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A tribute to builder/patriot of RV-12 Wesley D. Schierman

danielabernath

Well Known Member
When I was negotiating to buy the RV 12, I just knew the gentleman by his name, "Wes." He put his initials on his call sign and I though I'd change the last two letters to RV so I wouldn't have to repeat myself when making radio calls. But then, I stopped off at a air strip in Washington State that had another RV 12 sitting there at the restaurant.
I had a cheeseburger and three pilots came up to me and asked "did you buy Wes's plane?" I said yes.
We all agreed it was a shame that he passed away.
I told them that I was thinking of changing the call letters to RV and one of them spoke up and said, "Do a Google search on Wesley D. Schierman. You won't change the call letters. You'll be honored to be flying Wes's plane. He was an Air Force pilot over Vietnam and was shot down. Instead of hide, he made radio calls to the pilots in the sky to sharpen their attack. He was captured and spent 7 and a half years as a prisoner of war. He was awarded the Silver Star-TWICE."
So, yes. Wes, I am honored to fly the plane you build. I am sorry you only got to put 50 hours in the seat. But, I'll be making radio calls for as long as I've got to live and honoring your name "number, number number, WHISKEY SIERRA" It is my tribute over the air to a pilot, an RV lover and a patriot.
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A picture of Wes putting in a few of those 50 hours in his RV 12.
ltyq3hr
Wes in his much faster F 105

Says Wesley D. Schierman "During my almost 7 1/2 years in North Vietnam my greatest tribulation was
that of overcoming my grief at having subjected my wife and children to the
painful and difficult experience that they were to undergo. However, I had
great faith and confidence in my wife's ability to overcome these
difficulties and that faith has been rewarded by a strength and steadfastness
that far exceeded my greatest expectations.

Throughout many years of torture, exploitation, deprivation and degradation,
my will to live was sustained primarily by this faith and love for my
family. I vowed that if it was humanly possible for me to return to them and
still do my duty to my country, I would do so. Through this faith and the
Grace of God I have been fortunate enough to have endured this trial.
Generally speaking, I was quite impressed with the ingenuity and tenacity of
the men I served with while imprisoned in North Vietnam. However, I feel that
the real heroes of this war are those who unfortunately will not return -
those many thousands who gave their lives that we might enjoy the benefits
and way of life of this wonderful country in which we live. I must also
mention the great sacrifice of those who have been maimed and incapacitated
as a result of this conflict. I pray to God that these men will be able to
bear their burden and continue on with the same spirit that gave them the
courage to participate in this very difficult conflict in the first place.

I have enjoyed my homecoming, return to freedom, and reunion with my family
more than words can describe and l look to the future with joyous
anticipation! My future plans are to return to my previous employment as a
pilot for Northwest Airlines which I look forward to with great anticipation.
I am definitely willing to serve my country again should it become necessary,
although I pray to God that it will not.

I will conclude with this one thought which is a quotation by William Allen
White. "Liberty is the thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it
to others." <>

mg4nejq
 
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From US Air Force F105 to Vans RV 12
Air Force Maj. Wesley Schierman with an F-105 fighter-bomber, the type of plane he was flying when he was shot down west of Hanoi on Aug. 28, 1965.





This memorial to retired Air Force Maj. Wesley Schierman was put up by neighbors outside his home in Everett's Silver Lake area after Schierman died Saturday. During the Vietnam War, Schierman spent nearly eight years in captivity in North Vietnam's prisoner of war camps.
Melanie Jordan Hecia wore a POW bracelet inscribed with Wesley Schierman's name. Schierman was a held in North Vietnam from summer of 1965 to February...



Melanie Jordan Hecia wore a POW bracelet inscribed with Wesley Schierman's name. Schierman was a held in North Vietnam from summer of 1965 to February of 1973
Air Force Maj. Wesley Schierman spent nearly eight years in North Vietnam's prisoner of war camps. A retired airline pilot, the 78-year-old Schierman ...

ltyq3hr
Photo courtesy the Schierman family

Air Force Maj. Wesley Schierman spent nearly eight years in North Vietnam's prisoner of war camps. A retired airline pilot, the 78-year-old Schierman died Saturday in Everett.

