tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90746316873468124692024-03-13T23:21:22.438-05:004th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery AFAThis is a blog dedicated to the men who were in Vietnam from 1968 to 1975.
It is also about my experiences with the people and the equipment that made B Battery, 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery come alive for me.
We were one heck of a unit and one hell of a team.Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-74610414508145819932021-05-02T01:21:00.004-05:002021-05-02T18:01:09.753-05:00Has it really been that long!<p> For me, it is hard to believe that 51 years ago, I was in Vietnam.</p><p> But on this particular day, I was actually late in returning to good old Camp Eagle. </p><p> A rather humorous story is about to follow. A chain of events that saved my life, too.</p><p> The day was filled with awe and wonder. </p><p> I was down in Osaka, Japan where Expo 70 was being held. A Worlds Expo that I didn't want to miss. And it didn't disappoint. All sorts of really cool outdoor designs and lots of awe inspiring architectural designs provided a kid with the desire to become an architect with enough visually stimulating material to last a lifetime.</p><p> While most of the guys went on R&R to enjoy the gracious and soft charms of feminine ways, I was more interested in the hard lines, sleek designs and business facades which bedecked the landscape. A world within a world which seemed completely unaware of my world I would be returning to - or at least trying to return to on these very day.</p><p> But not without finding out that the 5th Dimension would be at the Worlds Fair in September and I would have a place to stay thanks to the warm and friendly workers I met at the Canadian Exhibit. The one thing that I actually do remember about the first trip to this this place - hopefully make you laugh - is the loud high pitched Japanese voice offering free samples of Kentucky Fried Chicken. </p><p> "KEN TUKY FRIEEED CHICK EN". With a heavy Japanese accent it was, indeed, funny. I have to admit that it made a lot of the Japanese folk laugh and brought a smile to my face.</p><p> But I had to leave and I needed to be back up in Tokyo and over to Camp Zama before 5am on May 1st. It was almost 7 pm on April 30 by the time I caught the bullet train back up to Tokyo. I had no idea that the trains stop running between 12 and 1 in the morning.</p><p> I also had no idea I had purchased a one way ticket. So, about half way up the conductor of the train came along and I handed him my ticket. </p><p> "This ticket is no good." he said in perfect formal English. It took me around 5 minutes to convince the conductor that I thought it was a round trip ticket and that I was totally broke and a GI who came here from Vietnam.</p><p> He, shook his head but apparently feeling sorry for me, he walked away, saying nothing else to me until we reached Tokyo and at the last stop.</p><p> "You must get out here. We go no further."</p><p> Okay, so where is here? I got off the train and as the train rolled away into the distance of the cold of morning charcoal. It was an unwelcome world Japanese, signs and posters. Certainly nothing I could use to figure out where I was and how I was planning on getting to Camp Zama before 5.</p><p> Then I saw it. A simple English sign. LOST? Pickup the phone.</p><p> Apparently a lot of GIs are left off here? But could I trust it? </p><p> What do I have to loose?</p><p> Turns out the number was the Navy Military Police and they told me to hold tight. Within a half hour, they picked me up and took me to their MP station. They had already called the Army Military Police, and in less an hour and 15 minutes, they came in were told the story and the 27 year old E-6 said, "relax, we will get you there before 5am." </p><p> It was 3:30. Even if they knew where they were going, based on how far Camp Zama was from the Navy MP, they would, indeed be cutting it close.</p><p> Well, they got lost.</p><p> Around 6 AM we finally got to Camp Zama. The two Military Police came in with me and told the E4 at the front desk that it wasn't my fault that I wasn't back on time because they got lost. That brought a slight smile and look that could be read as "now I have heard them all!"</p><p> He then told me that a flight headed for Saigon will be leaving tomorrow. I would have to catch a hop from Saigon to Da Nang. He pointed to my duffel bag, told me where to shower and sleep and report back to him at 5am tomorrow. I shook the hands of the MPs, took a shower and woke up 3pm.</p><p> That gave me a chance to do 9 holes on the gold course and watch a USO show at the NCO Club. After that and after returning to the barracks, I notice some new additions to the barracks and convinced one to wake me up before 4:30 am.</p><p> I think wheels were up by 7 am and we arrived around 1pm. I heard there was a flight to Da Nang leaving shortly and by 3:30 pm, I was in Da Nang. </p><p> I heard another C-130 was about to leave. A plum crazy thing happened. Call it fate, call it a 6th sense or even better, call it going AWOL, I decided to stay in Da Nang that evening. </p><p> Not kidding. I stayed up all night watching an F-4 taking off at night with its after burners looking like very large size butane lighters, grabbed some coffee at the 24 hour Air Force Mess Hall and talked for hours fighting the need for sleep.</p><p> I had no idea that the unit I was part of - B Battery, 4/77th AKA the El Toros - was being devastated by enemy fire and had I done my usual thing, I would have probably been the only one that would have gotten killed that night. I would have been either back in the hanger or up on the flight line.<br /></p><p> <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p> <br /><p> <br /></p><p> </p><p> <br /></p>Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-41279636948086873332018-04-22T01:56:00.000-05:002018-04-22T01:56:07.918-05:00Once In Nam, Always in Nam is here!!!<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Once-Nam-Always-Richard-Edwards/dp/1945772832/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524379836&sr=8-1&keywords=Once+In+Nam+Always+In+Nam">Once in Nam, Always In Nam</a><br />
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Spoiler alert. It does have typos. Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-70907583501333407102018-02-05T18:35:00.000-06:002018-02-05T18:35:15.993-06:00ROLL ON BROTHER, ROLL ON<div class="_5pbx userContent _22jv _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_1fv">
<br />
The air is cold, but the sky is hot with the hammer of rotor blades. Pilot in the front says, Give em all you got, boys<br />
<br />
We dive to towards the ground and sink our lead into the Hot LZ We're spitting support and giving it out best shot.<br />
<br />
Wild eyed men sitting around us wonder if we've gone mad. And I'm thinking, Welcome to Nan.<br />
<br />
Popping ammo boxes left and right, we're yelling to them get out and
stay low. Plenty of brush out there. And if they heard us, they'll live
the drop off.<br />
<br />
Our tracers paint a line to the edge of the perimeter and then left and right.<br />
<br />
We lift away amidst the rain of enemy fire and watch the Cobras come
down from the sky in a furious roar follow those tracers and wax the
area with strafing and 2.75 inch rocket pounding so viciously well that
at 500 foot long, 2 foot wide newly formed creek bed.<br />
<br />
We're clear of the enemy fire. But then look at each other confused, "Okay, sir, what are we doing?"<br />
"Playing medevac, one of ours took a round in the leg. He'll bleed out before a real one gets here."<br />
Ground chatter gets crazy. Seems like when heaven opens its doors, bravery doesn't have to knock.<br />
F-4s were our angles this day as they filled that creek bed with
napalm. We could feel the heat from left and right. Hear Charlie Cong's
screams into vaporization.<br />
<br />
Karama is a bitch.<br />
<br />
The
extraction took 10 seconds. Lying him down and raising his leg, my belt
just above the wound helped to slow the bleeding. But his heart pounding
too hard. Field expediency took care of that.<br />
The pilots looked back and laughed. "Well that's one way to get it done."<br />
"Figured I didn't have to ask permission, sir"<br />
<br />
"For what, we didn't see anything."<br />
<br />
The pilots switched radio channels. Just off the coast of Phu Bai was a white ship with a red cross on it.<br />
<br />
"Sanctuary, this is hotel one nine six seven. We have an wounded
soldier with a whole through his main artery in his leg. We're running
low on fuel."<br />
<br />
Do you know that ship turned and gave us a straight
in approach to the back of the ship. And in less than five minutes we
landed, the gurney was pulled over and the wounded unconscious solder on
the gurney and we were gone.<br />
<br />
Few months later, I'm polishing up the Plexiglass on my bird and I see his reflection, I turned around.<br />
"Can I help you, Sir?"<br />
<br />
"You've got a hell of a left hook, Sergent."<br />
<br />
I chucked nervously, "That's what they tell me, Sir"<br />
<br />
I hit a Captain? Damn, I should have hit him harder.<br />
<br />
"They tell me that punch saved my life. They also told me that your
belt also helped to stop the bleeding. So I'm writing you up. Not for
assaulting an officer, but for an act of bravery."<br />
"Sir, I was just trying to help another American solder from being sent home in a body bag."<br />
"I understand, but the way I see it, if I don't write you up, you'll
never remember my name and I want you to remember my name."<br />
<br />
I said, "yes, sir".<br />
<br />
We saluted each other. As he walked away, "Sir, how did you find me?"<br />
<br />
"It was on your belt. A name I will never forget."<br />
<br />
Thirty years later, I'm flipping through my Facebook page and there he
was. A West Point retired Four Star and he's speaking to a West Point
graduating class. I click on the link.<br />
<br />
He starts with, "You may,
as I have had to do, put men into harms way. Honor these men with as
much respect and dignity as you expect them to respect the orders you
give.<br />
<br />
"And there may be times in your career when you find
yourself totally depending upon them who hold the balance of life or
death in their hands. Karama is unyielding.<br />
<br />
"When we went into
the field in Vietnam, we officers knew our rank was what the North
Vietnamese were trained to look for so it came off during insertions.<br />
<br />
"I took a round out there. Went clean through my leg but nicked an
artery. Two brave pilots, a door gunner and a crew chief by the name of
Sergeant Billy Martin decided that I was going to bleed out."<br />
About that time, in the kitchen the plate drops by my wife who thought I was full of it when I'd tell her about the story.<br />
<br />
"Under the protection of F-4s hitting the edges of the enemy perimeter
with napalm, they come in, pick me up. The crew chief pulled out a
rolled up belt he had in one of the pouches he was carrying and put it
above the wound. He made sure I was flat on my back and raised my leg.<br />
<br />
"He checked my pulse, smiled down at me and with a mean left hook, he
knocked out. Plum out of my misery. Hell, I didn't remember a thing past
that until after surgery. That was the meanest left hook that ever
took."<br />
<br />
After the laughter. The General continued.<br />
<br />
"Well,
thanks to his belt, I knew where to find him. At first, I think he
thought I was going to throw the book at him. Write him up for hitting
an officer. But I was there to think him for saving my life. Told him I
was going to write him up for an act of heroism.<br />
<br />
"I never did. I
don't think that was what he wanted. In fact, I don't think any of the
enlisted soldiers really want to have to explain to others the things
that they did that measure up to an act of bravery.<br />
"What I
believe young solders want it to go home in one piece both mentally and
physically. And in Vietnam, I think we were too brazen to think of our
young enlisted soldiers as anything but a human machine being told what
to do and how to do it.<br />
<br />
"So, today, I'm ending this with a
warning. You hold the rank of an officer and and in battle, you hold
your life in the hands of our enlisted soldiers. Why should they honor
you with respect if you don't honor them with yours? Theses are men and
not machines.<br />
<br />
"As for me, I am forever in debt to the man who saved my life by knocking me out with meanest left hook that ever took.<br />
<br />
"Thank you for your time, may god be with you all."<br />
<br />
Wife whispers, "That was really you." with a new found air of respect.<br />
<br />
And all I could think about is his eyes staring through the camera at
me while saluting the class and what I wanted to say back to him in
person, "roll on brother, roll on."</div>
Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-83745790071278491662018-01-11T00:46:00.000-06:002018-01-11T00:46:14.278-06:00AH-1G Cobra Rebuild: The MiddleSome things have got to pass. Like gas. Sometimes, when you think one's coming and you don't just get it over with all at once, it comes out sounding like a fog horn and clears out the hanger.<br /><br /><br />Luckily for me, I just did mine outside of ear shot while smoking my pipe. Wild Cherry smoke perfumes over it pretty well.<br /><br /><br /><br />But I wasn't outside the hooch that night just because the guys didn't want to smell my exhaust system but because the men were having a full fledged Dear John pity party complete with a stand around the center of the room confined fire as the popped tops on their favorite cold brew and burnt their cum coated letters and pictures of the girls who played them for fools.<br /><br /><br />After all, Christmas was fading towards the New Years and whatever these men sent to the gals for Christmas was becoming obvious that the letters were part of a national scam to get GIs to shell out money for their poor little family who desperately needs their little boy with an assortment of ailments not humanly possible.<br /><br /><br />Then it happened. At first, I thought I was hearing things. A single M16s firing on semi-automatic was firing at something outside of our perimeter. Next came the flairs and more M16s started making noise. Off in the distance you could hear the whine of the Cobra turbines and the blades picking up speed.<br /><br /><br />While the sirens share a reality I was already aware of, a sobering silence replaced the pity party and the sounds of putting on flak jackets, combat helmets and and slamming clips of 16 rounds into their M16.<br /><br /><br />Then some serious 40mm tracer rounds were being fired back into Camp Eagle and they were red, white and blue. The Cobras started shutting down and the night got quiet again. The all clear sirens sounded and the men went back to burning their bitches.<br /><br /><br />I didn't even bother with breakfast. Dogs with hangovers wasn't worth messing with. They sure as shoot you and ask questions later. I grabbed a bartered for smokes John Wayne bar and headed for a hanger.<br /><br /><br />I was beginning to understand why what I was doing down at the hanger was far more important than playing social games with men from the south and more importantly, a Georgia Red Neck. Not saying I'm prejudice. But they had their ways of letting you know they were.<br /><br /><br />Why am I in Vietnam with the hostiles all around us and we, as Americans could stand each other?<br /><br />When they signed you up, they never said it was going to be easy. I got that. But when the hostiles were Americans, it made you wonder what war was really being fought here the Vietnam or the Civil War?<br /><br /><br />I jumped the mud filled drainage ditch and head for my salvation: An AH-1G Cobra now torn down to just the body. No tail boom, no engine, no transmission. It was time to put her back together again from the ground up.<br /><br /><br />By the time Sergeant Solomon came to me, the new skids were under the Cobra an bolted on. Before I could start that, Sergeant Solomon has something to say.<br /><br /><br />"You need to go over to S1. A Captain Franklin needs to talk to you ASAP."<br /><br /><br />Well, that sounded pretty serious, so I stopped everything, cleaned up my hands and headed over to S1 and had no idea what or why he'd want to talk to me.<br /><br /><br />Walking up the stairs, opening the door to the office I was greeted by a familiar face. So this is where that PFC at the mess hall works.<br /><br /><br />"Ah, PFC Edwards, one moment and I'll tell Captain Franklin that you're here."<br /><br /><br />He got up, knocked on the officer's office door and was told to send me in.<br /><br /><br />I walked into his office, proceeded to salute him and stood at attention.<br /><br /><br />"At ease, PFC Edwards. Do you know what a Congressional is?"<br /><br /><br />"No sir I don't."<br /><br /><br />"Well, it boils down to the fact that any civilian -- in this case, your father -- can contact a public official from his state and voice a complaint that, in your particular case, you were being treated unfairly."<br /><br /><br />"Sir, I'm at a loss for words."<br /><br /><br />"Apparently your father wasn't. Says here that he, as an x US Army Recruiter himself, he knows the Army spent a good chunk of money training you on being a helicopter repairman, becoming a Cobra mechanic and wanted to know why you weren't working in your field of expertise. Citing washing vehicles, burning human waste and other unrelated activities as being demoralizing for a relative of John Clark."<br /><br /><br />"Sir, excuse my ignorance, but who the heck is John Clark?"<br /><br /><br />"Didn't they teach you about the Louis and Clark Expedition?"<br /><br /><br />"I pretty much slept through High School with two jobs and a flying club to run, sir."<br /><br /><br />"Explains why your GT score is only 105.<br /><br /><br />"There was also something else. He said he was there when the recruiter said you were signing up for 3 years, is that true?"<br /><br /><br />"Yes Sir."<br /><br /><br />"And you thought you were signing up for fixed wing training."<br /><br /><br />"Yes Sir."<br /><br /><br />"Do you really want to be in the Army, PFC Edwards?"<br /><br /><br />You know, if this question was asked of me three weeks prior before I had seen those 37 Cobras flying over, I would have said no. But with all that has happened since then and where I was at with the rebuilding of a Cobra, you'd have to hand cuff me to the bird heading stateside.<br /><br /><br />"No, sir."<br /><br /><br />"Then as I see it, you have 30 days to find a Cobra unit that will accept you as a Cobra mechanic or you're heading home. Dismissed."<br /><br /><br />I did a salute, and walked out.<br /><br /><br />Notes to self.<br /><br /><br />Just because your mother hates your father doesn't mean the two if them aren't talking.<br /><br /><br />Don't give mom anymore ammo, she already packs enough heat of her own.<br /><br /><br />What goes around, comes around.<br /><br /><br />Time to get the cobra done.<br /><br /><br />"Sergeant Solomon wants to see you in his office."<br /><br /><br />"Didn't know we had a celebrity among us."<br /><br /><br />"You don't and why do I get this sneaky suspicion that you know my father."<br /><br /><br />"We were the ones responsible in Korea for flying all the USO shows around Korea. I meant him when he was working with them and taking pictures of Debbie Reynolds in pig tails."<br /><br /><br />"I am nothing like my father."<br /><br /><br />"No," he agreed, "You are not."<br /><br /><br />"Then let me get this Cobra done."<br /><br /><br />"Who said I wasn't? What I am going to tell you is I know for a fact that B Battery, 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery is losing 80% of is enlisted and that's where you should be able to transfer over to it. When you're waiting for the tail boom hangers to come in, go over there and tell them that Sergeant Solomon thinks you would be a good fit.<br /><br /><br />"In the mean time, rebuilt the Cobra."<br /><br /><br />I smiled at that and walked out of his office.<br /><br /><br />I tore this bird from the top down. Its time to rebuild it for the bottom up.<br /><br /><br />Where's those safety wire pliers?Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-35542952960360000272018-01-11T00:44:00.000-06:002018-01-11T00:44:13.604-06:00AH-1G Cobra Rebuild: The EndI'm not sure what was more fun. Taking it apart or putting it back together.<br /><br /><br />I do know one thing, the more challenging phase of this was, indeed, putting it back together.<br /><br /><br />Since Sergeant Solomon gave me two days off, I put the second in over at B Battery, 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery.<br /><br /><br />Seemed like everything over there spoke to me as being home.<br /><br /><br />It felt like the place had a mission to do and a keen sense of purpose. Where pure testosterone was standard operating procedure. Where a ball busting mix Warrant and Artillery Officers pushed their Cobras to the limits and back. And where the maintenance hanger was a buzz with all kinds of maintenance personnel putting back together what they broke.<br /><br /><br />There was a tall lanky Lieutenant in maintenance operations whom which I saluted and asked who would I have to talk to so I could transfer over to this unit.<br /><br /><br />He pointed to a Captain and said that would be Caption Kramp. I went up to him, saluted him and told him I wanted to transfer over to his unit. He looked at me with one of his usual are you crazy looks and said, "So who sent you over here?"<br /><br /><br />I told him Master Sergeant Solomon over at A Company, 5th Transportation. "He told me to tell you to call him if you have any questions."<br /><br /><br />"He did, did he?"<br /><br /><br />"Yes sir."<br /><br /><br />"What's your MOS?"<br /><br /><br />"67Y20, Sir"<br /><br /><br />Have you ever had one of those moments when you said something and everyone around you got deathly quiet? This was one of those moments.<br /><br /><br />"Your not the one rebuilding that Cobra all alone, are you?"<br /><br /><br />"I have had help, Sir. But yes."<br /><br /><br />"Welcome to the El Toros." I saluted, turned and walked away. I felt like a hundred eyes were watching me. What the hell was going on?<br /><br /><br />The next morning, I cornered Sergeant Solomon.<br /><br /><br />"You need to see this, please," I said with a sense of urgency. "Do you see anything wrong with these blades?"<br /><br /><br />He studied them for a moment. "No."<br /><br /><br />"If I were to take a string and go from blade tip to blade tip, you would probably see it. They aren't in line. In fact, using an eye ball estimate, there's somewhere between 4 and 6 degrees forward. And this is what most like cause the accident."<br /><br /><br />"You can see this?"<br /><br /><br />"I took 5 years worth of mechanical drawing in High School, I'm a stickler for accuracy."<br /><br /><br />"Okay, take it down to prop and rotter and let them balance it. We have to put it back on anyway. Let them tell us just how far out of alignment it was."<br /><br /><br />Came back as being 4.5 degrees off alignment. One of those more shiny moments.<br /><br /><br />A week later, I was told my move was approved and a week after that, I was packing my duffle bag with my belongings. The same day the Huey team took to the task of checking all of what I did on the Cobra now standing proud and complete.<br /><br /><br />"PFC Edwards, Sergeant Solomon wants to see you before you go."<br /><br /><br />"I'm on my way."<br /><br /><br />I put my duffle bag down and walked across the street to the hanger where Sergeant Solomon was waiting for me.<br /><br /><br />"I want you to take a look. A real hard, long look."<br /><br /><br />There was a Huey mechanic about to put the flag up so the rotor blades would hit the mooring tips against the duct tape with red and blue markings. That's how we balanced rotor blades.<br /><br /><br />"The normal estimated time to go from where that Cobra entered our hanger to this moment in time is 320 man hours."<br /><br /><br />"So, I was right on time?"<br /><br /><br />"For 6 men doing the main frame work."<br /><br /><br />"Oh."<br /><br /><br />"Edwards, I don't want you going anywhere."<br /><br /><br />"You are serious, aren't you?"<br /><br /><br />"As a heart attack. You know when you first arrived, I labeled you as a dud. I was seriously wrong. And I don't admit that often. I'll let you work on anything you want to work on."<br /><br /><br />"What about that congressional?<br /><br /><br />"We can work around it, please stay."<br /><br /><br />I thought about it for a moment. "Sergeant Solomon, you gave me a chance to prove myself and I appreciate that, but my heart if telling me a change with a fresh start is something I need to do."<br /><br /><br />"Well, if you ever change your mind, you know who to come to."<br /><br /><br />I smiled, shook his hand and said, "Thank you, Sergeant Solomon for everything."<br /><br /><br />That would be the last time I would ever see him again.<br /><br /><br />It was the longest, loneliest 15 minute walk of my life going to the Headquarters building of the 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery. <br /><br /><br />But you know what the biggest complement was? I saw that AH-1G Cobra come in for refueling. I watched it fly smoothly over my head, transition and move with precision sideways and then just as clean, touch the ground smooth as glass. <br /><br /><br />It gave me goose bumps. And I almost dropped my bag in amazement.<br /><br /><br />It was then that I vowed, no matter what happens over the course of then next 6 months. No one could take away what i know I did and saw what I just saw.<br /><br /><br />It was time to write a new chapter.Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-13124533533298764342018-01-03T03:56:00.002-06:002018-01-03T03:59:12.302-06:00Some Cobra Pilots were USA certified gung ho crazy.I have come to the conclusion that there were three kinds of Cobra Pilots in Vietnam. Those who wanted to come home in one piece, those who wanted to curl up in a corner and wanted to be left alone, and those who were just plain out and out freaking A grade gung ho crazy.<br />
<br />
These guys were so gung ho, they made John Wayne look like a poster child for the lame duck society.<br />
<br />
These guys invented, patented and perpetuated road rage.<br />
<br />
Get Lt.Jeffery Johns -- a relatively mild mannered -- supercharged with a fire mission and you better not slow him down. Yes, this is the same guy I went down to Da Nang with while headed to R&R together and that started a
bond.<br />
<br />
Yes, he chewed my ass off when I tell him to get out of the Cobra after
he witnessed a midair collision over Firebase Nancy on a practice red
alert and continues to do so going to and from the field medical tent.<br />
<br />
And yes, we became the best of friends after that.<br />
<br />
But when he was in one of those moments, I really didn't care for the Mr.Hyde version.<br />
<br />
<br />
Three days before going home, we watch him check out some armament
personnel because they were stopping him from getting into the chopper
and flying off -- once again -- without a front seat. LT<br />
<br />
Craig Gies and I
were watching the drama unfold..<br />
<br />
<br />
So he takes off. Returning
minutes later with that same pod dangling for dear life on the back hook
and securing apparatus. 18 rockets staring -- would the vector increase lift and spin? -- at the ground, protesting one pilots' inability to wait until the pod was correctly aligned.<br />
<br />
I'm
laughing. Craig Gies has a smirk on his face.<br />
<br />
The thought of karma was making my ability to not stop laughing almost impossible to contain. <br />
<br />
Trying to be a bit more composed, he walks by me, puts his hand on my shoulder.<br />
"They're trying to kill me."<br />
<br />
Any thoughts of composure left Vietnam.Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-50468956810307792202018-01-03T03:28:00.001-06:002018-01-03T03:28:48.434-06:00The Night MASH GOT A TRASHED RATING<div class="_5pbx userContent _22jv _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_7k0">
There was a Chinook Company --- I think it was B Company, 159th
Aviation Battalion but I'm not sure -- directly across the street from
Headquarters, 4/77th -- I got assigned to it as the Battalion Stringer
in the middle of July.<br />
<br />
Sometime in August or September -- I lost
my mind by then -- we wanted to watch MASH.<br />
<br />
I mean WE ALL REALLY WANTED
TO WATCH MASH.<br />
<br />
So, there were in front of the silver screen, the
projector almost as loud as the speakers. The smell of excitement in the
air. Eyes focused on the screen.<br />
<br />
On a planet known as Chinook field far, far away, the single whine of the small hydraulic turbine comes on line.<br />
<br />
Eyes glued to the silver screen. Temperatures rising.<br />
<br />
The twin engines come alive.<br />
<br />
Hooping and hollering begins.<br />
<br />
The blades increase in speed.<br />
<br />
Naked, Naked ladies.<br />
<br />
You hear the blades take to the task of lifting the Chinook into the air.<br />
<br />
Then silence.<br />
<br />
More naked, naked ladies.<br />
<br />
KA WHAM!!<br />
<br />
Listen, if was just a 122, we would have been really pissed and probably continued watching!<br />
But NO metal was flying everywhere! whizzing by, hitting metal all around us. OH, my gawd, this is it!<br />
<br />
Some new way Charlie was coming at us with a new type of weapon none of
us was yet familiar with and WE were in the middle of it and had no
idea whee it came from.<br />
<br />
125 men went from sex starved to craw
daddy mode in an instant. The projector took a direct hit. Not clear if
that was friend or foe.<br />
<br />
It took what felt like ten minutes for
all the metal to stop banging against things and three hours for us to
wait for an all clear and realize it wasn't coming.<br />
<br />
We all went to bed wondering what the heck happened.<br />
<br />
Question, what does a Chinook look like landing upside down on top of where the rotor blades used to be?<br />
<br />
Like a totally busted Chinook that landed upside down where the rotor blades used to be.<br />
Sigh.<br />
<br />
We never did finish MASH. So, I guess the knock, knock Chinook jokes was a satisfactory compensation.<br />
</div>
Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-90833680213667883852017-11-22T08:26:00.000-06:002017-11-23T12:25:05.979-06:00Journalist -- A change in plans<div data-contents="true">
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="3bomb-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3bomb-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="3bomb-0-0"><span data-text="true">What's it like to do what I did in the Army today?</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="b4gl-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b4gl-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="b4gl-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="amrfc-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="amrfc-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="amrfc-0-0"><span data-text="true">One fact that was clear to me -- and to this day, is still a big issue -- is the total disrespect for journalism in general and journalist as a breed of blood sucking ticks hell bent on getting the story no matter the price or effect that has on the organization, the individual's career or both.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2cbpi-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2cbpi-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2cbpi-0-0"></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="2cbpi-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="dom0p-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dom0p-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dom0p-0-0"><span data-text="true">I hate them too. Believe me, I do. The Paparazzi, the Tabloids, the fake news vendor. Money for nothing and the groping for free. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span>
