If you have a war story or a friend or neighbor has a story, and lives within 35 – 40 miles of Port Charlotte, Fla, please contact me at:
donmoore39 at gmail dot com
Follow War Tales on Face Book
If you have a war story or a friend or neighbor has a story, and lives within 35 – 40 miles of Port Charlotte, Fla, please contact me at:
donmoore39 at gmail dot com
Follow War Tales on Face Book
Don, Just read your story on Mark Bills.His age is given at 58 and his entry into the Army was 1966. This would make him 14 years old when he entered service and 16 years old when these actions took place.Either the age given is wrong or the man’s a phony.Hopefully you’ll follow up on this. If the man’s a phony it needs to be exposed. Thank you.
The reason his age is off is because I used the age he was when I first wrote his story 5 or 6 years ago. Eventually when I come up with the hard copy of his story it will list the date the story was written.
If you look up at the home page, I think under then note about the author, it says that all of the ages used were the ages of the people when their story first appeared in the newspapers which can be as much as 10 years off.
Mark and everyone else is who he says he is. I can assure you I looked at his DD-214.
Don Moore
Sun Newspapers
Mary,
It hasn’t gone up yet. It will be a while. We put up three a week at present. It will eventually go up.
Regards,
Don Moore
Sun Newspapers
Thank you for leaving the books at the Sun office. We are enjoying reading the Veteran’s stories that you have compiled. Just saw the video of the Veterans History Project. It is a tremendous undertaking and our own Don Moore is part of preserving these great episodes of our veterans. Perhaps one of the staff writers could do a column on the V H Project. It is most worthwhile, we feel that it is. Thanks again for the books.
Don, when will Alex from Sweetbay, B-26 pilot be on the web site ?
what a good story in the paper, good job! Also a great web site. you are to be commended!
Keep up the good work,
Jim Mills
Jim,
I guess I could get Alex’s story on the web in the next week or so. Also I made contact with your Vietnam guy and have a date to talk to him on Monday. He sounds like a hell of a story.
I can’t thank you enough for findings these fellows for me. Keep em coming.
Regards,
Don Moore
Sun Newspapers
Jim,
Alex’s story will run on the web site on Monday.
Don Moore
Sun Newspapers
Mr. Moore,
You recently interviewed my father, Tony Inzerillo from Punta Gorda, about 3 to 4 weeks ago. I was wondering how long it would be before his article appears on this website? Also the DVD you made for him is not working, it’s pauses at certain points and then just hangs up. Would it be possible to get another copy?
Anthony – Mary will be scheduling your father’s story for Wednesday, November 17. As far as the DVD, try playing it through and if it continues to give you trouble, I’ll get you another one.
Hello,
My father Curtis Shelton served on the USS Harding. He was an Afro American sailor. He tells us about the day that the ship was hit.
How can his story be told.
Thank you very much.
Cora M. Alston
Cora,
I write stories about service people in the Charlotte Sun daily newspaper’s circulation area in West Coast Florida. Where are you and is your dad still alive? Can’t write a story without a living, breathing sailor who can tell me a story. I’d love to talk to your father if he is in our circulation area.
Regards,
Don Moore
Sun Newspapers
Hello!!! I am a Vietnam Veteran that served on the USS Providence CLG-6 during 1970 to 1973. I am looking for information about Richard Iglewski, E-3 Quartermaster on the USS St. Mary’s during 1944. His daughter is interested to find this information to share with her two sons. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Tom
Don,
I’ve just received Your mail about informations i was asking and i’m sincerely gratefull for Your answer, i didn’t know we were neighbours on WordPress pages ^^
I will answer You back right now by mail.
Thanks again for Your words and the wonderful work You are doing here.
Jean-Michel RiHET
Hi Don,
Ken Drew here. For the record, my middle name is Davis, not David: for posterity’s sake, of course. Thanks again for coming out,
Ken
HI DON! -I READ YOUR STORY ON GLENN MILLER WHO WAS WITH THE 20TH TRANS IN CU CHI.I WAS WORKING WITH A GLENN MILLER IN 69 AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF THIS IS THE SAME GUY.I TRYED TO REMOVE A TATOO FOR HIM BACK THEN SO I’M SURE HE WOULD REMEMBER ME. HOW CAN I FIND OUT? I SURE WOULD LIKE SOME HELP IF YOU CAN. THANKS! GEORGE KLINGBEIL/FROM OCALA FLORIDIA
Hello Don, I just completed reading your story about SGT John Zajdlik. Thank you for writing a celebration of this man’s time with our unit from the First Cavalry Division, the First Battalion Fifth Cavalry. You did a great job and so did John.
I would like to submit two corrections which I do not believe are your fault and I can certainly understand why John might have confused the date and the name of the mountain, because I was unsure until I researched them for my own writing.
First, John could not have been in the Michelin in March of 1968 because the First Cav was in I Corps, up north in the Spring of 1968. During March 1968, right after TET 1968, the First Cav engaged in helping to relieve the Marines at the Siege of Khe Sanh at that time. John did not arrive in Vietnam until November of 1968, since he told us that he flew home on Halloween, October 1969. A very happy memory.
The Battles in the Michelin to which John refers, took place from 18 March to 2 April 1969. Those battles were part of Operation Atlas Wedge. Operation Atlas Wedge was a joint operation in the Michelin against an entrenched North Vietnamese Army (NVA) force.