Air Force Maj. Wesley Schierman waves as he walks with his wife Faye and their two older children, Sandra and Steven, shortly after his 1973 release f...

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By Julie Muhlstein, Herald Columnist
Wesley Schierman was the hero of the neighborhood.That's how Terri Kendall describes the Vietnam veteran who was her longtime neighbor."It was an honor to live next to the Schiermans," said Kendall, whose home is in a close-knit cul-de-sac near Everett's Silver Lake. "He was the hero of the neighborhood. He was very humble. And he never talked about what he went through."Hero does not begin to describe what Schierman went through.

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During the Vietnam War, on his 37th combat mission, the Air Force major's F-105 fighter-bomber was shot down. It was Aug. 28, 1965. He was 30, a young husband and father.Captured west of Hanoi after ejecting from the plane, he survived nearly eight years in North Vietnam's prisoner of war camps. He was freed with other POWs on Feb. 12, 1973.When the 78-year-old Schierman died Saturday after a short battle with lung cancer, his neighbors found a way to honor his service and incredible sacrifice."Neighbors saw the fire department, paramedics and police at the house, and must have known about my father's passing," said Stacy Schierman, 37, the youngest of Wes and Faye Schierman's three children. "As my family was gathering inside the house, the neighbors came over unbeknownst to us and set up a remarkable memorial outside."She said the family thought neighbors might be taking down Christmas lights.

"The next thing we knew, we saw them putting up flags," she said.Miles Kendall, Terri Kendall's 15-year-old son, built the small wooden cross now on display in the Schiermans' yard. A Glacier Peak High School sophomore, Miles has helped the Schiermans for years. His small jobs included picking up mail when his neighbors were away. "My son has a tender heart for that generation. He wanted to do something to support the family," Kendall said.On the cross is a photo of Wesley Schierman in uniform. Planted next to it are two U.S. flags. Smaller flags line the walkway to the Schiermans' door. Neighbors have left flowers near the cross, which is illuminated night and day.

"It has meant the world to my mom and family," said Stacy Schierman, describing her father as "an honorable and amazing man."After his years as a POW, Wesley Schierman flew for Northwest Airlines until retiring in 1996. Born in the Eastern Washington town of St. John in 1935, he served in the Washington Air National Guard, earned a degree in psychology from Washington State University, and was a commercial pilot before going on active duty with the U.S. Air Force in 1962.Schierman was featured in this column in 1999.

That article was about Schierman meeting an Arlington woman, Melanie Jordan Hecla, who during his years of captivity had worn a POW bracelet inscribed with "Maj. Wesley Schierman 8-28-65."Hecla, a 1970 graduate of Renton High School, had volunteered with the American Red Cross at Madigan Army Medical Center during the Vietnam War. She learned about POW bracelets through the Red Cross.Beginning in 1970, nickel-plated or copper POW/MIA bracelets were sold for $2.50 or $3 through a Los Angeles student organization called VIVA -- Voices in Vital America. During the Vietnam War, thousands of people wore them to draw attention to the POW issue.Efforts to contact Hecla this week were unsuccessful. In 1999, she explained how she found the former POW. She said her husband had learned that Wesley Schierman -- the name on her bracelet -- was part of a formation flying group called the Blackjack Squadron at the Arlington Airport. "I never dreamed my POW was flying up there,"

Hecla said in 1999.Schierman passed his love of flying on to the next generation. Stacy Schierman is a pilot for SkyWest Airlines. Her older brother Steven flies for Alaska Airlines. They have another sibling, Sandra. All three live in the Seattle area. Wesley Schierman is also survived by his wife and three grandchildren.Stacy Schierman said her father rarely talked about his eight years as a POW. His time in North Vietnam was two years longer than the captivity of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was a POW from Oct. 26, 1967 until March 14, 1973."He talked about the friendships and he talked about the camaraderie. He talked about strength and inspiration," said Stacy Schierman, who was born after her father was freed.Schierman's wife and two older children were living at an Okinawa air base when he was captured. Faye Schierman moved the family to Spokane and waited for years, with her husband listed as missing in action.In the 1999 interview, Wesley Schireman briefly described his captivity.

