the stand alone battalion newslettermissing currahee military museum click on both of the thumbnails...

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The Stand Alone Battalion Newsletter

Section I Vol III Issue #11 Remembering a time and place as Currahees August 2006

Our Legacy

Remembering Times, Places & Faces

file:///C|/CURRAHEE%20WEBSITE/Server's/newsAUG06_ENTIRE.1.html (1 of 45)12/8/2006 8:16:41 AM

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The Newsletter Facelift

Beginning with this issue, subscribers will find a new look and revised format for our 'Stand Alone Battalion' newsletter. However, the base format--Our Legacy (Section I), Predeployment (Section II), Vietnam Diary (Section III, Post Vietnam (Section IV) and Post Script (Section V) remains the same. To help new subscribers understand what they can expect to find each section is described below.

Our Legacy

We often throw around the term "our legacy", meaning the legacy of the 3-506th in Vietnam. The common accepted definition of what 'legacy' means is..."something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past." There is a saying in the classic literature, "The Mirror of the Sea" by Joseph Conrad, which I especially like. It goes, "This is a legacy whose value the changes of time cannot affect."


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This Section will include stories, material, and news concerning our 506th and 101st legacies prior to, during, and after Vietnam.

Predeployment

This Section is for pictures, stories and material related to the 'Stand Alone Battalion' timeframe at Fort Campbell, Kentucky prior to deployment to South Vietnam.

This Section will include material concerning the timeframe from the time the 3-506th was activated on April 1, 1967 until it deployed and reached the shores of South Vietnam on October 23, 1967.

Vietnam Diary

This Section is for pictures, stories and material related to the 'Stand Alone Battalion' and her key Task Force 3-506 unit's timeframe in South Vietnam.

This Section will include material concerning the timeframe from the time the 3-506th arrived at Cam Ranh Bay on October 25, 1967 until the battalion colors departed South Vietnam on May 15, 1971.

Post Vietnam

This Section is for pictures, stories and material related to the 'Stand Alone Battalion' and Task Force 3-506 units after Vietnam.

It will include material concerning members and events that have occurred after the Vietnam War ended and the last Americans departed South Vietnam in 1973.

Post Script

This Section is for pictures, stories and material related to the 'Stand Alone Battalion' and Task Force 3-506 units in real time.

It will include notices of events, obituaries, messages, products, etc.

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Currahee Military Museum

Click on both of the thumbnails to learn more about the Currahee Military Museum located in Toccoa, Georgia. You will be amazed at what these folks in Toccoa have accomplished and are doing. Many of us have received an invitation to join the Toccoa/Stephens Country Historical Society this coming October 12-15, 2006 for their 3rd Annual Camp Toccoa Reunion.

Currahee Military Weekend Oct 12-15, 2006

The Toccoa/Stephens County Historical Society invites you to attend our third annual Camp Toccoa Reunion and Reenactment Events. Camp Toccoa, now made famous by Band of Brothers, was the birthplace of the 501st, 506th, 507th, 511th, and 517th Parachute Infantry Regiments as well as the 460th Arty Battalion, and 596th Combat Engineers (Airborne). We will have Veterans, or their families, from all these regiments attending, along with Veterans of all conflicts since WWII. The 501st, 506th and 507th Vietnam - present day will also have members attending, as well as

from the 101st, 82nd, Rangers, and all other units of the U.S. military.

This year we are expanding our focus for the reunion and reenactments to include all WWII units, both Allied and Axis. There has been great response throughout the U.S. and Europe. We hope to have several hundred re-enactors from different wars take part along with several different military vehicle associations. There will also be displays and aircraft from today’s military. The event will take place at the Toccoa Airport, October 12-15, 2006.

One of the Weekend events will be the dedication of the new Currahee Military Museum which is housed in the restored Toccoa train depot, the debarkation point for most of those men who trained here. Tour the stables used for quarters by first A, then E company of the 506th P.I.R brought "across the pond" from Aldbourne England. This $325,000+ ongoing project is being paid for with donations and proceeds from reunions. During the Currahee Military Weekend we will dedicate the Currahee Military Museum to honor all of our Veterans.

Those interested may participate in the Currahee Challenge Road Race, the "three miles up and three miles down" we saw in Band of Brothers.

This year I am sending invitations to all High Schools, Military Academies and many military colleges urging them to send a class/corps of cadets to the Currahee Military Weekend. We have lost so many veterans in the last few years, this may be the last opportunity to meet and talk with living heroes.

Our invitation is extended to everyone: veterans, active duty personnel, military buffs, history buffs and each and every American who wishes to show their pride in all our Veterans. If you know of others who may be interested, please pass along our invitation to them. Re-enactors may take part without registration, meals will be own your own and you will receive a pass to visit the new museum and airport events.

Photos of 2004, and 2005 reunion and Information. www.camptoccoareunion.com


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Bucky SimmonsVice President, Toccoa/Stephens County Historical Society Toccoa, Georgia. United States.

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A Currahee Estate Sale ----- Original Message ----- From: Daniel Tokar To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 11:15 AM Subject: 506th

Hello: I have been given the job of selling Helen Briggs Ramsey's service related estate. She was the mother hen of the 506th in WWII. The family wants to see this material go to an organization that will display and preserve it as a unit. I am just starting to catalog and take pictures. Who do you think would be the best people to contact?

Thanks Daniel Tokar

Submitted by: Joe Grant (2/2/C 1970)

Jerry

A link: http://www.screamingeagle.org/briggsy.htm

Looks like she was an honorary member of 3/506, at the least. I would be leery of this Jerry - we are primarily (wholly?) a Vietnam veterans organization.

Joe Grant (2/2/C 1970)

Here is the actual article in the Screamingeagle:


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.screamingeagle.org/briggsy.htm

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Wheee!

By Ivan Worrell (originally published in the November/December 1993 Issue of the Screaming Eagle Magazine

Helen "Briggsy" Ramsey (Red Cross 506 PIR WWII) fulfilled a wish, on August 1st, that had its roots with her World War II service as an American Red Cross volunteer. She jumped from an aircraft in flight.

Briggsy is a 78 year old Washington D.C. resident and a life member of the 101st Airborne Division Association. She has been interested in making a parachute jump for some years and jumped at the chance when she found out about tandem jumping.

Her grandnephew, Spec. Christopher Reichel, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, helped arrange for the tandem jump with Cole Aviation at the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport in North Carolina.

Her instructor, who jumped tandem with Briggsy, is SSG Paul Rafferty a member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. He works for Bill Cole at Cole Aviation when not on duty.

Briggsy says she tried to go through jump school while serving with the 3rd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in England. Because she was a civilian volunteer she was denied that wish, although many of the men wished to help her get parachute training the penalties became to great for them to attempt to violate regulations and orders. Almost 50 years later she achieved her dream legally.

When executing a tandem jump an experienced parachutist attaches themself to the other free fall jumper and is responsible for guiding and deploying both his and the beginners parachute.


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Briggsy now has at least one jump story to tell when the Screaming Eagles meet, and she is no longer of the "leg" persuasion.

ADDENDUM NOTE - Briggsy was a regular fixture at the associations reunions for years. She helped organize the first, two years after D-Day, and missed only three reunions in fifty years. She received a Bronze Star for her service to the wounded in France, and tried for years to become a paratrooper. What's more, Briggsy was a surprising benefactor in the Association's fund drive to build a division memorial by the gates of Arlington National Cemetery. She knitted a red, white, and blue afghan with Old Abe in the center. At an auction it originally sold for $250.00, and was donated to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter who raffled it, raising $1,000. This happened again and again until the afghan ended up in the Ft. Campbell Museum. Before it did, the afghan made eight or nine thousand dollars for the memorial. Briggsy was known and loved by everyone in the association. The above article and this note do not come close to telling her whole story.

On May 31, 1994 she was found mugged and badly beaten in her home in Washington, D.C. She died two days later from an aortic aneurysm caused by the beating. Her assailant, Leon V. Diggs, a D.C. vagrant was arrested and pleaded guilty on manslaughter and robbery charges in September of this year. He is facing 10 to 30 years in prison.

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END OF SECTION I


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Section IIVol III Issue #11 Remembering a time and place as Currahees August 2006

Predeployment

No predeployment information this issue

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END OF SECTION II


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Section IIIVol III Issue #11 Remembering a time and place as Currahees August 2006

Vietnam Diary

Remembering Times, Places & Faces In the process of writing my KIA book--"My Gift To You", I received many photos from former Currahees, Task Force 3-506 members, as well as family members of our soldiers who died in Vietnam. Unfortunately, I was not able to include many of these photographs in the KIA book. In some instances, the photos that I will include in the newsletters will be from the KIA's personal photos sent home to his family or from those included in his personal belongings sent to his family after his death. Some are from the family of the KIA, who have given me permission to share with all of you. I would like to share some of these photographs with you, in hopes that some of you may be able to name individuals shown in some of these pictures. If you do recognize faces, places and timeframes, please let me know; and I will do a follow-up and put captions to these photographs. In the May/June Issue, we featured SP4 Clarence Moody Stoner, Jr.--Medic, 2nd Platoon, Company B (KIA 6/13/1969). In the July Issue, we featured SP4 Lawrence Lee Keister, machinegunner, 2nd Platoon, Company C. This month, we feature


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SP4 Donald F. Marshall II Weapons/3rd Platoon, Company A

Specialist Four Donald Marshall II, a 20-year-old native of Honolulu, Hawaii, was a rifleman in 2Lt. Joe R. Alexander’s 3RD Platoon, Alpha Company. Photo taken at the 'Eagle's Roost' at Phan Rang shortly after arriving in South Vietnam in late October 1967.

