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ANNOUNCEMENTS
and NEWS |
INDEX
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2008 |
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November 2008 - Davo has finally
released the newsletter to publication. It is now available
here. This is your
Newsletter guys. It does need some input from you to make it grow. And
for those who prefer Adobe here is the
PDF file
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Notice: a little late!
Sir, I
write to you from Australia. On the 13Th of May 2008 our Regiment,
12 Field Regiment of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery
celebrated the 40th Anniversary off Fire Support Base Coral in
Vietnam. Australian deaths in this operation totaled 25. This was
the largest and most protracted Battle by Australian troops in South
Vietnam
We were supported
both at the 1A.T.F. area in Nui Dat and at Coral by the American
155mm unit A Battery 2nd /35. We tried to contact members of that
Battery in vain to come and join us in the celebrations. We even
went to the lengths of trying the American consulate and they could
not help us either.A Battery arrived at Coral after the first
attack in the early hours of May 13th 1968. The operation known as
Toan Thang ( complete victory) was the first Australian Brigade
action since the Second World War. The arrival of the American big
Guns and the dusters certainly increased our morale in consideration
that we flew into Coral in the late hours of the day before and we
never had time to put down proper defenses ( including wire) before
dark. The enemy seized upon our vulnerability and attacked in huge
numbers at 2.15 Am on the morning of the 13th. We had 135 Men on the
ground fought of an estimated Vietnamese force of 1000 men. They
overran one of our Guns that was later reclaimed and overran our
Mortar platoon killing 7 of our soldiers.
Artillery
men of the 102Nd Field Battery Royal Australian Artillery fired H.E.
over open sights into the waves of oncoming enemy and Splintex
across the Mortar area to save the survivors of the platoon from
certain death.
This is only a
small part of the story of Coral / Balmoral, many more attacks and
actions occurred between the 12th of May and the 6th of June. This
Month the Governor General of Australia bestowed an Honor title to
the 102nd ( Coral) Field Battery for their action at F.S.B. Coral.
This is the first and possibly the last time an honor title will be
given to an Australian unit. We are very proud of that distinction,
though it took a long time to come.
We would
love to establish a link with some of the fellas of the
American Battery that served with us all those years ago I would
also suggest that you hook onto our great website and have a look
around. Maybe we could have a dual link set up. our Web address is
http://12fieldregiment.com
Our webmaster is indeed a genius, and also a proud Gunner.
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Notice 4/6/2008 Dan Gilloti has
notified us that he is resigning as Battalion Historian. Please contact
Dave "Davo" Holdorf for
any Regimental history related questions. Thank you Dan for all the
historical records you have donated to this website. Without your
insight and research the site would not be complete.
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2007 |
Just repaired the guest book. Sorry but no one advised me it was
in that condition. 7/31/07
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Notice: 7/5/2007 Carl Moback, One of our Battalion members lost his battle
with Hepitis-C this morning about 7a.m..
His wife, June, ask that I notify the 15th Arty
His family is having a viewing for family and friends This Saturday
and Sunday at:
Advantage Funeral Home
9761 E. 31st. Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma
From 1p.m.-7p.m.
There will be a service at 10:00 am Monday, July 9th at the funeral
home, than a Vietnam Veterans motorcycle club will escort Carl to
Ft. Wagner Cemetary, Wagner, Okla. There will be a flag service and
taps at grave-side
Cards may be sent to:
June Moback
213 N. 11th St.
Broken Arrow, Okla. 74012
Rich Pennell
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Anyone interested in assisting this writer?
Dear Mr. Holdorf,
I am writing to you to request your
assistance. I am an American magazine writer and author. More
information about me can be found by clicking on the website below.
For the subject of my next book, I am
looking to find a willing participant. This person is a
Vietnam veteran who is
considering/planning a trip to Vietnam to see what the place he fought
in/patrolled looks like today, preferably on his own or as part of one
of the organized reconciliation tours. Ideally, I am looking for someone
who also has a son who fought (or is fighting) in Iraq, the experience
of his son having in part prompted a desire to return to Vietnam.
Through this veteran’s experience, I hope
to tell a story of how
America ultimately reconciles the war
experience, both for his generation and the following ones. While I
realize that many thousands of vets have already had the ‘return to
Vietnam” experience (and I have met several on previous trips to Vietnam
myself), I am interested in one who has not yet gone but plans to, so
that I would be able to chronicle the experience as it goes along.
Since you are in contact with a number of
veterans through the regiment’s website, please feel free to forward my
request widely in hopes of a response.
With thanks in advance,
Sheri Prasso
==============================
http://www.sheridanprasso.com
700 West End Ave.
3B
New York, NY 10025
tel: 212-678-6789
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2006 |
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November 23, 2006
Here is a link to Carr's Compendiums.
http://www.carrscompendiums.com/
We don't do commercial sites as a rule, but Davo thinks that this one
will have some closure for a few of our members. Just click the link to
be taken to the site.
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Hi -
Here's my tentative proposal for a reunion in Nha Trang in July, 2007.
I know that it may seem a little early to start planning for such an
event. Ticket prices tend to go up about 3 months before a trip. I'd
like to start looking for tickets in a couple of months. I may try a
consolidator in "Little Saigon" in Orange County, CA. We may be able to
get a better price with a group going.
For those of you who would like to start saving, you have about 11
months to do so.
My wife and I, and some of our children are definitely going. We would
love to have any and all of you go with us.
Please note that the cost estimate is based on my last trip in January,
2006. Prices may go up. I have tried to guesstimate the mid-range cost
of hotels and meals.
When I went, I spent about $200US per week on in-country travel, hotels,
food, and beer. While I did not stay in the low-end hotels, I also did
not stay in 5 star hotels, or eat in 5 star restaurants. But for the
cost of the airplane tickets, it is a very inexpensive vacation.
I'll be back in touch in a month or so, to get some type of "head count"
- even if you are only interested.
In the meantime, get your passport and talk to your doctor about what
shots will be needed.
Take a look at some documents I created for this.
Return to 'Nam
Estimated Expenses
Thoughts and Musings
David Gunn
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The Data stolen has been recovered...... |
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Personal data on millions of US veterans
stolen
Reuters
By Will Dunham
56 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Personal information on 26.5 million U.S.
veterans was stolen from an employee of the
Department of Veterans Affairs who took the
data home without authorization, exposing them to possible identity
theft, the department said on Monday. The computer records
included names, Social Security
numbers and dates of birth for the military veterans and some
spouses, the department said. The electronic data related to
everyone discharged from the military since 1975, Veterans Affairs
Secretary Jim Nicholson said.
Lawmakers and veterans' advocates expressed alarm that the
government failed to safeguard the data, which could be used in
credit card fraud and other crimes.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said that "we have no reason to
believe at this time" that the data has been exploited for identity
theft.
"We are going to send out an individual notification letter to
every veteran to the extent possible," warning them of the risk of
identity theft, Nicholson told reporters by telephone.
Nicholson said the employee, a career data analyst and not a
political appointee or senior official, has been placed on
administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The department said the theft of equipment containing the records
from the employee's home took place this month. Nicholson declined
to identify the employee, the location of the burglary or how long
the person had the data at his home.
The FBI said the
theft occurred in the Maryland area and its Baltimore field office
has been looking into the matter since it was referred to the agency
last week.
'RANDOM BURGLARY'
"They believe that this was a random burglary and not targeted at
this data," Nicholson said, adding that there had been a series of
burglaries in that community. "It's highly probable that they do not
know what they have," he said.
Nicholson advised veterans to monitor their credit card and
banking transactions and be alert for anything suspicious.
He said the employee had access to the data as part of a project
but "took home a considerable amount of electronic data from the VA
which he was not authorized to do."
Nicholson said there is no indication the employee intended to do
any wrong beyond improperly taking the material home. No medical
records and no financial information was compromised, he said,
though the data included information on some veterans' physical
disabilities.
Identity theft, or obtaining personal or financial information
about someone else to make transactions in that person's name, has
mushroomed with the growth of the Internet and electronic business.
"We look to V.A.'s executive management to hold everybody
accountable who was involved. And accountability we define as
immediate termination," Bob Wallace, executive director of the
Washington office of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, told Reuters.
Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Larry Craig, an Idaho
Republican, said he was alarmed the department had "no security or
checks or balances" for protecting the data.
"I hope this administration would send an alert out to all of its
agencies to take serious look at how they are handling all of its
data," Craig said in telephone interview.
The government is setting up a toll-free number, 1-800-333-4636,
for veterans to call if they notice anything suspicious, as well as
putting information on a government Web site, www.firstgov.gov, he
said.
