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00:03Welcome to the beautiful Florida Keys and Hawks K Resort.
00:07Join us as we hear Frank Harris' story and the sacrifices that he made for our great nation.
00:13These are the faces of heroes.
00:17Many still bearing the invisible wounds of war, PTSD, and trauma.
00:24I left Vietnam, but Vietnam never left me.
00:30That's how I'm living.
00:31Why did I come back?
00:33Why are they gone and I'm not?
00:35You know, what have I done to deserve to be here?
00:41Our mission is listening and hearing, helping and healing for those who sacrificed and those who continue to sacrifice.
00:53The mission today and every day is Operation Healing Heroes.
01:01Brought to you by Great Clips.
01:08Morning rises over the Florida Keys, painting Hawks K in soft light.
01:14A quiet grace over a place known for healing.
01:17So you ready to go do some fishing today?
01:19Sir, I want to go out here and catch this big one I missed last time.
01:22Joining us on the boat today is Frank Harris, a Vietnam helicopter pilot who once flew through fire to save
01:31the lives of others.
01:33Few volunteer for war and fewer still fly into battle day after day, watching friends fall while carrying the weight
01:41of surviving.
01:42For decades, those stories stayed locked away.
01:46Welcome aboard.
01:47Yes, sir.
01:48Thanks for having me.
01:49But today, on these calm waters, Frank takes a courageous step of a different kind.
01:56A step toward healing, toward releasing the burdens he's carried alone for far too long.
02:05So tell me about growing up as a Georgia boy.
02:07Growing up as a Georgia boy.
02:09Well, Warner Robins, Georgia, at the time we moved there, I was in the sixth grade.
02:14I remember hearing the loud noise outside and these jets were flying overhead.
02:21It was Memorial Day and the Thunderbirds were doing their air show at Robins Air Force Base where Warner Robins,
02:28Georgia is.
02:29And I just stood out in the backyard probably, I don't know, maybe a good hour watching these planes do
02:36their aerobatics and stuff and just fell in love.
02:40Here come the Air Force's official air demonstration team, the Thunderbirds.
02:46One way or the other, I was going to fly.
02:48That's cool.
02:49Oh, yeah.
02:49He's on.
02:50He's on.
02:51Got it right there.
02:52Yeah, I got him.
02:53Oh, wow.
02:54He went straight out that way.
02:55He's down there.
02:56He's already on.
02:57You going to start reeling?
02:58You got this, brother.
03:01You got it.
03:04How's he feel?
03:05All right.
03:06Yeah.
03:07Yeah, I grew up as kind of a wild child, me and my buddies that we grew up with in
03:13the neighborhood.
03:13And we do this every now and then.
03:15On a Friday, we'd skip school and go up there to underground Atlanta.
03:19And we'd get a six-pack of Sprite and a little pint bottle of some bourbon or something.
03:24And we'd drink that all day long.
03:26We were not like we were getting drunk or anything.
03:28We were just kids, you know, 15, 16 years old, 17, you know, having a good time.
03:35And I was in the front pasture and I just happened to look over and that was my father.
03:40And he was looking dead at us, you know.
03:44We had a little tussle about that.
03:47You know, he took my car away from me.
03:49He said that he had three rules.
03:51You know, you don't drink and drive.
03:53You know, you don't drive your car out of town without permission and no one else drives your car.
03:59Well, I broke all three rules.
04:01My father served in Korea.
04:03He was awarded the Silver Star when he was in Korea.
04:06Really?
04:07He didn't really act mad about it or anything, but he just said, well, you know, Frank, he said, I
04:12think it's about time.
04:13He says, you need to go in the Army.
04:17They'll make a man out of you.
04:19It was two weeks later.
04:20I was on my way to Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
04:23Really?
04:23For basic training.
04:24Yeah.
04:25Right from day one, you know, you may want to go to Vietnam.
04:28I threw my hand up.
04:30I was always first to volunteer, you know.
04:33Really?
