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Biography
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Jim Cava was born on September 5, 1948
to the loving and caring parents of Carmen and
Rose Cava in
Hackensack Hospital, Hackensack, New
Jersey. Most of his life was spent growing up
in Carlstadt, New Jersey. It was in this small
industrial town in this great land of America
where Jim had the fortunate opportunity and
wonderful experience to have played Little
League and Babe Ruth League Baseball and to have
run track for his parish community. In 1953 at
the age of five, he began his formal education
at Saint Joseph’s Grammar School in East
Rutherford, New Jersey. Jim was a good student
and a devout Christian. He was proud to be an
altar boy and for six dedicated years he served
his Creator in that capacity. Jim attended
Saint Mary’s High School in Rutherford, New
Jersey where he graduated in 1966. He
was an average student, a member of the Student
Council and Glee Club and he participated in
football, baseball and track. Aside from having
a
love for his
Creator, Jim likewise held a love for his
country. Jim's patriotism was natural. He will
never forget in 1963, as a fifteen-year-old high
school sophomore, how concerned and saddened he
felt when the news media reported the first Honorable and Brave Patriotic American to be
Killed-in-Action (KIA) in the Vietnam War. Jim
believed it to be an honor and his duty
to serve his country. At the age of seventeen,
he enlisted in the United States Navy. His
discerning parents reluctantly but willingly
signed the consent papers for they kindly
respected his heartfelt patriotism.
Directly following high school, Jim entered boot
camp at the United States Naval Training Center,
Great Lakes, Illinois. He was assigned to
Company 739, 26th Battalion, 2nd
Regiment. Jim was chosen 2nd Platoon
Leader and he helped his Company earn the
Regimental ‘E’ Flag, the ‘I’ Means Flag and the
Star Means Flag. Jim was awarded the highest
honor - Recruit Brigade Commander and with great
pride on March 9, 1967 he had the distinct
privilege of leading the hundreds of graduating
naval recruits at Recruit Training Command in
the Traditional Graduation Review. Jim received
his medical training for Hospital Corpsman at
Basic Hospital Corps School, Class “A”, U.S.
Naval Hospital Corps School, San Diego,
California where he graduated on December 7,
1967. And he trained for service with a Marine
combat unit in preparation for jungle warfare at
Field Medical Service School, Marine Corps Base,
Camp Pendleton, California where he graduated on
October 8, 1968.
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- The ongoing Vietnam War preoccupied his mind.
Often, Jim would think of my fellow Americans
serving their country so far away and not being
there with them. Immediately following
completion of Field Medical Service School, he
received orders to serve his country in the
Republic of Vietnam. He was assigned to I
Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th
Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division. His base camp was a village called An
Hoa, approximately 17 kilometers south of Da
Nang. Jim and his fellow Marines spent most of
their time out in the field; covering the
countryside, searching for the enemy. Going out
into the field in Vietnam could mean a number of
things, none of them pleasant or easy like:
stepping on a land mine or into a hidden trap,
getting ambushed or hit a by snipers bullet,
getting captured (Prisoner-of-War, POW) or lost
(Missing-in-Action, MIA), getting bit by a huge
rat or a malaria carrying mosquito, getting bit
by a venomous snake, scorpion or deadly
tarantula, getting blood sucked by slimy leeches
or gnawed at by giant red ants, getting attacked
by a mountain lion or a 1,800 pound water
buffalo, getting some peculiar rash or jungle
rot - etc., etc., etc. “The Field” was where
the war was, where Charlie (Vietcong) was; and
the Marines went out there to find him and fight
him. Jim was not afraid for his faith sustained
him. His prayer was: No matter how I get
home God - just get me home. The Vietnam
War was an unconventional type of warfare for
the American soldier. It was guerrilla
warfare. There was no line of demarcation, no
front. The field and Charlie could be anywhere
and everywhere. Depending on what type of unit
an American served in, the way to go out into
the field might be in an aircraft, on a boat, in
a wheeled or tracked vehicle, or on his own two
feet. Jim and his fellow Marines went on foot.
Going on foot in Vietnam was “humping the
boonies”, hauling a heavy combat load
(approximately 70 lbs.) through jungles, rice
paddies and elephant grass, across streams and
rivers, up hills and mountains, under a cruel
sun or in a monsoon rain; in mud, sand or dust.
They were called and defined as the “The
Ultimate Weapon” - The Infantryman (foot
soldier). Throughout the course of history the
foot soldier has been the elemental part of
warfare; the one who carries out the basic dirty
work of war. Through the course of time the
uniforms and the weapons have changed, but the
job of the foot soldier has not changed. He is
still the one who has to muck it out with the
enemy at close range, the one who ultimately
conquers, and holds or loses the real estate.
In Vietnam the foot soldier picked up a new
nickname: The “grunt”. As a Corpsman, it was
Jim's job to take care of the medical needs of a
Marine, and most importantly to save his life.
Besides being a Corpsman, he was a brother, a
friend and a morale builder. The designated
weapon for a Corpsman was a .45 caliber pistol,
which was to be used in defending a wounded
Marine and himself against the ensuing enemy.
Jim found the .45 to be not only inadequate but
impractical. He carried an M-16 semi-automatic
rifle, two bandoleers of magazines, two
hand-grenades, medical bag and field pack. Jim
was not the average Corpsman. He was a
Marine/Corpsman, and he was confident and
capable, ready and equipped to do what was
necessary.
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Although Jim was discontented and discomforted
with the leadership of his country in bringing
the war to a decisive end, it did not deter him
from his assigned duty and moral obligation.
The care of his men was of utmost importance to
him, and he was unyielding in his capacity, and
in his submission to Duty
¶
Honor
¶ Country. He was confident; it was his time to be all
that he could be. But fate would not comply.
The day was November 20, 1968 - OPERATION MEADE
RIVER. In their military briefing the night
before, Jim and his fellow Marines were told to
expect a significant encounter with the enemy.
In the early morning darkness these Honorable
and Brave Patriotic Americans boarded their
transport choppers and before long each
helicopter lifted off one by one en route to the
LZ (landing zone). To this day the last thing
Jim can remember before getting shot down by the
enemy was the loud roar of the chopper engines
with the unmistakable sound of the chopper
blades whirling round and round, the paradoxical
scenic beauty of the peaceful countryside below,
and his rosary in hand as he prayed.
Jim's helicopter was the first and only chopper
to be shot down that day. As the chopper
approached the LZ the enemy opened fire. The
pilot and co-pilot were killed instantly and the
huge CH-46 went down, tumbled three times and
exploded into a ball of fire. In a violently
forceful instant, his life was transformed into
a state of non-existence. Unconscious, he was
pulled to safety from the burning chopper by a
brave fellow Marine, and for hours he laid
helpless in a rice paddy before a Medevac was
able to assist and rescue. He was flown
directly to U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA),
Da Nang for emergency medical treatment. The
heartfelt gratitude and admiration Jim holds
for the skilled professionals of our Medical
Service Corps in preserving his life remains
everlasting. Several days later he was flown to
U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, where he awoke from my
comatose state. As Jim opened his eyes, his
first thought was one of thanksgiving; he was
ALIVE. Although he was confused, he was not
shocked at what he discovered; for somehow
intuitively, he knew something traumatic had
happened to him; he just couldn't put it
together. Jim found himself in a soft hospital
bed with clean white sheets. His left arm was
gone, and his legs were encased in hard plaster.
Insistently, he asked questions in a dire
attempt to find out the status of his men, and
what had actually happened to him. No one
really knew. How could they? They came from
two different worlds. At first Jim was told
that he was the only survivor. Then he was told
that out of the seventeen Marines aboard the
transport chopper, five were killed and twelve
were seriously wounded. Then again he was told
that out of the seventeen Marines aboard the
transport chopper, all were killed except for
two and that almost all of his fellow Marines
who died that fateful day were burnt beyond
recognition. Painstakingly he tried, but was
never able to find out exactly what happened.
