 Home Add Comments - Send us your personal Comments 2010 Comments - View this year's comments Archived Messages - View messages from 1998-2010 |
Welcome to the Alpha Avengers Guestbook. Please leave your comments about our web and about your Vietnam experiences. To view older messages, click on the "Archived Messages" link on the menu on the left. (scroll down or use links to left) |
SEND US YOUR COMMENTS
|
Avenger Guestbook Due to an uncontrollable amount of SPAM messages in the Guestbook, I have replaced the automated form with a link so you can direct your comments to us in an email. Once they've been examined for content, I will add the entries to the Guestbook. |
||
 |
Send comments by clicking on the mail icon. Please include your name, the date and your comments. | |
2011 COMMENTS
| Below are comments from the current year. The 1998-2010 entries can be found in the "Archives" - to view archived messages from previous years, click here. |
| 12/30/2011 Thank you for the opportunity to post this listing on your guest book or other communications to your members. I was in-country March 1967 - March 1968 with 1st Brigade, working with all of our fighting battalions, 1/327/ 2/327 and 2/502, plus support organizations. We are members of the Missouri Gateway Chapter, 101st Airborne Division Association. We are a newly formed chapter reaching out for new members. We have grown from 5 members to 35 the last three months of 2011. We are seeking Screaming Eagle veterans and active duty members throughout the state of Missouri and southern Illinois where it forms part of the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Also their family members and friends of the 101st as associate members. For a membership application and to learn more about our members and goals, visit out work-in-progress website, www.gateway101.org. For more information, contact me: Barry Hana PIO/Chaplain Missouri Gateway Chapter 101st Airborne Division Association barry.hana@gateway101.org 314-753-8932 Let me know, please, if you can provide us names of any Missouri/Southern Illinois vets. Thank you for all you do -- and "Welcome Home" to you and all those in Alpha Company, 1/501st. Barry Hana In regards to the next post, Gregory Bucknor (who was on FB Airborne during this incident) reports: I talked to Roger Barski and he says Cpt Gates was with Headquarters Company (H/HC) and may have been with the TOC when we got hit. I'm not sure of his source, but he says he'll try to get more info. 12/28/2011 Steve Ganshert - sganshert@charter.net I am writing a memorial for CPT Gates, recently deceased. In a note earlier this year he spoke of shining Strobe Lights on the enemy so the gunship could aim properly. He said there was a medal presented the morning after at HQ which I am trying to verify since it wasn't on his DD214. from his email earlier this year 0420 hrs. We got over run. At least a battalion of gooks swept down from the high ground to the East. Very long story a bit shorter. Ran around scared to death trying to shore up our positions. Charged into the BN CP to find total chaos. Swiped a radio/operator and two strobe lights and we proceeded to squat down on top of the CP bunker. Made contact with Puff the Magic Dragon, he spotted our strobes, and I directed fire 100M due east of the strobe on a NO-SO line. We had a few words about the proximity and just how damned accurate I thought he was. I told him that, for a guy named Puff, he shouldn't be so sensitive. And, besides, we already had gooks inside that 100M envelope. God, he was good. Just a rain of fire right where we needed it. Fast forward to morning. 21 KIA. Body bags being stacked on the LIZ. I'm directing the clean-up when one of my men brings me a 105 shell box. Inside was the severed leg of one of my men. Cut from the knee down, boot still laced. Who knows who it was? I told him to toss it on the fire we had built to assist in the cleanup. I'm sick with grief. 7/30/2011 Roger Barski Tell your story for the historical record: If you are a survivor for the battle of FSB Airborne (more) and would like to be interviewed for an upcoming magazine article and possible book about the attack, please contact me (SSgtBarski) at the following email address for further details. fsb.airborne@gmail.com Also, the 101st Abn Div is putting together a written history of awards from WWII, Vietnam, etc., for the BSM and higher. They are looking for all personal award citations that veterans and/or families have to submit (more). I will send you a copy of the information request and who to contact. The trooper in-charge is stationed at Ft. Campbell and is feverously working on getting as many of the names and citations as possible so it can be published for the official 101st historical record. He's for real and I've dealt with him for the last year. Thanks, Roger J. Barski http://nagteam.org/airborne 7/26/2011 From: fhenderson@minerdederick.com Fellow troopers, I was assigned to Alpha April 70, FSB Henderson was my baptism. I would like info on your reunions , newsletter or any other material. I live in Galveston, Tx.. I know it has been 40 plus years, but 4-29-70 comes to memory most everyday. God bless Alpha 2-501 - Fred Henderson 6/27/2011 From: sales@dry-it-up.com I was a pathfinder in the 101st 1969 and helped on some of these firebases and was on others I have some pictures of Fury, and Thor I believe. We were attached to the 160th aviation group. We were air traffic control on the firebases as well as opening them up usually on combat assaults we were 2 man teams who went in and helped open, as take down trees and control air sorties coming in of equipment as bull dozers and such. Have quite a few photos as well as a video of a combat assault when we opened up FB THOR I believe a 2nd time, it is on 8MM but I am thinking of converting it. Lawrence W. Dawson (Maverick) Sent: Sun 2/13/2011 10:37 PM From: doug@veteransforjesus.com Subject: Awards I notice in the awards information that 2/501 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation - 10–21 May 69 and Meritorious Unit Citation Do these awards include all companies I was in A Company 1967-1968 HHC 68-69 Doug Keefauver Date: Fri 2/11/2011 