Page 32 - November 2015

A hero lost too soon
Officer Thomas E. Wortham IV, who was lost in the line of duty on May 19, 2010, was a three-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 7th District.
Officer Wortham had recently returned from his sec- ond tour of duty in Iraq serving with the Wisconsin Army National Guard. Officer Wortham had served with the Chicago Police Department for nearly three years and was assigned to the Englewood Dis- trict.
To quote the Wortham fami- ly Facebook tribute page: “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men have lived.”
Also noted in honor of Wortham: “We are thankful
heroes that have paid the ultimate sacri- fice so that others may live, and the Police Officers, EMTs, Firefighters and Military that spend their Thanksgiving protecting and serving you.”
Confusion
Private William A. Hougesen, U. S. Army, enlisted at 17 and served from November 1968 until September 1971. In June 1973, he was hired by the Chicago Police Department and retired in November 2013 as a detective. He tells his story...
On April 11, 1969, 18-year-old ‘Houge’ found himself flying over the Pacific Ocean aboard a Conti- nental Airlines jet. After 17 hours defying gravity, the airport was only 20 minutes away. He wished it was not so close.
The captain’s confident western drawl made the usual announcements:
“Upon landing, please gather all of your belongings and deplane as rapidly as possible once the seat belt light has been extin- guished.”
The flight attendants quickly prepared the cabin for landing.
The captain broke the silence
once again. “There will be vehicles waiting near to our plane to transport you to your next destination.” He made it sound like the parking lot tram in Disneyworld. “The airbase we are about to land at has come under attack, but is currently at cease-fire status.”
The flight attendant added: “Welcome to Long Bin airport in the Republic of Vietnam gentlemen.”
One of the soldiers near a window yelled “They’re fighting again.” Any- one with a window seat smashed his face against the portholes for a look. Olive-drab, canvass-covered, deuce-and-a-half-ton trucks were racing parallel to the exposed landing strip to transport the soldiers deplaning.
The lump in Houge’s throat told him not everyone would be seeing this pretty flight attendant again.
The trucks raced its cargo of fresh replacements to another part of the airport where they boarded a C-130 transport plane. No cushy seats aboard this aircraft. No seats at all. Cargo straps fastened to the floor were used to hang on as the big bird ascended steeply to minimize Viet Cong opportunity to shoot it down.
Arrival at Bin Hoa airbase was without incident and a muggy day was drawing to an end. The crisp, un-faded, uniforms marked the newbies, and scruffy veterans pointed and yelled, “There’s my replacement.”
A tattered soldier shook an 18-inch bamboo cane and announced, “Short- timer here.” The carved handle bore an Asian lion’s head. Promi- nently carrying and displaying the cane was a tradition among veterans expecting to go home soon. The miniature walking stick signified they were short on time for their tour of duty in Vietnam to end.
Tents were provided for a good night’s rest, and Houge crawled in removing only his boots before he slept hard for the first time in more than 30 hours. The morning came and there was a lot of commotion. Everyone was armed and excited but not taking cover. Several newbies were listening intently to a Southern born and bred, non-commissioned- officer.
Houge asked, “What’s going on?”
The Sergeant’s irritated response was, “Whar’s your rifle soldier?” “No one gave me one yet, Sarge.”
The sergeant read the confusion on Houge’s baby face and asked,
“Whar the hell were you last night, soldier?”
“I was sleeping in that tent.”
“Oh my God, boy. The camp nearly got over-run. Mortars landin’ every
whar. We was fight’n fer our lives, and you mean to tell me you was hav’n a siesta?”
At that moment, Houge knew he would never see that pretty little flight attendant again.
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CHICAGO OFFICE
INDIANA OFFICE
32 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ NOVEMBER 2015
THOMAS E. WORTHAM
WILLIAM A. HOUGESEN