Thank you to my Father and to all Veterans for their Service





 Republic of Vietnam Route 1 between Saigon and Long Binh,  late 1967

 

Since I was a child, I have always been patriotic.  I remember going to the military BX (Base Exchange) and the commissary and at 5pm, the National Anthem would play on the loudspeakers.  You would have to stop wherever you were and salute or put your hand on your heart and face the direction of the flag whether you could see it or not until it was done playing.  The driver of any car would have to stop while it was playing.  When we went to the movie theatre on the base, prior to the start of the movie, an opening video of the National Anthem would be played.  The video showed fighter planes, the American flag and other patriotic scenes.  Each person would have to stand during this video and salute or hold their hand over their heart while facing the screen.  I remember always feeling so proud. 

 

My father enlisted in the Air Force in 1956 when he was 18 years old.  He had no money and saw joining the Air Force as an opportunity to leave his small town, help his country and improve his life.  He worked his way up the ranks to Senior Master Sergeant.  While in the Air Force, he served as an Intelligence Analyst in the Uniformed Cryptologic Services in Da Nang Vietnam (1962), Saigon Vietnam (1967 and 1968), Thailand, Korea, Japan, Italy and at the National Security Agency.  He developed intelligence information to be used by air crews on Airborne Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) reconnaissance flights before, during and after the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. 

1962 Da Nang Base, setting up the intelligence unit

 

Tan Son Nhut Air Base;  Tet 1968
 

He was also an instructor at the Electronic Warfare Officer School at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, CA where he developed and taught the last two hours of the E.W.O. course. 

While my father was working in Intelligence in NATO’s (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) southern region headquarters in Naples, Italy, he personally developed the intelligence that sounded a 16-hour warning on October 5^th, 1973 before the United Arab Republic attacked Israel on October 6^th, 1973.   Due to his development of this intelligence, he was the NATO Air South Command Nominee for the Air Force Outstanding Airman of the Year Award in 1976.  In a letter written to the Commander by Major Kimball Gaines, here is an excerpt for the nomination.  “Being a man of keen intelligence and great perception SMSgt Kivett excels in this capacity.  This was demonstrated with telling effect on 5 October 1973, when his careful analysis of seemingly insignificant intelligence reports provided warning that the Soviets were hastily withdrawing their personnel from the Middle East.  This enabled COMAIRSOUTH to alert higher authority to this fact some 16 hours prior to the Arab attack on Israel.  Following shortly afterwards, SMSgt Kivett’s interpretations of subsequent information of a similar nature resulted in COMAIRSOUTH being the first to report the beginning of what was in fact the massive Soviet airlift of arms to Egypt and Syria.”

On the 30^th Anniversary of the Middle East War, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger went on national tv and claimed “We had no warning of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.”  My father was offended since he was the one who personally developed the warning.  Due to this, in 2006, my father wrote a book titled Intelligence Failures and Decent Intervals.

I am fascinated by what he has done throughout his life and will often ask him to tell me about stories or events that have happened.  A memorable one for him was while he was stationed in Fort Meade, Maryland.  It was November 25th, 1963, three days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  "On the day of the JFK funeral and burial in Arlington, the Commander ordered me to represent the Air Force on the Honor Guard to be composed of myself, a Marine, a Sailor and a Soldier commanded by an Army First Lieutenant, proceeding from Ft. Meade to Arlington to light a lamp from the Eternal Flame which had just been lit by the First Lady at the grave site, and return to Ft. Meade's Main Chapel for a Candle Light Service for President Kennedy.  We followed our orders with formal military crispness; I was humbled and honored to have so served.  May he rest in peace."

My father at Shiroi AFB in Japan on January 2, 1959

I am so proud of how hard my father has worked and how much he has accomplished.  I often think about what it really means to thank a veteran. Someone can easily say “Thank you for your service” but not really know what it means.  Growing up as an Air Force “brat” taught me values, honor and patriotism.  If you have a friend or relative that is willing to talk about their military experience, sit down and talk to them.  Listen to them and learn about what their duties were or what they have sacrificed or accomplished.  It is part of our history and is fascinating to listen and learn.  I am moved and humbled by our brave men and women that have served for our country.

My father next to a plaque that my Mother and siblings and I surprised him with at Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego.  The plaque with dad's brother Dave (to whom the book is dedicated) is also pictured.

Thank you to my father and to all our veterans.  I sincerely appreciate your service.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of my father's book, Intelligence Failures and Decent Intervals, you can go directly to the link and order or if you would like an autographed copy, please contact me.

His medals and awards included: 

Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Good Conduct (2 Army and 4 Air Force)
Vietnam Service with 4 Bronze Service Stars
Presidential Unit Citation with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Frond
Expeditionary Service Medal for the Laotian Crisis
National Defense Service Medal
Small Arms Expert Ribbon
Longevity Service Ribbon with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Senior Non Commissioned Officer Academy Grad Ribbon



Plaque displayed at Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego that my Mother and siblings and I had made for my father.