-
Becky Long • Clay County Progress Johnny Brown, 8, gets a warm handshake from Captain James P. Davis after Monday’s Memorial Day Service on the Hayesville square. Brown, one of few young people in the audience, said of the service, “It was good.” Davis reminded attendees that Memorial Day is more than the beginning of summer, that it serves a much greater purpose, honoring our war dead.
By Becky Long
Publisher
The crowd attending Monday’s Memorial Day Service on the Hayesville square were reminded that the holiday is more than a time for cookouts, but rather a time of remembrance and a time to pay respect to the men and women who died while serving our country.
“Today is not our day, but the day set aside for those who left home, but did not return,” said VFW Post 6812 Commander Bob Bond. “Today we pay them homage.”
Bond also asked that we not forget the families and friends of those taken from us. “These families had a loss that can never be replaced. Their hearts will always be broken. They too have sacrificed for their country,” he said.
Bond introduced keynote speaker, Captain J.D. Davis, retired, who enlisted in the Navy on Feb. 20, 1957. After finishing boot camp and attending academies, in 1962 Capt. Davis entered the U.S. Naval Flight Training program in Pensacola, Fla. and won his wings of gold in 1964, according to Bond.
After completing flight training, Davis received orders to Fighter Squadron 191, embarked in U.S.S. Ticonderoga CVA-14 “Tico,” on her way to the South China Sea in support of hostilities off the coast of Vietnam. Davis completed two combat cruises on board “Tico,” being credited with 200 combat missions over North Vietnam.
After returning to “friendly skies,” Davis received orders to the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Team, The Blue Angels and remained with the team, flying the McDonald Douglas F-4 phantom from 1970-71.
Davis’ next set of orders returned him to Vietnam hostilities with VF-142 embarked in U.S.S. Enterprise, CVN-59. From the flight deck of the Enterprise he flew 101 combat missions, the final one logged on Feb. 18, 1973, a date that concluded all aerial hostile actions over Vietnam, Bond said.
Speaking on the podium in front of the memorial bearing the names of those killed in service from Clay County, Davis said he was honored to be part of the remembrance of those who gave their ultimate sacrifice for our country.
“Memorial Day is not a celebration, bur rather a day of quiet respect and remembrance for those who sacrificed their lives in military service and the immeasurable loss experienced by their families, friends and communities,” said Davis.
Who were these individuals we pause to honor and praise? They were ordinary citizens just like us, but what they accomplished was extraordinary.”
Davis said to truly honor the lives of those who died in service, we must share their stories with others and ensure their memories live on. He introduced three of his squadron mates who did not return.
Lieutenant Commander Mike Estocin, who was raised in a small community in Pennsylvania was among them. Estocin was qualified as an “Iron Hand” pilot and experienced with the deployment of the shrike missile. “The ‘Iron Hand’ mission toughest of the war,” noted Davis.
Estocin was shot down on April 27, 1967, which was his 36th birthday. He is the only U.S. Navy jet pilot to receive the Congressional medal of Honor for a combat role, according to Davis.
Lieutenant Michael Newell was rained in Ellenville, NY and joined the Navy, being accepted in the Navy flight training program. He won his Wings of Gold and was assigned to Fighter Squadron VF-194 embarked in U.S.S. Ticonderoga CVA-14.
“I would frequently engage Mike in discussions, upon completion of daily flight operations as to the type of mission he flew that day and the location and strength of enemy resistance,” said Davis. “These discussions frequently terminated with Mike saying to me, ‘They will never take me prisoner.’”
On Dec. 14, 1966, Newell was flying an F-8E Crusader as wingman as wingman on a combat air patrol over Vietnam. Turing the mission the flight leader saw a surface to air missile explode between two aircraft.
“Although Mike initially reported that he had survived the blast, his aircraft began to operate in a manner that indicated it had experienced battle damage,” said Davis. “The flight leader called for Mike to eject — his aircraft crashed in the Thanh Hoa province. The flight leader did not see a parachute nor did he hear an emergency beacon signal. Upon hearing of this, Mike’s words resonated in my ears, ‘I will never be taken as a prisoner.’ It was determined that Mike did not escape from the aircraft prior to the crash. Why? He certainly had plenty of time.”
Davis also spoke of Captain Harley Hall, born in Broken Bow, Neb. who he called a brilliant Naval officer and a superlative aviator.
Hall and his radar intercept officer LCDR Al Kientzler were shot down on the even of Jan. 27, 1973, the final day of aerial hostilities of the Vietnam War.
Commander Hall was the executive officer of VF-143. While on a mission to destroy North Vietnam supply and logistic vehicles 15 miles northwest of Quyang Tri, South Vietnam, Hall’s aircraft came under intense anti-aircraft fire, Davis recounted.
“Their aircraft was hit and on fire when they ejected at 4,000 feet and were seen to land 100 feet apart near a village. Although near each other, their after ejection experiences were very different,” Davis said. “Kientzler was captured and five days later was verified as a POW in a prison in Hanoi, North Vietnam. He was ultimately released at Operation Homecoming in 1973. We cannot be certain as to the disposition of CDR Hall after his ejection. LCDR Kintzler asked one of his guards about his pilot; he was told that he was killed by another, Harley’s remains were identified on Sept. 7, 1994, placing him in “an accounted for” status
Davis said he “had the privilege” of serving under Hall in 1970-71 when he had command of The Blue Angels.
“May I ask that today, we do more than mere tradition, that we go beyond tradition, beyond remembering, beyond mourning and that we work together to make this country they died for — a better nation —each and every day.”
Patriotic music as well as posting of the colors was held along with the traditional placing of the wreaths on at the memorial that bears the names of Clay County residents killed in action. They are Charles Burrell, Columbus Myers, Robert N. Roach, Sam Hooper, Marion Rogers, Paul Hogsed, Dottie Barnes, John R. Berrong, Cline Cunningham, Jack Fleming, Bruce Sullivan Bales, Narval Oren Ledford, Noel Lowe, Marshall L. Jordon, Walter D. Martin, Angus L. McConnell, Marvin J. Moss, Mark C. Murray, James Parsons, Carl L. Swanson, Clyde Wilson, Frank L. Wood, David L. Dailey, Leon Reese Penland, Jr.