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TheThe newsletter of the Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood, Inc. Volume 21, issue 3 WWWWWW.TLC-Brotherhood.com.TLC-Brotherhood.com Editor’s Notebook: New Members – They Served Then and They Continue to Serve Only a year ago, I wrote about a spurt in new members implementing our Assistance Program. of The Thailand Laos Cambodia Brotherhood, and we Well, it may be that our impetus has slowed, but I would published profi les of four of them. Well, that uptick (there not bank on it. What we may lack in mass at the moment, we were 26 newbies on that issue’s list) seems to have abated more than make up in the intensity of the new members’ urge and this issue’s count is eleven, which might be described as to participate. The September 2020 profi les are remarkable “underwhelming.” Like last year, however, this MEM features for the lives the contributors have led in the many years since three new member profi les—Terry Brown, Dick Harnly, and they served their country. In fact, they have each continued to John Pollard, as well as a member profi le from Mike Sand, who uphold their country as solid citizens. Some words I wrote in joined in 2007, and recently returned. Beyond that, there is this space a year ago are worth repeating. part one of a long article “It’s a Jungle Out There,” by another new member, Doug Vincent, who has already fl ung himself The Ongoing Lives of TLCB into TLCB activities as an invaluable member of the volunteers Members Table of Contents In addition to bringing new TLCB members into the fold, the MEM has worked at enhancing its appeal by encouraging Editor’s Notebook: New Members—They Served Then regular members to share their experiences. Frankly, that does and They Continue to Serve ...........................................1 not just mean recounting their experiences from back in the Important Dates for the TLCB ......................................2 day, although those stories are certainly welcome; however, as a review of many of the new profi les demonstrates, members At the Exchange ..............................................................2 have continued to live exceptional and interesting lives long Member Profi le: Raymond Michael “Mike” Sand ......3 after they left SEA. They are regularly active and contributing New Member Profi le: Terry L. Brown ..........................5 members of their communities, in other words, good citizens. I think many of you would also like to read about what our New Member Profi le: Richard “Dick” Harnly .............7 cohorts did in the years since coming home, how their time in Approval of the Minutes of the 2019 Annual Mtg ......8 service prepared them for civilian life and the job market, and Newest Members in the TLC Brotherhood ..................8 what they are involved with right now. Related to the above, the MEM has occasionally run a New Member Profi le: John C. Pollard ..........................9 series of articles entitled “Why I Joined the TLCB.” Those Rosie Wheatley Memorial Quilt Raffl e .......................10 have proven to be, for lack of a better term, inspirational to our readers, often encouraging others to submit their version NKP Plaque To Be At Wright-Patterson .....................10 on the theme. I started this feature in 2013 and it generated a It’s a Jungle Out There: The Doug Vincent Story .....11 fair response, but I must admit it has slowed up a little. Guide to TLC Brotherhood Bases in SEA ..................15 In an eff ort to get both of these reader-generated features TLC Brotherhood Authors List ...................................16 NOTEBOOK continues on page 2. Page 1 September 2020 The TLC Brotherhood, Inc. 2020; all rights reserved NOTEBOOK continued from page 1. – “What I’m Doing Now” and “Why I Joined” – cranked up, I intend to start putting the arm on some of our more visible members to tell us their stories. Of course, you, any of you, do At the Exchange not have to wait to hear from me with a request. You can beat Have your SEA “Base Shirt” yet? me to it and send something to me right now. The TLC Brotherhood Exchange (BX) has added a color option since the June issue. This instantly popular new Air, Ground, or Water product is now available in forest green as well as black. See It would be interesting to hear more from you Marines, Army, the enclosed order form for more details. And don’t forget Navy, and Coast Guard guys. Let us know how your days went to “go shopping” at www.tlc-brotherhood.com. on the ground, in the air, or on your ships. Clue us in about your locations, assignments, and service experiences. You may think your job was not interesting, but to our readers, your work contributions might show how they tied to their eff orts, or