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Centaur Website Newsletter - November 2022
index: News, Checking In, Help Find, MyPages, Deceased, War Stories, Reunions, Shirts/Hats, Glossary

 

News

Veteran's Trubute: Centaur Bob Tegelman provides us with this great tribute to Veterans, from an unknown author. CIVO made it into a War Story Essay on our website. We know who we are, and now with words like these and our great Legacy Website, future generations will know us.

 

Welcome to the Air Cav: (A webpage) This is a great website of Air Cavalry information with emphasis on the AH-1 Huey Cobra. "Altogether, cavalry operations are exceedingly difficult, knowledge of the country is absolutely necessary, and ability to comprehend the situation at a glance, and an audacious spirit, are everything." Maurice de Saxe Mes Reveries, 1732
...Cobra Books; Article on the Cobra's XM-35 20mm Cannon; Last Army Cobra Flight

 

"Jack of all trades" : the metamorphosis of armored cavalry in Vietnam: An amazingly detailed analysis of the development of the Divisional Armored Cavalry in Vietnam. Frequent mention of 1/4th Cav. "The air cavalry was critical to cavalry operations in many ways, but probably most critical in overcoming the limitations of jungle terrain. No ground movement was conducted without air reconnaissance".

 

Air Traffic Control at Tan My (1972): Last month we asked if any of you F Troop helicopter crewmen remembered being controlled for landing and takeoff from Tan My. No response so far. No one called for landing and takeoff? Any information would be greatly appreciated. powellcentaur@gmail.com

 

Not yet impressed with the size and success of our Centaur Website? Then try this: type "site:centaursinvietnam.org LOH" into your browser. This is telling Google Search to look at our website and find every page where "LOH" is mentioned. (well over 200 pages). We need to continue to get bigger to attract the many Bots (internet Robots) that help select what shows up on Internet Search Engines. The more we show up the better the chance that our lost Centaurs with find us.

 

Checking In

Robert W. Bigelow CW3 UH-1 Pilot 1966-67, flew Stable Boy. I talked to Bob on the phone (22 Oct 2022). At age 92 he has been having problems with Pneumonia. Remembers flying with Mike Squires. Not into computers but his grandson Ricky is showing him our website. Herb Beasley found a photo of Bob in Mike Squires Slideshow (SQ-79). That has been used to make a draft MyPage. The photo is now an MP on Herb and Bob's pages and on Squires and Pyburns pqges. He has some photos he will try to get to us.

 

 

Jake Cirincione 2LT (Bill Cirincione's son) who had contacted us for more info on his dad, met with Centaur Joe Owen in Williamsburg for a short visit and discussion about his dad, the missions, and organization of D and ¾ Cav.

Jake is in the Montana National Guard and planning to go to flight school sometime next year.

If you have info on Bill or would just like to contact his son Jake, please email me at powellcentaur@gmail.com

 

Dudley "Dud" Oatman: Was not a Centaur, but was a Smiling Tiger (D/229th AHB, 1CD in 1968) and a Blackhawk/Lighthorse (C 3/17 Air Cav, 1971-72) flying Snakes. He is now listed on our Centaur Friends page.

Oatman is a volunteer docent at the San Diego Air & Space Museum and working on the restoration of Centaur Slick 67-19494.

He sent this 31 page pdf file of photos of all the parts needed to restore 494. Do you have access to any UH-1 parts? powellcentaur@gmail.com

 

Kenneth "Ken" Rucki and his wife Kathy check in with us. A draft InfoSheet is added. He will be sending photos.

 

George Stenehjem MAJ D Troop Cdr and Squadron CDR, 1966-67, at 92 years old, takes helicopter ride (video)

 

Roger L. Davis has checked in with Frank Dillon and has his email address added to our Newsletter Distribution.

 

William R. Malloy WO1 Cobra Pilot F Troop Nov 72 to Jan 73 has checked in and provided info for us to do a MyPage for him. Bill stayed after his tour and flew with the Joint Military Commission (on "Ending the War and Restoring the Peace in Vietnam") until March 28, 1973. He mentions John Davis, Ferrell Swindell and Greg Jones.

 

Finding Centaurs & Friends

 

James E. "Jim" Whitman CPT Scout Pilot Centaur 10 1970-71 checks in. Would like to find his LOH Crew Chief "Abbie". Anyone remember him?

 

 

 

 

 

MyPages

Lloyd Allred CPT UH-1C Gunship Pilot 1966-1967 has his MyPage updated with a more current photo, corrected information and a video. We are not in contact with Lloyd yet. Can you help?

Sometime back, Lloyd did a video interview with the National Veterans History Project (54 Min). A shorter (10 min) edited version is linked to from his MyPage.

Also see James Roy Pearson's KIA story by Lloyd.

 

 

 

Deceased

 

Byron "Mike" Squires MAJ, Slick Pilot and primary LRRP insertion and extraction pilot 1966 - 1967 died 16 October 2022. Please take a minute and remember him by checking out his Deceased MyPage with video interview, Infosheet and his stories.

