| June 2010 Newsletter |
Greetings 15th Med Members
2010 Reunion Coordinator - John Crespi has been very busy with his wife who had a heart
operation last month. She recently had to go back into the hospital due to water around her
heart. This is the email I got from prior President Fred McKellar June 10, 2010:
Murray, I got a call from John Crespi about 15 minutes ago. He indicated that he had to take
Barbara to the hospital. She has fluid building up around her heart and is going to be
operated on today. Need to put the word out to all the members that she and John need our
prayers and encouragement. I would have called you, but I have your old number. Thanks for
getting the word out. Fred McKellar
I got this email from our Tresurer Bob McKinley June 11, 2010:
Hi Murray,
I just talked to John and he told me that they operated on Barbra and took between 3-4 CM of
fluid from around her heart. He said she was feeling better but they have her doped up for
pain. She will probably be there a few days.
Bob
I got this email from prior President Fred McKellar June 14, 2010:
John called today. Barbara is doing better. All tubes have been removed. She does have
some swelling in one of her arms and one hand. They want to keep her in the hospital for at
least another day to see if everything is doing OK since the tubes have been removed. They
are also checking to determine if there may be some infection in the swollen arm. If so, they
want to treat that. John informed me that he has gotten many Emails and correspondence
from the members that he has not been able to respond to. He indicated that he and Barbara
appreciate them very much and will be responding when Barbara gets out. He has been at
the hospital most of the time with her. They thank everyone for them. Fred Mckellar
She is okay now. I know this has put a big strain on the Crespi family. As soon as all
is stabilized John will send me the necessay information on the 2011 Reunion. It will be in
Branson, MO.
1998 & 1999 Reunion Minutes - I have posted the minutes of the 1998 & 1999 Reunion
Minutes in a separate posting on the website with the first index icons displays of the first
website/s. At the 1998 Reunion the Association was called the Medevac Association because
it was Medevac guys who started it. At the 1999 Reunion the Association name was change to
the 15th Medical Bn Association.
Click on the above to view the above: I hope this information clarifies any doubt
there may be about the direction of the Association at that time.
Posted Constitution & Minutes - Just recently I posted all the information of the mission
statement, objectives, Constitution & By-Law plus minutes to the website. You will find his
under the Icon button Misc on the 2nd index page. I lost the 2004 Reunion Minutes both
computer file and the copy of it in a combined booket at one Reunion. I am waiting for our
Secretary Jim Calibro to send a copy of the 2004 Reunion Minutes and copies of the 2009 &
2010 Reunion Minutes. When get those I will post them also on the webite. I also plan to send
hard copies to some of our Association Officers along the a list of all the Found Members.
Guest Book, Donation Button & VoIP -
operation last month. She recently had to go back into the hospital due to water around her
heart. This is the email I got from prior President Fred McKellar June 10, 2010:
Murray, I got a call from John Crespi about 15 minutes ago. He indicated that he had to take
Barbara to the hospital. She has fluid building up around her heart and is going to be
operated on today. Need to put the word out to all the members that she and John need our
prayers and encouragement. I would have called you, but I have your old number. Thanks for
getting the word out. Fred McKellar
I got this email from our Tresurer Bob McKinley June 11, 2010:
Hi Murray,
I just talked to John and he told me that they operated on Barbra and took between 3-4 CM of
fluid from around her heart. He said she was feeling better but they have her doped up for
pain. She will probably be there a few days.
Bob
I got this email from prior President Fred McKellar June 14, 2010:
John called today. Barbara is doing better. All tubes have been removed. She does have
some swelling in one of her arms and one hand. They want to keep her in the hospital for at
least another day to see if everything is doing OK since the tubes have been removed. They
are also checking to determine if there may be some infection in the swollen arm. If so, they
want to treat that. John informed me that he has gotten many Emails and correspondence
from the members that he has not been able to respond to. He indicated that he and Barbara
appreciate them very much and will be responding when Barbara gets out. He has been at
the hospital most of the time with her. They thank everyone for them. Fred Mckellar
She is okay now. I know this has put a big strain on the Crespi family. As soon as all
is stabilized John will send me the necessay information on the 2011 Reunion. It will be in
Branson, MO.