He was among the first group of paratroopers assigned to the 3-506 after the battalion was activated on April 1, 1967. His tour in Vietnam began on October 2, 1967, when he deployed with the rest of the battalion for Vietnam and arrived in country on October 25, 1967. SP4 Marshall had been in country 117 days when he died from enemy small arms fire in "The Battle at Ca Ty River" on February 19, 1968, in Binh Thuan Province, South Vietnam, II Corps. Photo on right (L-R): Tom Buoy, Rodney Brown, and Don Marshall, the "Eagle's Roost", South Vietnam 1967.

Donald F. Marshall was born August 28, 1947 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Donald F. and Margaret Marshall. He graduated from Kaimuki High School in 1965 and enlisted in the military shortly thereafter. Photo on left: Don Marshall's mother and father in Hawaii. Photo on right is Don while attending Kamuki H.S. in Honolulu, Hawaii.

After completing his Basic Combat Training, AIT, and airborne training, he was assigned to the 3-506 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. His father, Donald F. Marshall was a WW II veteran, having served with the Marines as a sergeant. Photo: Don Marshall shortly after being assigned to the 3-506th at Ft. Campbell and prior to deployment to Vietnam on October 2, 1967.


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SP4 Marshall made the foot march with his platoon and the rest of Alpha Company from LZ BETTY to the banks of the Ca Ty River west of the city of Phan Thiet on February 19, 1968. After crossing the river, the troops of Alpha Company moved out into the open peninsula dotted with numerous rice paddies and scattered banana groves. Their mission for the day was to act as a blocking force for the withdrawal of enemy forces from the intense fighting that continued within the city of Phan Thiet. Photo: The actual photo of 2nd Lt. Joe Alexander's platoon crossing the Ca Ty River on February 19, 1968.

Early in the afternoon, 1st Platoon of Alpha Company made first contact with enemy forces entrenched in heavily fortified bunkers within a banana grove to their front. Following the brief firefight, air strikes were called in to suppress the enemy and cripple their ability to fight. This preparatory fire was only the beginning of a long afternoon of battle against the determined enemy forces confronting Alpha Company.

On the day of his death, SP4 Marshall was a member of 3rd Platoon, newly-regrouped from squads of the 4th platoon, and commanded by 2Lt. Joe R. Alexander. He was among the lead element as the platoon moved out across the open rice paddy in their advance on the enemy. After the paratroopers had advanced a short distance into the open, the enemy unleashed a barrage of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades onto them. Within a few minutes, several Currahees were killed and others lay wounded in the open, pinned down by the intense fire.

SP4 Marshall was among the first paratroopers killed in the initial burst of fire from the enemy bunkers. Sgt. Marcel "Frenchy" Coulon, a Squad Leader in 3rd Platoon, was seriously wounded in the opening gunfire from the enemy bunkers. He recalls, "SP4 Marshall was killed in the initial contact. He was on my left about twenty feet from me. I also saw SP4 Webster, who was about fifteen feet from me on the right, killed within seconds. Out of all that took place in this incident, these two things remain quite vivid in my mind."

Later that night, as the battle subsided and the last of the wounded were being evacuated from the area, a volunteer team of fellow Currahees returned to the open rice paddy to retrieve the bodies of those killed in the bloody battle. SP4 Marshall was recovered from the battlefield, along with seven other Currahees who lost their lives that day.

The last letter that Donald Marshall wrote home was to his girlfriend, Kathy. Ironically, it was written only hours before he was killed on February 19, 1968 and was found on his person. SP4 Marshall wrote, "As I write this letter to you, I’m in a rice paddy watching an air strike. I guess you’re wondering what an air strike is. Well, that’s when F-100’s or Phantom Jets come in to bomb a certain area. We request them when we think there are a lot of V. C. in that area. It’s real cool to watch—that is, if you’re at a distance."

At the time of his death, surviving family members included his mother, Margaret Yuen, and a sister, Lorna.

DONALD FISHER MARSHALL II is honored at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C. on Panel 40 E, Row 025. He is interred in Section J, Grave 303 of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.

A personal letter from Lorna is posted on our message board concerning attending the Reno Reunion.


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"GOING HOME...A MELANCHOLY TRIP"

Click on thumbnail to enlarge

Pictured above in the right bottom birth aboard a C-141 Starlifter is none other than our 2Lt. James Schlax, platoon leader, 1st Platoon, Company A 1967/68. The picture was taken by an Air Force PIO aboard the aircraft transporting wounded troops from Japan to the United States. The particular photograph was published in the book "The History of the Vietnam Warz" by Douglas Welsh, published in 1984 by Exeter Books.

Lt. James Schlax, 21-year-old platoon leader, 1st Platoon, Company A (1967-68), native of Chicago, Illinois. Jim entered military service on February 21, 1966. He took Basic Training in March 1966 at Fort Polk, Louisiana, followed by AIT at Fort Rucker, Alabama. His Jump School training was completed in April 1967 at Fort Benning, Georgia, followed by Officer Candidate School (OCS) also at Fort Benning. Jim was assigned to the 3-506 directly from OCS in April 1967 as an original Platoon Leader of 1st Platoon, Company A (see platoon picture below). Jim deployed with the battalion in October 1967 for the trip to South Vietnam, arriving at Cam Ranh Bay on October 25, 1967. He was wounded in “The Battle at Ca Ty

River” on February 19, 1968.

After ten days of fierce fighting during the Tet Offensive of 1968, the situation at Phan Thiet and throughout Binh Thuan Province became relatively quiet between February 9 and 17, with only scattered enemy contact. Events leading up to the Battle at the Ca Ty River began late in the afternoon of February 17, when the MACV War Room in downtown Phan Thiet received an urgent message alerting Binh Thuan Province of the possibility of another countrywide attack on major cities, ARVN, and U.S. Forces by the Viet Cong and NVA Forces.

At precisely 0255 hours the next morning—February 18—the enemy launched a second major attack on the city of Phan


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Thiet. The battle in the city continued throughout the day, and this second wave of enemy attacks in the continuing Tet Offensive was gaining momentum. The city was heavily infiltrated with well-armed Viet Cong, Chinese advisors, and some NVA regulars. Intelligence expected the enemy to remain in place and fight.

Meanwhile, Company A gathered for a briefing on their mission for the following day—February 19. Captain Gaffney told his platoon leaders that their mission would be to conduct a foot movement from LZ Betty to the Ca Ty River, followed by a river crossing, then a search and control operation up the peninsula. Company A would serve as a blocking force to prevent the enemy’s attempt to flee the city of Phan Thiet to the west.

At 0800 hours on February 19, the order came for Company A to move out from LZ Betty. Their foot march toward Phan Thiet led them onto a dirt road leading down to the south bank of the Ca Ty River. The Currahees finally reached the banks of the river at approximately 0930 hours, where they halted to await preparatory fire prior to the actual river crossing.

The entire company crossed the river without incident and moved up and out of the flood plain into the edge of a banana grove. After several more minutes of preparatory fire, Captain Gaffney ordered Company A to move out in column formation toward the northern edge of the banana grove. Lt. Schlax’s 1st Platoon made a sharp right turn to the east, paralleling the banana grove and an old graveyard adjacent to a series of dry, barren rice paddies. First Platoon moved as the point platoon through the graveyard for a short distance, then stopped for noon chow. During the early afternoon of February 19, 1968, 2Lt. James's Schlax and his 1st Platoon, Company A made first contact with a large enemy force outside the city of Phan Thiet, which became known as the 'Battle at Ca Ty River'.

After their chow break, Lt. Schlax’s 1st Platoon prepared to move out. According to Lt. Schlax, “We began to move out and were following a rice paddy dike and hedgerow that was parallel to the river. The platoon had advanced less than ten meters into the open paddy, and from my position behind the pointman, I saw movements in the tree line across the way in front of us.” First Platoon had moved out only a short distance from the river when it came under enemy fire. In response to the first burst of enemy fire, Lt. Schlax gave a warning and dropped to the ground. As he looked up, the bullet rounds were hitting all around him and were making loud “cracking” sounds near his head. Lt. Schlax recalls, “I rolled to one side, leaving my rifle laying on the ground so that I could signal my men to spread out and direct fire on the tree line to our front. When I reached back for my rifle, it ‘jumped’ as enemy bullets kicked up dirt beside and underneath it. As I looked across the field, I saw bullets ripping through the dirt as they hit the ground all around my men.”

Everyone began moving back toward a fence that they had just crossed. Some of the men ran and others crawled as they desperately made their way back to a small "hooch" behind them. Lt. Schlax and his RTO, Pfc. Dennis Carberry, finally reached the cover of the small "hooch" and began to return fire against the enemy. In an attempt to assess his platoon’s situation, Lt. Schlax slowly moved around the corner of the mud "hooch". He was instantly hit by an enemy bullet that tore through his right leg about midway between his knee and hip. The sound of battle soon became a feverish roar.

Back down the line, 1st Platoon Medic, SP4 Mark Jones soon heard the call for a medic echoing down the line of men. He cautiously made his way through the column toward the heavy rifle fire. Medic Jones recalls, “When I reached the Lieutenant’s position, everyone was down and burning ammo for all they were worth. Lt. Schlax sat leaning up against a mud hooch as he directed fore over the radio. His pants were drenched with blood, and his face reflected great pain.” Medic Jones managed to secure a battle dressing to the bullet wound in Lt. Schlax’s leg. “The lieutenant wouldn’t sit still,” says Medic


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Jones, “he continued to move up and down the line with his arm around my neck for support, directing his men back to a nearby rice paddy dike.”

