Unseen History
Lindsay residents donate historical war footage
Footage from the Vietnam War shot by Lindsay veteran Wilburn “Tommy” Poyner was donated to a military history museum in Virginia on Friday afternoon after a Honor and Remember appreciation ceremony was held in his name in the Lindsay Veterans Memorial Hall.
Poyner’s family was present at the ceremony to play the footage and accept certificates of recognition from Assemblyman
Devon Mathis, Congressman Devin Nunes and Jim Anderson, the President of the Central California Chapter 60105 Association of the United States Army.
Poyner, who served in Vietnam after being drafted into the Army in 1965, was a Bearcat and his helicopter (Huey) was downed twice. While he served overseas, Poyner, who died in 2018, would shoot video and send it back home to his wife, Sharon.
“My dad was in Vietnam and he was married to my mother. He would film stuff and send it back so she could see him,” said Julie Grzybeck, Poyner’s daughter. “There’s not a whole lot of Vietnam (on the footage) but there’s a good 20 minutes. He had a pet monkey, and it’s on there. His crashes are on there, he is on there. I am very proud to be a Vietnam veteran’s daughter. There were times that he would say that he couldn’t understand why he came home and other people came home in boxes. It really took a toll on him. He did crash, twice. I am very proud of him, and not just for him, but for all the men and women who served in Vietnam that did not get the welcome home that they should have.”
In the Veterans Memorial Hall on Friday, Gryzbeck played the footage which had been taken off film reels, digitized and then placed on a flash drive. She said donating the footage to a military history museum is an honor.
“It is something that I wanted, it’s part of history, so I wanted to donate it to the right museum on his behalf,” said Gryzbeck. “I’m lost for words, it’s amazing that I can do this. To let people have a part of history is big stuff.”
The footage, which is roughly 20 minutes in length, shows silent scenes from Vietnam and features countless Huey landings. There’s footage of the aftermath of Poyner’s crashes, his pet monkey, his smiling face, and some of his fellow veterans.
To honor their contribution to history, Rachael Ray, a field representative for Mathis, was present at the ceremony to hand Gryzbeck a Certificate of Recognition from the California State Legislature for the donation in memory of her father.
“The Assemblyman himself was blown up in Iraq, he is a purple heart veteran, so this is very near and dear to his heart,” said Ray.
Ray also presented Gryzbeck and her family a Certificate of Appreciation from the Office of Nunes.
To recognize his service even further, Anderson, the President of the Central California Chapter 60105 Association of the United States Army, presented Poyner’s wife with a certificate from the U.S. Army in memory of her husband and for her support to her husband during the Vietnam War.
“When you’re over there and you get letters and stuff, they mean so much,” said Anderson. “When you got letters, we shared them so people who didn’t get letters or mail got to hear something from back home.”
Anderson also presented Gryzbeck with a certificate in memory of her father and in honor of her donation.
“When you talk about time, it is very hard to tell that story,” said Anderson, who also served in Vietnam around the same time as Poyner. “Those men flew to save my life many times. In combat they showed up, they showed up in day, they showed up at night. Without their help I may not have been here. These pictures are very emotional for me, they are emotional for a lot of people who saw a lot of combat.”
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