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War Dogs! Memorial:
E-mail Comments by those who attended
I was at the War Dogs Memorial...

From: Tom Mitchell
To: ALL Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2000 Subject: War Dog Memorialrside National Cemetery, well, we're going to play it safe this time and await "official" word. Tom Mitchell, VDHA Chairman

From: Pat Dunne
To: Hawk

From: Tom Mitchell To: ALL
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject: Memorial Visit


Please check this out: Home At Last. I am sure you'll be able to see and feel it too. Don Poss
lives in Riverside, CA. Really nice job Don.
Tom Mitchell

From: Sue
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject: Home At Last

Dear Don,
Thank you SO much for your thoughts and feelings about this Memorial. Seeing it through your eyes and emotions is about as close as I'll ever get to empathizing - and I could feel it. God bless you! <
Sue - Webmistress/CTT Historian
https://www.combattrackerteam.org

From: Vance McCrumb

To: Home At Last

Don,
Thank you! Thank you! I have been able to view the memorial through your eyes. Thank you! Thank you!
Vance L. McCrumb
, 366th SPS K9
Arf,,, Dutch E955 euthanasia 1966

From: Tom Chumita
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject: Your Home At Lastviews on the memorial

Don,
My name is Tom Chumita. I'm a supporting member of the VDHA. I live in Ohio and I'm unable to attend the dedication. I've ordered the dedication video offered by the VDHA. Thank you for the description of the memorial and the grounds. Most of all thanks for your thoughts and feelings about this great and long over due memorial. You don't know how lucky you are to be able to enjoy the memorial on a daily basis. I'm hoping to visit the memorial in Ga. since it will be closer to home. Thanks again for your thoughts and bravery when we needed you most....
Tom Chumita

From: James W. Click
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject: MEMORIAL STORY, Subject: Home At Last
THANKS DON, JOB WELL DONE!
I have been able to hold in check my emotions looking forward to being at the dedication this Monday. Reading of your visit to the Monument it was as if a dam broke. The tears and everything I have had buried inside me burst forth. I am looking forward to meeting you and shaking your hand. God bless you and yours.
James W. Click,
SGT. 366th Security Police Squadron, K9, USAF
Đà Nàng 67/68

From: Steve Janke
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject: Subject: Home At Last Memorial

Don,
Thanks for the perspective and report. I am looking forward to seeing this very much. This is an understatement!

Steve Janke,
Vietnam Security Police Association, Inc. (USAF), Chaplain


From: rmcd
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject: War Dog Monument, and Home At Last
Hi,Don.
I just read your story on stopping to see the monument. What a moving article. You did a fantastic job. I could tell it was truly from the heart. I was with the Scout Dogs in the Army. I live about as far as you can from the monument (MAINE) so I doubt if I will ever get out there to see it. I am going to buy the video. But no matter how good that is I don't think any thing will surpass reading my first article about it from a vet. Rumor has it that some time there may be a monument at Benning, too. I would make sure to get there. Well, anyway, a truly heart felt thanks for the story. And like you, I didn't want it to but it brought tears to my eyes.
Thanks again,
Ryan McDougal (K-9 Brute)

From: HL Hartford
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject: A word about your words, Home At Last

Thanks Don, Well done... I found your words about war most deep and with a strong sense of pride. At a boy, Don! I hope you understand my feelings about your words. Thank again.
Sincerely,
HL Hartford,
Flight Leader, At: Vietnam Security Police Association's Bulletin Board (Check it out!)
Other webs to check are: War Stories! and VDHA.
Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans.

From: Mike Potter
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Subject:

Don, through your eyes and heart, I feel as though I was there also, feeling the emotion as you did, and as I did when I read your story. I'm unable to be there physically on February 21, but will be there with all my heart. If I had been in your shoes, I don't think I could have resisted stopping to see the memorial. You had a chance to have your private thoughts and turn them loose to mingle with the spirit of the memorial, with all the souls that were once lost, together now, remembered forever in this symbol of bravery and sacrifice. Our dogs' lives were not in vain! May they rest in peace.
Mike Potter,
"Duke"56M9 8th SPS Ubon 69' & 70'
From: Moore, Monty J.
To: Poss, Don
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Subject: K9 Memorial Page, Home At Last
Don: It's Awesome!
Monty Moore

From: D. Bruce Zewe
To: All
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Subject: memorial

This is to all you Airmen from the 366th SPS at Đà Nàng: It's good to see that so many of you will be attending the memorial service at Riverside. Sure wish I could be there also, but I can't. The 366th will be well represented. Have a drink for me and "Chief". I'll be there with you in spirit.
D. Bruce Zewe,
Sgt K-9, 366th SPS
Sentry Dog Handler

