In The Shadow of the Blade.

[thedrifter]

Premiere of In The Shadow of the Blade.



Here are some of the pictures from this past weekend in Austin during the premiere of In The Shadow of the Blade.
If you don't know what In The Shadow of the Blade is please visit their website at
www.intheshadowoftheblade.com/



Friday Night and Saturday Morning
http://community.webshots.com/album/99558320ixbwTZ

Saturday Afternoon and the Premiere
http://community.webshots.com/album/99565716wfuEMZ


For those of you have haven't seen the story that Diane wrote here it is:

A few days ago, my husband, Chris Rich and I drove to Birmingham AL to catch a flight to Austin Texas via Southwest airlines.

That was Friday Nov 7th 2003; three years to the date that Chris?s father ,CPT Richard Rich remains were laid to rest in Arlington Cemetery after 33 years of being listed as MIA (missing in Action). His plane had been shot down over North Hanoi Vietnam.

We were flying to Austin to see the world premier of ?In the Shadow of the Blade?.
A documentary on the Huey Helicopter and its use in Vietnam.

There were many Vietnam Vets and their families there, as well as many families whose family members did not return from Vietnam but whose lives were also changed by the war in Vietnam or the Huey.

It was a wonderful weekend.

On Friday our flight took air at 0930 and landed in Austin at 1300. After retrieving our baggage we head for our hotel.

At 1800 that evening we took a taxis to the Fiesta Gardens, for a party ? Mission Accomplished?. A gathering of those who made this film possible, the sponsors, crew, and families. Several Vietnam authors were there, selling and signing their books. There was to be a book signing on Saturday too.

Lots of gag gifts were given out to the crewmembers; Door prizes were given to those who put their names in the box at the registration table.

There we found music, food, and wonderful people. I am told that there were Vets and families from 29 states and 2 countries.

It was the place to be, to listen to countless people get to know one another. To see men from a time that was not so great sharing stories and hugs.

The weather was a bit on the chilly side, and a bit misty but the turn out was fantastic.

On Saturday from 10-12 there was a book signing at the Holiday Inn, the authors present were many, they were

Ben and Ann Purcell?s book Love & Duty is a poignant and inspiring account of Purcell?s five years in captivity in Vietnam. Chris and I were able to speak with the both of these wonderful people, and sat with them during the premier, total heroes in my heart, the both of them. They also signed a book for me and I thank them for that.

Frank Anton?s Why Didn?t You Get Me Out? Describes his six years? captivity in South Vietnam. This was a moment for me to learn, as I had been told to read this book by Jasper Page, my dads best friend and the man who was with my father who was the only one to successfully escape. Jasper, or pop to me, told me things about the incident when he and dad and the other men were captured. But for me to better understand about being captured in South Vietnam I should read Franks book. I did, and all I can say is that it has helped to answer many questions I have had for many years.

Sitting and being able to talk with Frank person to person will be something I will always keep in my heart and I thank him for taking the time to sit and chat with me and signing his book for me.

Other authors were:
Bruce E. Carlson, author of Red Bird Down about the air cavalry and aero-scouts in Vietnam.
Jim Kessey?s novel What Am I Doing Here? Follows his young Marine hero on a nonstop adventure.

Jug Burkett?s widely acclaimed Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History debunks the mythology of Vietnam veteran stereotyping and provides a great source of Vietnam War facts.

Brian Wizard?s books including Permission To Kill (1985), Back In The World (1995), Permission To Live (1992), Shindara (1990), Heaven On Earth (1998), Coming of Age (1990), Pollution IV (1993), Tropical Pair (1989), Metempsychosis (12988), The Moon Whistling By On A Cloud (1994), The Princess of The Wildflowers (1995) and Mushroom Magic (1996). His latest book Nigerian 419 Scam ?Game Over? (2000) deals with the famous African Internet scam and he has been on TV, radio and in the newspapers as a subject expert to discuss this scam. His trilogy of Vietnam books was a Pulitzer Prize nominee. He served in the Army and flew with the Thunder hawks as a door gunner.

Bob Lupo was a combat medic in Vietnam who has written A Buffalo?s Revenge about Vietnam and Extremites-4

Dan Dane, a Texas lawyer and judge, is author of Conduct to the Prejudice of Good Order about the final years of the Vietnam War from the view he had as an Army JAG officer. He has also authored books on the criminal justice system, and Bloodlines of Tyranny and Fireflies in the Delta.
John Flanagan?s Born in Brooklyn - Raised in The Cav is a memoir of the author?s experience as a UH-1 slick pilot in B Troop 1st Squadron, 9th US Cavalry.

Steve Vermillion is author of Dustoff - No Compromise! No Rationalization! No Hesitation! Fly The Mission! He was a highly decorated Dustoff pilot in Vietnam.

Reverend Bill McDonald is author of the autobiography A Spiritual Warrior?s Journey and has written and published many poems, stories and articles in magazines and anthologies.

Sam McGowan is author of The Cave, a novel about a young US Air Force C-130 crewmember who is shot down over Laos while on the highly classified BLIND BAT FAC missions and finds sanctuary in a huge cave. He is a frequent contributor to VIETNAM magazine, as well as WORLD WAR II and WW II HISTORY, and numerous other magazines. His book The C-130 Hercules, Tactical Airlift Missions, 1956-1975 was published by TAB/Aero in 1988.

There was a very moving memorial ceremony at the Texas State cemetery. It was most appropriate to have the Confederate graves to our right, and a memorial made of steel beams from the World Trade Center to our left. A Medal of Honor obelisk was there in our immediate area with the names and services of each Medal recipient, as was a monument to Gold Star mothers.

A group of four vets in full battle gear performed a firebase ceremony, placing an M-16 into a sandbag, helmet over the butt and a pair of boots in front of the sandbag. Cheryl Fries, creative director and producer and writer, presented me with a wonderful gift, three pictures. One of Chris and I holding hands, a patch of the ?In the Shadow of the Blade? and a picture of a letter left at the WALL in DC with the letter was another patch, the letter stated. ? Thomas Moore,US Air Force 6250th Civil Engineering. Panel 3E Line 9

Thomas Moore installed air conditioning units for American service personnel in Vietnam. He took a Huey for Short R&R on the South China Sea and never returned.

Moore disappeared on October 31 1965 after being taken Prisoner by the Viet Cong.One member of his group escaped to tell the story. Moore?s daughter, Diane . Came to In the Shadow of the Blade?s landing zone in Augusta Ga. In October 2002 to tell the story of her father.And her husband Chris Rich whom she met at the Wall , Rich?s father was also Missing in Action in Vietnam although his remains have been recovered. Diane presented In the Shadow of the Blade a MIA bracelet remembering her father. Misson Aircraft commander Bruce Lemoine left the bracelet at the Vietnam Memorial at Angel Fire on Veterans Day. Thomas Moore disappeared in the service of his country at the age of 36.

This was very emotional for me but I was very PROUD.

Saturday night at 7 PM was the premiere showing of "IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE" at the LBJ Library. This semiformal event was attended by somewhere in the vicinity of 700 vets, families, and friends. It is said the LBJ auditorium seats 1100, and there was a packed house

I was humbled and honored to have been able to attend this event. But even more so
to have been a part of this documentary and to have dad's life remembered as well as
his part in Vietnam.

We also met another MIA son, Mickey Olmstead there, and it was great. As is the case so many times with us MIA kids, we take to each other like kin. And in a way we are, we understand what it is like to not only grow up with out that man who went to war, but understand the longing, the heart ache and the desires of wanting to have answers to what happened to our fathers. To be able to go to a memorial for fallen soldiers is very different for us, we cannot go to a cemetery and know the peace of knowing our dads are a rest on American soil. We can only hope that some how some day we too can lay flowers at a headstone that is not the Wall in DC.

Mickey?s father was shot down like Chris?s dad, different years but same type jet, both Navy. One dads remains finally returned to rest in the land of Hero?s.

Spending time with Mickey and talking about our dads and sharing stories as well as a great lunch and then the premier was about as good as it gets. Meeting family member for the first time but having some much in common.

As the daughter of a POW MIA, I came to learn early in life that there are many who would rather put this issue to the side than to talk about men who did not return home and still remain unaccounted for.

I have for all my life since my father was classified as a MIA then as a POW then back to MIA unaccounted for, as if there was some thing that made him lesser the soldier, therefore his family is less important. Never in these years have I felt that my dad?s family was VIP?s.

I hope I am making some sense to what I am trying to say. Every Veterans Day or POW MIA day people who speak are VIP?s, i.e. governor?s mayors, high-ranking officials.

Some have served in the Armed Forces, some have not. But they are always the VIP?s.

It is with wonder that I feel that why are not the families of men who lost their lives while defending the country not considered VIP?s?

Why are we not asked to give a story, to tell of the man who did heroic deeds but were not given the chance to tell their stories? To die for ones country is a story in itself. But most often as with those who die in battle, they are soon forgotten and so are the families

Yet the story goes on, passed by generation to generation, Mothers to children, children to grandchildren. The stories of the man killed in Action or taken Prisoner of War, or even the ones who remain Missing are part of a never-ending cycle. It is the blood legacy of the solider now gone.
MIA families are few in number, and the men who had wives and children are also few in numbers. Maybe that is what makes us be easily forgotten.

Our Gold star mothers are often forgotten about too. And again maybe it is because they are now leaving this world to meet their sons who were taken from them.

Perhaps we should now say Gold star families to be politically correct. Gold star fathers, Gold star wives, and Gold Star children.

From the time that the producers and crew began to listen to me tell of my fathers story, they listen with such intensity that it was a little rattling to me.

They were really listening, they cared. They wanted to some how add my dad?s story to this production; Even though my dad was not a chopper pilot or a crewmember on a chopper they treated his story as if it meant something. The Huey played a role in the events that led up to my dads capture. But it was not a bad role. The huey gave my dad a good day in Vietnam. It a short synopsis, my dad did a job, that landed him and his crew a favor. Daddy put an air conditioner in a chopper alert pad, and the chopper pilot told my father, ?Tom, if you can get the base commander to agree to it I will fly you for a 24 our pass.? My dad was able to get this pass for he and three other men. They were flown to Vung Tao on October 30 1965 for a 24 hour pass, however the day that they needed to return, October 31 1965 the chopper was unable to fly back and pick them up, the four men leased a car and a driver. Some time later on the road they were captured about 30 miles from Saigon. One man was able to successfully escape a few days later. My father and the other two were not so lucky. They remain Missing to this day some 38 years later.

Yet for at least one day thanks to a Huey chopper and its crew, my dad was able to have a day of R&R.

During this weekend in Austin Texas, I finally felt my family was special and that those who have made this film possible truly cared about the men who fought in Vietnam, who flew these choppers that had so much impact on the lives of many.

I was treated as a VIP. My dad was important to others, many others.

Thank you Cheryl & Patrick for having the forethought and tenacity to make this film.
To each and every one of the Chopper crew for treating me as if you had known my dad.

To Bruce, there will never be a way of letting it be known what you did when you left the bracelet at Angel Fire. It will be forever seen, as long as the metal lasts. My dad?s memory in the chopper his last ride.

Thank you to Southwest Airlines for donation of airline tickets for many families and Veterans.

But I would also like to thank the Georgia State Vietnam Veterans Association for their undying commitment to continue to help me find the truth about what happened to my father and those still listed as Missing in Action. Again as on other occasions the GA VVA assisted us with donations for hotel and travel expenses. They have helped me and my husband to be able to travel to DC for family meetings and to attend this world premier of what should be academy award material.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE.

Diane Moore
Proud Daughter of
CMSGT Thomas Moore,USAF
POW MIA 10-31-1965
South Vietnam



Sempers,

Roger