Thoughts
on
Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Annual Reunion 2002

This was beyond fun. It was OUTRAGEOUS! But it wasn't easy to get there. I left DC under a black cloud. [Our Human resources manager told me I was not allowed to take the trip because I was in a leave deficit condition and had used up nearly 38 hours of advance leave. She then took the extra step of informing me that I had best not take the trip as it could "cause problems". I told her I am 57 years old and well beyond letting anyone dictate that I could not take a trip that had been planned, and had my bosses tacit approval. She pushed me so, I told her, " Susan, I am taking this trip. If I come back and do not have a job here, that's fine. If I dohave a job, that's fine too, but I am going to Las Vegas."]

I went to Las Vegas for a Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association annual reunion. Some of our members are well into their 80s and a few younger ones likemyself are only 53 to 56.

The entire week (Wednesday through Saturday night) was filled with highlights, seeing old buddies, telling war stories, catching up on 33
years of life after the Vietnam war .... and laughing so hard you could burst. I ran into Ted Cook while I was doing a book signing. He has aged in the last 30 years since we had good times together, I could not have recognized him at all. When he said "I see your book, you must be Joe Finch, the author. I would be "T" Cook the friend." and I looked up to see his eyes. Something called out "familiar" to me even after all those years and I got up and hugged him. We both had tears of joy in our eyes!We spent a wonderful half hour and have found ways to get back in touch...

I went to the musical "SPLASH" and was blown away by the music, performances and the technology of that show!!

There were 2,200 former helicopter pilots at the Riviera hotel and quite a few more at nearby hotels, many of whom brought all their family etc... The total givenwas 4,100 helicopter pilots in Las Vegas for the reunion... AWESOME.

The fireworks on Thursday were OK but we were all in some party or another all over Las Vegas, I kind of didn't see or miss them much...

On Friday night Riviera hotel management shut the pool to everyone except those with the VHPA neckbands and we had a food and pool party until 0100Las Vegas time! (0400 my body's time.)

On Saturday night the computer crashed and lost all the seating information so the tables we had carefully arranged to be with buddies, went out thewindow.

I asked to be seated and noticed all the extra security, Perhaps 50 to 100 extra Nevada Police, Las Vegas police and brown uniformed security police from the hotel.I didn't think much about it at the time.

The dining room was immense!! We sat 2,500 people for a formal dinner. The hotel staff served us quickly and everyone seemed to get exactly what they asked for, the food was good and if you ordered a medium steak that is how it came out. Outstanding job of feeding us all. I had been up since 0400 Las Vegas time and had gone jogging at 0430 their time so after all the speeches I was pooped and ready
to go to bed. As I turned to the family at my table to say good night, an older lady told me to stay for the floor show." What floor show?", I asked. "There is nothing on the agenda".

She said, "Didn't you notice all the extra security personnel?". Then it dawned on me that she was probably right, so I asked her who it was
and she didn't know.

A few minutes later our VHPA president said let me introduce someone special: Mr. Robbin Williams! Then out popped my dynamo himself with this Good Morning Vietnaaaaaaaam! and he commenced to tell jokes and cut up and race around the stage and entertain... It was dynamite. How Cool!! That made all the effort of getting to Las Vegas worthwhile. He did the Nanu, Nanu thing and all the little things he has done over the years... I was in hog heaven it was great! Then he introduced Bette Midler and I was ecstatic! She sang the "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boys of Company B", she wandered around the stage making jokes and interacting with the audience and the whole room was just HIGH! She is so full of energy! It was the neatest thing I have ever seen. Then she said OK I want to slow the pace a little here, boys, anyone know what I'm gonna sing? Lots of people shouted out The Rose, she said "Naw," and started singingone of my personal favorite songs, "The wind beneath my wings".

I could not have been any happier. I was thrilled I had stayed instead of wimping out to go to my room. As she was singing she started walking down the stairs off the stage to interact with the audience. I was bubbling over with feelings and joy experiencing this unexpected event. She patted a couple of guys on the arm or cheek, and walked into the crowd. When she got to the part of the song that says, " Did you ever know that you're my hero," she reached down and took my hand and brought me to my feet. I WUZZLED and gushed! I was so overjoyed and so overwhelmed, all I could do was hug her and say "Thank you for everything you do". Tears were streaming down my face and for one instant our eyes met and she puddled up too. She quipped something like "Aw honey you're gonna make me cry" to get her composure back and gently sat me back down. Then on she went with the song. I haven't had a more wonderful moment in my entire life. It was better than getting married, better than watching my son born, better than beingbaptized.. It was OUTRAGEOUS!!

Later I found out she was not the real Bette Midler, but that moment was too dynamite for me to ever care who she was or wasn't. To me she is Bette Midler, I enjoyed her show completely, and will treasure that momentforever.

Those of you who noticed I am tired this week will have some appreciation of why. I got between 3 and 4 hours of sleep each night from Tuesday last week until Monday night this week. After hugging Bette Midler with tears of joy streaming down my face, on four of those huge sports arena Video screens, I was so excited that I danced until 0100, Las Vegas time!. I was grinning from ear to ear, laughing at everything, hugging everyone and I even sprained my neck dancing. I had a 0700 flight out of Las Vegas, which I did arrive in time for, but I was so far down the list, I didn't make it.... The vagaries of stand-by travel. I finally got back to DC at 0900 Monday morning, (26 hours enroute) and was not in time for my 0900 meeting at the office. What a wonderful experience. Best time of my entire life! And to think that the HR lady told me I could not go!!

Wow! Those kinds of blessings are just too spectacular to come from any where but God. Enjoying His Blessings!

Joseph R. Finch