There were no “losers” that morning.
The morning of July 29, 1967, was sunny and warm with a fresh breeze streaming across the deck. It was a morning like any other aboard the U.S. carrier. Flight Operations were getting underway as the ship began to slowly turn into the wind in preparation to launch aircraft.
The days mission would carry pilots and crew into the skies over Vietnam in support of the war effort. Many of us stood in the catwalk, watching the pilots jockeying their aircraft for position at the catapults. In a moment, the sunny day turned into a hell of sorts with black smoke and the odor of burning jet fuel filling the air. The Flight Deck Chief and his crew were vaporized the instant the first bomb exploded and that explosion was followed by others as planes caught fire and were destroyed.
In only a few hours, 134 servicemen lost their lives. Of those who died that day, 50 were asleep in their bunks when the bombs exploded and the fires consumed them. Another 161 where injured, many severely. These are the servicemen the current president calls “losers” and “suckers”. But, they weren’t. They were there in service to their country. The real losers are the guys that had their fathers pay a doctor to invent a bone spur excuse. The real suckers are those who tend to believe everything their loser in chief tells them. The only people on that ship that day were American servicemen doing their sworn duty, many, like Lt. Cmdr. John McCain and that Flight Deck Chief, heroically!
Michael Estrella
St. Michaels
Brice Gamber says
Ok …. after three straight days of Trump bashing ( certainly some justified, although clearly bias), I’d like to take issue with Mr Estrell’s letter. Having also survived Viet Nam as a “ground pounder” in 66-67, and saw death. Now that we have our bona fides out of the way, let’s address the real issue of the letter.
Mr Estrella, like many Democrats, have accepted the anonymous “sources” that attribute negative comments about fallen military combatants. He accepts the anonymity despite actual attendees ( including Bolton- no friend of Trump) saying “it didn’t happen”. My guess, conversely, is that Mr Estrella dismisses out of hand the former Biden staffer who said Biden molested her. Most people would call this hypocrisy
I would readily admit Trump has significant flaws and is vulnerable to attack. I only ask for an even playing field, based on fact not fabricated stories that have been debunked by the Moeller report, ad nausium.
Let’s compare Biden’s 40+ years of Government “service” at our expense with President Trumps four years of results: Economy, National Security, Foreign Affairs, Favorable Trade agreements etc
Michael Estrella says
Mr. Gamber,
For the record, my last name is Estrella, not Estrell…I am a life-long registered Independent, not a Democrat…I read many portions of the Mueller report but have never seen the Moeller report…I form my opinions of the current occupant of the white house from many sources.
My belief that he actually used terms like “losers” and “suckers” has its roots in watching him denigrate John McCain and the Kahn family that were broadcast at the time they happened for the world to watch. As for Mr. Bolton, I haven’t taken anything he has to say seriously in years. But, thank you for your comments and for spelling my name correctly on the second and third try.
Sincerely…
Mary Hunt-Miller says
Thank you for your service, Michael and for your message to the President and his enablers.