Project Delta Detachment B-52, United States Army Special Forces

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Tonight, a name popped into my head which was embedded there as a young teenager by my father who had taken me to see the mobile "Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall" [2]that came through Cleveland in the 1990's. I recall clearly searching for a specific name of a soldier my dad had served with during his service in Vietnam. That name was "Edward Coffey [3]"... I still have the pencil shaded paper that we etched the name with when we finally found it on that beautiful sunshiny day. I recall my dad getting misty and trying to explain to me details about his friend who had given his life in Vietnam. Tonight, I was drawn to the The Virtual Wall [4]and decided to search for his name again. I found it, opened a special memorial page that allowed people to post comments to memorialize those soldiers and soon found out that the sight is currently experiencing technical difficulties...

I had hoped my dad could share memories too about his friend. But, we shall wait until it's fixed... I am sure he has detailed memories. Over the last two weeks, we have traveled all over Vietnam in my dad's daily resuscitations [5] of his time in the military. It's amazing to listen to such amazing historical recounts of the War. Most folks don't comprehend how anyone could stay in the "warzone" so much... But to be around my dad; you'd think he only left Vietnam yesterday.

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Several years ago, I had the blessed opportunity to help take my dad to North Carolina so that he could have a reunion with his comrads and be honored in Fort Bragg, NC 40 years after the unit he served with had been disbanded. Upon attending the ceremony where a stone memorial was laid in the ground honoring these men [7]; I was elated to FINALLY put faces to names I had heard about my entire life! Even more extraordinary was meeting and greeting countless people who have resounding 'similar' existences. I was blown out of the water when children of one of those veteran's was remarkably dedicated to every detail of worrying about my dad's needs considering he had only underwent surgery less than 2 months before. It was at that point that so many lifelong considerations came to light and I finally understood that most all of the children of the members of that unit were fraternally related for life. We ourselves could recite the warstories by heart. I felt like the other kids were my siblings and like we had known eachother forever. It's was probably one of the most cherished experiences of my life.

My dad and the members of this elite unit sustain "commo" worldwide. Last winter when dad got hospitalized again and was "offline" for a period, the son of another veteran called me and we chatted for hours. It was extraordinary again to "bond" with yet another member of our small "family".  As my dad was in the hospital at the time his comrad's son that called and had no clue of the dire situation- became a catalyst in prayer vigils that went around the globe. Thereafter, countless calls came from around the world to let me know everyone was praying and pulling for dad to 'get well soon!'. I cannot tell you how significant that support network was during that most challenging time.... I got more calls from those guys & their families than from my own family...it makes you think about the bonds of military personnel and how lifelong friendships have endured, particularly when most of these guys have not been around each other closely in over 40 years... Who says blood is thicker than water? I truly can disagree with that concept without question! My salute to the United States Special Forces (the men who have qualified to wear the "GREEN BERET"), the Special Operations Command, The Special Forces Association, The Special Operations Association,  and all their families.

Visit this link for detailed info on this unit, Project Delta Detachment B52. [8]

Visit this link for info on the Project Delta Memorial Stone Ceremony in Fort Bragg in October 2008. [9]

Two books have been published on this amazing unit including "THE ETHER ZONE" and "BOOTS ON THE GROUND"... [10]