Gentlemen and Ladies who served in Vietnam, 

I am a producer/director, honored to be working in partnership with a true American hero and legend, Dave Rabbit, creator of the now infamous "Radio First Termer" underground radio show broadcast for 21 Days during the Vietnam war. 

Dave and I are collaborating on his story, but also on the impact of radio during battle, during leisure time and during the war in general. 

To that end, I am beginning the process of finding those stories for a film that Mr.Rabbit and I planning to make in the next year. 

What I would like to do is extend an open invitation to anyone who served in Nam in those years around 1970-1972, to do any of the following: 

1) write me a brief paragraph about your knowledge or recollection of The Dave Rabbit Show

2) write me if you have any memories of the impact of music and/or radio in Nam

3) contact me and let me know if you have ever heard of Dave Rabbit prior to this year

4) contact me or write me with any stories/info/memories about "radio in Nam, acid rock in Nam, Dave Rabbit, censorship, underground music etc. 

What I am trying to do is collect the research surrounding a living legend, Dave Rabbit, and at the same time tell a powerful story of the importance of music during wartime, and in particular, the Vietnam war. 

Any thoughts from any veterans would be appreciated and considered for use in the film. 

I am looking for individuals who would like to be interviewed for this project as we move forward. 

Please send all info to: [email protected] 

Many thanks ahead of time to anyone who can assist us in telling Dave Rabbit's story with the honor and respect it deserves.

 Thanks to all:

CMRagz

Christopher Ragazzo [[email protected]] 

Hello I am Anna McClellan a disabled vet,  I worked for AmeriCorp for 2200 hours, but they only put down 900 hours. but I would like to ask how I could become a national service officer. I loved what I did and loved working with the different vets. I have at least 40 veterans that got their disabilities raised and I would like to do this more. I had worked with Michael lay and Mac -v and the AmeriCorp. I was also the first female vet to hold office in the V V A CHAPTER 633. I REALLY LIKED WORKING AND IT HELPED ME.  WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A GOOD SERVICE OFFICE HERE IN THIS AREA. IF YOU CAN HELP ME I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN THIS WAY.

ANNA MCCLELLAN 5583

PO BOX 450

WAYNESVILLE MO 65583

573 336 2795   

I ALSO WONDERED WHO ICAN TALK TO ABOUT MY CASE IN WASHINTON DC I HAVE TRUIED TO GET MY CASE RAISED BUT I AM IN A SLOW STREAM AND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS CASE FOR 30 YEARS AND NOW HAVE PTSD AND BI POPLOR AND ETC. NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO HELP ME. I SEE SOME OF THE OTHERS I WORKED WITHAND THEY ARE LIKE ME NOTHING IS GOING ON.  MY DOCTORS  ARE AWARE OF MY NEEDING LETTERS AND THINGS BUT BECUSE I CAN'T GET A C&P DONE FOR PTSD OR MY BACK AGAIN I AM NOWHERE. BUT THE VA DOCTORS ARE WILING TO HELP ME. SO CAN ANY ONE HELP ME???? 

Hello! 

I wrote this 6 years ago, and it goes around every Memorial Day.  Thought you might be interested in reading it, and perhaps passing it on this Holiday.

Hope you have a wonderful 3 day weekend.

 LT Bobby Ross 

www.nam-vet.net/Bobby-Ross.htm 

What Is Memorial Day? 

by 

LT Bobby Ross

             My years whirl past me.  Swirling.  Dry, broken grass hovering in a spring breeze.  Can I remember my experiences in war?  Hardly.  Fighting for my country, my youth invested, seems such a long time ago, and so unimportant.

The calendar this year marks Memorial Day on the 29th of May, 2006.  Have I lost something?  The traditional Memorial Day, also known as Decoration Day, is on the 30th of May.  This observed Memorial Day on May 29th coincidentally allows for a national three day holiday.  Such is commercialism?s capitalistic American display.  But why do I feel so stricken, like I have abandoned old friends from long ago?  Their ghosts consort with my floating years, and their spirits coast around my presence. 

            Another three day holiday!  Memorial Day!  Maybe me and the kids can go camping?  Or, to the beach?  Memorial Day is fun!  This is the inconsiderate, thoughtless approach to this meaningful, and consecrated moment representing one three hundred and sixty-fifth of our year.  What is the meaning of Memorial Day?  Is it merely a three day escape from our worldly duties?  Or, is it the official beginning of summer?  Is selling more hot dogs at the ballpark the overriding clarification? 

            Many souls, sacrificed in war, in duty to America, are wandering.  They drift in a heavenly place, minus their future here upon earth.  Tomorrows were

forfeited.   Given up so our nation would invigorate free souls, aspire them to

freedom, and justly allow their lives lived as they prefer.  Raising offspring above restrictions, as they desire.  Those lost lives giving we, the living, what we want freely.  Those are the souls we respect on Memorial Day.  This means it is a sacred day. 