Eventually, a perimeter was secured for the “dust off” on the other side of the graveyard toward the river. “We had pulled back a short distance and were waiting for the medevac to come in to get Lt. Schlax,” says Medic Jones. “He had lost a lot of blood and was near collapse when the ‘dust off’ finally arrived, and we placed him on the helicopter. All of us in 1st Platoon felt a great personal loss when he left us, but at least he was safe for time being, even though we were not so fortunate.”

The initial contact involving Lt. Schlax’s 1st Platoon had been quite brief, lasting only about five minutes. Following the initial enemy contact, Captain Gaffney ordered the platoons to fall back toward the river to allow TAC Air to “do their thing”. After about two hours of strafing and constant ordnance pounding the enemy positions, Company A once again made an advance toward the dug-in Viet Cong. The squads of 1st Platoon were not able to get on line with Lt. Alexander’s platoon, as they left the cover of the graveyard; consequently, Weapons Platoon took the brunt of the main enemy attack. First Platoon had received its share of enemy fire as well, but was spared the anguish that Weapons Platoon suffered by being caught out in the open with no defensive cover. The Battle at Ca Ty River finally subsided as darkness began to fall on the battlefield. By 1900 hours, the last of the wounded were being medevaced from the area. The battle claimed the lives of eight Currahees and left twenty other Currahees, including Lt. Schlax, wounded.

From the Aid Station at LZ Betty, Lt. Schlax was medevaced to the 24th Evac Hospital in Saigon. From there, he was flown to Japan for surgery on his leg. After spending about three weeks in Japan at the 249th General Hospital, he returned to the States for further therapy and recuperation at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri. Jim spent three weeks at Ft. Leonardwood, then was assigned to Fort Ord, California as the proficiency testing officer for Basic and AIT. After spending a year in this assignment, Jim was released from military service on July 1, 1969.

Lt. Schlax was medevaced from the field to Phan Thiet, from there to a field hospital (I don't recall where), to Saigon (where we were under rocket attack), to Japan for a few days, and eventually to Ft. Leonardwood (closest available to Chicago). I took some leave and was ordered to Ft. Ord Calif. I ended up running basic training, AIT, and EIB proficiency testing. I got out in 69 and went back to school (u of Illinois, Urbana) and majored in Accounting of all things. To make a long story short I've been married for 28 years (Barbara) with four children (Jenny, Tracy, Mindy, and Jonathan). The two youngest are still in college (keeps me working) and we are expecting the first grandchild around Christmas. I work for Amoco Oil (23yrs) as a financial manager at the Mandan ND refinery.

Following his military service, Jim went back to school at the University of Illinois in Urbana and received a degree in accounting. For the next two years, he worked at a CPA firm in Springfield, Illinois. Jim then decided to go back to school at the University of Chicago and received an MBA degree in March 1976. His next accounting position was with AMOCO Oil in Chicago and remained with the company until his recent retirement on May 1 of this year.


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Jim married his lovely wife, Barbara, in August 1970. They have three grown daughters and four grandchildren. They currently live in Aurora, Illinois. You can reach Jim at [email protected].

Jim’s Reflections on his Vietnam Experience. . . .

“I never considered myself a lifer. I volunteered for the experience, as well as a sense of duty. I feel very fortunate in having been assigned to the 3-506. I was able to gain necessary experience before combat and to have complete confidence in everyone. The 3-506 boat people were a fortunate group. We were able to train together for a considerable period—a luxury not enjoyed by most units. We were all volunteers and, although few realized it at the time, we were walking the path trodden by the legendary

‘Battling Bastards’. My hope is that we have upheld their tradition, while adding something to their legacy.”

ALPHA COMPANY, FIRST PLATOON: ROW ONE (Bottom - L To R): 1. Sgt. Cliffton Boney, Jr., SSG William R. Lyles, Jr, 2Lt. James A. Schlax, PSG Thomas W. Gentry, Sgt. Richard H. McDaniel, Sgt. Ulysses Pulley. ROW TWO (L To R): SP4 Alfred Johnson, Jr, Sgt. Andrew Rivera, Jr, SP4 James E. Gains, SP4 William G. Todd, SP4 Correls W. Smith, Pfc. Dennis P. Pascarella, Unk, Pfc. Reginald M. Jackson, ROW THREE (L To R), Pfc. Billy D. Mayberry, Pfc. Dennis L. Carbary, SP4 Carl E. Wilson, SP4 Clyde R. Shaffer, Pfc. Richard Easter, Jr., SP4 Rolando R. Barbossa, Pfc. David M. Cavannaugh. ROW FOUR (L To R): SP4 John W. Green III, Sgt. Phillip M. Vernon , Sgt. Charles E. Liscum, Jr., CPL Gary L. Yearout, SP4 David Johnson, Jr., Unk, Pfc. Neil B. Tibbetts ROW FIVE (L To R): SP4 Tommie Davis (?), Pfc. Bobby L. Streeter, Pfc. Carlos R. Arziza, SP4 Marshall D. Nelson, SP4Guy F. Brooks (KIA 2/2/68), Sgt. Keith William Rowell (KIA 8/25/68), Sgt. Wally D. Couch, SP4 Ralph H. Burdett.

Jim Schlax and his former platoon sergeant, Thomas Gentry at the 2003 Reno Reunion. PSG Gentry was among the only Company A platoon sergeants from the original 'boat troopers' to survive, who deployed with the Battalion in October 1967. PSG James Bunn (2/A KIA 2/2/68) and PSG John Gfeller 4/A KIA 2/19/68), PSG Philip Chassion (CSF/1SG Co. A KIA 2/2/68).

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END OF SECTION III


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Section IVVol III Issue #11 Remembering a time and place as Currahees August 2006

Post Vietnam

Paul Harvey and Prayer

Submitted by: Eldon Hick (Lt., FO 5/27 Arty. 1968/69)

Paul Harvey says:

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.

I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game

So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there Reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.

But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue.


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Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1.

So what would you expect-somebody Chanting Hare Krishna???

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.

If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.

If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome....

But what about the atheists? It is another argument. What about them???

Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!

Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do.I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights

Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating; to pray before we go to sleep.

Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.

God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well .. just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long..

It's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority don't care what they want. It is time the majority rules!

It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray; you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him.

That is your right, and we will honor your right..

But by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back . ..and we WILL WIN!


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God bless us one and all . especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.

God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.

May 2006 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions.

Keep looking up.

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For our Soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq Submitted by: Robert Clemens (Co. C Cmdr. 1970/71)

A list of what our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq might like to receive in the mail.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

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Humor Section

WARNING! If you get offended quickly by some humor, DO NOT READ THIS SECTION. Scroll to the bottom of this page and click on the NEXT buttom.

Men Are Like... Submitted by Tony Martisauskas (CSF/LRRP 1967/68)

For all those men who say, Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free. Here's an update for you: Now-a-days, 80% of women are against marriage, WHY? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little


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sausage. Men are like.... 1. Men are like ...Laxatives ...They irritate the crap out of you. 2. Men are like...Bananas . The older they get, the less firm they are. 3. Men are like ...Weather ... Nothing can be done to change them. 4. Men are like ..Blenders ... You need One, but you're not quite sure why. 5. Men are like ...Chocolate Bars ... Sweet, smooth, & they usually head right for your hips. 6. Men are like .Commercials ... You can't believe a word they say. 7. Men are like... Department Stores ... Their clothes are always 1/2 off. 8. Men are like ...Government Bonds .... They take soooooooo long to mature. 9. Men are like ...Mascara ..They usually run at the first sign of emotion. 10. Men are like ...Popcorn .... They satisfy you, but only for a little while. 11. Men are like . Snowstorms .... You never know when they're coming, how many inches you'll get or how long it will last. 12. Men are like ...Lava Lamps .... Fun to look at, but not very bright. 13. Men are like Parking Spots... . All the good ones are taken, the rest are handicapped.

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LETTERS DEAR ABBY ADMITTED SHE WAS AT A LOSS TO ANSWER.Submitted by Lonnie Whitehead (Co. A 1968/69)

Dear Abby, A couple of women moved in across the hall from me. One is a middle-aged gym teacher and the other is a social worker in her mid twenties. These two women go everywhere together and I've never seen a man go into or leave their apartment. Do you think they could be Lebanese?

Dear Abby, What can I do about all the Sex, Nudity, Fowl Language and Violence On My VCR?

Dear Abby, I have a man I can't trust. He cheats so much, I'm not even sure the baby I'm carrying is his.

Dear Abby, I am a twenty-three year old liberated woman who has been on the pill for two years. It's getting expensive and I think my boyfriend should share half the cost, but I don't know him well enough to discuss money with him.


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Dear Abby, I've suspected that my husband has been fooling around, and when confronted with the evidence, he denied everything and said it would never happen again.

Dear Abby, Our son writes that he is taking Judo. Why would a boy who was raised in a good Christian home turn against his own?

Dear Abby, I joined the Navy to see the world. I've seen it. Now how do I get out?

Dear Abby, My forty year old son has been paying a psychiatrist $50.00 an hour every week for two and a half years. He must be crazy.

Dear Abby, I was married to Bill for three months and I didn't know he drank until one night he came home sober.

Dear Abby, My mother is mean and short tempered. I think she is going through mental pause.

Dear Abby, You told some woman whose husband had lost all interest in sex to send him to a doctor. Well, my husband lost all interest in sex and he is a doctor. Now what do I do?

