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Project Jenny KLIK - 1st Inf Di v Women in Vietnam RELATED-- To AFVN To Saigon To Vietnam Further Afield Index
From: Ken Kalish
Date: September 19, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Yeah, like Joe said. Now where’s that Eskimo woman I have to kill?
Ken
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From: Ken Kalish
Date: September 18, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Please send me the address, Bob
Ken
From: Ray Profeta
Date: September 18, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Bob, thoughts, prayers and messages coming to you and your family.
Ray Profeta
From: Ron Hesketh
Date: September 18, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
God bless you, Bob. Glad you are home and we will continue to pray for a full recovery.
Ron Hesketh
The following articles were received from Paul Kasper in October, 2017. One was written
by Bob Nelson by himself and the other was jointly written by Bob and Paul together.
~~ Looking at Grief~~
By Bob Nelson
~~ What does the Country Owe the Soldiers? ~~
By Bob Nelson and Paul Kasper
From: Forrest Brandt
Date: September 18, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Bob, sorry to hear this news. Of course we will hold you and your family in our thoughts and pray for your recovery.
Forrest
Bob, in the center facing the camera, at some kind of event.
[Received from Paul Kasper in October 2017.]
From: Ron Hesketh
Date: September 19, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Bob,
I echo Nancy’s and all the other sentiments expressed by our fellow broadcasters. I’ve always felt a special connection with you and hope to still make it up there for a visit. Hang in there, we both still have things to do.
JoeC
Preston Cluff visiting Bob Nelson during one of his many trips to Alaska to see Bob.
[Received from Paul Kasper in October 2017.]
In recent years, Bob has had a number of health problems. The following messages rather speak for themselves.
From: Nancy Smoyer
Date: September 18, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Hi Bob,
I remember the great pleasure everyone had when they talked to you at the Memphis reunion. You must have made a big impression on everyone in the VN days because they were all very pleased to hear from you.
Winter is here again--we've had snow briefly. Thinking of you sharing our Alaska experience.
Nancy
From: Bob Morecook
Date: September 18, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Hi Gang
Bob Nelson is home from the hospital after being there a month for four surgeries. He is in a tough spot right now [such as feeding tube] and would much appreciate your thoughts, prayers and messages here. Bob is a retired (Army) SGM and served as the last program director of AFVN, and is one overall really great guy. Send him a note -- if you want to send a get well card -- write me and I will send you his postal address too
Best Wishes,
Bob Morecook
From: Bill Altman
Date: September 19, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Bob,
Thanks very much for this update. I did not know this was happening in Bob's life. I will follow up directly with his family. Thanks again for keeping us in the loop. Bob is one of the best.
Bill
From: Robert Tucker
Date: September 18, 2015
Subject: Bob Nelson, Home from Hospital
Best wishes & speedy recovery, Bob.
Robert Tucker
A little story by Bob Nelson to go with the photo of Bill Altman in front of the Brink Hotel. SP5 Bill Altman, USA worked in the News Department. He returned to the US after his tour, applied and was accepted for OCS and became 2LT Bill Altman--Infantry Leader. He did his second tour in the jungle. Today he works and lives in the DC Area. In responose to this posting, Bill wrote: "I wondered who posted that photo of me shortly after I arrrived at AFRS (news dept.) in Saigon. The photo was part of the original AFRTS web site (Geocities?). It was taken as I headed to the field for news coverage with two cameras. I did not realize that Bob had taken the photo and posted it. The white name tags were still fatigue uniform requirement in the army when I arrived in country. The subdued name-tags and patches came into use during my first tour in 1965.A little story by Bob Nelson to go with Bill Altman's photo with the cameras. I (Bob Nelson) beat Bill to the station by days. I was in country in Dec 64 but could not go to the station due to the blast. I got there as the debris was being cleaned up and the station was back on the air. Meanwhile the OIC was a Captain [USAF] named John Canty who led by threats -- "I’ll send you to the field." Well, not being a good actor I went to Colonel Ben Legare at MACOI and requested the field. Away I went immediately to Advisor Team 95 (Luc Long Biet -- I think). There I did all kinds of things -- combat photog, media escort, was operational with Ruf-Puf forces, flew out of Bien Hoa Airbase in Birddogs and A!E Skyraiders (my favorite all time plane). Was there on the ground with the only eye witness shots of AF two helicopters crashing, burning and killing the crews (released only pictures) on the air base perimeter, was there for the 173rd and spent time with them, was there when the B57 flight line erupted (pictures printed in Washington Post et al.) Back then we were authorized three days off per month -- we’d hitch a bird of some kind into Saigon -- I’d head for Bills place, eat and shower (more showers trying to get rid of the laterite), and then back out to the compound. Bill came out with me a couple of times and again we enjoyed our time together. Had fun. I know fun and Vietnam do not belong in the same sentence but I loved the duty, loved the diversity and loved the travel all over III Corps -- out to the battle sites (Michelin Plantation, Dong Xoai, etc). Earned a couple of Air Medals for combat hours and flew in just everything that had wings back then. There are stories I can tell you about many of those sites and places. BTW -- Pleiku was another good place (Camp Holloway), Sui Dow SF camp, the Cao Dai Church, Nui Ba Den (The White Virgin Mountain) site next to its sister VC occupied mountain Nui Cao.Slide Show23 Photos
Bob Nelson SFC, USA
Newsroom, Saigon 1965-66
NCOIC, Broadcast Operations, Saigon 1972
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