Sadly, Ronnie was KIA on September 3, 1968 in An Long Province. He had been in country less than four months. He was a copter co-pilot with the rank of warrant officer. I do not know if his copter went down due to hostile fire or mechanical failure, but his body was recovered. [Since first writing this I learned that Ronnie and his pilot were killed by ground fire while hovering for the door gunner to get off a shot. That's tragic because they died because the pilot made a mistake.]
I sat next to Ronnie in the first grade. He was a sweet, nice little boy. He was a little chunky and one of those kids that look like a minature adult. I remember him wearing suspenders and one of those garish fifties style clip on ties - this was before the boys had to wear white shirts and blue ties. We should all be grateful for his service and sacrifice, and take time to say a prayer for him. I always believed that if one is remembered he is never really gone.
Thomas:
I went to college with Ron Cederlund and knew him when he entered the military. His helicopter was shot down and he, and a Captain were killed as a result of hostile fire. He was a great guy in college with a great sense of humor. After he was in the military he told me he would fly extra missions to get the extra pay to send to his mother. I saw his name on the traveling Viet Nam wall when it came to Chicago and I still think of him from time-to-time. A few years after he joined I was in the military as a lieutenant in an infantry company but the war was winding down and I was never called up to leave the States. Again, he was a good guy and thanks for leaving the message, and I have done the same at several other sights at which he is mentioned. Take care....
For starters, I sould have done this months ago. Is my memory that faulty - wasn't Ron's nickname in grade school Mickey? I also remember an all boys pool party/sleepover a his family's house on Touhy just east of the now Metra tracks the summer before or after 8th grade. It seems to me that there were maybe a dozen of us and there was a midnight skinny dip involved. I know that I didn't have the b...s (I mean nerve) go in the pool naked, but I seem to recall a few guys did. Does anyone else remember this bit of adolescent fun?
Thomas Buttny
Sadly, Ronnie was KIA on September 3, 1968 in An Long Province. He had been in country less than four months. He was a copter co-pilot with the rank of warrant officer. I do not know if his copter went down due to hostile fire or mechanical failure, but his body was recovered. [Since first writing this I learned that Ronnie and his pilot were killed by ground fire while hovering for the door gunner to get off a shot. That's tragic because they died because the pilot made a mistake.]
I sat next to Ronnie in the first grade. He was a sweet, nice little boy. He was a little chunky and one of those kids that look like a minature adult. I remember him wearing suspenders and one of those garish fifties style clip on ties - this was before the boys had to wear white shirts and blue ties. We should all be grateful for his service and sacrifice, and take time to say a prayer for him. I always believed that if one is remembered he is never really gone.
Tom Buttny
Kathy Holland (Erlenbaugh)
Thomas:
From:
W. Wojciechowski
I went to college with Ron Cederlund and knew him when he entered the military. His helicopter was shot down and he, and a Captain were killed as a result of hostile fire. He was a great guy in college with a great sense of humor. After he was in the military he told me he would fly extra missions to get the extra pay to send to his mother. I saw his name on the traveling Viet Nam wall when it came to Chicago and I still think of him from time-to-time. A few years after he joined I was in the military as a lieutenant in an infantry company but the war was winding down and I was never called up to leave the States. Again, he was a good guy and thanks for leaving the message, and I have done the same at several other sights at which he is mentioned. Take care....
Jerome Sullivan
For starters, I sould have done this months ago. Is my memory that faulty - wasn't Ron's nickname in grade school Mickey? I also remember an all boys pool party/sleepover a his family's house on Touhy just east of the now Metra tracks the summer before or after 8th grade. It seems to me that there were maybe a dozen of us and there was a midnight skinny dip involved. I know that I didn't have the b...s (I mean nerve) go in the pool naked, but I seem to recall a few guys did. Does anyone else remember this bit of adolescent fun?