February 2021 Veteran of the Month
February 2021 TVVFW VETERAN OF THE MONTH
Allen (Mick) Gardner was born in Brooklyn, NY and in 1951 moved to Farmingdale (Long Island), New York. In his youth he caddied at Bethpage Golf Course. In 1966, Mick joined the Navy and was sent to Great Lakes Naval Training center for boot camp and corpsman training. This was followed with a transfer to Portsmouth, NH for ward duty and then on to Camp Lejeune, NC for Field Medical Service. It was at “boot camp” for corpsmen that he learned the basics of medivac operations and specialized first-aid training.
With his training completed, Mick was sent to Camp Pendleton, CA and assigned to the 28th Marines where he was trained in rappelling and field logistics. As part of that assignment, he played football on the 28th Marines team. In December 1969, Mick was transferred to the 5th Marines in Vietnam. At that time the Combined Action Program, an effort designed to win the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people, was in force. Mick went from village to village treating the Vietnamese civilians. That included the delivery of 11 Vietnamese babies. Most notable was the delivery of a baby by performing an episiotomy. The locals thought Mick was a local version of Albert Schweitzer. He was also involved in the delivery of a baby water buffalo; an animal known to have a distinct dislike of Americans.
Mick was/is a “get it done now” guy. Late one day a Marine accidently shot himself in the leg and needed a medivac. Mick went thru the lower priorities trying to get one before nightfall. Failing, he called for a top priority medivac using language that upset the medivac controllers.He was threatened with the brig if he did it again, but, Medivac arrived, Marine taken care of and all left the area before night fall. Job well done by whatever means.
November 12, 1969, Mick was part of a blocking force that was sent up to clear a village just off the end of a landing strip. The aircraft in the area were taking automatic weapon and rocket fire from the village and the mission was to remove the enemy and, thereby, protect the aircraft. During the operation things got out of hand, rockets came in on Mick’s position and, with 4 days left on his tour, he was wounded with shrapnel in his legs, back and butt. He was awarded the Purple Heart for this action.
Mick was taken to Danang and on to Yokosuka, Japan to have shrapnel removed. He was further sent to St. Albans Naval Hospital, Queens, NY. In Sept 1970, Mick was discharged. He then went to school at SUNY Herkimer. It was there that he met Adele. They married in 1971. In 1972, after graduation, they moved to Denver, CO and lived there until 1979.In 1979, Mick and Adele moved to Venice, Florida where he worked in the banking and insurance business. He was heavily involved as Chairman of the Board, Venice Hospital and Chairman of the Board of the Venice Chamber of Commerce. He retired in 2007 when and he and Adele moved to Tellico Village.
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