Mark,

You are welcome. Actually I need to thank you for all the hard work and dedication you have put into this site. You have given all of us which come here a place to renew old friendships, speak what is on our minds and given many of us a place to heal the wounds which we have carried for so many years.

I know that you never met your brother but I can tell there is a lot of him in you. He was very good at what he did. When a new pilot would come into the unit most of us would be very leary of flying with the FNG. Your brother proved himself very quickly and gained the trust of all of us that flew with him. I know that on that faithful day he did everything that he could to try and save his ship and crew. All of the odds were against them.

You have inspired me to write this book. I would have never done this unless this site had been here. All of us gave something in that war. Your brother and his crew gave everything. The price your family and the families of Gator 297 paid is more then I can imagine. I wrote this book so people would know and more important that no one would forget our brothers that answered the call and never received the thank you that they deserved. I owe that to them.

Ron