            Without retrospect, sacrifice is mute.  Old Glory does not wave by accident.

It flutters in the spring air revealing honor.  The color red represents the blood bloom from those who fell, those who clawed, those who cried in horrible pain.  Those who died fast.  And, those who died ever so slowly.  They did their duty.  When I see Old Glory waving on a sunny, end of May day, the pigment red gushes from millions of souls, floating, not with us, anymore.

They are amongst our heroes, cajoling with angels with their champions, conquerors and commanders.  Friends and loved ones gather, over the grave, witness to those who gave more than anyone should be required to relinquish.

They did not want to yield.  They were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and when the moment harshly struck them their fatal blow, they cried for their mother, or their friend.  Then there were those, many of those, who knewexactly what they were giving.  They moved forward knowingly.   They lost theirlives so their mission would be accomplished. 

            Fools!  Some intellects can say that.  One would have to be an imbecile to give up life, no matter what the cause.  For a flag?  Futile!  For a country!  More pointless!  For freedom!  What freedom is there in mortality?  Yes, fools they may have been, but their numbers add up in an awesome display of American loss!

 Veterans? Cemeteries,  white badges sailing row after row after row upon green grass, almost never ending, creeping onto the horizon.  Constant reminders of the devastation of our human treasure.  Mothers? tears, enough to fill an ocean to overflow.  Sweethearts, broken hearted, reading telegrams.

Sons and daughters, many unborn, wakening at birth to a devastated family suffering from a victim of war there no more.  And what does all this macabre math equal?  Memorial Day is the correct answer.

             Few Americans know a person who died in war.  Their family trees have lost some leaves, falling as they fought in one of America?s wars, or discarded in the peacetime military.  We are a busy people.  We have business to capture.  Our kids are in school.  We have chores.  Mundane, or surrealistic.  We are a spirited society, seeking applications to improve ourselves and our communities.  We are a helpful populace, always there when the going gets tough to help those who have suffered the tragedies of nature, whether a hurricane or a famine.  Americans are always the first on the scene worldwide bearing their gifts of human spirit and abundance.  This is why it is so puzzling that the meaning of Memorial Day seems to lack substance to many of our own people.

Even with the day itself. Put back to accommodate a holiday schedule fixed by some organism no one knows, yet powerful enough to do so, the day itself lacks consequence to too many.  Many who never knew a person who died in service to America are wrought with the invisible pain of not feeling for those who do. 

            Americans take things for granted.  We have so much.  So very much.  Endless choices.  These options are not available worldwide.  Our shelves are full.

Unlike many in other nations of the world.  So many are empty or offer very limited selections.  Those American fighting men and women killed in battle whose souls are floating actually made available these wondrous choices we have every day of our American lives.  Yet, most of our youngsters have no idea whatsoever what this means.  They don?t learn this in school.  We must teach them.  For without knowledge, they may end up thinking, or believing, all these marvelous selections came without circumstance.  Minus anything.  Equaling no meaning.

             Our nation needs to halt and perceive the flags and flowers on our Veterans graves on this consecrated holiday.  We need to lift a common voice of adoration to those floating spirits of our onetime American Warriors, and extol them with a salutation.  We have not come that far with our technological miracles of this millennium to become crass.  We still need respect.  Our backs can not turn from formality.  Our eyes can not look away from custom.  Our voices must not resonate in silence against honor and glory.  To do so will leave us hollow, only to fill us with that which is desolate and lacking potential.  This is not the true meaning of Memorial Day.  The heartfelt significance requires reminding.  Story telling.  Wisdom being passed on from our Veterans to our younger generations.  An interpretation certified by those who remember the horrors of war.  Without this core, our society can not remain genuine.  It becomes contemptible.  It rots from within.  These floating souls of our lost American Warriors are a powerful force, for they live within our hearts.  They constantly seek justification for their contributions, and they are real within us.  Such is what our American substance stands for, where character is developed, individually is guaranteed, and a community, a nation, survives.

            America enters the 21th Century as the most powerful entity humankind has ever experienced.  America permeates this next century with vast responsibilities.

Our children must bear this promise.  We can not turn our backs on these bygone descendants, nor can we do so upon ourselves.  Memorial Day offers us the opportunity to express a moment of solitude where each of us can personify in our own way what we feel.   I only speak for my myself, as one who has bared

his soul to the dread of war.  So my father did, and his father?s father before him, and their souls float amongst the multitudes.  My mother and her mother held their Veterans after they returned from war, tears streaming down their cheeks in gratitude for their safe return.  And there were those in my ancestry who did not return from war.  And their mothers? tears soaked the pillows on beds for generations to sleep upon.  Their souls are the dreams that drift amongst the floating, gathering at the end of May in the breeze of summer?s coming, in the cool glass of lemonade at the child?s street side stand, in the cheers at the ball game from the crowd rooting their team to victory and enjoying the best hot dogs in the world.  Let us all stop for a moment, whether it is on the traditional day, or the observed Memorial Day, or even at the end of May, and reach for those floating souls.  Let us reveal to them how much we cherish their sacrifice for our free people.  Let these memories harvest our recognition of the meaning of Memorial Day in a very simple word.  And let that word, simply stated be:  Thanks.

