more cousins who served in Viet Nam, but Gordon sticks out like a sore thumb.
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Respectfully,
Richard (Rick) V. Neely
USNR 1964-1967
USMC 1967 - 1989
JC, let us know if you knew of First Sergeant Charley Neely...or if you have stories about any other noted First Sergeant(s) in the TEWS squadrons. Thanks
Tom -