MEDEVAC
15th MED\15th FSB
Mike Bodnar
307B N Main
Copperas Cove, TX 76522 1704
254-542-1961
e-mail: mbodnar27@juno.com
http://ascca.ecorp.net
Researching for accuracy to the Cavalair article in the last
Saber column, called: "Those Cav MEDEVACS; They Just Won't
Give Up" by PFC Nick MATUSZECK, I got feedback from a couple
of valid sources. Straight from the horse's mouth-no Cav pun
intended-I heard from the commander of that MEDEVAC mission,
Joel MORRIS <AIRMORRIS9@IOLWEST.COM>MEDEVAC 26, who said:
"Mike, I was the Mission Commander for that particular story
and Barry BROWN was the co-pilot. You mentioned extra
crew....there was a brand new door gunner who had just been
in country a few days and we took him along for some 'OJT'
training. That made a crew total of six. I have never seen
nor talked to Barry BROWN since Vietnam but I thought I saw
him in one of the reunion pictures on the MEDEVAC Web site.
I believe the OJT door gunner's name was VALENCIA, but not
positive. I remember the mission well so let me know if you
need more info. I still keep in touch with some of the other
pilots in the unit but otherwise the Web site has been the
most useful historical information."
That would definitively answer our questions to the accuracy
of that article after '69-'70 MEDEVAC door gunner and present
MEDEVAC\15th MED Assn. President Mike SMITH forwarded my
inquiry to '70-'71 MEDEVAC door gunner and MEDEVAC\15th MED
Assn. Historian Larry ASH <LASH@BLRG.TDS.NET>who sent Joel
MORRIS' e-mail address to me. In that article it also
mentioned a crewmember only by his last name, VICTOR, but I
managed to include his first name "James" from SNORE's Web
site roster. Larry ASH confirmed and clarified that and the
following to me:
"Mike, Joe KELLY was indeed a medic and, now that I think
more about it, Jim VICTOR was a crew chief. Again, as for
extra personnel, if it was a scramble for a Mayday or if they
were enroute with mail, personnel change in the field, or
training, that would account for the extra person."
I, in a previous Saber column, had mentioned Larry ASH and
that he had been a 1st Cav 11Bravo in the field before
his joining MEDEVAC. I was not sure of his grunt unit but I
somehow remembered from asking him once in SNORE's online
chat room that he was in 2\12 Cav. Larry replied with this
latest information:
"I was, indeed, with A Company (Ace High) 2\12th. Your memory
is excellent. Yes, I cherish the CIB that I earned, along
with my flight wings. MEDEVAC was no Dustoff. In my tenure
with MEDEVAC, I know of no mission that was ever scrubbed due
to hostile fire, weather, or any other excuse. Please, don't
misunderstand me; crew safety was paramount, but retrieving
wounded and keeping them alive superseded our personal
safety. That was the nature of the job and 'you,' either, did
your job or found another unit.
"By the way, if you'd like to reach Joe KELLY his e-mail is:
<JFK2559@AOL.COM>. Just mention that I referred you to him
and I'm sure he'll be glad to help you. He was at this year's
reunion and we shared some mutual memories. Mike, you should
try to make the June 2001 reunion. Check here for some
info and feel free to post anything you wish; as long as it's
in good taste, of course. Believe it, or not, we have
grandchildren and school children checking us out so, I'd
like to keep it G-Rated.
<HTTP: medevacreunionpictures communities.msn.com>
<HTTP: communities.msn.com 15thmedassociation>
These sites are not to replace SNORE's Site, but to enhance
our ability to communicate and promote our yearly pilgrimage.
Check them out.
"Currently, I'm the unofficial historian of the association
and serve as vice president and secretary. Mike SMITH
(Smitty) is president. However, these are frivolous titles
and when all is said and done; I'm just an old MEDEVACer, and
damned proud of it. Clear Right!"
Larry added that Jim VICTOR does not have e-mail, to his
knowledge, but can be contacted through Larry and that Jim's
nickname was "Festus." Larry also recalls that Bob VALENCIA's
last known whereabouts was Fairbanks, AK. Bob came up from
15th Admin and was his roommate at Phuoc Vinh, so Larry
remembers, and reiterates that the new gunner in training,
Danny WEAVER, was training with VALENCIA and bounced with the
bird, shot down on his very first mission. Bob only had about
a week and a half left to DEROS. Those would be Larry's
corrections to Joel MORRIS' best recollections.
Ronald INGRAM <INGRAMRMTNG@AOL.COM>from La Vista, NB,
wrote in and mentions that he served with 15TH MED as a Medic
on MEDEVAC '66-'67. Good to hear from you Ronald!
Reginald (Bud) DAVIS <MEDEVAC791@AOL.COM>one of our famous
original MEDEVAC door gunners from Jan '66 when MEDEVAC first
added M-60 machine guns wrote in with his new address: 8602
146TH St. Ct. E. Puyallup, WA 98375 and Phone # (253) 840-
5492. Thanks Bud for making these change known to us all.
Gordon RUSSELL, <GRDNRUSSELL@AOL.COM>, MEDEVAC PSG from '69
e-mailed just after the last column went to print to say that
he and others would be attending the WWII ceremonies for the
new memorial which was Nov 11th, Veterans Day, at 1 P.M. at
the Rainbow Pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
That memorial is long overdue.
