13 Apr 2004 Just wanted to let you know how unique you were. On Nov 3rd 2002 in the town of Prospect Connecticut, a memorial was dedicated to you with a helicopter as if it is flying above and a memorial plaque about you. I miss you, Michael. From his sister, Marianne Kight Chaney 13 Sep 2004 This poem was written by Bernard A. Gudeahn In January 1997 and was presented to the Kight family. It has been read at many memorial services including all Memorial Day celebrations. The Kight Family was so honored to have this poem dedicated to Michael. This poem is dedicated to Michael A. Kight of Waterbury, Ct, who lost his life in Soc Trang, Vietnam, May 19th 1967 The Doorgunner's Prayer Sitting harnessed in my seat with my flight helmet on we were going on a mission just south of Saigon I prayed before each flight, I would say a silent prayer I know I said a lot of them for the time I was there I would close my eyes and pray at night Sometimes I even cried I saw my friend just yesterday Today .. I learned he died There were an awful lot of friends the Lord up there did call If you have reason not to believe me go down and read the Wall There were times I thought my time had come I prayed I would go to heaven and maybe join some friends of mine from that year of Sixty Seven The soldiers who served in Vietnam we know were heros all unsung most of the ones who lost their lives were so very young The ones who sent us over there to play the savior's role which one of them was keeping track of the U.S. high death toll It seems I go back to Nam a lot of nights in my dreams why does a year last a lifetime or so it just seems To awaken at night in a cold lonely sweat matching names to faces of those VietNam Vets The soldiers that were lost there I hope went to Heaven let the ones who came home say a prayer for them in this year of Ninety Seven. From his sister, Marianne Kight Chaney 131 Snowden Lane, Fitzgerald Ga. 31750 marianne_chaney2000@yahoo.com

 

14 Apr 2004 Mike, you were one of the greatest people I was every blessed to have in my life! I always smile when I think of you and I as children satting in the back seat swapping candy out of our little bags of candy and laughing with each other!! To me it is always the way I see you, maybe because we were young at heart and knew nothing about life and war and the heartache that the loss of one's life brings ... but you, my dear cousin, live in many people's hearts that you touched!! I thank God for that childhood memory and for you!! Love from your cousin, Pam (Kight) Harper Fitzgerald, Ga 31750 kight9@mchsi.com

 

03 Aug 2006 REMEMBERED by a cousin, Roger C. Kight 325 Church Street, Blythe, Ga. 30805 lkight24@comcast.net

 

13 Jun 2007 You were so amazing. I heard so much about you. Although I've never met you in person, I feel like we were siblings. The more I learn about you, the more I see you in myself. From a relative, Allysandra Kight babygirl_8866@yahoo.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall After completion of a combat support mission, 8 UH-1Ds of the 336th Assault Helicopter Company, 13th Avn Bn, departed Vi Thanh enroute their home base at Soc Trang Airfield. The aircraft initially were divided into two flights, Gold Flight with 5 Hueys and White Flight with 3 Hueys. As the two flights approached Soc Trang they formed into a single flight of eight aircraft formed in echelon right with the 5 Gold aircraft in positions 1 through 5 and the three White aircraft in positions 6, 7, and 8. At about a mile distant from the airfield Gold 2 (UH-1D 64-13521) slid aft to maintain position on lead. In so doing, Gold 2 hit Gold 3 (UH-1D 66-01154) causing severe damage to both aircraft. Gold 2 broke up in flight, with the main fuselage cabin impacting in 7-foot-deep water. Gold 3 was able to maintain a marginally controllable autorotation to ground impact. All four men in Gold 2 died in the crash. After Gold 3 hit ground the gunner left the cabin and was struck and fatally injured by the main rotor blade. The crew chief was able to extract both pilots - each seriously injured - before the Huey caught fire and burned. The five dead Americans were In Gold 2 (UH-1D 64-13521) WO Gediminas J. Eidukaitis, Cleveland, OH, pilot WO Michael A. Kight, Waterbury, CT, copilot SP4 Burton I. Sharp, Taylor, MI, CPL Raymond H. Tighe, Winton, CA In Gold 3 (UH-1D 66-01154) SP4 Charles W. Larman, Oxon Hill, MD, gunner In addition, a South Vietnamese schoolgirl, Tran Thi Nghiem, was fatally injured by debris which hit a school several hundred meters from where Gold 3 impacted. The photo below shows the memorial in Prospect. The aircraft is an AH-1G Cobra gunship; the plaque mentioned above can be seen on the stone retaining wall.

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