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">But they aren't alone. There's the bitch class, the bastard class, the boy scout class, the girl scout class, the social class, the anti social class and a guy in the middle wondering "what about me?"</span><br />
<br />
So, let's give him a class: The dick head class and for the ladies that feel left out, the bimbo class.<br />
<br />
Feel better?<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0"></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span>
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">I don't. Truth is, you've been as we -- us programmers who love to observe the chaos about us -- like to say, you've been tagged and bagged.</span><br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span>
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">When there's nothing else left to explore in the world of real journalism, you slide back into the world of sensationalism and fake news.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">Why?</span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">Because it takes less journalist and produces higher returns on investment of the ones you have. And what does this produce?</span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">A really bad hair day for the 200,000,000 million who work for a living while the 2,000,000 inherit the earth.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">My wife wanted to know why I have gotten so cynical and sarcastic over the years. </span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">I want to tell her that I learned from the best. And while you might think I was redirecting her observation back on her -- which is only three quarters true -- the true reason for my attitude is my own guilty mind knowing I was sleeping at the switch when I should have been doing more for the people I love the most: America.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">Believe it or not, I don't love trips down memory lane. They get romanticized, muddied by blurry time tracks and basically, aren't real anymore. These "glory day" moments are nothing more than a coping mechanism for the lack of or, for that matter, no closure on an event that went unrecognized. </span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">Living in a dream world is the best way to describe it and the worst way to die. A pretty good summary of a journalist whose days are numbered. I'd rather wake up kicking and screaming for a cause that effects us all than wake up to the smell of coffee, romancing the past and do nothing about the zombie nation we have become. </span><br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span>
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0">Journalism is the medium through which that can happen. Real journalist, real social issues, real stories.</span><br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0"></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="1gtno-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="ehrqr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ehrqr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ehrqr-0-0"><span data-text="true">Real journalist, now that takes is a very rare individual with the guts and to do the impossible. An on the job trained genius and a person whose own personal interests and life take second seat to getting that picture, that story that lives forever. Even it cost the person his or her life.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5lula-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5lula-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5lula-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2q0br-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2q0br-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2q0br-0-0"><span data-text="true">In my books, that's what real journalism is about. Regrettably, it only takes one blood sucking journalist vying for the Pulitzer to spoil the image that so many of us worked hard to build.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="15p8o-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="15p8o-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="15p8o-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="b4qb8-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b4qb8-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="b4qb8-0-0"><span data-text="true">Then there's the countless times when the other side of the equation who don't know you but are called on to help you size your importance based on rank.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="attr4-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="attr4-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="attr4-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6osff-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6osff-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6osff-0-0"><span data-text="true">Anyway, that's not why I wrote this article on my 4/77th blog.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1r3aj-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1r3aj-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1r3aj-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9gpeh-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9gpeh-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9gpeh-0-0"><span data-text="true">Now, before you blow this off as another one of my famous rants, consider this before you do. Careers can't be built on lies. In order to have a career, it must be based on truths and obtainable goals with positive human experience accomplishments and a well defined list of qualifications needing to be obtained before going to the next objective.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="9gpeh-0-0"><span data-text="true">If these things are not highlighted as the tasks in a job description -- what we call a statement of work (SOW) -- it is not a job but a wish list.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="9gpeh-0-0"><span data-text="true">Your or a loved one thinks this job description than you think reading the back of your cereal box enhances the nutritional value of its contents:</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7285j-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7285j-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7285j-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="dllj5-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dllj5-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dllj5-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="24tn9-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="24tn9-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="24tn9-0-0"><span data-text="true">Public Affairs Journalist 46Q</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="ej2mf-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ej2mf-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="ej2mf-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5fro1-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5fro1-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="5fro1-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2ongq-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2ongq-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="2ongq-0-0"><span data-text="true">The Army public affairs specialist participates in and assists with the supervision and administration of Army public affairs programs primarily through news releases, newspaper articles, Web-based material and photographs for use in military and civilian news media.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9o593-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9o593-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="9o593-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6c9d4-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6c9d4-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="6c9d4-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="aa0ss-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aa0ss-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="aa0ss-0-0"><span data-text="true">Job Duties</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="269i0-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="269i0-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="269i0-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="aut20-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aut20-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="aut20-0-0"><span data-text="true"> Research, prepare and disseminate news releases, articles, web-based material and photographs on Army personnel and activities</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="jrl1-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="jrl1-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="jrl1-0-0"><span data-text="true"> Gather information for military news programs and publications within your unit and around the Army</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2n8ha-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2n8ha-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="2n8ha-0-0"><span data-text="true"> Develop ideas for news articles</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1sfqv-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1sfqv-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="1sfqv-0-0"><span data-text="true"> Arrange and conduct interviews</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="fbt83-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fbt83-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="fbt83-0-0"><span data-text="true"> Write news releases, feature articles and editorials</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6euu4-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6euu4-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="6euu4-0-0"><span data-text="true"> Conduct media training</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="992of-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="992of-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="992of-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="83poi-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="83poi-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="83poi-0-0"><span data-text="true">Are you laughing? You should be! If you aren't, either you haven't been in the Army or your memories have been wiped of the reality of how the system works. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1sdrj-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1sdrj-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1sdrj-0-0"></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="d18kd-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="d18kd-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="d18kd-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="djvht-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="djvht-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="djvht-0-0"><span data-text="true">Just in case you forgot: E1 to E5 = "DON'T THINK, DO AS I SAY".</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="ab8n-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ab8n-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ab8n-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="8ilht-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8ilht-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="8ilht-0-0"><span data-text="true">Truth is:</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="a7ut5-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="a7ut5-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="a7ut5-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="crmno-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="crmno-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="crmno-0-0"><span data-text="true">AS AN ENLISTED PERSON, YOU CAN NOT PREFORM ANY OF THESE DUTIES WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YOUR BOSS </span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6ggeq-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ggeq-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ggeq-0-0"></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="cccoj-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cccoj-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cccoj-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="biog1-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="biog1-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="biog1-0-0"><span data-text="true">If that boss hates public affairs or doesn't want to support you, you are screwed.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="70v00-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="70v00-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="70v00-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6n4bc-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6n4bc-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6n4bc-0-0"><span data-text="true">It should have read: After your normal Soldiering duties: Polishing boots, spit shining bras, formations, preparing for inspections, the usual hey yous senior NCOs put you through, and the rest of the stuff involved with being a soldier in today's Army, you might get the chance to do a few moments per day on your actual job.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="6n4bc-0-0"><span data-text="true">By the time you get to E-5, you might find yourself at a desk performing the job mentioned above. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="6n4bc-0-0"><span data-text="true">By the way, did you notice the Redundancy Department Redundancies?</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6pm6j-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6pm6j-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6pm6j-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="8096i-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8096i-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="8096i-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5kb96-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5kb96-0-0">
<span style="color: blue;"><span data-offset-key="5kb96-0-0"><span data-text="true">A Bit of Back Fill: Going back to the future</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="b3bad-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b3bad-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="b3bad-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="ct50l-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ct50l-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ct50l-0-0"><span data-text="true">Between 1970 and 1979, I enjoyed the job as a stringer for the various organizations I was assigned to not just because I was good with a camera but because the Commanding Officers of the units wanted publicity and made it almost impossible for me to fail.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5jt8k-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5jt8k-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5jt8k-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">But I did every once and a while fail. I'm human and subject to having human ego overrides. And I can think of one shinny moment when I wished they had invented super glue and I had it to seal my lips.</span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true"><br /></span></span>
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">There are two people who got the blame for destroying some rotor blades with ball pen hammers -- the real person to blame was MG Sidney B Berry -- and out of respect and because I knew both a friends I'm not going to mention their names. I worked for both. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">We were in a military taxi headed to another Division Support Command (DISCOM) with one of them in the back seat with our DISCOM Command Sergeant Major. For five minutes this Colonel complained about being passed over once again for his first star.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">I had just gotten a personal letter of appreciation from the Commanding Officer of the 101st Airborne Division that the Colonel I am riding with had handed me. Tired of the back seat bemoaning, I said, </span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">"Well if certain Colonels that I know didn't destroy 450,000 dollars worth of helicopter rotor blades with ball pen, they probably wouldn't be getting passed up."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">Gawd, I can't believe I said that as I tried to melt back into the seat looking at the Command Sergeant Major turning purple and blue in a fit of rage, the driver, a civilian trying hard not to laugh.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">It was a horrible thing to say! </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">But the Colonel knew I was right and our friendship told him I didn't mean anything by it. So the incident passed without further ramifications. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">But sometimes, quick whit statements win the day. Like the time at the Army Aviation of America Association convention in Arlington, VA when I was the official photographer. When General George S. Blanchard told General Bernard Rogers to get out of his way because he wanted me to take a picture of himself with an X POW. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">Rogers turned and looked at me, "I don't know, Sergeant Edwards, "Should I get out of his way?"</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">My response, "Which one of you has more time in grade, time in service? Pull rank."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">They both laughed and Rogers got out of the way. And I just realized something, I had to be a good 15 feet away from Rogers, how could he have read my name tag while turning towards me when he asked the question.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">Weird. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">Anyway, I wasn't just a writer and a photographer, I was a photo-journalist. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">What does that mean? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="ejf31-0-0"><span data-text="true">It means I could take pictures, write the story and combine the two as a photo-feature, use just the images without the feature or write the feature without images.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="evj9q-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="evj9q-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="evj9q-0-0"></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1uaec-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1uaec-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1uaec-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6jisq-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6jisq-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6jisq-0-0"><span data-text="true">Furthermore, I had the freedom to pick and choose what I wanted to cover and when.Yes, I had to respond to event driven tasks such as promotions, training and unit social functions.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="c2s3r-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c2s3r-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="c2s3r-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="c1va7-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c1va7-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="c1va7-0-0"><span data-text="true">But for the most, the stories and articles came from me and no one else.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2qavv-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2qavv-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2qavv-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="fj90v-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fj90v-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="fj90v-0-0"><span data-text="true">Public Affairs was the superior race of individuals who dealt with division level articles, assignments and the like. A lot of their assignments were given to them. More like reporters, they went out with a photographer and did their jobs per their job description.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="d1rba-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="d1rba-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="d1rba-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="8k2sv-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8k2sv-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="8k2sv-0-0"><span data-text="true">I, on the other hand, was not doing my job per my job description and I paid for it by never being considered for promotion for almost 7 years. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7qlvt-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7qlvt-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7qlvt-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="elij7-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="elij7-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="elij7-0-0"><span data-text="true">So, needless to say, I am glad the Army decided to adjust tasks so that the emphasis is now focused on the units rather than at the division level.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9u0d9-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9u0d9-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9u0d9-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="53j5j-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="53j5j-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="53j5j-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="dd2p9-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dd2p9-0-0">
<span style="color: blue;"><span data-offset-key="dd2p9-0-0"><span data-text="true">Job Description: Comparing Now and Then</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9tg86-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9tg86-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9tg86-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="dedr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dedr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dedr-0-0"><span data-text="true">Research, prepare and disseminate news releases, articles, web-based material and photographs on Army personnel and activities</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7fo8o-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7fo8o-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7fo8o-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="cqo0e-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cqo0e-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cqo0e-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="a087c-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="a087c-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="a087c-0-0"><span data-text="true">This is why this should be at the very least a Warrant Officer position. There is no way in Hades you are going to know enough about organization of the units in the military, the unit you will be assigned to and the supportive units your unit uses without some kind of intensive training on what one is dealing with, what kind of research is needed to create a professional level news releases, articles and a sensitivity.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5h5u7-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5h5u7-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5h5u7-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="bhoma-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bhoma-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="bhoma-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2108u-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2108u-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2108u-0-0"><span data-text="true">This is a management skill which requires sensitivity to security issues, commanding officer goals and objectives, a sense for what is newsworthy, submission timing and the ability to transform boring into interesting, attention grabbing content.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="90hj0-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="90hj0-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="90hj0-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="33rgl-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="33rgl-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="33rgl-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6kcm2-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6kcm2-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6kcm2-0-0"><span data-text="true">Some of this is solely based on the talents of the individual performing the job.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="fccqs-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fccqs-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="fccqs-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="4mfv5-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4mfv5-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4mfv5-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="s9h6-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="s9h6-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="s9h6-0-0"><span data-text="true">Gather information for military news programs and publications within your unit and around the Army</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="aennf-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aennf-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="aennf-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="8a3t7-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8a3t7-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="8a3t7-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="4avvm-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4avvm-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4avvm-0-0"><span data-text="true">I can relate to this by saying a single sentence can speak volumes about whether or not your using is a stand alone organization or one that plays well with others.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="88or7-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="88or7-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="88or7-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="cur3f-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cur3f-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cur3f-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="71nt-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="71nt-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="71nt-0-0"><span data-text="true">This is where you tread softly but carry a big stick.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7pppm-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7pppm-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7pppm-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="89gnn-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="89gnn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="89gnn-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2i07q-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2i07q-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="2i07q-0-0"><span data-text="true">Develop ideas for news articles</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9a8hr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9a8hr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9a8hr-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9a21o-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9a21o-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9a21o-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9ev9f-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9ev9f-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9ev9f-0-0"><span data-text="true">Classical Department of the Redundancy Department and part of the first job description.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1ltd7-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1ltd7-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1ltd7-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="17t44-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="17t44-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="17t44-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5s35d-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5s35d-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5s35d-0-0"><span data-text="true">This should also include: And work with the unit historian to determine if the idea has a historical track and/or should be included in the units' history.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="b7u7e-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b7u7e-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="b7u7e-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="ant0o-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ant0o-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ant0o-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="eakub-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eakub-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="eakub-0-0"><span data-text="true">Arrange and conduct interviews</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2s25d-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2s25d-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2s25d-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="aq9fr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aq9fr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="aq9fr-0-0"><span data-text="true">It is the organization of questions that you will want to ask that determines the success or failure of the interview process. I did mine with a tape recorder. The biggest no no is to paraphrase without permission. So, if you aren't good at remembering or writing down exact quotes, use a tape recorder.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="4fee8-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4fee8-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4fee8-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="fjrdj-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fjrdj-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="fjrdj-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2j4si-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2j4si-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="2j4si-0-0"><span data-text="true">Write news releases, feature articles and editorials</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="eoq8v-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eoq8v-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="eoq8v-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6qv3b-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6qv3b-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6qv3b-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7mi46-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7mi46-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7mi46-0-0"><span data-text="true">Again, classical Department of the Redundancy Department. This was part of the first description.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6ajcr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ajcr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ajcr-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9fjr6-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9fjr6-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9fjr6-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2l8s3-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2l8s3-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2l8s3-0-0"><span data-text="true">History of news releases: canned and template based the Hometown News Release an example. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="bocej-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bocej-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="bocej-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5p19c-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5p19c-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5p19c-0-0"><span data-text="true">Feature articles? </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="236eb-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="236eb-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="236eb-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="775pe-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="775pe-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="775pe-0-0"><span data-text="true">For whom is the big question and, second is, in what format? </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="dn2ek-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dn2ek-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dn2ek-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1qgca-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1qgca-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1qgca-0-0"><span data-text="true">Close to 100 of mine were in the day in the life of format.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="c2roi-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="c2roi-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="c2roi-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="3eon3-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3eon3-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="3eon3-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="64m9d-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="64m9d-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="64m9d-0-0"><span data-text="true">As for editorials, in the Army that sounds more like an oxymoron.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="cad0p-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cad0p-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cad0p-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1v8sr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1v8sr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1v8sr-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="3a9e0-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3a9e0-0-0">
