Memorial service to honor fallen Vietnam War soldier

They will be escorted from VFW Post 573 in Clarksburg to Bridgeport Cemetery by the Clarksburg Police Department and Bridgeport Police Department, along with Patriot Guard Riders and Hogs and Heroes Foundation motorcyclists.

There will be between 12 and 18 veterans from McCormick’s company from across the country attending, joined by 25 members of his family and various others.

Tom Wilkes joined the company after McCormick’s death. He said McCormick died protecting his fellow soldiers.

“The mission he was on was night operations,” Wilkes said. “They were to engage targets of opportunity while supporting outposts that were under attack, supporting any troops in contact with the enemy while patrolling free fire zones and doing airfield defense.

“That night an outpost came under attack, and ‘Lucky Strike’ (Ronald’s aircraft) answered the call. As it made its approach to provide fire support, it was struck with a B-40 rocket and exploded in mid-air. All six crew members were killed.”

Wilkes added that a seventh member of the company was also killed when a second helicopter was struck that night.

Tom Feigel, who organized the event to honor McCormick, knew him and fought in the company with him.

“There’s a story behind the story,” Feigel said. “I was a helicopter chief in the same unit as Ron. I flew nights. About three years ago, we found out that the helicopter we had in Vietnam is in Fairmont. Things are kind of linked here, because Ron was flying nights and his ship was blown up.”

“My ship (‘Super Slick’) replaced his ship, ‘Lucky Strike.’ On the nose art of the helicopter (‘Super Slick’) in Fairmont, you’ll see the words ‘They Were Lucky Strike’ with seven stars for those who were lost. So there is a connection between that ship and him, and it’s kind of a story that follows another story.”

Feigel continued, saying that it was impressive that “Super Slick” made it back from Vietnam at all.

“Just think about it,” he said. “The helicopter we had in Vietnam is back. Most of the ships never made it back, but it made it back to Fairmont, so close to where Ron was from.”

Feigel said it was a sign of respect that 18 members of the crew are coming to the event, and added that even the platoon leader, John Leandro, will be in attendance.

Wilkes agreed, saying that many people who were close to McCormick and that tragic night will be attending.

“This will be the third time that members of the 336th Helicopter Company have had a reunion in Fairmont on Memorial Day, and in the past it was just the original crew members of ‘Super Slick,’” he said. “We did some research and found that Ronald was from Clarksburg, and that it was very close to Fairmont. A lot of the guys come every year, and there will be a lot more this year — guys that flew with Ronald.

“The pilot that went in to try to rescue them will be there,” Wilkes continued. “The pilot that was scheduled to fly the mission that night was given a different assignment at the last minute, and he will be there.”

Wilkes said it is important to honor those who were lost.

“The people that I serve with and that were killed have had a deep impact on my life, even to this day,” Wilkes said. “So for me, in a way it’s a bit of closure for the mourning of the friends I lost in Vietnam. And it’s also a chance to let Ron’s family know how much he meant to his fellow soldiers and the 336th Helicopter Company, and how we all mourn the loss even to this day.”

Feigel noted that the grief surrounding losing a fellow soldier is lasting.

“Our captain, John Leandro, still gets emotional to this day when he thinks about those guys,” he said. “They were his guys. Even with the passage of time, it doesn’t go away. It never goes away.”

Feigel added that much of the focus here is on McCormick’s family.

“We’re going to meet with the family, and they’re coming with us afterwards to the VFW Post,” Feigel said.

Later in the day, a documentary on “Super Slick,” which is currently on display at the Marion County Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be shown. The documentary, titled “Fate’s Call,” is important to understanding the ceremony as whole, according to Feigel.

“Watch the documentary, and at the end of the documentary, let it keep going,” he said. “I say in there that ‘as long as they’re remembered, they’ll never be forgotten.’ We were very young. Our platoon leader was 21. That never leaves you — what happened there. So it’s important for us to get back together and remember.”

Ultimately, Feigel said it’s a chance to give the late Ronald McCormick the honor he deserves.

“When we came back, I’m sure he came back and was laid to rest,” Feigel said. “But what we want to do now, by doing this, is give him a little extra. It’s a way of giving him a little more than he got back then.”