20 Jul 2002 As I was looking through this outstanding website I was again touched by the many names that I recognized; however what stood out even more was the fact that a very good friend and fellow pilot was missing from the dedicated memorials. His name is WO1 George Glawson. George came from Toms River, New Jersey and was a friend thoughout basic training and flight school and through all of the trials and tribulations of going off to war. He was an excellent pilot and truly believed in what he was doing.. George was a man's man and a dedicated, caring, loving person. He was killed in a UH-1 helicopter as he was performing a maintenance test-flight. From what I understand, the aircraft got into a "mast-bumping situation while performing a power-cylinder check and they lost the rotor system. He was buried in his hometown back in Toms River NJ. I hope someone reading this will be able to fill in more information about George and relate some of his life stories. I have never had a better friend. In memory of my friend, William R. Steele Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army (Retired) Bill.Steele@AerospaceAndDefenseStrategies.com 602-678-1062 (Home) 602-906-9800 (Work)

 

24 Sep 2002 My name is John Howard Goodale. I went to school with George at Toms River High School. George sat behind me in Mr. Jackson's Senior Year High School English. He was a very pleasant and very nice individual. As I recall, and memories are now getting dim with age, we were both kind of like outcasts, me more than him. I had absolutely no friends, as I moved to Toms River in 1962. In any case, George and I became friends and we talked together often. George helped me get my first real job at the A&P in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. George was already working there. I lasted two weeks total. George and I graduated and attended Ocean County College, College Drive, Toms River, New Jersey, starting 1967. George was still working for A&P, earning decent money for a single young buck living at home. George bought a Ford Mustang 2x2, light blue, white top. I can not recall the year, nor whether the white top was a convertable or not. I believe it was. In any case George used it to attract and pick up girls as best he could, similar to what we all did when we were 17, 18, or 19. Eventually George attracted a steady lady. Things did not go well for George in college. I do not recall whether his heart just was not in it or not. George was also having personal problems with his "steady". As I understood it, George's steady eventually dumped him. George was heart broken. George did not like the way his life was, or how it was going. Like the French Foriegn Legion, George saw enlisting as a way to change his life and get away from it all and find excitement. George told me one day at college in the library or the cafeteria that he was going to enlist, become a helicopter pilot, go to Vietnam, and lead a short but wild life before he planned to be killed in action. As stated earlier George was at an awkward time in his life when he made the decision to enlist. He was well liked and was accepted at school and work. He felt out of place at college and his personal life was not what he wanted. He always had a smile and always had good things to say about others. Sometimes he was not kind to himself, particularly since he was at odds with his life as it was. So he enlisted sometime in late 1967 or in 1968. I suspect that guys he knew who were in Vietnam were filling his head with adventure and exciting stories. All I know is that he decided that he wanted a piece of that excitement. I was home from college in the summer of 1971 and was told by a common acquaintance of his death. Nothing concrete. However I knew that this must be true when I saw his beloved light blue Ford Mustang for sale on RT 37 in Toms River at a gasoline filling station near his home. That car would not have been for sale if he were alive. I never knew any details. I never knew if he got to be a Warrant Officer or whether he had his opportunity to fly. All I knew is that he died. I did not know if he found his excitement. I finally confirmed his passing to myself when I had the opportunity to visit the New Jersey state Vietnam Memorial off the Garden State Parkway in Homdel. Unfortunately, his name is listed there. I saw his name again when I visited the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall in Beaver, PA, this past week, Thursday, 09-19-2002. I talked with some veterans there and they suggested that I visit this site and write something about George even though I never served. John H Goodale 1231 Lee Terrace Toms River, NJ 08753 fire001@earthlink.net

 

Notes from The Virtual Wall The Hughes INFANT (Iroquois Night Fighter and Night Tracker) system was developed for the U. S. Army's Southeast Asia Night Operations (SEA NITEOPS) program office. INFANT used a low-light-level TV (LLLTV) and infrared searchlights for targeting of ground targets during night operations. The LLLTV was installed beneath the nose of the aircraft and was thought to be capable of seeing men and equipment under starlight or moonlight conditions. WO George Glawson was assigned to HHC, 11th Aviation Battalion, and was involved with the INFANT system. On 01 June 1971, he was flying with the 128th Assault Helicopter Company in UH-1H tail number 68-16313 when the aircraft exploded in mid-air, possibly when hit by an artillery round. Seven men died in the incident: Aircrew: CW2 Thomas Charles Michehl, pilot, 128th AHC WO1 George Howard Glawson, Jr., copilot, 11th Avn Bn, INFANT Project Office SP4 Dennis Lee Meduna, Crew Chief, 128th AHC SP4 Scott William Wayt, Gunner, 128th AHC Passengers from Advisory Team 87, MACV Advisors: CPT Edward A. Werman, Hensel, ND SGT Dean R. Isaacs, Missoula, MT PFC Andrew C. Strong, Rochester, NY

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