<span style="color: red;"><span data-offset-key="3a9e0-0-0"><span data-text="true">Conduct media training</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1em02-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1em02-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1em02-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="4nies-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4nies-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4nies-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="e5egq-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e5egq-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="e5egq-0-0"><span data-text="true">The rank of Warrant Officer would certainly help to assure conformity with requirements.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="4sf67-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4sf67-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4sf67-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6l6eb-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6l6eb-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6l6eb-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="aqlld-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aqlld-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="aqlld-0-0"><span data-text="true">Depending on the size of your unit, you could have from 5 to 20 soldiers assigned to you to pull their weight on the standard military news releases, provide you with story ideas and help you to work interactively with awards and decorations notifications.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="e6val-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e6val-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="e6val-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="bhpso-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bhpso-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="bhpso-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="fcisv-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fcisv-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="fcisv-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="color: blue;">WHAT I DID WITHOUT THE JOB TITLE </span> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="476qo-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="476qo-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="476qo-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="3p0g0-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3p0g0-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="3p0g0-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="3jser-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3jser-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="3jser-0-0"><span data-text="true">Interactively work with Battery or Troop level personnel tasked to assure news releases were created and prepared on a timely fashion. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6d8iv-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6d8iv-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6d8iv-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="aop75-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="aop75-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="aop75-0-0"><span data-text="true">Write articles and take images of awards, promotions, human interest, exceptional individuals training exercises and change of command events. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="dauaa-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="dauaa-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="dauaa-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="artj6-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="artj6-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="artj6-0-0"><span data-text="true">Produce an unit level newsletter.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1kjmg-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1kjmg-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1kjmg-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7sji6-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7sji6-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7sji6-0-0"><span data-text="true">The newsletter was created using a typewriter to cut through a wax coated paper. This stencil would then be spun around on a drum, be given an even coating of ink and then pressed against the paper and the ink would transfer to the page making a carbon copy of what was typed.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2vr67-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2vr67-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2vr67-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6na60-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6na60-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6na60-0-0"><span data-text="true">My articles were published in Army, Army Aviation Digest, Army Aviation Magazine, Army Times, Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, EurArmy Magazine, Front Line, Fort Campbell Courier, Hopkinsville New Era, Lake Charles American Press, Pillars And Posts, Rendezvous With Destiny, and Stars And Stripes.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7f38i-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7f38i-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7f38i-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="enf36-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="enf36-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="enf36-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="fg1jq-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fg1jq-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="fg1jq-0-0"><span data-text="true">I have worked with Hillary Brown of CBS News and David Allan Burnett while on assignment for Time Magazine.I had black and white images that David took in color that were published in Time Magazine.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7bt4h-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7bt4h-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7bt4h-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="9omsu-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9omsu-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="9omsu-0-0"><span data-text="true">My Hometown News Releases exceeded over 3000.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="a12in-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="a12in-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="a12in-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="bj8vr-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bj8vr-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="bj8vr-0-0"><span data-text="true">Want to know what really made my day?</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5ub77-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5ub77-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5ub77-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="5lj6k-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5lj6k-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="5lj6k-0-0"><span data-text="true">Before writing this, it didn't dawn on me just how much Craig Geis' decision to have me become the stringer for the 4/77th had played out throughout my military career.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="cvsml-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cvsml-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cvsml-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="7b2k8-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7b2k8-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7b2k8-0-0"><span data-text="true">During REFORGER 78 I became the official US Army photographer for Task Force 229th Combat Aviation Battalion. The official one got his leg crushed between a tractor and a trailer.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="1tveu-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1tveu-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="1tveu-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="argh3-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="argh3-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="argh3-0-0"><span data-text="true">As documented in Army Aviation Magazine, General John N. Brandenburg said he had to rely on the images taken during that exercise to create his briefing conducted at the Army Aviation Convention.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="2jfeg-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2jfeg-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2jfeg-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="d3pck-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="d3pck-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="d3pck-0-0"><span data-text="true">He sent me a personal letter of appreciation for that.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="b5v2g-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b5v2g-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="b5v2g-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0"><span data-text="true">But more importantly, the 229th Combat Aviation Battalion was, it was the 4/77th Field Artillery. </span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0"><span data-text="true">They had just changed colors. </span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0"><span data-text="true"> </span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0"><span data-text="true">I came into the world of journalism as the 4/77th stringer and I ended my journalism career with the 4/77th as the person who saved the Commanding Officer of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), MG </span></span><span data-offset-key="6je5m-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="argh3-0-0"><span data-text="true">John N. Brandenburg's butt.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="3u35k-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3u35k-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="3u35k-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="b6uh9" data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0"><span data-text="true">That's a a crazy kind of scary cool memory. </span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0">
</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0"><span data-text="true">A true Rendezvous With Destiny.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0"><span data-text="true">Sadly, for me, this is my last article on the 4/77th. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="6ub0e-0-0"><span data-text="true">Happy Thanksgiving and have a wonderful new year! </span></span><br />
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<br />Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-954998829718017082017-11-21T00:39:00.002-06:002017-11-21T21:14:44.691-06:001973 to 1975 -- Air Mobile to Air Assault Part 3This is in memory of two people whom which played a role in helping me to realize my full potential as a photo-journalist.<br />
<br />
Emily Bell Sanders, wife of Col Burnett R. Sander II passed away on November 11th, 2011 and Burnett R. Sanders II who passed away on December 9, 2016.<br />
<br />
Both were very exceptional people and both deserve much more than I can write here. <br />
<br />
<br />
Since it's been 42 years ago, I can't be positive on the exact dates these events happened. I'm sure that someone who skims through the micro film of the Fort Campbell Courier for 1974 and 1975 that person could reset the chronicle logical order of the events.<br />
<br />
So, instead of embarrassing myself with totally wrong timelines, I'm going to write what I know happened and what I was involved with.<br />
<br />
No matter, let's fill in some blank space. <br />
<br />
<b>DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AIR MOBILE AND AIR ASSAULT </b><br />
<br />
<br />
What was the difference between Air Mobile and Air Assault? I couldn't actually find a definitive answer on line so here's mine. Air Mobile was the concept that you could move troops from point A to point B using helicopters. The concept limited scope to ground troop movement for a specific purpose and all related support was either already there or was within a short distance from the ground troops being moved. Much of the transportation for operations other than ground troop movement was conducted by ground vehicles.<br />
<br />
<br />
Air Assault on the other hand meant the entire division could be moved from point A to Point B without having to rely on ground transportation to move the logistical and related support personnel into their designated areas.<br />
<br />
In-other-words, we brought our transportation with us.<br />
<br />
Problem is, you have to have soldiers trained with the right skills and mental capabilities to deal with a division that has the ability to move around at any moment. As Retired General Roper put it, "There is no room in a 100 mile per hour division for a 10 mile per hour mind." <br />
<br />
So whether or not you are involved with or assigned to the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault you needed additional training . And that training comes in the form of the Air Assault School.<br />
<br />
<br />
That training included learning how to sling load vehicles and supplies, rappelling from 125 feet in the air day or at night walking up a monkey ladder day or night, jumping onto what was known as the spider net.<br />
<br />
In my day, to qualify you had to walk around Clarksville Base with a back sack and a rubber M-14 and do it within 2 hours and 30 minutes. I did mine in 2 hours and 10 minutes with a wet bulb factor of 5 weighing 209.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0PA_yqYAFk/WhMxKf8KLaI/AAAAAAAA7v0/3zQYaecVsukWinlJwxIiE58JtXSn-XuBACLcBGAs/s1600/AirAssault.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="79" data-original-width="149" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0PA_yqYAFk/WhMxKf8KLaI/AAAAAAAA7v0/3zQYaecVsukWinlJwxIiE58JtXSn-XuBACLcBGAs/s1600/AirAssault.PNG" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Today, the school works a bit differently. There is a obstacle course at the beginning and the forced march is at the end.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Assault_School">You may want to read this.</a><br />
<br />
We also learned how to do the Aussie rappel. Those were some awesome times and awesome memories.<br />
<br />
<b>WHEN I SAY "OUT FRONT", I MEAN BUSINESS </b><br />
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<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8WnPtNkRi8s/WhLi6jszLtI/AAAAAAAA7uw/Hdmf9g0Szo0ZhzRDxVjclsj2BUBOs7fLwCLcBGAs/s1600/217th.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="185" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8WnPtNkRi8s/WhLi6jszLtI/AAAAAAAA7uw/Hdmf9g0Szo0ZhzRDxVjclsj2BUBOs7fLwCLcBGAs/s1600/217th.PNG" /></a></div>
The primary mission of the 2/17th Cavalry in 1974 was to be the eyes and ears of the Division. <br />
In-other-words, <br />
<br />
<br />
The 2/17th Cavalry consisted of 5 Troops. A, B and C Troop were a mixture of OH-58s, AH-1G Cobras and a platoon of infantry known as the Blue Platoon. Each Troop had color bands around the end of the tail booms just past the stabilizer. Red for A Troop, white for B Troop and blue for C Troop. <br />
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<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dWZOYzomUc/WhNc_Y9hwjI/AAAAAAAA7wQ/tGC1Nz7SrWU7Vp5xTAVDlLwsjBQu7r_HACLcBGAs/s1600/B%2BTroop.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="741" height="402" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dWZOYzomUc/WhNc_Y9hwjI/AAAAAAAA7wQ/tGC1Nz7SrWU7Vp5xTAVDlLwsjBQu7r_HACLcBGAs/s640/B%2BTroop.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
D Troop was a composite of infantry and mule and jeep mounted 106 recoil less rifles. While I found them to be interesting as a mix or field expediency and intriguing imagination.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--oHpu185QvU/WhNj9bJ8Y7I/AAAAAAAA7wg/Mqs1sVn4qpYdqxZFxOAIJ9QOZ6rYDBFIQCLcBGAs/s1600/DTroop.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="357" height="206" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--oHpu185QvU/WhNj9bJ8Y7I/AAAAAAAA7wg/Mqs1sVn4qpYdqxZFxOAIJ9QOZ6rYDBFIQCLcBGAs/s320/DTroop.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The mules would go from 106 recoil less rifles to TOW missile firing platforms.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Because the 2/17th was such a unique Squadron, it also had its unique perks. Such as being the Division Color Guard and providing its fair share of helicopters for the Air Assault In Action demonstrations.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cag-oJAlO6k/WhNaHOnrokI/AAAAAAAA7wE/CG8BjHsHEhczVEjs4mQiG4qADv3Ff4PBgCLcBGAs/s1600/ColorGuard.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="294" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cag-oJAlO6k/WhNaHOnrokI/AAAAAAAA7wE/CG8BjHsHEhczVEjs4mQiG4qADv3Ff4PBgCLcBGAs/s320/ColorGuard.PNG" width="246" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
While I didn't take the image above or the image of the Cobra in Vietnam, I did take plenty of both over the years.<br />
<br />
MARCH 1974 -- From small beginnings, the journey can end in greatness...or certain death. In a virtual reality game, you can always start over. In the real world, you're just dead. It was time to tip the scale towards greatness.<br />
<br />
"Sergeant Edwards," said a CW4 who was nick named "Wizard" and I shared a building with, just getting of the phone with our boss. <br />
<br />
"Yes, sir."<br />
<br />
"The colonel wants you to go with him over to the Air Assault School and take pictures. Also told me to tell you to have plenty of film."<br />
<br />
"Do I dare ask why?"<br />
<br />
"Know who Bo Callaway is?"<br />
<br />
"No, sir,"<br />
<br />
"Well, he's the Secretary of the Army. He's going to be in the bleachers."<br />
<br />
Great, so all I have to do is take some pictures of the Secretary of the Army and...wait a minute.<br />
<br />
"What time are we going, sir?"<br />
<br />
"The demo is at 10am, the Colonel will pick you up here at 9am."<br />
<br />
Good, I thought, he is interested in his men after all. We're going to start building a true public affairs system.<br />
<br />
So, as promised, the Colonel picked me up and we headed over to the staging area. I proceeded to shot 36 images on our men and their helicopters. My light meter was doing some strange things. Telling me the helicopter's exposure was F5.6 with a shutter speed of 250. Pointing it at the sky, even with an overcast, it was running F11 with a shutter speed of 250. With an ASA rating of 125.<br />
<br />
In the case of black and white film there is a tolerance of 3 stops up and three stops down. I would soon learn a trick about taking great action shots of helicopters, Over expose the film, using Microdol-X, 3:1 and at 72 degrees, stop the development process at 9 minutes instead of 11.<br />
<br />
Then use a number 3 or 4 paper to rebuild the contrast.<br />
<br />
<br />
Shooting slide film, its 1.5 stops up and 1.5 stops down. With an ASA rating of 60.<br />
<br />
These things you learn over time. That is, if you want to master photography...in my day.<br />
<br />
Also, in case anyone really wants to know. Exposing for the helicopter works great except, there was a slight problem. The background behind the helicopters flying by was just about the same color and intensity as the helicopters themselves.<br />
<br />
Months later, I solved this by using an 80 to 210mm zoom lens, edited tightly on the helicopter as it flew by and used Tri-x 400 film.<br />
<br />
Making 8 x 10 prints with tight cropping and reducing development time produced a much flatter image with the shutter speed where I needed it to be so I could hand hold the zoom lens without blurring the image.<br />
<br />
After taking pictures of the VIPs and the Air Assault demonstration, I asked LTC Sanders if there was anything else he would be needing me to do the rest of the day. He said no so I headed for the photo-lab.<br />
<br />
I took my contacts over to Shepard at the Fort Campbell Public Affairs Office.<br />
<br />
He looked them over with a loop and asked, "Where did you get these?"<br />
<br />
"What do you mean where did I get these? I just took them."<br />
<br />
"Print up 13, 20, 27 and 36. 2 and 10 on the second sheet. I'll circle them."<br />
<br />
I always drew blanks trying to figure out what goes on in the heads of editors. Why my images caused excitement in them. So, I ran over to the photo-lab, printed the images in 8x10 size and came back over to the Public Affairs Office.<br />
<br />
It was right at 5pm and I just happened to step back inside the building at the moment when the cannon went off.<br />
<br />
The place was as quite as a church. "Anyone here?"<br />
<br />
"I am," said a voice in the far left corner of the building. I walked towards the voice. Looked at a rather tall man with a husky voice, read his nameplate and realized this was LTC John A.G. Klose.<br />
<br />
"Sorry to bother you sir." I began.<br />
<br />
"No problem, I needed to finish up this response to Old Abe question. Okay, done. How can I help you?", his smile while sincere and assuring also painted a picture of "Warning, Will Robinson, Warning!"<br />
<br />
"Shepard asked me to print these up from my contacts."<br />
<br />
He looked at the images, looked up at me and then looked back at the images. Bet you know what's coming.<br />
<br />
"Where did you get these?"<br />
<br />
"I just took them, Sir."<br />
<br />
"Sergeant Edwards, please have a seat."<br />
<br />
"Do you know how many photographers we have on post?"<br />
<br />
"No, sir."<br />
<br />
"Twenty. A whole twenty professional photographers. None have been able to take pictures of helicopters. Not like these."<br />
<br />
And I thought, well, if you rely on a light meter, that's probably what's going to happen. <br />
<br />
"And you come along, literally, out of no where, with helicopter images taken exactly the way I need them.<br />
<br />
"Whose your boss?"<br />
<br />
"LTC Sanders, sir. I'm their Squadron Stringer."<br />
<br />
"Welcome to Public Affairs. Mind if I call you Dick?"<br />
<br />
"No, sir not at all."<br />
<br />
"Dick, do you write as well as you take pictures?"<br />
<br />
"A bit weak in that area so some mentoring would help. Sir."<br />
<br />
"So I take it you've been published?"<br />
<br />
"Yes sir, in Vietnam 69-70. I was the stringer for the 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery from July to October. Published in Army Times, Rendezvous With Destiny and Stars And Stripes.<br />
<br />
"But most of my work was images and cut lines."<br />
<br />
"I can see why Any photographic training?"<br />
<br />
"None sir. I'm still learning on the job. But I did read a book once. Does that count?"<br />
<br />
His smile went serious. "You're pulling my leg, right?"<br />
<br />
"No sir."<br />
<br />
"My gawd.<br />
<br />
"Listen to me -- and if you've read my Old Abe column you know I don't pamper whiners and praise men and women for their accomplishments. The point I'm trying to make here is, I'm a straight shooter.<br />
<br />
"How many images do you think the average professional takes to get one right?<br />
<br />
"Don't know, sir"<br />
<br />
"Three. So, out of 36, there might be 12 and that is if the subject is not moving.<br />
<br />
"Out of the 72, you've got 60 unique images I could use. And you didn't know what I was looking for. That is equal to using up 5 36 exposure rolls of film."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
He handed me a key, "Go upstairs, On the right is a door. There is a refrigerator with film in it. Grab yourself 20 rolls. What type of camera do you have?"<br />
<br />
"Argus C-5. sir"<br />
<br />
"A view finder camera! You took these with a vintage viewfinder camera?"<br />
<br />
"Would you like to see it?" I asked as I pulled it out and showed it to him.<br />
<br />
"See if you can find a ASHI Pentax and lens up there, too."<br />
<br />
When I got back from upstairs and handed him the keys:<br />
<br />
<br />
"Alright, you don't talk to anyone here but me and my civilian counterpart. I'll give Shepard your work. I can't give you credit for every picture you take. Or all the photo-features you create.<br />
<br />
<br />
"If I do, I'll have those GS 13s who run the AV section down my throat.<br />
<br />
<br />
"Bring the news releases and that newsletter your unit produces to me as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
"Dick, some of your Squadron is about to go to over to Indian Mound.<br />
<br />
"I'm going to talk to your boss. Let him know of your value to me. And I'll have SP5 Charles Drake do the journalist piece and then, when the two of you can get together, he can help you with cut lines, reverse pyramid writing and photo-features."<br />
<br />
"Thank you, sir."<br />
<br />
I think I floated home.What the hell just happened?<br />
<br />
While this may sound far fetched, LTC John A.G.Klose did something similar two years later in Germany on REFORGER 76. Lightning does strike twice.<br />
<br />
Col Sanders called me into his office the next day.<br />
<br />
I stood at attention and saluted him. He said, "At ease." Pointed to a chair and said, "Sit down."<br />
<br />
"You apparently made a big splash with the division public affairs."<br />
<br />
"He was impressed with my photography work."<br />
<br />
"Do you want to go work for him?"<br />
<br />
"Hell, no, sir. Permission to speak freely, sir?" <br />
<br />
"Ganted."<br />
<br />
"I am totally, 100% dedicated to you and the Squadron. You and the unit are priority #1. You took a chance on me pulling me out of a 67Y20 critical shortage MOS to do this job and by god, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability."<br />
<br />
"Also, just because he thinks I'm a damn good photographer doesn't mean I want to be his damn good photographer. I'm more than that.<br />
<br />
"Why don't we put 5 cork boards up, one for each troop along the hallways leading to the Mess Hall label each with the troop names and add In Action and change out the images once a month?<br />
<br />
"Now that is a great idea. What about?"<br />
<br />
"Yes, we can put one up for the Officer's wives club, too, sir."<br />
<br />
He smiled.<br />
<br />
"Let's do it." <br />
<br />
Someone behind me cleared his throat.<br />
<br />
"Of course with the XOs permission as well, " I said, looking at Col Sanders with a big fat smile on my face."<br />
<br />
"Is that all, sir?<br />
<br />
"Get ready to do Indian Mound tomorrow."<br />
<br />
So, we went out to Indian Mound. Like me, you're probably wondering what could possibly be out there that would be news worthy.<br />
<br />
Well, as it turns out, Indian Mound was a short field dirt runway where C-130s could land and take off. It was a very damp morning and I was glad I had put Tri-X film in the camera. Again, riding in the front seat of an open jeep, Colonel Sanders and I arrived on station around 8 cold 30 in the morning.<br />
<br />
Because the C-130s were working with a very short takeoff distance, their paddle wheel like blades were causing some very cool looking white rings to appear like smoke. I had no idea that one image would get published in the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, Hopkinsville New Ear, the Courier Post and be on the front page of Army Times when I took it.<br />
<br />
I just knew it was a cool shot.<br />
<br />
By May, I had my first two page spread -- known as a double truck. A little bit of my writing creeped in and a whole lot of images.<br />
<br />
Our Squadron Command Sergeant Major accused me of carrying a lethal weapon -- namely my camera as one of the images published showed a crew chief refueling an UH-1H without his safety visor down.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>MY ENCOUNTERS WITH THE GENERAL OFFICER KIND</b><br />
<br />
There are two General Officers who seemed to like me as much as I liked them. General John N. Brandenburg and General Sidney B. Berry.<br />
<br />
For the next 4 years, General Brandenburg and I would -- how should I put -- interact in ways you probably won't believe.<br />
<br />
I took a picture of General Berry once in Vietnam. Although I had no idea who he was until Life Magazine did an article on him.<br />
<br />
<br />
The very first encounter with him was humorous.<br />
<br />
A helicopter landed near
our Tactical Operations Center (TOC).<br />
<br />
We had a lot of them land there
but this one had a red plate on the side with two gold stars on it. I
expected the crew chief to hop out, slide the door back and let the
General out.<br />
<br />
<br />
Instead, the pilot door to my side of the helicopter opened up and General Berry got out with his flying helmet on. <br />
<br />
The ground was wet from a quick shower that came and went. The trail
down to where he would have to walk was a bit steep and angular. So as
