75-11-B5

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Letters to the Editor

Transcript Letters to the editor don't get picked up by the newswires. Maybe sometimes they should. I'll be right back. In these times when so many of us have a tendency to lose faith in ourselves it's good now and then to be reminded of the good-natured generous spirit. That's been an American characteristic for as long as there's been an America. Not too long ago such a reminder came in the form of a letter to the editor and I thought you might like to hear about it. The writer was a refugee from South Vietnam, but he was American not Vietnamese. A clergyman-I suppose a missionary; although I can't vouch for that. The Reverend described a 20-foot craft adrift in the Gulf of Thailand with no fuel, no food, no water, barely afloat and sinking with its cargo of 82 refugees. Towering over it was the aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Midway. The Reverend described the Midway as tired. It had already deposited some 2000 refugees on other ships, refugees who had arrived in more than 500 flights. One flight was a light observation plane not designed for carrier landings. The Midway had to move up to top speed to enable the pilot to land with an entire family jammed inside the tiny fuselage. There were 40 choppers on the deck, brand new F-5E fighters and A-37s that had carried people who preferred not to be liberated by the Communists. The Midway also carried a sign the crew had made that read, "Welcome Refugees!" So they picked up the 82 who were begging to be taken aboard. Once on board they had one question: would they be handed over to an unfriendly government perhaps to be eventually murdered? The executive officer of the ship told them this would not happen. He said "Our job is to make you as comfortable as possible heal the sick and feed you to your heart's content." That was the official policy of our nation and therefore of the Midway. How was it carried out? Well, according to the Reverend the sick were cared for, a tiny baby with double pneumonia was cured, people without clothes were given american clothing, sailors took the old clothing and washed them for their guests. Pretty soon homeless children were being given piggyback rides on the shoulders of American seamen and Navy t-shirts bearing the Midway decal began appearing in the little ones. The tragedy they'd been through hung heavily on the adults, of course, so the sailors planned entertainment for them. But let the reverend tell it, quote, "Different navy groups collected money. Ads went into the ship's paper asking for toys. Charity be got more charity. There is a motto on the Midway, 'The Midway puts it together.' For the grateful refugees that's the understatement of the year." Unquote. In the dark days right after World War II, when our industrial power and military might were all that stood between a war-ravaged world and a return to the Dark Ages, Pope Pius XII said, "America has a genius for great and unselfish deeds. Into the hands of America, God has placed the destiny of an afflicted mankind." I think those young men in the Midway have reassured God that he hasn't given us more of an assignment than we can handle. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 75-11-B5 Production Date 06/01/1975 Book/Page RihoH-15 Audio Yes Youtube? No
		Added Notes U.S.S. Midway (CV-41) Story of the "Light Observation Plane"