04:33Yeah, I went in in September.
04:35I turned 18 in November.
04:38And then my butt was in Vietnam in April.
04:41Wow.
04:42You know, that quick.
04:42That's quick.
04:43Yeah.
04:43Still looking for his war face, Frank quickly learned what he had gotten himself into.
04:48In Da Nang, night after night, mission after mission, he flew straight into the fire long before he ever had
04:57time to understand what war really was.
05:03Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Great Clips, Hawks K Resort, and by Suzuki Marine.
05:18Operation Healing Heroes is a non-profit organization dedicated to documenting the lives of our U.S. military veterans.
05:25In addition, we also provide financial support and treatment for post-traumatic stress.
05:30Your donation will help heal our heroes.
05:39There you go.
05:41You got this, brother.
05:43There he is.
05:45There he is.
05:46Oh, yeah.
05:49There he is.
05:50Ah.
05:50He off?
05:51Damn, he broke off again.
05:52He broke off, guys.
05:54We'll get him.
05:55A lost catch on the water is nothing compared to what Frank once flew through.
06:00When Nixon began pulling troops out of Vietnam, pilots weren't among them.
06:06Frank stayed in the skies, flying critical missions to support the ARVN in brutal combat.
06:12There's no more infantry, no more ground troops in Vietnam.
06:16All that's left is the advisors and the aviation units.
06:21We continued on with the mission we were assigned to, search and destroy.
06:25It didn't really hit me as far as our loss until the incident I had.
06:36We had two Cobras and a Loach and the Huey gunship that I was on.
06:44The Cobras come in to roll in on this bunker to fire their rockets off on it.
06:49And he got off a couple salvos, but then he goes, I'm hit.
06:52He crashed right into the ground.
06:55And our job was, as flying the chase and cover, was to go in and pick up any survivors or
07:05bodies, if that was so.
07:10And we went in and they dropped me off.
07:13I was on the edge of a rice paddy about 50 yards, 60 yards or so from the aircraft.
07:19And I grabbed the M-60 I had and threw a couple rounds of belts over my shoulder.
07:25I got to the aircraft and the front seat pilot was dead.
07:34And it was, it was, wasn't something you'd be wanting to see.
07:39So I could tell when I got there, there was blood all over the canopy in the cockpit and he
07:44was slumped over.
07:45And the rear pilot was banging on his window real bad and everything.
07:52So I immediately got to him, got his canopy open and he had a broke leg.
07:56His femurs were sticking out, you know.
07:59So I got him out of the aircraft and pulled him off about 50 yards and went back to get
08:04the, the other pilot.
08:06And when I opened his canopy, he just fell out on the ground.
08:10He had been shot through the head and he was dead.
08:14He had, uh, it looked like he'd taken a round up through here and it just blew the top of
08:19his head off.
08:19Oh gosh.
08:20His helmet was all shattered and stuff and, you know, it was, it was just, I couldn't get his helmet
08:26off.
08:31I wanted to, I wanted to cover his face.
08:38Well, I, it didn't, it did kind of dawn on me at that moment.
08:41But once I was there, well, now what am I supposed to do?
08:45There's nobody here to get us.
08:47The aircraft that had brought me off took off.
08:51And I didn't have a survival radio, but the pilot from the Cobra that had one,
08:57they couldn't back, couldn't get back in there to get me.
09:00And the pilot and the dead pilot, they had to leave us there overnight.
09:06And now it was dark and I was there by myself with them.
09:15And that was tough.
09:16I was like, are they coming back?
09:19Well, they, they said they'd get to us as quick as they could, but they couldn't land.
09:25They would, you know, use some probing fire every now and then.
09:28And I'd have to move, I'd move 50, 100 yards in different directions, you know.
09:33And, uh, just, just so, it just, it was terrible.
09:47Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Great Clips,
09:53Creval Boats, and by Power Pole.
10:04American Made is just, it's hard to put into words, nothing better.
10:09You know, you fight for it and say, I fought for that and I'm going to use it
10:13and I'm going to enjoy it.
10:15And it always follows through, you know.
10:18If you'd like to see more behind the scenes footage,
10:20follow us on social media and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
10:25If you'd like to learn more and go deeper into the subject of healing,
10:28tune in to the all-new Operation Healing Heroes podcast, Feel the Heal.
10:33Hear from veterans, first responders, doctors, nonprofit leaders, and Gold Star families
10:38as they share powerful stories of hope, healing, and resiliency.
10:42Tune in and feel the heel.
10:49I kept thinking I was hearing the voices all the time.
10:54You're in total darkness.
10:57You don't have any light other than the ambient moonlight, whatever.
11:02You didn't, you know, it's like, well, what do I do next?
11:04I'm waiting.
11:05You know, the time is just, the killer there is the waiting.
11:10You know, and I think that's what bothered me the most.
11:16Listening to the pilot, he was, he tried to stay as quiet as he could.
11:20But, uh, just hoping and praying to God that we would make it.
11:31But sure enough, the next day, the crack of dawn,
11:34I hear them, here the Huey Cubs, you know, uh, here comes the Calvary.
11:44That's what it was.
11:46And they, they picked us up.
11:48You know, and it's like every time I, I think about it,
11:51which is not very often.
11:53And this is only like a, probably the fourth or fifth time
11:57I've told the story about this incident, but, uh, it's, it's difficult.
12:10It was horrible.
12:13But we went on, uh, once a week, we'd have a company formation.
12:18Usually it was on a Sunday morning.
12:20And then called out Sergeant Harris, front and center, uh, Major Fairweather.
12:27He looked at me and he said,
12:29we know we can't replace what you've lost,
12:33but we could give you this for what you've earned.
12:37And he, he pinned that off.
12:42You know, you process, you go through all the paperwork, you know, uh,
12:48you go to the airport terminal at Da Nang and you see that big jet sitting out
12:52there and it says flying tiger airlines on the side of it.
12:56And you get on the plane and you still don't realize it.
13:01But when those wheels part the ground, you're on your way.
13:05Then, you know, you're on your way.
13:08And then when we touched down in Travis, uh, they all went crazy.
13:12We all went crazy again.
13:14We're home.
13:14We made it, you know, and it's like, finally, finally.
13:20And I'm not going back.
13:24When I came home, I remember I was, I went to my dad's office.
13:30It was surprising.
13:32And, uh, he came in, flipped the light on.
13:36I was in uniform and he surprised the heck out of him to see me.
13:41And he looks at me and he goes, what, what's that?
13:45And I, uh, we were talking, he says, that silver star on your chest.
13:50It's my silver star.
13:52I told you I could be as much of a man as you wanted me to be as much of
13:57a man as you are.
13:59You know, and he just, he looked and he just had, one of the few times I'd ever seen him,
14:04got a happy smile.
14:06And he just said, good job.
14:07And that's all we ever said about it.
14:10It was nothing ever else.
14:12I never talked to him.
14:13I never told him what happened.
14:15It's like, he never told me what happened.
14:17So he never heard the story of what you'd done?
14:20No.
14:21No, he didn't, he didn't want to know.
14:24I don't really know the story of how he earned his.
14:26I was going to ask, did he ever share that with you?
14:28No, he never did.
14:29But that was it.
14:31I, ever since then, I just swept it all under the rug, you know.
14:44Middle Georgia Honor Flight gives World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and terminally ill veterans
14:51a chance to stand before the memorials built for them in Washington, D.C., completely free of charge.
14:59If you'd like to recognize a special veteran in your life and see them featured on our website,
15:04log on to OperationHealingHeroes.org and click on the Recognize button.
15:10Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Battle Born Batteries, Hawks K Resort,
15:18and by Tarpon Time Guide Service.
15:30A few days after I got home, that, wow, I'm here, but I've left so many behind.
15:39You know, like I said, within a year, we'd lost six people, and they were all friends of mine.
