| August 2010 -- Ken Wilkinson -- Rest In Peace -- |
Hi All, Once again we must give a final salute to another 569er. Ken Wilkinson of the Carto Platoon, 68 - 69. Ken Wilkinson (Carto 68-69) died of multiple cancers and pneumonia on Saturday morning, August 7, 2010. The memorial service is tomorrow Wednesday, August 11, 2010, at Fairfax (VA) Presbyterian Church. Ken is being cremated and interred at Arlington National Cemetery as soon as the arrangements can be made. It was a shock to find out all the cancer he had. It is not known for sure if the effects of Agent Orange had anything to do with causing the cancer. Please leave your memories of Ken HERE. John Copeland
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| November 2009 -- Elvin "Bud" Downey -- Rest In Peace -- November 1947 - November 2009 |
 Hi All, Once again we must give a final salute to another 569er. Bud Downey of the Carto Platoon, 11/68 - 8/69. Bud lost his battle with cancer this month. We never did get that reunion together that we all talked about. He had a great sense of humor and if you take a few minutes to read his profile you wil see it there. Please leave your memories of Butch HERE. John Copeland
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| March 2009 -- Francis "Butch" Nestor -- Rest In Peace -- June 9th 1944 - February 27th 2009 |
 Hi All, It is with a heavy heart we give a final salute to Francis "Butch" Nestor of the Repro Platoon, 5/67 - 5/68. I didn't really get to know Butch during my days in Vietnam, however I had the pleasure of meeting with him and his lovely and dedicated wife Brenda in Las Vegas on several occassions. Butch had been dealt a tough hand by that time and was confined to his wheelchair. Never the less he had a great spirit and charm that belied his obvious pain. Please leave your memories of Butch HERE. John Copeland
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| March 2009 -- Its been almost 8 years since I first built this website - it is old and in need of repair. |
| Hi All, Peace, Love, and all that 60's stuff! ;-)
John Copeland
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| February 2008 -- almost 41 years since I first stepped off the plane at Cam Ranh Bay... |
| Hi All, Peace, Love, and all that 60's stuff! ;-)
John Copeland
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| August 2007 |
| Hey Guys, I have put the photo galleries back into operation...Just follow the gallery links. I will get the message board back up soon... and try to get caught up... I just hit 60... and I'm sure the rest of you will be or have already... quite a milestone.... I'm not sure I like it... kinda of a trip looking through these pics again... damn we were young! Peace, Love, and all that 60's stuff! ;-)
John Copeland
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| August 2005 |
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You may notice that the Chat and Virtual Galleries are currently not available. I apologize for that and regret that all of the great photos sent in cannot be seen by everyone. Last month we had a catastrophic server crash that affected many of my websites. All data was backed up and none of the photos were lost. Our database however was corrupted and I have not had the time to put the pieces all back together. I will get to it, but I just don't know when. I have so little free time these days it might be awhile. I also have some new buddies to add to our list, so please bear with me. In the meantime, new viewers can still access our non-database driven portions of the site including some photo and 569th artwork and memorabilia Here.
Peace, Love, and all that 60's stuff, ;-)
John Copeland
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| March 2004 |
| A lot of things have happened since I first put this site together. I have to apologize for not being able to put the time into it that I had originally hoped to do. But since the days of 911 we have found our business falling off dramatically just like many other Americans. I was forced to lay off two employees since then, and have had to take over all of their responsibilities. It hasn't left me with much free time to spend on the 569th.com website. I did get some more photos online this week. A "thank you" to Al Cross (Carto Platoon '65-66) for his patience the last two months as I tried to find the time to get the photos he sent us posted on the site. It is a troubling time right now. Not only have many of us found ourselves affected by the economic downturn, we find the United States once again involved in a ongoing battle in a far away land where the enemy is difficult to see. Our country again is divided, perhaps more strongly than ever before over what was needed and what still needs to be done. Americans are dying everyday and are undermanned and under funded. It reeks of another Vietnam. Being married to a European, we use the internet as a way for her to keep in touch with her country and culture, and I have seen through her friends and family and the European magazines and newspapers how poorly the rest of the world is looking at us. It is a new and troubling feeling to see what our image around the world has become. i was used to us being respected and appreciated. It is not like that now. Our meddling in affairs half way around the world *without* the support or requests of our strongest allies does not endear us to any of them. I felt it was a bad mistake to invade Iraq when we did. I think it was a "grudge match" that was misdirected and poorly timed and without the support we needed from our allies. It was "chest thumping" at best, and while it was something that may have ultimately been necessary, it was premature and has tarnished our reputation in the world. Do I support our troops? Absolutely! I am sick when I see how we have placed them in such danger for something that we had no right to do and will surely pay with many lives and dollars. Instead of using 911 as a way to increase the support of our allies, and making our case solid against the terrorists communities, it became an excuse to settle a personal Bush vendetta. Billions of dollars needed at home for our own citizens went up in bursts of flame and smoke in "Shock and Awe". Now we see contracts for the "rebuilding" going to long time Bush and Cheney cronies and employers... tax cuts that favor the same elitist upper crust, and a deficit like never before. The jobs that are supposed to be generated are low paying and a fraction of those promised. This needs to end. We need to direct our energy and money on the economy at home and fighting terrorism and terror groups, and not pushing our lifestyle and our religions on people that do not want to have anything to do with us. I will be voting for John Kerry in November. He fought in Vietnam, and then came home and fought to help stop that war. He had the silver spoon but didn't use it to get out of serving. We all know that folks with "connections" or money to pay off doctors never went to Nam. They got deferments or went into the guard. Kerry could have done that - but didn't. They say he is a "liberal" and will spend too much money on "programs" and make government "too big". How much has this war cost us? How much big government does it take to run a war? How much does it cost to try and force conservative morals on everyone else? This all ultimately comes down to money - who gets it and who gets to keep it. It is time the average American benefits again. -- I'm hoping for Kerry in 2004! Peace and Love,
John Copeland
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| October 2001 |
| Welcome to the 569th.com website. For many years I have felt guilty about the time I spent in Vietnam, and after 09-11-01 I feel even more so. I am sorry I was in a war where many died for no purpose. I am sorry for those that were killed in the WTC and Pentagon tragedies, and firemen and police who died trying to help them, and I am sorry for those that will die in Afghanistan - but there they have a reason and a purpose. It is no less sad, but they will be heroes forever, they will be remembered well. So many of my contemporaries lost their lives in Vietnam -- in the jungles and rice paddies, and in bunkers, in valleys, and on hills named only by numbers. They fought a enemy for a cause they did not know. They lived in hell and saw death, and faced it with the courage and strength that comes from youth and revenge and blind allegiance. We were all so young -- and all so at the mercy of the "hand that was dealt us". I was very fortunate to be stationed in Nha Trang, one of the most beautiful of Vietnamese cities. I, like many others who were stationed in "no combat" zones, saw little if any of the violence of the war during our time there. I worked in a air conditioned van, listening to the latest music on our Aiwa and Teac tape decks, printing aerial photographs and that we used to create maps, so our brothers in the infantry and artillery would know which hill they were on -- or shooting at -- which one was #419, and which #457 and so on. I guess we helped some, but I learned there, that life is not fair -- and I admit -- while I did feel guilty, I was very happy to be where I was. I spent 22 months in Nha Trang and I had some very good times there, with some great people that I have not seen since. I have often wondered if others I knew there felt the same. I have put this little site together with some of the photos that managed to make it home in my hold baggage shipment. The box with my speakers (with about 800 grams of fine Vietnamese pot taped to the magnets) somehow never arrived. It had the majority of my photos in it too. I can't even begin to recall all the memories those photos held, and it makes me very sad knowing I will never re-live them. But I still had quite a few that made it, and some pictures I had sent my family - and I had always wanted to take the time to go through them -- and it was a good feeling, and with good memories I put this site together for myself, and for anyone else who might care - who also may feel guilty -- and also for those that had it bad -- that lost their friends and family members, so they can see, that, whatever consolation it may be, war is not always hell for everyone. I hope that old members of my company, and old buddies of mine will come across this site if they ever do a search on 569. I hope they will contact me and others that have been here and left their names and contact information. And I hope they will contribute to this site, add you name, your bio, and your contact information, so that we can all stay in touch and maybe someday we all might meet again and have a tall ice tea together on the beaches of Nha Trang. Peace and Love, (...after we get 'Bin Laden)
John Copeland
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