27 Feb 99: From: Jim Schueckler flewhuey@iinc.com. Polecats and Tigershark Pilots!! Woody Mitchell has made arrangements for us to have a mini-reunion, July 4, 1999 1100 to 1400 at the VHPA reunion in Nashville. Could all pilots please let me know if they received this note and a yes/no/maybe about plans to attend? Letting me know will save Woody the money for stamps and the work to mail a letter to you. He'll be using the latest VHPA membership database info to send announcements. Woody was responsible for the printed tee shirts and the mini-reunion in 1997. He is not on the internet-- spends too much time flying his Jet Rangers around. Any of you guys from the back seats or the maintenance shop could also come to our mini-reunion if you'd like. Information about the VHPA reunion is at http://www.VHPA.org. Not sure if we'll be able to go this year. I know we better make arrangements soon... //JimVia Jim:
27 Feb 99: I was in the 192 for a brief time in 1971.the latter part about 6 months.We were in phan rang and then moved to cam rahn bay.Shortly after I left in dec 71 they moved again.I was the company armorer and supply clerk,no one was killed while I was there except a couple of guys shot in a bar. Shortly before I got there a ship had gone down for unknown reasons and they had a ceremony for those men.I would be interested in contacting anyone who was in the company during that time.thanks. // Robert Buchholz bobbyb@nettally.com
26 Feb 99: Have we decided to send the names of any or our company members to Lt.Phillips at 10th Btn at Fort Drum? There are certainly worthy candidates from the 192nd for this honor. I live in Albany New York, and would certainly be interested in attending the dedication ceremony in Watertown, N.Y. //Walter Rockenstire Walter.Rockenstire@med.va.gov
*** JIM HAS ALREADY CONTACTED LT. PHILLIPS, WHO ADVISED THE NAMES FOR THE BUILDINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CHOSEN. HOPE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ***
*** Received the following from VietVet Web Ring ***
January 1, 2000, signals a cutoff date for some Vietnam era veterans seeking readjustment counciling. Public Law 104-262 passed in October 1996 phases out VetCenter eligibility, effective Jan. 1, 2000, for Vietnam era veterans who did not serve in the war zone, unless they have sought help prior to Jan. 1 (era is 5 Aug. 1964 to 7 May 1975). Vietnam combat veterans and all Existing Vet Center clients remain eligible, Along with Word War II and Korean WarVeterans, and all post-Vietnam combat theater veterans. The cutoff date affects only Vietnam era veterans who did not serve in the war zone and who never have sought help at a Vet Center. More info here http://TheVeteran.net/vet center/y2kvv.html
21 Feb 99: Looks like someone did remember what the letters "GF" stood for , Hi Lyle, been a long time. //Bill Garrison 192d AHC 67-68 garrison@flinthills.com
17 Feb 99: Thank you, and welcome home to all our brothers. I was a pilot in the 2nd platoon and left RVN as a CW-2. As I remember, It was rare that I flew the same A/C more than a few days in a row but it was less rare to have a chaffing hydraulic line while flying Dalat MACV the day after payday. It's a pleasure to see all the responses on the Internet, keep 'em coming.//Chad (Gilbert)
16 Feb 99: IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE "LONESOME POLECATS" AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. I FLEW WITH THE 2nd PLATOON OF 192nd FROM JULY '68 TO JUNE '69. I HAD FORGOTTEN MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THE NAMES OF THE GUYS BUT AFTER SEEING SOME OF THE LETTERS ON THE WEB PAGE, THE MEMORIES STARTED COMING BACK. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!! //CHAD GILBERT Charles.B.Gilbert@faa.gov
*** This just came in... any comments welcome. ***
15 Feb 99: Sir, My name is 1LT JP Phillips. I am currently assigned to B/2-10 AVN (a UH-60 assault company), 10th MTN DIV, FT Drum, NY. Our battalion is preparing to dedicate our hangar and BN HQ buildings to a pair of soldiers who served in 10th AVN during the Vietnam War. I read through your postings and it sounds as though your members would have several deserving candidates to nominate. We plan on doing the dedication in early June and are going to welcome any 10th AVN alumni who would be willing to attend the ceremony. If possible please let me know if you would be willing to participate in our search for a deserving pair of soldiers. Thank you for your time. // Respectfully, JP Phillips
************** OOPS!!! JUST FOUND THESE IN 'THE BOTTOM OF THE MAIL BAG' **************
(Where's Walt Rockenstire when ya need 'em?)
