The Radburn Association
Radburn is a beautiful place to live and call home. A supportive community. Many generations living together and sharing our beautiful green space. |
In no specific order
Jim Coughlin Military Rank : U.S. Army “Err Lieutenant, I got something for you, this just came in. It was my CO (Commanding Officer- who rang who held the rank of Major.) What he had for me were orders for Vietnam. It was late 1970 and I was stationed at the time in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, After the mandatory leave ( time off), I found myself here in New Jersey and MaGuire Air Force Base awaiting to board a plane for tropical destination, Vietnam We were going via the north flight route” Anchorage, Japan, then final stop Vietnam. During the flight approach to Biden Hoa Air Force Base (Northwest of Saigon) the pilot came over the intercom saying “we are going to have to make some circles over our landing, runway due to lightning moderate ground fire”. On landing, exiting the aircraft, we were met by US troops telling us which nearby bunkers to dive into. I was still in my class a uniform - shirt, jacket, and tie with attached case- well I was going to work was an I? Couple hours later we’re in the 90th Replacement Center mess hall having breakfast, our first meal and country were loud sounds wham , wham. We just sat there looking at one another with funny looks on our faces. A half second goes by and someone yells. Haaay that’s incoming fire”. Incoming; is definitely unfriendly enemy fire or mortal design to grind softer substance in the ground- like me. Next pandemonium reigns - everyone is under the tables except me. I figure, hey it’s too late, But it’s already over. I was lucky. But I could not have been more wrong. It was only the beginning, Welcome to “Nam. Jim Coughlin . |
Burim DragaqinaMilitary Rank - Army Paratrooper, 82nd Airborne Division |
Terence FitzgibbonsMilitary Rank - Lieutenant After obtaining an Naval ROTC scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, Terry served as a Surface Warfare Officer from 2004-2008. He was deployed on the USS Cardinal, 5th Fleet in Bahrain; served on the USS Pelican in Ingleside, Texas; and was deployed on the USS Cowpens, 7th Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan. Terry now teaches high school history with Passaic Public Schools and is an active member of North New Jersey Chapter 21 of Veterans for Peace. He lives happily in Radburn with his wife and one-year-old daughter. |
Nick De GregorioMilitary Rank - Major |
TJ RitterMilitary Rank - Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) |
Dan Schlossberg Military Rank - PFC Remember the Robin Williams movie 'Good Morning Vietnam?' My unit consisted of 20 journalists -- all writers or broadcasters -- and ran Army radio stations during its annual two-week summer deployments. I even got to interview Jack Benny, who was performing at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs when I was stationed at nearby Fort Carson. I wrote three radio station ID "spots" for him to read but on the last one he mixed up the station's call letters, which were KRSN, and said, "Gee, I did that lousy, didn't I?" It was so funny that we used it exactly that way. A year later, I was on the air when Richard Nixon resigned the presidency and had to announce it to my audience. I followed up with the Jerry Lee Lewis song, "There's a Whole Lotta Shaking," and got yelled at by my commanding officer. Fortunately, I got my honorable discharge a couple of months later. |