1st Cavalry Division
Association Update
Dennis Webster, Executive Director
July 28, 2008
Troopers,
We have made arrangements with the Hilton Crystal City Hotel to block 25 rooms
and set up a "Hospitality Suite" for Veterans Day in Washington, DC. We kept the
number of rooms low initially but have the ability to expand the block if they
fill up quickly. We blocked rooms from Saturday, 8 November through the evening
of 11 November. The rate for the rooms is $119 per night plus tax. Due to a
glitch the reservation block will not be in the Hilton system until after 4
August. You may begin calling for reservations on 5 August by calling
1-800-445-8667 (800-HILTONS) to reserve your room and let them know that you are
with the 1st Cavalry Division. The cut-off to make your reservations is noon on
13 October so make your reservations between 5 August and 13 October, 2008. The
rates will go up to their standard rate, over $200 on weekdays, on 13 October.
Parking is normally $20 per day but they have provided us with a rate of $10 per
day if you are a guest at the hotel. We have used this hotel before and it is
located close to Reagan Airport at 2399 Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington.
There are some good eating locations within an easy walk and the Metro is not
too far away. The hospitality suite will be in a smaller room and we will not
be setting up a Souvenir Shop this year. Plans are in the works to place
wreaths at the War Memorials on Veterans Day and the Division Honor Guard will
be there to participate. The wreath will be placed at the Vietnam Memorial
during the ceremony that is conducted there each year. We are coordinating with
the Park Service for times to do the World War II and Korean War Memorials.
Visit <http://www.1cda.org/VeteransDay_2008.htm>
http://www.1cda.org/VeteransDay_2008.htm for additional information. I will
update that page as new information becomes available.
The have been three announcements by the Department of Defense about the
recovery and identification of First Team Troopers since my last update.
1. On 11 July they announced that the remains of SGT John H. White, H Company,
2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment had been identified and returned for his
family for burial on 12 July in Bryant, Alabama. SGT White was originally from
Long Island, Alabama. In November 1950, the 2-8th CAV
was occupying defensive positions near Unsan, North Korea, north of a bend in
the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. On 1 November two Chinese
Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the
perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. SGT White was reported missing on 2
November, 1950.
2. On 17 July they announced the identification of CWO Bobby L. McKain of Garden
City, Kansas and WO Arthur F. Chaney of Vienna, Virginia, who were assigned to A
Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry when their AH-1G Cobra gunship was hit by enemy
fire and exploded in mid-air on 3 May 1968. They
were on an armed escort mission to support a reconnaissance team operating west
of Khe Sanh, in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. Both men will be buried in
Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. CWO McKain on 11 August
and WO Chaney on 16 August.
3. On 23 July they announced that MSG Cirildo Valencio, of Carrizo Springs,
Texas had been identified and returned to his family for burial in Arlington
National Cemetery on 4 August. MSG Valencio was assigned to L Company, 3rd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment then occupying a defensive position near
Unsan, North Korea in an area known as the Camel's Head. On 1 November the 3rd
Battalion was surrounded and effectively ceased to exist as a fighting unit when
parts of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's
lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. MSG Valencio was one
of the more than 350 Soldiers unaccounted for from the battle at Unsan.
The Change of Command of III Corps and Fort Hood occurred on 18 July and
involved two former First Team officers. LTG Ray Odierno, who was the Division
Artillery Commander from 1995-97 passed command of the Phantom Corps to LTG Rick
Lynch who served as the Commander of 1-8th Cavalry from 1993-95. LTG Odierno
will be promoted to General and will replace GEN David Petraeus in Iraq. LTG
Lynch previously commanded the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia
and in Iraq.
As always you can get some excellent stories on the actions of the 4th Brigade
in Iraq and the training of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood by visiting
the 1st Cavalry Division web page at
<http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/>
http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/.
First Team!
Dennis
Executive Director, 1st Cavalry Division Association
Phone (254) 547-6537 - Fax (254) 547-8853
E-mail: firstcav@1cda.org
Web Page: http://www.1cda.org/