21 Dec 98: Hello. my name is John Berthiaume, I was amember of the 192nd Jan 70-Dec 70,at LZ Betty and Phan Rang. I spent the whole year as Tigershark 31 (Rat).If anyone out there remembers me Iwould like to hear from you.// Jberthiau@aol.com
12 Dec 98: Hi I was in the 192 in 1970, Tigershark 31 . Rat
Real name John Berthiaume, would like to hear from anyone. // Jberthiau@aol.com
12 Dec 98: My new E-mail address is kel1@flash.net. //Steve P.Kelley, "The Hulk",192 AHC Jan-Jun 71
30 Oct 1998: Larry Clayton 192/607trans. start to nam. 67-68 (mech. 607 trans.)//lclayt91@cybertrauks.com
6 Oct 1998: I am trying to help Pat Dyer locate Gerald Ferguson. Your rollcall roster shows Ferguson, but w/o an address. BUT it doesn't show Dyer. He was a Polecat, beginning in '69. He is a member of the VHPA. //william curry bcurry7@hotmail.com
28 Sep 98: 192nd, You guys were nice enough to publish a note I sent to your web page. Its dated 11 Aug 98 and is from Steve Wilke a rifleman in Co 3rd platoon 3/506. I would like to correct one thing the note states I was there from May 69 to May 69 it should say May 68 to May 69. If you have a little time please correct it. It looks like your finding your guys, I love
it.......//Steve Wilke swilke@co.la.ca.us
2 Sep 98: I was in another page and the question was asked "Does anyone know what the GF stood for on the tail of the Helicopters in the 192nd?". There was no e-mail address so....
The GF stood for "Goat Fuck" , it came about after we had built all the Buildings (including the mess hall) at Phu Heip and we were sent to live in tents at Phan Thiet. Major Baker decided that was the type of Company we were. We were never asked to build another building as long as Major Baker was our C.O. Major Baker used to use "Goat FXXK six" as his call sign. //Lyle Nelson (192nd AHC 1967 - 1968) lenels1@ix.netcom.com
18 Sep 98: Tiger Shark 32 "General" checking in...
My son found this for me. Kinda brings back a bunch of memories. I was With the 192nd from oct. 68, thru oct. 69. I can remember the call signs better than the real names, but they will come to me. Anyone remember-Mad John, Zip, Muzzle Flash, Froggie, Wee Willey, Oakie, Doc Desdamone? Any of you guys out there? My E Mail is tcuster@avuhsd.k12.ca.us Let me hear from you. //Chris Bain
************** END OF 'THE BOTTOM OF THE MAIL BAG' **************
29 Jan 99: I am Walter Rockenstire I was the 192nd unit mail clerk from January 1970 to December 1970, I periodically flew on the "Fire Fly" mission, did some Command and Control, and some combat assault missions as door gunner. I have photographs, and some slides, which I will attempt to get down loaded and send. In addition I have copies of some orders from the company. After
nearly thirty years my memory is a bit vague, I remember some of the names of members of the company. I have tried to contact Ken Printz the company Clerk, and Larry Crowder, neither proving successful. I have a short segment of audio tape which I sent home, in which I recorded mail call at LZ Betty. Some of the crew are at the window and you can hear their voices, as well as that of ken Printz. To tell you all that serving in Vietnam with all of you was an experience of a life time for a twenty year old kid from Albany New York, should come as no surprise. There are few days even now, that I am not reminded of how that experience has impacted my life. //Walter Rockenstire Walter.Rockenstire@med.va.gov
24 Jan 99: I'm looking for anyone who knew my Father. His name is Eddie Condo and he flew with the 189th Ghostriders and the 192nd AHC in 1968. If you have any information That could help me or if you knew him I would really love to hear from you. I have some old slides that he took while he was over there and as
soon as my husband gets back from Saudi I'll have him scan them and send them to you. Maybe they could be of some help. Thanks. //Fancy Condo Zimbadado@aol.com
20 Jan 99:I have sent Dave Sloan 104 slides, not many of them worthy of posting, but he is going to scan some for us. They might be enjoyed by a few of the members that were with the 192nd from 1967 to 1968. I'm looking forward to hearing more from others. //Dan Hertlein ("Dan & Marie Hertlein" hert@serv.net)