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2005 |
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Dec 6, 2005 The new December Newsletter is on line
Here |
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A bill is being introduced in the House of
Representatives for the "Veterans' Right to Know Act" Commission. The
hyperlink below will take you to the site where you can read it for
yourself. http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/rtk/documents/cong_bills/109/h/h109_
4259ih.html
Thanks to Jerry Cooke for being proactive and forwarding this
information to us.
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The following letter is from John Sarantakes, originally with B
Btry 6th/15th. |
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Thoughts on the 15th Field Artillery Regiment’s Sixth Reunion.
I attended the sixth
reunion of the 15th Field Artillery Regiment in Cleveland,
Ohio
from 18 - 20 August. 52
former members of the Regiment attended, two from 6/15 FA and 50 from
7/15 FA, along with 26 wives.
Folks traveled from 21
states; the furthest coming from Washington, California and Florida.
Other states represented included AL, OH, TX, WI, NY, IL, VA, GA, OK,
NE, MI, KS, PA, AR, IN, NC, KY, and MN.
While the numbers might
suggest that the reunion was only for veterans of the 7th Bn,
that was not the case. Let me explain. When you look at the Regimental
web page, at
www.landscaper.net , you will see that the Regiment was / is made up
of several battalions. At one time there were eight battalions, today
only two remain active: the 1/15 FA (155 SP) in Korea and the 2/15 FA
(105 T) at Fort Drum, NY. Two battalions, the 6/15 FA (105 T) and 7/15
FA (8”/175 SP), served in Vietnam. One member of C Battery, 6/15 FA was
awarded the Medal of Honor, (Posthumously).
In 1990, several former
members of 7/15 FA got together to share experiences and reminiscences.
Since then, they have held reunions every two or three years at various
locations. Even though the reunions have been open to any Regimental
veteran, usually only members of 7/15 FA attended. This year two members
of the 6/15 FA attended … 1SG (ret) Mike Howell (Service Battery Supply
– 1968-1969) and myself (B Btry – 1969).
The reunions have been
held in Pittsburg, PA, Clarksville, TN, Louisville, KY, Fort Sill, OK,
Fayetteville, NC and this last one in Cleveland, OH. Photographs and
descriptions of the reunions can be found on the Regimental web page at
www.landscaper.net/reunions.htm. Photographs of the Cleveland
reunion may not be posted for several weeks. The Cleveland reunion was
originally scheduled to be held at Fort Drum sponsored by the 2/15th
FA. The battalion, however, was alerted and sent to Iraq so Cleveland
was chosen as an alternative location. The “15th FA
Regimental Headquarters” is located at Fort Drum within the headquarters
building of the 2/15th FA. There are two 105 mm Howitzers on
display in front of the building: one is stenciled “6/15th
FA” with the name “Pinky” (the nickname of 2Lt Durham – the Medal of
Honor awardee from C Battery) on the tube while the other is stenciled
“7/15th FA. The building was dedicated as Durham Hall several
years ago and contains numerous memorabilia from the Regiment.
If you have never attended
a reunion let me fill you in on my experiences:
Travel: I chose to
fly to Cleveland from Kansas City. Had my wife attended I probably would
have driven. I booked my flight several months in advance and it cost me
$140. Everyone stayed at the same hotel at special rates and the three
nights stay including tax was $220. The registration fee was $90, which
included Friday morning continental breakfast, buffet dinner on Friday
evening, dinner at the banquet on Saturday evening, bus transportation
on our tour to downtown Cleveland, two hospitality rooms and all of the
snacks and drinks (beer, wine and soft drinks) available every day and
night. We gathered and talked in the hospitality rooms where we looked
at scrap books and photo albums and just plain reminisced with folks we
had not seen in over thirty years.
Comradeship: I was
a little apprehensive at first since I knew only one person at the
reunion …. Mike Howell from Service Battery, 6/15th whom I
had only met a few weeks before the reunion …. turns out we live in the
same town! I should have not been concerned... from the moment I walked
into the hospitality room to register, I was “one of the boys”. I can’t
tell you how many times someone came up to me and introduced themselves
and we began talking about the “old days”. Different batteries and
battalions, different times and different ways of doing things, but we
all shared many of the same experiences. Everyone was friendly and had
stories to tell and many had attended several of the previous reunions.
The regimental historian brought his many books of the regiments history
(even included a book on 6/15th) for everyone to look
through. And it seems as though most of the vets brought their personal
photo albums with pictures of their days in the Army to include Vietnam.
I took mine as did Mike. Incidentally, you can find many of our
photographs of Vietnam on the web site. I think that there are more
pictures of the 6/15th FA posted than those of the 7/15th
FA. Just click on the appropriate battalion and take a look.
Daily activities:
Our first day was devoted to registration, meeting folks and
getting acquainted. The second day started with a continental
breakfast before we boarded the bus for our ride into downtown
Cleveland. We had the opportunity to tour the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame, the USS Cod, a WW II attack submarine, a 1920’s ore carrying ship,
the SS Mather, and the Great Lakes Science Museum. All of these venues
were within walking distance of each other and were on the shore of Lake
Erie. After a quick lunch, most of us took a two hour boat cruise. That
evening we held a memorial service for the members of all battalions who
had died defending their country in all wars. Mike and I read the names
of the fallen members of the 6/15th FA. After our buffet
dinner we participated in raffles and an auction of items donated by
members. On the third day we held our business meeting in the
morning where we discussed membership, finances, a proposal to become a
“formal” organization and the location for the next reunion. After the
meeting pictures were taken of the attendees for the web site, the
history books and our personal photo albums. Then we were free until the
awards banquet that evening. After dinner, awards were presented to
several organization officers who had devoted much of their time to the
organization. Of course, the hospitality room was open after dinner and
many adjourned there to relax, talk, have a snack or a drink and look at
the history books and picture albums. Amazing how much younger, handsome
and debonair we all looked in those days!
Departure: The
final morning was devoted to saying goodbyes and hitting the road for
the interstate or the airport. Some folks tied the reunion in with
further travels to visit friends or relatives, while for others, this
was their vacation.
Next Reunion: The
location for the next reunion has not been set yet. A committee was
established to look at several proposed locations, ranging from Nebraska
to Fort Leavenworth, KS to Branson, MO and a decision will be made
within a few months. If any of you have any suggestions or comments on
future locations, sound off to Mike Howell or myself.
I enjoyed myself at the
Cleveland reunion and, if I didn’t know anyone when I walked in, I
certainly knew a lot of folks when I walked out. Many of those
friendships will last a life time. Regular Army or draftee or volunteer,
we all went through a defining time in our lives and history while we
were in Vietnam whether we liked it or not. Reunions are not a place to
glorify wars but to grasp, renew, honor and hold on to the friendships
we developed during that time. It’s been thirty six years since I was in
Vietnam, probably about the same for most of you and none of us are
getting any younger. I am sure that we have already lost some of our
friends from the past and that will, unfortunately, continue as time
goes on.
I would encourage you all
to think seriously about attending the next reunion wherever it is held
so that we can relive those friendships and experiences before we lose
them forever.
As some of you know,
Gaither Kitchell and I are researching the history of our battalion and
batteries. Dick Brown is providing yeoman work in trying to locate
“lost” members and Mike Howell has volunteered to help anyway he can and
is pursuing the possibility of setting up the Fort Leavenworth/Kansas
City area for the next reunion. You can help us in several ways.
First, look in your garage
or storage areas for any old letters, rosters, orders or pictures from
your Fort Sill or Vietnam days. Send copies to Gaither or myself. We
will forward the pictures to the Regimental webmaster for inclusion in
our battalion’s “rogue’s gallery”. Please be sure to write what you
remember of the event on the back of the pictures. If nothing else your
name, your job, battery, and the year will work. Even if don’t have
anything from the past, send us an e-mail or call us so that we can
get-together and talk.
Second, if you know the
whereabouts of any of your friends from those days contact them and ask
them to get in touch with us.
And third, start thinking
today about attending the reunion in two years wherever it may be held.
The cost of attending is not great and can be tied in with a vacation.
We do need to meet again to talk and renew friendships before we are too
old to recall the past.
Thanks for taking the time
to read this memo, I hope that it provided you with the information you
need to help us in our research and that you will seriously start
planning to join us at the next reunion.
John Sarantakes
sarantakes@leavenworth.army.mil
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The
passing of a comrade in arms due to dioxins acquired in the line of duty
in Viet Nam.
Don Trent: Who
served on the Guns in C Btry from Jan 1969 to Jan 1970.
Don was operated on for Pancreatic Cancer on Tuesday and died on
Friday, 19 August. His wife, Patricia, said it was
Agent Orange Related and hopes all of the guys will get checked for
Agent Orange. The wake is Wednesday, 24 August from 4 to 8 PM and the
Funeral Service is Thursday at 10 AM. The viewing
and funeral will be at:
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Glenn E George & Son Funeral Home
437 Amos Road
Shelbyville,
IN
46176
Phone:
317-398-4599
A recommended florist is “Drake’s” right there in Shelbyville
and you can call them at 317-398-8155.