you may just have a funny experience or two to share. The point, and this is important for increasing TLCB’s exposure, is that our members and our contemporaries not only contributed to their country by what they were doing 30, 40, and sometimes 50 years ago, but that they continue to serve their communities today in various ways. John Harrington MEM Editor [email protected] Important Dates for the TLCB Board of directors election ballots must be received by: 11/14/2020, and will be counted by the vice president. The mailing address is on the ballot (June MEM) Results will be in December MEM Rosie’s Raffl e received at TLCB address by 10/1/2020 Drawing by local Boy Scouts will be on 10/15 The Mekong Express Mail ...is an offi cial publication of The TLC Brotherhood, Inc. This newsletter is furnished to all active member households in support of the Brotherhood’s objectives. The views expressed in articles published in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not refl ect offi cial TLC Brotherhood policy unless explicitly stated, nor is the TLC Brotherhood, Inc. responsible for the veracity of information furnished by our authors. All rights reserved by The TLC Brotherhood, Inc. in 2020. The TLC Brotherhood, Inc. is a tax exempt, non-profi t charitable organization under IRC Section 501(c) (3), and was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1999. TLC Brotherhood, Inc. The Mekong Express Mail Tax ID #54-1932649 David MacDonald (1939-2019), Founding Editor Board of Directors and Committee Chairmen Editor: John Harrington ([email protected]) 2020-2021, showing year of term end Asst. Editor: Thelma Tilton ([email protected]) President: Gary Beatty, 2020 (2nd term) Distribution: John Duffi n (jduffi [email protected]) Vice President: Gerry Frazier, (Reunion Committee) 2021 (1st term) Composition: Bill Tilton ([email protected]) Secretary: Paul Lee, 2021 (2nd term) Treasurer: Bill Tilton, 2020 (fi nal term) TLCB Facebook Page TLC Brotherhood Website Chaplain: Jim Kidd (Memorial Committee) 2021 (unlimited) Ray Boas, Monitor Jerry Karnes, Webmaster Board members-at-large ([email protected]) ([email protected]) Roger Durant, 2020 (1st term) Payments to the TLCB Ray Boas, 2020 (1st term) Via website—uses PayPal, which accepts credit card payments. George Shenberger, 2021 (fi nal term) By check—make checks payable to “TLC Brotherhood, Inc.” John Sweet, 2021 (2nd term) Write payment purpose and member number on check. Non-board committee chairmen (appointed by president) Mail to: Assistance Committee: Les Thompson TLC Brotherhood Communications Committee: John Harrington P.O. Box 60 Exchange Shopkeeper: Thelma Tilton Aspers, PA 17304 History Committee: John Lorenzen Membership Committee: John Duffi n Reunion 2020: Cancelled Public Relations Committee: “Willi Pete” Peterson Page 2 The Mekong Express Mail Member Profi le Raymond Michael “Mike” Sand It seems like yesterday when I was over there. It is always nice to share old memories... especially the good ones. I hope this helps. My story in brief is like this... I grew up on the east side of Detroit, Michigan mostly in a suburb now called Eastpointe (East Detroit back then). I graduated from East Detroit High School in 1965. My father was a WWII army combat vet and my mother married him in 1947. My parents were divorced when I was 11 and my two younger brothers, my baby sister and I lived with my mom. We Above, Mike on the entrance ladder of a Republic Aviation F-105 “Thud,” so nicknamed were poor and college was out of the question for me back then at a time when many were being shot down or crashing. Below, the McDonnel Aircraft F-4E. because I had to start work at age 13 to help support the family. My draft classifi cation in 1967 was 1-A, which meant I most likely would be called to serve in Vietnam, so rather than being drafted, I was able to join the Air Force. My industrial education classes in high school really paid off because you had to score high on a qualifi cation test to be accepted. I fi gured that if l joined, I would at least have some say as to my destiny. I asked my high school sweetheart at the time, Barbara (Bobbi) to marry me because I wasn’t sure if I would return from Vietnam since the war was really escalating. We agreed not to have any children until I returned home safely, and we married June 24, 1967. She had turned eighteen on May 20th, and I left for basic training August 27, writing to each other “Thuds,” the F-4e Phantom was brought in to replace it. I also every chance we could. spent some time at Takhli RTAFB where I serviced EB-66s, My stateside training was at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois UH-I Hueys, UH-53s and many other Vietnam War aircraft and McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas.