AFSOUTH

OUT OF TRAGEDY,HOPE For Dr. Edward and Helen Shanbrom, a Musical Comosition Honors a Beloved Son's Life ( by Mary Platt ) Out of the darkest tragedy, sometimes, hope can spring. Some of the world's greatest works of art have been created in response to adversity that once seemed insupportable - war, Holocaust, terrible personal loss. The arts - or perhaps the act of creation itself -seem to mitigate loss, to ease the heart...to help the soul understand. Here in Orange County, several performance works have been created to address great and sorrowful tragedy and loss. Most recently, Pacific Symphony Orchestra commissioned a piece by Elliot Goldenthal to observe the 20th anniversary of the end of the VIETNAM War. End quotes by Mary Platt. SONY CLASSICAL Salutes Composer Elliot Goldenthal ( Oscar Recipient), Music Director Carl StClair and the Pacific Symphony Orchestra on the World Premiere Performances of FIRE-WATER-PAPER a Vietnam Oratorio. Now follows some info on my poem's. Due to my poem's I was invited to participat. FIRE WATER PAPER HONORARY COMMITTEE, The Vice Presdent of the United States and Mrs. Gore, Co-Chairs, Marillyn Bergman, The Hon. and Mrs. Livinston Biddle, The Hon. Barbara Boxer, Art Buchwald, John Corigliano, The Hon. Christopher Cox, The Hon. Robert K. Dornan, The Hon. Dianne Feinstein, Peter Gelb, Michael Gorfaine, Morton Gould, The Hon. and Mrs. Roger Johnson, The Hon. Jay Kim, Nancy Knutsen, The Hon. Tony Lam, Colonel Lewis Millet ( Medal of Honor), The Hon. Ronald C. Packard, Barbara Pieper, The Hon. Dana Rohrabacher, The Hon. Edward Royce, Samuel Schwartz, Jan Scruggs and John Williams. VIETNAM ADVISORY COUNCIL, Cam Van Chau, Ngoc Yen Do, Pat Krone, Khoa Le, Trung Khao Lu, Ai-My and Tien Nguyen, Trang Nguyen, Vinh-Khiem Nguyen-Phuoc, Dieu Le, Daniel and Diane truong, Mai Nguyen, Chau Nguyen and Phi Nghiem. VIETNAM VETERANS, Jan A. Heath (coordinator), Don Cantacessi, James E. Chaney, Eugene Monroe Collins, Charles F.Crabtree, Tom Gilman, John C. Harrell, William Lawrence,Jr.,Andy Q. Le Frank Lee, Lewis Millet (M.H.),Fred Norris, Thomas Rice, Kurt A. Roberts, Charles J. Saulenas, Terry D, Severhill, Robert L.Waltz and Ken Weiner. The following is a letter that I received from the P.S.O. : The VIETNAM VETERANS FORUM on wed., Aug. 31 1994, was a remarkable evening. The outpouring of personal thoughts and emotions left an indelible mark upon all of us who attended the event. The power of your words, we hope, will find a translation through the music of Elliot Goldenthal's "Song of Healing". Thank you for your participation, and the contribution of your personal perpective. My Wife and I were guest of the P.S.O. at the world premiere on Apr. 26th, 1995. It is my hope that my friends at TD have a clearer view of this part of my art!P.S. I Love TD and your art and comments! There are many times in my very active life when I do not have the time to comment or vote but please know that my heart and thoughts are with you!

bluemoon

Who you are..complicated, full of depth and so very creative, comes through in your work here at TD. Thanks for sharing this other information too, it certainly is impressive! I hope I might get to see some more of your poetry. Thank you for all your cool comments and for your being here.

AFSOUTH

THE POEM'S CAN BE FOUND ON MY PITURE " C-RATS "

AFSOUTH

A link to C-RATS & Poem's http://www.thinkdraw.com/picture.php?pictureId=165538

sandm

I appriciate your thoughts about the act of creativity. It is part of the healing. Just want to tell, there is a place in my heart for (all of) you. It always has been there... I have found something in "my books", perhaps you are interested, so I `ll post it in the Day and Night channel today.
PS: In all your art I can see your BIG heART.