For those wishing to send a Condolence Card, Pat
Trent’s address is as follows:
Patricia Trent
638 Hoover Street
Shelbyville,
IN
46176
Phone: 317-508-2201
May the Good Lord bless his soul!
Thanks and “ALLONS”
Dan Gillotti
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Subject: I Corps reunion
You
guys are welcome to attend our reunion – I Corps Artillery
We are holding it November 10 – 13, 2005
In Branson at the Westwood Inn
You can contact me
for further information at
airdsie@charter.net
Its also at our web
site
http://www.willpete.com/I-CorpsArtilleryVets.htm
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New Web Page: Vietnam Revisited - One of
our members, David Gunn revisited Vietnam in February of this year.
Returning to where most of us spent a year of our lives. He has written
a narrative to go along with his photos. Please join me in thanking
David for his contribution to the 15th's Website for all to enjoy. |

Click on the picture above to visit the Website.
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2004
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Col. Norm Barnes Arlinigton Funeral Announcment 12/19/04 |
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Information on VA Diabetes
12/16/04 |
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Vietnam Troop
Ship: Gen. Nelson M. Walker 11/28/04 |
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Vietnam Veteran helping
returning injured soldiers! |
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Col. Norman L. Barnes
(Ret) 1928 - 2004 |
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Korean War MIA
remains found in North Korea 10/8/04 |
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First ever National
Welcome Home to Vietnam Vets 10/6/04 |
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D.O.D. News
Release 8/2/04 |
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D.O.D.
News Release 7/28/04 |
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New 15th Webmaster!
6/20/04
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Reunion 2005 Dates & Location Changed
5/30/04
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Combat Artillery Badge
5/2/04
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Military Phone Card Donation Program Goes Public
4/23/04
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M107 in Vietnam War Museum at Hue
4/6/04
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Brudno Added to Vietnam Veterans Memorial
4/2/04
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Carol Donley
3/21/04
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An Open Letter to the 2-15th Field Artillery Regiment
2/14/04
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Send a 'Welcome Home' to the 2/15th FA
2/9/04
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DoD Announces Korean Defense Service Medal
2/9/04
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URGENT! Assistant Hosts Wanted for Reunion 2005
2/3/04
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Korea DMZ Vets and Agent Orange
1/11/04
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2003
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The American Soldier named TIME Person of the Year
12/21/03
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Soldiers Honored at Fort Sill
12/18/03
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Authors Wanted
12/8/03
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15th Commanders web page
12/7/03
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HELP WANTED From those who served in the 6/15th FA 1966-1970
11/7/03
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SHAD Vets Could Get VA Care
11/6/03
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Artillerymen Killed in Iraq
11/3/03
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Who fired the first round in Vietnam?
10/6/03
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ATTENTION 7/15th FIELD ARTILLERY VETS!
6/10/03
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U.S. Supreme Court Affirms Vietnam Veterans' Right to Sue for Injuries Caused by Agent Orange
6/9/03
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New Agent Orange and Dioxin Study
6/4/03
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Request Military Personnel Records Online
5/9/03
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Museum in Australia
4/13/03
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Combat Artillery Medal
3/6/03
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Gulf War Syndrome Defined
1/6/03
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Col. Norm Barnes Arlington Funeral Announcement 12/19/04 |
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Funeral Information
Just in case you haven't received all the information regarding
Norman's
funeral at Arlington, here is the info you'll need. It is on
December
27th at 11:00. Arlington requires everyone to be there by 10:30. At
the guard
station, tell them you are going to a funeral. The guard will direct
you
to the Administration Center where we will all meet. We will be
having a
luncheon afterwards at the Holiday Inn Rosslyn at Key Bridge which
is a
couple of miles away from the cemetery. We'll have directions for
you at
the funeral. We hope you will be able to attend both the funeral and
the
luncheon.
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| Information on VA Diabetes |
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This VA info is
appicable primarily for diabetes. It originated from a former SF
Vietnam vet who is also a lawyer. But its good info for everyone.
Hard Charger-Sir! Dan Gillotti
Pass it on please! And
Merry Christmas to all!
The
easiest way is to have 1 disease or disability that is rated at
100%. With diabetes for instance you have to almost be confined to
the hospital on a monthly basis. Since the chances are that you're
not locked up you must know how the system works.
1) Don't believe anything that a service officer from Am. Legion,
DAV, or any other service organization tells you!
2) Get the regulations read and understand them. It is necessary to
go the Code of Federal Regulations at
www.findlaw.com/casecode/cfr.html,
then click on CFR Home Page, then click on
Search or browse your choice of CFR titles and/or volumes
(current and/or historical data), then go to Title 38 and click on
July 1, 2004, then click on parts 1-17, you are now into
the information you need to get your disability, the correct rating,
and everything else you could hope for.
3) There are a lot of Sections and Chapters within the Sections. You
can learn a lot just by opening each of these sections to find out
what is applicable to you. The primary Section you are interested in
is Section 4.
Schedule for rating disabilities.
4) There are a number of things you need to know which can all be
found here:
a. What does it take to get each rating, for instance for diabetes:
7913 Diabetes mellitus
Requiring more than one daily injection of
insulin, restricted 100
diet, and regulation of activities (avoidance
of strenuous
occupational and recreational activities)
with episodes of
ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions
requiring at least
three hospitalizations per year or weekly
visits to a
diabetic care provider, plus either
progressive loss of
weight and strength or complications that
would be
compensable if separately
evaluated..........................
Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and
regulation of 60
activities with episodes of ketoacidosis or
hypoglycemic
reactions requiring one or two
hospitalizations per year or
twice a month visits to a diabetic care
provider, plus
complications that would not be compensable
if separately
evaluated....................................................
Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and
regulation of 40
activities...................................................
Requiring insulin and restricted diet, or;
oral hypoglycemic 20
agent and restricted
diet....................................
Manageable by restricted diet
only............................ 10
Note (1): Evaluate compensable complications
of diabetes
separately unless they are part of the
criteria used to
support a 100 percent evaluation.
Noncompensable
complications are considered part of the
diabetic process
under diagnostic code 7913.
b. Find the schedule for each of the conditions you may have and
know them inside and out.
5) If you are asked to describe your symptoms for a disease or an
injury read them back the exact requirements of the rating. Do not
tell them things that are not part of the rating. If you have
neuropathy know exactly where the tingling is and where it isn't. If
it includes the bottom of the foot where does it stop!
6) If you are asked to have your doctor write a letter describing
your disability (even a VA doctor) give them a copy of the rating
chart and specifically instruct them what to write. Just because
they are doctors doesn't mean they can write for a disability
rating.
7) Make sure if you have secondary problems relating to the disease
or injury that they are kept separate and rated separately. There
are a number of associated disease related to Diabetes, if you have
one or more make sure that you get the rating or ratings separately.
8) If you have something wrong with say each leg – peripheral
neuropathy bilaterally, then you are entitled to an additional 10%
for the Bilateral Factor. But you wouldn't know that you are
entitled if you hadn't read the CFR.
9) If you have 5 separate disabilities of 40% or more, the VA will
give you a 100% rating.
Let me finish by saying never give up! You can challenge them
on everything they give you from the level of the rating to the
start date of the payment of the disability. If you find a rating
officer that will work with you (there are some) you can get the
100%. If you leave it to a service officer at the VA or in one of
the groups that are supposed to help, you are lost. THEY DON'T CARE
ABOUT YOU!!! They only know they have a job to do and like so many
people in social work there are too many people that have needs that
eat up all the social worker’s time. If you want to get through the
system YOU HAVE TO DO IT YOURSELF. I spent more than 25 years
fighting the bastards. I have been to the appeals board in 86, 88
and again in 99. I haven't quit yet, if I can get the VA agree that
my 100% disability is based on the 5 40% ratings that I have which I
think I can then those other disabilities that are not included in
the 100% can go to complete a 60% separate set of disabilities then
I am entitled to additional monies. They couldn't understand why I
wanted to get additional disabilities increased when it wouldn't
increase my 100%, they obviously didn't read the regs.
|
| Vietnam Troop
Ship: Gen. Nelson M. Walker |
Guys,
An Art Beltrone
contacted me via phone a few days ago and sent info via the po.
There’s info on the Internet also.
Art mentioned that the ship that the 7/15th
FA went to Nam on is being scraped via a recent contract. Prior to
being scraped, the ship was used in the movie “The Thin Red Line”,
and Art & his brother were allowed to board the ship for viewing,
photos, taking memorabilia.