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END OF SECTION IV


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Section VVol III Issue #11 Remembering a time and place as Currahees August 2006

Post Script

Reno Reunion After Action Report

DEPARTMENT OF TF 3-506

Headquarters, 'The Stand Alone Battalion' APO Libby, Montana

NAME OF OPERATION: 10th Annual 3-506th Reunion - Operation RENO 06

DATES OF OPERATION: 18-23 July 2006

LOCATION: The Sands Regency Hotel & Casino, Reno, NV

CONTROL AND COMMAND HEADQUARTERS: Sgt. Currahee with the coordinated effort of the men of the 3d file:///C|/CURRAHEE%20WEBSITE/Server's/newsAUG06_ENTIRE.1.html (21 of 45)12/8/2006 8:16:41 AM

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Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division & Task Force 3-506th Units

REPORTING MEMBER: Sgt. Currahee

TASK ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORTING FORCES:

● 3-506th Currahees

● Task Force 3-506th Units - 5/27th Artillery & Delta Battery, 2nd Battalion 320th Artillery

● Families of KIAs

● Guests

MISSION: Conduct 10th annual reunion in force to rendezvous with fellow teammates (battalion and task force units) and families of our KIAs.

CONCEPT OF OPERATION: Reunion organizer, Jerry Berry began polling members of both the 3-506th and TF 3-506th, as well as some families of KIA immediately following the 2005 DC reunion to select the most suitable rendezvous site for the 10th Anniversary 'Stand Alone Battalion' reunion. Several polls were posted on the 'Stand Alone Battalion' website to narrow down the regions of the U.S., and eventually a region and city was chosen--Reno, NV. A number of hotels in Reno were contacted and the Sands Regency Hotel & Casino, where two previous 'Stand Alone Battalion' reunions have been held, offered the best deal for room price and space to accommodate the planned 5-day rendezvous. The next eleven months were spent coordinating with the hotel, polling members and KIA families, identifying committee members, developing agendas--reunion, memorial night and banquet night programs--selecting dinner menus for both special nights, selecting a professional photographer to cover the reunion events, organizing a golf tournament, etc., in preparation for the special rendezvous.

The Reunion Agenda: Click HERE

MAYBERRY, Tony & Diane, Wayne, MI - Company B & LRRPs 1967/68 MULVIHILL, Tom, Hicksville, NY - Battery B, 5/27th Arty 1968/69 Clinkscale, Rachel, Vincent, AL - Widow of PSG James Albert Bunn, 2nd Plt., Company A - KIA 2/2/68 Spies, Daniel Kevin, Collierville, TN - Grandson of PSG James Albert Bunn, 2nd Plt., Company A - KIA 2/2/68 STASZAK, David, Orchard Park, NY - Company C Commander & S1 1969/70 WEAVER, Terry, Redland, CA - Platoon Leader, 2nd Plt. Company B 1968 KNOWLTON, William "Bill", Hendersonville, NC - Company Commander, Company B 1968/69 PARKER, Henry "Hank" & Susan, Boise, ID - Arty FO, 5/27th Arty 1968/69 MOSELEY, Charles, Greeneville, NC - Arty FO/Co B, D/2/320th Arty 1968/69


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WAYBRIGHT, James, Marietta, OH - Company B Commander 1970 SCHLAX, James & Barbara, Aurora, IL - Platoon Leader, 1st Platoon, Co. A 1967/68 COLLINS, Larry & Karen, Valencia, PA - Platoon Leader, Co. 3/D & E 1968/69 CAULEY, Paul & Valerie, Indianapolis, IN - Medic, Company C 1970/71 MORRISON Dean, Westhampton, MA - 4/C Company 1967/68 PITTMAN, Richard & Kathie, Las Vegas, NV - 4/C Company 1967/68 GOODMAN, Jarrett & Ginny, Milton, WI - 1st Plt., Company A 70/71 JOHNSON, Scott, Aptos, CA - Company A 1967/68 TRANT, Mike - Elmhurst, IL - 2/A Company1967/68 MULLENS, Douglas, Reno, NV - Company C 1969/70 BERRY, John & Christina, Palo Cedro, CA - Arty. Section Chief, D/2/320th Arty 1968/69 SIMICH, Alexander, Escondido, CA - Company B 1968/69 FORD, Ron & Lois, Billings, MT - 2/Company A 1967/68 BEETS, Tim & Judi, Northridge, CA - HHC 1967-1986 NIELSEN, Rick, ShoLow, AZ - 4/Company C 1967/68 ERWIN, Mike & Jeannette, Essexville, MI - 1/Company B 1967/68 THANHEISER, Carl & Claudia, San Antonia, TX - Platoon Sergeant, 4/C Company 1967/68 DANCESIA, Bruce & Christine Binghamton, NY - 2/Company B 1969/70 D'ANGELO, Ray, Clarkdale, AZ - 2/Company B 1969/70 SORG, William Elmore, OH - 2/Company B 1969/70 TERRONEZ, Art & Wife, Tacoma, WA - Company B 1967/68 LAUTZENHEISER, Tom & Nancy, Van Wert, OH - Company B 1969 LEONNING, Roger & Marguerite, Gresham, OR - 2/Company D 1969 POMPA, Richard "Pappy" & Irene, Castroville, TX - 3/Company C 1969/70 MACKI, Robert & Karen, Payette, ID - 2/Company D 1969/70 FOSTER, Tony & Elaine, Bullard, TX - Medic, 3/Company D 1970 BITTNER, John, Pittsburgh, PA - Company A & Battalion PIO 1968/69 DUNLAP, Edward & Carol, Rowland Heights, CA - 2/Company B 1967/68 SHIRE, GALE, Kasilos, Alaska - 4/Company A 1967/68 NIEVES, Rudy, Seattle, WA - Professional Photographer & Friend of the Currahees

Wednesday, July 19 OPERATION RENO 06. Began with the arrival of the second group of attendees, some who had arrived in Reno late in evening of the 18th and wee hours of the 19th, due to flight delays and severe weather elsewhere. The Hospitality Room and Currahee Gift Shop/PX were opened at 10:00 A.M. The Registration & Sign-in table was functional throughout the mornings and afternoons, thanks to Hank and Susan Parker, and a few others who pitched in to give Susan and Hank a break from time to time. Thanks goes out to all those volunteers who helped with the setting up the Vietnam paraphernalia display and made ice runs for the hospitality bar. Arrivals on the 19th (45) included:

BELANGER, Ron, Garland, TX - HHC & Platoon Leader Company A 1967/68 BENTLEY, Dave & Camille, Margate, FL - Platoon Leader, 2nd Platoon, Co. C 1968/69


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DOMAGATA, Jon "Bud", Arlington Heights, IL - Arty FO 5/27th Arty 1969/70 HOFFMAN, Fred, Lawrenceville, GA - 3/B Platoon Leader/S3/S2, 1969/70 ATWOOD, Jim & Barbara, Newport, KY - CSF/LRRP, Company E 1967/68) MARTIN, Jim, Arroyo Grande, CA - Company C 1969/70 RIOS, Richard 'H-Town', Spring, TX - 2/B Company 1969/70 LANGE, Doug & JoAnn, Belle Fourche, SD - 2/B Company 1969/70 GANDEL, Doug, Chico, CA - Company C 1967/68 HUSTAD, Bill & Jackie, Monticello, WI - 2/Company D 1969 CLANTON, Rick, Gastonia, NC - 2/Company B 1969/70 CURRIN, Ben, Oxford, NC - 1/Company B 1969/70 WHEELER, Jim, West Greenwich, RI - 1/Company D 1968/69 KOZIOL, George, Las Vegas, NV - 2/Company B 1969/70 STONE, Ronnie, Loves Park, IL - 2/Company B 1969/70) WILLIAMS, Steve & Rosie, Topeka, KS - Company D 1969/70 KATZER, Steve & Linda, Redding, CA - Company D 1968/69 KRIZINSKI, Anthony "Tony" & Wife, Benton Harbor, MI - Company B 69/70 HILL, Marshall & Linda, Maxton, NC - Company B 1967/68 ANDERSON, Chris & Kathleen , Willits, CA - Company C 1968/69 PAYNE, Sharon, , Daily City, CA - Friend of Carl Yoshida YOSHIDA, Carl, Daily City, CA - 4/Company A 1967/68 BOLT, George, Stephenville, TX - Medic, 2/C Company 1968/69 LATHE, Robin, Stephenville, TX - Friend of George Bolt CEBELINSKI, Sue, sister of SP4 Richard Albert Burgess, Company D - KIA 2/18/1970 VIKTORYN, Elliott & Linda, Strongsville, OH - Brother of Pfc. John W. Viktoryn, Company B - KIA 5/8/1968 SABO-BROWN, Rose, New Castle, PA - Widow of SP4 Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970 SULLINS, Candace, Muskegon, MI - Widow of SP4 Ernest L. Moore, 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970 MOORE, Andrew & Ann, Spring Lake, MI - Brother of SP4 Ernest L. Moore, 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970 MOORE, Andrew II & Julie, Spring Lake, MI - Nephew of SP4 Ernest L. Moore, 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970

Thursday, July 20 OPERATION RENO 06. Began with the arrival of the third group of attendees, some who had arrived in Reno late in evening of the 19th and wee hours of the 20th, due to flight delays and severe weather elsewhere. The Hospitality Room and Currahee Gift Shop/PX were opened at 10:00 A.M. The Registration & Sign-in table was functional throughout the mornings and afternoons, thanks to Hank and Susan Parker, and a few others who pitched in to give Susan and Hank a break from time to time. Thanks to Valerie Cauley, Susan Parker, Diane Mayberry, Lois Ford, and other spouses for all their excellent work in purchasing food and refreshments for the hospitality room and seeing that things were available for our attendees.

Memorial Night Program Agenda: Click HERE


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The Memorial Night dinner menu was Chicken Marsala--Boneless Breast of Chicken with Marsala Wine Sauce, Dutchess Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, Rolls and Butter, Coffee, Decaf, Tea or Milk. Dinner also include a Caesar salad and Dessert.