Jack (Kid) FOSTER <RFOSTER240@JUNO.COM>from Machesney Pk,
IL, comments: "I'm looking for a pilot name Ray ZEPP who used
to fly with A Co. 229th before going to this unit [MEDEVAC,
A.A.P., HSC 15th MED], because he flew me from the 45th Field
Hospital to 12th Evacuation Hospital in Cu Chi in Sep of '69.
I was a crew chief with A Co. 229th, crewed helicopter 501,
and my nickname was 'Kid'. The info you have on your site is
the wrong number; if anyone knows where i can find him please
e-mail me or call at (815)636-8501). Thank You."
Paul LA GRONE <PPCL2000@AOL.COM>from Modesto, CA wrote to
say, "Hi All, Served with the 15th MED from Mar '68 to Nov
'69. Great to see some of the names on here...and Hello To
Ray ZEPP."
Another correction to the last Saber column was my mention of
the motto of the U.S. Air Force's Pararescue Jumpers which
is: "THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE." They drop the "SO" that 1st Cav
MEDEVAC uses. For those who like to read books about military
rescue there is one with the same name as their motto, by
Senior Master Sergeant Jack BREHM and Pete NELSON, about that
same unit.
Speaking of the U.S.A.F. Pararescue Jumpers, there was one
member of that unit in Vietnam, A1C William H. PITSENBARGER,
who just last month had his posthumous Air Force Cross
upgraded to the CMOH for his heroism on April 11, 1966, while
performing aeromedical evacuation for the 1st Infantry
Division. He was K.I.A. when he volunteered to join the Big
Red One troops on the ground to better assist their
evacuations. His personal sacrifice for which he was credited
with saving numerous lives was well in the tradition of, SO
THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE!
Duffie COLE, Jr. <ODUFFIE@BELLSOUTH.NET>who was a member of
HHC 15th MED in '66\'67 in RVN and also again in RVN '69\'71
wrote to know if there is a photo of Hon Cong Mountain (the
hill next to Camp Radcliff at An Khe) available. Duffie
expresses that in '66 it was a jungle, and when he returned
in '69 it was completely bald, for good reasons.
So along with burning and artillery, to rid the hill of
foliage, a defoliant would have had to be used, he would
think. The skirmishes on Hon Cong mountain took his friend's
life and he believes in theory the mountain is still taking
our brothers lives today due to Agent Orange. He thinks a
comparison of these photos in '66 against the photos around
'69 should be interesting to say the least.
I referred Duffie to a couple of those photos which I found
on the 1st Cav Assn. Web site photos page but if anyone else
has any more photos along the lines of what he may be looking
for then he should be happy to hear from you. I also referred
Duffie to B.G. BURKETT'S book: STOLEN VALOR, and his
discussion of the "myth" of Agent Orange which I mentioned in
the last Saber. Perhaps BURKETT is wrong on this but he
offers convincing evidence.
Butch MULLEN <BMULLEN@INFOCOM.COM>from Richmond, IN
wrote to say, "I was with the 5th Bn 7th Cav in '68, with
both HHC and A Company. I want to thank you all for sticking
your neck out to save me and a lot of others." Notes like
that to MEDEVAC and 15th MED personnel are always
appreciated, but I am sure that we did what we
did for all calls for help regardless. GARRYOWEN Butch!
Claude NEWBY, wrote in to remind us that he was chaplain of
the 15th Medical Battalion (1966) and recently his two books
were released, the first titled: "It Took Heroes: A
Chaplain's Tribute to Combat Veterans and Those Who Waited
for Them. The second: It Took Heroes: Volume II: Continuing
the Story and Tribute to Those Who Endured the Darkest Days
of Vietnam. He quotes Kregg P. J. JORGENSON, former LRRP, who
Claude says he helped rescue during his baptism of fire.
Claude informs that Volume I included three months with the
15th MED (MEDEVAC). Both volumes contain incidents involving
Medics and MEDEVAC. He adds that author, Ranger, and Apache
Blues trooper Kregg P. J. JORGENSON writes, "Claude NEWBY
writes compelling history and: It Took Heroes, Volume II, is
by far THE best book I have read on the Vietnam War. It is
well documented and researched, fast-paced and moving. It is
one that I will have on my bookshelf, and treasure for its
scope, its honesty, and style."
To get autographed, numbered copies of Volume I, send $16.00
per book (which includes $2.05 shipping and packaging) to:
641 West 3300 South, Bountiful, UT 84010. For Volume II, send
$18.25 (which includes $2.30 shipping and packaging);
Claude NEWBY <CDNEWBY@DESERETONLINE.COM>.
Doc L. Don BARTON <MUDMEDIC@USWEST.NET>SFC retired, MEDEVAC
PSG '69-'70 who was Gordon RUSSELL's successor, wrote in to
say that he reads and enjoys this Saber column. Doc BARTON
was my PSG while he and I were in MEDEVAC and I know that he
would not say that he enjoys reading this column unless he
really does. To my memory he was always there making sure
that we were well trained for MEDEVAC. He even flew as door
gunner once while I was flying as the Medic on a pitch black
night mission and he helped me to keep one Skytrooper alive
when it took two to make it easier to do that. Doc BARTON was
also in the 5th Cav in '69 and now lives in Tucson, AZ. Great
to hear from you Doc!
Always remembering our 1st Cav troops on duty around the
world; over and out.
FIRST TEAM!
Garryowen,
Mike Bodnar C 2\7 Cav 1969
MEDEVAC 1-7\1970
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE
