Tributes

On behalf of Bill Sallenger, this excerpt from Newsletter of
June 1970: A MAN TO REMEMBER.... There are those whom
we remember by their constant presence; then there are
those we remember for their accomplishments. Bill
Sallenger was one of these latter individuals.Although a
non-conformist in his military manner, he was a professional
soldier in his performance. The one thing that you could
always count on with Bill was that when he started a job, he
would finish it. The mission of Medical Evacuation was
always foremost in Bill's mind and to save a life was always
his first objective. Bill was one of the best. It is with a heavy
heart that we bid farewell to a man and a friend. Chief
Warrant Officer William J. Sallenger was killed in a traffic
accident after returning home. We of Medevac take this time
to express our deepest regret and sorrow; he was a good
man and there will always be a deep felt respect and
admiration for him in the hearts of the men of Medevac.
(May you rest in peace, Bill Sallenger.)

Larry Ash

Back in March of this year I received Mail from you, It wasn't what I had
expected. It was News of your Illness and I was very upset. We had made
such Great Plans together over the Net of getting back together with
everyone, You were so disappointed and I felt so bad for you. Yet the
excitement of being able to meet with everyone and talk to one another
after so many years was so great. You continued to keep thinking so
positively of coming next year, I thought to myself this is the Man I know
and remembered so well, Positive, Loving, Strong, Caring a fighter all the
way. This is the way I will always remember you.

I will always remember how nice it was to speak to you for the First time
in 27 years. You shared with me things I know many people probably
couldn't understand coming from two total strangers so to speak who
hadn't laid eyes on each other in such a long time, We still had that bond
from years past. You told me of your great career you were so proud of
and all the hard work, You told me of your Lovely wife you Loved and
admired, And of all the Great Friends you enjoyed being around and your
Faith. These were things you cherished and held close to your inner
being. I respected that about you after talking to you for just a short
while, I felt I knew you and I still do.

Yes you told me all of that and then some. I didn't forget that Big Red, I
thought everyone should know that about you. Though we haven't seen
each other in Oh so many years I still thought of you as a friend and I
know from the Mail response you got from others I wasn't the only one
who felt that way about you. You were Loved by all and deservedly so. I
can remember people asking about you, had we found you yet? Well it
wasn't long before the Old News Letters and Pictures started coming out
of the wood work with your messages of the Past for all of Medevac to
read and remember of events of the Month for the times gone by, The
Good News and the Bad News. Can you imagine people hanging on to
those Pages all these years. It was all I could do to read them for the First
Time without thinking of you calling us and trying to cover our Butts when
we were in the field or back in the Company Area. Well I for one will never
ever forget you, Or the Person you always were and still are to us.