Posted on 02/24/2002 1:16:13 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
NEVER FORGET
...MEL GIBSON's new ..'BRAVEHEART' in 'Nam.. Motion Picture ..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. which opens this coming Friday, March 1, 2002 in theaters nationwide...
.. is .."Just OUTSTANDING" .. to coin the oft used phrase of approval of the Heroism of his Young Men fighting under heavy enemy fire for the then Lt. Col. HAL G. MOORE in the -Valley of Death- that was known as the IA DRANG of 1965 .
...This 1st Major Battle of the Vietnam War between American Forces and Invading North Vietnamese Communist Army Regular Forces was first fully reported in depth in the 1993 Bestselling Book...
..'WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE and YOUNG'..
...by now Retired Lt. Gen. HAL G. MOORE and by JOE GALLOWAY ...who as UPI's Vietnam War Correspondent was fighting right there along side MOORE at Landing Zone X-Ray, IA DRANG-1965.
...Preview showings of ..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. for we Veterans of the Battle of IA DRANG-1965 have been showing in select cities around the country the last two weeks ...as well as at the -Home of the Infantry- Ft. Benning, Georgia ..where the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) Story bagan in 1965 ...and at Ft. Hood, Texas ..its current Headquarters.
...I was first blessed to see ..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. with MOORE/GALLOWAY in attendance at the February 13th Ft. Benning Screening and then again last thursday in San Diego with a family member who said the Movie was -STRIKING-...!
...This Movie is about the Heroism of the Hero Soldiers fighting on both sides of this Battle as well as the Heroism the Hero Families who waited for them to come home or not.
...I -LOVED- THIS MOVIE.
...I -LOVED- being able to personally tell IA DRANG-1965 Hero Families at Ft. Benning 2 weeks ago that it's now America's turn to follow their example they set long ago as shown in ..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. in a new -Time of War- in a new Century ..with an Enemy that is now Within BIG TIME.
...Now everyone in America is going to be put in the middle of these Hero families' feelings of 1965. This could not have come at a better time in the aftermath of the Airstrike Attacks on US on September 11, 2001.
It was really something watching the IA DRANG-1965 Landing Zone X-Ray Battle Area firefights on screen and hearing the bullets just zing overhead by our ears out there in the theater thru a great Stereo Soundtrack.
...As I originally witnessed the Hell of Landing Zone X-Ray from our 7th Cavalry Field Radios and rapid firing Artillery Batteries at Landing Zone Falcon 4.2 Miles out ...I could smell the STENCH of over 1,100 Dead North Vietnamese Communist Army Regular Soldiers rotting in the Hot Sun ..but not the zinging of rounds speeding overhead. On February 13, 2002 ..I did hear them at the Ft. Benning Special Screening. And soon ..so will YOU.
...MEL GIBSON's 360 Degree surmizing of his dire Landing Zone X-Ray Battle situation that brought his Lt. Col. HAL G. MOORE to cry out .."BROKEN ARROW".. to his Radioman BOB OUELLETE for unlimited Airstrikes Support on his position from all over the Vietnam Theater ..is UNFORGETTABLE.
...MEL GIBSON's standing at the Vietnam Wall's 3rd Panel viewing our IA DRANG-1965 Killed in Action names was truly profound at the End.
...A silent IA DRANG-1965/WTC-1993/WTC-2001 Lifestaver Hero then..Lt. RICK RESCORLA.. picking up the North Vietnamese Communist/French Battle Bugle at Landing Zone X-Ray was very moving and now heralds the U.S. 1st Cavlary Saber ..Bugle... Call for our holding ACCOUNTABLE those who are truly responsible for the Sept 11th Attacks on US and HIM on American Soil.
..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. puts us all there in Battle as well as in the waiting Hearts at Home of November 1965.
...This Message of War and LOVE for each other at Home and away could not have come at a better for our Country.
...I -LOVED- being Blessed by GOD to suddenly be able to go to the Ft. Benning ..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. Special Screening ...after putting all in His Hands ... then personally wishing my Vietnam Commanding Officer Lt. Gen. HAL G. MOORE a Happy 80th Birthday under the ..'Iron Mike'.. Statue in front of Infantry Hall's Sergeant YORK Parade Field. We were like Young Soldiers together again with me carrying his Radio for him once more before the Battle of IA DRANG-1965.
...ALL UNFORGETTABLE -&- definately ALL IN GOD's PLAN.
Signed:..ALOHA RONNIE Guyer / Battle of IA DRANG-1965 / Landing Zone Falcon / www.LzXray.com
NEVER FORGET
...Live at 7:30pm tonight on the West Coast.
GARRY OWEN, Sir
A crisp salute to you, sir! An amazing day. I ran into an old sailor, a friend of the family, who was serving on the USS Ward during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He recounted his reunion in Pearl for the 60th Anniversary, and talked to 6 Japanese fliers who participated in the raid. An amazing coversation took place between the Japanese fliers, and himself.
I am always humbled to be around such great men, who fought without question, for the greatest country on Earth.
God Bless!
...Freerepublic.com's Home Page ..USO CANTEEN..
...is a great way to continue your great tradition, and of others, in supporting our Protectors Overseas...
...especially in -Time of War- in a New Century...
...with an Enemy is now Within.
...and ..'The Making of WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. coming up in 20 minutes on the American Movie Classics (AMC) Cable TV Network...
..-943- ..RICK RESCORLA.. Petition Signatures.
...That's just OUTSTANDING...
I know you know but for others, I was starting WO Flight School as this battle unfolded. Spent my first tour in Pleiku and know the Ia Drang well.
To all Nam Vets: I know this movie is going to be hard to watch and remember, others care. Welcome home.
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