1:48 AM From: Neal Schwartz [neal.schwartz@frontier.com] Subject: Firebases See Attached…. FSB’s you’re missing on the site… If I get the opportunity and have any good pictures of any of the other FSB’s we occupied I’ll send you photos. Let me know if you use them. 1LT (Neal) Schwartz “B” Btry 1st Battalion 83rd Artillery Oct 68 – Aug 69 ******** NOTE from Shortround: I added Neal's photos to our web and you can find his comments on the "Firebases" page under "LZ Sally", Firebase Roy", and "Firebase Jack". ******** Date: Thu 2/10/2011 2:05 PM From: karl dobrosczcyk [karldobro@hotmail.com] Subject: like to send pics???? Was In 1st. Platoon from April to December 71. Came up with half a dozen of guys from 25th infantry.. Is that doable?? Barth...you have done a great job on this site. Take care.... sincerely ... Karl Dobroszczyl. Fri 1/28/2011 2:19 PM Ross Donnell [rossdonnell@avisfurniture.com] Subject: FB Granite - April 29, 1970 About two years ago, I came across your site while searching for information about the fight for Granite on April 29th, 1970. I was part of the Sensor Platoon out of Division and operated in two and three man teams across the Division AO. I had been on Granite for three days establishing a monitoring site when I received orders to pick up my security on the Fire Base LZ. It was a weak platoon from “Alfa”. We spent the day somewhere in a valley below the Maureen Ridge Line inserting sensors which would hopefully detect “Charlies” movements during the night hours. We returned to Granite about dusk. Shortly, therefore; the first claymore let go on the perimeter and of course you know the rest of the story. The two of us left our position just below the mortar pit and immediately took up positions next to the mortar crew. The first satchel charge got my friend and the second took the mortar tube and crew. When the second satchel and/or RPG hit all I can remember seeing was the tube being blown end over end into the air along with one of the crew. It took me a few seconds to comprehend that I was still amongst the living and thankfully only had a few shrapnel holes and burns in which to contend with. To make a long story short and now forty one years later, I have never forgotten “Alfa” and to this day have a deep affinity for all the guys in the Company. I have always been saddened, however; to learn after spending a month in the hospital at Cam Ranh, that “Alfa” had to endure FB Henderson. Best of luck to all of you! “Alfa” will always be in my thoughts and prayers. Ross Donnell Leawood, Kansas Wed 1/26/2011 11:14 PM From: Greg Duffy [gduffy@chartermi.net] Subject: Locating Tony Dockus Tony was my Sergeant in Alpha C. 2nd 501st 101st in Nam Jan.- May 1970 . Around Phu Bai, Hue. etc. I was shot April 19th 1970. I got a letter from Tony 2 years later telling me what happened to me after I had gotten a couple shots of morphine from the medics and (fell asleep) I still have the letter. He wrote about being dropped from the medivac. It's very important that I get in contact with him. Email address is gduffy@chartermi.net My address is 126 Ridge Lane Mankato, Minnesota, 56001 My phone is 507-388-8312 If anyone out there can help me, I would sure appreciate it. God bless you and the 101st. Sincerely, Greg Duffy Wed 1/26/2011 5:49 PM From: stumpjumper1 [stumpjumper1@att.net] from edward j hazelgreen known as heavy email address stump jumper 1@att.net phone 706 344 2651 in ga.gainesville Subject: was in 2nd/501st 69 to70 a /co 2nd plt i was on re up hill granite and had supply sarg job when henderson got hit also the day befoe lt hackett and victor z got killed my squad was the 1st ones toland on the l z . when we walked off lz my point man james marshles got killed and had wild rocket from gun ship wound i think 5 more men the next day is when vic and hack got hit and i think 12 or 13 men got wounded.i was next to bishop hunter and reilly when we got hit on granite. any way i come across sight and liked what you put on it the guy hunter as i known him that was with biship i dont know if that was his real name i remember picking him up out side the wire that day would like to hear from some bodywell iguess i'll close for now never forgot the men i was with 1day i hope we will be together again heavy from new jerseycall me not to good on this thing yet still learning Sat Jan 15 05:47:11 2011 (GMT). Attention Firebase Airborne survivors and veterans: The next Firebase Airborne reunion will be held May 13-14, 2011 at the Ramada Resort and Conference Center, located at 1700 West Hwy 76 in Branson, Missouri. Room rates are $54 /night for couples - mention 101st Airborne for this rate. Make reservations at 417-334-1000, or fax 417-339-3046 or go to www.ramadabranson.com. A tour package for 5/14 is available. For more info contact me at ashaucoolbreeze@hotmail.com. Greg Bucknor, 3rd Plt 1969-70 Mon 1/10/2011 1:52 PM I was Battalion S-3 and we were assigned to HHC. When they sent us out we never knew who we would be with. I fought with Delta Company near the AnLo bridge the evening of Feb. 20 and all night. In the morning I was sent to LZ Pinkey and the remainder of Delta company went north to the wood line where they got ambushed and that is where Hooper and Sims got the CMH. At Phuoc Yen I remember Mike Dorch being off to my right and he was in Alpha company so I guess I was with Alpha company then. I was with Major Nicholson and he was using the prc-25 on my back. Phuoc Yen was the last action I saw. After June 1968 they gave me a job in the TOC as a RTO for Heiter. I stayed on T-Bone at that point until we moved to Tommahawk. I was only on Tommahawk a few hours and a guy came off a chopper and told me my tour was up and I could go home. I had put in a 1049 to go to Special Forces and another 1049 to go to Cam Ranh Bay. They both came back approved and I ended up going to Camh Ranh bay with a gravy job. Well, that is my story. Thanks, Ron Betts Sun 1/9/2011 11:11 AM Subject: Vietnam photos
Hi,
PHOTOS!
Give me the instructions
for uploading or email attachment.
There won't be much in the
way of captions, names, and/or locations just pictures.
I think someone will
recognize those, though.
In the World,
RTO AL BARNES |