On the phone Art
mentioned lots of graffiti left near the bunks. One of those is
“Going to Nam June 9, 1967 to settle things down and make sure
“Charlie” is turned upside down”.
I spoke to Mike Donley,
he said two FA units and an aviation unit were aboard for that trip,
some boarding several days prior to leaving the harbor. I checked
the Internet and it appears the 7/8th FA was the other
unit as per Gary Harrington’s website. I can’t find the aviation
unit?
Art & his brother have
released info on a book via Howell Press “Vietnam Graffiti: Messages
from a Forgotten Troopship”. By Art & Lee Beltrone.
Art’s letter mentions
that Ross Howell will send postpaid to any member ordering, I will
order one copy for our history files.
Info: Howell
Press 1125 Stoney Ridge Road Suite A, Charlottesville VA 22902
1-434-977-4006 fax: 1-434-971-7204
http://www.howellpress.com Ross Howell:
rhowell@howellpress.com
Book:
http://www.howellpress.com/Index.html?item69.htm
Smithsonian Magazine
article
http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues04/oct04/object.html
Scrap Contract:
http://www.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=76082&ran=195624
Info/photos:
http://www.usstorsk.org/volunteers/stripship02/stripship202.htm
Davo
|
|
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2004 – It happened to Steve Cobb during his
first tour in
Vietnam with the 11th Light Infantry Brigade. He was wounded in
combat - four
times.
"I got four Purple Hearts my first tour and zero my second," Cobb
said. "I
finally learned to duck."
While learning to duck may have been an extremely valuable lesson,
it can't
compare to what being combat wounded taught him. That is what he
draws on when
he meets the wounded servicemembers who arrive at Andrews Air Force
Base from
Iraq or Afghanistan three times a week.
It is that experience that gives him credibility when he meets one
of those
servicemembers, as he's been doing since April. It is also that
experience that
helps him put what has happened to that servicemember into
perspective.
"The bond and understanding is instant, it is deep, and it's
lifelong," Cobb
said, "because they recognize I've been through the same thing that
they have.
"It's hard to describe to someone who hasn't experienced all the
trauma and the
shock and the pain and the inconvenience of evacuation," he
continued. "It's
really hard to understand what that person feels deep inside. But
when you've
been there and gone through that, you have that understanding and
the bonding
is so instant."
Cobb, currently the commander and adjutant of the Military Order of
the Purple
Heart Chapter 353, Greater Washington Area, doesn't meet planes at 1
a.m. for
the glory. His motivation is the reception he received when he
returned from
Vietnam.
"When I came home there was nobody but demonstrators to meet the
troops. And I
just never wanted to see another generation of troops come home
without being
welcomed (and) appreciated," Cobb said.
Cobb and his wife, Tanya, try to meet each servicemember at Andrews
and offer
whatever help is within their scope. Usually that includes easing
hesitations
and maybe even eliciting a laugh or two to put things in
perspective. But the
duo's main focus is to make sure nobody leaves empty-handed.
MOPH supports combat wounded veterans of all wars. When that status
has been
determined regarding a particular servicemember, they receive a
specially
prepared packet of information. That packet includes information on
benefits,
treatment and contact information in case there are any questions or
problems.
It also contains some "morale boosting" items, including a miniature
Purple
Heart medal, a history of the medal, a phone card, a sheet of Purple
Heart
postage stamps and a welcome-home letter. Also included is a year's
free
membership with any MOPH chapter.
Non-combat-injured veterans aren't left out. They receive
welcome-home packets
from the Veterans of Foreign Wars that include a benefits brochure,
a service
officer card and a year's free VFW membership.
"The philosophy behind that is, if I walk into a room with six
patients and
three are battle injuries and three are non-battle injuries, no
patient is ever
left empty-handed," Cobb said. "It's a huge morale factor and they
all
appreciate it."
While the packets provide an icebreaker, getting the servicemembers
to focus on
the future and not dwell on the past becomes the order of the day.
Cobb's
weapon of choice for that pursuit is usually humor. And "Wednesday
night
doughnuts" don't hurt anything either, Cobb said. Occasionally,
wheelchair
races have to be refereed after the doughnuts are gone, he said.
Those who get the packets at Andrews represent about 80 percent of
the wounded
servicemembers coming in, he said. The other 20 percent of the
troops are
critical enough to be taken from the flight line at Andrews directly
to Walter
Reed Army Medical Center or the National Naval medical Center in
Bethesda, Md.,
where the Cobbs follow up to make sure the servicemembers receive a
proper
welcome home, including one of the two packets.
It's through these follow-up visits that Cobb learns what the
hospitals need by
way of personal items for the servicemembers. He said the staff is
not allowed
to voice those needs unless asked directly, but when he broaches the
subject,
there are always needs. The biggest, he said, is usually breakaway
sweat pants.
He said he and his wife will continue to meet the wounded
servicemembers coming
into Andrews with information and their own special brand of thanks,
understanding and appreciation.
Related Site:
Military Order of the Purple
|
|
Col. Norman L. Barnes
(Ret) 1928 - 2004 |
|

COL (R) Norman L. Barnes
1928 - 2004
|
|
Colonel Norman L.
Barnes passed away on 11 November 2004. He served as the Bn XO for the 7th
Bn, 15th FA in 1966-67 and worked diligently to get the
Battalion and all of its equipment prepared for shipment to Vietnam. This
was a tremendous task considering the condition of our vehicles and
equipment, but he managed to make it happened. He was the right man for
the right job at the right time. Shortly after our arrival in Vietnam our
Bn CO, LTC (later BG) Robert B. Hankins had to return on Leave to the
states because of the deaths of his parents. In his absence of about a
month MAJ (later COL) Norm Barnes became our Bn CO until LTC Hankins
returned. Shortly after this Norm was promoted to LTC and he left the
Battalion to become the 41st Arty Group XO at Camp Fidel (Phu
Cat). Later, in 1978 COL Norm Barnes was my boss at Ft Sill until his
retirement in 1979.
From my perspective he was an honest, sincere, intelligent, brave, and
fair-minded soldier who became a good friend. And most importantly he was
a compassionate human being with a heart of gold. I would like to share
this story with you. Norm was appointed as the Commander of all of the
Troops on the ship when we deployed to Vietnam in June of 1967 aboard the
USNS General Walker. About 10 days into the trip two of the men in my
Battalion Fire Direction Section went on-deck with their towels and
wearing only a pair of shorts. It was an overcast day and they thought it
would be safe to take a nap. They laid down on the deck and fell asleep
for about an hour, woke up, rolled over and went to sleep again for
another hour or more. Needless to say, they had gotten severely sunburned
on both sides of their bodies. They were in a lot of pain and went to the
Sickbay for treatment. This incident had to be reported to Norm as the
Commander of Troops. Someone in the Sickbay felt these two men may have
been trying to avoid going into the Combat Zone.
Norm did what he
was suppose to do and looked into Military Justice charges. There is a
chapter in the Uniform Code of Military Justice that reads something like
“Purposely incapacitating ones self so as to avoid combat” or words to
that affect. I went to his cabin and requested to speak to him about my
men and the charges. He gave me the opportunity to speak and I explained
that I knew these two men very well. I told him they were certainly
guilty of being stupid but they weren’t guilty of being cowards. I also
told him that I needed these men when we got to Vietnam as they were an
integral part of our Battalion Fire Direction Section. He thought about
it for a few minutes and offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse.
He said, “Sergeant Gillotti, if those two
knuckleheads can get off of this ship wearing all of their combat gear,
flack jackets and carrying their own weapons and baggage when we get to
Vietnam I won’t Courts Martial them.” By the time we arrived in Vietnam
their blisters were the size of small pancakes all over their bodies and
they were in a great deal of pain. But they did manage to get themselves
and their gear off of that ship and onto shore. Eventually their blisters
healed and they served their 12-month tours honorably in Vietnam and the
whole incident was never brought up again.
Norm was a man of enormous integrity and
personal convictions. I was a much better soldier for having known him.
He kept his word and I will forever have the utmost respect for him. May
he now Rest in Peace with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Respectfully
Yours,
Dan Gillotti
Historian, 15th
FA Regiment
|
|
Remains of American MIA's Found in North Korea |
|
October 8, 2004 DoD News Release
Remains believed to be those of American soldiers missing in action
from the Korean War have been recovered by two teams of United States
specialists and will be repatriated to U.S. control at Yongsan
Military Compound in Seoul on Oct. 15.
A more
precise number will be determined in follow-on forensic examinations.
The repatriation
marks the fifth and final remains recovery operation in North Korea
this year.
Since
1996, 32 joint operations have been conducted in North Korea, during
which remains believed to be those of more than 200 soldiers have been
recovered. Of the 88,000 U.S. service members missing in action from
all conflicts, more than 8,100 are from the Korean War.
