31 Mar 99: Here is the 1970 version of the company patch. // Walt Rockenstire
26 Mar 99: Well here are some more, all are Phan Thiet except one which is the back pad at Phan Rang. //Walt Rockenstire
WALT SENT US 11 MORE GREAT PHOTOS
25 Mar 99: Hello All... just got some of my slides made into photographs. As long as we are playing trivia here, Who was the primary crew of this 'C' model gunship during 1970 the name painted on the front is "The Hombre"? Also which aircraft had the siren on it? //Walt Rockenstire
24 Mar 99: I'm wondering if you can jog my poor memory,I remember a mission "it seems like it was in early 69" say around Feb. or so that a C&C mission for the 3rd of the 506 101 was out around the mountian north and west of Phan Thiet.I think the mountian was what we called titty mountian, it was out on the flats pretty much by its self.Anyway they had a pretty good contact going on out there and I was flying that day for the first time as a gunner.We took some hits in the ship from ground fire and did a little shooting ourselves.I think the call sign for the LTC on board was Black Hawk and there was a SMJ that day also.It seems like most of the contact was out from the base of the mountian a little ways for lack of a better discription I'll say it was south and west of the mountian a couple of miles.Do you remember anything about this???????? Also I can remember flying a mission up in the mountians near Da Lat for a Black officer do you remember anything about a black officer up in that neck of the woods?It seems like we used to do a little flying up there for some little firebases and we droped off through a pass in the mountians where we dropped off to the low country to go on into Phan Rang or on to Cam Ranh Bay. Thanks //Floyd Thomas bud1@inreach.com
22 Mar 99: Hello, My name is Bill Taxter and was a member of the 192nd from April 67 at Ft. Riley Kansas until October 68 in Phan Thiet. I don't remember any of the call signs but most of the guys called me Jet. I was in charge of building the hooches in Phu Hiep and laid the blocks for the club in Phan Thiet. I was a pilot in the 2nd platoon, I think. I do have a lot of pictures but they are slides and I'm not sure of how to get a scan of them. I will try to get prints of the good ones. I have enclosed a copy of my orders assigning me and others to the 192nd. Hope it comes through. // Bill Taxter bjtax@together.net
***UNABLE TO PRINT THE ATTACHED ORDERS, BUT WILL TRY AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE***
20 Mar 99:Subject:Night Hunter. Ladies, I found some additional info. in one of my field notebooks that may shed some light on the crewmembers of the chopper that I was in the night of Jan. 30/31, 1968. The night we were flying night hunter mission and got shot up. One of the pilots, Sgt. Groff (3/506), and myself were wounded. It was the first firefight of the Tet Offensive at Phan Thiet. We had flown several missions during the night and had returned to the airfield to refuel, rearm and rest up. We got a scramble to go to the aid of the ARVN Arty. compound on Hwy. 8B, just north of the city. The ARVNs were getting overran by a large VC force. Our mission was to locate the mortar tubes and let the "Tiger Sharks" take care of. Just as we arrived over the ARVN compound, they shot up 4.2" mortar flares and we were setting ducks. All those pretty green tracers that were going into the ARVN compound started coming up at us. We nearly didn't make it back to LZ Betty. I have pictures of some of the WIAs, of the aircraft (thanks to Jim Covey). My little notebook has these names that were written on the night we flew: WO/Mike Omer, Tuba City, CA, WO/Eric Walden, Alabaster (?), Ala., Right doorgunner, SP5 Mike J. Self, Nashville, Tenn, Crew Chief, John M. Boley, Detroit, Mich. Passengers (all 3/506): 1st Sgt. McDonald, E-5 Groff [Ronald C. Groth], E-4 Mucie [John P. Mucha], myself, E-4 Griffith [Johnny R. Grifith]. Can anyone recall any info. on this night or where these 192nd guys are? One other request. A while back, I had to replace my hard drive and some of the info. that I lost was my address book. I had some info. printed off, but lost other. Would each of you please send me your mailing address and phone numbers and this time, I promise not to loose it. //Jerry Berry
15 Mar 99:Thought you guys might enjoy this picture. This was Willie's departure ceremony, and Zip's assumption of Platoon leadership. Can't remember all call signs, but the somewhat dubious formation of Shark pilots I can put names to are, Darrel Koenig I think his call sign was Flash, can't tell who is just over Zip's left shoulder, Indian, Wright, Mad John, and Don Hancock(was his call sign Snake or Lizard?) And of course our leaders Willie and Zip. The enthusiasm for unit formations and military ceremony has never been equaled!!!! Would you guys want to add this picture into the photo page? //General....Out.tcuster@avuhsd.k12.ca.us
12 Mar 99: My name is Tom Montgomery, I was with the 363rd Aviation Support Det. (the Air Traffic Control Unit up on the hill, next to the "Fire Station"). Was at LZ Betty from Apr. 1968 to Dec. 1968. Balance of my tour was spent in Vung Tau. Can anybody tell me what happened to the 363rd when you guys moved? Thanks to whoever is doing this website I really enjoy it. // Tom Montgomery Kitchele.Montgomery@worldnet.att.net
*** MAYBE A 363rd UNIT HOME PAGE IS IN THE MAKING!!! BUT WE'LL ADOPT YA IN THE MEANTIME ***
10 Mar 99: Hey Toons.. I've got a picture here of Froggie, myself, crewchief, and gunner with one each "Rompin stompin ass kickin Charlie model". Can you enter it in the picture files? This had to be taken mid 69. Anybody recognize and put names to the crew? //General....Out. tcuster@avuhsd.k12.ca.us
