Monday, April 16, 2007

For Vietnam MIA Philip Mascari

Philip Mascari was my MIA when these bracelets came out the first time. That bracelet has long been broken and in my jewelry box in pieces.

Philip's parents Sal and Gene worked for my mother in her travel agency in NJ. We went through many dark days with them, but were always hopeful when Philip went missing. They were outside sales for our office. My mum put them on our IATA list so that they could get discounted travel when they went on missions to find him. Sadly, they never did though they did have hope. Other parents that had gone in the past on other trips and had reported a siting of him which in turn made them never give up, but sad to say, they never did bring Philip home.

He is always in my heart. I do believe to this day he is alive and somewhere over there ....whether by choice or being held I don't know ...........I pray for his return. But after all these years, I wonder if his return will ever happen, and if it did, how he would adjust to the world of today. A lot of things have changed since his capture ...but I will continue to pray for him and ask God to do what is best for him.

God Bless Philip Mascari and God Bless the U.S.A.

Suzy

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Phil was a friend of mine.
we went to the same high school in East Orange and worked together in the Orange YMCA Camp Nendawen.
Later we both joined the Air Force, he trained in F-4s and I in KC-135's. Eventually we both ended up in South East Asia, where my friend Phil met his unfortunate fate. Since then, all the combat missions I flew were dedicated to him. He is still in my mind, almost 40 years since he went MIA. I used to pray for his safe return, now I pray for his everlasting peace.
Till we meet again, my friend!

Ike K.

Anonymous said...

Hi, my name is Robin from central Illinois and I, like Suzy, have my Philip Mascari MIA bracelet, broken in half, still inside my jewelry box. If I remember correctly, I purchased it at our county fair when I was 15.

Unfortunately I've not had the privilege of knowing either him or his parents like Suzy and Ike.

I was watching Cold Case about a returned Vietnam POW and it made me think of my bracelet. After all these years I still remember his name in an instant. This time around I have a computer to search with.

How wonderful to find information about him since the info given to me at the time of bracelet purchase has long since been lost.

How very sad to find out that he's not yet been found or returned. I will always keep him in my heart and mind and will continue to pray for him and his family.

Thank you for having a place to put these thoughts into words and they will hopefully be read by his family.

Anonymous said...

I went to college with Phil... he was 2 years ahead of me at Rutgers Class of 1967. We were both in USAF ROTC and members of the Queens Guard drill team and both aspiring pilots.

I wasn't the greatest student at Rutgers but I remember Phil stopping by my dorm room that I shared with another teammate Doug Fretz to make sure we were studying. He didn't live on campus and can't remember if he drove all the way home to Caldwell each night but Phil Mascari was very much a part of getting me through some tough academic times at Rutgers.

He and I hung out during summer school I remember after my sophmore year. Great time with great friends even when campus was semi deserted.

I remember going to his parents house when Phil graduated just before heading off to UPT. They were very proud of him as we all were.

I remember him coming back from UPT to show off his wings and he was off I think to Luke for fighter transition. In the dimness of my memory I remember Phil telling us that he had been selected for the "Fast FAC" program ... flying the venerable F100 "Hun".

His time in the Hun was short again as I remember the story. Only 0.1 with 1 takeoff ... and 0 landings. On takeoff on his first flight in the 100 they had a flameout in the turn out of traffic and both he and his backseat IP punched out. Phil told us that by the time he was back on flight status... the F100 Fast FAC program was cancelled and his entire class shipped off to O2s.

He'd been headed to F4s out of UPT ... but the backseat pipeline dried up ... and endedup in FACs instead.

It was in the O2 where he was lost to us somewhere over Laos if truth is told. At least that's what we all speculate in talking with others who were flying the same missions. We weren't supposed to be over in Laos back in those days... but sometimes you go where the radio calls you to go.

I still think about Phil. When I retired from the USAF in 1999 on the back cover was a picture of Phil and his bio. I wouldn't have been there that day if it hadn't have been for Phil 32 years before at Rutgers.

So I'm still looking for him.

Anonymous said...

Hi all,
My Name is Jeff and I am a Vietnam War historian. I was born in 1971. I have always wanted a POW/MIA bracelet for a long time. I have not found the right one until tonight. I bought a original one off ebay of MAJ. Mascari. I am a military Vehicle collector but I am also a Aircraft Mechanic and a airplane nut. I can not explain it but something modivated me to buy it. I would look foreward to hearing from anyone who knew him.

Jeff
vtdeucedriver@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I was 12 when I received my MIA bracelet with Philip's name on it. I wore it for years until the siver was coming off and the copper underneath was blistering my skin. It is now safe in my jewelry box but I can't think of our service people without thinking of him. I pray for his family and for him.

Anonymous said...

My mom had the bracelet also and claims that I was named after him...

Anonymous said...

MY NAME IS ROBERT...I WAS 13 WHEN I GOT MY BRACELET IN 1969 WITH THE CAPT PHILLIP MASCARI'S NAME ON IT..IT HAS NEVER BROKE AND IT HAS NEVER LEFT MY WRIST...EXCEPT FOR AN MRI I HAD...SO MANY PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT IT. I TELL THEM ITS ON MY WRIST FOR THE EXACT REASON THEY ASK ABOUT IT ...IT HELPS ME MAKE SURE WE DON'T FORGET

Anonymous said...

My name is Carmela Marano-Moeller. I did a lot of volunteer work for the POW/MIA effort back in the 70's. I had the bittersweet pleasure of working with Sal and Jean Mascari as they struggled with the news of Philip's MIA status. Together with the League of Families, we began writing campaigns to the Government to bring our guys home. Sal joined other families and traveled to Laos to try to uncover clues and information about their son and others. The attempts appeared to be futile, as they learned nothing new. At a certain point, Philip was declared KIA. Unfortunately, because of a job relocation, I lost touch with the Mascari's. I know Sal died and I believe Jean did too. I will always remember the tall flag pole in the front of their home, and how Sal took down the flag every night and said good night to their son,"wherever you are."

Anonymous said...

I too have my bracelet with Capt. Phillip Mascari's name. Last weekend my family and I visited Washington D.C. and went to the Vietnam memorial, where I sought and found his entry. Since the 70s his was the name of a person I could never know, but about whom I often wondered. Seeing his name on that stark and awesome wall touched me deeply. I have resolved to silently wear the bracelet on Memorial Day, and hope that someone inquires about it. It has been over 40 years, but the memory of a stranger's sacrifice is with me, more real today than when I was in high school. It gives renewed meaning to a solemn day. My thoughts, prayers and thanks go out to his family and friends.

Laurie said...

I too have a MIA bracelet with Capt Phillip Mascari name and date of 5/2/1969. In perfect condition. Didn"t realize there were multiple copies. Always hoped he had been found and rescued.