To Chamb and Michael
Memorial Day, 2021
I’ve never been one for flag-waving
Or hero worship
I’ve known so many of them
But there are two I will never forget
Chambless Chesnutt and Michael Chwan.
Fighter pilots don’t like titles--
F-4 pilots are the GIF and the GIB
(the guy-in-front and the guy-in-back)
Your names and your valor are tucked away
for all eternity.
With 100 combat missions under your belts
You were fully deserving of a return flight home
Both of you opted to stay.
The year was 1965
Your radar and missile systems blanked out just
before takeoff.
The maintenance crew scrambled
to your aircraft otherwise
poised to go.
“How bad is it?” Chamb asked
“We’ll have it fixed in one minute, Chamb”
was the reply.
“But we can ground this aircraft.”
“No way,” was your reply. “We’re going.”
In 60 seconds your F-4C was roaring down the runway
and quickly disappeared into the clouds.
They were hit by ground fire
on their return flight to base.
For the next 20 years they
were officially list as MIA.
In 1985 their remains were returned
Their names etched on the Vietnam Memorial Wall
Along with 58,000 others.
Brave men and women
One and all.
Sunshine patriots will never know
The meaning of duty honor country
Or that split second in time when
Heroes define who they are
What they stand for
And how they will be remembered.
Share
Print
Save
Follow
I am reminded here of rather brilliant Candace Owens, who in her book 'BLACKOUT' repeated the popular mantra that "freedom isn't free" but qualified that oft-heard utterance by reminding us that in factual reality, true 'Freedom' is incumbent with the need to always act responsibly and shoulder the burden of striving for higher personal and social standards throughout the living of one's life. Chamb and Michael certainly carried out that prime American dictum in the fulfillment of their duty for God and country that day in reference.
Blue skies, gentlemen, and gentle trailing winds in the vastness of unknowing eternity... I salute them with my own profound thanks, as I do so many thousands and millions of others of our military who similarly gave their all for America's 'free' democracy. K2