What he did find out was that his left arm was
severed above the elbow, his legs were crushed
below the knees, his back was fractured in three
places, he had received multiple scars, and he
had contracted a staph infection that was
causing hideous pustules to break out all over
his body. Jim was cut down without reprisal and
this infuriated him to no end. The most
significant undertaking of his life had been cut
short and taken away from him. His job, one
that meant more to him than anything, was now
over. Realizing this, and that there was
nothing he could do to alter the aimless course
of the war evoked deep feelings of anger,
frustration, and depression within him. He was
overwhelmed with thoughts of Vietnam and of how
much he wanted to go back. Jim felt so damn
distressfully helpless and useless. Yet as he
thought of the immense human sacrifice given in
suffering and in death by Honorable and Brave Patriotic American men
and women, in upholding the undeniable
principles for which we stand and defending
the unalienable rights to which all people are
endowed by their Creator, he was filled with a
profound sense of pride and consolation. For he
served his country with honor and his
reward was immensely gratifying. He was now
among that elite and distinguished group of
Patriotic Americans who served their
country with honor. It was that
distinction of serving with honor that gave Jim a source of inner strength to deal
with the anguish and pain, then and always,
because honor is what it's all about.
There is nothing more important than honor
- It is everything. Adversely, he thought of
the deplorable lack of honor on the part
of our governmental leaders in successfully and
expeditiously ending the war. A true
miscarriage of trust was being perpetrated by
the very American leadership he trusted in. His
beloved and virtuous country was being disgraced
and humiliated by a disloyal, dishonorable,
self-serving, self-important and self-righteous
group of power brokers and he was filled with a
profound sense of disillusionment and betrayal -
conflict and indignation. His country nor he
would never be the same.
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week later, Jim was flown to Walson Army
Hospital, Fort Dix, New Jersey. It was here
that he received a most welcomed and
compassionate visit from his father, mother and
sister. A couple of weeks later, he was
transported to U.S. Naval Hospital,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he spent four
months recuperating, and proficiently well
trained in the use of an artificial arm.
Finally, he was transferred to Veterans
Hospital, East Orange, New Jersey where he spent
two long depressing months and where he came
close to a nervous breakdown. But for the grace
of God, he maintained and carried on. Back in
Nam, Jim friend and fellow Marine, Denny Leary,
had yet to finish his tour of duty. In the
meantime, Denny had written home to his family
in Collingswood, New Jersey and told them about
Jim. Thoughtfully, he asked them to visit Jim
at the naval hospital and to give him the royal
treatment. He will never be able to express in
words how thankful he is for their kindness and
generosity. Jim did not know Denny before Nam,
but here they were thousands of miles from home,
brought together by chance. They were serving their country in what they thought
was a justified war; only to discover that it
was one of deceit and dishonesty from the very
start. [“The Incident”, that brought America
into the self-destructive and regrettable
Vietnam War - was a lie. In August of 1964 the
American people and Congress were led to believe
that two U.S. destroyers, U.S. Maddox and U.S.
Turner Joy, without provocation, were
deliberately and aggressively attacked by North
Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin.
This occurrence was a complete fabrication
orchestrated by the egomaniacal President
Johnson and his inner circle of collaborators to
achieve their ultimate political ambition - Wage
War. And thus the stage was set for a dishonorable leadership to wage a
dishonorable war. And Honorable America and
her Honorable and Brave Patriotic
American Servicemen and women were forced into a
war that should have never been.] Although it
was for just a brief moment in their lives, Jim
and Denny developed a friendship. And it was a
friendship that was something truly special and
much appreciated, having to put their lives on
the line in a war with no clear cut or resolute
direction. It was a good and reassuring feeling
to know Jim had a friend in that foreign land,
in that ill-conceived and outrageous war, that
he could believe and trust-in. Their
brotherhood brought a sense of stability to a no
other than unstable situation. He would, and
only could pray for Denny’s safe return. But
once again, fate would not comply. It was April
27, 1969. Jim was at the Veterans Hospital when
he received the shocking and distressing news.
Denny had been killed. He had gone to the ammo
bunker for supplies when unbeknownst to him a
booby trap had been set by the enemy. As Denny
reached for a hand grenade, it instantaneously
blew-up. His friend was dead. Denny’s precious
life, one more precious life - wasted. Jim was
numb. He felt as if life itself had been
drained from him. He
thought of the possibility that he could have
saved Denny’s life. Again, he felt so damn
distressfully helpless and useless; only
intensifying his deep feelings of anger,
frustration, and depression. There were so
many, too many Honorable and Brave
Patriotic Americans suffering and dying. There were so many, too many loving
American hearts broken and wrenched with
pain. When will it end? Will it ever end?
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- Because of the injuries Jim sustained in combat,
on May 15, 1969 while still a patient at the
Veterans Hospital in East Orange, New Jersey he
was retired from the United States Navy. The
greatest challenge of his life had just begun.
