Friends,

As I watched my Vietnam Vet father cry at the homecoming of the troops from Desert Storm, I realized how much warriors of his generation had missed at the close of the "Vietnam Conflict". So I think that it is appropriate to start this page by saying thank you. In the case of the Fors Family thank you for the sacrifice that was asked of your family; In the case of other Vietnam Vets visiting this page, thanks for your willingness to face the possibility of the same sacrifice.

When I began this process, I had no idea who was going to be assigned to be my POW/MIA. The fact that Captain Fors was the name I recieved was a personal wake-up call to me. You see, I am an active duty Marine and I have spent my days for the last 7 years watching VMFA-122's fighters flying over every day. They are assigned to the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG-31) where I started my Marine Corps career. I am an aircraft mechanic. I have been deployed on two 6 month WESTPAC detatchments to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan with the Crusaders. This is the place where, according to my friend and former VMFA-122 Vietnam Vet Dave Green, the Crusaders of 1967 started their WESTPAC tour- the tour on which Gary Fors flew his last combat mission before going MIA on 22 Dec 67. So even though I was not one of them, VMFA-122 is "my" squadron.

This has brought a far away war, that my dad and others fought, home to me. I began to place myself in Captain Fors shoes. How would I feel if my wife and children were still seeking answers 30 years after I had disappeared? It is a sobering thought. I knew the dangers when I took the oath and enlisted, and I pray that I will face my turn as it comes with the same courage and determination that others before me have.

Gary H. Fors is real and important to me. The Marine Corps instills in us two words that I will never forget...SEMPER FIDELIS ... Gary and the other unaccounted for POW/MIA's will be in my family prayers until a full accounting takes place.

We all need to get involved. I have placed a link below this that you can use to e-mail our elected officials. Contact them today and ask them why they aren't doing more for our fallen brothers.

SEMPER FIDELIS
THEY ARE KNOT4GOTN
Sgt. Charles M. Anderson USMC
(proud son of CMSGT C.H. Anderson USAF/Ret
TAHN SON NUHT A.F.B., RSVN '69)
(Thanks Dad)