My Message
My presentations to young Americans around our great land usually focus on two topics, TEAMWORK and HEROES...not myself as a hero but in honor of the men who served with me and more specifically the two members of Team A-726 that died that horrible night at Nam Dong. For a moment, however, I would like to share with you on a different topic.
My father, who died of cancer in 1947, often told me in my youth, "Roger, remember, after any setback in life, get up quickly. Never let yourself become discouraged.
Life brings with it many wonderful events and exciting moments. It also tests our will with moments of despair and discouragement. In 1953 I joined the Air Force with hopes of flying. I applied to the US Air Force Academy in 1954 with hopes of being a member of its FIRST graduating class. I passed all of my exams, my dreams were high, my hopes in the clouds. Imagine my discouragement when, upon taking a second physical exam, the doctor reported "The left eye of this patient may have the beginning of cataracts."
Early on, while touring the chapel at Samson Air Force Base, I picked up a small brochure to find the schedule for mass. Later, when I opened it, I found the following small article:
