The Frenchy Connection

The Frenchy Connection Bringing it all Together

The refurbishing of the Marine Aviation Memorial Bell Tower this year was financed by The USMC Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association – AKA, “Pop-A-Smoke” and other supporters who always seem to come through for us. Glenn Wickham, owner of PMI, did a fabulous job on the impressive Tower aided by his son, Glenn II and Bryan Moore. The Wickham’s, father and son, are pictured here with Bryan after wrapping the repainted Tower to dry before its unveiling to stand watch over Pensacola’s beautiful Veterans Memorial Park.

Glenn’s other son, Army 82nd Airborne, is a story unto himself, having somehow managed to survive when his parachute failed! Going forward, we’re hoping to get that full story from him for the next issue of AHERO Magazine.

And speaking of the great supporters of our projects that commemorate our many military heroes, we were totally taken aback by the VERY generous contribution to the Tower project made by one Mr. Joe Gilchrist. You probably recognize him as the owner of the FloraBama lounge in Orange Beach, Ala., whose legacy includes bringing some of country-music’s best singer-songwriters (including my Veteran buddy, Mutt, featured here) to public attention at his venue.

Though not a military man himself, Joe always found a way to support and honor America’s Veterans, and he was a welcome sight when he came by this last time. What a loss to us all, then, when he suddenly passed away shortly afterward, in May! The story of how Joe “made” FloraBama happen, and his worthy life in general, may yet appear on our pages.

Tafter wrapping the repainted Tower to dry before its unveiling to stand watch that support all things Veterans and came together for this event. Among them at the far right is LtCol Rich Bianchino (USMC Ret), who flew in all the way from California to attend the event along with his long-time friend and fellow Golden Eagle, Lt Gen Fred "Assassin" McCorkle, USMC Ret.

ABOVE LEFT: Commandant of the Cpl J.R. Spears Detachment #066 Marine Corps League, Col Karl Schwelm, USMC (Ret), stresses the need for unity in our Marine active duty, retired, and Veteran community. We NEVER stop serving country, Corps and community! The event was hosted by Marine family-owned restaurant, The Hangar American Grill, in Milton, Florida. Thank you, Jessica and Robert!

ABOVE RIGHT: The Marine Aviation Memorial Bell Tower was refurbished by PMI. Glenn Wickham, owner of PMI, stands with son Glenn II and PMI rep Bryan Moore.

LEFT: Capt Courtland Gray, USMC (Ret) converses with Pop-A-Smoke President Col E. "Slick" Katz, USMC (Ret).

The Frenchy Connection Bone-Chillin’ Rain

By Norm “Frenchy” LaFountaine

Well, connections and anniversaries abound for those in the know. Or maybe I should say for those as obsessed as I am about remembering valiant friends and fellow Veterans!

A while back, I made a few new friends through my days traveling with the patriotic vocal group, HOMELAND, from Birmingham, Alabama, “Mutt” Cooper being one of them. My friend Carl Jones Jr. sent me one of Mutt's videos and asked me how I felt about it.

What I thought was, Wow!

Mutt is a Veteran, a singer/songwriter, and an occupational therapist these past 20 years. He works at Martin Army Hospital helping TBI patients. He also spends his time working with Operation Song and recently with Freedom Sings, joining Nashville songwriters to interview and tell the stories of military service members.

Mutt's video “got” me twice. Once was just because of the content, but then with a line in the song that brought back memories on the eve of another of my own important anniversaries. The song is called “Tom.”

One of the lyrics in the song mentions “the jungle rain that chills you to the bone.” Hearing it brought me back to a conversation I once had with a friend who I still mourn, Cpl Ernesto “Gooie” Gomez, Marine Vietnam Veteran, a CH-46D crew chief and Navy Cross Recipient (Khe Sanh, 881S, 1968).

One day, Gooie and his wife Carleen stopped here in Milton, Florida, on their way to Quantico, Virginia. Gooie was to be interviewed in Quantico for the Marine Museum Archives, along with all the stillliving Congressional Medal of Honor and Navy Cross recipients who had come to see Captain William “Bill” Dabney, USMC (Ret), who had been at Khe Sanh in 1968, receive his belated Navy Cross.

Gooie and I spoke of how everyone thought Vietnam’s weather was always hot. It was, but in the mountains at night in the rain, it was bitter cold. Especially when you were in the open cabin of a helicopter!

