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A Tribute to
ROBERT MICHAEL "TINKER" BELL

~~ KEEPER OF THE FLAG ~~

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OBITUARY
Daily Journal - May 30, 2008

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FARMINGTON — Robert Michael ‘Tinker’ Bell passed away Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at the age of 61 years. He was born Monday, February 24, 1947, in Corpus Christi, TX.

Mr. Bell proudly served his country in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War and was awarded the Bronze Star. He was a Life Time Member of Norman L. Rigdon VFW Post 5896 and AMVET Post 113. He was a sturn supporter and advocate of the POW/MIA service men being remembered and brought back home. Tinker flew the largest mobile POW/MIA flag in the United States for 13 years. Tinker never met a stranger and everyone who met him loved him dearly.

He will be greatly missed by all that includes his fiance�, Tracy Huff of Farmington, three daughters, Marcine Cameron of Clute, TX, Nicole Mowery of St. Charles, and Natasha Gately of Dexter, a son, Johnathan Huff of Farmington, three granddaughters, Casandra Brawley and Chelsea Brawley, both of Farmington and Celeste Johnson of Clute, TX, three grandsons, Robert Bell Jr., Clint  Norris Jr. and Zachary Tomlinson, all of Clute, TX, and a brother-in-law, Mitchell Mowery. Numerous other relatives and friends also survive.

The family will receive friends at Cozean Memorial Chapel at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 2, 2008. A memorial service with Military Honors will be at 10 a.m. with Chaplain Joel Meador officiating. Burial will be at a later date at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. Contributions may be made to the Tinker Bell Memorial Fund in care of the Norman L. Ridgon VFW Post 5896.


Let Them Not Be Forgotten
By LEROY SIGMAN\Daily Journal Staff Writer
Jun 19, 2004

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For about 20 years, Mike "Tinker" Bell carried within himself the horrible memories of the three years he spent as a reconnaissance infantryman in the Vietnam War, unable to share them with anyone. Two other veterans with similar memories helped Bell tear down that wall he had built around himself and for the past 12 years he has been a man with a special mission.

Jerry Turk and Ken Neely got Bell involved in veterans' activities and 12 years ago he was a member of the state POW-MIA color guard. That brought him into contact with Ron Provance of Annapolis, an acquaintance that has truly changed his life.

Provance was the owner of what Bell describes as "the largest mobile POW-MIA flag" in the country. It measures 35-feet by 40-feet, a total of 1,400 square feet. There are other larger POW-MIA flags in the nation, but they are all stationary, not moved around to different sites.

Through an arrangement with Provance, Bell was made guardian of the flag about 12 years ago. He maintains it and arranges for the flag's display at special gatherings and events honoring U.S. veterans. It has become a regular feature of the Veterans Day event at the St. Francois County Courthouse and also is displayed for Loyalty Day at the Desloge VFW.

Around Memorial Day and throughout the summer, Bell is called on to display the flag at various sites in the region and the next scheduled display is July 4 in De Soto.

Hoisting the huge flag is not a simple task and Bell lauds Norman Carron of Carron Crane Service in Farmington for his help. Carron provides two large cranes between which the flag is suspended. This is done at no charge to Bell, despite the fact the operation of such cranes is not inexpensive.

But it is not the size of the flag that is so important to Bell. What is important is the message that it carries to the public. Imprinted on the black flag is the silhouette of a serviceman with a fence and guard tower in the background. Also on the flag are "POW-MIA" and the words, "You Are Not Forgotten."

The wife of a soldier reported "missing in action" in the Vietnam War, Mrs. Michael Hoff, rallied the National League of Families and a private corporation to design and manufacture the POW-MIA flag in 1971.

The flag has become "the symbol of our nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the nation." That passage is included in a law adopted by Congress in 1990.

The POW-MIA flag is the only flag other than "Old Glory" that has been flown over the White House in the nation's capital. It is flown there every year on National POW-MIA Recognition Day. It is also flown on specified special occasions at certain federal facilities. The flag flies year-round at the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and now the World War II Veterans Memorial.

Initially designed and intended to bring attention to the Americans still unaccounted for in the Vietnam War -- the latest estimate being 1,866 -- the flag has since become a symbol for all those not accounted for in all the wars after World War I. There are still thousands unaccounted from the Korean War.

Bell is not alone in his efforts to call attention to the cause. Virtually every veterans organization has an ongoing program promoting the theme of the POW-MIA. They distribute material to keep the issue before the public. They also lobby for ongoing efforts by the government to locate or at least account for those who have not returned from the wars.

At every VFW dinner there is a symbolic table set aside for those servicemen and women who remain unaccounted for. That place setting is revered by all members of the VFW.

Bell, a native of Texas, served in Vietnam from 1967 through 1970 with the 6th Battalion of the 31st Infantry Division. He was in field reconnaissance, one of the most dangerous of all military assignments in jungle warfare.

For his service, Bell was awarded the Bronze Star, "and I am very proud of that."

"I was very lucky," Bell said of his combat duty. "I only got scratched. I never wanted a Purple Heart for that, not after what I saw happened to a lot of other guys over there."

Bell lost a lot of buddies and saw others who suffered serious wounds in the war. He admits he had more scars on the inside than on the outside. He could not talk about his war experiences for many years. Even when others would start to talk about guns, he would have to leave the conversation because it upset him so much.

It was in 1982 that Bell moved to Farmington and in 1984 went to work with Iron Mountain Forge, which is now the Little Tikes Commercial Play Systems plant in Farmington. He is still a welder with the company and proud to work with them.

Bell thanks Turk, Neely and other fellow veterans such as Tony Carrow for helping him come out of his shell and also for being very supportive of his efforts with the POW-MIA flag. They have become a major part of his life.

He also credits the Bravo Chapter of the Black River Area Veterans' Organization for being very supportive in his program to promote the POW-MIA issue. That group that serves Iron, Wayne and Reynolds counties provides some supplies and other support. Nick Guinan, chapter president, and Steve Mills, vice-president, have become people Bell said he has come to depend on and they have never let him down.

Just as Carron Crane Company comes through regularly when Bell has an event at which the huge flag is to be displayed, another firm has come through for him in times of crisis. Last weekend, while the flag was on display at a motorcycle rally in southern St. Francois County, an intense thunderstorm moved through the area. It did considerable damage to the flag.

Bell hauled the massive flag to the Coleman Manufacturing plant in Pilot Knob and the firm is making the necessary repairs. The company, which makes tents, has done this on two previous occasions and not charged Bell for the work, doing it for the cause the flag represents.

The flag's original owner, Ron Provance, died a few years ago and the ownership was passed along to his wife, Donna. It was her wish, as it was of her husband, that Bell continue to be the guardian of the flag.

For Bell, that is a responsibility he cherishes. It is a task he will not forego so long as he is able to do it. He does it not for himself, nor for the local veterans organizations, but for the American men and women who are still unaccounted for from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and all the other military actions since then.

Many forget that there 34 prisoners of war and missing in action reported in Operation Desert Storm, or that there were eight in Somalia, and four in Grenada. These are more than statistics to Bell. These are Americans who were serving their country and he feels should not be forgotten.

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