The Memorial Night program was a huge success, thanks to MC, Richard 'Pit Man' Pittman (4/C 1967/68), who did an outstanding job. Pastor Steve Williams (Co. D 1968/69) gave the invocation. MC Pittman opened the program and introduced the first of the evening guest speakers--Rachel Clinkscale, widow of PSG James A. Bunn (2/A 1967/68, KIA 2/2/68). Rachel gave a wonderful and touching talk of her life married to PSG Bunn and the memories of him that she and her children treasure. Sue Cebelinski, sister of SP4 Richard Burgess (2/D 1969/70, KIA 2/18/70) gave another wonderful and touching presentation about growing up in a loving family and her memories of her brother and the awful day the family received word of his death. Both Rachel and Sue are among several KIA families who contributed personal accounts for the KIA book--'My Gift To You'. Cpt. James Waybright, Company B Commander (1970), gave an outstanding company commander's perspective of what it was like for him to command men in the 3-506th. Several of the families in the audience were KIA family members of soldiers under Cpt. Waybright's command. John Harrison (Plt. Ldr. and Co. XO, Co. A 1967/68) gave an excellent presentation from the perspective of a rifle platoon leader in the 3-506th's first year of combat in Vietnam. Bill Hustad (2/D 1969) gave an outstanding talk from an enlisted man's perspective. A special part of Bill's presentation centered around the fact that he was seriously wounded in the incident which took the life of his platoon leader, 1Lt. Walter M. Gibson (KIA 10/28/69). Lt. Gibson's father and nephew were present in the audience. It was a very moving experience for all in attendance. Each family represented also received a copy of "My Gift To You" from the men of the Battalion.

Following the guest speakers, Donna Berry introduced the family members of our KIA, followed by the presentation of the 'Stand Alone Battalion' eagle statues. Each family was brought to the front and presented with a beautiful eagle statue mounted on an oak base with an engraved plate indicating the soldier's name and rank, unit & position, causality date and location. Each plate was engraved with a verse from Shakespeare that reads "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends." Those receiving eagles and special recognition were: CLINKSCALE, Rachel, Vincent, AL - Widow of PSG James Albert Bunn, 2nd Plt., Company A - KIA 2/2/68 SPIES, Daniel Kevin, Collierville, TN - Grandson of PSG James Albert Bunn, 2nd Plt., Company A - KIA 2/2/68 WRAZEN, Ron & Son, Alex, Laurinburg, NC - Son of Cpt. Gerald Wrazen - Company D Cmdr. - KIA 2/22/1969 SCARBORO, Richard "Rick" and Terrie, Asheville, NC - Brother of Lt. Thomas Scarboro - FO, D/2/320th Arty KIA 4/8/1970 GIBSON, Walter, College Park, GA - Father of 2Lt. Walter M. Gibson, Platoon Leader, 2Plt., Company D (KIA 10/28/1969) GIBSON, Glenn, College Park, GA - Nephew of 2Lt. Walter M. Gibson, Platoon Leader, 2Plt., Company D (KIA 10/28/1969) PYLE, Gregg & Maggie Spackman, Mt. Pleasant, SC - Brother of SP4 Howard M. Pyle, Jr., 5/27th Arty (KIA 8/12/1969) DONLAN, Charles & Mary, Williamsburg, VA - Brother of SP4 Richard M. Donlan, 1st Plt., Company C - KIA 2/28/1969 COZORT, Chuck & Kathy, Carmichael, CA - Brother of Larry Keister, Company B - KIA 1/26/1969 GOLD, Eva (Maria) & Family, Tahoe, CA - Sister of 1Lt. Arthur Quezada, Company A - KIA 6/18/1968 KORBA, Alice & Family, Tahoe, CA - Sister of 1Lt. Arthur Quezada, Company A - KIA 6/18/1968 QUEZADA, Manuel & Delores, CA - Brother of 1Lt. Arthur Quezada, Company A - KIA 6/18/1968 LANDERS, Harvey, CA, Brother of Pfc. Richard Landers, Company E/LRRP - KIA 5/2/1968


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LANDERS-BARE, Deborah & Butch, CA, Niece of Pfc. Richard Landers, Company E/LRRP - KIA 5/2/1968 REZA-SMITH, Alexis "Pepper" and Bill "Smitty", Patterson, CA - Sister of SP4 Leonard Reza, Co. B - KIA 4/22/1971 GUTIERREZ, Joe, L. A., CA - childhood friend & neighbor of Sgt. Richard Gonzalez, Company B - KIA 5/8/1968 BROOKS, Marlene, Hayward, CA- - Sister of SP4 Guy Franklin Brooks, 1/Company A - KIA 2/2/1968 RAY, Burl & Dorothy, New Mexico - - Aunt and Uncle of SP4 Guy Franklin Brooks, 1/Company A - KIA 2/2/1968 KANE, Lucy & Rick, Mukilteo, WA - Aunt of SP4 Guy Franklin Brooks, 1/Company A - KIA 2/2/1968 CEBELINSKI, Sue, sister of SP4 Richard Albert Burgess, Company D - KIA 2/18/1970 VIKTORYN, Elliott & Linda, Strongsville, OH - Brother of Pfc. John W. Viktoryn, Company B - KIA 5/8/1968 SABO-BROWN, Rose, New Castle, PA - Widow of SP4 Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970 SULLINS, Candace, Muskegon, MI - Widow of SP4 Ernest L. Moore, 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970 MOORE, Andrew & Ann, Spring Lake, MI - Brother of SP4 Ernest L. Moore, 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970 MOORE, Andrew II & Julie, Spring Lake, MI - Nephew of SP4 Ernest L. Moore, 2nd Plt., Company B - KIA 5/10/1970

Arrivals on the 20th (60) included:

HARRISON, John, Potomac, MD - Platoon Leader, 2/A & Co. A XO 1967/68 MAY, George - Eugene, OR - Company B 1967/68 TRACY, Jessie & Charlotte, Vancouver, WA - 3/B Company1968/69 WATSON, Vancouver, WA - Son-in-law & Daughter of Jessie & Charlotte Tracy WATSON, Brandon & Hailey, Vancouver, WA - Family of Jessie & Charlotte Tracy MILLER, Mike, Kerrie & Michaela, Vancouver, WA - Son-in-law, Daughter and grandchild of Jessie Tracy TRACY, Jessie Jr & Jessica, Vancouver, WA - Son of Jessie & Charlotte Tracy ANDERSON, Nicole - Jessie Tracy's Guest GROTE, Lindsay - Jessie Tracy's Guest MEZZETTA, Jim, Riverside, Vallejo, CA - Medic, Company A 1968/69 HANWAY, Richard & Delores, Las Cruces, NM - Company A/HHC 1968/69 HANWAY, Richard, Jr. - Son of Richard and Dolores Hanway, La Cruses, NM DUNN, Marvin & Denise, Corning, CA - 3/Company C 1969/70 MORALES, Salvador "Sal" & Elisa, Chino, CA - 3/D Company 1968/69 WILLIAMS, Alex & Angela, Charleston, SC - Medic, 3/Company C 1969/70 GABEL, Kevin & Tammy, Vancouver, WA - Son-in-law & Daughter of Jessie & Charlotte Tracy WATSON, Chet & Stacy WRAZEN, Ron & Son, Alex, Laurinburg, NC - Son of Cpt. Gerald Wrazen - Company D Cmdr. - KIA 2/22/1969 SCARBORO, Richard "Rick" and Terrie, Asheville, NC - Brother of Lt. Thomas Scarboro - FO, D/2/320th Arty KIA 4/8/1970 GIBSON, Walter, College Park, GA - Father of 2Lt. Walter M. Gibson, Platoon Leader, 2Plt., Company D -KIA 10/28/1969 GIBSON, Glenn, College Park, GA - Nephew of 2Lt. Walter M. Gibson, Platoon Leader, 2Plt., Company D - KIA 10/28/1969 PYLE, Gregg & Maggie Spackman, Mt. Pleasant, SC - Brother of SP4 Howard M. Pyle, Jr., 5/27th Arty - KIA 8/12/1969 DONLAN, Charles & Mary, Williamsburg, VA - Brother of SP4 Richard M. Donlan, 1st Plt., Company C - KIA 2/28/1969 GOLD, Eva (Maria) & Family, Tahoe, CA - Sister of 1Lt. Arthur Quezada, Company A - KIA 6/18/1968 KORBA, Alice & Family, Tahoe, CA - Sister of 1Lt. Arthur Quezada, Company A - KIA 6/18/1968 KANE, Lucy & Rick, Mukilteo, WA - Aunt of SP4 Guy Franklin Brooks, 1/Company A - KIA 2/2/1968