1998 & 1999 Reunion Minutes - I have posted the minutes of the 1998 & 1999 Reunion
Minutes in a separate posting on the website with the first index icons displays of the first
website/s. At the 1998 Reunion the Association was called the Medevac Association because
it was Medevac guys who started it. At the 1999 Reunion the Association name was change to
the 15th Medical Bn Association.
Click on the above to view the above: I hope this information clarifies any doubt
there may be about the direction of the Association at that time.
Posted Constitution & Minutes - Just recently I posted all the information of the mission
statement, objectives, Constitution & By-Law plus minutes to the website. You will find his
under the Icon button Misc on the 2nd index page. I lost the 2004 Reunion Minutes both
computer file and the copy of it in a combined booket at one Reunion. I am waiting for our
Secretary Jim Calibro to send a copy of the 2004 Reunion Minutes and copies of the 2009 &
2010 Reunion Minutes. When get those I will post them also on the webite. I also plan to send
hard copies to some of our Association Officers along the a list of all the Found Members.
Guest Book, Donation Button & VoIP -
The Picture above is a caption from the Index Page of our Website. There is a donation button
where anyone can donate to the 15th Med Assn. On the right is a Banner of GSC that I have
established for the 15th Med. I logged on to show that it will display who is on it if one would
like to connect to it. Next is our GUESTBOOK. It is good to view the Guestbook when you get
a chance. One can also sign it and leave a message that anyone who click View will be able to
read it. I check it often to see who has left a message. Often it is someone who served with
the 15th Med Bn in Vietnam who we have not found. Below is one message I got from a
member of the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association:
Wednesday 05/12/2010 3:05:09pm
Name: John Brennan
E-Mail: johnmailman@yahoo.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: CA
Comments: This is John Brennan, active member of the VHCMA and the 114th Avn Co Assn. I'm
collecting "names" (e.g. FLYING COFFIN, IRON BUTTERFLY) that in-country Army copter crews
painted on their aircraft during their Vietnam tours, 1961-73. Future book by aviation publisher is in
the making.
Have cataloged 2,732 names to date. I expect that number to exceed 3,000 when complete. Would
very much like to include as many PERSONALIZED copter names as possible. Photos of "names"
are fine but not necessary to be included in the database section of the book. "Names" alone will do.
The second part of this book project is the photo collection of helicopter "nose art" that includes
"names", artwork, graffiti, everything & anything that was painted officially and unofficially on
in-country
Army copters, 1961-73.
Send "name" info and/or scanned "nose art" pics to johnmailman@yahoo.com
Regards, John Brennan, former SP5, Flight Operations Coordinator, 114 AHC, Vinh Long AAF,
Mekong Delta, 1970-71
PS: In-Country YEARBOOKS are often a great source for copter "names". Take a peek and give me a
shout if something interesting is found.
Reunion Pictures - I have gotten a few 2010 Reunion pictures from the members of our
Association. The members are Larry Norris, Jon Lindquist & Jim Belair. I still need more
pictures to post for the 2010 Reunion. If you attended the 2010 Reunion and could please
send me some pictures to post on the website, I would appreciate it very much. If any of you
have pictures from previous Reunions of years that I don't have pictures of, please send me a
copy of them in .jpg file format if possible.
Historian/Chaplin Paul Troop - Paul recently had knee surgery replacement. I spoke with him a little
while ago and he is doing well. Yes, he has pain and is trying to navigate as much a possible with
that pain. I thank Paul for the items he took time to send me just prior to his operation this month.
