In February 1972, Jesse Helms asked me to serve on his statewide election committee, and I did so as a second employee. I immediately got to know him well and relished his thoughts on changing the country to reflect how our Founding Fathers had created it, especially one nation under God. He literally changed my life.

A story about his humorous side: When I was a colonel in the Army National Guard getting ready to attend an Army War College session in Washington, my commanding general, Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Robb, asked whether I could arrange a meeting with Sen. Helms and the chief of the National Guard Bureau, who was a three-star general. I did so, and we all met in February 1991, three weeks after the Gulf War. The general was very nervous and didn't know of my close relationship with Helms.

I said, "Senator Helms, I read a top secret message this morning that Saddam Hussein looked in his magical mirror and said, 'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the meanest SOB of all?' A vision appeared. Saddam assembled all of his advisers, told them of the vision and then asked, 'Who is Jesse Helms?' "

The poor general about had a stroke and Jesse about died laughing!

Gary H. Pendleton

Raleigh