Just found the above pictures today, so a re-post. She seemed so much younger than 42.
Vietnam Babylift, My Story
I was in Vietnam in one capacity or another from
October 1967 until April 1975 except for the years 1971 and 1972. From
1973 until the end, I was the Funds Manager for the South Vietnamese
Air Force at Bien Hoa. An interesting note is that Bien Hoa was the
busiest airport in the world during the war and I believe TSN was
second.
I was diagnosed with cancer of the vocal cords in the fall of 1974 and from the moment *Twila Donelson heard of this, she was the most caring and thoughtful person imaginable towards me. I truly believe it affected her more than it did me. She was deeply concerned, as she knew I loved the water, and she gave me the address of a friend of hers in Texas, who as a Colonel had undergone the same operation, but still boated. I can't say enough about her kindness.
In the early afternoon of the day of the C5A flight, Twila entered the doorway of my office at DAO (Defense Attache Office of the American Embassy) TSN and stated that she was leaving shortly to accompany the orphans and would not be back. She stated how sorry she was that I wouldn't be going. I don't recollect what I said, but she turned to go out the door, then paused, turned around, looked at me, but without saying anything more, left. I could see the sadness that had enveloped her face, and detected tears in her eyes. A few hours later, she was dead.
I was diagnosed with cancer of the vocal cords in the fall of 1974 and from the moment *Twila Donelson heard of this, she was the most caring and thoughtful person imaginable towards me. I truly believe it affected her more than it did me. She was deeply concerned, as she knew I loved the water, and she gave me the address of a friend of hers in Texas, who as a Colonel had undergone the same operation, but still boated. I can't say enough about her kindness.
In the early afternoon of the day of the C5A flight, Twila entered the doorway of my office at DAO (Defense Attache Office of the American Embassy) TSN and stated that she was leaving shortly to accompany the orphans and would not be back. She stated how sorry she was that I wouldn't be going. I don't recollect what I said, but she turned to go out the door, then paused, turned around, looked at me, but without saying anything more, left. I could see the sadness that had enveloped her face, and detected tears in her eyes. A few hours later, she was dead.
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