10 Mar 99: Ladies, take a look at this website and tell me if any of this equipment was the "people sniffer" device that you guys flew. Do you know where I can locate some info. on the people sniffer? // Jerry Berry Click on this link: http://www.jnpcs.com/dbuley/vietsys.htm
7 Mar 99: QUIZ! Ok, ladies, here is a test question, who door gunner's M-60 was this? // Jerry Berry
7 Mar 99: I meant to send this photo to you guys. It was taken looking south over the city toward LZ Betty. //Jerry Berry
7 Mar 99: Book! Good morning, ladies. I want to send another reminder to all the 192nd AHC members, who served with the unit during my 3/506th's first year in Vietnam (Oct. 67 to Oct. 68). This includes everyone (from pilots to mess hall members). The book will include (along with significant events that occurred daily) a section in the back on each support unit (the 192nd, dusters, Quad 50's, ATC, Searchlights, artillery, etc.). I need your little "bits-and-pieces" that you feel would be worth including in your unit's section. It will include a brief history of your unit, when it began supporting us, its organization (TO&E), etc.). I want to include names and faces. If you have names, call signs, war stories, particular firefights, accidents, funny events (even about us), please tell it and I'll try and include it). We have a few on you guys (most are heroic acts, but a few funny ones). Ladies, I'm telling you now, this is going to be a good book! The info. that you add will only make it better. If I may "toot" our horn, there's a large audience out there that is following the saga of the 506th (Saving Private Ryan and now Spielberg's making of "A Band of Brothers" (506th also). Our time and place in history is a continuation of this saga. We (the first group) were part of the reactivation of the 506th, the first to take it to combat since WW II, etc. The TF 3/506 (that included you) had the largest AO responsibility of any unit (battalion size) in the Vietnam War. Our TF 3/506 implemented the first enconomy of force program that eventually became the standard for others in the Vietnam War. You guys have a lot of stories to be told, here is one more opportunity to tell who you were, what you did and where you did it. Give me names, call signs, close calls, crashes, casualties (that I know personally of), etc. to work with. I hope those of you that were involved will get involved in this request. I do appreciate any information that you contribute. I look forward to hearing from you early birds (Phan Thiet Jan. 1968 - Oct. 1968). If I have left out any member that has an e-mail, please advise and pass my request on. Did anyone identify this pilot. I believe he might have been one of the C & C crew. If you know, please send any info. on the crew, call sign, etc. //Jerry Berry
7 Mar 99:I hope to see or hear from more of the old crew. It's been a lot of years from then to now so I'm sure some folks have changed a lot. One day I would like to track down a few of the guys and sit down with them and shoot the bull with them and just see what they have done since we left that little part of the world. Kinda funny isn't it, we used to call the US "The World". Anyway its good to hear from you and take care. // Floyd Thomas bud1@inreach.com
6 Mar 99: I served with the 192nd in Phan Thiet from 68-69 I visited your page and was suprised to see so many names I recognized on it. //Floyd Thomas bud1@inreach.com
Received the following two letters via Jim S.:
6 Mar 99:Please add my name to the 192nd AHC roster. Served from Nov 70 to Nov 71. Worked in maintenance as Tech Inspector. Was there for move from Phan Rang to Dong Ba Thin when we took over the 243rd's area. Knew Marvin Briesacher real well. Also Kendall...got killed same day Marvin was shot at Nco club. That was a sorry affair!! Oh before I forget my name is Mike Lovell was SP6 at time. Love the web site. Before 192nd was with 155th in Ban Me Thout 68-69. take care!!! //Mike Lovell mlovell22@hotmail.com
6 Mar 99: Hey Jim, It seems as if we were just in Dallas. I will be attending the Nashville reunion and hope to see a lot of Polecats/Tigersharks. I look forward to seeing you and your wife again. //Charles "Swabby" Dyer polecat405@prodigy.net
3 Mar 1999:Who took my Beer? I've got to share this with you guys, and I hope the guilty party finally steps up. That night the Cav. defended LZ Betty and we were only allowed to defend our ships with our 38's, I can't remember the date, but we were still in tents....I wanted to record a mortar attack, so I turned the tape player to record as I left the tent. I did capture some excellent incoming, outgoing, minigun, rocket, etc. sound effects. The strangest thing though, halfway through the attack, when everyone was suppose to be at the revetments, another sound is heard clearly on the tape; its the opening of the screen door, footsteps, the sound of the refrigerator door opening, and the clatter of beer cans being taken out. There was a co-conspirator because also on the tape was a muffled voice stating I've got three, how many do you want? Funny how some things come back to memory.// TERRY CUSTER
*** THE DATE WAS 22 FEB 69 (WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY)!!! ***
2 Mar 99: THE 192nd AHC CHAT ROOM IS NOW OPEN, JUST FOLLOW THE LINK AND THE INSTRUCTIONS TO SIGN UP. A SCHEDULED CHAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE
