3-23-72

[GWAR]

13870 days,
332880 hours,
19972800 minutes,
1198368000 seconds,
They all roughly equal 38 years,
longer than a good part of you who read this have been alive.
Now, imagine spending that time with your arms tied behind you , your elbows touching and being lifted off the floor by your wrists and hung there, indefinatly.
Or spending it in a three foot square by four foot long "tiger cage" made of bamboo in the middle of a steaming jungle.
Or in a cold damp concrete cell, shackled to your cot as a rat attempts to make dinner of your toes.
As the years go by, it is doubtfull that many, if any at all P.O.W's of the viet nam era are alive. Most definatly the family members hold onto hope of them being alive, I guess its mandatory.
If the cosmic powers that be are at all mercifull, Lt. Dennis Stanley Pike, U.S.N. was killed shortly after his capture in Laos after ejecting from his A-7, I only say that, because I would not wish 38 years
of this on anyone.
Please remember those that are P.O.W. and M.I.A. , urge your congressman, your senator, your
governer, your mayor to make those in power to do something about those unaccounted for, our
warriors deserve better.
And on march 23rd, have a drink in Lt. Pikes honor and send a thought his way.
Ive worn the bracelet with his name on it since late 72, it was randomly issued. Over the years, Ive come to know him.

Thank you for your time.

[BlueStreak]

Awesome! Our POWs have been subjected to manifold atrocities in all of Americas wars. At the very least, they deserve to be remembered and respected.

Thanks, GWAR!

Regards,
Dave

[d-ray657]

Well said. A salute to your faithfulness.

You said that over the years you have come to know Lt. Pike. Have you had the opportunity to communicate with his family?

Regards,

D-Ray

[GWAR]

no, I havent, just by online research have I learned about him, there are a couple of very informative sites about him.
I also had a mission file made of his last flight for the flight sim called "wings over vietnam" The person that made it is very good, and its quite sad when at just the right longitude and latitude, the A-7's engine sputters out, putting you in his predicament, somewhere over Laos.

[Sandy G]

Wow...Sitting here sobbin'...Sad irony is that Vietnam is sorta regarded as one of the emerging economies, sparkling growing cities, breathtaking scenery friendly people...

[Twodogs]

It's a damn shame, the way all the Vietnam troops were treated, but most of all, the ones we just left behind.

[rickr15]

I'm afraid if there were any POW's left over there they would have been buried beyond all finding by now. Couldn't let a little thing like that mess up our current friendly relations.

Kind of a shame how we treat all our veterans. Korea, Nam or current ones aint getting such a good shake either.

[Twodogs]

FWIW many Pioneer stereo products are made in Vietnam.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Twodogs

FWIW many Pioneer stereo products are made in Vietnam.

Fortunately, that doesn't include the ones with wood cases and silver faces. I don't wear Nike though.

Regards,

D-Ray

[GWAR]

Originally Posted by rickr15

I'm afraid if there were any POW's left over there they would have been buried beyond all finding by now. Couldn't let a little thing like that mess up our current friendly relations.

Kind of a shame how we treat all our veterans. Korea, Nam or current ones aint getting such a good shake either.

Yeah, a few years back I was an admirer of that ex pilot that ran for president (I actually cant recall his name at this time, call it selective amnesia), all that changed when I read a report concerning a special commitee on POW/MIA affairs and the defection of a polish general (the highest ranking communist ever to defect) and the testimony he gave to this commitee.
He stated that "10's of 10's" (I figure in the hundreds easily) western prisoners were funneled up through china, into Russia and then to various communist bloc countries and that some were actually still alive, as close to us as east germany before the reunification.
In his own words he said that he could not understand how a country could just dismiss them like they did, and we all know how important the common soldier is to mother russia
His testimony was swept under the rug, dismissed outright. He was sent on his way.
Needless to say, I lost faith that day in what I used to hold dear, my patriotism. Dont misunderstand me, I love my country, but now I fear and even sometimes HATE my government, be they republican or democrat, they are truely what is evil.