Letters
October 7, 2011
Men of the 219th Headhunters:
it was one of the greatest honors of my life to spend a day with you, paying tribute to both you and my father, SP/4 Troy Rollis Gainous.* I went to the reunion hoping to find a piece of my father's life that I had been missing; I left not only with that piece of his life, but also with a peace of heart knowing that my father was respected as a Crew Chief, a Headhunter, and as a friend. You may not have all served with my dad, but you welcomed me as though you had. I know my father was proud to be called a Headhunter and to be among such good, honorable men.
To the men who knew my father best - Mr. John, Mr. Jim, and Mr. Gene - thank you for sharing your time and your memories of my dad with me. As my dad would probably have said, I'll share a drink and my boiled peanuts with you any day.
I heard many of you say you were just doing your jobs during the war, trying to survive and get back home. You may not have been heroes in your own eyes, but you are heroes in mine. Thank you for your service to our country.
Thank you all again for allowing me to attend the 2011, 219th Headhunter Reunion. I hope to see you all again in Boulder in 2013.
Sincerely,
Matthew Gainous
Son of a Headhunter
" Note: Spec 4 Troy Rollis Gainous, was with the 219th stationed in Kontum VN '68-'69 and served as a crew chief. He was honorably discharged from the Army in February 1974; in April 1974 he was killed in a work-related accident back home in Cairo, GA.
Men of the 219th Headhunters:
it was one of the greatest honors of my life to spend a day with you, paying tribute to both you and my father, SP/4 Troy Rollis Gainous.* I went to the reunion hoping to find a piece of my father's life that I had been missing; I left not only with that piece of his life, but also with a peace of heart knowing that my father was respected as a Crew Chief, a Headhunter, and as a friend. You may not have all served with my dad, but you welcomed me as though you had. I know my father was proud to be called a Headhunter and to be among such good, honorable men.
To the men who knew my father best - Mr. John, Mr. Jim, and Mr. Gene - thank you for sharing your time and your memories of my dad with me. As my dad would probably have said, I'll share a drink and my boiled peanuts with you any day.
I heard many of you say you were just doing your jobs during the war, trying to survive and get back home. You may not have been heroes in your own eyes, but you are heroes in mine. Thank you for your service to our country.
Thank you all again for allowing me to attend the 2011, 219th Headhunter Reunion. I hope to see you all again in Boulder in 2013.
Sincerely,
Matthew Gainous
Son of a Headhunter
" Note: Spec 4 Troy Rollis Gainous, was with the 219th stationed in Kontum VN '68-'69 and served as a crew chief. He was honorably discharged from the Army in February 1974; in April 1974 he was killed in a work-related accident back home in Cairo, GA.