From: Tom Mitchell
To: Don Poss
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000

Subject: Dedication

Thanks for everything Don. I sent your Memorial visit, and Home At Last, story to the 650 members online. They loved it. It was a great piece.
Thank you. Tom Mitchell

From: Don Poss:
To: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000

Subject: and Home At Last
Don Poss wrote: Tom: If I have touched others through "Home At Last", it is only because my dog, Blackie, touched me, and every handler privileged to have known him. Responses are Unexpected and in the hundreds, plus phone calls from several back east. Most rewarding was from one who said he had not planned to attend the dedication, but decided to after reading "Home At Last". A very rewarding event for me in remembering Blackie, to say the least! I will post a few responses when the time comes.
Don Poss
Webmaster for: War Stories! and the Vietnam Security Police Assn. (USAF)

From: Tom Mitchell
To: Don Poss
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Subject: Dedication Media

A funny think happened on the way to the dedication... My brother Larry has been a freelance cameraman for over forty years. He use to shoot for Charles Kuralt, 60 Minutes, Nightline..etc. All the big TV news magazine shows. He is now semi-retired. This morning he got a call from CNN asking him if he could shot a story for them on Feb. 20-21. He said he was busy those two days because he was going to the War Dog Memorial dedication in Riverside. The producer couldn't believe it. She told him that is what she wanted him to shoot. So, my big brother will be shooting the dedication piece for CNN/Time. Life is so damn strange. Weird, but great. Larry is more my father than my brother and was the one who saw me off when I left for Vietnam. Now he is shooting the dedication. Unbelievable.
Thanks to Karl Gross CNN/Time is doing a feature on Karl and others who are attending the dedication. They hope to air it sometime BEFORE March 1. CNN/Time is their nightly magazine show. Airs at 9: 00 p.m. I think.
ABC's 20-20 is also doing a feature on War Dogs and the dedication. They are sending a camera crew there too. They hope to air their story in mid-March.
We are also getting very good responses from TV stations in the southern California area. Should be awesome.
Tom Mitchell

Response - Don Poss wrote:
Tom: Wow! That's great! Nothing should take away from the dedication... but... what about mentioning to your brother our collective efforts toward a War Dogs' stamp? Keep planting those seeds and some day the politicians will claim the stamp as their own idea!

Don Poss
Webmaster for: War Stories! and the Vietnam Security Police Assn. (USAF)

From: Tom Mitchell
To: Don Poss
Cc: Craig Lord
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000
Subject: War Dog Memorial Photos

You have the OK to use any and all photos sent to us. The same goes for the "Feeling and Thoughts." I'd like to see all of the photos and stories available for all to see. So Don, if you have the time and you wouldn't mind, can you add the photos and messages to the VSPA site?
Tom Mitchell
From: Don Poss
To: Steve Gattis, V.P. VSPA
Cc: Steve Ray, Secretary Treasurer, VSPA
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2000 19: 15
Subject: War Dogs posting

Steve Gattis & Steve Ray: Tom Mitchell has asked that I post all of the photos and stories coming out of the War Dogs Monument dedication. What are your opinions?
Don Poss,
K-9 Blackie, X129
Webmaster for: War Stories! and the Vietnam Security Police Assn. (USAF)


Response: Steve Gattis wrote:
Don & Steve
As someone who attended the dedication of the War Dog Memorial who was NOT a dog handler and not a member of the VDHA, I believe the handlers were and are our brothers and while some of them (Army, Navy and Marines) do not belong to VSPA, many of the USAF handlers do. And the dogs... well, there is no other way to describe them than to have a healthy respect for what they did and to love the fact that they would have died for us too. I remember so many incidents where handlers had an alert and called in to say that they were quartering their post. Did they save me? Did they prevent an attack? You bet they did, even though some of the guys were not as smart as their dogs were (Army, Navy and Marines... heh-heh). Yes, shots were fired and bodies were recovered thanks to the dogs.
So, my gut feeling, based on history and my experience at the memorial, is to say lets post the stories and photos on our page. I believe that this may improve our own growing numbers in terms of membership, and it will be the basis for additional articles for publication regarding our association. As VP with the collateral of marketing the VSPA, I think this is an outstanding way to generate membership. Let's do this right!
I hate to see you have to do all the work. I saw Steve Gattis's reply that maybe he could help you load it. If you can find a way for him to help out, that would be great. Is there any way to condense some of the information to save time and space? I would like to see the material on our page vs your War Stories! page, since our Air Force Security Police Squadrons had the K-9 sections and so, are part of our collective history. If we need to add more space and pay more to ComstockNet I don't think that would be a problem. Please, fit this project in to your schedule and don't let this or any of the other stuff that gets sent in drive you nuts or keep you from the family, etc. We will make it clear, we are all volunteers at VSPA and we have other obligations, so we get to things as we are able to. Thanks Don for all your hard work.
Steve Ray

