Library Honors Local Vietnam Veteran

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY —A Vietnam hero has been honored for his sacrifices by the local community.

The Westhampton Free Library paid tribute to Emil Mollik recently at a ceremony on Jan. 19 as part of its "Hometown Heroes" initiative.

The library’s latest yearlong installment of its "Hometown Heroes" program aims to honor local veterans from the American Legion on a monthly basis, with a culminating ceremony scheduled for January, 2020, the library said in a release.

The initiative follows the last "Hometown Heroes" program, during which the Library recognized veterans associated with Westhampton Beach VFW Post 5350.

“It is so important to honor our local veterans,” said Library Director Danielle Waskiewicz. “They made many sacrifices and deserve to be thanked.”

During the ceremony, held at the Westhampton Beach Fire Department and attended by fellow veterans, library representatives and public officials, Mollik, of Speonk, was presented with a proclamation and an American flag.

Mollik, born in 1943, grew up in Flanders and attended Riverhead High School; he graduated in 1962 as senior class president. He spent his summers dancing — one of his favorite pastimes — on the beach.

After graduation, Mollik got a job at Northrop Grumman as an engineering aide. Then, after many of his friends enlisted in the Army, he decided to follow. In March 1964, signed up for a three-year stint, just prior to any troops being sent to Vietnam.

He was 20 years old.

“I wanted an adventure,” said Mollik.

First, Mollik sent to Fort Dix in New Jersey for eight weeks of basic training and a subsequent eight weeks of advanced infantry training before being transferred to Fort Benning in Georgia for three weeks at the U.S. Army Airborne School, the release said. He was then selected to serve in the 11th Air Assault Division, testing the concept of going to war with helicopters. After passing the requisite tests, he became a member of the 611 Aircraft Maintenance and Supply platoon. He was then sent to South Carolina where he, along with 35,000 troops, participated in an operation that tested the concept of helicopter warfare.

Then in the summer 1965, he received orders that he would be shipping out in August.

“I never thought we would go, but there we were loading up in Alabama and then shipping out from Georgia,” he said.

It took 32 days for them to sail to Vietnam.

“I remember at night, I would go up on deck and see the stars,” Mollik said. “It was so clear and beautiful.”

Mollik arrived at the Quinn Yan airfield in the Northern Highlands of Vietnam, serving in the First Air Cavalry as a helicopter gunner. He was then sent to An Khe, where an airfield was constructed. For the next 10 months, he flew numerous missions, dropping off and pick up ammunition and supplies.

Mollik reflected on the beauty of the country.

“Our home base was 2,500 feet up. It was just beautiful country,” he said. He also was baptized in a French church while there, recalling it as an “amazing” experience.

Following his stint in Vietnam, Mollik was sent back to the U.S. to Fort Belvoir, home of the Army engineers in Virginia. There, he spent six months delivering supplies. During that time, he was also able to visit family back home and explore the community of Speonk, which he eventually decided to make his home.

In March, 1967, Mollik officially received his discharge papers and headed home to once again work for Grumman, this time as an instrumentation engineer. “It was a beautiful job,” said Mollik, who spent the next 32 years working for the company.

Today, Mollik spends his days hiking or at the library, enjoying classes. He also spends much of his time at the senior center in Flanders, where he dances. He loves all kinds of dance, from the cha-cha to ballroom to country. Most recently, he joined the American Legion and VFW posts in Westhampton Beach.

Mollik is also very close with his two daughters, residing with his daughter Lynn. His daughter Kristina lives nearby in Hampton Bays, the release said.

Patch photos courtesy of Michael Azzato.