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CAUDILL, Michael & Aaron, Son and daughter-in-law of Barbara & Jim Atwood LANDERS, Harvey, CA, Brother of Pfc. Richard Landers, Company E/LRRP - KIA 5/2/1968 LANDERS-BARE, Deborah & Butch, CA, Niece of Pfc. Richard Landers, Company E/LRRP - KIA 5/2/1968 MARTIN, Tony, CA - Brother of Jim Martin QUEZADA, Manuel & Delores, CA - Brother of 1Lt. Arthur Quezada, Company A - KIA 6/18/1968 REZA-SMITH, Alexis "Pepper" Patterson, CA - Sister of SP4 Leonard Reza, Co. B - KIA 4/22/1971 REZA-CARSWELL,Carmen, Patterson, CA - Sister of SP4 Leonard Reza, Co. B - KIA 4/22/1971 GUTIERREZ, Joe, L. A., CA - childhood friend & neighbor of Sgt. Richard Gonzalez, Company B - KIA 5/8/1968 RAY, Burl & Dorothy, New Mexico - - Aunt and Uncle of SP4 Guy Franklin Brooks, 1/Company A - KIA 2/2/1968 BROOKS, Marlane, Hayward, CA- - Sister of SP4 Guy Franklin Brooks, 1/Company A - KIA 2/2/1968 Friday, July 21 OPERATION RENO 06. Began with the arrival of the fourth group of attendees. Arrivals on the 21 (12) included: PRINTZ, Ken, Missoula, MT - 192nd AHC 1968 - 1970 OUTMAN, Les, Rocklin, CA - Co. B 1968 HERRERA, Danny & Juliet, Davis, CA - Co A 1968/69 HERRERA, Wendy, Davis, CA - daughter of Danny Herrera HERRERA, Wendy's son, Jordan Daniel; and two daughters, Taylor Daniel and Johnnie, Davis, CA MCDOWELL, Brenda & Bill, Santa Rosa, CA - Sister and Brother-in-law of Jerry Berry COZORT, Chuck & Kathy, Carmichael, CA - Brother of Larry Keister, Company B - KIA 1/26/1969 Banquet Night Program Agenda: Click HERE Friday afternoon, July 21 began with a social hour and photo take, followed by a delicious top sirloin alla gorgonzola dinner. Pastor Richard Pompa (Co. C 1968/69) gave the invocation. MC Paul Cauley (Medic, Co. C 1970/71) opened the program and introduced the first of the guest speakers--Cpt. David Staszak (Co. C Cmdr. 1969/70). Dave gave an excellent perspective from a company commander's role with the 3-506th in Vietnam. The second speaker, Tony Foster (medic, 3/D 1970), gave an outstanding and humorous presentation from a platoon medic's perspective. Jim Martin (Squad Leader, Co. C 1969/70) followed Tony with another outstanding perspective of what it was like as a squad leader. The last guest speaker for the evening was Ben Currin (2/B 1969/70). Ben was assigned to the 3-506th as a "straight leg", but following his tour of duty in Vietnam, Ben volunteered for airborne, became a paratrooper, and joined the Army's elite Golden Knights parachute team. When he retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of SFC, Ben had over 5,000 parachute jumps to his credit. Following the guest speakers, 'Stand Alone Battalion' eagle statues were presented to first time attendees--battalion officers and medics. Each recipient was brought to the front and presented with a beautiful eagle statue mounted on an oak base containing an engraved plate with the soldier's name and rank, name, unit & position, tour dates and location. Each plate was engraved with a verse from Shakespeare that reads "We Few, We Happy Few, We Band Of Brothers; For He Today That Sheds His Blood With We Shall Be My Brother". Those receiving eagles and special


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recognition were: Immediately following the guest speakers, MCs Cauley and Dave Bentley (Plt. Ldr., 2/C 1968/69) conducted a live auction with donated items ranging from stainless steel Currahee Crests donated by A.J. Moore, brother of Earnest Moore (KIA in Cambodia 1970), an unopened decanter of whiskey from the Joe Byerle estate (Co. I, 506 PIR, WWI) estate, donated by Mike Trant (2/A Co. 1967/68), a handmade shawl in patriotic colors, to homemade wild huckleberry & strawberry-rhubarb jam. Many more items were auctioned; and after time ran out, remaining items were placed on the silent auction tables in the hospitality room. Both the silent and live auctions were very successful in raising funds for the Currahee website and the cost of placing copies of "My Gift To You" in the hands of our KIA families..

Saturday, July 22 OPERATION RENO 06. Saturday was a wind-down day for attendees. Those who were unable to enjoy the sights and scenes of Reno and Lake Tahoe did so. The hospitality room was busy with reminiscing of wartime bonds and sharing of photo albums. One last round of liquid refreshments was enjoy by most. Discussion took place concerning the next rendezvous and the future of the "Stand Alone Battalion". More news concerning the next reunion will be forthcoming on the website.

Sunday, July 23 OPERATION RENO 06. Departure Day for most who attended the rendezvous. Some attendees planned to remain in Reno for another day or two before returning home. The TF 3-506th's 10th Anniversary Reunion was an overwhelming success by all standards, thanks to all. It was our largest and most successful reunion thus far and most certainly considering the number of KIA families attending. We had expected over 320 attendees, but due to the high cost of fuel (travel), medical, emergency situations, job situations, etc. Many who had planned to attend, were forced to cancel within the last few weeks prior t the rendezvous. Many goodbyes were said and Operation Reno 06 terminated. Discussions are underway for the next "Stand Alone Battalion" rendezvous.

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'Screaming Eagles' Heading Home From the Missoulian Newspaper, Missoula, Montana, July 23, 2006



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Don't Lie About Your Military Service in Montana

"Judge Orders Public Shaming For Deceit" From the Missoulian Newspaper, Missoula, Montana, July 8, 2006


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The KIA Book - 'My Gift To You'



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I wish to thank all of you for your kind words about the KIA book. I have received nothing but positive feedback from both you and the KIA families. I have been asked by several of you why I didn't use a publisher rather than self-publish. The primary reason was timeframe. I wanted to have the book printed in time for our 10th Anniversary Reunion (2006). It would have taken another year to go through a publisher, and there was no assurance that a publisher would have accepted the manuscript. Another drawback to going with a publisher is the fact that they will often insist on changing things--sometimes the title, format, wording of the manuscript, etc. I did not want any of this to happen with this particular book. Unless the publisher was a Vietnam veteran and airborne, he/they could not understand why this book had to be written the way it was; you and the KIA families definitely understand this fact. It was a big gamble for me to layout this sizeable investment for a book that might not sell, but you have stood by me again; and it is looking to be a good gamble...time will tell.

After all the proofing exercises, there are still a few typos in the book, which I apologize for. Let me know if you find mistakes, so that I can correct them, should there be a second printing of the book, or if the book is offered to a publisher.

Books to KIA Families

During and following our successful Reno Reunion, I have been encouraged to set up a book fund to make sure that all our KIA families get a copy of the book. I have received a number of donations from you and from several KIA families donating to this fund. In order to prevent duplications in sending a book to the same KIA family, I am keeping a record of who contributes and to which KIA family a book is sent. Some of you have indicated a specific family, while others have left it up to me, since I have access to their mailing addresses and in some cases, their financial situation (per their commo with me). Below is a list of contributions thus far, as well as which families I have received, or to receive one, as soon as I am certain of their mailing address. If you wish to participate in this book fund, please send me your contribution. My mailing address is: Jerry Berry, 438 Manor Dr., Libby, MT 59923. I will add your name to the list and send out an autographed book with a special label inside the front cover stating who has donated the book. You may specify to whom the book is to be sent, or leave unspecified; and I will chose the KIA family. Thank you all for participating in this generous mission. Some contributors prefer that their name not be mentioned, but I don't agree and want all of us to know their kindness.

Again, if an individual contributes to this book fund, I will make sure that a special label is attached to the book from an individual, or unit--squad, platoon, company, or battalion. You are to let me know which, or, I will mail the book to you and you can send it to the family. If you will cover the cost of S&H, I will donate a copy of the 'Stand Alone Battalion' as a companion book for the KIA family (in your honor). Very few of our KIA families are aware of, or have a copy of our SAB book.

All Currahees & TF 3-506th attending the Reno Reunion contributed to those KIA families getting a book who attended the reunion. Those who received a copy were:


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Family of Richard Burgess Family of James Bunn Family of Gerald Wrazen Family of Thomas Scarboro Family of James Bunn Family of Walter M. Gibson Family of Howard M. Pyle, Jr. Family of Ernest L. Moore Family of Richard M. Donlan Family of Guy F. Brooks Family of Richard R. Landers Family of Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Family of Arthur Quezada Family of Leonard Reza Family of Lawrence Keister Family of John W. Viktoryn Family of Richard Gonzalez If you have already purchased a book for a KIA family, would you please let me know which KIA family you purchased a book for. I do remember that a few of you purchased additional books at our Reno Reunion. Please correct me if I have errors in the following list:

Paul Cauley - The Vandivier family - Juanita & Woody (Parents) Henry Parker - The Wrazen family - Louise (Widow) Rich Rios - The Scarboro family - Rick Scarboro (Brother) Cpt. Knowlton - The Horner Family - Elaine (Mom) Cpt. Knowlton - The Blevins family - Delores (Sister) Cpt. Knowlton - The Medic Donald Smith family - Cathy Scogin (Sister) Bill Smyth - The Ballay family - Gene (Brother) Lt. Terry Weaver - The Stoner family - Lynda (Sister) Lt. Terry Weaver - The Herrick family - Marge Herrick (Mom) Lt. Terry Weaver - The Hardison family - Joseph, Jr. (brother) Lt. Terry Weaver - The Montoya family - Delores (Sister) Lt. Terry Weaver - The Prieto family - Ruben (Brother) Lt. Terry Weaver - The Spillers family - Jeannine (Family) Lt. Charlie Moseley - The Baldwin family - Barbara Dorty (sister) Lt. Charlie Moseley - The Rocha family - Ricardo (Brother)


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Lt. Charlie Moseley - The Furman Johnson family - Joe (Brother) Sal Morales - Moon family - Dale (Brother) Lt. Larry Collins - Moon family - Daryl (Brother) Lt. John Stevens - The Shaffer family - Marilyn Shaffer (Mom) Lt. John Stevens - The Burns family - Pat (Mom) Lt. John Stevens - The Woods family - Ann (Sister) Jarrett Goodman - The Firkus Family - Rita Firkus (Sister) Jarrett Goodman - The Firkus Family - Karan Firkus (Sister) Jarrett Goodman - The Firkus Family - Janet Firkus (Widow) Jerry Berry - The Hamilton family - Charles (brother) Jerry Berry - The Marshall family - Lorna (Sister Jerry Berry - The Nelson Family - Ann (Mom) Charles Scott - For Robert Hook - Jim Bennett (Close Family Friend) Rick Scarboro - The Luttgens family - Robert (Son) Lt. Fred Hoffman - Neiswender family - Mike (Brother) Lt. Eldon Hicks - Guzman family - Rose Marie (Widow)

Books to Local Library & Historical Society

In addition, Joe Grant (2/2/C Co. 1970) has challenged all members to follow his example and donate a KIA and Stand Alone Battalion book to their local library or state historical society.