From: Byron Martin
To: Don Poss Don Poss Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2000
Subject: War Dogs Dedication, and celebration banquet

Don: It was great seeing you after so many years. It took me a long time to wind down and get back to normal after the dedication and dinner. I sure enjoyed hearing that Hilda was still going strong after I left. Someone that night said that there was a website that had stories like Hilda's along with many others. I haven't been able to find it, do you know what they were talking about? I'm not real computer literate so I kind of stumble around when I go on line. I wish we would have had more time to talk about good old Đà Nàng, but the time sure went fast. Keep me posted if there are any other get-togethers going on, I'm kind of out of the link.
Byron Martin

From: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000
Subject: Dedication Weather

FYI, rain is expected for Sunday and parts of Monday. Now wouldn't that be appropriate! Tom Mitchell

From: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000
Subject: Dedication Umbrellas

With some 2,000 expected (depends on the weather) to attend the War Dog Memorial dedication, there is not much we can do about sheltering anyone from the rain. At one point we planned to have a tent, but not only would it not hold enough people, but it would have blocked the view of the Memorial. Both the speakers and attendees will be out in the open, so bring an umbrella. The forecast is for showers, so hopefully it will not be a big deal.
Keep in mind that SoCal is very difficult to forecast and the weather predictions are often wrong. It was supposed to rain in San Diego this morning... the sun is shining like crazy. We'll see. Just wanted you to be prepared. Tom Mitchell

From: Mark W. Ward, March Field Air Museum
To: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000
Subject: War Dog Tiles

Tom,
As you may know, the War Dog Memorial is adjacent to our current memorial tile courtyard which allows visitors to the museum to purchase tiles for themselves loved ones, fallen comrades etc. Since the War Dog Memorial has a large cement pad area around it's base, our board member in charge of our tile program has decided to tile this area with unique tiles.
The War Dog Memorial tiles will be tan in color and can be engraved with two lines of text (maximum of 20 characters per line). These tiles also feature a paw print on them. One line of text with paw $35, two lines with paw $50. Proceeds benefit the March Field Museum Foundation. Please feel free to tell your members of the availability. Contact Neil Murphy, Betty Bradley or e-mail through the web site at www.marchfield.org . See you Monday.
MWW

From: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000
Subject: [Fwd: War Dog Tiles]

FYI
This is really a neat idea. The Museum is offering this and I plan to take advantage. Tom Mitchell

From: Margaret Craford
To: Don Poss
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2000
Subject: War Dog memorial, Home At Last

Dear Sir:
I was deeply moved by your remarks about this memorial, and I thank you for sharing them. My husband is a Vietnam veteran, and I am a volunteer search and rescue K-9 handler in SW Washington.
Sincerely,
Margaret Craford

From: Steve Gattis
To: ALL
Cc: Pat Dunne; Don Poss
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2000
Subject: War Dog Memorial

For all of you that could not be here in California, I attended the dedication of the War Dog Memorial today at the March AFB Museum. The detail of handler and his dog i>demand that you touch, that you feel their presence, that you become part of their world. The ceremony was outstanding even though it rained. There were well over a thousand people there and not a dry eye around in one of the most touching events I have ever attended. The speakers were eloquent and our Chaplain, Steve Janke, was especially good as he delivered the opening prayer and gave a short talk about his dog, Kobuc, and what the memorial meant to him. He knew, that of the hundreds of dog handlers present, including three from WWII, that the dog depicted in the memorial, represented their own war dog and that each was living in their own memories as they walked forward to touch "their" war dog, to say "welcome home" or "heal" one last time and place a rose on the memorial.
The VSPA was well represented by Don Poss, Pat Dunne, Larry Brazeale, Mike and Debbie Kennedy and several others who were also members of the VDHA. If you ever have the opportunity to see this memorial, I recommend that you spend some quiet-time here. You will not regret your decision to do so. You should also read the tribute by Don Poss (on the VSPA Web Site at Home At Last), written after he spent some time at the memorial on Valentine's Day.
I hope to see you all at the Reunion in San Antonio. My best to all of you. Welcome home!
Steve Gattis,
Phu Cat 68-69

From: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000
Subject: Dedication Video Reminder

