Looking thru some old pix...

They just sit there, the assorted collection of big plastic tubs, safeguarding the pictorial history of our family.  Keeping the collection of newspaper clippings, old photos and even older VHS tapes safe from loss or destruction, they just sit there on top of a couple of old army foot lockers, patiently waiting for someone to come look through the decades of pictures.  And that is just what I did tonight.  I managed to look through the top container and came up with some good pictures and topics for about the next 5 or 6 entries.

This set of shots caught my eye right away.  I was always a big fan of M*A*S*H and, even though I knew this was nowhere near the reality of what happened at a Korean War MASH unit, it was a great series and allowed people to see, maybe, a glimpse of life in that Conflict. 

So anyhow, the story behind these shots was a "Mayberry/M*A*S*H" Days celebration that took place in Bradford, OH back in 2000.  My brother-in-law, Chuck, is all things Mayberry, so when he heard of this gathering, he contacted me and told me of the M*A*S*H part, knowing that I would have to go...especially since the event sponsors had contracted Jamie Farr (Cpl. Klinger) to be there.  There were some Mayberry role players there too, but I don't remember their names.  I did get an autographed picture with Farr.

 

This gathering was spread out over a very large field, and they had several displays set up to give it that military flavor.

I recall having had a pretty good time looking around at all the displays.  During my Army days, when I was a company commander and a battalion commander I had a tent like the one shown above which served as home during ATs, deployments and even some extended weekends.  They weren't too bad and for the most part kept us dry and warm.  In fact, I even came across this old shot of my old Command Sergeant Major coming out of our "Home" heading off to the shower in one exercise in California.

Back to the M*A*S*H event.  The sponsors also had a UH-1 there.  It was in really bad shape and they were trying to raise money to restore it.  I seem to recall that they were somehow tied in with the WACO people in Troy and I believe the helicopter is now housed in Troy at the WACO field on 25-A.

Over my career, I had my fair share of time in these. Nothing dangerous. But even so, once you are in one or see one in the condition this one was, you really recall the history and service of this piece of military history.  This was the workhorse for the entirety of the Vietnam war, and carried the load well after that...up until the Blackhawk took over.  Sitting in this one, looking around inside, wondering what took place in there, I certainly reaffirmed my admiration for the pilots and crews who flew these into all sorts of situations in support of troops.

So with this entry I'll start another series of stories, some from Army, some about golf or fishing, some from my teaching and coaching days, and some about my family.  Some or many of them won't mean anything to you, but  some will be general enough to perhaps spark a memory from your past, giving you something that will take you away from your "here and now" for just a while.  In any event, I will write so my grandsons will know a little more about this old fellow they call "Grandpa."

"Remember that man lives only in the present, in this fleeting instant; all the rest of his life is either past and gone, or not yet revealed." Aurelius

Hooah