Shortly after Gooie’s passing in 2007, I got to go for a flight in one of the last of those CH-46’s, in the port gunners open window. There was a cold rain falling in Pensacola that day in 2008, and the memories came rushing back. All of a sudden, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and I turned around quickly, thinking it was a crew member trying to get my attention.

Of course, it wasn’t. In fact, there was no one there. But I have my suspicions …

GATHERING IN REMEMBRANCE, BUT LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE

Bring on January 2022. It’s a month or so after 3 December ‘21, when I got my left knee replacement, a gift from a grateful nation (VA funded). COL Slick Katz, USMC (Ret), president of the USMC Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association (AKA, “Pop-a-Smoke” or “Popasmoke”), called to see how I was faring. He greeted me much in the fashion he would when he was a lance corporal in our helicopter gunship squadron in Vietnam: “Hey, a-hole, how you doin’?”

Over the years, Popasmoke has been a hugely generous supporter of great projects that honor our heroes. Among these have been The Veterans Memorial Park of Pensacola itself, as well as The Gulf Coast Gold Star Families Monument and the Marine Aviation Memorial Tower located there.

Anyway, Slick and I got on to the business of the next Popasmoke reunion. It was agreed that I should round up the local suspects for a get-together at The Hangar American Grille while he was in from Tallahassee visiting his son and family. The first person to be called on for help was Dave Glassman (USMC, Ret), wearer of many hats and & master of Make Things Happen. Next thing I know, we’ve got a date for the event! Crank up the Twilight Zone theme music. One evening of the three days of events was 14 April 22, the 53rd anniversary of the shootdown of Purple Fox CH-46D helicopter HMM364 Recon (Swift Medevac YK-5) on Charlie Ridge, Vietnam. Four crew members lost. The surviving pilot of that helicopter was Capt. Rich Bianchino, USMC (Ret).

A GREAT SUPPORTER STEPS UP, HONORING FRIENDSHIPS FORGED IN THE FIRESTORM OF WAR

The event was a membership drive for Popasmoke, and the upcoming Reunion in Sparks, Nevada, and also to raise everyone’s awareness of an upcoming fundraiser for repairs to the Marine Aviation Memorial Bell Tower and an opportunity to bring in some special guests with many connections to Pensacola. One of those guests had his travel expenses generously sponsored by the law firm, Aylstock Witkin Kreis Overholz (AWKO) out of Pensacola.

AWKO is a big supporter of AHERO. The folks there never pass up an opportunity to show appreciation for the sacrifices made by our Veterans.

I had contacted Michelle Press at the firm, telling her the story of how Capt. Bianchino and his crew chief, none other than Gooie Gomez, were shot down on 14 April 1969. And how more than half their crew were lost and how the three survivors were seriously wounded. I let her know what a great gift it would be to us all to have Rich here for the event to be with some of his oldest and closest friends, including retired LtGen Fred “Assassin” McCorkle.

I dropped off a thumb drive to Michelle at AWKO with a 10-minute video of “Gooie” Gomez relating the story of the 14 April ’69 shoot down for the Marine Museum Archives in Quantico. Gooie had been asked to do this as the crew chief on that mission with Capt. Bianchino.

That mission was one of several that were critical to the survival of so many, including yours truly. So it was an anniversary for me as

well, as I was a crew chief on one of the two gunship escorts, under the command of Maj Ross Plasterer, who refused to leave the crash site until he knew the rescue helicopter had it in sight, as he knew that once the destroyed CH-46D helicopter had sunk through the 75-foot-thick triple canopy to the jungle floor, any survivors would be forever lost. Maj Plasterer later retired as a major general.

Michelle then wrote a summary of my phone conversation with her about the importance of such anniversaries to Veterans, and she reached out to the partners at AWKO Law. Within a few hours, the decision was made. An airline ticket was booked and in my hands, thanks to Raechel at AWKO, who had taken the “baton” from Michelle.

SUCCESS IS OLD FRIENDS GATHERING & WELCOMING NEW FRIENDS IN

Well, Rich made it to the Meet & Greet with Slick Katz and all of us. Many representatives from the community’s Veterans organizations participated – stepping up as they always do to make good things happen. A good time was had by all, with new friendships started for the future.

Which is what fraternal and non-profit organizations are supposed to make happen, according to a particularly great proponent of this philosophy – AHERO!

This event was a major factor in securing a new community connection to the Hangar American Grille on Avalon Blvd, in Milton. The owners, Mrs. Jessica Kern and her son, Robert Preston (a former USMC MV-22 Osprey pilot) have joined the AHERO family, and I’m sure they will be adding much to the good times we’ll all be sharing in the future!