The American units involved were: The First Battalion, Fourth Cavalry, 1/4 or Quarter Cav, of the First Infantry Division, (Big Red One). The Quarter Cav was a heavy infantry battalion using tracked vehicles, called Armored Personnel Carriers, (APCs). The Quarter Cav, under LTC Bill Haponski, attacked from the East. The The 11th Armored Cavalry Division, brought Armor, heavy tanks from the South. John is correct that the First Battalion, Fifth Cavalry, the “Black Knights” of the First Air Cavalry Division also participated in the battle. In one part of the battle 1/5 riflemen, like John attacked from the West. Another rifle company was assigned to Quarter Cav to work with the APCs and the tanks.
Haponski writes extensively about Operation Atlas Wedge and Task Force Haponski in his book, “A Hell of A Ride”. Retired Brigadier General John “Doc” Bahnsen also references Operation Atlas Wedge in his book, “American Warrior”. Chaplain Claude Newby also references Operation Atlas Wedge the 1/5 of the First Air Cavalry Division in his book, “It Took Heroes”. Chaplain Newby and Chaplain Lamar Hunt were the Chaplains of 1/5, First Air Cavalry Division at that time. I served as their assistant.
Landing Zone (LZ) Dolly was not located on The Black Virgin Mountain (Nui Ba Den). LZ Dolly was located on the top of a small mountain, named Nui Ong. The Black Virgin Mountain was 22 kilometers due West of LZ Dolly. I can remember the spectacular sunsets looking over the helicopter pad with the Black Virgin Mountain silhouetted by the red tropical sun. I served with the 1/5, First Air Cavalry Division on LZ Dolly from January to June 1969.
LZ Dolly was attacked during Operation Atlas Wedge on the night of 26 March 1969. We lost many good men that night.
I am so glad for John telling his story. It is a remarkable story.
Your writing is outstanding. Thank you for telling John’s story.
Most of the writing about Vietnam is from 1967 and before. 1968 and 1969 were very important years in our country’s Vietnam experience. There are many important stories to tell from that incredible time and they need to be told.
Please tell John that I said, “Welcome Home!”
Jason Holmes then (SP5).
440 Great Hill
Ballwin, MO 63021
radjason@earthlink.net
I am looking for information about my father who died in 1965, he served on the USS St. Mary 1943-1946 his name is Ernest C Thomas Jr. all info will be greatfully appreciated also was there a fire on the ship my contact info is
barbrosewired@yahoo.com
Thank you for your story on Hank Abajian. As a relative I’m always interested in another story I haven’t heard before that comes out. He won one of the highest civilian medals that our country offers but he would never mention it. Keep up the good work. Bob Belorussian
Bob,
Hank was obviously a very smart individual. His talents in support of the war effort during the Second World War went a long way toward helping us win the war. It was a real pleasure telling his story.
Regards,
Don Moore
Exciting to find your web site. As the son of a WWII tanker who island hopped Biak, Letye etc, I find little information about their experiences. That he survived 12+ landings seems amazing and feel the stories and photographs should be recorded somewhere. Please advise.
Your dad must have a lot of interesting WW II stories to tell. If he is still alive and living in the Sun’s circulation area I’d love to tell them. If not, the best advice I can give you is to talk to your local newspaper and see if they would be interested in writing his story. You might show whoever you contact at your local paper my web site and tell the person you talk with to contact me. I’d be glad to tell them how well received and how well read these stories are. During the 12 years I’ve written “War Tales” and the 1,000 plus war stories the Sun has run, I can assure them there are few stories in anyone’s paper better liked.
Regards,
Don Moore
Sun Newspapers
I remember the General’s mission to bring back the P.O.W.s, I was just Company Grade Officer when I’d tried to contact him at one point to see if there was any way I could be of help, but wasn’t ever able to connect. I figured we must be related somehow as our last name isn’t Smith, Jones or anything common. Reguards,
Guy Ogan, Maj. USAF (Ret)
Abilene, TX
Don,
The story on Rodger Craig has several discrepancies along with some minor mispellings. Please contact him and/or Louise to get this correct. Its so wonderful to have the story written but it should be correct. Respectfully Melodie Honn ( their daughter)
Don,
Do you know when First. Lt. Roger Smith flew F-13 spy missions over the Soviet Union? You wrote, “immediately after World War II.” Here’s why I ask… I believe the Suella J flew POW supply missions Between August 27-September 20, 1945. And in July 1946, the Suella J took part in Operation Crossroads, the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll. So I’m trying to figure out when Smith’s spy flights took place in the scheme of things.
Bill,
Would you believe I can’t find Roger’s folder in my file. I’ve got over 1,000 of these stories and I must have misfiled his yarn. Off the top of my head I remember him telling me he flew his B-29 into Russia right after WW II before the Russians had perfected their radar to the point they could tell when an American plane flew into their air space. My recollection is that he said it was 1946 or so.
Don Moore
Sun Newspapers
Don,
After I posted that message, I re-read your story. It actually includes a number of dates which allow me to pinpoint the date (range) of those missions pretty closely. And yes, it was late-1946 and they continued for three months. I recently contacted the National Archive to see what they have on the Suela J and its crew. I’m very interested in knowing who the flight engineer was.