November 2000
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ZJ FRANCISCO POLICE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION VOLUME 32, NUMBER 11 SAN FRANCISCO, NOVEMBER 2000 www.sfpoa.org Layne Amiot PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE By Chris Cunnie By Nick Shihadeh and Matt Gardner e enter the last two months On Friday Oct. 27th, 2000 the of the year with mixed emo- police sergeant's mold was broken. W tions. On the one hand, we That was the day that SFPD member are proud to honor all of America's Layne Amiot star #1526 passed away. military veterans. On the other, we He was the most senior sergeant of pause with sadness to remember two patrol and definitely one of the most of our own —James Guelff and Layne well liked. He is also someone who Amiot. will be missed by many. Officer James Guelff was gunned Layne Amiot was a third genera- down on November 14, 1994. Part of tion native San Franciscan who at- his legacy rides on the hip of each us in tended Horace Mann Junior High, the form of a .40 caliber Beretta hand Polytechnic High School, and SF gun. It was Jim's terrible ordeal of State University. He joined the po- being out-gunned by a body armored lice department in 1967 and was tion Committee, and was a member madman that prompted the depart- promoted to sergeant out of the old of the Widows and Orphans Asso- ment to replace our old revolvers with Potrero Station in 1978. He had stints ciation. It could be said that he was the automatics we now pack. But, at the old Northern Station, the old responsible for the positive change thanks to his brother, Lee Guelff, Jim realized we had all lost a true friend, Mission Station, Southern Station in direction that the POA has taken will leave a larger legacy the James and a dedicated police officer. Besides (as a platoon commander), and even- in the last fifteen years. Outside the Guelff Body Armor Act. Thanks to the the legendary service to the depart- tually Park Station where he spent job he was a member of the Legion hard work of Lee and many others, it is ment, Layne will also be remembered the last ten years. Not many people of Honor (VFW Post #14000), and now an enhanced criminal status in for his service to this association. He know that Layne opted not to go to vice-president of the Rio Nido Home most states to commit a crime while was one of those guys we could always the bureau in 1980 when he passed Owner's Association (where he wearing body armor. It was a terrible rely upon to head a committee, repre- the inspector's test; he felt comfort- owned a cabin). price to pay, to lose Jim Guelff in order sent a charged officer, or help coordi- able in patrol and stayed there his It appears though, that the most to patrol a bit more securely, and we nate an event or charity. whole career. prestigious and popular position owe thanks to Jim for his service, his So, this November is truly one of During his time in the depart- that Layne ever held, was as the sacrifice, and his dedication to us all. remembrance and of thanks. To all of ment, Layne took part in the POA SFPD Softball Commissioner, which Sergeant Layne Amiot died suddenly you, we at the POA wish you and your Board, the Building Committee, the at the end of last month. It was a shock families a warm and happy Thanksgiv- Negotiations Committee, the Elec- CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 to us all. Anyone who knew Layne ing. A Vietnam Veteran Remembers A Young Marine's Most Thankful Thanksgiving By Denny McClellan, way they were going, I'd make it home off and elevator #1 made its slow de- that I couldn't shake seeing all the SFPD Mounted Unit in one piece after my 13 months were scent from the flight deck. Once the dead and wounded from the other up. I didn't know it then, but things immense platform finally stopped, I night. My friend placed his hands on A writer I am not, but before I leave were about to take a turn. My location stood there frozen, for what I was see- my shoulders and said, "Remember this Department after 30 years, I would at the time was aboard the U.S.S. Tri- ing, wasn't real. This, I was not ready this Denny, better them than you." I'll like to share a bit of life experience poli, a fairly new Helo attack carrier in for. Nothing could prepare one for this never forget him telling me that, and with you. Especially those of you who '68, with a hospital on board, and horror. I'll never forget saying goodbye to him haven't slept in the mud with the numerous operating rooms available Just 15 minutes before, I was snug in at 1St Med in Danang. There my friend, leeches, mosquitoes, and snakes, hop- around the clock. my rack dreaming, I'm sure, of happier lying in a hospital bed, with tubes ing that another night in Vietnam It was sometime after midnight that times. Now I was seeing terribly going every which way, unable to would pass uneventfully, and you'd be I was awakened by a senior gunny wounded Marines, and dead bodies of speak, wrote on a chalkboard that he around to experience another sunrise. telling me to get the supply guys up to guys I ate with in the Mess and worked was heading back to the world later This is a story about a time in my life the hanger deck, elevator #1, immedi- out with in the ship's gym. We quickly that day, and that this would probably leading up to a Thanksgiving that was ately. The word was that numerous cleared the elevator of equipment and be the last time that we would see each truly that in the truest sense. choppers were inbound to the Tripoli Marines, and waited for the next group other. It wasn't. As I walked away from Several months before that holiday with casualties. Once my small group of dead and wounded to come down. his bed, both of us wiping tears from in November of 1968,1 was an 18-year- arrived at elevator #1, we observed the If memory serves me correctly, that our eyes, I couldn't help but think of old Marine corporal assigned to Battal- medical personnel busy setting up a platform made three trips down from his word, "Better them than you." ion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 7th triage station just off of the elevator, the flight deck, each one as shocking as Because of the large numbers of Marines, who's Motto by the way is on the hanger deck. We were told to the first. casualties, these vacant ranks needed "Ready for Anything, Counting on help carry off any equipment that was My group was told that we could to be filled with new blood. After a Nothing." brought down along with any dead return to our sleeping quarters, a job long Supply section meeting, I was How gung-ho is that? Marines. The dead, we were told, were well done. I climbed up into my rack, told to pack my sack and clean my Up until the month of August, things to be placed away from the triage area. trying not to cry and trying to make rifle, for I was on my way to a Rifle were going well for me. My unit was While waiting for the choppers to some sense of what I had just wit- company to join my comrades in arms. engaged in operation "Mameluke arrive, the same gunnery Sergeant told nessed. It's been over 30 years since For the next four or so months, I sur- Thrust," an operation to clear out en- us that a couple of our rifle companies that night and I'm still trying to make vived one combat Operation after an- emy strongholds in the vicinity around had just engaged a large V.C. unit, and some sense out of something that you other. I felt that I was now truly a Danang South Vietnam. to expect many casualties. Many of can't. Marine in mind, body, and spirit. I had a good job in supply and our dead and wounded resulted from a Later the next day, a buddy ap- Entering the month of November logistics, working with a good group of heavy mortar attack. proached me and asked what was both- guys. 1 felt that if things continued the Just then, the warning horn went ering me. I told this young Sergeant CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 Page 2 POA Journal November 2000 LAYNE AMIOT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 very responsible when it came to work and of course his family. he was for many years. He not only ran He left this world as a caring son to the league but played year in and year his dad Ed, a loving father to his daugh- out earning himself the "Michael ter Michelle and son Matt, as a father The regular meeting of the Widows' Traffic (Three wheeler) when the War O'Brien Memorial Softball Award a few figure to Christi, as a guiding stepfa- and Orphans' Aid Association of the broke out. Although he was over age, years back for long time dedication. ther to Kim, as a good brother to Dor- San Francisco Police Department was he enlisted in the Navy.