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I want to dedicate this months newsletter to the memory of Air Force Lt. Severo James "Sonny" Primm III. I was one of the very few lucky ones that went to Vietnam; I came home without ever seeing actual combat or for that matter even seeing a shot fired other than from a few gun ships at night. The other reason I was lucky is that very few of my FRIENDS went to Vietnam. But one of my closest friends did have to go and he didn't come home until 1996. His name is Severo James "Sonny" Primm III. Sonny and I grew up together on the west bank in Algiers, Louisiana. We were neighbors, fishing buddies, we threw papers together, we enjoyed the listening to the same music, played music in the same band, we played street football together. We were FRIENDS. In March 1972 one month after I came home from Vietnam (one of the lucky ones). Sonny stood in my wedding. We were FRIENDS.. In 1973 Sonny was flying C-47's in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. In February 1973 he was shot down along with seven other crew members over Laos while on a spy mission. His body was not laid to rest until last month. I want to assure Sonny's wife Kathy, his dad Mr. Severo James "Jim" Primm II, his mother Elsie, his brothers Randy and Chris, and his sister Jamie, that his memory will always be alive not only with the family but with all Vietnam Veterans. We were FRIENDS.

Jim Syrdal
Sonny's Friend.

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