the General tried switching helmets he almost slipped and fell. He saw
me holding my camera up and realized I had taken a picture. I went to
full attention and saluted him.<br />
<br />
General Berry smiled, put his hand on my should and said while laughing,
"I see you caught me almost falling on my ass." I smiled.<br />
<br />
<br />
A few moments later, I took a very serious image of General Berry and,
perhaps, one of the most powerful images of my life. I photographed
three men in that picture. All three were Commanding Officers of the
101st Airborne Division. <br />
<br />
General John M. Brandenburg and LTC Teddy Allen were the two others.<br />
<br />
Months later when General Berry was about to leave, he passed me in the
hallway while I was once again taking pictures and said, "This is the
most picturest taking Battalion I've ever seen.<br />
<br />
Then laughed, put his
hand on my should once again and said, "How are you doing Sergeant
Edwards?"<br />
<br />
I smiled back, "Just fine sir."<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>101ST IS 30 YEARS OLD </b><br />
<br />
Another triple newspaper event happened when the division celebrated its 30 year old anniversary.<br />
<br />
By then, Public Affairs had more images of helicopters in action than they could publish. So images like pictures of our color guard and from the Air Assault In Action demonstration and pictures of the Air Assault School were put together as a collection of images and were published in Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, Hopkinsville New Ear, the Courier Post.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>COMBAT DUTY TIME AT FORT CAMPBELL, FORT POLK, LA, FORT BLISS, TX, AND FORT MCCOY, WI.</b><br />
<br />
When we went to Fort McCoy, I was there to take pictures and to do a day in the life of type article on our Blue Platoon when it launched an nighttime attack on
the National Guard.<br />
<br />
I also brought with me a screen and a move projector and showed
movies.<br />
<br />
You are going to notice that I bring a screen and a projector a lot to the field. I can blame that one on my father who used to run movie theaters in the New Jersey area, they called him Uncle Eddie.<br />
<br />
I remember both the West Point Army and <span class="st">Annapolis </span>Navel Officers coming into the theater before heading over to the Army/Navy Game in Philly.<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, it seemed to me to be the right thing to do.<br />
<br />
So was wanting to document the Blue Platoon's story up close and personal. So I volunteered to go with them.<br />
<br />
Moving along slowly and quietly, we finally found them and hid behind the treeline 50 feet away from their outer perimeter guards. <br />
<br />
Once we established the best position to breach their security without being seen, we slipped in.<br />
<br />
It seemed to us they weren't taking their jobs very seriously. They were playing loud music and you could smell the beer and loud laughter. They were in party mode and we were about to crash it with some music of our own Calvary Style with a sobering rendition of M-80 cocktails thrown into tents<br />
and a ton of blanks popping off.<br />
<br />
<br />
"Welcome to the party boys. It is called the real Army."<br />
<br />
We came, we conquered and we were out of there and headed for the Rendezvous point.<br />
<br />
"What the hell was that last big pop, sir?"<br />
<br />
"Not telling," he said in a smirky smile the cloudless moon displayed along with the eyes like a Cheshire cat: the camouflaged face hiding all the rest. <br />
<br />
No choppers.<br />
<br />
For a moment, we began fearing for our lives.<br />
<br />
Luckily for us, the choppers did arrive before we were found by a bunch case of the red ass National Guardsman. <br />
<br />
When we went to Fort Bliss, TX, I went in a C-130 running on 3 engines for the most of the air time. Due to pressurization issues the C-5A to longer to arrive and to Colonel Sanders' and Major McDermot' surprise, I was there to take images of them once the nose was up and rampway was down.<br />
<br />
<br />
One the coolest things in the world is to listen to a C-5A taxi and start to take off. Sounds like a very loud vacuum cleaner. Or at least it did until the door blew off and the air got pin drop quiet once again. <br />
<br />
I took the first flight back to Fort Campbell and the pictures I took were published that Friday.<br />
<br />
When we went to Fort Polk, La, I went with LTC Sanders and, again, I brought a screen and a move projector and showed movies.<br />
<br />
We
weren't just about Cobras and recon. We also had an ground Troop. D
Troop used 106 recoil less rifles. Photographing them in action was
awesome.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>LET'S SEE WHAT A KEEP LOOKS LIKE DROPPED AT 500 FEET, NAP OF THE EARTH AND SOME FRONT SEAT COBRA TIME</b><br />
<br />
I remember, once, taking a picture of a jeep dropped at 500 feet from under a chopper. Wasn't pretty.<br />
It looked in all of the world like someone had taken have the jeep and put it into as trash compactor.<br />
Someone should have finished the job, take it home with them and then sold it for 1.5 million as art decor.<br />
<br />
<br />
Chief Warrant Officer William "Bill" Burton was a very interesting character. Once, he saw me left behind and alone in an open field. He came in to get me home.<br />
<br />
Another time he took me flying with him while he honed his skills flying NAP of the earth. Basically doing 60 knots, 5 feet off the deck. There were a couple of occasion where we became leaf cutters as the blades sliced through the tips of some trees looking for a free haircut.<br />
<br />
Bill also let me fly the OH-58 and gave me some pointers on hovering and finding a line of horizon to fly straight and level.<br />
<br />
This was about to come in handy.<br />
<br />
Flying in the front seat of a Cobra is a really cool. I've done this twice. Once with LT Craig Geis and once at SERTS training at Camp Evans when I needed some images of our rockets being fired down range.<br />
<br />
So I got in the front seat and started taking images. Two other Cobras joined us and I used up all of my film on in the air action shots.<br />
<br />
"Sergeant Edwards. Have you flown before?"<br />
<br />
"Sir. if you are asking if I've actually flown a Cobra myself, no sir. But I have soloed in a fixed wing and have over 40 hours of official and unofficial stick time.<br />
<br />
"Okay, its yours. Watch your altimeter and air speed. When they turn, you turn."<br />
<br />
So, when the lead Cobra turned, I did what I did in a fixed wing and, knowing the sensitivity of the controls in the front seat, my twist of the cyclic to the right was about an 8th of an inch.<br />
<br />
"Sergeant Edwards, this is not a fixed wing, " the back seat began his lecture. "A little less then next time."<br />
<br />
"Yes, sir, sorry sir."<br />
<br />
We did some more flying around, landed over at Clarksville Base to get refueled. He jumped out, refueled the Cobra and got back in.<br />
<br />
"Okay, its yours."<br />
<br />
Let me get this straight, you want me to get this 2.1+ million dollar helicopter off the refueling pad and not kill us in the process.<br />
<br />
Thank you Bill Burton!<br />
<br />
A bit of left pedal, pull up on the collective while doing very small figure 8s on the cyclic.Piece of cake. What, wait, oh no, we're going to high. About 30 feet too high. Smooth as glass, I might add. But not 3 feet.<br />
<br />
<br />
I often regret not having more film in my camera. Imagine looking down at Cobra pilots who are looking up at us wonder what the hell we were up to.<br />
<br />
Or them taking a image of me in pure terror mode! <br />
<br />
"I've got it. Not bad, by the way."<br />
<br />
That would be the last time for the rest of my time in the service that I would get a chance to be in the front seat of a AH-1G.<br />
<br />
Still, WOW!<br />
<br />
We didn't just photograph exercises.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>KIDS OUR US</b><br />
<br />
Once again, I found myself being flown around in an OH-58 with Warrant Officer Bill Burton -- this time observing the wrath of a twister's aftermath north of Hopkinsville and heading back home, Mister "Bill" had to land due to needing to go to the bathroom.<br />
<br />
He choose a grade school. <br />
<br />
When I saw all the kids faces and I thought, it would be really cool if we brought the children all of the various helicopters we used and showed them each one up close and personal. <br />
<br />
I convinced Colonel Sanders and with permission from everyone involved, we brought our choppers up to the school. I took pictures and wrote the article.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>HOW OLD IS THAT YOUNG MAN?</b><br />
<br />
When
the women of he officers wives club went to a retirement home up in Hopkinsville, I took pictures and wrote a story about it. I remember an
older gentleman kept on insisting we see a young man at the retirement
home. When I asked him what the age was of this young man, he said 53.<br />
As I write this, I'm 15 years older than that "young man"<br />
<br />
<b>YOU WANT TO DO WHAT? </b> <br />
<br />
There were
times when we just had fun laughing at ourselves. Maj McDermot comes
to mind. I accidentally took a picture of him holding the purses of then
BG <a class="new" href="http://www.blogger.com/w/index.php?title=Jack_V._Mackmull&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Jack V. Mackmull (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;">Jack V. Mackmull</span></a>
wife's gloves and purse.<br />
<br />
<br />
LTC Sander's wife Emily Bell whom I knew as yes ma am, thought that to be totally hilarious considering McDermot was well known for not liking to do such
things.<br />
<br />
Now, admittedly, I may have had a bit of my own payback in mind for this West Point Officer in agreeing with yes ma am on this one. As he made an embarrassing moment for me more embarrassing.<br />
<br />
As that story went, I was supposed to take images of a Captain getting promoted to Major at 4pm and our Communications Officer decided to continue to lecture me well into that moment.<br />
<br />
By the time I got to where the promotion was being held, the new Major had his gold oak leafs on his label and the officer doing the promotion performed his salute and turned around and faced me.<br />
<br />
It was General Brandenburg.<br />
<br />
"Sergeant Edwards"<br />
<br />
"Yes sir"<br />
<br />
"You are late"<br />
<br />
"Sorry sir"<br />
<br />
"What do you want me to do?" <br />
<br />
This is a 6.3 one Star who ribbed me about whether or not I had film in my camera. Who told me he wanted five images for his grandmother. Who was the most interesting ROTC graduate General I had ever met in my life.<br />
<br />
"Can we do it again?"<br />
<br />
"Certainly!"<br />
<br />
You know when you can feel the presence of danger without knowing why? I was feeling the pitch forks being packed in numbers of unfathomable quantity being packed into a canon being fired at point blank range at my butt by Maj McDermot.<br />
<br />
When he was mad, you could hear his billowing voice from New York to California. You never wanted to hear it again. When done with the botched promotion and with the General on his jet to India so he didn't have to hear it, out of his mouth came the roar<br />
<br />
"EDWARDS, report to my office."<br />
<br />
So, I did. <br />
<br />
"If I wasn't feeling so bad I would chew you up and down on both sides. Be gone."<br />
<br />
So it was only fitting the night of the Hail and Farewell party for Colonel Sanders at the Officer's Club that we give Major McDermot a moment of payback.<br />
<br />
When the time came, I was out in the hallway asking one of the staff for a coke. There was some laughter.<br />
<br />
"EDWARDS"<br />
<br />
"I'm not here,sir."<br />
<br />
More laughter.<br />
<br />
About to finish off the cold drink. I turned around and there's Major McDermot. <br />
<br />
"I need the camera."<br />
<br />
"No problem, sir, " I said as I handed it to him. <br />
<br />
He started shaking his head. "I mean you have to report to General Brandenburg. He want's me to take a picture of you and him together."<br />
<br />
Now that really is payback. I tried not to laugh hysterically.<br />
<br />
"Do you even know how to report to a General?"<br />
<br />
Sure, I do this kind of think on a religious basis.<br />
<br />
"No sir."<br />
<br />
So he told me. And I did exactly what McDermont told me to do. General Brandenburg said, "As many times as you have taken a picture of me, I think it is time for us to have one together."<br />
<br />
It was, indeed an exciting moment for me.<br />
<br />
Then there was the walk out incident. Almost out of nowhere another tall formidable looking officer in civilian clothes said, "Excuse me Sergent, do you know where the stag bar is. I had just passed the sign, second floor.<br />
<br />
"Sir, my apologies for my ignorance as I don't generally visit the Officer's Club, I very politely pointed to the sign, "I believe it is upstairs, sir."<br />
<br />
The gentleman realized I had flavored my response with a ton of deep respect for his stature despite the fact that he was in civilian clothes, let me know just how smart we both were and smiled with an appreciative smile.<br />
<br />
"Thank you, Sergeant"<br />
<br />
"You are sincerely welcome, sir."<br />
<br />
The next day at our change of command ceremony, we eyed each other, smiled and I walked up to him. I went to salute, he shook my hand. His name?<br />
<br />
Charles W. ("Bill") Dyke retired from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant General on September 1, 1988. After that, he would become the Founder International Technology & Trade Associates, Inc. and Chairman Emeritus.<br />
<br />
And who took over the 2/17th Air Cavalry?<br />
<br />
Some cranky old guy of 42 by the name of LTC Gary E. Luck who would rather play golf than return my calls.<br />
<br />
Oh, wait, I meant cranky retried 4 star General Gary E. Luck.<br />
<br />
Perhaps, his stature is why.<br />
<br />
<b>THE 101st AVIATION GROUP </b><br />
<br />
Ounce per ounce, at the time the 101st Aviation Group officers in charge was more like a general officers club. Why I even knew them was because my wife worked for them and they knew me from all the work I did with the Fort Campbell Courier. <br />
<br />
The names below either knew me by first name or knew of
my photographic reputation or worked for the 101st Aviation Group. They
also became Commanding Officers of the 101st Airborne Division:<br />
<br />
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5178938711856788469" itemprop="description articleBody">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<li>MG <a class="new" href="http://www.blogger.com/w/index.php?title=John_N._Brandenburg&action=edit&redlink=1" title="John N. Brandenburg (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;">John N. Brandenburg</span></a> March-78 – June-80</li>
<br />
<li>MG <a class="new" href="http://www.blogger.com/w/index.php?title=Jack_V._Mackmull&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Jack V. Mackmull (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;">Jack V. Mackmull</span></a> June-80 – August-81</li>
<br />
<li>MG <a class="new" href="http://www.blogger.com/w/index.php?title=Charles_W._Bagnal&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Charles W. Bagnal (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;">Charles W. Bagnal</span></a> August-81 – August-83</li>
<br />
<li>MG <a class="new" href="http://www.blogger.com/w/index.php?title=Teddy_G._Allen&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Teddy G. Allen (page does not exist)"><span style="color: #ba0000;">Teddy G. Allen</span></a> May-87 – August-89</li>
<br />
<br />
<br />
These men were responsible
for preparing the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault for REFORGER 76.<br />
<br />
Except for John N. Brandenburg, the rest were either Lieutenant Colonels
or Colonels when I knew them.<br />
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I was and still am very proud to have know or have worked with all of them </div>
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<br />
<br />
<b>A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FUTURE 4 STAR GENERAL </b><br />
<br />
I'm over on the tarmac over at Fort Campbell Army Airfield.</div>
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</div>
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A C-5A had
just landed and I was there to take images of it. I did my usual 360
around the aircraft. Once I was done and had all the images I wanted.</div>
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But I
had to wait on LTC Gary E. Luck to get a ride back to the 2/17th Cavalry
-- it was five miles on the other side of range road. I could have
caught another military cab or walked along Range Road and left him there. <br />
<br />
But what I was seeing was to comical to not want to stay and watch -- incomplete disbelief. It was the most comical thing I had seen in years. </div>
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<br />
Apparently, the rest of the 101st Aviation Group thought to do the same thing.<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's my boss inspecting the C-5A like he had never seen one before.<br />
<br />
You know, come to think of it, he probably hadn't.</div>
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</div>
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He was all over it.<br />
<br />
In the wheel well, looking at tires, walking
through the C-5A, going up to the top portion of it and peering out from
up top where the chief flight technician would peer out of as the plane
taxied along.<br />
<br />
About that time, I think it was Colonel Charles W. Bagnal, but it didn't matter, because all of them that knew me were future General Officers, walked up behind me.<br />
<br />
"Sergeant Edwards, isn't that your boss," he asked in a voice of "What the hell is he doing".<br />
<br />
Shaking my head, "Can I plead on the 5th, sir?<br />
<br />
We both got a good chuckle out of that one.</div>
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<br />
<b>ONWARD AND UPWARD</b><br />
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For years now, I've been wanting to prove the fact that the below images were taken by me.<br />
<br />
Below is a link to my published in Army Aviation Digest in December 1976:<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.rucker.army.mil/avjournal/1970/1976/AVN_DIG_1976_12.pdf">http://www.rucker.army.mil/avjournal/1970/1976/AVN_DIG_1976_12.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks to Army Aviation Magazine, I can prove it.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L4DMpLCk-Og/WhQC0t3NMlI/AAAAAAAA7x8/J2ywdx4N5dIXXT42JaiWHyhYcs164r2WgCLcBGAs/s1600/Image4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="647" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L4DMpLCk-Og/WhQC0t3NMlI/AAAAAAAA7x8/J2ywdx4N5dIXXT42JaiWHyhYcs164r2WgCLcBGAs/s1600/Image4.PNG" /></a></div>
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<br />
As for me at this juncture, aside from having a picture taken with General Brandenburg, I was awarded an Army Accommodation medal and a Commanders Certificate.<br />
<br />
I never did get an Air Medal although I had plenty of flight time under my belt. <br />
<br />
But my best rewards: The fond memories of working with the best men and women who helped me breathe life and stories into my world with the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault.<br />
<br />
RIP Emily Bell Sanders, Col Burnett R. Sander II and Col John A.G. Klose. May your memories live on both here and for the rest of my time. We certainly, were "Out Front".Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-57502605891334267372017-11-20T07:30:00.000-06:002017-11-20T07:30:41.709-06:001973 to 1975 -- Air Mobile to Air Assault Part 2What to you is good leadership? Is it a guy with a gun who could shoot you if you got out of line? Is it a wet behind the ears officer our of West Point, OCS or ROTC? Or is it the kind of man who has been there, done that and lived to tell the tale?<br />
<br />
No, none of the above.<br />
<br />
Good leadership is a man or woman in the position of power that remembers your name in a group of 17,000 names: Generals John N. Brandenburg, Gary E. Luck, Sidney B. Berry and Teddy Allen and so does Col Burnett R. Sanders fall into this category.<br />
<br />
Good leadership is a man or woman who recognizes you for your good traits, your skills and talents and then supports you beyond what you thought you could do: Col Burnett R. Sanders falls into this category.<br />
<br />
Good leadership is a man or a women who let's you fall on your face, picks you up and says, "Let's try not doing that again, shall we?": Col Gerald E. Lethcoe and Col Burnett R. Sanders both fall into this category.<br />
<br />
And last, but not least, good leadership -- especially in the military -- doesn't try to publicize himself or herself. Although they could have their own publicist. Instead, its the actions, the achievements and the wide assortment of unique individuals who are down in the trenches so to speak who deserve the publicity. Col Burnett R. Sanders is another fine example of this.<br />
<br />
Starting to see the trend? There's one bubbly mess -- I say this in total respect for her -- Mrs. Emily Bell Sanders, whom which provided me in more than one occasion with some pretty cool human interest articles and in humorous hot water with a West Point Officer by the name of Major McDermont. Not to worry, I still had my head on my shoulders after the incident.<br />
<br />
So this primary MOS 67Y20 Cobra mechanic decided in January of 1974 decided to offer his services as the 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry with a nick name of "Out Front".<br />
<br />
Having no idea what I was about to get myself into, I told at the time LTC Sanders why I should be the Squadron stringer and pointed out some of my achievements including the Army Times article on visiting an orphanage and the photo feature in Rendezvous with Destiny.<br />
<br />
Up to this point, I always saw the 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Commanding Officer as a headliner. With the Colonel's name first, the squadron second and the men last. So I tried a Ego Charm on him and that backfired. In one of those looks that only he could do, "Do you think you can do stories about my men and not me?"<br />
<br />
"Yes, sir."<br />
<br />
"Good", he smiled. "Let's go to work."<br />
<br />
And that we did. I was now in charge of our news releases, our Out Front news letter, being at promotions to take pictures, taking images of our color guard, pictures of our role in the Air Assault in action demonstrations, and, of the utmost importance, doing photo-features on our soldiers performing their jobs.<br />
<br />
Now, I had to sell myself to Division Public Affairs.<br />
<br />
So, I introduced myself to LTC John A.G. Klose and to a man by the name of Shepard who was the editor of the Courier Post.<br />
<br />
The one thing I learned in Nam was I had an natural eye for taking images. Not quite up to the technical level one would call professional. But the talent was there. I just had to learn all the technical stuff. I also knew that "no" didn't always mean no. It meant at the moment, no.<br />
<br />
Shepard basically, blew me off with "We have plenty of good images, we don't need yours."<br />
<br />
Wanna bet?<br />
<br />
I was also very honest with LTC Klose so he paired my up with a SP5 by the name of Chuck Drake who helped me hone my skills as a writer.<br />
<br />
Our unit was jammed packed with thousands of amazing stories to tell.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the way the system worked back then, the reporters at Division Public Affairs thought mentioning the unit in a single story was the only story to be told in an entire year. 52 issues of the Fort Campbell Courier and you get honorable mention once a year???<br />
<br />
How much do you want to bet that was about to change as well?<br />
<br />
There was another goal that LTC Sanders had. And while all this PR stuff was going to mature over the course of the next 18 months into something even I couldn't have predicted in a million years even with an active imagination.<br />
<br />
He had tremendous impact on raising the bar on troop morale within the ranks of the soldiers he
commanded. The best description here would be "Your role as a cog in the wheel" briefings. <br />
<br />
While initially met with some
resistance by Troop Commanders, the Troop Commanders were soon to
realize these briefings improved enlisted understanding of the role each
one played in the success of the Troop. This resulted in a more
effective combat ready unit and stronger sense of unit pride.<br />
<br />
Looking back on my time in Vietnam, the one thing that flat lined Esprit De Corps was the noticeable gap in knowing what the unit's mission was.<br />
<br />
"What's your mission, son?"<br />
<br />
"Don't know sir. I just get up in the morning, go to work and do what I'm told to do."<br />
<br />
Which parallels the song lyrics of Country Joe and The Fish, "Its one, two, three what are we fighting for? I don't know and I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam."<br />
<br />
Very reflective. And just as damaging to soldier's morale.<br />
<br />
I tasked five solders with the duty of handling their news releases and directed them to LTC Sanders wishes of having a news release filled out correctly by each soldier regardless of rank.<br />
<br />
With all of this in place, with my own recognition of my strengths and weaknesses, from a public affairs management perspective, I knew what my strengths and weaknesses were, where I stood with the division Public Affairs Office and I knew what course of actions I needed to take to turn those "nos" into "yeses".<br />
<br />
Normally, at this point, I would simply summarize and say that we are responsible for the shift in public affairs duties and job description but Col John O'Brien Retired at the Don F. Pratt Museum tells me there is a gap in the historical information. So, part three of the Air Mobile to Air Assault <br />
will be my best effort in remembering what the Squadron did between 1974 and 1975.<br />
<br />
Suffice to say, by the time it was all over with and I was on orders to go to Germany, I had one image published on the cover of Army Times, close to 120 images published in the Fort Campbell Courier, Hopkinsville New Era and Clarksville Leaf Chronicle.<br />
<br />
I also received a Commanders Certificate and an Army Accommodation Medal for my work. When I was ready to get out of the Army, I got a call from Department Of Defense from a Colonel there who told me to put my fingers together. He told me I was that close to changing the entire way the public affairs system worked.<br />
<br />
I thought he was pulling my leg and ETSed. Here's the job description. Get rid of the web stuff, add the local newsletter and try finding one of these at division level. Nope. They are assigned the various units.<br />
<br />
Public Affairs Specialist (46Q) <br /><br />Job Duties<br /><br /> Research,
prepare and disseminate news releases, articles, web-based material and
photographs on Army personnel and activities<br /> Gather information for military news programs and publications within your unit and around the Army<br /> Develop ideas for news articles<br /> Arrange and conduct interviews<br /> Write news releases, feature articles and editorials<br /> Conduct media training<br />
<br />
I guess they weren't pulling my leg after all.Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-13085978727578265402017-11-19T12:41:00.001-06:002017-11-19T12:41:10.228-06:001973 to 1975 -- Air Mobile to Air Assault Part 1I'm going to change hats for a moment and talk about the reasons why vulnerability and changes in our tactical operations had to be be addressed. <br />
<br />
At the time, providing tactical support for our soldiers on the ground when they could, pardon the play on words, see the whites of the NVA eyes, did equate to saving American lies.<br />
<br />
To this day, I don't think we lost one pilot based on having clear daytime sight of the battle below our Cobras and the attack runs began at 3000 feet and ended at 1500 feet with the other Cobra rolling in and protecting the first as it climbed back up to 3000 feet.<br />
<br />
The real problems ere with having to do night time sorties when a flair ship was involved and we had to artificially light up the target area. And where our Cobras were lower than 1500 feet and forced to do fire suppression missions -- similar to what the Cavalry was doing -- to get those MEDIVACs into a hot LZ so our soldiers could get prompt medial attention and not bleed out on the ground. <br />
<br />
<br />
Significant changes to regarding the way the 4/77th Field Artillery would perform our mission was in the wind. And, after the <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Khe Sanh fiasco,</span></span> for good reason. I think someone once related it to an "organized cluster fuck."<br />
<br />
Khe Sanh and LAM SON 719 was, a wake up call. But it wasn't the first time the vulnerability of our helicopters to intense enemy fire revealed itself. The downing of a CH-47 over Firebase Ripcord which pretty much sealed the fate of that Firebase was a moment when vulnerabilities <br />
<br />
Here's the point, for some reason, the "higher ups" envisioned our helicopters as being "less vulnerable" with us having air superiority then they actually were. Indeed, air superiority didn't include surface to air missiles or an enemy with a bow and arrow with a wire attached to it could bring down a helicopter just as easily.<br />
<br />
Finally, with the purpose of the Cobra as an Aerial Artillery firing platform quickly coming to an end, with that concept being highly successful, attention was being turned to NATO and how the concept could be applied to the European confrontation of the 40,000 armored vehicles the WARSAW Pact had amassed against the NATO forces.<br />
<br />
26 May 1972 was the day the first TOW Cobra was used in Vietnam and proved to be a system capable of extending the distance between an armor target and the TWO Cobra. That distance was 2.1 kilometers or just short of a mile. Armored vehicles were vulnerable, easy targets.<br />
<br />
And this was the beginning of a new evolution in the history of US Army Aviation. One that would totally involve me in ways I couldn't even begin to conceive much less wrap my head around when it did slap me in the face. <br />
<br />
The General most responsible for the pushing for the anti-armor attack helicopters is General George S. Blanchard.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uiBMzIS545g/WhHCSyqpXKI/AAAAAAAA7AI/ug5WRXGOy6sTGePolFrI8GUemiWdq1C5ACLcBGAs/s1600/George%2BS.%2BBlanchard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uiBMzIS545g/WhHCSyqpXKI/AAAAAAAA7AI/ug5WRXGOy6sTGePolFrI8GUemiWdq1C5ACLcBGAs/s320/George%2BS.%2BBlanchard.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
The 2 star General beside him is General Pat W. Crizer. The photo was taken by me. I was with the 3rd Combat Aviation Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division during the time the 3rd Combat Aviation Battalion went from provisional to operational.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--6a7CinxdWg/WhHFj9wfQlI/AAAAAAAA7AU/bZVS_y4HVR8HddLB-rOQF7_ND1Rb9QdTgCLcBGAs/s1600/QModel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--6a7CinxdWg/WhHFj9wfQlI/AAAAAAAA7AU/bZVS_y4HVR8HddLB-rOQF7_ND1Rb9QdTgCLcBGAs/s320/QModel.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
This image was also taken by me in 1977 in Germany. Published in Army Aviation Magazine. <br />
<br />
<br />
We were the mold so to speak for all future Combat Aviation Battalions in Europe and the ones coming from the states. And that would include the 2/17th Cavalry and the 4/77th Field Artillery which was soon to become the 229th Combat Aviation Battalion. All units would have 21 TOW Cobras and each battalion would consist of three units.<br />
<br />
By the time I ETSed in 1979, we had gone from slicks to blackhawks and the Apache was on its way. <br />
<br />
So, that pretty much sums up what I know about the evolution of the Cobra I knew in Nam and the Cobra I took pictures of between 1970 and 1979. And while the 2/17th Cavalry isn't the 4/77th, the line in the sand, so to speak became less and less clear over time.<br />
<br />
There is one LTC by the name of Burnett R. Sanders that without him and the help of LTC John A.G. Klose, the Division Public Affairs Officer, the rest of my legacy and my photographic work would never have happened.<br />
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Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-9081410637333470362017-11-18T12:50:00.000-06:002017-11-19T10:20:17.158-06:00Khe Sanh - Killing is our business and business was good.Since the Vietnam war was officially over on April 30, 1975, I think it is only fitting to work through the transitions which shaped the paths both I and the 101st Airborne Division went through to finally get back together.<br />
<br />
1971 LAM SON 719<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Lam_Son_719">Here's the link to a good read on LAM SON 719.</a><br />
<br />
There are battles such as Hamburger Hill and Ripcord which should have taught us not to use our radios to broadcast "were coming" in such a profound way that the enemy had tons of time to prepare its house warming party.<br />
<br />
The enemy had been listening to radio chatter all the way through the US involvement and as far as I'm concerned that lack of understanding on our side was responsible for more American soldier's deaths than any other factor during the war.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, having to stay at Phu Bai for a couple of days while Da Nang had to deal with a typhoon was enough time for me to notice a lot of ARVN troops being dropped off by C-130s.<br />
<br />
In-other-words, something was up. I just didn't know what it was yet until Time Magazine in March of 1971 with a picture of F.Scott Fitzgerald was on the cover playing Patton in a movie.<br />
<br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>AT
Khe Sanh, the distinctive pump and whir of hundreds of helicopter rotor
blades began at 7 a.m., even before the morning fog started to lift. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Drowsy pilots walked out to their UH-1 Hueys and malevolent-looking OH-6
Cobra gunships, checked out the oil levels, the instruments and the
control linkages, and then strolled back to their tactical operations
centers. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>The call to combat came as it has almost every day since the
Laotian operation began, well before mid morning. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>At the heavily
sandbagged T.O.C. of the 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery, 101st
Airborne Division, blond, mustachioed Warrant Officer Fred Hayden, 27,
set down his cup of tea and sprinted out onto the oil-soaked pad. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Zipped
into his brown flame-resistant flight suit, he had already scrambled
into the front seat of his Cobra by the time Copilot Ronald Lee Walters,
22, clambered into the rear. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Within two minutes the Cobra was bound for
Fire Base Ranger on a hilltop eight miles inside Laos, where South
Vietnamese troops were trying to fight off a North Vietnamese attack. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Walters
dipped the Cobra's nose and rolled out to the northwest. A set of
scrambled alphabet letters came in over the T.O.C. radio, and Hayden
pulled out his "Whiz Wheel" decoder to decipher the grid coordinates of
his mission. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>As their chopper raced over the bomb-pocked Laotian
countryside, a second Cobra pulled up alongside. Twenty minutes later,
the Cobras arrived over a scene of total chaos. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>As Hayden and Walters
carved circles in the sky several thousand feet above the fire-scarred
hilltop, they watched errant rockets from choppers already on the scene
blazing into friendly and enemy positions alike. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Other ships, including
Medevac Hueys, milled around the Ranger landing zone but were unable to
penetrate the murderous curtain of fire. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>The
pilots pushed the Cobra into a steep dive. Before they pulled up—at
about 500 ft.—Walters had fired two pairs of 2.75-in. rockets into enemy
positions. Diving again, Hayden let go with his 7.62-mm. mini gun
against a pocket of North Vietnamese caught in the open near the
perimeter wire. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Terrified, the Communists scattered back into the tree
line, leaving 15 bodies on the ground. There was another strike, then
another and another, until Hayden had expended his entire 2,500-lb. load
of ordnance. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>By noontime, he was back at Khe Sanh to refuel, rearm and
wait for the next assignment. </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Hayden
was lucky at Ranger, where, as he puts it, "nobody knew what was going
on.'' In the week-long battle for the hilltop fire base, a number of
U.S. helicopters were shot down, and more than a few of those that
wobbled back to Khe Sanh were thoroughly shot up. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Since the Laotian
operation began on Feb. 8, the loss rate of U.S. helicopters —normally
about one per 16,000 sorties —has quadrupled. So far during the Laos
operation, Communist gunners have knocked out no fewer than 61
helicopters, about 10% of the fleet originally committed to Lam Son 719. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>More than 160 other birds have been brought down but later hauled back
to their bases by other choppers. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>A total of 31 U.S. crewmen have been
killed, 44 wounded, and ten listed as missing</i></b><span style="color: black;">.</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
What caught my eye back in 1971 was: "Killing is our business and business is good."<br />
<br />
After that I couldn't stop laughing. Swiss cheese has less holes in it than this story. What did we do? promote the OH-6 to gunship? I mean, yeah, I know the OH-6 can have a mini gun but when fired actually spins the OH-6 in the direction it fires.<br />
<br />
But okay, the article did say gunship, so all is good. NOT!<br />
<br />
<br />
Its an AH-1G Cobra. "This is my rifle, this is my gun. This is for shooting, this is for fun." We learned, in a rather embarrassing way in basic training to distinguish between bullets and cum. I only wish the press could learn the difference between our artillery Cobras and our gunships.<br />
<br />
Now, boys and girls of the press, repeat after me, "This is artillery and this is a gun. This supports ground troops and this kills for fun."<br />
<br />
Sigh.<br />
<br />
And if you are reading this for hysterical reasons, this is how it works. The infamous "gunship" scenario worked like this:<br />
<br />
An OH-6 --light Observation Helicopter -- would buzz around near the ground in attempts to get shot at while two Cobras would be flying at 3000 feet in a holding pattern. If the OH-6 started getting shot at, it would pop smoke and pull straight up. The Cobras would then roll in with their 30 calibers and mini guns and make mice meat of the area where the smoke grenade was dropped.<br />
<br />
Our artillery AH-1G Cobras, on the other hand were configured in what was called the heavy hog configuration. Meaning, we carried 72 pairs of rockets -- 10 and 17 pound pairs-- and either two mini guns or two 40mm grenade launchers -- often referred to as "chunkers" or 1 of each.<br />
<br />
The other distinction between the the 2/17th Cavalry and the 4/77th Field Artillery was the way each was painted. The Cavalry had red, white and blue color bands that wrapped around the back end of the tail boom. The Artillery had red, white and blue arrows. Each had three units assigned to to them. That Cavalry were called troops and the Artillery were called Batterys.<br />
<br />
So, it was, indeed, possible that three two minute sections could be brought to bear on a target if the concentration of enemy solders required it. <br />
<br />
<br />
This configuration placed a large damper on the amount of time we could be on station. Also, because our mission was to provide artillery support, the pilots were given grid coordinates and communicated with friendlies on the ground for further clarification on where they wanted the rockets to be fired for best effect and deadly force.<br />
<br />
Due to the time constriction we had additional sections -- a section was 2 Cobras -- that were set to go into action at various time intervals: 5 minutes, 15 minutes and standby. The most a section could stay above the target area was 15 minutes. But that was predicated on the distance away from a refueling point.<br />
<br />
The farther away from a refueling point the less time we could spend above a target. Also, if the concentration of enemy forces on the ground were high enough that additional support was needed, not only could our pilots call in another section, they could also call in additional air support.from the Air Force.<br />
<br />
What boggled my mind was the "god" like manner in which the story is written. Almost as though the author was writing a movie script and was flying with the Cobras.<br />
<br />
NEWS FLASH<br />
<br />
Some idiot -- and we won't mention his name because we're too embarrassed to say it was one of ours -- duct taped himself to the belly of an OH-6 Cobra (or should that be AH-1G Cobra) and was killed by 1000 bullets (wait that's our killer bees story) to wit the pilots after landing said,<br />
<br />
"Well, he saved our lives. A real hero in my books" and then while peering at the remains said,<br />
<br />
"Somebody get a body bag."<br />
<br />
Oh, I'm laughing way too hard.<br />
<br />
Seriously, I don't know of any situation where we would take a civilian -- press included -- into a combat mission. It just doesn't happen. While I have been in the front seat of a Cobra myself taking pictures of rockets, mini gun rounds and 40mm gernades heading for ground zero, it was done during SERTS training at Camp Evans.<br />
<br />
The press corps is pretty much kept out of harms way and allowed to interview the pilots before and after a combat mission. So the entire story is, well, fake news.<br />
<br />
MEAN WHILE SOMEWHERE NEAR THE OK CORAL<br />
<br />
Okay, about 20 minutes away, the now promoted to SP4 wife of mine with her 96B20 intelligence Analyst MOS hears about the Army want some of the soldiers to come back to the flock and will give them back their old rank.<br />
<br />
Civilian life sucked and so I joined back up for 3 more years.<br />
<br />
No body really had a real job for me and being assigned to Headquarters at Fort Huachuca was politics on steroids so if you looked at someone the wrong way, you were told to look for another place to work. Took two for me to find a job I could stand for longer than 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
The first, a desk jockey job working on Fort Huachuca's version of Army directives Fort Hucahuca style.<br />
<br />
The second was working at the post museum.<br />
<br />
But the 3rd stuck. I became the custodian of all the classified documents for the Fort Huachuca Emergency Operation Center. Per instructions, I downgraded 450 documents from classified to top secret. When done, there was an inspection and I got a letter of appreciation.<br />
<br />
I was also there when 12 cars loaded with 500 pound bombs blew up just east of Benson, AZ. I believe it was the only time the EOC went operational. Knowing I was also a photographer, I volunteered to take images of the cleanup.<br />
<br />
With my MOS -- per my request -- changed back to 67Y20, I also asked and got assigned to the 101st Airborne Division which was now back home at Fort Campbell, KY.<br />
<br />
With my wife discharged from the military because she thought she was pregnant, I was really excited about being back with a real combat division. But I wasn't going back to the 4/77th, I was on orders to be assigned to the 2/17th Cavalry. While a bit disappointing, it proved to be one of those cases where the impossible was made possible and a wonderful blessing in disguise.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-84004098964612091892017-11-17T20:48:00.000-06:002017-11-18T08:09:52.454-06:00Vietnam -- Legacies begin to matureI'm not one for complaining. Only people with time on their hands have the luxury of doing that.<br />
<br />
What I will say is there was no room for a 200 mile per hour brain in a 30 mile per hour state side, just do your time and get out assignment.<br />
<br />
So you leave Vietnam with your entire body on 24 hour alert and get assigned to the United States Army Intelligence Center and School. Thrown into a 71T20 MOS -- thank you Craig Geis --you suddenly are forced to stand down, learn a new job and try to understand your reason for having to have a Top Secret Crypto clearance.<br />
<br />
The smell of burning human waist is replaced by the scent of female perfume, you hear more women's voices than you have heard in a year in a minute. Your mind sends you flying under the table at the slightest unannounced bang or pop around you. You trust no one.<br />
<br />
Not even yourself.<br />
<br />
You come back to the states but you're still over there and you have no friends. Everyone thinks your strange. A bit off color. Slightly out in left field. Definitely, a loner.<br />
<br />
You are.<br />
<br />
You're a Vietnam Vet.<br />
<br />
Fresh out of round pegs fitting in square holes. Seeing, smelling and touching more lives and crap in ten minutes than the whole of the soldiers your working with have ever seen or will never see.<br />
<br />
You have the right to be strange. You also have the right to learn how to deal with and work on the fact that you're back in the States and in a job position just as challenging as the one you left in Vietnam. You just have to settle down and settle in.<br />
<br />
Still, in the back of your mind, there are deep mental wounds that will follow you to the grave.<br />
<br />
These soldiers actually slept in beds with springs and a mattress!<br />
<br />
You stop asking for the Monday dose of the malaria pill, when you would get assigned a weapon and start marveling at the wide assortment of mess hall food. Life in the Stateside world of the US Army does have its perks and female assets.<br />
<br />
But just when you're thinking everything is starting to come together, you get told the US Army Intelligence Center and School is moving from Fort Holabird, MD to Fort Huachuca, AZ.<br />
<br />
"Isn't that in the desert?, I asked upon hearing I would be part of the advanced party.<br />
<br />
I pictured sand dunes, scorpions and sidewinders.<br />
<br />
Later, I would include, copperheads, large centipedes, black widow spiders, and tarantulas.<br />
<br />
All my fears were sadly disappointed as I got off the airplane at Tucson International Airport, <br />
<br />
While a desert environment, nothing like the images I had conjured up. And while it seemed a bit out of line, I was glad I brought my sweaters and overcoats with me. The high was 74 in Tucson. It would be 66 at Fort Huachuca.<br />
<br />
Not as cold as it was at Fort Holabird -- that damp cold winter air I grew up in but a dry kind of cold that turned out just as dangerous to be exposed to.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most notable aspect of the move was we were taking over an old hospital area where the movie Caption Newman MD was filmed. <br />
<br />
<i><b>Capt. Newman (Gregory Peck) is a kindhearted military psychiatrist
who decides whether disturbed soldiers are ready to return to combat in
World War II. Of special concern to him are a war hero (Bobby Darin)
plagued by guilt for the death of his friend, a commander whose
casualties weigh heavily on <span class="_dgc">his conscience and a
captain rendered catatonic after hiding in a basement in Nazi Germany
for a year. While Newman tries to mend their psyches, he has ethical
doubts about returning them to battle.</span></b></i><br />
<br />
It had an all star cast including Tony Curtis, Angie Dickinson, Bobby Daren and Robert Duvall.<br />
<br />
A many of the illnesses depicted in the movie we lump together today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.<br />
<br />
You can see the entire hospital area from the air in the beginning of the movie. Sadly, today, the only thing left is the motor pool. The Army tore the rest of it down.<br />
<br />
So there I was staring at another blank slate -- not knowing about the hospital that was once used for a famous movie -- wondering what the rest of my time in the Army would be in this god forsaken place and hoping my epitaph wouldn't find me at Boot Hill by the time it was all over.<br />
<br />
You know the strange thing about going with the flow, embracing every job, every detail with a positive attitude, life returns the favor.<br />
<br />
In the up coming months, I would meet SP4s with PhDs, and one with a degree in Architecture who advised me to not go into that field because all he could get is a bartender job. And one civilian by the name of Jim Hughes who was a GS13, a good friend and my boss.<br />
<br />
I inherited 450 Adler typewriters, took over the job of contracted products such as IBM Selectric typewriters, recorded and maintained all of our spy equipment, running the equipment over for routine maintenance and maintaining our logistical supply room.<br />
<br />
How much better can your job get, right?<br />
<br />
It got even better -- or worse, depending on your point of view -- and then a lot better.<br />
<br />
Joseph Pickard, the architect and I were given a building and told to remodel it. You get two architects together, throw in a LT hell bent on creating tie dies for the windows, you're going to come up with one of the weirdest, coolest buildings.<br />
<br />
It was called Country Joe And The Fish. Its walls were black, the ceiling international orange, we decked it out with black lights, used the tops from old foot lockers as ash trays, turned a few upside down and placed some 3/4 inch plywood on the top for a band stage.<br />
<br />
We did have a large parachute in the center but the fire marshal told us to take it down. I don't know how the band heard about us but they sent us a plaque.<br />
<br />
Now, you're probably wondering who allowed us to do all of this. It was our Battalion CO who was one of the coolest and "hip" men I have ever met in the Army.<br />
<br />
One night he decided to have a tell me what is on your mind night. The climax of the night was a PFC who was now working with me who said, "In all honesty, Sir, Not only do I don't want to be here. I hate wearing the uniform."<br />
<br />
Well a West Point Officer lost it. "That's it, I can't take this anymore," he yelled, as he flew out of the building as thought shot out of a cannon.<br />
<br />
The Colonel waited a minute and then said, "I don't know who that was but he better have a letter of apology or a left of resignation on my desk in the morning."<br />
<br />
The men gave the Colonel a standing ovation.<br />
<br />
He said three words after that "Settle down, gentlemen." They did and the room got so quite you could have heard a pin drop.<br />
<br />
I honestly think, for a lot of the men who had a negative attitude towards the military and their superiors changed dramatically for the good that night.<br />
<br />
But a lot of West Point Officers think it was the darkest moment in the history of USAICS.<br />
<br />
What was historic was the honorable Stanley Rogers Resor, then Secretary Of Defense visited our building and signed his name in the center of the building.<br />
<br />
There are sometimes when I do the craziest, I know it was wrong, things. Like the time I was on KP duty and an E-6 had an emergency and he needed someone to get some money to his wife and he had no transportation. Technically, I didn't either as my CO told me not to drive my motorcycle until I got a valid drivers license. He begged with tears running down his eyes.<br />
<br />
I'm a real sap for self destruction. Bottom line, the First Sergeant saw me and, well while I saved the day, I didn't save mine.<br />
<br />
One month later, in May, I was promoted to E-5 and I had my motorcycle license.<br />
<br />
In June, the school officially came on line and I just bought a brand new 650cc Yamaha. I was really tied of having Harleys blowing past me while I'm red lining a 350cc just to get it up to 65. It was fun blowing Harleys off the line. Sure, they could catch me and still blow past me. I just liked having fun with my Yamaha when the light turned green..<br />
<br />
Also, USAICS officially opened its doors to a small group of women with GT scores that passed the top end of my motorcycle -- clocked doing 120 once. I got, how should I say this, intimately cozy with two. One introduced me to the other. That other had a GT Score of 150. I married the one with a GT score of 150. And have been married to her ever since. Her name was Mary Annar Garner. <br />
<br />
There were some rocky moments. Like when I was told to report to a mean ass looking E-8 from the Marines who told me to stop dating her or I would be put in orders to Korea. Not kidding.<br />
<br />
Or the time two CID men in civilian clothes were sitting in the area where I worked and asked me if I knew PFC Mary Garner. After I said yes, they told me she had gotten beat up and that it was a racial issue and to not retaliate.<br />
<br />
I sighed in relief their interest was not with my interest in her but how I would react. "So how bad did she get beat up."<br />
<br />
"She's got some bumps and bruises. Nothing she won't get over in a few days."<br />
<br />
"Gentlemen, I can assure you that while I am sorry that she got beat up and I will be with her after work, I have no interest in any kind of retaliation."<br />
<br />
"That's all we wanted to hear."<br />
<br />
Next thing I know, I'm on orders to go to Korea. We had two options. Get married or get married after I got back from Korean.<br />
<br />
We got married. <br />
<br />
Remember the PFC I told you about who didn't want to wear his uniform? He was my best man and the girl who worked for me, SP4 Shelly Dillon, she was the best women. We got married on August 27th, 1970. The same day a rather famous Photo-journalist died: Margaret Bourke-White.<br />
<br />
A name and a reputation I learned about after I left the military in 1979 which we both paralleled with some eerie similarities.<br />
<br />
Anyway, for then next couple of weeks after getting married, I leaned out the 450 Adler typewriters to 10 and I donated some of my black and whites images of some cacti to the school library.<br />
<br />
<br />
When Richard Nixon decided to shorten my time in my service contract from May 1st to December 1st, with only 60 days left, the Army decided that I needed to train my replacements.<br />
<br />
That's right, that is a s at the end of the word.<br />
<br />
A Lieutenant took over the job of contracted
products such as IBM Selectric typewriters<br />
<br />
An E-6 was tasked with the job maintaining our logistical supply room. <br />
<br />
An E-5 recorded and maintained all
of our spy equipment<br />
<br />
An E-4 took on running the equipment over for routine maintenance<br />
<br />
As for me, I was awarded a Soldiers Medal and a handshake when I ETSed.<br />
<br />
I would have preferred a Rolex.<br />
<br />
What I missed the most was the whine of the Cobra
turbine, the throaty sound the Cobra makes in the sky, the whoosh sound rockets while hurtling towards ground zero, and
the resulting thunder generated by the explosions of the rockets as the
reach their target.<br />
<br />
Its the notion that as a combat soldier you are part of a bigger picture and a key player in its success that gets ratcheted down when you come home to stateside duty with all its politics weaved into every moment.<br />
<br />
USAICS was not the 101st Airborne Division. <br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, Fort Hucahuca means thunder mountain. So, I guess a got a slice of what I missed. But for as long as I live, I know the difference between the way men become in a combat zone and the way man who have never been there. I'd use the word "pansies" as a descriptor and comparison. But I know the real battle scared soldiers, the 11Bs used the same word on us.<br />
<br />
Its is all relative. Its all Army and as I said earlier, the strange thing about going with the flow, embracing every
job, every detail with a positive attitude, life returns the favor.<br />
<br />
Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-27612731514205249832017-11-16T07:46:00.000-06:002017-11-16T07:47:47.886-06:00Vietman -- Hospital Ship Sanctuary: There are some things you can't forgetMost of us who went to Nam pretty much figured out we weren't in front of our TVs watching John Wayne getting reincarnated, The Lieutenant or Sergent or for that matter any show where the hero somehow manages to show up all clean, in one piece and just hankering for another peacemaker 12 noon showdown.<br />
<br />
Took one filled body bag, the destruction of 122 rocket or the smell of freshly spilled blood to slap you in the face with the facts of war. Glory flew away like the parrot did in Pirates of the Caribbean in the face of oblivion crying out "Abandon Ship". The echo went on for a good 30 seconds as it faded in the safety and tranquility of the cloaking mist. <br />
<br />
It got replaced with a full tank of survival. I don't think Steven King could conjure up a script of his worst nightmares to equal what some of us saw or lived through over there. None of us expected to live, all of us expected to die. There was no in between.<br />
<br />
But for a lot of us who didn't have an 11B target attached to our backs, who didn't have to carry a radio while on patrol -- even bigger target in bright colors --, being in the larger areas such as Camp Eagle and supporting our infantry counterparts kept most of us out of harms way from enemy face to face combat and gunfire.<br />
<br />
We just had to deal with enemy 122mm and 140mm rockets, their mortar rounds and our own psychopaths who used marijuana as their drug of choice and would kill you without hesitation if you looked at them sideways.<br />
<br />
So being a non-drinker or a marijuana user, you were pretty much a loner. Weave into this time spent playing ping pong with the bored officers, running around the flight line until 2am and making coffee and you pretty much have my daily routine.<br />
<br />
Almost.<br />
<br />
Add, to this my daily duties of helping to rebuild our unit after May3rd and I've pretty much covered the basics.<br />
<br />
One thing I left out. I have a lazy left eye. And it turned in when I was tired. While it kept me from guard duty while doing my special assignment, it raised eyebrows when I was transferred over to headquarters as the Battalion Stringer.<br />
<br />
So the powers to be decided that I should see an Ophthalmologist to decide whether or not I was legally safe to perform guard duty with technically one eye.<br />
<br />
So, I was told to report to the Medivac pad and fly out on the chopper at 9am.<br />
<br />
SANCTUARY<br />
<br />
This is an image of the ship:<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
This is what it looked like to land on the back end of it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
The Sanctuary<i> </i>rotated between stations, such as Da Nang, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phu_Bai_Combat_Base" title="Phu Bai Combat Base">Phu Bai</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu_Lai" title="Chu Lai">Chu Lai</a>, and <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dong_Ha" title="Dong Ha">Dong Ha</a>. The ship was close to Phu Bai on the day I was flown out to it.<br />
<br />
Keep in mind that this ship was a Navy ship and its primary mission was to support the Marines. Not sure when that started including Army.<br />
<br />
Anyway, you could actually feel the tension as we got close to the Sanctuary and asked for permission to land. And I think you can appreciate why. The ship was long meaning swells could bring the back end of the landing pad up and down by 10 feet without warning.<br />
<br />
So you didn't want to hover long above the platform.<br />
<br />
Also a bit unnerving is to have sailors crouched behind metal protection while holding fire extinguishers.<br />
<br />
Since we didn't have any wounded, we were instructed to evac the chopper as swiftly as possible and do the same between the chopper and the ships entrance way.<br />
<br />
WELCOME TO THE HALL OF HELL<br />
<br />
For me, this experience was like a living oxymoron. Here I was on a hospital ship -- with no combat related wounds, who works for a Battalion whose sole purpose is to kill the enemy within 5 meters of our friendly forces -- whose sole mission is to save lives.<br />
<br />
I really felt out of place. Really, really, badly out of place.<br />
<br />
A few moments later after sitting down an orderly comes along and asks why you are there and for papers. About the same time you want to go to the bathroom, the alarms go off.<br />
<br />
There is a rush of humanity to helipad. Like a tide going out, they come back in with a gurney, the ARVN officer and an American Officer talking to him in Vietnamese.<br />
<br />
He died a few minutes later. They pulled the blood colored sheet over his head.<br />
<br />
Later, an American soldier was wheel chaired past us, was taken down the hallway and was clearly drugged into senselessness stupor. A few minutes later coming from the direction where he was taken, wailing screams of pain and anguish sent chills down my spine. Like the pain I felt when I broke my arm in three different places.<br />
<br />
I can only summarize that he was told of the extent of his injuries. The half blown off foot was one of them.<br />
<br />
After a while, we were told about the mess hall (which I'm sure, that's not what it is called on a Navy ship or maybe it is) and that we would be processed through after that.<br />
<br />
I don't think any of us were hungry after what we just went through. I just asked where I could go to the bathroom and grabbed some coffee at the mess hall. <br />
<br />
When it was my time, an orderly came to me and told me to follow him. We walked through an open bay where men were recovering from their wounds. I saw men with chunks of skin missing and lots of bloody bandages. Many had smiles on their faces as they were glad to be alive -- and probably still high from the drugs given to them to overcome their pain.<br />
<br />
The ritual of seeing the Ophthalmologist was one I was familiar with. Eye drops, eye chart, which lens is better, this one or this one or this one?<br />
<br />
So much a routine I could do it myself.<br />
<br />
The Ophthalmologist comes in, flips through the charts and says, "I see you have amblyopic left eye.<br />
<br />
"Yes, sir. I was diagnosed with it at the age of 6. When I get tired, it turns in. I've learned to live with it."<br />
<br />
"Well, apparently, the Army hasn't. How well did you shoot in basic?"<br />
<br />
