Robert F. Callaghan

Cal and I flew together in Vietnam. HIS UH-1B Huey helicopter 63-8711 was a gunship before coming to our unit - HHC, 1st Signal Brigade, Aviation Section. It was completely shot up. Cal and his crew repaired the helicopter, and now it flew like it was new. He won more Air Medals - more like 6 or 7. He really did not the Army, and he did not care about medals and things. He was a great friend and soldier. His beloved 711 ended up with the Uruguay Air Force. It is in a museum in Uruguay. We had a few reunions, and Cal was always there. It was an honor that I knew him.

I first met Bob when Marilyn Petty introduced us when the Lake Clear Association was established many years ago. I found him to be a kind and modest man, unfailingly willing to help when anything needed to be done. He cared so much about the lake and our little hamlet. As far as I recall, he was the first or one of the first of our Association's presidents. I did not know he served in Vietnam, and will look for his books in the library. I do hope his talk on the history of Lake Clear was recorded or summarized... I will miss seeing him at the post office.

I will first have seen Bob when we were both children-I as a camper at Deerwood Music Camp, he with other siblings in the back of the truck of his dad, Vince, who looked after and maintained the camp. When we were adults, our family members were lucky enough to get to know Bob and Sandy all over again, in the summers when we were at Lake Clear. A more generous, smart, dedicated and kind person than Bob we may never know. His enormous knowledge of the history of Lake Clear was unrivaled and he was so gracious to share all of that with all of us. Particularly for those of us at Lake Clear, Bob´s passing is a great loss. The world has lost a wonderful soul. We send our condolences to all of Bob´s family.

Karen Cohen Holmes