As one of more than 400 American prisoners of war in North Vietnam, he experienced torture, saw his weight drop to under 100 pounds, and communicated with other prisoners using a tap-code system.

On his cul-de-sac Tuesday, Linda Clark recalled the retired pilot shoveling snow for all his neighbors. She is a walker and Schierman was a runner. Clark remembers asking Schierman if he'd had a good run -- and she remembers his answer.

"He would say 'Any time you can turn the doorknob and go outside is a good day,'" Clark said.
 
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Silver Star


Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major Wesley Duane Schierman (AFSN: FV-3058242), United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force over North Vietnam on 28 August 1965, as Pilot of an F-105 aircraft of the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron.

On that date, Captain Schierman led his flight of F-105 aircraft in the employment of a new weapon against the Ban Luc barracks troop and supply area. He displayed outstanding air discipline and devotion to duty as he guided each flight member in turn on their run to the target and then rolled in himself to attack flak positions which were menacing his wingman. As he passed over the target, his aircraft received a disabling hit forcing him to eject.

Once on the ground, he made his way to a hill and heroically continued to call out hostile gun positions and troop concentrations to the attacking aircraft. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Captain Schierman has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Action Date: August 28, 1965

Service: Air Force

Rank: Major

Company: 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron
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Silver Star


Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Major Wesley Duane Schierman (AFSN: FV-3058242), United States Air Force, was awarded a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star for gallantry in action while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam.
Service: Air Force

Rank: Major

Division: Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)
Silver Star


Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Major Wesley Duane Schierman (AFSN: FV-3058242), United States Air Force, was awarded a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star for gallantry in action while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam.
Service: Air Force

Rank: Major

Division: Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)
Legion of Merit
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powmedalfront.jpg
commander.html


Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Major Wesley Duane Schierman (AFSN: FV-3058242), United States Air Force, was awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from. Under the most adverse of conditions, he resisted all attempts by the North Vietnamese to use him in causes detrimental to the United States, never wavering in his devotion and loyalty to the United States. Despite the adversities of confinement, he performed such duties and responsibilities as assigned by superiors and required of the Code of Conduct in an exemplary and highly professional manner. Displaying extraordinary courage, resourcefulness, and dedication throughout this period of imprisonment, he reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.
Action Date: Vietnam War

Service: Air Force

Rank: Major

Division: Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)
Prisoner of War Medal


legion_of_merit_commander_obverse.JPG
Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

Major Wesley Duane Schierman (AFSN: FV-3058242), United States Air Force, was held as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from August 28, 1965 until his release on February 12, 1973.
Action Date: August 28, 1965 - February 12, 1973

Service: Air Force

Rank: Major

Division: Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)
 
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On Aug. 28, 1965, during his 37th combat mission over Vietnam, a gun on his plane jammed and flying debris put a hole in the aircraft's engine. He ejected about two miles from the military barracks he had strafed, landing on a treeless hilltop that offered two possibilities - quick rescue or capture. The North Vietnamese found him first and were hauling him away when an American helicopter passed overhead and then flew away.

Schierman officially became the 23rd prisoner of the Vietnam War. He had a wife and two young children who would spend the next five years knowing he reached the ground alive but with no idea what happened to him after that.

What happened to him, and the others, is depicted in a small book of sketches drawn by one of the former prisoners. It is for sale next to the model of the prison camp. Page after page shows prisoners being stretched and beaten, their shoulders and arms forced into unnatural positions that have left most with chronic neck and shoulder problems as they age.

