VOL. XII NUMBER 1 ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER MAY 2006
Once again, the newsletter is late, being mailed around July 1st. Please check your mailing label on this issue to determine your Association dues status. In order to receive our address directory you must have a 2007 or Life to the right of your name. The yearly dues are $12. Life memberships are based on your age as follows: 50 and below-$200, 51 to 55-$175, 56 to 60-$150, 61 to 65-$125, and 66 up-$100. We presently have 265 life members, which is outstanding!
Our address directory will be mailed at the end of July.
Please check out a new item on our web site pertaining to the aircraft we flew. With your cursor on Vietnam, click on aircraft and see if your ship is listed here. Webmaster Gary White continues to do a bang-up job with our site.
At our San Antonio Reunion, someone left a white envelope in one of the bars that contained about 30 black and white photos taken in Vietnam in either 1965 or 1966. If you lost these, please contact the Association.
The Association has been contacted by Col. (ret) Ray Carson, a former 14th Battalion Commander. Col. Carson wanted anyone who wishes to contact him to please do so at: 606 sweetbriar Lane, Greenville, TN 37743, phone number 423-639-0016.
SAN ANTONIO REUNION
Our seventh reunion was another resounding success. First timers are just bowled over by everything and old timers always say, “This was the best one we’ve ever had!” Vic Bandini again did a bang-up job as our Reunion Committee Chairman.
James Malone (EM 71) was elected to our Board of Directors replacing Jim Jobson who had served two, two year terms on our board for which we are very grateful.
We had Brian Araki come in from Hawaii for his first reunion and take home the chrome engraved Jesus Nut for coming the longest distance to the reunion, 3699 miles. Harold Jackson of Soldotna, AK was second with a distance of 3210 miles.
The very beautiful Christy Campbell Phillips, daughter of Allie Campbell, sang the National Anthem at our banquet and NAILED IT!
The “Rattlers” of Saint Mary’s University took part in our banquet by the appearance of their ROTC Honor Guard which presented the Colors and we were then lead in the Pledge of Allegiance by Buck Crouch who always does it RIGHT!
And then there was Joe Galloway, knocking our socks off with his address given during the banquet.
This was overheard in a conversation with Joe Galloway concerning the scene in the movie, We Were Soldiers, where Joe supposedly picks up an M-16 with which to defend himself: “Hell no I never picked up an M-16. I ALWAYS carried my Swedish K with a bag of clips. I did not need anybody’s gun!”
Listening to Joe Galloway talk, one can just feel his love for the military personnel, then and now.
Also attending our banquet was a former 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Battalion Commander, Col. C.M. Henry. Col. Henry expressed his strong admiration for the men of the Rattlers and Firebirds who flew in support of his unit.
We did encounter some major noise problems in the ballroom next door and for that the hotel has paid the Association $5,000. This can never make up for what was lost, but you can bet the San Antonio Omni Hotel will not make that mistake again.
Donations of assorted items came from many different sources. Bill DiDio, who owns LZNam (www.lznam.com), furnished our reunion pins plus the bronze Remembrance Statue used in our raffle. Joe Kline (www.joekline.com) furnished a certificate for one of his helicopter prints for the raffle. David and Paula O’Quinn were able to obtain two sets of two round trip airline tickets on AirTrans Airline good for anywhere they fly to. Tony Jones brought in a boxful of OD t-shirts he had made up with all our logos on the back. Butch Meche gave us an uncut tail rotor chain, which will make 5 bracelets. Dan Garren made four latchhook rugs in the pattern of our patches for our silent auction which also included two sets of prints donated by Joe Fornelli.
Cliff Ohlenburger brought a mounted rattlesnake skin to the reunion that was donated by our first CO, Lewis Henderson. This mounting has been autographed by many of the men in the unit in 1965 and will be displayed at all future reunions.
At the banquet, the raffle drawings were won by Bill Patrick, Mark Leopold, Jaak Sepp, Doug Starkey and Robert Browning. Mark Leopold then proceeded to give his prize of airline tickets to Ron and Kay Seabolt, thank you very much!
Our Firebird Freefire Golf Outing was won by the foursome of Frank Anton, Will Hall, Dennis Hand and Tom Knapp.
Included in this newsletter is a list of those who attended. This list was comprised from three different sources because not everyone was registered. Because of this there may be an error or two on the list.
Our thanks also go to Dr. Linda Pitts (spouse of Archie Pitts) for her PTSD informational seminar given after our group photo. Dr. Pitts is very experienced in dealing with PTSD and the VA.
At San Antonio, as at EVERY reunion we have held, there are acts of love performed by our men toward their fellow comrades that just astound you. Most of those acts are known by only a few people but it sure does wonders for everyone involved. One act that has occurred repeatedly is our Association Chaplin Eric Kilmer, taking it upon himself to furnish our beautiful Memorial Service programs.
Our other Association Chaplin, Col. Whiz Broome, has recently became THE Official Pentagon Chaplin, moving from his previous post as head Chaplin at Fort Sill, OK.
Preliminary discussions are in progress with a couple of hotels in Denver, CO for our 2008 reunion site with a June date.
At every reunion we have “lessons learned”, i.e. don’t have a banquet next door to a wedding dance. After three reunion banquets of over 300 people each, it is becoming evident that we are going to have to go to assigned seating for the banquet. Armed Forces Reunions has assured us that it is very simple for them to do and that we will never regret doing it.
PRESIDENTIAL LETTER
The following letter, dated March 7, 2006, was received and read at our banquet with copies made available to each person:
JOE GALLOWAY NOTE
RATTLER LEGEND AWARD
At our Reunion Banquet, our Rattler Legend Award was awarded to Kerry “Lil’ Mac” McMahon. The following info was part of the award presentation by Don Lynam.
Kerry R. McMahon, “Rattler One-Nine,” was a two tour Rattler, serving as a Warrant Officer and then as a Commissioned Officer.
On 15 November 1969, CW2 McMahon earned an Air Medal with “V” Device extracting the crew of a downed aircraft East of LZ Baldy. With the downed crew in heavy contact, he landed his aircraft amid the firefight and held his position under fire until the crew was on board, and flew them to safety.
In July of 1970, Rattler One-Nine performed a no-light extraction of a MACV/SOG CCN team deep in enemy controlled Laos. After making radio contact and locating the team’s strobe, he initiated his approach. Nearing the ground in his descent, he lost all available ambient light, and did the only thing he could to save the team, he turned on his landing light. He then cut his way through trees and vegetation, got the team on board and, with his night vision compromised by the landing light, executed what amounted to an ITO (Instrument Take-Off) to climb out and return to Vietnam.
On 10 January 1971, 1LT McMahon again made a night extraction of a LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) in the vicinity of Tho An. This time using a Jungle Penetrator to recover the troops, he was able to maintain a steady hover in the darkness, with little or no reference to assist him. His skill allowed the use of the penetrator without injury to the troops as they were pulled up through the jungle, earning him the Distinguished Flying Cross.
On 3 March 1971, he earned a second Distinguished Flying Cross as Chalk Four of the lead element in the assault into Landing Zone Lolo in Laos, the most fiercely resisted insertion in Operation Lam Son 719. 1LT McMahon braved withering fire to successfully insert ARVN troops in the LZ. Despite the fact that the three previous ships had sustained serious damage from the enemy fire, one of which was shot down outside the LZ, he continued his approach, inserted his troops, and was himself shot down, his ship bursting into flame. (During Lam Son 719, this became known as marking the LZ with a burning helicopter.) He then led his crew to a position of cover until they could be extracted.
Although he was of quiet demeanor, he commanded the respect of all ranks among the Rattlers and Firebirds. Even if he had never been formally recognized for his heroism and competence as an aviator, his position as an informal leader was secured by the calm and courage he displayed under fire.
VETERANS AFFAIRS
Before our San Antonio Reunion a call was placed to the Dallas VA Hospital to see if copies of the 120 page booklet, “Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents” could be obtained to pass out at our VA informational meeting. When the Public Affairs Specialist was located about this request his immediate response was, “Those booklets cost us $5.00 each!” Wonder exactly who they were printed for? After three trips to the VA the booklets were obtained.
Web note: The $5.00 booklets the VA was so reluctant to give us and that we subsequently received and handed out at the reunion were the 2005 edition, meaning they were already out of date. You can download the current edition of the booklet from http://www1.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/federal_benefits.pdf.
Ron Seabolt’s claim for a 20% service connected rating for Tinnitus (ear ringing) is still on appeal.
A very disturbing number of men are being refused service connection for items that are clearly covered under VA rules. Never, ever fail to protest a VA ruling that goes against you!
TAPS
The Association has been informed of the following deaths since our last newsletter:
Michael Eubanks (WO 67-68) died on 9 April 1999. The cause is unknown
Ed Gwynn (WO 69) died on 11 January 2006 after a long battler with cancer.
Ed Frazier (OF 70-71) died on 5 May 2006 from a heart condition. Ed Frazier had served as both XO and CO of the 71st AHC during his tour.
CLOSURE IS WHERE YOU FIND IT
A Note from Linda Green – Thank You, For Everything!
Linda Green’s Note to Freddy Dutton
Note from Freddy Dutton to Linda Green
THANK YOU NOTES
Editor’s note: Thank all of you for attending the reunion and for these notes.
FLIGHT HUMOR
Never fly anything that doesn’t have the paint worn off the rudder pedals.
Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you.
It only takes two things to fly…..airspeed and money.
A copilot is a knothead until he spots opposite direction traffic at 12 o’clock, after which he’s a goof-off for not seeing it sooner.
I give that landing a 9……..on the Richter scale.
FAA motto: We’re not happy until you’re not happy.
The only time an aircraft has too much fuel on board is when it is on fire. (not necessarily true in overloaded conditions)
You’ve never been lost until you’ve been lost at Mach 3. (SR-71 Blackbird pilot saying)
The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world. It can just barely kill you.
He who demands everything that his aircraft can give him is a pilot. He that demands one iota more is a fool.
It is solely the pilot’s responsibility to never let any other thing touch his aircraft.����