15:44And it was like, why me?
15:50You know, I was in several situations where I should have died myself, and God was looking after me.
16:02But the survivor's guilt, it just eats away at you, like, why me?
16:10Why am I here?
16:11And there's nobody to answer that for you, you know.
16:15You know, after all that, you know, and they, I made my peace with him out the wall.
16:25And he was happy I was there.
16:28Yeah.
16:28Frank carried the trauma of that fateful night for decades.
16:32At the memorial, he etched the pilot's name into paper, a simple tracing that felt like a hand reaching back.
16:41In that moment, Frank finally felt peace and a forgiveness he never thought he'd find.
16:48I sat down and talked to somebody.
16:50I finally kind of let go a little bit.
16:53And, but right after that, it's like, okay, I feel a little bit better.
17:00I don't need any more help.
17:02Just kick it back under the rug again, you know.
17:05I just couldn't get it out of my head, especially at night when I try to go to sleep.
17:11Just over and over, I'm really involved in stuff, you know.
17:15And I can't get it to stop.
17:19You're so confused in your thoughts and your mind.
17:23You can't settle down, you know, your racing thoughts.
17:28You go to bed at night, you can't go to sleep.
17:32I think that's why I'm here.
17:35It's because I know that Healing Heroes is here to help me.
17:40And if anybody can, I feel that they will and they will follow through to their word.
17:46And so far, it's been a pleasure.
17:51I'm just grateful for you guys.
17:58And if it wasn't for organizations like Healing Heroes, people like me would still be sitting in a chair at
18:05home, kicking stuff under the carpet and looking at the four walls.
18:10You know, just being alone, you know.
18:14It's like being out there in the rice paddy overnight, being alone all your life.
18:22Are you proud of what you did?
18:24I'm very proud of what I did.
18:26I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.
18:28You would?
18:29Yes.
18:30Even if I had to do the exact same thing again, I would do it.
18:34You know, it's just part of me.
18:37I'm an American.
18:38You know, I fought for our freedoms.
18:41I fought for the right to say it's American made.
18:44You know, freedom isn't free.
18:49It comes at a heavy price.
18:52But there's folks willing to take on that chore, you know, to pay that price, to keep us free and
19:00to enjoy what life has for us.
19:04There's organizations out there, guys, like Operation Healing Heroes and foundations that they're hooked up with that can give you
19:12the help you need.
19:14And it won't cost you anything.
19:18I mean, it's nothing but your time.
19:21But please put in the time.
19:24Because it'll pay off for you.
19:26Well, this is just the start, Frank, of how we want to help you make tomorrow better than today.
19:31But we did make a custom rod.
19:34It's made by Thorne Brothers.
19:36It's a St. Croix blank.
19:37It's got Operation Healing Heroes and all the branches of service, American flag.
19:42That's for you.
19:43Hope you catch many more fish.
19:44More fish than we caught today, I hope.
19:46Bigger fish, anyway.
19:47Bigger fish did.
19:48Thank you, Jay.
19:49And I did get you your own Operation Healing Heroes jersey with your name on there.
19:53We've got Frank Harris on the back.
19:56That's for you, brother.
19:57I can't say thank you enough.
19:59I know you don't think you're a hero, but I think you're a hero.
20:00Can I hug you?
20:01Yes, sir.
20:02Thank you, brother.
20:04Thank you so much.
20:05It means the world to us.
20:07I know you don't think you're a hero, but you're a hero, brother.
20:10You're a hero.
20:11Beautiful.
20:12Beautiful.
20:13Beautiful.
20:14Beautiful.
20:14Beautiful.
20:16Beautiful.
20:20Frank's journey doesn't end today.
20:21His healing process is just beginning, and we have a plan for him to make tomorrow better
20:25than today.
20:31If you'd like to personally thank a veteran that you've seen in one of our episodes or nominate
20:35a veteran to be featured in a future episode, log on to our website, operationhealingheroes.org,
20:41and click on the nominate button.
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