To say the least, the War Dog Memorial was OUTSTANDING. We had heavy rain and an earthquake, but the weather did clear for the dedication, then it rained the moment it was over. More on the dedication later. I just want to remind those of you who have NOT sent money for the Dedication video to get it to me ASAP. If you have already sent me the money, and I have confirmed the order, you can ignore this e-mail.
For those who have NOT ordered yet, here is the procedure. All tapes will be prepaid and sent to members in two shipments. The first shipment will be on March 1, the second on May 1. The second shipment is to allow VDHA members who are not online a chance to order the video after we promote it in the next DogMan.
We will not be shipping videos one at a time. If you miss the March shipment you will be added to the May shipment. If you miss the May shipment, well, you miss out. We are pre-paying for the videos so the VDHA does not go into debt buying videos and getting stuck with them. We will only duplicate the number of videos that are ordered and paid for IN ADVANCE. The cost of the Dedication video is $10.00 each, shipping and handling is included. $10 is the total amount for each tape! A great deal.
ASAP, send a check MADE OUT TO VDHA, with the proper amount to: Tom Mitchell
2126 Ricard Ct.
El Cajon, CA 92019

From: Jack Kays
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000
Subject: 'The War Dog Memorial", J.R.Jack Kays [Jack Kays is a Vietnam War poet, and has published widely. VSPA is fortunate to have his work posted on our pages.]

From: Don Ray
To: Don Poss
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000
Subject: Re: VFW Honors K-9

Don, do you know of any way to post these pics so they could be available to everyone? I have had an offer from someone to use their IPSD site but thought I would run it by you first. I have many more that I could send and will over the next few days. It would be nice if everyone could go to one source and view them rather than load up their hard drives. All the pics are digital and I took them with a 2.1 meg Kodak 280Z.
Don Ray

From: Randy Everett
To: Randy Everett

Response - Don Poss wrote:
Randy: The web never ceases to amaze me... here are two, and there are several more, WebPages with photos: www.geocities.com/Athens/1878/wardog.html#ww1

Don Poss,
K-9 Blackie, X129
Webmaster for: War Stories! and the Vietnam Security Police Assn. (USAF)

Response - Randy wrote:
Thanks for forwarding the links. Too bad I don't have a photo. That one page implies that the cemetery was overgrown with jungle since the 1940s, but that is not true. I saw the graves in 1986-87 and it was in disrepair, but not overgrown. Some guys from my unit thought it was weird that I wanted to see it, but you and I understand. The dogs served their country too.
Randy Everett
From: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2000
Subject: Video Delay

I just came from the video editing room and it is there may be a delay in getting the video off to you. I was hoping I could just copy what was shot and send it along, but because of the rain at the dedication there are problems with the sound and as a good cameraman should, John was very judicious in his use of videotape.
The ceremony was about one hour and twenty minutes long. John shot about 18 minutes of videotape. That is all he needed for the piece he was putting together for his TV station, as he was also using photos of he and his dog in Vietnam.
We don't have any of the speeches, except for some of the guest speaker. Most of the tape is of us handlers taking the flowers up to the memorial and touching the dog. It is very good stuff.
But, I would like to insert a little more of what it was like to be there. I will be asking CNN if we can get copies of what they shot to help supplement what John shot. (John thought that was part of the plan in the first place).
If CNN says OK, it will not happen until after they air their story, which will be sometime in March. It is very unusual for a TV station or network to release their tape, but I hope this is a special case. We'll see.
So, if we can get CNN's video I think we can get you your copy about ten days after we get the tape from CNN. Maybe by the 3rd week of March.
If they say no to giving us the tape, I'll send you what we now have. It is about 11 minutes long at the moment. I'll let you know what CNN says. Sorry for the delay.
Tom Mitchell

From: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2000
Subject: Local Papers account: Read the Local Papers account.
From: Jim Hart To: Tom Mitchell
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2000
Subject: Video

Hi Tom, Take your time with the video, I don't care how long it is. I was very nervous just being in front of the camera to say where I was in Nam and so forth. I haven't seen anything on TV. I had no idea the ceremony was going to be that big. When we parked the car and started walking toward the building, I stopped because I heard dogs barking. When I realized that every police car had a K-9 in it, I knew that we all were finally home. As I placed a rose on the memorial I had Flops picture in my left hand, I told him that Dick 68, Phil 69 & Jim 70 will never forget him. I feel so proud to be part of VDHA. Jim Hart

From: James W. Click
To: Don Poss
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2000
Subject: TRIBUTE

Hi Don: It was such fun talking to you and your son David at the dedication dinner. I can't wait for all the pictures to come back. We are having doubles done so we can send some out. I just sent my letter out about thoughts and feelings. Could you let me know if it came through alright? Here is the Tribute I told you about that I had written several months ago. Hope you like it: A Tribute To The War Dogs.
James W. Click,
SGT. 366th SPS Đà Nàng,
Sentry Dog Section
From: Vern To: Home At Last

Don: Nice job on the story of the dog memorial dedication. I wish I could have been there. Vern
Webmaster,
75th Air Police, Korean War

From: Tom Mitchell
To: ALL
Sent: Tuesday, February 29, 2000
Subject: CNN Dedication Coverage, March 19th, 9: 00 p.m.!