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National Airborne Day

Submitted by: Lt. Ron Newton (Plt. Ldr., 2/C 1967/68)

Who says Congress doesn’t work on important stuff!

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Designating August 16, 2006, as `National Airborne Day'. (Agreed to by Senate) file:///C|/CURRAHEE%20WEBSITE/Server's/newsAUG06_ENTIRE.1.html (32 of 45)12/8/2006 8:16:41 AM

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SRES 405 ATS 109th CONGRESS

2d Session S. RES. 405

Designating August 16, 2006, as `National Airborne Day'.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 27, 2006

Mr. HAGEL (for himself, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. BURNS, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. COCHRAN, Mrs. DOLE, Mr. JOHNSON, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. REED, Mr. REID, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. GREGG, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. SHELBY, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. DEMINT, and Mr. THUNE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the

Judiciary

July 28 (legislative day, July 26), 2006

Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Designating August 16, 2006, as `National Airborne Day'.

Whereas the airborne forces of the United States Armed Forces have a long and honorable history as units of adventuresome, hardy, and fierce warriors who, for the national security of the United States and the defense of freedom and peace, project the effective ground combat power of the United States by Air Force air transport to the far reaches of the battle area and, indeed, to the far corners of the world;

Whereas August 16, 2006, marks the anniversary of the first official validation of the innovative concept of inserting United States ground combat forces behind the battle line by means of a parachute;

Whereas the United States experiment of airborne infantry attack began on June 25, 1940, when the Army Parachute Test Platoon was first authorized by the United States Department of War, and was launched when 48 volunteers began training in July of 1940;

Whereas the Parachute Test Platoon performed the first official Army parachute jump on August 16, 1940;


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Whereas the success of the Parachute Test Platoon in the days immediately preceding the entry of the United States into World War II led to the formation of a formidable force of airborne units that, since then, have served with distinction and repeated success in armed hostilities;

Whereas among those units are the former 11th, 13th, and 17th Airborne Divisions, the venerable 82nd Airborne Division, the versatile 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the airborne regiments and battalions (some as components of those divisions, some as separate units) that achieved distinction as the elite 75th Ranger Regiment, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the 187th Infantry (Airborne) Regiment, the 503rd, 507th, 508th, 517th, 541st, and 542nd Parachute Infantry Regiments, the 88th Glider Infantry Regiment, the 509th, 551st, and 555th Parachute Infantry Battalions, and the 550th Airborne Infantry Battalion;

Whereas the achievements of the airborne forces during World War II provided a basis of evolution into a diversified force of parachute and air assault units that, over the years, have fought in Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, the Persian Gulf Region, and Somalia, and have engaged in peacekeeping operations in Lebanon, the Sinai Peninsula, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Bosnia, and Kosovo;

Whereas the modern-day airborne force that has evolved from those World War II beginnings is an agile, powerful force that, in large part, is composed of the 82nd Airborne Division, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the 75th Ranger Regiment which, together with other units, comprise the quick reaction force of the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps when not operating separately under a regional combatant commander;

Whereas that modern-day airborne force also includes other elite forces composed entirely of airborne trained and qualified special operations warriors, including Army Special Forces, Marine Corps Reconnaissance units, Navy SEALs, Air Force combat control teams, all or most of which comprise the forces of the United States Special Operations Command;

Whereas in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the 75th Ranger Regiment, special forces units, and units of the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), together with other units of the Armed Forces, have been prosecuting the war against terrorism by carrying out combat operations in Afghanistan, training operations in the Philippines, and other operations elsewhere;

Whereas in the aftermath of the President's announcement of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003, the 75th Ranger Regiment, special forces units, and units of the 82nd Airborne Division, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the 173rd Airborne Brigade, together with other units of the Armed Forces, have been prosecuting the war against terrorism, carrying out combat operations, conducting civil affair missions, and assisting in establishing democracy in Iraq;

Whereas the airborne forces are and will continue to be at the ready and the forefront until the Global War on Terrorism is concluded;

Whereas of the members and former members of the United States combat airborne forces, all have achieved distinction by earning the right to wear the airborne's `Silver Wings of Courage', thousands have achieved the distinction of making combat jumps, 69 have earned the Medal of Honor, and hundreds have earned the Distinguished-Service Cross, Silver Star, or other decorations and awards for displays of such traits as heroism, gallantry, intrepidity, and valor;


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Whereas the members and former members of the United States combat airborne forces are members of a proud and honorable fraternity of the profession of arms that is made exclusive by those distinctions which, together with their special skills and achievements, distinguish them as intrepid combat parachutists, special operation forces, and (in former days) glider troops; and

Whereas the history and achievements of the members and former members of the airborne forces of the United States Armed Forces warrant special expressions of the gratitude of the American people as the airborne community celebrates August 16, 2006, as the 66th anniversary of the first official jump by the Army Parachute Test Platoon: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) designates August 16, 2006, as `National Airborne Day'; and

(2) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on Federal, State, and local administrators and the people of the United States to observe `National Airborne Day' with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

Ron Newton Country Director

The Four Horsemen Int'l Kabul , Afghanistan

[email protected] 0799 575 113 (In Afghanistan )

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FROM THE MAIL BAG


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-

----- Original Message ----- From: Herrera, Wendy L CIV DMDC To: '[email protected]' Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 6:03 PM Subject: Thank You

Dear Jerry and Donna:I am Danny Herrera's oldest daughter, Wendy Herrera. Thank you so much for your hospitality at the 2006 reunion. We weren't sure we'd make it so my dad didn't RSVP, so your last-minute rush to gather seating, etc. was very kind. Also, please thank the Lt. and his wife, Valerie as well. I'd greatly appreciate it.

I was born while my dad was serving in Vietnam (October 1968), and he didn't meet me until I was 4 and 1/2 months old. I always knew I was lucky he came home...seeing the only person my age at the reunion accepting a citation for his father who was killed in action solidified that for me. This reunion meant more to our family than you can imagine...to share this experience together with my children as well was a milestone in all of our lives.

Again, I truly appreciate your warm welcome. Please extend my gratitude to the others at our table who were so generous to us given our last-minute decision to attend the reunion.

With Warm Regards,Wendy Herrera

----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 8:37 PM Subject: Info



mailto:'[email protected]'



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Hi Jerry,

Just to let you know I have recovered from my trip to Reno. You and Donna did a great job in Reno.

One question I have to ask you was talking to one of the Currahee's in the PX room when he mentioned that we might have a citation for the Silver Star award as an Unit. Is this true or fiction.

Currahee my friend,

Bill from Ohio

[RESPONSE - YES, THE ARMY VALOROUS UNIT AWARD GIVEN TO TF 3-506 IS EQUAL TO A SILVER STAR FOR EACH SOLDIER.]

----- Original Message ----- From: Mark Young To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] ; 'Dale Hansen' Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 11:45 AM Subject: New "old" Trooper inside the wire!

Brothers!

Mike McIntire was with the 2/506th in 68-69 and was seriously wounded May 28th of 1969.

Mike is one of those individuals that jumped at least five times out of a perfectly flying aircraft and might've screamed, CURRRRRAAAHEEEE while the silk hit the breeze!

Please, help this brother get in contact with his "Band of Brothers".

Regards,

Mark Young

CELL: 812.219.2103

----- Original Message ----- From: "Chet Sunde, Psy.D." <[email protected] To: "'Jerry Berry'" <[email protected] Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 5:54 PM








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Subject: RE: Approved Transaction

Jerry,

I would appreciate the autograph, thanks. I did not serve in the 3-506th. I attended Norwich University, a private military academy, and was commissioned a 2Lt in the Army Infantry in 1990, but only served stateside for training. I am a psychologist now and have the privilege of working with combat vets who served our country in Vietnam, Korea, WWII, and both the Gulf wars. You are all heroes in my book.

Thanks again,

Chet

----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 2:47 PM Subject: ?

Hi Jerry,

I'm James Sprout B/5/27 69/70 Arty. At LZ Sherry. I,didn't make it to your reunion this year but may some day. I see from your web site that support units like the 27th are invited also. The reunion Honored Howie Pyle this year, thank you for that. I was part of the gun crew when Howie was KIA. We were all hit along with Howie. Thanks again for including support units.

My question is, your flower fund that sends flowers on Memorial day to the grave sites of the KIA's. This is a wonderful thing to do by the way. Just checking to see if the support units are included.

I know the 101 left LZ Betty about Half way thru my tour and was replaced with the 1/50th. so I'm not sure if your looking at your time frame or a time cut off. Please let be know how it works, because there is another Redleg KIA Nov.19 1969 from Sherry that I would like to adopt for flowers. I visit your web site often and love it very much, I want to join the other's by thanking you for the wonderful job you are doing. Looking foreword to hearing from you, James Sprout

----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected] To: <[email protected] Cc: <[email protected] Sent: Saturday, July 29, 2006 8:38 PM

I am watching Richard Sharpe on BBC America, I believe it is "Sharpe's Siege". The movie examines several core military ideas, courage, need for local knowledge, certainty in spite of chaos and many more. I think part of the problem in Viet Nam was that very few







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of the media had the remotest idea of what the military was about in Viet Nam, and therefore the media were misled early by reports of success from Johnson and Westmorland, and later when these same people were so very scared by Tet, they were misled by their own fear into believing that Tet was a defeat. Real warriors did not make that mistake.

