Ben Lloyd has a soft spot for those affected by war. He carries some effects himself. Broken up from piloting an attack helicopter full of holes to a crash landing in Vietnam, he has been decades in healing and therapy. Part of his therapy is art. He spends hours and hours with detailed "pointilized" ink drawings to create near photographic perfection in his art. 
He had one in his study of a Navy A-4 Skyhawk that impressed me a great deal. This is the A-4M version presented.
Back in 2017 my Navy Ship reunion was held in Pensacola. We held our luncheon at McGuire's to honor the thematic nature of our ship - USS O'Callahan. The story of that reunion explains to some degree how we began our tradition of Irish Blessings and sharing the heritage with Irish Pubs.
But we also learned a lot about the manager at McGuire's. Perry Hunter lost his father to a combat death in Vietnam.
"Perry Hunter's dad, Herbert Perry Hunter , was a Blue Angel. But in combat over Vietnam, his aircraft was shot up and it crashed trying to reach the deck of the Bonne Homme Richard (although his squadron was flying from the Oriskany) . He died. The Oriskany is today an artificial reef and diver's attraction in the Gulf near Pensacola.
Honoring his father - Perry, Jr., supports and encourages the spirit of the warriors at McGuire's. "
In visiting and in correspondence with our friends, the Lloyds, Ben learned of this story and of Perry Hunter. It became important to him to create a revised copy of his original A-4 to be marked and armed to reflect the last flight of Perry's father who was a Marine (an A-4M ...shown above) .
Commander Hunter's purple heart was posthumously awarded as was the gunner's in the helicopter with Ben.
Ben at last found some time and enough health to enter back to public activity and we planned with Perry for a presentation this week. Ben brought the art, framed and in a Christmas package to give to Perry, remembering his dad and really, the sacrifice of so many who gave all in service to our nation.
In Ben's combat crash, he lost his gunner, who was exposed in the front seat of the "Cobra". Included here is a tribute drawing Ben made of his aircraft with his gunner and himself. Several veterans and wives attended the luncheon, held in the more private "Golf" room. Some of my brother's 4th FSSG MedBN corpsman shipmates were there in support. Ben was honored to be able to present the art and Perry was honored to receive it. It was a day for honors -- and remembrance of those whose lives are changed in the course of serving our nation.
Other Related Links
Bon Homme Richard (Poor Richard) "I Have Just Begun to Fight"
The historic wreck is found.
About the Cobra Helicopter ...
Cobra's in Vietnam
More photos from the presentation luncheon
Footnote:
Ben's mother-in-law is Phyllis Allen of Milton, FL. She has a tradition of making and sharing divinity with friends and family over the Christmas Season. The day following this, my brother and I joined in at her house to learn to make divinity her special way. Phyllis is the widow of Ray Allen of Allentown and Ray was my brother, Jim's mentor and boss for many years in the Navy Training Comptroller's office at Pensacola NAS. Northwest Florida being a "soup" of genetics, the Allens and our family share a lot of the same cousins. It was the Allen home yard, where a tragic crash occured out of Whiting Field in 1953. Dozens of NROTC students died. Someday, we hope there will be a remembrance placed near there. There should be a memorial for all those who have died in service while in training. Their lives cut short in ways as tragic as combat.
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