I didn’t listen to the broadcast of The Vietnam Tapes Of Lance Corporal Michael A. Baronowski prior to its initial airing on April 21, 2000. If I had asked, Tina Egloff and Jay Allison would have let me critique it. But I didn’t need to.

When I first met Tina and Jay, I found that they had come to love Mike from just listening to him.

I listened to the broadcast in the privacy of my home. Door to my office closed. Lights off. I closed my eyes, and for twenty-two minutes Mike was alive again in my mind. For the first time in thirty-four years, I re-lived the feeling of sitting with Mike taping letters home.

Then, within hours of the broadcast, as e-mail began pouring in from all across the country, I learned that others felt the same bond with Mike while listening to the broadcast. Each listener met, loved, and lost Mike in a period of twenty-two minutes. Within days of the broadcast, I had posted over thirty printed pages of e-mails on my web site.

Tina and Jay brought Mike to life in The Vietnam Tapes Of Lance Corporal Michael A. Baronowski.. I will love them forever for that.

October 23 – 28, 2002, Sandy and Cookie, Mike’s brother and sister, Ray Borowski, a platoon mate of ours in Vietnam, and I were in Norristown, PA, Mike’s hometown. Alan Hall, a freelance radio producer from London was with us. Alan is preparing a 60-minute documentary to be broadcast on the BBC on August 2, 2003. During the week, we had a graveside visit at which time I was able to fulfill a promise made on the NPR documentary. I left a CD copy of the program at Mike’s grave.

We knew that our time together would be a celebration of his life, not mourning for his loss. We spent three laugh filled days regaling each other with stories of this brilliant young man who tantalized us with his potential, then left us far too soon.

Before we left, Cookie, Sandy, Ray, and I, all agreed that Mike now has a place in history thanks to National Public Radio.

Mike’s greatest legacy may be in the words of one of the e-mails I received and posted to my web site:

“Thank you for showing Americans what incredible people of character fight and protect us all.”

Mike…I love you…I miss you…thank you for being my friend.

Tim Duffie

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