"Sir, Sharpshooter with the M16, Marksman with the M14."<br />
<br />
"Okay, so I'm going to approve you for guard duty. How would you like 20/50 in your left eye and learn how to strengthen your muscles so it doesn't cross in?"<br />
<br />
So, he ordered me a pair of prismatic lenses to help the two eyes work together and told me about some exercises I could do to strengthen the muscles.<br />
<br />
I was never so happy to get off that ship!<br />
<br />
<br />
TWO DAYS LATER<br />
<br />
So, I'm out in evening formation for guard duty. Both Headquarters and B Battery soldiers were in that formation and so, the guys frm B Battery started ribbing me about whether or not I had a bolt in my rifle.<br />
<br />
12 midnight and we're given the green light for what we call a mad minute. We were allowed to fire our rifles. The wind was blowing over the B Battery soldiers. One of my rounds accidentally went through the CS gas container in front of me and it was white phosphorous tipped tracer round.<br />
<br />
They weren't happy with me.<br />
<br />
Few weeks later, they got back at me by firing an M79 CS gas round at me. And I almost got an article 15 for destruction of government property.<br />
<br />
Is there such as thing as an accidentally with prejudice? <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
AN INTERESTING READ<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.vietnamwomensmemorial.org/pdf/magallagher.pdf">Below is a from this PDF.</a> from the nurses who were on board the Hospital Ship Sanctuary. For all of those who were on that ship, I salute you all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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USS SANCTUARY (AH-17)</div>
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The SANCTUARY was the second hospital ship recommissioned for Vietnam service<br />
<br />
SANCTUARY arrived on station in April 1967 with 29 nurses assigned and served in this capacity until November 1972. <br />
<br />
If the American people could only have experienced what it felt like to be present when<br />
our young men were dying, they would not have to ask me - should you have gone to Vietnam?<br />
<br />
To be the last human being to whisper some words of comfort into their ear, the last one <br />
to touch their cold hand or wipe their forehead, was a privilege afforded to<br />
me.<br />
<br />
(Juel A. Loughney, USS SANCTUARY, March 1968-1969)<br />
<br />
The Blood of Heroes I cared for each as though my brother.<br />
No time to cry, must tend to another, and another.<br />
Time has passed<br />
I still recall<br />
your courage, <br />
your struggle and <br />
your fall.<br />
Rest in peace, your war now done<br />
How brief your life—as the setting sun<br />
(Helen DeCrane Roth, USS SANCTUARY, 1968)<br />
<br />
We cleared out several surgical wards to make room for an influx of troops with malaria. <br />
These men had fevers up to 106...the ship was on "shower hours" for water conservation. <br />
The corps men found a wrench so we could turn on the showers to cool them<br />
off<br />
(Jane McGrath Bolduc, USS SANCTUARY, 1968-1969)<br />
<br />
U.S. Navy Support Activity,Da Nang, South Vietnam<br />
<br />
The first Navy nurses reported to the station hospital at Da Nang in August 1967 which was<br />
to become the largest combat casualty treatment facility in the world with 600 beds<br />
and admissions of 63,000 patients. The Da Nang hospital was turned over to the Army<br />
in May 1970.<br />
<br />
My year at NSA Da Nang taught me much about people. I remember the bravery and endurance of the wounded and the concern for their Marine “buddies”. In pre-op many would ask about members of their platoon and were they OK? I think we care-givers: corpsmen, doctors, and nurses were able to work so well under adverse conditions because of support from and concern for one another. So many times that support was in the form of being a good listener. I am proud to have served in Vietnam. That tour was the most difficult and the most rewarding in my nursing career.<br />
(Florence Beatty, Da Nang, February 1968-1969)<br />
<br />
<br />
Outside the Combat Zone the care-givers continued their work. Once stabilized the most<br />
seriously wounded were flown to hospitals in the Far East and at home in the U.S. Our<br />
story continues.<br />
<br />
I was overseas at Naval Hospital Guam in 1966-1968. My most vivid memories are<br />
threefold...caring for the massive numbers of patients...so many facing bleak challenge in their future...the hospital corpsmen, getting them ready for Fleet Medical School and then on to Vietnam, with their high morbidity and mortality rates. And the most traumatic of all the long suppressed dread accompanying the duty of my husband, a Marine stationed at Da Nang during the Tet offensive and how I would tell our <br />
sons if something happened to their father.<br />
<br />
While you think you have dealt with all those dreadful feelings-mine were triggered again and all came roaring back when we deployed a thousand Navy nurses to the Persian Gulf, the largest number since the second World War. And finally after what seemed forever getting all one thousand safely back home. Each subsequent experience of war can become more devastating and there is a cumulative price that one<br />
can pay for the rest of their lives.<br />
(Mary Fields Hall, Director, Navy Nurse Corps, 1987-1991)<br />
<br />
<br />
I was a “novice” nurse when sent to US Naval Hospital,Yokosuka, Japan in April 1968. Our patients, mostly Marines and Navy hospital corpsmen, were “fresh from the field.” They’d been triaged and initially treated, but were generally a day from the horror. When I think of those two years in Japan,<br />
<br />
I remember all those young men - thousands of them - rows and rows in perfectly lined-up beds on open wards - serious, sad, scared...desperate...eyes - some to recover and return to "Nam", more evac’d to the States, once stabilized - many never to recover - the open wounds that defy description - how could they survive those wounds?<br />
<br />
I remember - the 19 year old triple amputee who planned to be a sculptor - before the war - before he lost both arms and a leg <br />
I remember - the smell of Pseudomonas<br />
I remember - the pain of dressing changes<br />
I remember - the cries in the night<br />
I remember - their nightmares...their memories...memories<br />
they often couldn’t describe - only their tears told<br />
<br />
During those 2 years I learned the senselessness of war and understood the loss of innocence of all who were there - who listened, who cared.<br />
(Mariann Stratton, NH Yokosuka, April 1968-70, Director, Navy Nurse Corps, 1991-Present)<br />
<br />
When I think of Vietnam, I immediately remember being a young LTJG to care for the POWs upon their return. Privileged to be one who helped fill in the "information gaps " and listening as these men described their lives and existence for the past 57 years. Their tears of joy and sadness; their fears of the past and hopes for the future; their need for comfort and support! <br />
(Mary Houser, NH Portsmouth, VA, 1973</div>
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<br />Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-85516501442224762442017-11-14T17:14:00.000-06:002017-11-14T17:45:36.579-06:00Vietnam -- Retirement humorSome humorous thoughts: <br />
<br />
You know you're really old when a 1 Star General looks like a kid from your high school year book.<br />
<br />
It isn't bad being 68. I just wish I had planned things out past that really old age of 30.<br />
<br />
If you think wages in Nam was bad, try living off of Social Security.<br />
<br />
We are officially not on borrowed time anymore. We bankrupted that sucker.<br />
<br />
You know you've done gone over the hill when people call up asking where to send the flowers.<br />
<br />
When the joystick replaces the cyclic, you're cursing aloud as you crash the chopper for the 1,000,000 time, and the game comes up with a flashing congratulations screen announcing "WOW, You've smashed up more chopper that we can count!", you might want to try something less damaging to that male ego.<br />
<br />
When a 1,000 piece puzzle takes a day for you to figure out how to unpack it, get the candy out and promise them candy if they finish it for you. Just remember, to keep the last piece for yourself.<br />
That way, you can eat the candy and honestly say you finished the puzzle yourself.<br />
<br />
When the grand kids ask you what you did in Vietnam, ask them what they did in their mother's womb. Then, take pictures of their facial expressions.<br />
<br />
You know your getting old when your Social Security number is the first on the last list still alive. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-46862152055840567982017-11-10T07:01:00.001-06:002017-11-10T22:03:27.890-06:00Vietnam -- You have to die to get better.While working in Lake Charles, LA at the CITGO Refinery on a turn around -- that when we go out to rebuild a unit so that it can be run to the ground by the company only to be rebuilt over and over again -- I over heard some CAJUN's talking colorfully about their youthful past.<br />
<br />
They were talking about sneaking out behind the shed drinking warm beer and chitlins and just how sick they got from the aftermath. As usual one was besting the other on the amount of warm brew and pork skins. Well, when one realized the other had bested him on torquing up the amount of dumb ass, he asked just how sick he got and the other said:<br />
<br />
"Son, I had to get better to die."<br />
<br />
The beauty of being a writer is the one liners one gets from people is we get one liners from real people that are so cool, interesting and amazingly useful that you couldn't make them up on your own if you tried. <br />
<br />
That one topped my list. Not because it came from a Cajun but because it can be applied to almost any dare devil exploit one could possible conjure up today and in the past as a fixed point on anyone's time line.<br />
<br />
It is like saying "A fate worse than death" or "Give me liberty or Give me death" and then taking the person up on the literal death plenty side of the equation to see just how far that got the speaker of such sayings besides being bagged and tagged for the 6 foot under inevitability.<br />
<br />
Seriously, it is tons of fun for a writer to have the grey matter concoction of a motive to run head on into fate. Like the F-4. It really doesn't take a lot of brain power to realize the purpose and design of the jet fighters at 500 miles per hour is not to fly into highly reinforced concrete.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqP2qRfmoQA">This is an F-4 Phantom.</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZjhxuhTmGk">This is a F-4 Phantom on drugs</a> <br />
<br />
I was going to say that it doesn't take a rocket scientist -- but in truth, I think it did.<br />
<br />
Total structural failure results when the physical energy of an equal and opposite reaction is not absorbed fast enough by the object to maintain is integrity at 500 miles per hour while hitting a solid wall. The result being: the hardware becoming vaporware.<br />
<br />
And you thought only software could be called vaporware.<br />
<br />
<br />
By the way, the second link goes into a myth busters segment that shows a high speed projectile slicing through a car. And for a split second, the car just sits there cut in half. Then the energy of the projectile is seen being absorbed by the vehicle.<br />
<br />
The massive energy exerted into it and through it, the vehicle starts to move in a vaporizing fashion and in the same direction of projectile that went through it. Interestingly enough, there were more pieces of the car left than there was of the F-4.<br />
<br />
These crash tests are aimed to make sense of deadly impacts. If not
make you laugh hysterically as the laws of physics get proven true.<br />
<br />
Imagine
an F-4 made out of rubber. There still would be no resemblance of what
it was after hitting wall at 500 miles per hour especially if it is
still being driven into the wall by an engine hell bent on vaporization.
Even rubber would super heat and be vaporized.<br />
<br />
<br />
So what's the point?<br />
<br />
Bullets are aimed to kill. Bullets are dispatched from a gun at the speed of sound. That's faster than 500 miles per hour. These small but deadly projectiles are directed with extreme prejudice at a human body. While that body might be moving at the moment the bullet leaves the gun,
it will probably stop upon impact.<br />
<br />
Still, that's not my point. <br />
<br />
Human beings are not designed to have any kind of flesh destructive objects pointed at us and used to inflict bodily damage. Chemicals or fires out at the refinery can be just as dangerous and just as deadly. <br />
<br />
We do live in a world of hazards. There is no getting around that. But sometimes, we get reckless, toy around with the notion that we can cheat death by making decisions which have unwanted consequences.<br />
<br />
But sometimes, too, we have no control over the outcome of our decisions that we make. We are lied to, make commitments based on a full spectrum of data that could help make the right choice obvious, and just plain committed to learning the hard way.<br />
<br />
Living based solely on passions, emotions or stimulus and response patterns can put a spin on life as being mystical and fill one with a sense of self worth and purpose with destiny.<br />
<br />
The truth is, none of this is true.<br />
<br />
The reality of life is the continuum of your life, your children's lives and their children. To make them feel safe and, to pardon the use of a star trek quote, live long and prosper.<br />
<br />
The problem is two fold for a lot of us Vietnam Vets, we haven't been able to move past the war.<br />
<br />
Not so much on the basis of mental anguish but because no matter what we have tried to do, most of us are finding out that we gave up a retirement check from the rich so they could get richer and we're now forced to live solely on social security therefore be poorer than dirt.<br />
<br />
I and a whole bunch of other soldiers from that era have never owned a house, got anything from the GI Bill and haven't capitalized on a retirement paycheck from Uncle Sam for exposure Agent Orange, Post Dramatic Stress or anything.else that could be justified as a pension from the military.<br />
<br />
Why haven't we? Are we too proud, too worried to be turned down, never had the down payment to own a home?<br />
<br />
I don't think thjat's the problem. I think it is because we were forced at an early age to work for the man because one of the two parents responsible for being there fore the baseball games and such was being totally irresponsible and we were programmed to fill in the monetary gap. Many of us, were also physically and sexually abused.<br />
<br />
Hard to build male individuality when the people who could have helped you do more did the reverse.<br />
<br />
Hopefully, you're starting to see where I'm going here. And just as hopefully, you'll also understand.<br />
<br />
It isn't our ability to do what we have to do to make the best years of our lives better, we don't know the real truth or the steps to take to get there.<br />
<br />
Also, a lot of us Vets who could have gotten a lot more out of life wound up being married to the sum of our worst fears and the willingness to not become the leader of the house.<br />
<br />
Not the women's fault as much as our own for one very important reason: we didn't know how to deal with women who love to drown your aspirations with their guilt trips.<br />
<br />
And let's face it, if the true sense of purpose in life and married and have children isn't it also the responsible thing to make sure they were raised better than we were and better to deal with the morons we had?<br />
<br />
A kind of mirror, mirror on the wall. We were hoping for commotion instead we got emotional baggage. It is the moment when you wake up and realize the the better half is you not knowing how to take charge of all the little things which make your life happy and meaningful and then taking responsibility for it that you realize your worst enemy isn't your wife but you. That's when all of the chaos and the child like behavior you have learned to live with becomes the enemy. That's when you stop looking for orders from someone else and learn to take the bull by the horns.<br />
<br />
That's when you stop being a mentally wounded soldier of misfortune and start building your own Rendezvous With Destiny.<br />
<br />
That's when you can say, "You had to get better to die."<br />
<br />Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-28264823708665259062017-11-08T07:01:00.002-06:002017-11-08T07:01:38.977-06:00Vietnam -- It was my evil twinThe one thing you get to know as fact when you're on everyone's radar is that it isn't what you do that people remember, it is what you did not do or got caught doing it wrong.<br />
<br />
On one hand, you can't say, "the devil made me do it" or "it was my evil twin" when you get caught with your pants down. On the other hand, you can't be perfect either. You can make mistakes and you can have your bad days.<br />
<br />
Problem is, you can get remembered more for your mistakes than for all the positive things you've ever done for them.<br />
<br />
Why am I pointing this out?<br />
<br />
Because of all the positive things I did for the 4/77th, none of my efforts ever got recognized. No letters of appreciation, no Army Accommodation Medals, no Air Medals, and no hand shakes for a job well done.<br />
<br />
<br />
Vietnam, the one place where stand up and be recognized, valor, bravery and going beyond the call of duty totally was not normal; failed me. <br />
<br />
Sure, SFC Valentine and I had our moments, yes, I was once told by our Battery XO to slow down while driving through the Battery area. <br />
<br />
But how does that equate to diminished or lack luster recognition for basically saving the unit from not being combat ready, racking up tons of hours on the flight line without being told to from 8am to 2am every day, 7 days a week and dealing with anguished officers or rebuilding our entire unit? <br />
<br />
It doesn't.<br />
<br />
When I got involved as a stringer for the battalion, I got them publicity in Stars and Stripes, Army Times and Rendezvous With Destiny Magazine.<br />
<br />
Again, no recognition for doing this in 90 days.<br />
<br />
Compare this to the following:<br />
<br />
Between 1974 and 1975, while working for the 2/17th Cavalry, I got published in the Fort Campbell Courier, Army Times, Clarksville Leaf Chronicle and Hopkinsville New Era<br />
<br />
This netted me a Commander's certificate and an Army Accommodation Medal.<br />
<br />
In 1976, while assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, I supported the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault with pictures that got published in the Fort Campbell Courier as well as other national and international publications and was put in for an impact Army Accommodation Medal but was turned down by the 3rd Infantry division because I just got one.<br />
<br />
Between 1976 and 1977, while assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, I got the unit publicity in Army Aviation Magazine, EurArmy Magazine, Soldiers Magazine and others. I also got the unit on American ABC News.<br />
<br />
That netted me another Army Accommodation Medal.<br />
<br />
In 1978, while assigned to the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault, I supported the
101st Airborne Division Air Assault with pictures that were used by MG John M. Brandenburg for his after action report on the Task Force 229th role in the 1978 REFORGER Exercise.<br />
<br />
That netted me a personal letter of recognition MG John M. Brandenburg himself.<br />
<br />
Funny thing about all of this, the one person who could have done something is still alive today. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-87559071595949917852017-11-07T07:02:00.000-06:002017-11-07T07:02:58.276-06:00Vietnam -- According to this, we are all dead Sometimes what I'm about to add to this blog just cracks me up.<br />
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<br />
Since I and a lot of other fellow 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Officers and enlisted are still alive in 2017, the generalization of the attrition rate really doesn't make much sense.<br />
<br />
First off, anyone serving time in Vietnam between 1968 and 1972 was most likely between 19 and 22.Which means that roughly 75% of the soldiers were in the baby boomers age bracket.<br />
<br />
The 390 per day figure <br />
<br />
The rest we WWII and Korean War Veterans who needed 20 to 30 years in service before they could retire. These professionals would be pretty much dead by now. They would be 88, 89, 90, 91 and 92.<br />
relative to the 20 year old in 1969, 1970, 1071 and 1972.<br />
<br />
With the average lifespan of a male being 74, when the 2009 figures were compiled, the age range for them would have been 80, 81, 82, 83 and 84. In other words, they were pretty much dead between 1989 and 2009.<br />
<br />
<br />
2,709,918<br />
677,454 92 per day <br />
2,032,364. 24 per day<br />
<br />
So why is 390 wrong. Well, if you take <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">9,087,000 and divide that by 2709819 you would get 3.36 and multiply 92 * 3.36 you get 309.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Do the same for 24 * 3.36 and you get 80.64 or 81. Add 309 to 81 and you get 390.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span> <br />
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<br />Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-3459628618903964842017-11-06T20:41:00.004-06:002017-11-07T23:08:20.267-06:00Vietnam -- Three incidents that were totally true and totally not made upIf you were to ask me what three incidents really did happen that aren't made up three come quickly to mind.<br />
<br />
<b>THE DAY TWO PILOTS WERE SAVED FROM SURE DEATH BY HOLDING ON TO THE ROCKET PODS AND SKIDS</b><br />
<br />
This happened either the last week in March or the first week in April, 1970.<br />
<br />
Sometime between 9am and 11am, Warrant Officer Joe Maxsom had what we helicopter mechanics call an idiot light came on basically saying that he had no oil pressure. Which equates to a transmission seizure and the helicopter taking all the flight characteristics of a rock.<br />
<br />
Generally speaking, if oil temp doesn't show an increase in temperature, then the chances are good the idiot light has, once again, proven its name.<br />
<br />
At this point, the Tactical Operations Officer advised Maxsom that it was up to him to decide what to do next but strongly suggested to bring the Cobra back to our pad.<br />
<br />
Maxsom decided to land the Cobra in an open area he thought was his best option.<br />
<br />
Warrant Officer Fredrick Cappo was in the second Cobra and was able to see clearly what was going on. As soon as the Cobra landed, it started taking heavy enemy fire.<br />
<br />
He called it in, landed beside the crippled Cobra, and the two pilots jumped on the skids of Cappo's Cobra and were flown out of the hostile area on the rocket pods and skid.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, back at the pad, we had officers and enlisted racing to their Cobras for a chance of some enemy kills and to blow up the stricken Cobra.<br />
<br />
Warrant Officer Cappo dropped the two pilots off in a safe location and returned to engage the enemy.<br />
A medevac picked up the two pilots of the downed Cobra and brought them home to our pad.<br />
<br />
<b>THE DAY A COBRA CRASHED, RETURNED TO BASE AND LANDED WITHOUT SKIDS </b><br />
Up at Camp Evens an AH-IG Cobra had taken off on a fire mission and began its firing run. When the pilot pulled up on the collective, it didn't respond. Apparently, someone forgot to remove a pair of pliers and it jammed between the swash plate and the scissors and sleeve assembly.<br />
<br />
Upon hitting the ground the pliers removed itself from the cobra -- as did the skids -- and the pilot regained control.<br />
<br />
Rocket boxes were placed under the Cobra and the Cobra landed on the boxes. It is unclear how the top heavy Cobra was stabilized so that it didn't just fall to one side or the other. But no other incidents related to the incident were recorded.<br />
<br />
<b>SO WHY ARE YOU WHISPERING?</b><br />
<br />
Believe me, I couldn't make this one up if I tried. Although a couple of journalists have tried to place this incident at a later time, the fact is, this incident happened while I was still with B Battery, 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery. <br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">I also wrote it up as one of my very first stories I did as a stringer for the Battalion. And, it is totally true.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Apparently some ARVNS -- those are the Vietnamese friendlies -- observed some -- 208 -- NVA --enemy soldiers -- take shelter in some empty huts. Hearing one of our Cobras they talked to the pilots which I could hear with my radio. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear the ground chatter. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">The key response that got me back in the jeep and head for all sorts of euphoric chaos was a question the pilot asked: "Why are you whispering?"</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">When that pilot started whispering back I was gone.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">I think everything that was flyable was up in the air that day and us guys on the ground were running back and forth across the flight line to keep the Cobras armed with plenty of rockets. Some of the Cobras weren't from B Battery, too.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">With the ARVNS on the ground, we were able to get an accurate kill count. The tally was 208 with no friendlies killed. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">A hell of a day. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
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Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-37781005815816838552017-11-05T19:19:00.000-06:002017-11-14T10:09:21.884-06:00Vietnam -- The Legand Of Craig Geis<br />
When ordinary people are put into unusual situations and they and everyone around them survive, we call that camaraderie. When exceptional people are put into dire circumstances and everyone around them survive, we call that good leadership.<br />
<br />
But when one person takes action -- risking life, limb and career progression for the good of everyone else despite the outcome on the person taking the action -- the impact of those actions change lives. We call that heroism.<br />
<br />
Craig Geis took it to the next level.<br />
<br />
How?<br />
<br />
Because, despite our differences in rank, upbringing and passion driven survival instincts, we were both hell bent on making the impossible happen.<br />
<br />
Okay, so you're probably thinking, alright mister ego riding writer of this praise of Craig Geis, aren't you implying that the two of you are equal as one?<br />
<br />
No. Which is why I've decided to add this additional information to point out the distinct differences.<br />
<br />
Think of our "relationship" as me being a professional tackle who does his best job at protecting the quarterback. Who gets the glory for the touchdowns? The quarterback.<br />
<br />
The famous MASH also had a character albeit fiction performing role. Radar was similar in many ways to my role as the clerk who kept the quirky officers and the Army system running smoothly despite the discord among the players.<br />
<br />
But when someone mentions MASH, Hawk Eye or Hot Lips comes quickly to mind. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, stereotypes are also a form of prejudice. Things like rank, how many awards you have won, how much time in service, whether or nor you fit into a group smoothly and conditions such as whether or not you play into social expectations all fit into one concept.<br />
<br />
So, when you don't fit into the mold, you find similar souls with similar conditions and you do your best to fit in.And I can tell you right now, if you had a GT score of over 100 and you have already been in the business of managing a flying club in High School, you have no business being an enlisted man or women.<br />
<br />
Especially, when you organized a 30 person flight from Moorestown, NJ to Lock Haven, PA in private airplanes so that they could be given a tour of Piper Aircraft by Bill Piper Senior himself.<br />
<br />
I still had to spend $120 of my own money to get the last three up there and Bill Piper was right, it did take an entire year of planning and, yes, it still tried to unravel at the end.<br />
<br />
So, ya, I had my glory moments but, now, I'm thrown into a world of organized chaos where I have to play the game of being an enlisted. So, I got over it...for a while.<br />
<br />
Then there are those who -- for want of a better way to describe it -- are driven by their genes. And that's where this story begins. The place where I or the gentleman I'm about to introduce you to got away with making the impossible, possible the insane, sane and the unbelievable, believable.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
Because we are doers. Screw politics. Screw the system. Let's get the job done and go home in one piece.<br />
<br />
We don't look pretty on TV or try to get credit for things we didn't do. But we do go above beyond the "what is expected of us" and we pray those around us don't sense our objectives before we got to "borrowed time" or the finish line.<br />
<br />
Yes, I knew I was an enlisted soldier. Yes, I knew I had to play that position. No, it didn't mean that I was going to play it forever or after work hours no one cared about what I did or how I did it.<br />
<br />
I had room to do what I wanted to do. That is what keep me going. All I really cared about. Craig Geis had a career. I had an <span class="st">expiration - term of service (ETS).</span> So the overtime I did on the flight line at night, as much as it sounds in-congress, provided me with a sense of pleasure out of doing so.<br />
<br />
I just didn't realize just how much the night time playing field was going to so important for both myself and Craig Geis and the future roles fate would have us working together in. We were players playing for keeps.<br />
<br />
So hopefully, from all of what I just said, you know that my role was far different than his. And that what I'm going to cover from now on is only how we reacted to the events which we found ourselves in survival mode. Craig Geis the quarterback, me being a lineman. <br />
<br />
<br />
One last thought before going into what really did happen. I have been a bit eerie about openning up and talking much about these incidents and not for the reasons you might think. Not because I was afraid of him or anything like that. But because the situations, as incredible as some might sound, did happen and they might have generated the wrong kind of image for both him and myself.<br />
<br />
<br />
His nickname in Nam was "The Animal". How that nick name came about, I have no idea. But from my point of view, I didn't want to find out either.<br />
<br />
We enlisted folks didn't come
up with official nicknames for the officers. These were generally
ordained by fellow officers. What I do know about him as an officer and a friend is that I would following him through hell and back without question.<br />
<br />
Between meeting him in March of 1970 and today, this one tall
man, now bald headed hunk of a guy has had more impact on me and my life than even my mother and
father. He is a man of integrity and a man who wears his passion and his beliefs like body armor. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>THE EVENTS THAT LED TO US MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME</b><br />
<br />
Basically, the story starts off like this:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>I hate being lied to</li>
<li>I hate being told you are trained to do a job but can be assigned anywhere</li>
<li>I hate being told while you are trained to be a Cobra mechanic, there's none to work on so your going to work on big fat ugly slicks or wash jeeps or mix kerosene with human waste and light it because you spoke out of hand. </li>
</ol>
<br />
I had the worse plate of pissed off you could have and there was no cure. At least, that was what I thought at the time. <br />
<br />
So, I told my mother about washing trucks -- during the monsoon season -- and not having any work as a Cobra mechanic on
Cobra helicopters. <br />
<br />
I was just complaining to my mom...or so I thought. That letter went from my mother to my father to Congress and to the
Pentagon and back down the chain of command. I was told to go find a job with a Cobra unit.<br />
<br />
Guess my dad kind of forgot to mention the John Clark was in our family tree (Lewis and Clark). <br />
<br />
<br />
But the part about the congressional, that didn't happen until a AH-1G Cobra actually did come to A Company, 5th Transportation with the results of a sudden stoppage and hard landing. On top of that,<br />
there were only two of us qualified to work on it. Me and E-5 who was on special assignment.<br />
<br />
For me, this was my chance to prove my skills as a helicopter mechanic and completely rebuild a AH-1G Cobra from the ground up on my own. So between me and TI-Joe -- that's what we called him -- I wrote up all the things need to be replaced and rebuilt it. Had some help from hydraulics and prop and rotor. <br />
<br />
Replaced the tail section, engine, transmission, Swash Plate, Scissors and Selve assembly, the lolly pops and performed all of the nuts and bolts replacements by the book. TI-Joe signed off on everything including my safety wiring (which I'm pretty terrible at).<br />
<br />
Took the entire slick crew an entire three days to go back over and look for problems. They found none. This got me a lot of respect from A Company, 5th Trans. Something that would help me later on. But more importantly,impressed he heck out of an E-8 by the name of Sergeant Solomon who begged me to stay and he would let me work on anything I wanted to work on.<br />
<br />
I felt like a pissed off E-7 by the name of Sergeant Valentine -- still talking stink about my encounter with an IBM punch card reader -- that basically ate the 21 punch cards like breakfast cereal -- was a historical disaster. <br />
<br />
What I didn't realize at the time -- despite the fact that I proved my ability to literally rebuild a Cobra from the ground up -- that same certain E-7 was to transfer over to the same unit I, too, was about to become part of.<br />
<br />
This particular E-7 was the reason why I decided to transfer in the first place.<br />
<br />
Had I known this, I most likely would have taken up Master Sergeant Salomon's pleading request for me to stay.<br />
<br />
As a mechanic, yeah, I am that good.<br />
<br />
I actually watched that AH-IG Cobra come over to the refueling point for refueling. The perfection left me in awe and amazement.<br />
<br />
As a helper in the computer area, I crashed and burned. <br />
<br />
But, then, there would be no story here and besides, life probably would not have been so much fun!<br />
<br />
So, I arrive, get assigned a hooch and go to formation the next morning. To my rather shocked surprise, there he -- SFC Valentine! -- was and there I was assigned to trash truck detail for an undisclosed and much undesirable length of time.<br />
<br />
Do you know how much C-4 the infantry soldiers threw away!!!? I figured if the stuff compacted together in large wad of C-4, there would be a crater in the ground 5 feet deep and 20 feet across!<br />
<br />
And that was just one day!<br />
<br />
Despite the fact that one of the prettiest French\Vietnamese girls I had ever seen was between me and the driver -- I even entertained taking that beauty home with me -- it was the fact that what I had just accomplished with a Cobra and the look of amazement on Sergeant Soloman had on his face, I knew I had to talk to someone about a course correction on my career.<br />
<br />
So, I talked to LT Craig Geis.<br />
<br />
He was taller than most officers in our Battery. And he listened to my story. Little did he or I realize it at the time -- regardless of what our true intentions were -- him wanting a desk jokey for his operations section and me wanting a Crewchief job -- I doubt very seriously that either one of us had any idea as to what April of 1970 to July of 1970 had in store for either one of us.<br />
<br />
We did, in fact, have an uncharted and certainly not planned Rendezvous With Destiny.<br />
<br />
While that sounds quite dramatic, the story lines about to follow are as true as I can make them.<br />
<br />
And we both didn't have much of a choice in what was about to expire.<br />
<br />
<b>SECOND WEEK IN APRIL</b><br />
<br />
This was actually a pivot point. The Army sent down orders to change the split cone tail rotor bearings on our AH-1G Cobras to a modified solid version of the bearings. These failed and everyone had to go back to the originals. Only problem is, there wasn't enough of them to go around.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<br />
In order for us to be combat ready, we had to have enough AH-1G Cobras flyable. We were one short. There was a bit of convincing on my part that I knew where I could find a pair despite the fact that there weren't any around.<br />
<br />
"Okay," began Lt Craig Geis, "Take the jeep and get us this pair you claim you can get but don't come back if you can't."<br />
<br />
What they didn't know is another fellow helicopter mechanic who worked on slicks had a pair of Cobra push pull bearings in his pocket. And when I asked him why he was carrying around Cobra bearings instead of Huey bearings, he said, "Because someday, someone might need them."<br />
<br />
Either this guy was a Soothe Sayer or he knew something was coming that I didn't know about. Either way, I got them from him. <br />
<br />
Well, I did come back and with a pair of AH-1G split cone tail rotor bearings. You should have seen the look on their faces. I'd pay a thousand bucks for that one image!<br />
<br />
<b>BEFORE GOING ON R&R</b> <br />
<br />
I was tasked by LT Craig Geis to polish off the white paint from a 17 pound 2.75 inch white phosphorus round that would be used to celebrate the 200,000 round fired in Vietnam.<br />
<br />
This was one I had a bit of fun with SFC Valentine. He came into the hooch where I was working on this round, remarked on how well it looked and asked how many times I had turned it. Knowing that after 230 turns in the same direction --I always went back and forth --, I said, "I don't know Sergeant Valentine. I stopped counting after 230.<br />
<br />
It was the second time I've seen a man turn pasty white and the first time I saw one walk slowly backwards and out of my site. <br />
<br />
The day before I left, the round was spray painted with the numbers, put into its container and placed in the back of our hanger. <br />
<br />
<b>3 MAY</b><br />
<br />
Coming back from R&R in Japan, as the C-130 turned over Camp Eagle on final, I looked down in horror at the mess that used to be B Battery. There was nothing but total destruction on and around our El Toro pad.<br />
<br />
No hanger, no choppers, smoke coming out of our Tactical Operations Center. My mind instantly went into guilty mode. I honestly believed I was responsible for the mess I saw below because my round actually did blow up in the back of the hanger.<br />
<br />
I was half temped to stay on the C-130.<br />
<br />
As it turned out <a href="http://4thbattalion77thfieldartilleryafa.blogspot.com/2011/06/vietnam-war-from-officers-perspective.html">Charlie Con was responsible for the mayhem.</a> And I was about to become responsible for rebuilding it. LT Craig Geis gave me a jeep, a PR77 radio with an antenna on it, handed me a CEOI and told me to "Beg, borrow and steal anything you can find that will get us back up and functional...NOW!"<br />
<br />
<b>4 MAY</b><br />
<br />
I'm over at A Company, 5th Trans supply with a laundry list of parts and supplies we desperately need to start the rebuilding when I hear Divarty sending us a Fire Mission, we all looked surprised. I believe one of the people in the supply area remarked, "This is crazy, You guys are officially stood down."<br />
<br />
And as my butt was in motion towards my jeep, I said, "Yeah, I know."<br />
<br />
Two minute later, on an ink black Pad, you could see men running and people yelling. LT. Jeffery Johns had already fired up the turbine and was off the ground in seconds without a front seat.<br />
<br />
CPT Winfrey yelled at me to help get his front seat into the other Cobra. I remember telling him that I would buy him a Coke when he got back, saw him smile, closed the pilot's canopy window and got out of the way.<br />
<br />
I went back over to A Company, 5th Trans and thought nothing but my parts and supplies until I heard LT Jeffery John's voice over the radio. I went down to Da Nang with this gentleman and we talked back and forth. I also went over to the Air Force building where is father worked and pretty much could sense when something was wrong. He sounded pretty shook up.<br />
<br />
I headed back to the flight line.<br />
<br />
I have a tendency to not knock on doors. Especially when its supposed to be our Tactical Operations Center. What I saw were men in tears and our CO talking to Johns. The CO yelled "Get him out of here."<br />
<br />
I left on my on and LT Craig Geis followed.<br />
<br />
"I take it you know what happened, " he began. "Are you okay?"<br />
<br />
I sighed, "Under the circumstances, a bit numb but okay,"<br />
<br />
"Good," he continued, "I am giving you a direct order to get LT Johns down in one piece, wait for him to turn off the engine and if he begins filling out paperwork, get him out of the helicopter by force if you have to and get him over to our medial dispensary, wait on him and bring him back."<br />
<br />
"Yes sir."<br />
<br />
"Your call sign is 13ECHO."<br />
<br />
Well, I did get him down and he really got mad when I threatened to pull him out of the chopper and he yelled at me to and from the medial dispensary.<br />
<br />
LT Geis greeted me after I brought LT Johns back. He said, "Go get some sleep, I'll tell Sergeant Valentine to not bother you in the morning."<br />
<br />
If you have never been dead asleep and someone kicks the crap out of your cot, you can pretty well imagine my mental condition when I'm staring at a PFC with a killer look.<br />
<br />
"Sergeant Valentine wants you up at his formation now."<br />
<br />
As my wife can tell you, I am in no mood to be talked to for the first ten minutes after I wake up.<br />
<br />
This was no exception. In fact, this was beyond no exception.<br />
<br />
"Tell Sergeant Valentine to go get F***ed."<br />
<br />
Wasn't a good career move on my part.<br />
<br />
With the Adrenalin kicked in to overdrive, I could hear SFC Valentine say, "He said WHAT???" With everyone in formation laughing.<br />
<br />
He turned around as I approached and said, "You go report to the First Sergeant, I'm going to have you Court Martialed."<br />
<br />
That didn't exactly work out for him. First Sergeant listened to SFC Valentine, then looked at me. Told SFC Valentine to get out of his office. Then turned his stare at me, "PFC and future SP4 Edwards, I know what you did last night. They are putting you in for some awards. But you ever tell one of my senior NCOs to go get F***ed again and your a** is mine. Get out of my orderly room.<br />
<br />
I never did see those awards he was talking about. But not getting Court Martialed was good enough. <br />
<br />
<b>5 MAY </b><br />
<br />
"PFC future SP4 Edwards how is your rapport with A Company, 5th Trans?" asked LT Craig Geis.<br />
<br />
"Well, they like my war stories and I'm still remembered as the Cobra mechanic who rebuilt a Cobra all on his own. What do you want to me to do?"<br />
<br />
"Take these been bag landing lights over there and get permission to land a section there. Once done, drive back over here and I'll get the Cobras in the air. Do what you did with LT Johns and guide them in. Bring them back over here."<br />
<br />
"Yes Sir"<br />
<br />
<b>19 MAY</b><br />
<br />
"SP4 Edwards"<br />
<br />
"Yes, sir"<br />
<br />
"You are to take our 2 minute section over to B Troop, 2/17th Cavalry. If the Operations Officer gives you any push back, you tell the Operations Officer that you have been given a direct order from DIVARTY to land them there. Bring the pilots back here after they have shut down and the blades are tied down."<br />
<br />
I never bothered to ask if these direct orders were a bluff or not. <br />
<br />
"Yes sir."<br />
<br />
Well, I think his response was, "You aren't landing those Cobras over here, We don't want incoming on our pad."<br />
<br />
I then told him about the direct order from Divarty and that got the approval. I then talked the pilots down to my location by blinking my lights and brought the pilots back over to our pad.<br />
<br />
<b>MIDDLE OF JUNE</b><br />
<br />
After weeks and weeks of finding parts, supplies and all the Army paperwork to get us back up and totally operational, Lt Craig Geis after seeing a couple of our Cobra pilots fly their choppers like they were landing fixed wing planes, he decided that both he and I needed to go to A Company, 5th Trans for a seek and find heavy duty skid pads.<br />
<br />
The mission was simple enough: I kept the supply personnel busy while LT Craig Geis was in the back of the supply room quietly procuring the extra duty skid pads.<br />
<br />
This proved to be anything but quietly procuring. A rather loud commotion was heard -- guess they didn't nick name him "Animal" for nothing.<br />
<br />
To wit I remarked, "Damn monkeys".<br />
<br />
That made the supply personnel laugh and none of them got up to find out what the commotion was. I then did a bit of wheeling and dealing and put the pads in the back seat of the jeep.<br />
<br />
I picked up Lt. Craig Geis on the far side of the building and gave him a look that said my thoughts of that really went well.<br />
<br />
"Sir, look in the back seat."<br />
<br />
Once while trying down one of our 2 minute section Cobras, I noticed that the engine would turn along with the direction I pulled the rotor blade. Normally, the two should be free wheeling, so it concerned me.<br />
<br />
"Sir, I'm not sure this is normal." And I showed him what was happening when I went back and forth with the rotor blade.<br />
<br />
"Looks normal to me," he said and then looked at the engine. Something I hadn't seen. One of the exhaust stationary blades was missing. The engine had FOD or foreign object damage.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Driving CPT Denny Kramp and LT Craig Geis over to Eagle Beach was like driving two kids willing to bash each other with the combat helmets. I could help laughing.<br />
<br />
To wit, CPT Kramp said, "You keep your eyes on the road, soldier."<br />
<br />
I could have charged admission the two were totally hilarious.<br />
<br />
To earn an air medal, you had to log 25 hours of flight time. So, we were volunteered to take flights with various sundry missions. I went up in an OH-6 and the pilot in command told me he was going to Firebase T Bone. After landing at T Bone, the pilot realized he landed on a hot LZ and said something about "coming" and in a blink of an eye, he was gone.<br />
<br />
I'm sitting in a chopper at flight idle while watching white puffs of smoke going up and wasn't sure what was going on.<br />
<br />
The pilot and the ARVNs had a good laugh at me sitting in the chopper. After he buckled back in and plugged back in his mike, "Didn't you hear what I said?"<br />
<br />
"No sir."<br />
<br />
"I said incoming."<br />
<br />
Today, thinking back at that moment, all I had to do is cut my finger on a piece of metal and I would have been awarded a Purple Heart.<br />
<br />
"Oh," I said, "that's what those white puffs of smoke were from."<br />
<br />
LT Craig Geis asked me to create a hydraulic replacement line for one the took a bullet and then fly up to Quang Tri and replace the line. We supported Command and Control North (CCN) there and it was the first time I was that far north. Took all of about 15 minutes to replace the line and we were headed back home.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>END OF JUNE</b><br />
<br />
The only thing left to do is help finish off the new hanger with the Sea Bees and then organize the areas where we will be performing the work.<br />
<br />
We have a new Transportation CO who replaced CPT Denny Kramp. The new CO asked my what my job was and I told him what I had been doing. Looking over at LT Craig Geis, he asked if we really needed me to perform that task any longer and Lt Craig Geis looked at me with that look that said it was time to move on.<br />
<br />
<b>RIPCORD, WHY ARE YOU WHISPERING, INCOMING, AND MY NEW ASSIGNMENT</b><br />
<br />
So, LT Craig Geis suggested that I become the 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery (AFA) stringer.<br />
<br />
<i>WHAT WAS HE THINKING?</i><br />
<br />
I didn't know F Stop from shutter speed. So, I borrowed an ASHI Pentax book from CW2 Fred Capo and started my career as a writer and photographer from there. I don't think Fred ever got his book back although our paths crossed once at the 3rd Combat Aviation Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division and again at Fort Campbell when we were assigned to the 2/17th Cavalry.<br />
<br />
Feeling guilty about the book, I gave Fred my coveted AH-IG Cobra tie that Bell Helicopter (TEXTRON) gave me for all the work I had done as a writer and photographer. Without his book, my photography work may not have been as quick to turn from unpublished to published.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile back at Camp Eagle. We had a few things to worry about:<br />
<br />
One, we were about to support one of the last US Army conflicts in the history of the Vietnam War.<br />
<br />
Two, in doing so, we were about to get some unwanted feedback from Charlie Con.<br />
<br />
Three, I was about to get assigned to Headquarters Company, 4/77th as the battalion stringer...whatever that meant.<br />
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<br /></div>
<br />
<b>RIPCORD </b><br />
<br />
At this point, our unit was totally ready and capable of supporting any mission requiring up close and personal artillery support any of our troops and the ARVNS needed on the ground. <b><br /></b><br />
<br />
We had no idea that what took two gusty soldiers two months to rebuild would also be tested on one of the biggest, baddest confrontations between the The United States and the NVA. <br />
<br />
The evacuation of Firebase Ripcord had us scrambling for almost an entire month. The Battalion had 36 AH-1G Cobra helicopters -- we owned 12 of them and between the 19th of July to the 23rd of July our Cobras were there doing what we were designed to do and we were doing what had to do, non-stop:<br />
<br />
Provide our friendly forces within 10 to 15 meters worth of sure kill protection.<br />
<br />
For us, the war was on! <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>WHY ARE YOU WHISPERING?</b><br />
<br />
I was back over at A Company, 5th Trans closing the books so to speak when I heard one of our pilots having a conversation with<b> </b>some ARVNs on the ground. It went something like this:<br />
<br />
"Roger, understand you have an estimated 208 enemy soldiers held up in straw huts out in front of you. Please identify yourself.<br />
<br />
"Roger, will verify who you say you are. "<br />
<br />
"Roger, we're confirming that right now. Why are you whispering?"<br />
<br />
Replying back in a likewise whisper. "Roger, is this better? Can you still here me?"<br />
<br />
Want to bet where I was in less than 2 minutes? Below is an image taken that day:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G0U1E8VIV0w/WgAD1wsiEKI/AAAAAAAAzso/pV2n_aQL-fkI6qv54ZprdleVnXPleHqEQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Ripcord.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="720" height="586" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G0U1E8VIV0w/WgAD1wsiEKI/AAAAAAAAzso/pV2n_aQL-fkI6qv54ZprdleVnXPleHqEQCEwYBhgL/s640/Ripcord.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Lt Craig Geis had this incredible knack for pulling his little 8mm camera and taking images when no one was looking. The picture above was one of those moments. Aside from me running back and forth with rockets in my hand, this image also shows what I believe was the Battalion Commander about to replace one of the pilots.<br />
<br />
It is not very often that we have a fire mission where literally every helicopter is on station. But if you look around from where this image was taken, there isn't a Cobra one on the pad.<br />
<br />
We got a confirmed kill count of 208 NVA. One of the largest single day kill count for our Battalion through the Vietnam War and this was added to the total kill count of 418 during the siege for Firebase Ripcord.<br />
<br />
<b>INCOMING</b><br />
<br />
Around 2pm I headed over to the Recreational Services Photo Lab. I had some black and whites I wanted to develop. As I walked over to the Photo Lab, I saw an officer walking along the the tar paper covered pallets and yelled to him if it was okay to take his picture. He stopped, put his hands on his hips and waited for me to take his picture. I developed that image and then realized who it was.<br />
<br />
<b>It was General Sidney B Berry.</b><br />
<br />
A General I would soon get to know very personally.<br />
<b> </b><br />
I finished up my development and printing and began the mile trek back over to my unit. It was around 5pm and I heard a familiar sound of incoming rockets. But these didn't come close to landing inside Camp Eagle.<br />
<br />
<b></b>
Never-he-less, the sirens went off and I started running back over to the unit.<br />
<br />
<b></b>
I found LT Craig Geis honking his horn at an empty hootch..<br />
<br />
<b></b>
"Sir, I'm right here."<br />
<br />
<b></b>
"Where the hell have you been? Your supposed to be driving me around the inside perimeter."<br />
<br />
Like I know when the NVA. I ran inside the hooch and grabbed my TA 50 gear. LT Craig Geis drove me around and not the other way. I think he was trying to embarrass me.<br />
<br />
After he calmed down, "Sir, I don't think those were the last of the incoming rounds. This just doesn't make any sense. Not only did they over shoot Camp Eagle almost any time we've gotten attacked, it was early in the morning or between 2 and 3 in the afternoon."<br />
<br />
"I'll keep the jeep over in front of my hooch just in case you are right."<br />
<br />
Just about 9pm, thee rounds came in. I waited until for almost a solid 3 minutes before lurching out the door and running over to the jeep.<br />
<br />
Know that saying that it is the one you don't see or hear that kills you? Well, I almost didn't hear the last one come in. Saw the red flash and felt the heat. It hit just behind one of out Cobras. Knocked my on my butt.<br />
<br />
This time I was in the jeep waiting for him. LT Craig Geis came out of his hooch with his sleeping bag over his head. "Man that was close, where did it hit."<br />
<br />
"Sir, I'll show you exactly where it hit."<br />
<br />
A few minutes later, I did. Warrant Officer Joe Maxim was shoveling dirt on the JP4 when our CO cam out and asked where that last round hit. We pointed to the hole and as he smelled the JP4, he went from smile to rage, threw down his helmet and shouted some expletives that Charlie Con could have heard six clicks away.<br />
<br />
Two days later, the stricken Cobra was sling loaded off of our pad. LT Craig Geis asked me to get him a white smoke grenade. I came back with an incendiary. He wasn't too pleased with my humor.<br />
<br />
On the day I transferred, the CO called me and LT Craig Geis into his office and pulled out a cigar box. Stamped on the top of the box was B BATTERY'S FIRST AID KIT FOR AH-G COBRAS.<br />
<br />
I started cracking up. Both looked at me as to ask what was so funny. And I said, "Sorry Sirs, but after all that we have gone through, a bit of humor just hits the spot."<br />
<br />
The laughter got louder from all of us.<br />
<br />
It climaxed with me saying, "Okay, so where's the paper clips?"<br />
<br />
After regaining my composure, I stood at attention, saluted and said, "Sirs, it has been a pleasure working with you."<br />
<br />
They saluted me back and I left the COs office.<br />
<br />
That was also the last I saw of LT Craig Geis in country.<br />
<br />
<b>LOOKING BACK</b> <br />
<br />
When you are young, there's two things true that I think we all are guilty of. We want to believe we have some sort of control over our futures and we absolutely take things more seriously than we should.<br />
<br />
This is from Craig's article: A view from an Officer's perspective: <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">On assignment day everyone went to a big board and looked for their name and the unit they were going to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">You could hear people saying, “Oh, no not that unit, Wait there must be a mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I was told I would be going to the First Calvary Division but my name was on the 101st Airborne Division list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #274e13;">A
young Private First Class (PFC) came out and said “Everyone shut up,
the Army doesn’t make mistakes so pack up your gear and get on the truck
marked with your unit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #274e13;">I found out I was going to B/4/77 ARA located in Northern I Corps at Camp Eagle. I got in a jeep because I was alone and boarded a C-130 transport and flew from Saigon to Phu Bai Airfield.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span> </span></span></b><br />
<br />
Me, in Craig's shoes, I would of told that jerky PFC off and forced him to recognize my rank with a sir. Damn bean counters.<br />
<br />
But that's not why I added this piece of his story with his. I did this because it shows I was not the only one who was promised one thing and when the disappointment if the lie is realized, you find yourself accepting the truth:<br />
<br />
In the Army regardless of rank, they can do anything they want and you can't do a damn thing about it.<br />
<br />
The strange thing about acceptance of unexpected fate, you've got no where to go but up and become a force to be reckoned with. That's the way I see Craig Geis: A legend in his own time.<br />
<br />
<b>POST VIETNAM NOTE</b> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is a picture of me and my daughter in front of an Apache. She is a Material Science Engineer and worked for Boeing in Mesa, AZ. She also worked on the Dream Liner up in Redmond, WA. <br />
<br />
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<b> </b> Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-4035812425353326372013-03-24T13:44:00.000-05:002017-11-05T01:20:59.019-05:00Vietnam Fiction -- Day One DeadFrank Oz woke up, shot his alarm clock with a finger gun and hit the floor. <br />
<br />
Around him was chaos. A private war around him told of organized promises that were never finished. A jungle war of unopened bills, letters of rejection and unread newspapers he would use, someday, for a fireplace that hadn't been used for 30 years.<br />
<br />
The smell of old trash, cigars and his best of buddies, the coffee machine filling the one bedroom with the aroma of Starbucks Sumatra. <br />
<br />
The day had been already up past the rush hour traffic. He stretched his 6 foot frame, revealing the scar that won him a purple heart. Heard his dead wife's voice tell him as he scanned the room for the dark green pack of kools, "finish it for me."<br />
<br />
The room felt colder with that memory. "I will. Today.", he thought as he headed for the shower with a slight hint of a tear welling in his eyes. It wasn't fair, he thought, she left the world first. And me alone.<br />
<br />
He had three hours to cook up a hook for his book and all he could think about was his stomach which ached from three day old pizza and the six pack of beer. Resolution came in the form of two slices of bacon, one sunny side up egg and two pieces of toast.<br />
<br />
He smiled to himself over that thought, dried off the body and the three year old beard, didn't confront the man in the mirror and walked naked into the kitchen.<br />
<br />
His cell phone rang. He already knew who it was.<br />
<br />
"You know, they should give you a medal for relentless, Carmon."<br />
<br />
"Frank," started Carmon, "Just tell me the revisions will be in my e-mail by one."<br />
<br />
"Alright, the revisions will be there by Two." And with that, he hung up on her. <br />
<br />
The bacon was about to burn and the popping grease firing molecular level buck shots at his skin let him know two things. One the pan was too hot and, two, cooking naked can be hazardous to one's health.<br />
<br />
He shouted a lot of obscenities and made a mental note to never do that again. And then wondered how hairless apes as a species survived cooking meat over a wood fire. Guess, he mused, a few would have to die to teach the experience to the living so they wouldn't do the same and die.<br />
<br />
A smile grew on Franks face. As he realized he had the hook he was looking for. He wrote it down on a piece of paper and then ate breakfast. After that, he cleaned up his apartment. Something that hadn't been done in almost three years.<br />
<br />
At 1:45 pm, he put the hook right where it was needed and then sent the finished chapter over to Carmen.<br />
<br />
Who promptly called Frank.<br />
<br />
"Oh, my god, Frank. That's brillent!", remarked Carmon.<br />
<br />
"It had to be," replied Frank.<br />
<br />
The line was quite simple and to the point. "You had to doe to get better."<br />
<br />
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Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-73120993071477862052013-03-22T22:04:00.000-05:002013-03-22T22:04:18.162-05:00I was once an Eagle<div align="center">
I was once an Eagle</div>
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There are many who serve their country. When I became an Eagle soldier, I found some were volunteers -RAs like myself - but many were drafted - USes. But all of us were put into a world way much different than any other division in the world. </div>
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</div>
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They call us the Screaming Eagles. We were and will always be remembered as the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).</div>
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</div>
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Of course, back in Vietnam, it was the 101st Airborne Division (Air Mobile). </div>
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</div>
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And, yes, in Vietnam, you spit shined your shoes and wore starched fatigues. You were always a soldier and always an Eagle. You always ate breakfast and took your malaria pill. And you always, always were ready to dive under tables or move like greased lightning into a bunker at the slightest vapor Charlie Con had death in the air and on its way.</div>
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</div>
