: Henry Lester Aderholt.

: I did not know him, but I am sure some of you
: did. He was wounded and fell out of Gator
: 586 while flying as gunner on a resupply
: mission to LZ Challenge on February 24,
: 1970, something that could easily have
: happened to any of us. While lying wounded
: in the LZ, he selflessly instructed the RTO
: in the LZ to tell rescue ships to stay away
: until they had gunship cover.

: He was evac'd to Japan, his lower body
: paralyzed, and unfortunately, we just
: discovered, in December 1972 he died as a
: result of his injuries. If the family
: wishes, and if the circumstances meet US DoD
: requirements, we may be able to help them
: get his name added to the Vietnam Veterans
: Memorial.

Gentlemen:

I can now report that Henry Lester Aderholt (we now know actually wounded on February 14, not February 24, a typo in the Unit History) will be added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall, in time for Memorial Day this year.

Through the efforts of his wife, Judy Jackson, his sister, Karen Hopkins, Joe Galloway, Jan Scruggs, and mainly Bruce Swander of the Coffelt Database team, (With a nudge from me. Ahem.) the process that rarely takes less than two years was completed in about five months. The situation was clearly an oversight, immediately obvious to all who reviewed it, and the reason why the correction process remains in place.

Anyone within range of DC, please, if there is any way for you to do it, try to get to The Wall this year for the annual name ceremony on Memorial Day weekend and stand for our 119th Assault Helicopter Company comrade, Henry Lester Aderholt.

The good guys do still win once in a while.

Thanks,
Bob Kilpatrick