I got the following message from CNN today. Mark down the date! They said the War Dog Memorial Dedication story will be around 15 minutes long.
We are going to air the story on March 19, Sunday at 9 p.m. eastern on CNN & TIME, CNN's 1-hour newsmagazine program. We will begin promoting the program on our web page this week, and it will also promoted in TIME magazine the week before it airs. I would like to provide a link to the VDHA homepage and any others you think might be useful on our web page – so viewers who want more information will know where to get it.
Tom Mitchell

From: Jan
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, February 29, 2000
Subject: War Dogs Memorial, Home At Last

Don,
That was an excellent piece of writing. I'm involved in dog rescue and saw it on one of the lists. My parents are buried at Riverside Natl Cemetery & now I will have something else to remember at March Field, as I hadn't known about this. Thanks.
Jan, in Missouri

From: Steve Janke
To: ALL
Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2000 3: 37

Read a local News article in hometown paper.
Steve Janke
From: Tom Mitchell
To: ALL
Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2000
Subject: Latest on Dedication Video

As expected, CNN will not give us their videotapes of the dediation. It is a long standing policy at all TV outlets that has been in effect for many years. It is a legal issue for them. I understand because it my years in TV I turned down many people and organizations for the same reasons we are being turned down. It's just the way it is. So I Saturday I edited an eight minute music video of the dedication. I was able to include about two minutes of the keynote speaker's speech. He was excellent BTW. I put it to the music of David Glen Eisley, who wrote and performed the music for the War Dog movie and also performed at the dedication. The songs I used in the video are the same ones he performed at the dedication, so I think it works pretty well. I did the best I could in one day. I am not sure what more I could have done.
When we first told you about the video we thought we'd have an hour long tape with all the speeches and stuff included. Now that is not the case, so here is what I suggest.
If you do not want the video that it is just eight minutes long, please let me know and I'll rip up your check and not send you a tape.
Otherwise, I will include you in the first shipment, which I hope to mail sometime this week. Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Tom Mitchell

Response - Don Poss wrote:
Tom: Let me see... my choices are: no video... or... eight minutes with Blackie that I will NEVER ever experience again in this lifetime? I'll take the video and am looking forward to it!
Don Poss

From: James W. Click
To: Don Poss
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2000
Subject: War Dogs Memorial

Hi Don: Have you been back to the memorial lately? I was thinking the other day about the idea of miniature monuments to raise funds for future monuments. Maybe a foot tall? I would definately buy one myself if they were available.
I gave some pictures to Tom when I was down last time to donate to the museum. I was curious if they were able to use them. They were 8+10 black and white K9 pictures of muzzle attack, line agitation and marching in formation from Hamilton and Oxnard AFB's. Any time on when the tiles will be placed?
Take care,
James W. Click

Response - Don wrote:

James: I'm not sure who owns the rights to marketing for the War Dogs Memorial. The artist, museum, and several groups and individuals would surely have an interest in where any revenue generated came from, and went to. But I like the idea and would buy one too.
Back to the monument twice... and see them every morning and evening. Nice. Still raining like crazy... earthquake weather. Anyway, I'm looking at getting a dedication placque or two for all Blackie's handlers. No word on when they will be installed. Try their March Field Museum webpage and ask: At the memorial courtyard, there is another event in progress. A large tent is set up that opens before the memorial. I'm not sure what the event is... but whatever, they're all staring at the Handler and War Dog--and that's what it is all about. Everyone of the visitors will for sure remember the War Dog Monument... let's just hope they don't associate that with the rubber-chicken they probably ate : ).
Don Poss,
K-9 Blackie, X129
Webmaster for: War Stories! and the Vietnam Security Police Assn. (USAF)

From: CNN
Saturday, March 11, 2000
"Coming Up... During the Vietnam war, the U.S. military used dogs to help save lives. Now, 25 years later, veterans are demanding recognition for the canine partners who were left behind. Sunday, March 19th, at 9 pm."