". . I CAN'T TOP THAT ONE"

(If you thought your heart strings were tugged before …) Here's the rest of the true story ...

"The scholarship program brought them together. But what the River Rats gave Karen most was their time, their love and a part of themselves. They believed. And that night they remembered why they came." ... Midnight, 23 April 1995, The Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas ... Having just met the River Rats at the reunion banquet, and members of her father's 497 TFS Nite Owl squadron for the first time a few hours earlier, scholarship recipient Karen Bowman was having a private moment with her mom, Sue Bowman. Karen was thinking of her engagement and her previous decision that no one would "give her away" at her wedding. She was only five months old when he died, yet Karen felt she didn't want anyone to fill in for her Dad. Until now. As Karen tells it, something just came over her. A "this is right" sort of feeling. She knew. It made perfect sense to her immediately ... When the time came, Karen wanted Gordie Breault, her Dad's aircraft commander, to escort her down the aisle! "I think that's beautiful!" Sue replied, and the two of them headed back to the Hospitality Suite to rejoin the camaraderie with the Rats.

Thus began a catharsis of sorts for both Gordie Breault and Karen Bowman. There were lots more tears in the weeks to come. Karen was still rebounding from Steve Morgan's "I flew with your Dad" introduction, the first time anyone had ever said that to her. For Karen, it's been joy and the whirlwind transition from student, to (edited) Nurse, wife, and in between, getting some answers about her Dad from her new found family. As Karen comments, she gets to be the daughter Gordie and I never had.

For Gordie, there have been several moments of genuine sorrow in recounting their ejection and finally facing the mental pain of not being able to get his GIB out of the woods. One can only imagine the additional impact ... To be considered as the surrogate for his backseater at what would be a momentous occasion in any father's life. Though he and Sue talked when he first returned from SEA, he expressed regret that they didn't keep in touch, that he didn't get to meet Karen sooner. But as Sue consoles, she believes it was meant to happen at this time in her daughter's life. Looking closer, perhaps this is part of the 'circle of life'. As Sue observed, 'our little girl' is the very same age that Gordie was on that fateful night in the skies over Vietnam ... twenty three. Imagine that. It's taken her lifetime, but I believe for the first time Gordie is making peace with 17 July 1972.

And with help from the River Rats! "Taking care of their own" started at the reunion banquet. Then after the initial "...Top That..." article appeared in the Summer Mig Sweep, messages from across the country came with compassion and support for both Gordie and Karen, from Marines and the Navy, as well as the Air Force. Many from Rats and surrogate fathers Gordie and Karen have yet to meet. It's worth repeating ... there is a lot to be said of this exceptional bond of brotherhood!

And so the story goes ... In another chance meeting, Gordie was asked to retell the story of meeting Karen, the surrounding circumstances and the River Rat Scholarship Program, which he did ... personally to Sheila Widnall, Secretary of the Air Force. While Karen was on the east coast, he visited the new (edited) attending (edited) at the (edited) in (edited), with a grin "to make sure the (edited) is treating her all right"! Later in October, Karen writes back that her Executive Officer received a fax from a (edited) Captain. The fax contained the Fall Mig Sweep article and picture of Karen after being sworn in. The Captain is also a (edited) nurse and her husband is a River Rat, an A-6 pilot and Hanoi POW. (This is the second (edited)-Rat related nurse to offer a helping hand, the first was Jack McMannis's sister.) Karen wrote, "The impact of April 22 continues to appear on a daily basis. It's so exciting!"

9 November 1995, (edited) AFB ... While Gordie escorts Warren's mother to the Bowman-Sulman wedding reception, yet another River Rat touched Karen's life. Having flown earlier in the day and still in his flight suit, B/G John Morgan made a special visit to the Officers Club to meet with Karen and her groom, Bryan Sulman. Karen was delighted to have the 57 Wg/CC take a personal interest in her and her own military career. John's parting words were apropos. Turning to Bryan in a fatherly tone, John said "Take good care of this little girl". What a smile she beamed!

That evening, Gordie's relationship to the bride was part of the introduction to her marriage vow ceremony. Hand in hand he and Karen walked forward. In response to the minister's question, "Who gives this woman", Gordie replied, "I will, for her Dad, Warren Gordon Bowman II, a Fighter Pilot." Just like at the Rat reunion five months before, for the moment silence fell over the audience. There are no words.

24 hours later ... For the second time that year, Gordie was returning home from (edited) ... This time feeling a whole lot better! At the same time, (edited) Karen Sulman was starting a new life, and reporting in for her first duty assignment. Sue Bowman had said the April 22 chance meeting was indeed meant to happen at this time in our lives. Bob Gold called it "fate, pure and simple". I prefer the term "destiny ... the preordained course of events considered as something beyond the power or control of man."

Don't you just believe that in heaven today there is a Nite Owl thanking God for his little girl and the River Rats?! ... I know I believe!

~ The Beginning! ~

Sondra Phares Breault

November, 1995

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