Have you ever watched a newscast of the wars in other countries and thanked God it wasn't here? Did you ever think what those peoples' lives must be like...fear, hunger, hiding, pain, sorrow, death, grief, daily loss, filth and worries of how to protect their children? Have you seen movies of any of the past wars and thought how lucky we all are to live in America, even with it's faults? Do you get goosebumps when you hear or sing "The Star-Spangeled Banner" or "God Bless America"?
I'm sure you answered 'YES to at least one of these questions. BUT...Do you ever stop and think about the men and women that made this a reality for each of us? People with real names and faces and families and lives? People we never knew and sacrificed so much for a nation that didn't always back them in their efforts? I don't mean on Veteran's Day or the 4th of July, I mean when you say your prayers or when you tell your children how they are lucky to be Americans? Do you put faces on your thoughts of the soldiers or is it kinda like a fairy tale you've heard and stored in the back of your mind to call to attention whenever the subject arises?
Do you realize there are veterans out there who will never be able to push those thoughts to the back of their minds? Families that can't forget the sacrifices because their loved ones WERE the sacrifices? Mothers, wives, sisters, daddys, brothers, sons, husbands, and friends who can't put VietNam to rest because they find no closure to their fears and hurts and questions. Please make a point to remember these people and to always keep in mind, "NO MAN IS AN ISLAND." Everyone is connected to someone else who is connected to someone else and so on and so on......

The following should be added to every prayer we pray and we should teach the children to include it's meaning in their prayers also.


POW's Prayer


By Jean Ray and L. Vancil
Father, Your own Son was a prisoner. Condemned, he died for us.
Victorious, He returned to bring us the gift of life everlasting. Comfort us
now in our longing for the return of the Prisoners Of War and those Missing
In Action.

Help Us Father; Inspire us to remove the obstacles. Give courage to those
who know the truth to speak out. Grant wisdom to the negotiators, and
compassion to the jailors. Inspire the media to speak out as loudly as they
have in the past. Protect those who seek in secret and help them to
succeed. Show us the tools to do Your will. Guard and bless those in
captivity, their families, and those who work for their release. Let them
come home soon.
Thank you Father.
In Your Son's Name We Pray,
Amen.


The following contains information on a POW/MIA I adopted. Since that time I have learned his name has been added to 'The Wall' and I deeply regret this fact. My heart goes out to the family and friends and to our government that is STILL dragging it's feet in gathering information on the status of our men still unaccounted for and failure to act on the knowledge available. May someone in power have the courage and presence of mind to act quickly before other names are taken off of one list and added to another.
Name:Donald Peter Gervais
Rank/Branch: E5/US Army
Unit: Troop B, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry 1st Cavalry Division
Date of Birth: 20 July 1943
Home City of Record: Clarksville TN
Marital Status: Single
Date of Loss: 01 May 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 162105N 1070535E
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: UH6A
Other Personnel In Incident: Richard D. Martin; Warren T. Whitmire(both missing)
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: Sgt. Donald Gervais, gunner; CPL Richard D. Martin,crewchief; and WO1 Warren T. Whitmire, pilot comprised the crew of a UH6A helicopter on a visual reconnaissance mission over the A Shau Valley in South Vietnam.
At 1800 hours, another aircrew saw Whitmire's aircraft crash into a ravine. It appeared to the crew of the other aircraft that Whitmire's helicopter hit a dead tree. The other aircraft received gunfire as it flew closer to the site. Visual reconnaissance of the site was difficult because of enemy fire and it was determined that search crews could not be inserted because of the presence of enemy troops and rugged terrain.
An infantry platoon that was on the ground had encountered the enemy troops, and had observed the crash through binoculars from 300 meters away. The platoon leader tried to move closer to the site, but encountered enemy activity and had to withdraw. Heavy enemy activity continued in the area, making it impossible to reach the site again.
Gervais, Martin and Whitmire were declared Missing In Action. As none saw them die, it is assumed that they could have survived. Certainly, the enemy should know their fate - alive or dead.
Since the war ended, thousands of reports have been received regarding Americans still held captive in Indochina. Is one of them Donald Gervais?
If so, what must he be thinking of us?

The upgraded information I have recently received is as follows:
Branch: Army
Rank: MSG
Serial Number: 434584215
Component: Regular
Posthumous promotion as indicated
Pay grade: E7
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): Unknown/Not reported
--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Wednesday, May 1, 1968
Date of Casualty: Tuesday, July 25, 1978
Age at time of loss: 35
Casualty type: (A3) Hostile, died while missing
Reason: Air loss - Crashed on land (Crew member - Helicopter)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Thua Thien
The Wall: Panel 53E - Row 031

I also recovered information regarding the two persons with Sgt. Gervais on this mission. I regretfully share it with you and hope this will open your eyes to the need for more people to become involved in urging our ELECTED officials to take action quickly.


Name: RICHARD D.MARTIN
Home of Record (official): HONOLULU
State (official): HI
Date of Birth: Friday, May 9, 1947
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
--- Military ---
Branch: Army
Rank: SFC
Serial Number: 575488549
Component: Regular
Posthumous promotion as indicated
Pay grade: E6
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): Unknown/Not reported
--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Wednesday, May 1, 1968
Date of Casualty: Monday, June 19, 1978
Age at time of loss: 31
Casualty type: (A3) Hostile, died while missing
Reason: Air loss - Crashed on land (Crew member - Helicopter)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Thua Thien
The Wall: Panel 53E - Row 037


Name:WARREN TAYLOR WHITMIRE,JR
Home of Record (official): FAIRFAX
State (official): VA
Date of Birth: Sunday, December 2, 1945
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
--- Military ---
Branch: Army
Rank: CWO
Serial Number: 229662644
Component: Regular
Pay grade: W3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): Unknown/Not reported
--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Wednesday, May 1, 1968
Date of Casualty: Tuesday, May 30, 1978
Age at time of loss: 32
Casualty type: (A3) Hostile, died while missing
Reason: Air loss - Crashed on land (Pilot - Helicopter)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Thua Thien
The Wall: Panel 53E - Row 043


My Thanks to the Wonderful People In this Group Who Supply the Graphics.There Are Several Who Furnish the Ring but the Ones Here Are the Ones I Used.