For many hours and for many days and weeks he
would sit in church unfeeling yet searching. He
tried to find myself. He tried to understand
the meaning of life. He sought a meaningful
purpose for living, and he prayed. He
worked as a volunteer at veteran’s hospitals,
caring for his fellow veterans. He worked as a
volunteer at mental facilities, caring for
people with Down's syndrome. And he worked as a
volunteer in Hospice, caring for people who were
dying. He studied voice with four vocal
teachers in New York City and New Jersey in
pursuit of a singing career. He studied acting
at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the
Theatre in New York City in pursuit of an acting
career. He studied psychology at Seton Hall
University in South Orange, New Jersey and
Hotel/Restaurant Management at Fairleigh-Dickinson
University in Rutherford, New Jersey. Like a
pendulum, he went back and forth from a singing
and acting career to college and a degree.
Years went by. Helplessly, he tried to find
himself, and he prayed. The anger and
frustration was unrelenting; it would not let
go. Jim was angry at those responsible for the
criminal atrocity of the Vietnam War, and he was
frustrated by the fact that those responsible
were not made accountable and brought to
justice. It was a perfect abuse of power. It
was a perfect miscarriage of trust. It is
beyond his human comprehension how nothing was
done to stop the demented process, the
unconscionable senselessness of so many American
lives lost, of so many innocent lives lost, of
so many American bodies wrought with pain, and
of so many American hearts anguished -
bleeding. Amid all the leadership of his great
country, not one American leader had the
strength of character to stand up, formidably
and uncompromisingly, in defense of
America's honor, and demand an end be put
to the sacrificial human offerings of so many Honorable and Brave Patriotic Americans.
This American legacy of dishonor is etched in
time forever. Our great American heritage was
desecrated. Our American spirit was devitalized
and demoralized. It was the purest and truest
paradox:: America’s cause was honorable / but
America’s leadership was not. Within Jim
existed his own personal Vietnam. It was a
never-ending war; a constant battle between the
ultimate opposing forces of good versus evil.
On the one side of Jim was the man who
faithfully believed in his Creator and in his
Country - a man of love and peace. On the other
side of him was the man who experienced first
hand the horror of war, the absolute detestation
and destruction of humanity. And this was
compounded by the tormenting realization that
the massive suffering and death of
so many Honorable and Brave Patriotic
Americans was simply looked upon as expedient
and expendable in the eyes of the incompetent
and morally deficient power mongers in control.
This evoked in him dreadful feelings of
infuriation and abhorrence, hopelessness and
degradation. The love he held so dearly for his
Creator and his Country was being challenged
like never before. He continued to pray.
He prayed earnestly and faithfully that he
would find himself and that he would be given a
meaningful purpose to fulfill in his life.
Although it took many years of waiting and
searching / of hoping and praying - the
inspirational realization came. His prayers
were answered.
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- Petty Officer Cava gave his all then and
continues to do so today. In accordance with
his faithful and everlasting love for his
Creator, his earnest and steadfast love for his
Country, his sincere and enduring love for Our
Children to safeguard them from that which is
harmful and anti-American and his loyal and
unending respect for Our Honorable and Brave
Patriotic Americans who have served and
who are serving Our Country he
established:
“OPERATION RED, WHITE AND BLUE.”
The purpose of this
non-profit undertaking is to educate and
re-educate Americans, especially Our Children,
to the true meaning and significance of:
Our American Heritage, Principles and
Patriotism; Imparting: Awareness-for that
which is Right and Respect-for that which
is Honorable and Good / Others and Oneself. Jim
achieves his worthwhile mission through the
introduction of inspirational and
motivational Patriotic Programs for Our
Children together with an inspirational and
motivational Patriotic Ceremony for adults -
respectfully and rightfully titled: “A
SALUTE TO THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD, THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
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- Everyday Petty Officer Cava kneels before his
Creator giving Praise, Glory and Thanksgiving:
For Saving his Life - For his Meaningful Purpose
- and For his Many Blessings. To date, Petty Officer Jim Cava has proudly
given 2,750 Patriotic Presentations
including: Elementary Schools, Middle Schools,
High Schools, Veterans Hospitals and Homes,
Nursing Homes, Retirement Villages, Veterans
Organizations, Civic Clubs and Organizations -
FOR OUR CREATOR AND COUNTRY
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