SwiftVets.com

[mtboone]

Wey Symmes, a fellow Swifty has just released a biography of Admiral Hoffmann who was the driving force behind the SVPFT. It is a very interesting read on his career before Vietnam, as Commander of TF115 during Vietnam and then his retirement before challenging the established media and the Kerry political machine. The book is called "This is Latch" which was Admiral Hoffmann's call sign in Vietnam and I think you will enjoy it.
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Terry Boone PCF 90
Qui Nhon 68-69

[Me#1You#10]

Thanks for the heads-up Terry...hadn't caught wind of this at all.

Here's a link to the page on Wey Symmes' "War On The Rivers" website.

[BuffaloJack]

Thanks Terry. This is one I will want to read.
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Swift Boats - Qui Nhon (12/69-4/70), Cat Lo (4/70-5/70), Vung Tau (5/70-12/71)

[TEWSPilot]

If it is permissable, I will put up links to both books ("War on the Rivers" and "Latch") on my memorial website. The more exposure, the better. Do I need to contact Wey Symmes to obtain permission?

Here's the URL if he would like to check it out first (I think my website is also linked through my profile):

http://www.opaobie.com/promisekept.html

[Me#1You#10]

[TEWSPilot]

As a courtesy, I will contact him through his website and ask for permission. I can certainly host any graphics so as not to drain his resources if he doesn't mind my copying them to my domain. The units I served with, the 360th and 361st and perhaps even the 362nd TEWS, coordinated with the Swiftboat units during the war and provided intel to them. No reason not to "continue that tradition" with regards to "getting the word out" on his books about the adventures of the officers and men as well.

[TEWSPilot]

I contacted Wey Symmes and received permission to link to his site. Here is my modest tribute to "the swifties" and The Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation. I hope he sells a million. If anyone wants to copy the source code from that section and post it on another site, I don't mind, and I don't think Wey Symmes would either. I'll comment the beginning and end of the section.

http://www.opaobie.com/promisekept.html

....scroll down just a bit. Purely by "chance", it lays just above the "Unfit For Command" section....

[Wing Wiper]

I was at Ubon, Thailand in 1973. I worked in the F-4E radar calibration section. I did 2 tours at Udorn after that.
You're doing good work with that web page, keep it up.

[TEWSPilot]

Thank you for your positive comments. The site means a lot to me. We probably crossed paths at Ubon. I was an Aircraft Commander and IP with the 361st at NKP, having come over with a contingent from the 362nd at DaNang. I came down to Ubon to augment the OL we had there after the loss of Baron 52, partly to provide replacement and partly because the war was moving South, and we were working more Steel Tiger and Cambodia than Barrel Roll. I knew the guys on Baron 52, and I went through C-47 school at England AFB in Alexandria, LA, with one of the copilots. His wife and mine were both pregnant, but mine was about to deliver when we graduated, so I got a 30 day delay, and he went on over with the class. His wife was six months along when he was killed.

I'm always open to ideas for my site, so feel free to contact me here or through my site and offer critiques or suggestions. I'm getting a copy of Wey's book. If it's on Amazon.com, I'll write a critique...and hope it torques off the Kerry parasites when they find out how the REAL Swifties did their jobs for the mission and not to harvest medals.

[Stevie]

well! you mean they weren't ALL like Kerry? lol! (thank God)
Actually, I already knew that just by conversing on here with some of you!

I'm gonna need to read this new book... will put it on my book list - in front of those already on the list.
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Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[TEWSPilot]

When I got home this evening, both "Latch" and "War on the Rivers" had arrived, autographed copies, so I highly recommend you visit Wey's website and pick up your own copies. After I finish reading them, my copies will be placed "in service" in the library we share with our local homeschool association, alongside "Unfit for Command" and my autographed copy of "To Set the Record Straight". My wife homeschools our grandkids. She taught in public and private schools for 30 years but considers this "assignment" her greatest and most rewarding. The kids in the association love history, and they thoroughly enjoyed reading more contemporary history in the two books about the Swifties. My late father-in-law served on two destroyers, the Putnam and the Owens, during WWII in the Pacific. Reading these next two books will be like reading sequels and more "behind the scenes" or "the rest of the story". The more I learn about the Swift Vets and POWs, the more my respect for them grows...and the more my contempt for Kerry grows. It seems he and Obama are certainly birds of a feather.

[streetsweeper95B]

TEWS;

Website duly noted & bookmarked, sir. Thank you for serving & Welcome Home, brother!

*salute*

garryowen
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"Proud Member of the Freak Show"

[TEWSPilot]

...right back at you, streetsweeper. I meet new brothers every day, and I couldn't be more proud and grateful.

[streetsweeper95B]

I'm the one thats grateful & proud, TEWS. Heh! If it wasn't for all ya'll.....This man wouldn't be involved in nothing.

Each & every one of you is why I do what I do.....gotcha sixes covered, bro!

*air cav*

garryowen
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"Proud Member of the Freak Show"