copyrighted 2000

Permission to reproduce granted freely and unconditionally 

In Memory of all who have passed, the current command of the 864^th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) is trying to organize an Alumni Association, for all past and present members of the 864 ECB(H).  The Unit is very interested in connecting between the Soldiers of the 864^th ECB(H) with those who came before, in the forum of a non-profit Veterans Organization.  It would be a chance for the new to meet the old, to find out about our past, and for the past to find out about our future.  Our Intent is to include all family members of past and present Soldiers.  Some of the benefits we see to establishing such an organization include: the ability to fund reunions, take care of association members and families in times of emergency and deployments, and scholarship funds. 

We don't want to forget the stories of the past, of the Soldiers who came before, and gave their lives. 

The 864^th ECB(H) have been doing research on how to become a tax-exempt Veterans Organization through the IRS.  We have an understanding on what needs to be done, however, we need former members of the battalion who might be interested in acting as representatives for the organization.  We realize that as active duty members our participation is somewhat limited based on our deployments and the PCS cycles. 

Anyone who is a past member or a family member of the 864 Engineer Battalion please contact me at [email protected]

Thank you very much
CPT Augusta G. Derrick
AUGUSTA G. DERRICK
CPT, EN
864th ECB(H) Asst. S-4

Stars and Stripes Museum/Library

17377 Stars and Stripes Way
P.O. Box 1861
Bloomfield, MO  63825

 Phone: (573) 568-2055
Email: [email protected] 

Web Site: https://www.starsandstripesmuseumlibrary.org

On November 9, 1861, soldiers of the Illinois 8^th, 11th, 18^th, and 29th Regiments, after forcing the Confederates south, set up camp in Bloomfield, Missouri. Upon finding the newspaper office empty, they decided to print a newspaper for their expedition, relating the troop's activities. They called it The Stars and Stripes. This was the beginning of the "Soldier's Newspaper" 145 years ago.

Today, the Stars and Stripes Museum/Library is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Stars and Stripes newspaper through exhibits that tell the story of those who have served in America’s wars. The Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the current war in Iraq are represented in our displays. Poster size copies of the newspaper tie the newspaper stories to the items in the museum.

Special events are held at the museum to note D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and other notable historic military events. This year the museum is planning a Vietnam Living History Day to remember those who served in Vietnam. This will take place on July 22, 2006, and we invite all veterans and their families to visit us and share in this remembrance.

Among other events, there will be an awards ceremony of the Order of the Silver Rose to qualified Vietnam veterans suffering from exposure to Agent Orange.

We also ask veterans and their families to consider donating items from that war for permanent display in the museum. In the 10 years of the Vietnam War, tactics and operations changed to adapt to the enemy as well as the terrain differences from the Delta to the DMZ. The Marines differed from the various Army units. The Navy operations included ships offshore, aircraft, and in-country personnel. The Air Force flew a wide range of aircraft from bases in Vietnam as well as numerous bases outside of Vietnam. It was a complicated war, and our mission is to preserve the history and to educate future generations about those who served.

Monetary donations to continue the operations of the Museum/Library are always appreciated.

 Any organizations wishing to participate in this day of recognition may contact the museum/library for more information.

Are you a Veteran, or know of one who would like to be adopted?  At Angels 'n Camouflage, our pre-approved members make sure that "No Veteran will be left behind" by sending them weekly letters and periodic care packages... 

If the idea of having a pen-pal and receiving "Mail Call" appeals to you, please visit our website at www.angelsncamouflage.org 

God Speed, 

Melissa Remy, Founder
Angels 'n Camouflage, Inc.
www.angelsncamouflage.org
[email protected]  

WELCOME HOME, My name is Charles Murawski, I was with the 1st. infantry division  1/4 CAV. C-Troop 2nd PLT. Would like to hear from any troopers from 2nd plt or 1/4 from April 67 - April 68. Can be contacted at [email protected]  PREPARED AND LOYAL. GOD BLESS ALL AND PEACE BE WITH YOU  

My husband, Richard L. Grove, Vietnam Vet USAF 1966-1969, died of esophageal cancer due to Agent Orange exposure.  I have filed a claim with VA and was turned down.  I have asked for a DRO Hearing with the group that made the decision to turn down my claim.  I am in search of anyone that has had success at a DRO Hearing.  Also, looking for anyone that has esophageal cancer or do you know of anyone that has died from this?  My hearing is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2006.  Any help for anyone will be greatly appreciated.  When this is over, perhaps I will be able to help you.

email me at [email protected].