Posted on 10/26/2004 12:41:13 PM PDT by Republicanus_Tyrannus
October 31, 1969
Tay Ninh Province
This is when and where my brother died. He was just a kid of 19. His nickname was "Spider" because he was so lanky growing up.
I was five.
B/229 AHB #66-16650 SPADE 650
A/C was on a C&C mission for a battalion-sized operation. The A/C returned to base at about 0830 for refueling. When it departed, it carried the 1/12 CAV, command group and 2 arty FO's as PAX. At about 0930, other A/C in the AO heard a "MAYDAY" call from Spade 650 and watched helplessly as it went into a steep descent, crashed, and burned. Determined to be due to transmission failure.
SP4 Steve L. Escallier. Not a name to conjure up images to most anyone but my own family. Not one that evokes much from anyone, but my own family.
That's alright. We all had family, friends who served. Who died. Who were wounded.
But for me, I remember him playing Jacques Cousteau with me in the driveway of our house, while he washed it down, just before he volunteered. He volunteered because a friend of his in High School was afraid. Was a coward. Stevie wasn't.
I remember how proud we all were when he came home from basic, how much I missed my big brother and here he was! Tall, happy, and I remember the feeling of his uniform on my cheek as he hugged me.
I also remember that day the telegraph came, saying that he had been killed. The day I was worried. The day my father had to console me.
I asked, "Will they spit on him? When he comes home, will they spit on him?"
It was a terrible day. It only got worse when we found that the transmission problem which downed their Huey was under investigation to see if it was sabotage.
I never heard the evidence. All I know is that it was a possibility, a real possibility. My father was deeply angry for years, convinced that they simply couldn't find enough evidence to convict. And so he let it lay.
My brother died in Vietnam.
The protesters in San Francisco, in London, in Washington DC pulled the trigger.
They had poisoned the US to such a degree that a little five year old boy had to worry if his brother's casket would be defiled.
They poisoned America to such a degree that our own soldiers had to fear their own forces - there were traitors in-country.
They poisoned our country so much that we had to let it lay. We had to go on. We had to let it go, though we were not the ones to cause the rift. We who still believed in America were not the ones who spat on our veterans. We were not the ones who colluded with the enemy and gave aid and comfort to them. We were the ones who kept flying our flag, who kept quiet.
We were the ones suffering from the poison, and we kept silent so that America could heal.
35 years they stole from me. 35 years of hearing Vietnam described with such anger and such venom. The traitors never thought. They only looked for absolution, never repentance, and they got it from Carter in 1977.
It was to avoid a bloody civil war, according to historians.
It was too late. They already drew first blood.
Today I see that America is again suffering from these people. These treacherous snakes, filled to the tip of their scaly cold mouths with hatred for America.
They spew it forth, daily, hoping to see the same effect. Hoping that today, somewhere again, a little boy asks, "Will they spit on him? When they bring him home, will they spit on him?"
Thirty five years. They're back. Don't let them do this again.
Sorry, it is a vanity post. Hope I put it in the right place.
Oh, and discostu, a ping for you. Yeah, posted again. That's what, 3 times in 5 years?
Hey you're still alive! I was wondering about you when I drove by the old office yesterday, ask and ye shall receive.
I don't think you ever talked much about your brother, other than saying he died while x42 was hiding in Russia. I know this had to be hard for you. Stuff like this is why I always say, even if I wasn't conservative I sure as hell wouldn't be liberal.
Hey Boxsford, look who came out of hiding, the guy who introduced me to FR (important note to anybody out there that doesn't like me, it's all his fault ;) ).
Now, I'll go read the article or vanity or whatever it is....
Let's name names too-- John F. Kerry.
Amazing story RT and thanks for writing it and posting it. It is a significant sadness that a five year old even had to deal with such horrible thoughts.
Try not to be a stranger around here and answer your freepmail once in a while......regards
Someone not like you? oh, please!! ;)
Lump in the throat...tear inducing story....my your heart be filled with the wonderful memories of your brother. Thank you for sharing this important story of a true American Hero. Thoughts and prayers to your and your family.
bump for the morning crowd. This is why this election is important.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.