Dear Americans,
I hope that all of you that receive this message will share it with others for this is just one story, of many, that needs to be told so that those who never served understand the ultimate price others paid for this country.
God blessed America for a reason, let’s all contribute to that blessing.
Gary Chamberlain
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“We Are Their Voices”
As a Purple Heart and Silver Star recipient, I feel very blessed to be able to be a living voice for those that had their life and voice silenced by the Vietnam War.
Only surviving combat soldiers can tell their story with any accuracy.
Every Veterans Day and Memorial Day my American flag reminds me of my last minutes in Vietnam after being air lifted out of a combat zone, full of morphine with my best buddy next to me in a UH-1 helicopter. We were heading to a safe location for medical attention. I would eventually be going home due to my injuries and was one of the lucky ones so to speak.
More importantly to this story is my reoccurring memory, not of my circumstance, but of the two American soldiers, whose names were Edward Moldavin and Francis Schmaltz. Their names were recently revealed to me by my Vietnam First Seargent, Jim Johnson, from Killeen, TX.
These two men, like many others, lost their earthly voices on October 27, 1967. They did not return home and their Western Union telegram to their families read much different than mine!
Gary Chamberlain, Folksville USA Point Man challenges all to get involved in keeping America the Beautiful
At the time of the incident, I didn’t know who these two American combat soldiers were, but I was on the friendly side of an NVA bunker when I spotted them on the ground. These two American soldiers had encountered the full wrath of enemy NVA machine gun. I will never forget the desire to help them and be close enough to know that they were wounded so badly that their fate was most likely sealed, but we stilled tried to help them.
“Leave no soldier behind” was instilled in us!
In the end, try as we might to help them, they perished. They would be remembered as two soldiers that gave of themselves for the good of their combat partners and our country.
On Monday, May 25, 2015, my First Sergeant Jim Johnson emailed me, with this message that is worth repeating and passing on:
“Yes, Gary, I remember that day pretty well. We had about 10 of our men hit that day, including 3 medics on the (APC) armored personnel carrier behind us. I loaded Moldovan and Schmaultz on a chopper with a medic trying to keep them alive, but they were probably already dead. Later, Captain Staley and I loaded some more men from the 8th CAV-First Cavalry Division who were dead for sure. The next day, I went to the medics down at Chu Lai to check on our wounded soldiers and raised hell with the medics because they hadn’t even washed your face from the previous day (now that’s the kind of leader our First Sergeant was and still is!). Hope you and your wife have a good Memorial Day and God bless both of you – – – Jim.”
Though I have my own memories of my Vietnam experience, I’m alive, able and willing to help tell their story. As veterans and families of fallen soldiers, we must keep their stories alive with the hope that those who live in this country somehow appreciate the sacrifice others have paid for them.
The takeaway message about these two United States combat soldiers is that there were 58,220 Armed Forces members that lost their life and voices in Vietnam so the rest of us could try to make them proud of their service and our accomplishments. For me, my heart has much empathy for those that serve our country and especially our combat soldiers.
What do you do to make America worth them dying for us?
Gary Chamberlain
Chu Lai, Vietnam 1967
B Troop, 1st Squadron, 1st Armored Cavalry
Murphy, NC
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
(Thank you for your service, Gary Chamberlain, a former SedonaEye.com contributing columnist and co-founder of Folksville USA, a national anti-litter award winning organization.)
Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!
Thank you Sir for your service.
We remember. It’s a Memorial Day for you.
Hi Gary:
Your may be out of sight but you are definitely NOT out of mind. Keep up what you do best. Serve others. Regret never having the opportunity to meet you in person.
Eddie
Dear Sedona Eye,
Thanks for publishing this story and being one of the “Patriotic” media organizations that continues to be a voice for the voice of the people.
Gary Chamberlain
Murphy, NC
Freedom means secure borders. Watching news this morning got disgusted.The recent photo of children in cages at the Border was outrageous BUT it was taken four years old and happened under the Obama Administration. The liberal who tweeted it should make full public apology and acknowledgement of mistake today. To you who saw pictures and retweeted, you owe your network apologies for being a tool. If you were outraged thinking it was this admin, and you’re not outraged knowing it was Pres. Obama’s admin, then YOU are the problem with this administration and this country’s polarization and success. YOU. Not THEM.
Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!
5:58 AM – May 28, 2018
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In honor of Memorial Day, we’re doing 25% off all (deleted by editor) gear! Use code REMEMBER. (link deleted by editor)
Thank you for your service to our great country.
Semper Fi and God Bless All our military active and retired, with us and long gone from us. Support your services that keep you safe and your freedom intact.
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
“America the Beautiful Clubs”
North Carolina and Arizona
The purpose of this document and preliminary list of individuals is to connect North Carolina and Arizona together in a manner that will allow those mentioned to be the leaders of a renewed anti-litter effort.
We are two teams with one goal and I’m willing to be the go-to person regarding questions, comments and concerns to keep this effort moving forward. The North Carolina and Arizona teams need to interact in a manner that strengthens their individual team and our collective efforts that will benefit all of us.
The following format is being suggested as the guidelines for every school in every state, change the school name and make this opportunity your own.
Cherokee County schools promote “America the Beautiful Clubs”
Our School Mission:
Our primary mission is to promote “America the Beautiful Clubs” in our Cherokee County schools. With the help of our community leaders, we wish to encourage community pride efforts that focus on picking up litter on our school grounds and in the community four times per year. With the help of our state leaders, our secondary and the ultimate goal is to be part of establishing “America the Beautiful Clubs” in every North Carolina school.
Our elementary, middle and high schools will create their own “America the Beautiful Clubs” per this example-format “America the Beautiful Club-Martin’s Creek Elementary School”. Continuity in brands and branding will make our efforts more effective. If we’re all on the same page, we will make a difference!
Our Cherokee County, “America the Beautiful Clubs” will thrive if our entire community participates in our efforts. When it comes to community pride through the reduction of litter and vandalism, we believe that there is something for everyone to do.
Our School Commitment:
We will encourage our Cherokee County schools to participate in the North Carolina Litter-Free Coalition anti-litter contest which ends on the last day of each school year. The contest rules will be provided to the Superintendent of Schools, by the North Carolina Litter-Free Coalition at the beginning of each school year for distribution to the school principals.
We will be promoting anti-litter activities on the third Saturday of February, May, August and November to coincide with other community, anti-litter activities.
We will continue providing and sharing our anti-litter messages, stories, comments and photographs with our community media and the North Carolina Litter-Free Coalition so that our efforts may be shared with other North Carolina schools and state leaders.
We will encourage our students to provide anti-litter artwork that will be sent post on our school Facebook page and sent to the North Carolina Litter-Free Coalition to be posted on their Facebook page so it may be shared with others. This artwork will be provided on 8-1/2” x 11” sheets that have the students name and school on the front of the artwork.
Our Community Partners
Our Cherokee County school “America the Beautiful Clubs” will depend upon the continued support of those in our community that share the common goal of restoring the true beauty to Cherokee County and America the Beautiful.
North Carolina Team
Gary Chamberlain – Coordinator FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com (928) 202-1186
Arizona Team
Gary Chamberlain – Coordinator FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com (928) 202-1186
Gary Chamberlain-Spokesman, North Carolina Litter-Free Coalition
PO Box 98, Murphy, NC 28906
FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com
(928) 202-1186 (AZ cell)
…………..Three Arizona Republicans, Biggs of Gilbert and Gosar of Prescott, and former Representative Franks of Glendale signed briefs supporting Phillips, while Democratic Reps. Raul Grijalva of Tucson and Kyrsten Sinema and Ruben Gallego, both of Phoenix, joined more than 200 Democrats in support of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission………….
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission was found by the Supreme Court in its 7-2 decision to have extreme bias against religion in this decision and the state commented it will stand by the Commission.
Attn Sedona businesses like Enchantment, Mariposa, el Portal – you might have to serve to people eating at your tables in thongs or even naked, you might have to serve people who promise to pay and do not pay at time of service (true), you might have to keep tabs on the number of diversities served meals each day to prove unbiased service, you might have to prove a percentage of LGBT guests rooms are set aside whether used or not as non discrimination behavior….
The city of Sedona may not donate to a nonprofit without proof it didn’t discriminate against another in favor of their choice. This will be a field day for lawyers. Some are itching to get to the courtroom now.
Attn churches: You will need to relocate.