June 6 - June 19, 2015 www.SanTanSun.com
War hero honored with U.S. postage stamp BY KEN ABRAMCZYK
Frederick Ferguson, a chief warrant officer in Company C, 227th Aviation Battalion of the U.S. Army, monitored his radio while on a routine mission in Vietnam in January 1968. He heard that a helicopter was downed in an area under heavy attack and had wounded crewmen and passengers. Ferguson, assisted by a co-pilot, crew chief, gunner and three gunships, responded, flew to the site and landed his helicopter when a mortar hit near the rear of his helicopter. Despite heavy damage to his helicopter, Ferguson and the other soldiers rescued his comrades. Ferguson flew to safety and everyone survived. For his heroics, Ferguson received a Medal of Honor in 1969. Ferguson, now 75, was honored recently at a special dedication ceremony at the American Legion Post No. 35 in Chandler as one of 48 Medal of Honor recipients pictured on a limited edition stamp sheet from the U.S. Postal Service. The Chandler resident was the only Arizona resident to receive the honor. Ferguson credited the others who assisted him, and everyone serving in the military, both past and present. “I had a co-pilot, I had a crew chief, I had a gunner and three gunships,” Ferguson said.
Frederick Ferguson, second from left, receives a framed set of U.S. Postal Service stamps from Chandler Postmaster Chris Arroyo, far left. Ferguson was one of 48 Medal of Honor recipients pictured on a limited edition stamp sheet. Also pictured is American Legion Post No. 35 Cmdr. Tom Will, right. STSN photo by Ken Abramczyk
“We were all getting our butts shot at at the same time. It was the whole crew that did this. Either those five guys were gonna get killed, they were gonna get captured, or they
Mental health advocates urge students to speak up BY TRACY HOUSE
The stresses of high school and graduation can be overwhelming for some students. May was Mental Health Month and about 350 juniors and seniors in Scott Reed and Dr. Melinda Parry’s AP psychology classes at Hamilton High School recently were given the chance to find out more about mental illness when volunteers from NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, visited them. Reed said he’s had NAMI presenters visit his classes for more than 10 years to speak to students candidly about mental illness. Just a day after the suicide of Marcus Wheeler, a student at Corona del Sol in Tempe, students in the classes, some of whom knew him, followed the presenters’
stories of mental illness and finding help and community through NAMI. Parry explained Wheeler had been a student at Hamilton before transferring to Corona, and the campus was greatly affected by the news. Sharing their personal stories this year were, Rebecca Duke and Ariyanna Norman, Miss Chandler 2015. Duke shared she has serious mental illness, but is functioning and relatively happy most of the time. “I’m up here, doing stuff, I’m not homeless, a drunk or drug addict. It’s not what I used to think mental illness was.” Duke suffered for some time, but her loved ones held an intervention for her when she was 20. It was after her SEE VOLUNTEERS PAGE 4
were gonna get rescued.” Only one scenario was acceptable to him and the other soldiers. Ferguson later added: “This (stamp)
belongs to all of us who served. It didn’t matter when or where you served. You served. “This stamp is for all of us.” Tom Will, Legion Post No. 35 commander, said Ferguson, who he has known for about 10 years, is a humble person. Will was glad to see Ferguson “get the recognition he deserves.” “I think it’s well deserved and it’s about time,” Will said. Vice Mayor Kevin Hartke said the City of Chandler was honored to have Ferguson as one of its citizens and honored to be a part of the recognition of Ferguson with the stamp. Chandler Postmaster Chris Arroyo said postal stamps are used to recognize historical events, remember history and honor historical figures. He cited Ferguson’s biography highlighting his actions that day: “Despite warnings from all aircraft to stay clear of the area due to heavy antiaircraft fire, CWO Ferguson began a low-level flight at maximum airspeed along the Perfume River toward the tiny, isolated South Vietnamese Army compound in which the crash survivors had taken refuge. “Coolly and skillfully maintaining his course in the face of intense, short range fire from enemy-occupied buildings and boats, he displayed superior flying skill and tenacity of purpose by landing his aircraft in an extremely confined area in a blinding dust storm under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. Although the helicopter was severely damaged by mortar fragments during the loading of the wounded, CWO Ferguson SEE WAR HERO PAGE 4
Music producer wanted for new stage in downtown Chandler BY MEGHAN MCCOY
The Downtown Chandler Community Partnership is seeking a music producer to manage a new downtown Chandler stage that will up the entertainment ante in the area. The proposal for the performance spot, expected to open in midSeptember, can be found at http:// downtownchandler.org/dccp-downtownstage-rfp/. The deadline is Friday, June 19. The not-for-profit corporation is also looking for a turnkey agency that can produce and program musical performances for the new stage. DCCP is looking for a full-service entertainment, event production and public relations agency for the contracted service. The half circle-shaped, 3,500-squarefoot concrete stage will be 4 feet
above ground west of the Downtown Chandler Library, said Mickey Ohland, City of Chandler Park Development and Operations manager. Fabric shade sails, which can be found over playgrounds and throughout the city, will be constructed over the stage. “It’s an exciting project. It’s going to be a well-used facility and it is something that is definitely needed,” Ohland said. A stakeholders group of City staff and Downtown Chandler Community Partnership members is bringing the stage to life. Construction begin in early May for the project, which will cost $348,691. The DCCP put $100,000 toward the project and the City paid the difference. DCCP executive director Jeff Kulaga said the stage will be used for many of
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