In this episode of Dearest Suzie, the letter itself is short — just a few lines about quiet days, card games, and Popi's plans to bring Charlie the monkey home. But it’s the stories that surround this letter — the ones passed down through generations — that offer a glimpse into the weight of what went unsaid.
Two stories have survived about Popi’s time with the Cobras: one darkly funny, the other quietly heroic. Together, they raise larger questions about how we remember war — and how family stories shape the people we’ve lost. When the written record leaves gaps, what becomes more important — the truth of what happened, or the legacy those stories help to build?
Accompanied by a photo of Huey helicopters flying in formation, today's episode explores the distance between the stories Popi told, the ones he kept to himself, and the ones that survived him.
What’s Covered:
- Popi’s brief letter from March 22, 1965
- Family stories about Popi’s time with the Cobras
- How memory, myth, and survival shape the stories we inherit
- The lingering question of why Popi chose to move from medevac missions to combat operations
📷 Featured Photo: Three Huey helicopters flying in formation, with a door gunner visible hanging outside one of the aircraft.
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