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Indeed, life at Camp Eagle was 17,000 stories that had never been written. </div>
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So, please forgive me if I romance in my memories of hell. </div>
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</div>
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You tried finding others who were like yourself. A silent rule of pairs survive. Soloist were always loners and suspected. If you didn't drink, smoke or entertain yourself with some kind of illegal substance or drug, you had to be a narc (narcotics agent). </div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There wasn't a moment of silence. Even if it were just quiet enough to hear the crickets at night someone off in the distance was the scream of a gas run generator. And even further away, the numbing thunder of B52 dropped bombs. </div>
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</div>
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Metal rain.</div>
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</div>
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Some of use got lucky and came home with only movie scenes more real than any producer could imagine. </div>
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</div>
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The pictures of old women with black teeth smiles selling marijuana just outside the camp's gates, of kids who tried stealing your wrist watch, and of police who pulled guns on their own if their citizens didn't comply with their instructions.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The sounds of "GI Number One", of hundreds of choppers in the air, the hiss of rockets, the popping of flares and the screams of agony of our own wounded.</div>
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</div>
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The smells of jet fuel, axle grease, hydraulic fluid, diesel exhaust and Agent Orange.</div>
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</div>
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The stench of burning human waste.</div>
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</div>
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The jungle had its own stories to tell. As did the fire bases and towns and cities between them.</div>
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</div>
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Many of us live to forget. Those who never came home remind us to remember.</div>
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</div>
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Over time, you realize if you stay in the military, you eventually come back to the nest.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I did three assignments with the Screaming Eagles. My first was Vietnam.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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And I am very proud to have been there.</div>
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</div>
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Part 2 and Part 3 will cover those two tours. </div>
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</div>
Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-11477826070727364982013-02-17T00:49:00.002-06:002018-03-17T08:19:59.372-05:00<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
Vietnam From A Hero's Perspective</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There are a lot of us who where there. A cook who saved a soldier from bleeding to death. A clerk who worked from 6 am to 10 pm seven days a week making sure the unit ran smoothly without complaining. A Huey crew chief who jumped into the line of fire to save two grunts after the two were shot up so bad they couldn't make it to the Huey.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
These things did happen. Many never did get recognized for their heroic actions. But for many of us who lived on beyond Vietnam and are now ready to retire, we know what we did had to happen and also know that despite the lack of awards for gallantry or recognition for going beyond the call of duty -- we realize that we did what we did because no one else could have done it as well as we did.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>April, 1970</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I was given the task of polishing a White Phosphorous round. I knew that turning the round 230 times in one direction would arm it, So, I turned it half way in one direction and then half way in the opposite direction. </div>
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</div>
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After three days of polishing, the very shinny round was ready for the 200,000 template painting.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Pleased with my handy work, I was just about to put the round into its cardboard casing when a familiar voice -- SFC Valentine -- remarked about how nice it looked but wanted to know how many times I turned it.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"I stopped counting after 230 times," I remarked, then turned to watch a pastey colored senior NCO walk slowly backwards out of the place where I had polished it. That moment still makes me smile.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I put the round in the back of the hanger and made sure everyone knew what it was and what it was for. </div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Captain Denny Cramp, Lieutenant Craig Guess and SFC Valentine are discussing the fate of their careers over the fact that a certain part known as Push/Pull (split cone) bearings for the tail rotor blade of the Cobra could not be found in Vietnam.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
They were of course, correct. What happened was the Army had issued a order to convert these bearings to a solid version. Unfortunately, these began to fail miserably. So, the older ones were once again required. </div>
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</div>
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You couldn't use the ones pulled off the Cobras because they adjust to the "squeeze" of the casing they are housed in. </div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Because of this, there really was a shortage of the original sets of bearings and since the helicopters can't fly without them, our unit would be forced to stand down and we would be deemed not Combat Ready.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It just so happened that a friend of mine over at A Company, 5th Transportation Battalion who was a Huey mechanic carried a set of Cobra tail rotor bearings in his pocket.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, after going back and forth with these three, I finally convinced the three that I could find a pair of these bearings. They gave me a jeep and Guess to me not to come back if I didn't return with a pair.</div>
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</div>
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I would have loved an image of the jaw dropping faces when I returned with them.</div>
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I had no idea that this would set the stage for a much bigger job.</div>
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</div>
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<b>May 1</b></div>
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Roughly every five months, you could take a week break from the madness and go on R&R. While most guys go to various locations to get laid, I went to Japan to see the EXPO 70 in Osaka. As it turns out, on the morning of May 1st, the trains stopped running and I had to call the Navy Military Police who came over picked me up and called the Army Military Police who picked me up and proceeded to get lost.</div>
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<b>May 2</b></div>
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Instead of flying into DaNang, I'm flown into Saigon and then catch a C-130 to DaNang. It was 3:00 in the afternoon. Another C-130 would be headed to Phu Bai would leave at 3:30.</div>
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I wasn't on that C-130. I stayed up all night over at the 24 hour Air Force Mess Hall drinking coffee and wondering why the hairs on the back of my neck stood up just thinking about being there that evening.</div>
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<b>May 3</b></div>
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Before boarding the C-130, we had to wait while some black body bags were removed from the plane. A sobering reminder that you could die here passed us by.</div>
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We then boarded and less than 30 minutes later we were doing final over Camp Eagle. And, at that point I was wishing I was in one of those body bags. The scene below was horrifying. The hanger was gone. Cobras looked like the hand of god came down and twisted them into pretzels, there was smoke coming from the TOC and hundreds of people were all over our pad taking pictures and cleaning up the after math.</div>
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My first thought, my round blew up and destroyed our unit. But after realizing the extent of damage, I calmed down and came to the conclusion the enemy was most likely to blame.</div>
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Hitched a ride in the back of a dump truck. Two other Infantry soldiers also hitch a ride. They looked like death was at their door step.</div>
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"You guys look really beat," I said. And they told me their story about being over at Firebase bastogne and how Charlie was lobbing in lots of mortar rounds and keeping them up all night ever since we invaded Laos and Cambodia.</div>
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But my remark about Cobra support revived them from the dead. After that, I knew why the hairs on the back of my neck had stood up.</div>
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I placed my stash of Expo 70 memories away and inspected the hooch. Ours was the farthest away from ground zero. Luckily, there was no damage. The kid from Pittsburgh who had been on a 30 day leave one gets after volunteering for another year in hell, looked like he needed another one. He asked me to come over to his hooch.</div>
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"Do you see that hole," he asked while pointing to it." </div>
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"Yes."</div>
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"That is where one of our rockets came in, past my nose. Dropped down into the middle of the floor and started spinning around. I had to kick it out of the hooch!"</div>
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"Anyway, SFC Valentine is looking for you. Him and Lt. Guess. They have a new job for you."</div>
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As he said this, he looked at me with that look of knowing already what they want.</div>
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So, I worked my way up to the flight line, talked to the Battery Commander who was glad to see me and it didn't take long for Lieutenant Craig Guess to find me and tell me what my job would be for the next 90 days.</div>
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"Your job is to get us back to fully operational status. I am assigning you a jeep, we'll put a radio on it, you will be wearing a CEOI and you will be reporting directly to me. You are to be borrow and steal anything and everything you can to get us back up. If you get caught stealing, I will bail you out of jail. I'm that serious."</div>
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So, I did. The Sea Bees did the physical job of rebuilding the hanger and our other buildings that were destroyed. I did the job of making sure the parts, the paperwork and the rest of the items necessary to assure 12 Cobras were fully functional and the maintenance support as at the point where it was before the attack occurred.</div>
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10 weeks after the May 3rd rocket attack, our unit was at 100%, able and proud to support our soldiers during the evacuation of Firebase <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fire_Support_Base_Ripcord">Ripcord</a>.</div>
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<br />
I worked 14 hours per day, 7 days per week. Put pilots in a Cobra I never saw again. I moved our Cobras twice. Once behind A Company, 5th Trans hangers and once at A Troop, 2/17th Cav.<br />
<br />
I created a hydraulic line that was need to get a Cobra on CCN at Quang Tri.<br />
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No one to this day has ever written a thank you. And only Lieutenant Craig Guess can vouch that this ever happened.</div>
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Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-42714260827903764992013-02-10T01:41:00.002-06:002017-10-27T12:15:06.874-05:00<div align="center">
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Author's Notes: Okay, while this isn't exactly about the 4/77th in Vietnam, it is about the 4/77th in Germany during REFORGER 76. It is also about me, the images I took and the changes in the 4/77th's mission and purpose.<br />
<br />
Also, my apologies. I posted this a bit prematurely. the part below from my perspective. The actual story about the 4/77th is located here: <a href="http://www.rucker.army.mil/avjournal/1970/1976/">http://www.rucker.army.mil/avjournal/1970/1976/</a>.<br />
<br />
Click on the link to: <a href="http://www.rucker.army.mil/avjournal/1970/1976/AVN_DIG_1976_12.pdf">AVN_DIG_1976_12.pdf</a>. You will need a PDF reader. The cover, inside cover images and many of the images inside this issue were taken by me. Although I didn't get credit for them, after reading the story below, I think you will agree no one else could have taken them.<br />
<br />
If you don't want to read all the great things the 4/77th did that year, please read: Vietnam To Europe, The 4th Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Lives On! article.<br />
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During REFORGER 76 we kicked ***</div>
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REFORGER 1976</div>
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Sometimes, what appears to be a bad turn in one's military career actually turns out to be the one thing needed to make the rest of the chain events the formula for success.</div>
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January, 1976:</div>
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The 3rd Combat Aviation Battalion(3rd CAB) is my new home. I have been here for three months and I am faced with the very real fact that because of my vision problems, I can no longer hold the MOS of 67Y20 -- Cobra Crew chief. That the military could issue me an MOS of a cook and I would have to live with that for the next four years was an unbearable reality. </div>
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Totally unacceptable. </div>
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My options were to either accept fate or leave the military under a breach of contract.</div>
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I decided that I wanted to let the cards fall where they would and requested command sponsorship.</div>
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I also received an Army Accommodation Medal and a Commander's Certificate from the 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault) for my work as a writer and photographer.</div>
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Around January 10, 1976, my wife shows up. One day later, her brother dies. </div>
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We fly from Frankfurt to McGuire AFB. Because we're too late for the funeral and because her family told us not to come all the way down to Louisiana, we staid at my mothers home at 250 S. Church Street in Moorestown, NJ and for 30 days we staid there.</div>
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Some images were taken of the Bi-Centennial area over in Philadelphia, PA. </div>
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The walk across the Ben Franklin Bridge was interesting. </div>
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Having my wife come down with the Legionnaires' Disease was not.</div>
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February, 1976:</div>
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By the way, if you've never been on a long flight via one of the Air Force hops, there are no bathrooms. If you have to pee or poop, you do it in a bag. </div>
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They also supply you with disposable ear plugs that look more like two pieces of cheap round chewing gum. At first, being larger than the ear, it appeared impossible to use until one of the Air Force crew members showed us how to use them and they worked just fine.</div>
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After flying back the way we came, we stay over night on the military side of the Frankfurt Airport. Wife bunked with the ladies. I bunked with the guys. </div>
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Once back at Harvey Barracks, Kitzingen, Germany, my focus was on getting the Battalion's Public Information System on line and working as it should for an IG Inspection. The wife went to work on finding us a place to live on the economy. The Hotel Garni worked as a staging area.</div>
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This is where the world from my perspective turned cold and cruel. Or that's what it appeared.</div>
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March, 1976:</div>
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According to the IG Inspection, my MOS 67Y20, was mission critical and the job I was doing at Battalion level was not needed. Also, my TA 50 gear that was supposed to come with me over to Germany was stolen. I had documents to prove it.</div>
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Despite my explanations on this matter, my CO did not care and served me with two Article 15s.</div>
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The second one came with a new job assignment: work at the front gate as NCO of Front Gate Guards.</div>
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As it so happens, that the Aid De Camp for the 1 Star General residing at the Harvey Barracks Kaserne saw me, wanted to know what I was doing in my new lofty position. I told him and he responded with: "That's going to change."</div>
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And it did....but not exactly the way I thought it would.</div>
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April, 1976:</div>
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I am handed the keys to the Harvey Barracks Special Services Photo-lab. Handing me keys to a photo-lab is like handing a kid with a sweet tooth the keys to a candy store.</div>
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For the next three months, I would go from knowing how to develop Black and White film, color slides and black and white prints to teaching other photo-lab instructors on how to create cyber chrome prints using a Beseler 23C with a Dichroic Head.</div>
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I worked with <span style="color: black;">Leica Focomat enlargers, Omega D11, and a Beseler 45.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I worked with Dectol and Selectol for print developers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I worked HC110, Agfa Rodinal, D-76, Microdol X, Microfine and Diafine.</span></div>
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I learned how to flatten contrast in a negative and then add additional contrast using various grades of paper.</div>
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I also opened up the photo-lab so that many more photographers could use the photo-lab. Sales went from $90/month to $400/month. And I was buying about $100 of that myself.</div>
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I encouraged creativity. One solarized image was used by EURARMY Magazine on the back cover and netted the creative photographer with a $25 savings bond.</div>
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The film I started using religiously was Ilford Pan F Plus. Used plenty of Hypo clearing agent, too.</div>
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I fell in love with Afga Brovira paper. Single weight.</div>
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August 1976:</div>
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The advanced party of the 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault) begins to show up at Harvey Barracks. At the same the folks running special services thought it would be a good idea to hire a civilian to work with me.</div>
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I also found out that the Division Public Affairs Officer LTC John AG Klose had taken command of the 158th Aviation Battalion. Want to guess who was going to sponsor the 158th Aviation Battalion?</div>
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So, I told this to our battalion XO and he threw me out of the Library. He got thrown out of the battalion two months later. But I'm getting ahead of myself.</div>
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After working with my civilian counterpart, and convincing the local head of the Special Services that he was able to handle the lab by himself, my attention was turned to taking spectacular images.</div>
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Armed with a new set of photography skills I took images of AH-1S Cobras, UH-1H Hueys, OH-58's and CH-47 Chinooks and hundreds of 101st Airborne Division soldiers, and sent the images back to Division Public Affairs, 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault) via the local Bundespost(Post Office).</div>
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During the second week of August, LTC John AG Klose arrives and we meet.</div>
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"Hello Dick, what are you doing?"</div>
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"I'm running a photo-lab, Sir"</div>
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"No, no , no, that's not going to happen. Whose your boss?"</div>
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"LTC <span class="st">Gerald E Lethcoe</span>, Sir."</div>
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"I'll go talk to him. That is, if it is okay, with you."</div>
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Last time I looked, an E-5 generally doesn't have a say so in such things."</div>
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"That will be fine, Sir."</div>
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"Also have a message for you from Division Public Affairs. They want to know how you're getting your images to them so quickly, they aren't getting any images from the official photographers and could you include cut lines on your images.</div>
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Are you available to work with me, too?"</div>
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"Yes, Sir, my photo-lab is here, just below the flight tower."</div>
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"Very good."</div>
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I saluted and left.</div>
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A few weeks later, I was asked to come out with him and some of his pilots who were part of the Air Assault In Action demonstration for all the various country leaders in Europe. That day was basically the last dress rehearsal before the big day and all the invited press was there.</div>
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So, as far as I was concerned, my focus was on finding out what my "Enemy" knew about what was supposed to happen.</div>
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I was not paying any attention to the man in the middle of the field.</div>
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About the time I figure out they were clueless, I hear this "Dick Edwards get over here."</div>
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I knew immediately, who that person was in the middle of the field. It was my old boss from the 2/17th Cavalry. It was LTC Gary E. Luck.</div>
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I went to salute him, he offered me a handshake instead.</div>
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"Dick, what are you doing out here?"</div>
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"I'm here to take pictures."</div>
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He got a bit upset with me on that so I told him the truth. I was running a photo-lab and I was given permission to take images.</div>
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He was much happier with that and asked me where my photo-lab was and I told him.</div>
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I then saluted him and went back to where the press was located. I then explained to them what was about to happen and then excused myself and placed myself in a position where I would get the best images of the demonstration and waited for the events to take place.</div>
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Once back at the lab, I had to take 12 rolls of film, develop them the way I knew would give me what I needed and then printed what I thought were the best of the best.</div>
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As I'm drying the prints, a knock on the door occurred three times. The last being the loudest. There was a sign on the door that said closed. So, I opened it on the third knock. I was looking at a Full Bird Colonel. </div>
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"At ease", he said, "are you SGT Edwards?"</div>
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"Yes, Sir."</div>
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"I'm here to pick up pictures. Gary E. Luck sent me."</div>
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I'm sure you can imagine my bit of surprise. One that an LTC would have a Colonel pick up images for him. Two, that Gary E. Luck had enough confidence in me to know I would do exactly what I said I would do and have done exactly what I did.</div>
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So, I welcomed him in, gave him the images that had been dried and he helped me finish the last 25. I never saw that Colonel, Gary E. Luck or got confirmation that those images even got to Gary E. Luck.</div>
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I created another batch of the exact images, put the cut lines on them and sent them back to Division Public Affairs.</div>
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I also contacted USAREUR and 7th Army Audio/Video Department and sent over to them proofs of the negatives along with the negatives. From that a batch of 12 images were created and sent out as part of the press releases.</div>
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When it was time to say goodbye to LTC John AG Klose once again, he said, "You did a wonderful job for us. I talked to your boss. You need to talk to him. Dick, thank you."</div>
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"My pleasure, Sir."</div>
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I saluted, we shook hands. That was the last time I saw him.</div>
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By all rights, what I did for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) was more than a page in the history of that division. It was as far as I was concerned something I was destined to do. I had seen the AH-1G Cobra go from an Aerial Rocket Artillery platform to a formidable anti-armor TOW Missile platform.</div>
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That I could be proud of and that, by all measure should have been enough. So, talking to LTC <span class="st">Gerald E Lethcoe was like closing a chapter filled with Vietnam memories and proud accomplishments and starting a new chapter filled with blank pages.</span></div>
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<span class="st">So, I did talk to LTC <span class="st">Gerald E Lethcoe and he agreed to let me work with him and for the 3rd Combat Aviation Battalion. </span></span></div>
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Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074631687346812469.post-65902720367544830662011-09-19T23:59:00.001-05:002011-09-21T21:33:43.130-05:00Beyond the days where dreams became realitiesKnowing what I've learned over those forty years -- I would love to go back 40 years and kick my own butt. For not doing more than I did.<br />
<br />
I should have become a lawyer or a doctor. Instead, I lived for days where dreams became realities. Many did. Some died hard. A few keep pushing me on.<br />
<br />
There are some things you just can't wind the clock on. Such as time in Vietnam or choice of a marriage partner that has put up with me for the past 40 years.<br />
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There has been plenty hands shaken over the years. Some were officers destined for glory, others were destined for an early grave. Some were movie stars, models and just plain down to earth men and women with their own stories to tell.<br />
<br />
Seems like my 20s and 30s were filled with movie stars and with stars on their lapels. But all of that stopped after I got out in 1979. My 40s were filled with raising 5 children, working out at the refineries, taking pictures and writing articles.<br />
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Images of gold, silver, and copper skinned models -- yes, they were nude -- wound up in the men's magazines throughout the 80s and were published throughout the world. Two of those contacts were Bruce Helford and Shirrel Rhoades.<br />
<br />
I also photographed Merv Griffin while Players International was changing the history of Lake Charles, LA. Something I had a lot to do with.<br />
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I also had my makeup on stage with Jefferson Starship.<br />
<br />
Then there was Microsoft. I talked to Steve Balmer once. But I also talked to 3,000 people once or twice while working for Microsoft between 1996 and 2002.<br />
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My world got quiet until 2006 when I went back to work for Microsoft. <br />
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I have developed a skill in special software that nets me from $110,000 to $200,000. But no more big stars or makeup work.<br />
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Instead, my Daughter mets up with the likes of Demi Lovato while both were at Timerline going through rehab. And a special Grand Daughter by the name of Esha enters my world. Demi said she looked alot like her when she was that young.<br />
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Guess I could have done more. But I'm glad I've accomplished what I've done.<br />
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Tomorrow is another day when I can reflect on the days where dreams became realities.Richard T. Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11715151696341312855noreply@blogger.com1