 

 

 

Richard S. "Dick" Welch SP5 UH-1 Crew Chief Feb to Sep 1972. Died 19 October 2022 His primary pilot was CPT Peter Barber. Frank Dillon provides an Info/Obit page.

A celebration of life is set in place for Saturday, November 5 at Mitchell Family Funeral home in Marshalltown, Iowa,

Note from 2 May 1972: SP4 Charles Morgan flew in place of SP4 Dick Welch who went on sick call that day. Morgan and crew were KIA from an SA-7 missle.

 

 

Dennis Donovan SP5 Avionics Mechanic 1971 to 1972 died May 2022 from cancer. Frank Dillon was able to contact Dennis's wife Kathy to confirm. There was no Obituary.

 

 

 

 

Duane H. Dingman

SP4, Service Platoon Feb 1966 to Dec 66, died 24 October 2022. He drove the Fuel Truck. Bob Tegelman provides an InfoSheet and Obituary.

A graveside service for Duane will be held at 1:30 PM on Friday, November 4, 2022. Bob Tegelman

 

 

 

Daniel "Dan" Perry SP4 Huey Mechanic and Door Gunner died 3 August 2017. Photos and Info/Obituary page provided by Joe Hoover.

 

 

 

 

John P. Davis CW2 Cobra Pilot F Troop 1972 to 1973 died 3 June 2021 in Niceville, FL. A deceased MyPage and an Info/Obit page have been created.

 

 

 

 

War Stories

Getting There - 1966: War Story Essay by Carl Burns CPT Gun Pliot 1966-67 tells about how the Centaurs, D Troop (Air) was formed.

 

The Trip Aboard the USS Gordon - 1966: War Story Essay by Carl Burns tells about the long trip from Hawaii to Vietnam.

 

D Troop Redefined - 1966: War Story Essay by James "Pete" Peterson LTC Troop Commander 1966-67. The Army wasn't sure how to use D Troop initially.

 

SCAS Was Our Copilot: War Story Discussion page has been started about the Stability Control Augmentation System for the AH-1G Cobra.

In the July 2022 issue of our Centaur Newsletter we asked for stories/memories of those with experiences with the Cobra, Stability Control Augmentation System. Please send in yours.

 

Vets Day Explosion - 1969 War Story Essay by Allen "KC" Allcock

 

Ferrying Aircraft from Long Binh (Sanford Airfield) to Da Nang Area: War Story Discussion. In the December 2021 Newsletter Carl Betsill asked for input to this War Story. Frank Dillon provided some input. Surely someone else has more information. email me - powellcentaur@gmail.com

 

Battle of Suoi Tre (LZ Gold) War Story Essay has been upgraded with a link to SP4 Donald E. Adams MyPage, who was Door Gunner on Slick 661; and with a link to author Bill Comeau's new book "Dual With The Dragon"

If you want a signed copy (better quality), make a check out for $40 ($30 for the book and $10 for shipping and mailing) and mail it directly to me. Make checks out to William Comeau

William Comeau
372 Brooklawn Avenue
New Bedford, MA 02745-5129

 

 

Reunions

The next 3/4 Cav Reunion will be held in San Antonio, TX in September 2024. They will publish details  which will be forthcoming after coordination is completed with the hotel, vendors, tours, etc. Be patient for now.

It is not too late to sign up for the Centaur Veterans Day Reunion in Phoenix (Mesa) Arizona 10 November 2022! - Call or email Jim Walt . 831-818-2306 - jim@thewaltfamily.comAttendee List.

New Auction items announced for the Reunion!: Two Quilts donated from David and Cheryl Hopper. Estimated value of $300 to $500.

 

 

 

Centaurs in Vietnam T-Shirts For Sale

note: Hats are currently being made

Photos and Prices of hats will be posted on the Centaur Vet's Reunion Website soon


We’ve created a Centaurs in Vietnam T-Shirt that comes in three colors - Green, Black and Yellow.  Sizes available from Men’s Medium to Men’s 4X large.  They are 100% Cotton and do not shrink. Shirt price is $20 plus $7.50 for shipping one T-Shirt. If you purchase two or three shirts the shipping will increase. The table below indicates our current inventory available to sell. They will be available at the 2022 Reunion

  Yellow Green Black
Medium 2 4 4
Large 5 11 7
X Large 5 13 11
2X Large 8 15 14
3X Large 3 9 6
4X Large 2 2 2

Please contact Tom Dooling at 623-878-5715 to order your shirts.  If you are coming to the reunion, the remaining inventory of shirts will be available there.

 

Raffle Quilts for the November 2022 Runion in Phoeniz.

 

Glossary

Added to the Glossary - Hardover,

Any suggestions for our Glossary? Remember that words/phrases/acronyms in our Glossary are defined as we saw them during our Air Cavalry Tours.

 

For the CIVO Board of Directors,

Bruce
Bruce Powell, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster of centaursinvietnam.org
email: powellcentaur@gmail.com
1031 E Highline Drive, Payson, AZ 85541 (Summer)
11875 S Ironwood Drive, Yuma, AZ 85367 (Winter)