Ralph F. Wetterhahn
–Red River Valley Fighter Pilot--
Red River Rats
The Red River Rats, a group of Vietnam fighter
pilots, have always done things in a big way. Even the first "practice" reunion,
held in Thailand in the late 60’s before the prisoners-of-war (POWs) were released
was a lavish affair. It took three days to get the six elephants to town just for the
parade. The Rats spared no expense. Scrappy Johnson, the originator of the River Rats,
paid twenty bucks apiece for the pachyderms. Being a dues paying member of that
organization, officially called the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Associate,
I was not only interested, but eager to see how accurately writer Paul Gillette (Play
Misty for Me, Carmella) would present the "facts" in the play, Red River Rats,
produced by Shelly Reid and Ivan Spiegel, and which opened May 20th at the
Burbage Theater.
| "...as a result, the actors do manage to
'walk the walk, and talk the
talk' of genuine fighter pilots." |
The play takes place in the present. All but
one of the pilots has been shot down over North Vietnam and served out the war as guests
of Ho Chi Minh. They are a close knit brotherhood, and when the most decorated member of
the unit wants to invite -- for a drink – a former POW who has been accused of
betrayal to the enemy, things get tense in a hurry. Gillette has captured the banter and
some powerfully poignant lines about the appalling nature of war and its politics with
stark comments on Jane Fonda’s participation. He has then carried these sentiments
forward to the pain and despair of life and death as a POW.
... lead actor, Jack
Scalia, traveled to Tucson earlier this month to attend part of an official River Rats
reunion. As a result, the actors do manage to "walk the walk, and talk the talk"
of genuine fighter pilots. The set, in the studio arena theater, is of a hotel hospitality
suite -- complete with bar and hostesses -- being used by a group of pilots from one unit
who traditionally gather before the main reunion starts.
... Jack Scalia,
as "Jungle", provides a credible and strong performance, along with particularly
vivid efforts by Tom Wideline, as "Woo-Woo", Thom McFadden, as "Big D"
Demopolis, and Bert Kramer as "Flanagan." The crowd was totally riveted on the
sometimes-unsettling dialogue that examines the brutal aspects of men at war, their
triumphs and failures, themes and people strikingly familiar to me. Overall, there was not
a weak performance on stage.
Suspenseful and intense, and unless you happen to
eschew some nudity and profanity, this is one play not to be missed.
One more thing regarding the banter as presented.
The River Rats have always had fun at their reunions, but not that
much fun.
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