10 Jan 2005 May his spirit live on............. Gerald died along with my brother, David Griffin, in a helicopter crash. An eyewitness to the crash told me the copter was flying low to the ground over a swollen rice paddy when the ship went down. It was rainy and real wet when it plunged deep into the rice paddy, rubble and fuel burning. Years ago another eyewitness told my father the copter was being fired upon. When it rotated to shoot back, the rotor broke, causing the copter to spin out-of-control. All lives onboard were lost on that fateful day. Gerald died one day after his 19th birthday. A soldier who served with Gerald told me he was an excellent crew chief with a positive outlook on life. He was kindhearted and loved laughing. He embraced life. Gerald was a good man. Herbert Rand, David Griffin, Gerald Slingerland

 

01 Aug 2005 REMEMBERED by his sister, Bobbi Lynne Hoover 20 Nov 2005 The Statler Brothers sing this song. More Than A Name On A Wall (author unknown) I saw her from a distance As she walked up to the Wall in her hand she held some flowers as her tears began to fall and she took out pen and paper as to trace her memories and she looked up to heaven and the words she said were these... She said Lord, my boy was special, and he meant so much to me and Oh I'd love to see him just one more time you see All I have are the memories and the moments to recall So Lord could you tell him, He's more than a name on a Wall.. She said he really missed the family and being home on Christmas day and he died for God and Country in a place so far away. I remember just a little boy playing war since he was three But Lord this time I know, He's not coming home to me And she said Lord my boy was special, and he meant so much to me and Oh I'd love to see him But I know it just can't be So I thank you for my memories and the moments to recall But Lord could you tell him, He's more than a name on a Wall.. Lord, could you tell him, He's more than a name on a Wall.. From his sister, Bobbi Lynne Hoover P. O. Box 111, Speculator, Ny 12164 hoovers3@klink.net

 

14 Aug 2005 Always in my heart And in my memory Love and miss you From a niece, Ginger Hoffman Thompson cyclone427np@msn.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall Four men of the 114th AHC died in the crash of their UH-1C Huey (hull number 66-00514): WO1 Samuel L. Hunt, pilot; WO1 Russel Dean Bentson, copilot; SP4 David Scott Griffin, door gunner; and SP4 Gerald Howard Slingerland, crew chief. The HUEY's blade retention nut on the main rotor cracked and failed, causing the aircraft to crash in a rice paddy and burn. (Source: 114th AHC site) A simple granite monument dedicated to 70 men of the 114th AHC killed in action in Vietnam was unveiled Saturday, May 27, 2000, at the Georgia Veterans' Memorial State Park, Cordele, Georgia. The monument was placed in front of a helicopter used by the 114th during the Vietnam War that is part of the park's aircraft exhibit; a history of the memorial and its dedication is on the 114th's site . The men of the 114th Assault Helicopter Company remember their lost comrades. 114th AHC Memorial Wall

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