Tom Gaffney said at the last reunion I attended, that on the night of Feb 19,1968, Battalion (lacking John P. Geraci), was worried that they were going to lose an entire American Airborne Rifle Company, i.e. Company A, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry (Airborne), 101st AirborneDivision. They, and they were the professionals, were wrong as well. So incredibly wrong!

The reality of February 19, 1968 is not something you can think about - you must know it in your gut.

The new 3rd Platoon was essentially gone, both the dead and the wounded were dragged out of the rice paddy as soon as darkness hit and then they were evacuated from the field. However, it was not an ambush. It was contact with an entrenched enemy. Heavy contact that included one or more really good snipers. There were way to many head shots that day. That many head shots says a sniper, multiple head shots in a relatively short period of time are an excellent indication of a really good sniper at work. But, sometime during the day, probably because of 1st Platoon, the sniper, or snipers, stopped working. I hope, and I often prey, that the son of a bitch was killed.

The 1st Platoon was badly hurt, and Schlax was wounded. However, Gentry took over and few would have noticed a difference (Gentry was both a little more conservative than Schlax, and a little more open to suggestion. I like suggestions and I like playing the game. We worked well together.). During the day, 1st Platoon spread left and 2nd Platoon spread right. We closed, and joined together in the cemetery. That left about a third of the perimeter in a very real sense wide open. I suppose it was guarded by Gaffney and his CP, at least they were in the way, but the reality was the 1st Platoon and the 2nd Platoon were set up to fight in both directions if necessary. Wecounted on Gaffney not to make that necessary.

Meanwhile two airborne rifle companies were pushing a lot of gooks in our direction. The gooks hit 2d Platoon, they stopped. They attacked again, they died. We blew their boat out of the water, shot their men off of the only bridge and dropped a boat house full of them into the river. Still. the gooks attacked again and again, then they ran out of people that could attack. Then it was morning. When Battalion was worried about whether there would be and A Company in the morning, we were accomplishing our mission and then some. It was this that earned the unit citation.

I was never worried that Gaffney and the 1st Platoon would cover my back. I will wager that the 1st Platoon was never worried that the 2nd Platoon, even with 19 new people added the day before to the 11 remaining original members would hold the river side even though the 2nd Platoon's frontage was about three time the length it was supposed to be. I was also counting on Gaffney to kill a few, maybe even enough of them so that we could hold without having to fight in two directions at once. One thing we had all learned on February 2, 1968 was fire discipline, we only shot when we had a target, and then the target usually died, or sometimes, wished they were dead. It was a murderous business and we were very good at it, and getting better all of the time.

Sometime during the night I went for a swim. Took only my knife, a k-bar my Marine brother had given to me. Crossing the river again wasout until low tide. So we held. Like everybody else I was glad to see Charlie Company the next morning, but only because it would allow us to attack.

We had a score to settle - and as I told my cousin, I killed more of them than they did of me. That score was settled. None of this belonged in your book, and none of this was there. Your's is a story about those that gave all, and it does that about as well as it could


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be done.

It is a brilliant, wonderful book. Thank you. Please send this on to Gaffney and Gentry. As noted on the cc:, i Have already sent it to Schlax.

John

P. S. As you can see I have read a little more and thought a little more. Market the book the part of the story it tells is perfect.

----- Original Message -----

From: Bud Domagata To: Jerry Berry ; HENRY, CAPT PARKER Sent: Sunday, August 06, 2006 3:58 PM Subject: Reno Reunion Memories

Jerry, Hank,

It's been about two weeks since the reunion and I have thought about it for hours, and shared the experience of Reno with several of those that I care about, and still I do not know how to understand the feelings that I have roller coastered through because of that event.

Hank, I would never have gone if it was not for your encouragement. Thanks.

Jerry, I would never have gone if you had not put the reunion together. Thanks.

Highlights.

It's impossible to put them in a priority order.

Meeting with and talking with the Gibsons was totally unexpected and I'll never forget what that was like.

Talking with Hank, and trying to fill in some of the blanks was something that I'll forever be grateful for.

Getting those two books can't be matched. I have about a 500+ book library of Vietnam related writings, that I have read, and these will fit in and help me understand some things better. I have contributed information to a History Professors PhD. Doctorate, and another novel about Saigon, so my commitment to historic reading is non matched.

Although I've known Bill Hustad for a dozen or so years, spending time with him and Jackie bonded us even more. Bill was the RTO for file:///C|/CURRAHEE%20WEBSITE/Server's/newsAUG06_ENTIRE.1.html (40 of 45)12/8/2006 8:16:41 AM




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LT Gibson when he came in country. I was the FO who worked with Gibson's platoon before he came in country and during his first weeks with Delta Co. I don't recall Bill and he does not recall me, however we share experiences with Lt. Gibson.

Both dinners and the speakers were memory makers for sure, especially Medic Tony.

The deal that sent me spinning, and has taken sleep from my nights, was receiving the engraved plaque and eagle. So few of us ever get acknowledged for what we did in Vietnam and mostly we have no tangible item to tie us to the value that we brought to the table. I have never been a hero in the sense that I did anything beyond what I was trained to do, or that I did anything beyond survive Vietnam. However, I can not imagine that I could feel more proud if I had been recognized for doing something that would have had me bring home the MOH! Hank and Jerry, you guys have impacted my life more than you will ever understand. Thanks.

Always,

Bud Life is Good

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TAPS

No news to report for this issue

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Correct Order of Ribbon Wear

&

Your Shadow Box/Citations


The above image is the Official U.S. Army Correct Order of Ribbon Wear (Left Breast). The items shown at the bottom of the image above (four rows) are the Official U.S. Army Correct Order of Unit Awards (Right Breast). Yell, if you have questions concerning ribbon devices.

Gift Shop/PX

As most of you who have visited our Currahee Gift Shop/PX have discovered, we no longer offer many of the things we once did. The reason for this is due to the constant complaints from the group who have broken away from our group and formed their own formal 3-506th organization. Their complaints have caused us to lose interest in providing the many things that we once did to our members. However, we do plan to continue offering a few items--our books, tee-shirts, polo-shirts and hats. For a while longer, we will continue to offer a few other items to eliminate the remaining inventory. Some items in our remaining inventory will be offered as gifts in return for donations to the website, newsletter subscriptions, etc.

Your Shadow Boxfile:///C|/CURRAHEE%20WEBSITE/Server's/newsAUG06_ENTIRE.1.html (42 of 45)12/8/2006 8:16:41 AM

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Several individuals attending our Reno Reunion have asked me to assemble them a shadow box. I will continue to offer this service for our members. I can get all the medals, ribbons, pins, badges, patches, etc. that you are authorized to display. I will be glad to assemble a custom shadow box using your own medals, or get everything for you. I can construct a shadow box using mini medals or regular ones. It is your call. If interested in having me build you a beautiful shadow box to pass down to a family member or display for yourself, contact me. The shadow box pictured on the left is mine. One item displayed (the Air Assault badge) was not authorized for those of us in Vietnam. A move is underway to

have the badge authorized for the Vietnam Veterans, but the chances of this happening is almost nil. The metal Vietnam map and Free World Forces flags in the bottom right corner are from a plaque given to me in Vietnam. I am attempting to have these duplicated to include in shadow boxes that you would have me build. Each shadow box is constructed from solid oak and background felt comes in either red, blue or black. Red is the most popular background color.

Your Medals & Certificates

For those interested in obtaining medals, badges and certificates which for various reasons you did not get or have, I will help you obtain these items in the months ahead, but not right away. If you would like for me to help you get your missing or lost items, send me an e-mail a little later on. I will need a copy of your DD-214 or DD-215.

U.S. Military Medal Issue Regulations

By Otis Willie [email protected]

It is common during time of war or high military activity for large numbers of veterans to pursue official authorization for medals they may or may not be entitled to. All veterans should acquaint themselves with the official military medal regulations prior to applying for post-service award:

U.S. Military Medal Issue Regulationshttp://www.amervets .com/replacement /isr.htm

How To Apply for Post-Service Medal Authorizationhttp://members. aol.com/forvets/ htom.htm

Contact Person for inquiry regarding this Posting:Mr. Roger Simpson, PIO (http://www.13105320 634.com)The American War Library (http://www.amervets .com)Building Two, 16907 Brighton AvenueGardena CA 90247-54201-310-532-0634

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http://www.amervets.com/replacement/isr.htm

http://members.aol.com/forvets/htom.htm

http://www.13105320634.com/

http://www.amervets.com/

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Vietnam Wall Visitor Center Approved

http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/ article/2006/ 08/03/AR20060803 01758.html

Washington Post, United States... the nation's capital gave the green light yesterday for the newest addition to America's frontyard: a sprawling underground Vietnam Veterans Memorial visitor. Click on the above link to read the details.

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The 401-Keg Plan

Submitted by: Lt. Bud Domagata (FO, 5/27th Arty. 1969/70) If you had purchased $1,000.00 of Nortel stock one year ago, it would now be worth $49.00.

With Enron, you would have $16.50 left of the original $1,000.00.

With WorldCom, of $1000.00 you would have less than $5.00 left.

But, if you had purchased $1,000.00 worth of Beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling REFUND, you would have $214.00. Based on the above, the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.........Its called the 401-Keg Plan.

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END OF NEWSLETTER


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR2006080301758.html


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the stand alone battalion newslettermissing currahee military museum click on both of the thumbnails...

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