Mr J.D. Barber

[Rfn JF]

Sir,
let me first say that I'm sorry for bothering you like this. As you are probably a very busy person and i am neither a chopper pilot or a U.S citizen or Vietnam vet. (I was born '72). I do have a question, but couldn't help noticing that you come from Weymouth MA.
Sir I am from Weymouth, Dorset, UK and am an Ex Brithish Soldier. I served an Operational Tour in the N/Ireland Conflict, (though this can in NO way compare to the horror you and the other Vets have suffered or witnessed) and can only say that i would look to the sky and pray for you guys when the going got tough over there.
You helicopter guys, the world over, are our saviours to us `grunts´ on the ground. (I served in Her Majetsy's Light Infantary Rgt The Royal Green Jackets from 88-94) and i would like to take this oppotunity now to thank you and your comrades and all the chopper pilots in the world and give you a respected Salute and a heartfelt Thankyou. On behalf of myself and all other infanty grunts. Who have indeed looked to the sky and prayed, and to have that prayer blessedly answered by the sound of your rotor blades, engines and guns. As you all risked your lives to get us grunts out, support us or resupply us.
But to my question...Sir, may i enquire if i may order some of the items for sale, badges, video and flight patches? I would of course more than willingly pay the postal costs as i live in Germany.
I am at the moment unemployed as the situation here in Europe is very bad, but am struggling to become an Author. I would very much like to save some money and aquire some of these wonderful products with your assosiations blessing. Indeed, one day if success does not elude me, maybe i could write a book or novel on the Vietnam War...who knows.
Sir, i am sorry to communicate with you so abruptly like this and that it may be hectic and a little confusing. But i have lost ALL contact with both my former unit and comrades...sometimes things are a little hard to forget, though i'm sure you don't quite need to hear that from a person like me.
It's just that i came across your 'popa smoke' web site and was very impressed by its content and the obviuos effort to try and keep in contact and support one another. I guess it's got me kind of thinking that maybe it's time to put the hurt behind me and look up those guys that meant so much to me out there in South Armagh.
Ohh...just one more thing if i may sir?
My Father was a helicopter mechanic in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy...could this, or would this in anyway qualify me to become a member of your Honoured assosiation? I do understand if the reply is a negative as i am neither a Vet or a U.S pilot.
Once again i apologize Sir and yet thankyou for your valuable time. Congratualations on an excellent web site, i will be visiting it more often.
Yours sincerly John A. Frederick 16 August 2003

[GEORGE CURTIS]

John

Have you visited this site to try to reunite with your old mates?


http://freespace.virgin.net/forces.friends/aarc/aapr.html

[Rfn JF]

Thankyou for your reply Mr Curtis,
it was much appreciated. I have been on the web site for my Regiment, but can't seem to make that move...if you know what i mean. Kinda get a lump in my throat when i apply for membership and then i just click off. Thought a lot about my mates though since coming here and visiting your web site. A load of memories have flooded back, not all of them good. I will keep trying though.
Would like to thankyou all for accepting and allowing me to write here. After reading a lot of the messages and stories you guys put on here, kinda makes me realize that what i saw and experianced is pretty insignificant.
Thanks again.
Yours sincerley,
John A. Frederick :)

[GEORGE CURTIS]

John

you are welcome here , however

A little brotherly advise

" You can not get there from here"

Please get in contact with your old regiment, All our members will tell you, that is where you will best be able to share your memories and address your emotions. I talked with lots of Korea and WWII vets, and even other Nam vets, but it was my own USMC Helicopter vets that helped me the most.

You will be best served in the company of those that understand where your stress comes from.

In our case a MEDEVAC or Emergency Recon extract means something different to a ground Marine than it does to us. In most cases both the MEDEVAC and the Recon extract were the end of a mission for them and and in most cases they felt relief, to us it was the beginning and in most cases was a pucker factor experience. We would be feeling very exposed during these missions and they would get into the Helicopter feeling they were finally safe, while we felt completely at risk.

Different perspectives.

I can remember being shot down and when the rescue helicopter came in to pick us up it was under intense heavy enemy fire and I was thrilled to get on board. I felt completely safe being fired at in that helicopter because I was being rescued. I have been the Crew Chief on rescue helicopters and felt completely exposed while rescuing the other Crews. So these completely different perspectives to the same experiences are why I say you need to contact you old unit and get together with you own mates.

[Rfn JF]

Mr Curtis Sir,
thanks for your reply, point taken and i meant no offence or mis conception. I know that i cant find that step here. I certainly don't want to come here and `unload´ on you or your other members. i'm certainly not suffering from PTSD, never saw enough of that kind of combat. Hope to be able to talk to some more of you vets in the future, as there is a lot to learn from you guys.
Thanks,
yours sincerly,
John A. Frederick

[GEORGE CURTIS]

FYI

I think your own mates will be able to help yo much more than we can, POPASMOKE members did not serve in N. Ireland.

FYI

From a POPASMOKE member, John Dullighan


There is a Regiment in the British Army called "The Green Jackets". You may be interested in the origin of one of the former regiments, The King's Royal Rifle Corps, that was combined with others to form The Green Jackets. The Baker Rifle that the regiment used was an improved version of the Kentucky rifle. The regimental dress uniform is green, not the traditional red.


The King's Royal Rifle Corps (60th)Formative Years in North America
On 8th July 1755 a column of British redcoats under General Braddock, advancing to take Fort Duquesne on the Ohio River were ambushed by the French and their Red Indian Allies firing from concealed positions. The dying General`s last words `we shall learn better how to do it next time`, sum up the reaction at home to this defeat, for within a few months a special Act of Parliament had provide for the raising of the 60th Royal American Regiment of four battalions of American colonists. Among the distinguished foreign officers given commisions was Henri Bouquet, a Swiss citizen, whose ideas on tactics, training and man-management (including the unofficial introduction of the rifleand `battle-dress`) were to become universal inthe Army only after another 150 years. The new regiment fought at Louisborg in 1758 and Quebec in 1759 inthe campaign which finally wrested Canada from France; at Quebec it won from Wolfe the motto `Celer et Audax` (Swift and Bold). These were conventional battles on the European model, but the challenge of Pontiac`s Red Indian rebellion in 1763 was of a very different character and threatened the British control of North America. The new regiment at first lost several outlying garrisons but finally proved its mastery of forest warfare under Bouquets leadership at the decisive victory of Bushey Run.

The American War of Independence (1774-82)
Two battalions fought in the war, formed a force of mounted infantry to increase their mobility and crowned a series successful actions by repulsing an assault by the French and Rebels in Savannah in Georgia and capturing the colour of their Carolina Regiment. Neither battalion was present at the surrender at Yorktown and they were withdrawn to Canada when hostilities ended.