The joint
remains recovery work resulted from negotiations with North Korea led
by the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office. The remains are to be
repatriated overland across the demilitarized zone, as was done for
the first four recovery operations in 2004.
Specialists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) comprised
the 27-man U.S. element of the recovery teams. The first team
operated near the Chosin Reservoir where the 1st
Marine Division and the Army’s 7th
Infantry Division fought Chinese forces November-December 1950.
Approximately 1,000 Americans are missing in action from the Chosin
campaign.
The
second team recovered remains in Unsan County about 60 miles north of
Pyongyang. This area was the site of battles between communist forces
and the U.S. Army’s 1st
Cavalry and 25th Infantry
divisions in November 1950.
The
remains will be flown to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where the
forensic identification process will take place in the JPAC
laboratory.
For
additional information about POW/MIA recoveries, visit
http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo, or call the Defense POW/Missing
Personnel Office at (703) 699-1169.
|
|
POW/MIA
Consultations Conclude in Cambodia
|
|
The four nations involved in
accounting for Americans missing in action from the Vietnam War closed
their meeting Friday in Siem Reap, Cambodia, agreeing to intensify
cooperation on losses in border areas.
The 2004 Consultations were hosted
by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs
Jerry D. Jennings. Senior leaders from the United States, Cambodia, Laos
and Vietnam gathered to forge a common vision, share experiences and set a
course for the future.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen
opened the meeting challenging the conference participants to find new
ways to cooperate on the POW/MIA issue “for the sake of humanity.” He
said it was “…important to enhance cooperation and integration of efforts
between the United States, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as so many of the
missing were lost in border areas.”
Last year’s gathering in Bangkok,
was the first time the four nations had come together to hold such a
meeting since the end of the war in 1975. The United States also
continues to work with each of the countries individually to investigate
MIA cases and excavate loss sites in an effort to recover, identify and
return to the families in the United States the remains of missing
Americans.
Expressing gratitude for the
assistance the United States has received from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam,
Jennings said, “Without your cooperation, this mission could not
continue. We know that and the families and veterans know that.”
At the conclusion of the two-day
session, the delegates agreed to reactivate senior-level trilateral
discussions on cases in the border areas, where the United States will
join either Vietnam and Laos, or Vietnam and Cambodia to mount a
three-nation, or trilateral, effort for case resolution.
Additionally, the delegates
established new mechanisms at the expert level to coordinate efforts on
these cases. Special emphasis will be placed on the United States
government’s highest priority cases, those involving servicemen last known
to be alive (LKA) at the time of their incident of loss.
Resolving the LKA cases and
improving trilateral investigations in the border areas are two tasks
President Bush has identified as key to success in accounting for missing
United States personnel. The multilateral consultations follow recent
bilateral breakthroughs that also reflect President Bush’s push for
greater cooperation. These include agreements between the United States
and Vietnam, and the United States and Laos on initiatives to improve
access to each country’s archival holdings, along with renewed access for
investigations and recoveries in previously denied areas of the Central
Highlands in Vietnam.
Since the end of the war, the
United States has accounted for more than 700 Americans from the Vietnam
War. More than 1,800 are unaccounted-for from the war. More than 88,000
are still missing from all conflicts.
Additional information on
POW/MIA accounting may be found on the DPMO web site at www.dtic.mil/dpmo
or by calling (703) 699-1169.
|
|
U.S.
POW/MIA Official Cities Breakthrough in Vietnam |
|
U.S. POW/MIA accounting operations will soon
resume in the Central Highlands of Vietnam to account for missing
Americans lost during the Vietnam War. U.S. and Vietnamese technical
experts will meet in September in Pleiku, Vietnam, to review cases and
interview witnesses as an initial step.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for
POW/Missing Personnel Affairs Jerry D. Jennings met with Gia Lai Province
officials in Pleiku yesterday to discuss the return of American POW/MIA
investigators, whose access had been denied for three years due to local
unrest. Senior province officials agreed operations will resume and that
they should be conducted in the same manner as in the rest of the country.
"I am very pleased," Jennings said, "that
Vietnamese officials both at the provincial and central government levels
are again willing to allow us access to this sensitive region. This is a
very positive step."
Jennings has notified U.S. investigators to
resume contacts with officials in the Central Highlands in order to
schedule operations. Of the 1,855 Americans missing from the Vietnam War,
some 110 are thought to be in the Central Highlands area.
Achieving the fullest possible accounting of
missing Americans is of the highest national priority. Of the 88,000
missing from all conflicts, more than 125 are from the Cold War, 8,100 are
from the Korean War, and 78,000 are unaccounted-for from World War II.
Additional information on POW/MIA accounting
may be found on the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/
or by calling (703) 699-1169.
|
|
New
15th Webmaster! |
| Please welcome the new 15th
webmaster, Frank Baker. Frank served with the 7/15th in Vietnam and you
can see his photo gallery here.
With extensive computer experience, Frank brings a whole new set of
talents to the 15th website. Best wishes Frank! |
|
Combat
Artillery Badge |
| To amend title 10, United
States Code, to provide for the establishment of a combat artillery
badge to recognize combat service by members of the Army in the
artillery branch. (Introduced in House)
HR 3950 IH
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3950
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the establishment
of a combat artillery badge to recognize combat service by members of
the Army in the artillery branch.
IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
March 11, 2004
Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin (for
himself, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BRADLEY of New Hampshire, Mr. EVANS, Mr.
LIPINSKI, and Mr. ROHRABACHER) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the establishment
of a combat artillery badge to recognize combat service by members of
the Army in the artillery branch.
Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) The field artillery is
one of the oldest and most celebrated of the Army's combat arms.
(2) The field artillery was critical to American success in the `War
to end all Wars,' World War I.
(3) The field artillery also proved to be a decisive factor during
World War II, helping the United States achieve victories in Europe,
Africa, and the Pacific. General George S. Patton Jr. remarked, `I
do not need to tell you who won the war. You know the artillery
did.'
(4) The field artillery continued to play a role in military actions
in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf and it remains critical to
today's military efforts.
(5) Despite the past heroic efforts of the members of the Army who
served in the field artillery, there is no badge specifically
recognizing the contribution of field artillerymen.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF
COMBAT ARTILLERY BADGE.
(a) In General- Chapter 357 of
title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
Sec. 3757. Combat artillery
badge
(a) The Secretary of the Army
shall issue a combat artillery badge to each person who, while a
member of the Army in the artillery branch, participated in combat
after April 5, 1917. Criteria for the issuance of the medal shall be
established by the Secretary and shall be as similar as practicable
for the issuance of the combat infantry badge to persons in the
infantry branch.
(b) In the case of persons who, while a member of the Army in the
artillery branch, participated in combat after April 5, 1917, and
before the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
issue the badge described in subsection (a)--
(2) to each such person with
respect to whom an application for the issuance of such badge is
made to the Secretary after such date in such manner, and within
such time period, as the Secretary may require.
(b) Clerical Amendment- The
table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by
adding at the end the following new item:
3757. Combat artillery badge.
|
|
Military
Phone Card Donation Program Goes Public |
| April 23, 2004 - The Department of Defense
announced today that any American can now help troops in contingency
operations call home. The Defense Department has authorized the Armed
Services Exchanges to sell prepaid calling cards to any individual or
organization that wishes to purchase cards for troops who are deployed.
The “Help Our Troops Call Home” program is designed to help
servicemembers call home from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation
Enduring Freedom.
For those wishing to donate a prepaid
calling card to a military member may log on to any of the three Armed
Services Exchange web sites: the Army and Air Force Exchange Service http://www.aafes.com
the Navy Exchange Service Command http://www.navy-nex.com
and the Marine Corps Exchange http://www.usmc-mccs.org.
Click the “Help Our Troops Call Home” link. From there, a prepaid
calling card may be purchased for an individual at his or her deployed
address or to “any service member” deployed or hospitalized. The
Armed Services Exchanges will distribute cards donated to “any service
member” through the American Red Cross, Air Force Aid Society and the
Fisher House Foundation.
The Armed Services Exchanges operate
telephone call centers in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and other countries
and aboard ships -- anywhere servicemembers are deployed in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. All of these
locations stay busy around the clock to keep up communication between
deployed troops and their loved ones. The cards available through the
“Help Our Troops Call Home” program offer the best value for calls
made from the call centers, never expire, and there are no added charges
or connection fees.
