In Memory of my husband: Michael D. Chwan, Captain, USAF
October 26, 1938 - September 30, 1965
Panel 2E – Line 99 on The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Interred at Arlington April 16, 1985
In 1965, fifty-one years ago, I kissed my pilot husband good-bye, feeling confident that we would see each other in 90 days, the time of his assignment to a base in Ubon, Thailand.
That 90 days stretched to 19 ½ years before a handful of remains
were finally returned to American soil for burial and closure in 1985.
Six months after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam,
our daughter Michele was born and grew into young womanhood
without the love, guidance and care of her missing father.
Our patriotic military personnel who serve their government sincerely believe that they are acting in the highest tradition of helping
an ally fight for freedom and the right of self-determinationin various countries all over the world wherever they are ordered to go.
As a military widow, I can tell you that the price of service in these wars that are not for our country’s benefit is paid in grim coin.
In my opinion the loss of our best, brightest and most promising young people is a travesty and a drain on our American society.
The only ones who benefit are the arms and materiel manufacturers.
I pray that someday our government leaders will finally come to realize and understand that in war there are no winners…
Battered, battle-weary soldiers and their bereft family members are then left to pick up the pieces, heal the emotional and physical wounds and strive to carry on when promised services and care are sometimes sub-par or non-existent.
This Wall of names is sacred ground. Seeing 58,000+ names is sobering and tragic – and a reminder that all these American citizens died not for glory or any good reason except for a false idea that democracy for an ally could be gained through our going to war for them.
Still the South Vietnamese could not sustain after all our efforts, expense and losses and fell anyway after so many deaths
on all sides: North, South, Laotian, American and Russian.
When will we ever learn? When we ever learn……………
With gratitude for those who served, came back and now stand with others working for peace with their hopes and intention for a world without war.
Dana Chwan, Santa Fe, New Mexico Author: The Reluctant Sorority
The Life, Loves and Loss of Three Vietnam War Widows
October 26, 1938 - September 30, 1965
Panel 2E – Line 99 on The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Interred at Arlington April 16, 1985
In 1965, fifty-one years ago, I kissed my pilot husband good-bye, feeling confident that we would see each other in 90 days, the time of his assignment to a base in Ubon, Thailand.
That 90 days stretched to 19 ½ years before a handful of remains
were finally returned to American soil for burial and closure in 1985.
Six months after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam,
our daughter Michele was born and grew into young womanhood
without the love, guidance and care of her missing father.
Our patriotic military personnel who serve their government sincerely believe that they are acting in the highest tradition of helping
an ally fight for freedom and the right of self-determinationin various countries all over the world wherever they are ordered to go.
As a military widow, I can tell you that the price of service in these wars that are not for our country’s benefit is paid in grim coin.
In my opinion the loss of our best, brightest and most promising young people is a travesty and a drain on our American society.
The only ones who benefit are the arms and materiel manufacturers.
I pray that someday our government leaders will finally come to realize and understand that in war there are no winners…
Battered, battle-weary soldiers and their bereft family members are then left to pick up the pieces, heal the emotional and physical wounds and strive to carry on when promised services and care are sometimes sub-par or non-existent.
This Wall of names is sacred ground. Seeing 58,000+ names is sobering and tragic – and a reminder that all these American citizens died not for glory or any good reason except for a false idea that democracy for an ally could be gained through our going to war for them.
Still the South Vietnamese could not sustain after all our efforts, expense and losses and fell anyway after so many deaths
on all sides: North, South, Laotian, American and Russian.
When will we ever learn? When we ever learn……………
With gratitude for those who served, came back and now stand with others working for peace with their hopes and intention for a world without war.
Dana Chwan, Santa Fe, New Mexico Author: The Reluctant Sorority
The Life, Loves and Loss of Three Vietnam War Widows
Captain Michael D. Chwan ( 10/26/1938 - 9/30/1965). The son of Czechoslovakian immigrants to the U.S., he grew up in Bayonne, NJ. The local VFW has a museum there housing a display honoring Captain Chwan. (Pictured at right; click on photo to link to their website)
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Dana Chwan with "Swan's Angels" and other veterans atop the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., November 1984.
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Dana Chwan with her double-amputee, Vietnam Vet buddy, Herman "Woody" Woods.
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Swan’s Angels/ Vietnam Veterans whom Dana and Woody met at ‘the Wall’:
From left: Dennis Avon, Danny Rose, "Woody", Pat Gravelin and Gary Tobul
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Colonel Cecil B. Currey (11/29/1932 - 3/12/2013)
served two years active duty in the US Army, followed by service in the Florida National Guard and US Army Reserve until he retired as a Colonel from the Chaplain Corps in 1992. Veteran, Author and Professor of History and beloved friend.
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Dana with Charles Yonts in Tallahassee
at the dedication of the Florida
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
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Charles Murray, Marty Lewandowski, Joe Kochanski, Angelo Vellano (RIP). Front: Herman “Woody’ Woods from California, and far right, Marty Comer.
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