Last month I met with Paul and he gave me the last of all the Documents he had. These documents
will take time to scan, name and remove all SSN's from them. Next will be organizing them to be
posted on the website. It takes time to do what I have been doing. It took Paul long hours at the
archives to retrieve the document that I now have. He did it while having trouble walking with both
his knees needing an operation. Now he has done one knee I know soon he will have the other
knee done. I know Paul would like very much to contribute to the 15th Med Association as much as
he can. He would like to get those Morning Reports and Roster Lists from St Louis. These would
help us gather more names of those we need to find
This concludes this month Newsletter. If any of you would like to me to post something on my next
Newsletter please get in touch with me. If you would like have our Saber Writer Mike Bodnar post
something in our section of the 1st Cav Div Assn. Saber please email him at:
Mbodnar27@juno.net
Past President 2003-2006 / Webmaster
Murray Gibbs
Medevac 67-68
gunnermadmur@neo.rr.com
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE
where anyone can donate to the 15th Med Assn. On the right is a Banner of GSC that I have
established for the 15th Med. I logged on to show that it will display who is on it if one would
like to connect to it. Next is our GUESTBOOK. It is good to view the Guestbook when you get
a chance. One can also sign it and leave a message that anyone who click View will be able to
read it. I check it often to see who has left a message. Often it is someone who served with
the 15th Med Bn in Vietnam who we have not found. Below is one message I got from a
member of the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association:
Wednesday 05/12/2010 3:05:09pm
Name: John Brennan
E-Mail: johnmailman@yahoo.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: CA
Comments: This is John Brennan, active member of the VHCMA and the 114th Avn Co Assn. I'm
collecting "names" (e.g. FLYING COFFIN, IRON BUTTERFLY) that in-country Army copter crews
painted on their aircraft during their Vietnam tours, 1961-73. Future book by aviation publisher is in
the making.
Have cataloged 2,732 names to date. I expect that number to exceed 3,000 when complete. Would
very much like to include as many PERSONALIZED copter names as possible. Photos of "names"
are fine but not necessary to be included in the database section of the book. "Names" alone will do.
The second part of this book project is the photo collection of helicopter "nose art" that includes
"names", artwork, graffiti, everything & anything that was painted officially and unofficially on
in-country
Army copters, 1961-73.
Send "name" info and/or scanned "nose art" pics to johnmailman@yahoo.com
Regards, John Brennan, former SP5, Flight Operations Coordinator, 114 AHC, Vinh Long AAF,
Mekong Delta, 1970-71
PS: In-Country YEARBOOKS are often a great source for copter "names". Take a peek and give me a
shout if something interesting is found.
Reunion Pictures - I have gotten a few 2010 Reunion pictures from the members of our
Association. The members are Larry Norris, Jon Lindquist & Jim Belair. I still need more
pictures to post for the 2010 Reunion. If you attended the 2010 Reunion and could please
send me some pictures to post on the website, I would appreciate it very much. If any of you
have pictures from previous Reunions of years that I don't have pictures of, please send me a
copy of them in .jpg file format if possible.
Historian/Chaplin Paul Troop - Paul recently had knee surgery replacement. I spoke with him a little
while ago and he is doing well. Yes, he has pain and is trying to navigate as much a possible with
that pain. I thank Paul for the items he took time to send me just prior to his operation this month.
Last month I met with Paul and he gave me the last of all the Documents he had. These documents
will take time to scan, name and remove all SSN's from them. Next will be organizing them to be
posted on the website. It takes time to do what I have been doing. It took Paul long hours at the
archives to retrieve the document that I now have. He did it while having trouble walking with both
his knees needing an operation. Now he has done one knee I know soon he will have the other
knee done. I know Paul would like very much to contribute to the 15th Med Association as much as
he can. He would like to get those Morning Reports and Roster Lists from St Louis. These would
help us gather more names of those we need to find
This concludes this month Newsletter. If any of you would like to me to post something on my next
Newsletter please get in touch with me. If you would like have our Saber Writer Mike Bodnar post
something in our section of the 1st Cav Div Assn. Saber please email him at:
Mbodnar27@juno.net
Past President 2003-2006 / Webmaster
Murray Gibbs
Medevac 67-68
gunnermadmur@neo.rr.com
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE
