(Continuously updated) CLASSMATES.COM WILLIAM M. KAY (BILL) HONORABLE DISCHARGE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT . . . . During the mid-1960s, Damon Moore and I graduated from Clairton High School (Pa). In early 2010, he found My Story in Classmates and suggested that I place it too in Facebook. I was not inclined but at my retirement, the jubilation felt compelled me to reconsider his suggestion. I then decided to place My Story in Facebook. Thank you Damon . . . . A TRIBUTE TO MY PARENTS . . . Giving honor first to God, my Parents, Anita H. Kay and Reverend Rosamond C. Kay Jr. were and still are unequivocal in their influence across my entire life. Their influence coupled with my military life put me on path to start and complete a college education . . . . PARENTS CORE VALUES . . . . My siblings and I often talk about our Parents core values. Their values are our values as we brave life challenges. We are professionally retired with 174.5 years of professional longevity ! We are ( 1 ) Rosamond: B.S. Degree; Retired Electrical Power Engineer & Acquisition Agent; 32 years; ( 2 ) Myself: B.A. Degree; Retired HR Group Policy & Legislative Mgr; 32 years; ( 3 ) Theodore: B.A. Degree; Retired GMC VP / Finance Manager; 37 1/2 years; ( 4 ) Anita: B.A. & M.A. Degrees; Retired Elementary Teacher / PE Health Instructor; 39 years; and ( 5 ) Sheila: B.A. & M.A. Degrees; Retired Elementary Teacher; 34 years. We are incalculably grateful for our Parents support and sacrifice that helped crystallize our professional endeavors . . . . PRELUDE . . . . Since this Story is themed from my military life, I decided to describe my life beginning with my experiences with people and places as I served and traveled in the United States Air Force through my corporate employment retirement . . . . In March 1965, our 36th President who was Lyndon Baines Johnson ordered U.S. combat troops to South Vietnam. By January 1967, I was 5 months away from HS graduation. Notwithstanding the escalating war in Vietnam, I privately chose to enlist in the Air Force as my immediate post HS option. A few months before graduation, I focused on television and journal reporting apropos to Vietnam. Since I chose to enlist, I interviewed with Recruiters from all branches of the Armed Forces. I finalized the interviews in March 1967. I even contacted the Local Draft Board (Mckeesport Pa.) to determine my draft status. I discovered that I was scheduled to be drafted September (1967) ! This compelled me to sign an Agreement with the U.S. Air Force and take the Oath on a contingent basis that I provide a copy of my HS diploma. The Agreement stipulated that I report to Basic Training, Lackland AFB, Texas within 10 days of providing proof of my HS diploma . . . . According to my HS graduation date including the available Air Force (AF) Training slots, I was scheduled to report to Basic Training, July 15, 1967. Due to a motorcycle death of an AF recruit, the AF asked if I would volunteer to replace him. I accepted and left sooner. I graduated from HS June 3, 1967. I departed for AF Basic Training, June 13, 1967 . . . . AS IF A BOMB EXPLODED ! . . . . Two weeks before HS graduation, I informed my Parents that I had already joined the Air Force. Their reaction was like the jolt of a Bomb exploding ! Dad turned silent but was quietly intense as I explained my decision. Mother was emotionally overtaken with conspicuous dismay ! I fully understood their concern and trepidation because television news daily reported the deaths of American soldiers in Vietnam ! I well remember NBC News reporting the weekly death rate at 300 American soldiers in Vietnam . . . . In retrospect, Im certain that as Dad grasped my explanation and decision to join the Air Force, he began thinking about his combat in WWII. He was wounded twice in Italy (1944) while fighting the German Army . . . I remember when I was 8 years old, I asked Dad about the scars around his lower waist and back. He explained the scars resulted from being hit by German mortar scrap metal that tore into his body. At 14, I inquired again. This time he fully explained the horrors of WWII including the dropping of two atomic bombs respectively on Nagasaki and Hiroshima ! He further explained that a few days before the bombs dropped, he was dispatched on an armored ship with the 366th Infantry Regiment. The 366th was a U.S. Army African American Unit that served with distinction in WWI and WWII. It was traveling across the Pacific with orders to invade Japan with American and Allied Forces ! Once the atomic bombs dropped on those cities, the ship was notified to return to the U S . . . . During my early years, I realized that WWII profoundly affected Dad‘s life. I witnessed the post affects of his nightmares. On numerous occasions during my early youth, I remember being awaken by Dads wail as he slept. I would run to my parents bedroom and witness his profuse sweating and nervousness. Mother had already awoken to calm him. Shortly thereafter, both would request that I go back to bed. Mother would gently pat my head and shoulders to reassure me that Dad was Ok . . . . MY PARENTS ULTIMATELY CONCEDE ! Regarding my enlistment decision, Im sure Dad must have thought, “ Now my son joins the Air Force when America is again at war ! ” It was just 22 years earlier (1945) that Dad returned from WWII to his home in Georgia . . . As I explained my decision, I saw Dad contemplate and watched him slowly walk to the back porch and stood still. I think he chose to pray. Mother continued to despair. For a few moments, I chose to be quiet. After an unspecific period of time, Dad came back inside. He seemed to reach some peace and said, “ I think your decision will be good for you. Im sure you’ve given this much thought ” . . . . COLLEGE OPTION . . . . I then liven up and reassured my Parents that I researched the Air Force and that I felt that it was my best immediate post-high school option. Moreover, I set their minds at ease that I would enroll in college after my first year of service. Whereas Mother seem to calm herself, it was still apparent that her pain had not subsided. A moment later, Dad gave me an encouraging hug then walked posthaste to his office. Mother still trembled but said that she would be OK if joining the Air Force was what I wanted to do . . DEPLOYMENT TO S VIETNAM . . . . 15 months later (Sept 1968), I deployed to South Vietnam. My deployment was 8 months following the Viet Cong Tet offensive ! Tet was one of the most violent military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was instigated by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army against South Vietnam, the United States, and their allies. It was a campaign of surprise attacks against military and civilian commands and control centers throughout South Vietnam ! . . . . During my ninth month (June 1969) in Vietnam, I read in a letter from Mother that said, “ Please don t forget our discussion about a college education. “ She further wrote, “ You already understand that a Degree will enhance your station in life. ” I reacted with a smile because my siblings and I fully understood our Parents‘ point about where life would take us with careful preparation. On another point, Mother’s reminder was not a surprise because our Parents held college degrees. Mother held a Clark College B.A degree. Dad held a Moorhouse B.A. plus a M.A from Virginia Union University. Both taught in the State of Georgia Public School System. Dad was also a High School Principal until the Army drafted him one year after President Roosevelt declared War on Japan . . . . At the end of my Vietnam tour, I was reassigned to Loring AFB Maine. I then enrolled at the University of Maine. Once I enrolled, I called Mother to reassure her and discussed my course selections. Within 6 months, I returned to Southeast Asia to the country of Thailand. Understandably, Mother was upset again. I volunteered to leave Maine because I detested the frigid weather ! On arrival in Maine, the temperature was -10 degrees fahrenheit coupled with 3 feet of snow on the ground ! . . . . A LOOK BACK OVER MY AIR FORCE LIFE DIVERSE CULTURES & EXOTIC PLACES . . . . My experience and travel in the Air Force remains indelible ! My permanent change of assignments (PCS) took me to (1) Lackland AFB, San Antonio,Texas; (2) Shepherd AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas, (3) Dyess AFB, Abilene,Texas; (2) Ton Son Nhut AB, Saigon, Vietnam; (3) Can Tho Air Field, Vietnam (4) Vung Tau AB, Vietnam; (5) Loring AFB, Presque Isle, Maine; and (6) Utapao Royal Thai Naval Air Base, Thailand. On my assignments in Vietnam and Thailand, I amazingly met with HS friends which made my deployments more and more unique ! . . . . THE THRILLING ASSIGNMENTS . . . . I deployed on thrilling temporary duty assignments (TDY). My first 15 months in the Air Force was truly eye-opening and my introduction to diverse cultures and exotic places ! I deployed to Labrador, the Azores, Spain, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Germany and Korea. Moreover there were stopovers in other countries. This travel afforded me copious knowledge about people in far away places and cultures . . . . THE DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENTS . . . . I also deployed on very dangerous TDY assignments. One I vividly remember was a 30-day deployment to Can Tho AB, S. Vietnam. The village of Can Tho abuts the Mekong Delta marshlands. The temperature rarely fell below 98 degrees fahrenheit. The humidity was as unbearable. More vexing, the Delta abodes the the most despicable and strangest looking insects, rhodents, and reptiles that I have ever seen ! These discomforting realities and environmental conditions including the daily imminent danger would culminate unpredictably with explosions of Viet Cong mortar and rocket attacks aimed at us on the air base. We fully understood that the Viet Cong were trying to kill us ! Despite the attacks, U.S. weaponry helped keep us alive . . . . One formidable U.S. weapon was the AC-47 Gunship. Its machine guns shoot 300 bullets per second ! It was called “ Spooky. ” It was also called, “ Puff The Magic Dragon ” and “ Dragon Ship ”. Enemy soldiers were deeply frightened of this fire power. The Viet Cong called it, “ The Dragon ” or “ The Dragon In The Sky. ” The ferocity of the AC-47 rapid-firing machine guns really moved our souls with confidence to live and to get through the daily threat on our lives ! We trusted this weapon more so than our M-16 rifles ! I still remember those attacks during December of 1968. The Viet Cong ground, mortar, and rocket attacks launched on us coupled with the U.S. counter-attacks remain indelible in my thoughts . . . . HOMEBOYS IN VIETNAM & THAILAND . . . . During the Fall of 1968, I saw Welton Caldwell (CHS 65) on the flight line at Ton Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon City, Vietnam. He too was serving in the Air Force . . . The next month, I saw Sanford (Porky) Johnson (CHS 62). I learned he was on leave and returning to combat. His brother, Lumpy Johnson (CHS 63) was a talented (CHS) baseball player. Although Sanford, Welton, and I graduated from CHS at different times, I never thought we would cross paths again in Vietnam. Another time, a Marine called out my last name as he recognized it on my name tag. He asked “ Is Rosamond Kay (my brother) related to you. ” I acknowledged that he was correct. The Marine knew my brother in high school when we resided in New Castle (Pa) . . . . In Winter 1969, I requested reassignment from Saigon to Vung Tau, S. Vietnam. It is a village that is located 40 miles S.E. of Saigon and on Vietnam’s eastern peninsula of the South China Sea . . . . I connected with Fred Knight at Vung Tau just before he boarded a C-130 Hercules transport plane. I last saw Fred in 7th grade. Between the late 1950s to the early 1960s, our families resided in New Castle, (Pa) . . . In February, 1971, I saw Bobby Bradford (CHS70) at Utapao Air Base, Thailand. He stepped off a plane after a long flight from the U.S. I knew his uncle, Jack Bradford, a HS basketball star. Jack was a member of my 1967 HS graduation class. I did not know until years later that Jack served in the Air Force. I thought, “ How amazing these rendezvous would occur, and notably, some 13,000 miles from our homes” . . . . MY FINAL & MOST FASCINATING ASSIGNMENT UTAPAO AB TO CHIENG MAI THAILAND . . . . My final assignment was Utapao Royal Thai Naval Air Base near Sattahip, Thailand. My Parents were seemingly incredulous and very upset when they learned that I volunteered for another assignment in Southeast Asia. As aforesaid, I had not long returned from Vietnam ! My Parents knew that Thailand bordered Laos and Cambodia and that both countries were not far from Vietnam. I did not fully explain to my Parents why I volunteered but frankly, I was just not fond of 3 feet of snow and -10 degrees fahrenheit when I arrived in Maine. Hence I left Maine just 6 months after returning from Vietnam ! . . . . . Utapao AB, Thailand domiciled the B-52 s that flew bombing missions over Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Although I carried out classified operational work at Utapao, I found time to travel around Thailand. My most unforgettable travel was to the northern rain-forest City of Chieng Mai. It is nestled in a high altitude valley that trails along the Doi Sutep Mountains in Thailand’s Golden Triangle Region. The Region is known for its valleys of opium fields and its illicit drug trade and is adjacent to Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and China. I often flew hundreds of miles to visit Thailands villages and small towns. In Thailand, I will never forget my visit to the indigenous White Karen and Meo Hill Tribe Villagers. I was just 21 years old ! Many tell me that my pictures of the Villagers would have been highly welcome in the National Geographic Magazine ! . . . . AIR FORCE SEPARATION & POST MILITARY LIFE HONORABLE SEPARATION & WELCOME HOME . . . . Following my final assignment in Thailand, I flew to Travis AFB near Vallejo, California where I separated from the U.S. Air Force. At this juncture, I felt that my military travel was the most illustrious that I would ever experience in my life ! I had traveled to over 15 countries . . . While riding in a cab from Travis to San Francisco (SF) International Airport, I remember feeling a little apprehension and nostalgia. From (SF), I flew to the Greater Pittsburgh (Pa) International Airport. Shortly thereafter, I rode a bus home to Clairton, (Pa). Momentarily, I thought again, “ How fortunate that God blessed me to come home safely including with the travel of my life ! ” I also realized that HE no doubt protected me in War and surrounded me with special people so that I would come home alive ! . . . . I arrived in Clairton then walked home. As I walked on St Clair Avenue, Marilyn Harvey offered me a car ride to my home. She was a member of my 1967 HS graduation class. Without delay, Marilyn and I talked about my Air Force travel and our high school memories. I appreciated her kindness. Many Vietnam Veterans did not receive a kind welcome . . . . THOUGHTS OF MY AIR FORCE LIFE . . . . I think of my Air Force life as “ An Eye-Opening Life Passage. ” Sometimes I think of it as “ The Time of My Life. ” . . . My passage was immensely educational; it was rewarding in numerous ways; and it was thrilliing but sometimes dangerous. Nonetheless, I left the Air Force for three reasons: First, I wanted to alleviate my Parents fear over my war zone assignments. Those assignments were unpredictably dangerous ! Secondly, I was not confident that a peaceful resolution would result in Vietnam. Thirdly, I decided to continue my college education but on a full-time basis . . . . COLLEGE ENROLLMENT, AWARDS & B.A. DEGREE . . . Following My Honorable Separation, I was truly blessed with my Parents moral support. Moreover, Ronald Moore (CHS 65) on staff at the Pittsburgh VA assisted me through the application process on the VA GI Bill Higher Education Grant Program. Once my academic credits transferred from the University of Maine, my college enrollment was launched for the 1972 Spring Trimester at California State College . . . . While a student, I served in the Air Force Reserves. As a Sophomore, I received my Honorable Discharge (1973). I graduated in May 1976 with a Bachelors degree in Social Science. As well, I was inducted into Pi Gamma Mu (National Social Science Honor Society); awarded the Distinguished Service Award; and inducted into ‘ Whos Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges.’ ‘ Who s Who ’ was awarded for academic performance and extracurricular enterprise. In addition, it was vetted through the 1975 California State College Board of Trustees . . . . PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT MCNEIL LABORATORIES, J&J CORP, 1ST RUNNER-UP / “ ROOKIE OF THE YEAR ” . . . . I was recruited and hired by McNeil Laboratories, J&J Corporation, Buffalo, New York District. Accepting the position established me as the first African-American McNeil Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, Buffalo, New York. Moreover, I was the first runner up ‘ Rookie of the Year ’; Rochester, New York Region . . CAREER CHANGE, NATIONAL CITY BANK CORP., HUMAN RESOURCES . . . . In 1980, I joined National City Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio. As with McNeil, I was the first African-American male hired in the National City Corporate Headquarters, Human Resources (HR) Office. At that time, National City was the Holding Company for 14 banks and investment firms valued at over five billion dollars . . . . RETIRED FROM 7TH LARGEST U.S. WATER UTILITY . . . Before retirement, I was also professionally employed 10 years (part-time) in the insurance industry. I remain a registered insurance agent in the State of Maryland and licensed to market and sell Life, Health, Property, and Casualty insurance . . . . Over my professional life, I held professional positions in Sales including progressive levels of Human Resources (HR) in Buffalo, New York, Cleveland, Ohio, Alexandria, Virginia and where I reside near Columbia, Maryland. On July 31, 2011, I retired a Group HR Policy Manager from a Prince Georges County, Maryland water & sewer utility ranked among the 7th largest in the United States . . POSTLUDE . . . . My Story commenced some 40+ years ago. I will celebrate my 66th birthday this year (2014). For 5 + years, Ive attempted to connect with soldiers whom I lost touch. I hope to resume our friendships through Facebook or Classmates. Some whom I ve lost touch embrace John Raymond and Jake Baker, formerly of Dyess AFB, Texas; Choo Johnson, Lucky Patterson, formerly of Vung Tau, South Vietnam; and James Kelly, formerly of Utapao Royal Thai Naval AB, Thailand . . . In closing, I beseech all Veterans to share your ‘ Stories ’ to document your military history; your family posterity; and to express our profound appreciation for those who served and serve today in the U.S. Armed Forces. I also encourage all Veterans to join a military service organization. I hold memberships in Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA); the American Legion (AL); and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). I have no doubt that my military experience was “ An extraordinary life passage ! ” I will never forget those years of long ago. And I will always think of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice . . . . IN MEMORIAM: “ I KNEW COURAGEOUS SOLDIERS ” FIVE PERISHED IN VIETNAM FROM CLAIRTON, PA . . . I knew five soldiers who graduated from Clairton High School (CHS) who perished in Vietnam. Four were members of the Marine Corps and one a member of the U.S. Army. The Marines were: (1) PFC Terry Booth (CHS ‘ 66); (2) LPCL Dennis Wargo (CHS ‘ 66); (3) CPL David Smith (CHS ‘ 67); and (4) LCPL James Pettiford (CHS ‘ 64) . . . On October 15, 1969, Terry was killed in Quang Nam, South Vietnam during a hostile ground attack by an explosive device. On May 9, 1967, Dennis was also killed in Quang Nam. His death too was caused by an explosive device. Additionally, David s death happened in Quang Nam. He was killed August 18, 1970 when his helicopter was hit and exploded from rocket fire. James was killed September 21, 1966 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. His death happened during a violent ground and mortar attack . . . (5) The lone soldier who was a member of the U.S Army was PFC Wayne Podlesnik (CHS ‘ 66). He was killed in Quang Tin, South Vietnam during a hostile ground assault. He sustained multiple fragmentation wounds . THREE PERISHED IN VIETNAM FROM NEW CASTLE, PA . I knew three soldiers from New Castle, PA who perished in Vietnam. Two were members of the Marine Corps and one a member of the U.S. Army. The Marines were (1) LCPL Vaughn Dexter; and (2) PFC George Threats. Vaughn was killed July 2, 1967 in Quang Nam during a hostile ground attack. He was hit multiple times from small arms fire. George was killed July 27, 1966 near North Vietnam. He was hit by multiple fragmentation rounds. The lone soldier in the U.S. Army was CPL Dale Shoemaker. Dales death was especially heart wrenching for me because I knew him as a pre-teen in the New Castle, Pa neighborhood where our families resided in the late 1950s. He was killed February 12, 1969 in Phuoc Long. His helicoper was hit and exploded from rocket fire. I honor these eight (8) and very courageous soldiers because they gave their ultimate sacrifice. May God continue to bless their families with never-ending peace . . . . This story remains unfinished . . . .
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 13:46:21 +0000
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