Individuals and organizations also can
show their support to deployed troops and their families with gift
certificates. The “Gift of Groceries” program allows anyone to
purchase commissary gift certificates at http://www.commissaries.com
or by calling toll free 1 (877) 770-GIFT. The Armed Services Exchanges
offer the “Gift From the Homefront” gift certificate for merchandise
at these exchange web sites: http://www.aafes.com
and http://www.navy-nex.com or by
calling toll free 1 (877) 770-GIFT. Gift certificates may be purchased
to be mailed to servicemembers and family members or will be distributed
to “any servicemember.” Only authorized commissary and exchange
patrons may redeem the gift certificates at military commissaries and
exchanges, including those stores supporting deployed personnel around
the globe. |
|
M107
in Vietnam War Museum at Hue |
| In March 2004, Martin Naprstek of Prague,
visited the war museum in Hue, Vietnam and photographed the 175mm gun
that is on display there. Martin was kind enough to send his photos for
display on the 15th website. |
|

|
|

|
|
Capt
E. Alan Brudno Added
to Vietnam Veterans Memorial |
| 2 April 2004 - The Department of Defense
announced today that it has informed family members of U.S. Air Force
Captain E. Alan Brudno that his name will be added to the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial. His name will be inscribed on the Memorial Wall and
recognized during the Memorial Day ceremony at “The Wall.”
On Oct. 18, 1965, while flying a combat mission over North Vietnam,
Brudno was forced to eject from his aircraft. He was held as a prisoner
of war for seven and a half years during the war period. Brudno was
repatriated in February 1974. He died of his wounds when he took his
life, on June 3, 1974, less than four months later.
In a March 31 letter to the Department of the Interior, the Director
for Administration and Management, Office of the Secretary of Defense,
Raymond F. DuBois, conveyed the decision of the Defense Department to
accept the recommendation of the Air Force to add Brudno’s name to the
Memorial Wall. The Brudno case, while highly unusual because it involves
the suicide of a repatriated Vietnam prisoner of war, falls squarely
within the existing, longstanding defined criterion for Wall inclusion:
"Died as a result of wounds sustained in the combat zone." For
seven and a half years Brudno endured long-term, severe physical and
psychological abuse and torture-related wounds inflicted by the enemy in
the defined combat zone - and from the devastating effects of these
wounds he succumbed within a short time after his release from
captivity.
While this case stands on the particular merits flowing from its
unique circumstances, the decision must not be misunderstood to include,
broadly, cases involving more attenuated circumstances that may have led
to post-war suicides, or those post-war deaths more distantly based on
cases of war-related psychological trauma.
|
|
Carol
Donley |
|
On Thursday,
March 19, at approximately 1800 hours (6pm), God saw that Carol Donley
was getting tired, and saw a cure was not in sight so he picked her up
and said daughter you have suffered enough. She now has joined some of
our comrades that left us during the Vietnam conflict and some later
on.
If you have
attended the 7-15th reunion, you would always see Carol along side her
husband, Mike.

Mike, there is
very little we can do to comfort a person when their loved one is taken
away. However, Mike we love you in a special way and we will always be
with you in our prayers.
Our love -
Luis and Virginia Cantu
7-15th Newsletter Editors
|
|
An
Open Letter to the 2-15th Field Artillery Regiment |
 |
7/15th Field
Artillery Association
9343 West Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI. 53222-1534
1-414-464-2939
http://www.landscaper.net |
|
David E. Holdorf
9343 W. Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53222
14 February 2004
Michael A.
Albaneze
LTC U.S. Army
Cmdr. 2/15th FA Regt. |
|
Dear LTC Albaneze,
With great
respect and admiration the 7/15th FA Association wishes to extend a “Welcome
Home” to the 2/15th FA TOC Team Troops returning from Northern
Iraq.
Those soldiers
who honorably served their country deserve the respect and a huge “Thank
You” from all Americans.
Our Best Wishes
to all and the Families of the returnees, may your homecoming be
wonderful!
We look forward
to our association's 6th Reunion at Ft. Drum in 2005 and hopefully
meeting some of the soldiers serving there.
You will always
have our support. Freedom is Not Free! |
|
Sincerely,
Dave
Holdorf
Dave Holdorf, Group Leader
7/15th FA Association, Vietnam
July 1967 - November 1971
|
|
Send
a 'Welcome Home' to the 2/15th FA |
| Monday,
February 9, 2004 - Dan Gillotti, our 15th Historian, has
the following request for welcoming home our 2nd Battalion troops from
SW Asia next week:
I'm requesting that you please send a simple "Welcome Home and
Thank You for your Honorable Service to our Country" card or
letter. You can simply say Thank You, sign it (list your military unit
and dates/places of service if you are a veteran).
The S-1 Officer from 2nd Battalion, CPT Ben Croom said he would
gladly receive the letters or cards and make sure all the guys see
them.
Also
consider asking some schools and churches in your area to join in our
welcome. Here's the mailing address for all Welcome Home cards and letters:
|
|
2-15th FAR TOC Welcome Home
ATTN: S-1, CPT Croom
10510 South Riva Ridge Loop
Fort Drum, NY 13612 |

ALLONS
|
Update
- February 14, 2004
Following
Dan Gillotti's request for Welcome Home cards, the students at Pleasant
Valley Elementary School in McMurray, Pennsylvania got busy!
Thanks the efforts of PTA member Gail Schlafman, two kindergarten
classes and two third grade class created over 75 custom greetings for
the returning soldiers of the 2-15 FAR. Thanks kids! |
|
DoD
Announces Korean Defense Service Medal |
| Febraury 9,
2004 - The Defense Department announced today the creation of the Korean
Defense Service Medal (KDSM). The KDSM is a service medal to give
special recognition for the sacrifices and contributions made by members
of the U.S. armed forces who have served or are serving in the Republic
of Korea.
Public Law
107-314 legislated the creation of a new medal to recognize military
service in the Republic of Korea and the surrounding waters.
Members of
the armed forces authorized the KDSM must have served in support of the
defense of the Republic of Korea. The area of eligibility encompasses
all land area of the Republic of Korea, and the contiguous water out to
12 nautical miles, and all air spaces above the land and water areas.
The KDSM
period of eligibility is July 28, 1954, to a future date to be
determined by the secretary of defense.
Servicemembers
must have been assigned, attached, or mobilized to units operating in
the area of eligibility and have been physically deployed in the area of
eligibility for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days or meet one of
the following criteria:
· Be engaged
in actual combat during an armed engagement, regardless of the time in
the area of eligibility.
· Is wounded
or injured in the line of duty and requires medical evacuation from the
area of eligibility.
· While
participating as a regularly assigned air crewmember flying sorties
into, out of, within, or over the area of eligibility in support of
military operations. Each day that one or more sorties are flown in
accordance with these criteria shall count as one day toward the 30 or
60-day requirement.
· Personnel
who serve in operations and exercises conducted in the area of
eligibility are considered eligible for the award as long as the basic
time criteria is met. Due to the extensive time period for KDSM
eligibility, the nonconsecutive service period for eligibility remains
cumulative throughout the entire period.
The KDSM may
be awarded posthumously, and only one award of the KDSM is authorized
for any individual.
Each military
department will prescribe appropriate regulations for administrative
processing, awarding and wearing of the KDSM and ribbon for their
servicemembers, to include application procedures for veterans,
retirees, and next-of-kin.
More than
40,000 members of the U.S. armed forces have served in the Republic of
Korea or the waters adjacent thereto each year since the signing of the
cease-fire agreement in July 1953, which established the Demilitarized
Zone. For more than 50 years, U.S. Armed Forces’ efforts to deter and
defend the Korean Peninsula have helped maintain democracy and preserve
the indomitable spirit of freedom. |
|
URGENT!
Assistant Hosts
Wanted for Reunion 2005
Assistant
Reunion Hosts Wanted for 15th FA Reunion
The
15th FA Organization needs to find volunteer hosts/hostesses for Reunion
2005 ASAP. The
reunion will take place at Fort Drum, New York during mid-May 2005, covering a 4-Day weekend
-- Thursday thru Sunday. The daily schedule will be similar to that of our
previous reunions.
As
in the past, it’s been a real plus to have a Vet near the action for needed
face-to-face contacts. The 2/15th FA is an active unit at the fort, and we
will receive some assistance from them. That alone, should help
make a volunteer's job that much easier.
The
requirements of a host are: Good Commo skills, a home computer and
e-mail service. Input is also needed on local hotel, banquet and dining
facilities in the Watertown / Ft Drum area.
Our
main-players will support your efforts. Most of the work is the
pre-planning. When the reunion starts, a few of the main-players show up a day early to help
with last-minute set-ups. Once the leaders are there, hosting has always
become a coordinated effort with main-players and the
host/hostess.
Please
reply ASAP so we can continue the planning. Feel free to ask questions!
