Re: KIA Family members

:confused:Something is wrong with her emial address or link.. :confused: It bounces back as undelivered. I can try to phone her.

Unable to deliver message to the following recipients, due to being unable to connect successfully to the destination mail server.

lisalark@vmf.org

Hello Lisa,

P.S. I called Lisa and left a message I guess the phone works well enough!

I saw your post on Popasmoke this morning regarding the families of Vietnam’s KIA Marines. I as recently as last month finally put some closure to one such story of Pfc. Roger Minett Lay U.S.M.C. of Milford Ohio. I did contact his family so as to share with them a series of photos and the story from my perspective of their sons last recon patrol. Concomitant to that, I was fortunate to locate other members of the ‘Quizmaster’ recon team who survived that fateful mission of 25 January 1968 in Thua Thien province, about 8.5 miles west of Phu Bai in the foot hills near the Sông Trach {River}. Grid Coordinate YD789045. YD789055
You can follow the final days progression of my forty four year investigation into this matter at:

https://www.popasmoke.com/notam2/member.php?773-cnowotny

If found that Roger Lays father was is 93 years old and although he was thrilled with my photos of his son and the story of Rogers last mission, It seems to have later taken a bit of a toll on him. Rogers sister Barbara Allen (nee) Kay and Rogers siblings were all grateful for the effort it took and the story of my search and I am glad I did it. However, there are sometimes unintended consequences when you delve into such sensitive, long past issues.

However, I am very glad that I was able to finally accomplish the mission that took so long to accomplish. I met some of the guys in Rogers team that day that were overjoyed to find that I had been working a photo essay of that days mission as well as the others I’d participated in that morning. Then we were all thrilled to find the unexpected bonus provided by Harry Lynch a Crew Chief on a supporting HU1E gunship when he contacted me and advised hat there was an actual 8 mm film with sequences of the extraction and subsequent combat footage of the Fast Movers ponding the valley after we finally got the team out of harms way.

I would be most happy to share with you and your task of preserving a bit of history involving the details of this mission as I now understand much of what I did not know before from the various personal perspectives of those involved as to what had occurred in that valley as we Marines worked as a team to get the ten man recon team out of harms way. As far as re-contacting the family? The men of Quizmaster and I have come to the conclusion that from now on, we would wait until Barbara Allen or one of Rogers Brothers contact us as we are worried about causing emotional and physical harm should we initiate further contact. My mission, the edification I received and the thanks of the family was enough. For the team members, they also contacted the Family and feel much better for it but now we feel our obligation has been met and any further intrusion on our part would not be beneficial.

Feel free to contact me regarding this matter. I will be much obliged to share what I have with you if it is to be preserved in an honorable manor.

I haven’t spoken to the team members about your inquiry and your mission, but Bob Rininger the Radio Operator resides in Elkhart Indiana and John Rizzo resides in Clio Michigan. I know they, after speaking to Barbara Lay after I Made my initial contact would be reticent to initiate any further contact with the Lay family unless they the family initiated it.

Chuck Nowotny The Crew Chief on YT-6 HMM 164 who inserted and later extracted Team Quizmaster [with a lot of devine and USMC help] from YD 789045 on 25 Jan, ‘68.

Huntington Beach Ca.

H:

P.S. I called Lisa and left a message, her phone works fine.

Re: KIA Family members

Hmmm! So far all emails bounce back undeliverable and no reply to my phone calls. Hmm?

Oh, why here is the problem... Her email address is actually lisalark@vvmf.org. Two 'VEES" Ah soOOOO!

Re: KIA Family members

Chuck

I just posted what she sent me. Sorry for the issues.

LZ

Re: KIA Family members

Thanks for the correction Chuck. My email to her also came back - but now have made contact and she is sending something to my mother.
Thanks also to LZ and all he does.