Schierman's first 10 months in prison were spent in isolation near the Chinese border. His days were spent tapping messages through the wall to other prisoners. At first there was little physical abuse. But then, in October 1965, the North Vietnamese decided those captured were criminals, not prisoners of war.

"Thereafter, and for the next five years, you could be tortured for whatever reason they wanted," Schierman said. "In the summer of '66 they had the Hanoi march, where they paraded us around and basically let people beat the **** out of us. My partner, the man I was shackled to, died later on in the ensuing abuse."

The treatment of prisoners changed again late in 1969. With the anti-war movement in full flower here, and under pressure from POW families who were conducting a letter-writing campaign for better treatment of prisoners, most of the torture stopped.

"They told us they had friends in the anti-war movement and didn't need us (for propaganda) anymore," Schierman said. "Basically, it was live and let live after that."

Schierman said the prisoners survived through organization and discipline. Each barracks had ranking officers and committees that kept track of prisoners and planned escapes. At one time during his capture, Schierman was responsible for knowing the names and keeping track of 368 prisoners, many of whom he had never seen but knew of through the camp's coded message system.

"Our biggest concern was who was there, who disappeared, who died," Schierman said.

In all his time there, Schierman said he felt abandoned only once - when President Johnson halted bombing raids without negotiating the release of the prisoners.

With but 12 exceptions, the prisoners all stuck together. The dozen who didn't, who signed statements in order to go home early, aren't welcome at this reunion.

"They were considered collaborators, and they are not held in particularly high esteem, to say the least," Schierman said. "They don't show up."

If there was a second abandonment it came earlier this year when former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara's book hit the stores. His admission, that even the country's leaders didn't believe the war could be won, reopened a lot of wounds.

"I'm still angry, bitter, if you will," Schierman said. "They wasted a lot of lives because they were incompetent. I don't dwell on that. I haven't let it ruin my life."

That seems to be the case with most of the men who have returned for this reunion. Many, like Schierman, returned to jobs with the airlines. The group produced generals and successful businessmen. And, said Schierman, the occasional "blacksheep" congressman and senator.

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, was expected to attend this year's reunion.

Schierman came back to a family still intact, and a job at Northwest Airlines even though he hadn't flown for the company in 13 years. He began by flying 727s, then DC-10s, and finally 747s, which he flew between Seattle and Asia until his retirement on the day he turned 60. Since his release, the closest he's come to Vietnam is flying over it.

"I never saw much of Vietnam but from the air," he said. "I would like, out of curiosity, to go back to where I was shot down and retrace my steps, but it's not high on my list of places I'd like to go on my next vacation."

He said he does not hold his former captors in particularly low regard. He has mixed feelings about the normalization of relations with Vietnam, but he recognizes that times change.

"We are split on this issue," he said. "Emotionally we hate to see them rewarded. But the bottom line is what benefits this country most. Those of us who fought thought we were bringing democracy to Vietnam. Maybe that will happen now."
 
Thanks for the wonderful write-up, Daniel. I was the guy who suggested you Google Wes's name, which might make you rethink changing the registration.

I'm glad you did, and learning about this great man, agreed that Whiskey Sierra should live on as a way of honoring his life. I knew you would!

Again, thanks for the post.

Bob Bogash
RV-12
N737G
 
The picture of the medals could be made into a small vinyl decal, with his name, and applied somewhere to the plane. I imagine Wes was too modest to do that.
 
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Decals

The picture of the medals could be made into a small vinyl decal, with his name, and applied somewhere to the plane. I imagine Was was too modest to do that.

I would place the decals, including a decal of his service ribbons directly below "Whiskey Sierra" on each side.
A fitting tribute.

Pat Garboden
Katy, TX
RV9A N942PT

Dues paid.
 
These are great ideas on a tribute on the windscreen. So, it would be like a flying memorial to this AF patriot who gave our country so much of himself (and was just too **** modest about it).
 
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