"Before news, mom feared for aviator"."

AJC ^ | 3/25/03 | MIa Taylor

[Vigilantcitizen]

A Lithia Springs aviator was one of two soldiers captured when their helicopter went down in Iraq.

Military officials said the helicopter flown by Ronald D. Young Jr., 26, and David S. Williams, 30, of Orlando, both Army chief warrant officers, did not return from its mission Sunday.

Young's mother said Monday night from her home in Douglas County that she had a feeling something had happened to her son.

"I've never had such an awful feeling in my life," Kaye Young said.

She was supposed to go to lunch Monday with her daughters, but she didn't. "I couldn't. I knew something was wrong."

Army officials arrived at her home about noon Monday to give her the news.

Iraqi state television on Monday showed two men said to have been the crew of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter forced down during heavy fighting in central Iraq.

Gen. Tommy Franks confirmed that a helicopter had not returned from a mission Sunday and that its two-man crew was missing.

Military officials said Williams has been in the service 12 years and has a wife and two children who live at Fort Hood, Texas, a large Army post. Young, in the Army for three years, is single.

"A small number of peasants shot down two Apaches" Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf said. "Perhaps we will show pictures of the pilots."

Franks denied that a second helicopter had been lost or that any aircraft had been shot down by farmers.

If Young and Williams are prisoners, they would be the second set of American POWs displayed by the Iraqis in as many days. On Sunday, the Arab satellite television station Al-Jazeera aired Iraqi television footage of five U.S. soldiers captured near Nasiriyah, a crossing point over the Euphrates River.

Unlike some of those soldiers, the helicopter crewmen shown Monday did not appear to be injured.

The two men wore cream-colored pilots' overalls and did not speak. They turned their heads and looked in different directions while being taped. One of them sipped from a glass of water, looking wary but not cowed.

The contents of one man's wallet were displayed across a table. They included a Texas driver's license, a card from the Fort Hood National Bank, phone cards and credit cards.

A Fort Hood spokesman said a helicopter from the 1st Battalion of the 227th Aviation Regiment was missing in action in Iraq.

"The unit was deployed in February," spokesman Dan Hassett said. "That's all I can really say right now."

Young left Texas for the Persian Gulf on Feb. 12 and phoned home about a week after arriving there, his mother said.

"He called to tell me he was safe and to tell me some things he needed," Kaye Young said. "He wanted an MP3 player and electric shaver. I started to cry as he hung up, and he said, 'Don't do that. I'll be fine.' "

Young, a graduate of Douglas County High School, studied mechanical engineering at Southern Polytech in Marietta before enlisting in the Army at age 22.

When his mother saw images on television of the downed helicopter, she looked closely at the symbols on the side of the aircraft. She said she recognized the vampire bat symbol of C Company of the 227th Aviation Regiment.

"There's only a few of those," she said. "I knew it was Ron's helicopter."

She said she thought it would be difficult when she saw pictures of her captured son on television, but in some way it has brought her a measure of comfort to see him alive.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this article.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Prayers for our neighbor and his family.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I second that.

[Vigilantcitizen]

We weren't introduced at the rally, but I've got a couple of pics of your kids. The CD they aren't burnt upon isn't in my possesion right now, but when I get it back, I'll send them to y'all.

[Vigilantcitizen]

aren't = are.

Dang fog of watching war.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

You have photos of my beautiful children? Wow! Well, it is definitely nice to meet you, then! Send them to me, when you have a chance, and thank you for sharing them with us. (Were you the man with the digital camera that was about the size of a deck of cards, a really tiny one?)

Best wishes.

[homeschool mama]

Prayers heavenward for these fine men...<><

[Vigilantcitizen]

"(Were you the man with the digital camera that was about the size of a deck of cards, a really tiny one?)"

Yes and I was wearing an old, worn, black leather jacket.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I saw you... question though. How did you know it was me, and Pan_Yan, with the kids? Or, did a little mouse tell you? :)

[Vigilantcitizen]

I overheard when y'all introduced yourselves to dansangel. I couldn't help but notice your lovely kids.

I was busy snapping pics, and I'm kinda shy, so I didn't introduce myself.

Good to meet you and glad to be a neighbor. ; ^ )>

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I just read your piece about the Navy Corpsman that you met at your place of work, and that he said he was wasn't a Marine. That he didn't feel worthy of standin amongst the heros of Iwo Jima. You are a good writer, that brought a tear to my eye. Your piece really reminded me of the importance of keeping it in perspective.

We must all remember that EVERY service person holds an important role. Every life is precious. One of the POW's being held today, is a chef, who then moved into working in the maintenance division (I think that is what I read, could be mistaken thoug)... she isn't a crawling-on-the-belly Marine in the sand. But, she is so very precious to us.

Best wishes to you.
Take care,
Pan_Yans Wife

[Vigilantcitizen]

"I just read your piece about the Navy Corpsman that you met at your place of work, and that he said he was wasn't a Marine. That he didn't feel worthy of standin amongst the heros of Iwo Jima. You are a good writer, that brought a tear to my eye. Your piece really reminded me of the importance of keeping it in perspective."

As much as I would love to take the credit, I am only a paid tool for the exhibit/tradeshow business. It's a job for me to compose a literate sentence, much less a whole article.

I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/598255/posts

My mistake. It is sometimes hard to keep articles and postings straight, since we are all somewhat anonymous on FR. Sorry for the confusion.

[Vigilantcitizen]

No apologies required. ; ^ )>

[FreedomPoster]

You sell yourself short; I know better. ;-)

Prayers for your neighbor.

[SuziQ]

She said she thought it would be difficult when she saw pictures of her captured son on television, but in some way it has brought her a measure of comfort to see him alive.

That's good to hear. We'll have to add the families of these captured soldiers and airmen to our prayer lists. They'll need mountains of strength in the coming weeks!

[SuziQ]

she isn't a crawling-on-the-belly Marine in the sand. But, she is so very precious to us.

Was that the young black woman in the videos that have been shown? Bless her heart, she looked scared, but determined!! God keep her safe!

[Vigilantcitizen]

Afternoon Prayers sent bump.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Yes... I read that earlier today. She looked so very frightened, my heart goes out to her. To think I slept comfortably in my warm bed last night, while she endured God-knows what. We owe the Coalition Forces so very much than we can ever repay them with. Their sacrifice is overwhelming.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Morning bump.