16 JAN 99:I was one of the original maintenance mechanics (67N20) that joined at Ft. Riley in Feb. 1997. My picture is in one of the photos taken at a Drag Race in Kansas. I have about 50 slides that are fading fast. I would like to share them with everyone interested, however I have no way at present to scan them onto the internet. If you can help me with this let me know. Many of us with the 192nd were, on paper at least, assigned to the 607th Transportation Maintenance Detachment and don't show up on the official roster for the 192nd. On Oct.10 1967 We were waiting for the post commander to come and give us a pep talk before we left on Greyhound buses destined for Forbes Air Force Base at Topeka Kansas. He didn't arrive until 1:30 AM and by that time a cold front had moved in and we were standing around without field jackets. Lucky for us he allowed us to listen to him from inside the warm busses. I don't remember anything he said. We were loaded up on two 727's and flown to a civilian airport in Oakland California. What a sight we must have been when we de-planed with our M-16s on our shoulders and walked to busses that were to take us to the ship. When we arrived at the USNS General Walker we were informed that the 607th did not show up on the manifest and they did not have a section of the ship to place us! It seems that a effort was made by our company commander since Feb. to blur the distinction between the 192nd and the 607th. In retrospect, I think it was a wise decision because an us/them attitude did not develop. But in this case
I hoped it would cause the 607th to be left behind on the dock. No such luck. With a big grin on the messenger's face we were told that they could disperse us throughout the ship. On October 17th 1967 we were initiated into the Royal Domain of the Golden Dragon, ruler of the 180th Meridian with all the rest of the 192nd. I was with the 192nd until May of 1968 when I was infused into the 129th ASLT. HEL. CO. at Lane Army Heliport at An Son Valley about 20 miles from Qui Nhon. //Dan Hertlein. SP/4 hert@serv.net
21 Dec 98: I was a 67n20 door gunner in the slicks. Ft. Riley, Boat ride to Camh Ran, chinook to a wonderfully quaint seaside resort at Phan Tiet, Cam Ly in the highlands, Phu Hiep, various places visited, had a wonderful time, there was nothing I left there that I care to go back for. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year //Robert E. Begley Jr. RBegleyjr@aol.com
12 Dec 98: I remember a lost helicopter (I think it was from Boa Loc) with WO1 Mark Wenzel and I belive a black Warrent name Barnes. It was on a maintance flight back to PhanThiet when it crashed in the mountains. No bodies were recovered. Any one out there remember?//Lyle Nelson menelson@uswest.net SP5 (Flight Operations) 192nd 1967 and 1968
12 Dec 98: My name is Mike McNeff. I am trying to find out about my brother's Vietnam experiences. His name was Tom McNeff. Although he survived the war, he was killed in 1983 flying a rescue chopper for the Arizona Dept. of Public Safety. He never talked much about the war, but I know he saw heavy combat. He was in the 192nd, flying with the Tigersharks. The time would have been about 1969-1971. He was a warrant officer. Any info would be appreciated.//Mike McNeff Gotu01@aol.com
11 July 98:Fellow Polecats and Tigersharks! I just got this note from Mark Clements. I flew with Mark when he was AC and I was Peter Pilot. So... some of what I know/knew about helicopters,
I learned from Mark! Mark, welcome home and welcome aboard. What was your dog's name? Medium sized, black, loved to go through your screen door to run out to the gunships when the gunnies got scrambled... ( If my brain cells still work ) //Jim S
----------
From: Clements, Mark (Air
Transport)[SMTP:Mark.Clements@mail.state.ky.us]
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 1998 4:28 PM
To: 'flewhuey@iinc.com'
Subject: Member of 192 68/69
Mark A. Clements Flew Hueys for 192. Direct to 1st Lt. Second tour with 114th AHC. Retired from Ky. N.G. as UH-60 pilot. Currently work for State of Ky. as helo and fixed wing pilot. Reside in Versailles Ky. //Mark Clements
ANY HELP WITH THE CORRECT IDENTITIES WOULD BE APPRECIATED
6 Sep 98: I just visited your website and again and it gets better every time I log on. I just wanted send you this from my diary (book too). This was from January 31, 1968. We were on the Night Hunter mission out of LZ Betty: "It began last evening at dust. The crew of the 192nd "Polecat"--WO
Mike Omer, WO Eric Walden, crew chief SP5 John Boley and door gunner SP4 Mike Self; and five Currahees--FSG John McDonald (HHC), Sgt. Ronald Groth (chief S-1 Clerk), SP4 Jonnny Griffith (B Mess), SP4 John P., Mucha (Commo) and I went on a Night Hunter mission. Accompanying our chopper were three other helicopters--another UH-1H (flare ship) and two UH-1C "Tiger Shark" gunships....." I didn't see Omer, or Self on your list of members. I had recorded Boley as John, but I must have written the wrong first name. //Email direct to: Jerry Berry
2 Sep 98: I was there from march of 70 in Phan Thiet till July 71 in Phan Rhang. I was the Crew Chief on 'Balls 5', 66-16005. I was the tall, skinny, young kid(18) and pretty much followed the crowd. Glad to see this sight. //Michael Pederson
MAIL CALL: JUL - AUG 98
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