AFSOUTH

Hi Hazer! I will respond to your question here. First a quick side note, please forgive my formats and spelling errors as i have not had to do my own proof reading for many years. I did not know Ed Freeman as his tour in Vietnam was in 1965 and mine was in 1969 & 1970. I did know of him as one of my passions thru the years has been the review of our Medal of Honor Heroes! It has been my good fortune to know and spend time with two of them! Ed Freeman's M.H. was well deserved and way above and beyond the norm as is the case with all M.H. holders! I will now tell you of one of my observasions of a heroic Dustoff ( Medi-vac ) pilot & crew! Our huey was flying a comand and control mission over a very large numer of N.V.A. surrounded by the 101st airborn division. We got a call from a Lt. Platton commander (PC) below us that three of his men had just taken close range automatic fire at a cave opening and had multiple life threatening wounds! We circled over thr intensifying firefight untill the dustoff arrived! The pilots first radio comment was the firefight way to dangerous to attempt an extraction. The responce from the PC on the ground was, I have two men that are dying and one that just died! The Pilot replied were coming in! Were taking fire! Were going down! Like all our pilots he was good and was able to autorotate and safely crash land away from the main fighting! We circled over head while part of the 101st unit rush in to provide protection for the downed drew ( Medi-vac's are unarmed). The Commanding Officer then order to drop him off at a secured LZ just a couple min. away and get back and get these men to the base hosp. at LZ English (a 15 min. flight) Which is what we did Two still alive and one body bag. In my oppinion that dustoff crew deserved some kind of Medals but there were so very many times acts of valor! It was nessisary for suvival!

Hazer

Thanks for sharing that story AF. I can't imagine the horrors you and your comrades must have gone through. There are always so many unsung heroes.

sandm

I dont understand all of this military language, but got a glimpse on this part of your life. Thank you for telling, think I can understand the message and your "troubles" at this time.

AFSOUTH

Hi Login! C-Rats ( C- Rations ) or combat ready meal that could be eaten Hot or cold! We had nick names for them! We called the can's of beef & patatoes " beef & rock's " and there was green egg's & ham. Quite often time did not allow us to heat them. It was like opening a can of spaghetti and eating it with a plastic spoon.

AFSOUTH

Hi sandm! Hazer had asked me if I had Known Ed freeman who received the Medal Of Honer for retrieving the wounded U.S. Troops from a enemy over run posion. The area of opperation I was in (often the An Loa valley, the Fish Hook and beyond ) The enemy was either N.V.A. ( North Vietman Regular Army ) or V. C. Viet Cong ( Combat troops in suport of the NVA ). There were no civilians beyound the enterance of the An Loa Valley. It was Charlies ( nick name for the enemy ) and our L.Z.'s ( Landing Zones ). A LZ can be anything from a Place that a Slick ( Armed insertion/extraction) or Medical evacuation ( Med-Evac/Dustoff ) Helicopter lands ie: Emergency Extraction piont; a small emergency fuel blimp camp; any size Base or camp or anywere large enough for us to land! I was a door gunner on a insertion/extraction slick.

AFSOUTH

I will cont. this clearification later. Diner is ready!

AFSOUTH

Med-Evac's under the Geneva Convention were unarmed, had the large Red Cross on a white background and also under the Geneva Convention it is a violation to open fire on them! Charlie shot them down on a regular basis! In 1965 the Med-Evac's had been called off of the overrun position due to the very large number of NVA. Ed Freeman made 13 extractions of the wounded in his slick! My earlier example of the Dustoff that was shot down trying to evac. the two critically wounded and one body bag ( Dead) in the An Loa Valley was a Heroic effort by the pilot and crew! This is Why the Med-Evac's were called off in the 1965 incident and why Ed Freeman was awarded and earned above and beyound the call of duty Our Nation's Highest Honor!

AFSOUTH

After 14 months in Vietnam it was 8 months before I turned 21 yrs. of age.The general reseption was very hostile! I did not talk about Vietnam for many yrs. Except with other military & vet's.

AFSOUTH

Oh! Please don't misunderstand me, There were a lot of us that got it and paid attention! I hit a wall with my fist when I heard about Kent State, I was still in Vietnam!

Hazer

Thanks for sharing this AFSOUTH. I am happy to know that you have emerged a stronger person from this phase of your life. There are many who didn't. One such person ended up in Canada, hiding in an abandoned building close to where we were living in the early eighties. He was suffering from the effects of Agent Orange as well as not being able to cope emotionally with having to shoot at women and children...a matter of kill or be killed.
In a perfect world no one should ever have to make those decisions.

AFSOUTH

Good days, Bad days. Great days, Terrible days. I think that we find a grand amount of heroes in every walk of life! I also know that we all deal with our own P.T.S.D. ( Post Traumatic Stress Dissorder ) at some point in our live's! By this time in the growth of humanity it is quite clear that there is a great amount of opportunity for us all to help in the advancement of more of the good days & great days!

Hazer

So so true. I find that even in dealing with my own personal loss and grief. This forum has facilitated healing for me and I am so glad you have found us to share your story!

sandm

I didnt understand so much in your story, except the part of the An Loa Valley, bc I knew, you have been there and obviously this has been the beginning of a lot of other "adventures". And I ve already heard of the "fish hook", but still dont know what it is ....
Anyway, I like your conclusio, and I hope that your final words are the most important ones.