Thank
you -
Dave Holdorf, 7/15th FA Assoc. Grp. Leader hidavo@earthlink.net |
| Korea
DMZ Vets and Agent Orange |
Source:
January 2004 VFW Magazine
Compiled by Ted Sypko
The Pentagon has confirmed that Agent Orange was used from April 1968 through
July 1969 to defoliate the fields of fire between the front line defensive
positions and the south barrier fence. The size of the treated area was a strip
of land 151 miles long and up to 350 yards wide, from the fence to north of the
civilian control line. There is no indication that herbicides were sprayed
inside the DMZ itself. |
|
Who
and What is Eligible |
Mandatory
requirements
- Service in country between April 1968 and July 1969.
- Assignment to a specified unit in Korea between April
1968 and July 1969.
- Medical evidence of presumptive condition under
38 C.F.R. 3.309
|
|
Military
Units Eligible (April 1968 to July 1969)
Elements
of four combat brigades of the 2nd Infantry Division:
- 72nd Armor - 1st & 2nd Battalions
- 7th Cavalry - 4th Battalion
- 9th Infantry - 1st & 2nd Battalions
- 23rd Infantry - 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions
- 38th Infantry - 1st & 2nd Battalions
3rd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division:
- 73rd Armor - 1st Battalion
- 10th Cavalry - 2nd Battalion
- 17th Infantry - 1st & 2nd Battalions
- 32nd Infantry - 3rd Battalion
|
Herbicide-Associated
Health Conditions
Presumptively Recognized
- Chloracne (must occur within one year of exposure
to Agent Orange).
- Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Soft tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma,
chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesthelioma).
- Hodgkin's disease.
- Porphyria cutanea tarda (must occure within one
year of exposure).
- Multiple myeloma.
- Respiratory cancers, including cancers of the lung,
larynx, trachea, and bronchus.
- Prostate cancer.
- Acute and subacute transient peripheral neuropathy
(must occur within one year of exposure and resolve
within two years of date of onset).
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
- Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta) is a condition
recognized in children of some Korea DMZ vets. |
|
The
American
Soldier named TIME Person of the Year |

|
| The
American Soldier was named TIME magazine's Person of the Year on Sunday, Dec. 21,
2003. TIME editors chose the nameless soldier to represent 1.4 million
men and women who make up active duty troops in the US military. The
issue goes on sale Monday, December 22nd. While attached to an artillery
platoon, two TIME
journalists were injured in a grenade attack. Their story is told in
"Portrait of a Platoon" appearing in the same issue. |
The
Survey Platoon, also known as the 'Tomb Raiders,' is part of
Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment of
the 1st Armored Division, based in Giessen, Germany. Instead of using
the artillery survey skills for which they were trained, they have
been assigned a district of Baghdad to patrol in Humvees. Their
primary duties include searching for insurgents and weapons.
In recent months, TIME journalist Michael Weisskopf lost a hand to a
grenade while patrolling with the Tomb Raiders, and the platoon lost
2LT Ben Colgan to an IED (improvised explosive device). Casualty
records indicate more than 50 artillerymen have died in
Iraq. |
|
[back
to index]
|
|
Soldiers
Honored at Fort Sill
|
|
The
Lawton Constitution
December 18, 2003
The
service and sacrifice of three soldiers who paid the ultimate price in Vietnam
was recognized with the dedication of two Fort Sill buildings Wednesday.
Building
757 now becomes Townes Hall in honor of 1st Lt. Morton E. Townes Jr., who served
with the 1st Battalion, 30th Field Artillery, for four years and was killed in
an ambush in February 1967. His forward observer team was tasked to support a
South Vietnamese Special Forces mission during a raid conducted by the 101st
Airborne Division in the Lam Dong Province.
Building
746 will be known as the Abrams-Snyder Hall in honor of Staff Sgt. Samuel Abrams
Jr. and Staff Sgt. George E. Snyder, who died defending Fire Support Base Becky
on Aug. 12, 1969. Both were howitzer section chiefs in Alpha Battery, 1st
Battalion, 30th Field Artillery.
Both
buildings are stone structures once used as stables. Townes Hall is battalion
headquarters for 1st of the 30th, and Abrams-Snyder Hall is the headquarters for
all of its batteries, according to Lt. Col. Samuel White, battalion commander.
Family
members helped pull the lanyards to whisk away the guidons covering the
nameplates over the doors. In a slightly later ceremony, members of the 30th
Field Artillery Regimental Association pulled another lanyard to reveal an
M114A1 howitzer that will now grace the front of Searby Hall, headquarters of
the 30th Field Artillery Regiment.
For
Townes’ widow, the memorial carried special meaning because at the time of her
husband’s death, the climate at home was such that survivors could not talk
about those who died in Vietnam without being ridiculed.
"Finally
he can be recognized for the hero he was. He can be shared with his comrades he
went to (Officer Candidate School) with and he served in the military with …
but most important, he can be shared with his sons," Peggy Bristow said.
"He
was a soldier through and through. In his heart, he always knew his destiny was
to serve his country, even if that meant dying for his country. Before we were
even married, we sat on the back step of the building where we went to college,
and he told me, ‘After I tell you what I have to say, you may want to leave
and never come back.’
"And
he said he thought that his goal in life was to win the Medal of Honor, which
meant going to war. And my comment was, ‘People who win the Medal of Honor
die.’ And he said then that he was an Army brat, that if that happened to him,
he wanted to be buried in Arlington (National Cemetery) because some of his best
memories he had growing up were when his father was stationed in Fort Belvoir,
(Md.)," Bristow said.
"Those
who knew him knew that he did nothing halfway, and from the stories my sons were
able to hear last night I can understand why," she said.
Rosalind
Abrams said she did not know her father, but what she learned from the men who
served with him in Vietnam was that he was not a selfish man but a great team
player.
Her
mother, Rosie Abrams, said of her husband that "he loved the Army. He had
choices and he chose the Army for his profession. It was one of his passions. He
was a dedicated husband and loving father and a man who loved and cared for his
entire family. I thank the men who served close with him in Vietnam for giving
us a glimpse of Staff Sgt. Sam Abrams Jr., a glimpse of the soldier that he
was."
"George
Snyder was probably one of the best friends a man could have," retired 1st
Sgt. Gary Ponder recalled. "We went through a lot of things together. …
The one thing that stuck out in my mind … the most is trying to stay ahead of
what the mission was going to be. … Sam was just getting ready to go home.
George was just coming back (as) we needed help on (Landing Zone) Becky. … You
don’t meet people like that every day."
White
said the dedications bear testimony to the motto of the 30th Field Artillery
Association motto, "No one is forgotten, no one is left behind."
Col.
Richard G. Cardillo Jr., commander of the 30th Field Artillery Regiment,
predicted the actions of the three soldiers and their legacy will inspire the
younger "Hard Chargers" to continue to bring honor and glory to the
30th Field Artillery Regiment.
The
M114A1 howitzer used in Vietnam was an Army staple for 40 years before it was
replaced by the M198, White said. The one in front of Searby Hall was "on
the East Coast looking for a home, and we had a home here and we were looking
for a howitzer, and somehow through technology we were able to hook up,"
Cardillo said.
White
said the howitzer was sitting in front of a Revolutionary War Museum in
Virginia, and museum officials had another artillery piece they wanted to put in
its place. The Center for Military History in Washington, D.C., knew Fort Sill
needed one and contacted the 30th Field Artillery Regiment.
Jack
Kloke, who commanded 1st of the 30th in Vietnam, owns a trucking company in
Virginia, and he volunteered the services of his company to get the howitzer to
Fort Sill. A crane was used to put it on the back of a flatbed truck, White
said.
Shawn
Neugebauer, a civilian working in the paint shop, gave it a rush paint job, and
retired Command Sgt. Maj. Norman Wilfong christened the 155-mm howitzer with a
bottle of champagne. White said Wilfong served on the M114A1, as did many other
members of the 30th Field Artillery Regimental Association, in Vietnam.
"This
battalion was the first battalion to do a combat air assault with the
M114A1," White said.
[back
to index]
|
| Authors
Wanted |
| Last
year we added the web page VETERANS
VOICES to the 15th web site. Here is an opportunity for you to tell a short
story, whether it is funny or serious, about artillery or your time in the
military. Submit your story to the 15th
webmaster today. |
[back
to index]
| 15th
Commanders web page |
| 15th
Historian Dan Gillotti and the 15th webmaster need your help in developing
information for the newest web page on the 15th web site which lists past and
present Battalion level commanders of the 15th Field Artillery. If you have a
photo and/or Biography please send an email to Dan Gillotti or the 15th
webmaster [Contact Info] |
[back
to index]
[back
to index]
| SHAD
Vets Could Get VA Care |
|
From:
VFW Magazine - November 2003 - Washington Wire by Tim Dyhouse
The
House approved legislation September 10, 2003 that would provide VA health care
for veterans who were subjected to potentially deadly toxins in Cold War
biological and chemical tests. The bill, H.R. 2433 - Health Care for Veterans of
Project 112 / Project SHAD Act of 2003 - would remove the current VA requirement
that they prove their illnesses are related to their participation in the tests.
The Pentagon has identified 5,842 troops who were used as, what one participant
called, "lab rats" in some 50 tests called Project 112 conducted by
the Deseret Test Center between 1962 and 1973. In some cases, anthrax and the
nerve agents sarin and VX were used. Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense)
tests were conducted at sea and were part of Project 112.
Some veterans have complained of ailments such as cancer and hypertension, and
through June VA had received 260 claims. Veterans who need help verifying their
participation in a Project SHAD/112 test can call Pentagon staffers at
1-800-497-6261 Monday through Friday, 9am to 9pm. To speak with a VA
representative, call the Special Issues Helpline at 1-800-749-8387 or visit the
VA SHAD web site http://www.appc1.va.gov/shad/
At press time the bill had been forwarded to the Senate VA Committee.
LINK:
Congressional
Action -- Visit the link below and enter H.R. 2433
in the SEARCH box:
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.html
|
[back
to index]
[back
to index]
| Who
fired the first round in Vietnam? |
| Dan
Gillotti, distinguished historian of the 15th FA (...and 30th FA) settled this
argument once and for all at Reunion 2003. Which battery of the 7/15th FA fired
the first round in Vietnam? For those who weren't there, listen up: "B
Battery, 7th Battalion, 15th Field Artillery fired the first round at 1130 hours
on 16 July 1967." Thanks
for keeping us straight Dan! |
[back
to index]
| ATTENTION
7/15th FIELD ARTILLERY VETS! |
|
“VETERAN
NAME LISTS”
To be listed as “FOUND”: Contact “Davo” Holdorf, 15th Group Leader hidavo@earthlink.net
OR 1-414-464-2939 Evenings: 5:00 - 8:00pm (Central Standard Time)
Upon
providing me with your 7/15th FA Service info, I will add your name to our list
and send a copy of the approximately 560+ Vets listed as of June 2003. The list
continues to grow, and any new members that are “Found” are published in the
next newsletter that ALL listed 7/15th FA Vets receive. Newsletters are
published three times a year.
Please
furnish the following info, the format of our “Found” list:
1.) Name: First, Mid-initial, Last.
2.) Months/Years Served w/the 7/15th FA.
3.) HHB, Service, A, B, or C-Battery.
4.) Rank upon Leaving the 7/15th FA.
5.) MOS/Duty Job held/performed.
6.) “Nick-Name”, IF used, that Vets would remember you by.
7.) Address: Street, Apt.#?, City, ST., Zip Code +4.
8.) Evening Phone & E-mail.
Example
of the format for the list:
Joe, G I 7/67-68 A-Btry. Sp4 13A “Spanky” 123 Jump St.,
Perfectville, US zip/phone/e-mail
Veteran
Search info: I have morning rosters and orders to help find “Buddies”.
However, we don’t have ALL rosters, and can always use copies of various
orders you may have brought back. These items are where we get ALL of our
Veteran search information. If you don’t have a complete name, please provide
any/all info you have.
Use
the 7/15th FA list to contact comrades, and consider meeting them at one of our
Reunions, which are now held every two years!
Dave
“Davo” Holdorf
C/7/15th FA Vietnam
15th FA Association Group leader
|
[back
to index]
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2003
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jonathan Hutson, TLPJ, 202-797-8600 x 246
Gerson Smoger, 510-531-4529 (or Deborah Schwartz, Media Relations, Inc.,
301-897-8838)
Brent Rosenthal, 214-521-3605 |
| U.S.
Supreme Court Affirms Vietnam Veterans' Right to Sue for Injuries Caused by
Agent Orange |
|
TLPJ
Successfully Urged Court to Uphold Victims' Right to Day in Court
In
a landmark victory for Vietnam veterans' injured by exposure to Agent Orange,
the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed today in Stephenson v. Dow Chemical that the
1984 class action settlement of Vietnam veterans' claims against the
manufacturers of the toxic defoliant Agent Orange does not bar a suit by
veterans who would not obtain any relief under the settlement. TLPJ had filed an
amicus brief successfully urging the Supreme Court to affirm the decision of the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which recognized the veterans'
right to sue for their injuries.
"This
is a huge victory for Vietnam veterans injured in the line of duty," said
TLPJ Foundation Board Member Gerson Smoger of Smoger & Associates in Dallas,
who argued on behalf of the veterans in the Supreme Court on February 26, 2003.
"Veterans exposed to Agent Orange will finally get their day in
court."
An
equally divided Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's ruling in a per curiam
opinion by a vote of 4-4. Justice John Paul Stevens recused himself from
considering and deciding the case.
"The
Supreme Court's Stephenson decision preserves an important victory in the fight
against abusive class action settlements," said Brent M. Rosenthal of Baron
& Budd in Dallas, the primary author of TLPJ's amicus brief.
"Manufacturers
simply cannot use class actions to block 'future' personal injury victims from
obtaining access to justice."
The
Supreme Court's opinion in Stephenson is the latest chapter in the saga of
victims' attempts to obtain recovery for injuries associated with exposure to
Agent Orange. In 1984, U.S. District Court Judge Jack B. Weinstein of the
Eastern District of New York approved a global class action settlement of all
present and future Agent Orange victims' claims. The settlement provided nominal
recoveries regardless of causation for all exposed veterans before the age of
60. But it cut off all compensation for class members after 1994. Stephenson
contracted Agent-Orange-related illnesses in the late 1990s, long after the
Agent Orange settlement fund had run dry. He filed a lawsuit against the
chemical manufacturers seeking recovery for his injuries, but Judge Weinstein
ruled that he was bound by the 1984 settlement.
In
a unanimous decision, the Second Circuit reversed. The court held that the
settlement's failure to provide any recovery for class members whose injuries
occurred after 1994 revealed a fatal conflict between victims like Stephenson
and the class representatives. In light of this conflict, the court concluded
that Stephenson and victims like him had not received adequate representation in
the class action and could not be bound by the settlement. TLPJ had filed an
amicus brief urging the Second Circuit to rule as it did.
TLPJ's
amicus briefs in Stephenson - available at www.tlpj.org - were filed as part of
its Class Action Abuse Prevention Project, a nationwide campaign dedicated to
monitoring, exposing, and fighting class action abuse nationwide. In addition to
Rosenthal, TLPJ's legal team included Steve Baughman Jensen of Baron & Budd
and TLPJ's Leslie A. Brueckner and Arthur H. Bryant.
|
[back
to index]
[back
to index]
Museum
in Australia
|
|
Posted April 13, 2003
John
Loughman, the model curator of the Vietnam
Veterans Association of Australia museum, has forwarded
the following photo of an M110 Howitzer position in one of the artillery
displays.
|
|
[click
thumbnail to enlarge photo]

M110
Howitzer Display
Photo: John Loughman
Model Curator - VVAA
|
|
[back
to index]
|
Combat
Artillery Medal
HR 1127 IH |
| To amend title
10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of the Army to establish
a combat artillery medal. (Introduced in House)
HR 1127 IH
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1127
To amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of the
Army to establish a combat artillery medal.
IN THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 6, 2003
Mr. GREEN of
Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of the
Army to establish a combat artillery medal.
Be it enacted
by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1.
FINDINGS.
Congress makes
the following findings:
(2) The field
artillery was critical to American success in the `War to end all
Wars,' World War I.
(3) The
field artillery also proved to be a decisive factor during World War
II, helping the United States achieve victories in Europe, Africa,
and the Pacific. General George S. Patton Jr. remarked, `I do not
need to tell you who won the war. You know the artillery did.'
(4) The field
artillery continued to play a role in military actions in Korea,
Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf and it remains critical to today's
military efforts.
(5)
Despite the past heroic efforts of the members of the Army who
served in the field artillery, there is no medal specifically
recognizing the contribution of field artillerymen.
SEC. 2.
ESTABLISHMENT OF COMBAT ARTILLERY MEDAL.
(a) IN GENERAL-
Chapter 357 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
Sec. 3757.
Combat artillery medal
(a) The
Secretary of the Army, in accordance with criteria established by the
Secretary, shall issue a combat artillery medal of appropriate design
with accompanying ribbon to each person who, while a member of the
Army in the artillery branch, participated in combat after April 5,
1917.
(b) In the
case of persons who, while a member of the Army in the artillery
branch, participated in combat after April 5, 1917, and before the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue the
medal described in subsection (a)--
(2) to each
such person with respect to whom an application for the issuance of
such medal is made to the Secretary after such date in such manner,
and within such time period, as the Secretary may require.
(b) CLERICAL
AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is
amended by adding at the end the following new item:
[back
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|
Visitors
since December 21, 2003
|