12th Cavalry
News - Saber Column
March - April 2008
Ken Howser
DA 1594 Daily Staff Journal of the 12th Cavalry Regiment:
0001 Journal Opened. Hey Sailor, new in town? Good evening Mr. And Mrs. America and all the ships at sea; let’s go to press.
0100 Website Alert! http://www.12thcav.us is the worldwide web presence of the Regiment Association. Check us out early and often, always crafted with love for your enjoyment. Webmaster Charlie requests eyes right to view recent additions, read histories and member donations, catch-up with old friends via email and physical links, and whatever else awaits you. It beats smoking dope for a cheap high, (so they tell me).
0300 Reunion Alert! Everyone is invited! The 61st Annual Reunion, the 2008 1st Cavalry Division Association Reunion will be held in Jacksonville, Florida from June 18th to June 22nd, dates certain. The exciting venue is the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, http://jacksonville.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp. Rest assured that if you cannot attend or chose not to attend the merry festivities will be held in your honor but without you.
We will miss you but do our due diligence to carry the flag. As you plan ahead be sure to register for and attend with the family all the 12th Cavalry events, after all, why go half-hog on your reunion? This reunion is the perfect time to get your 12th Cav groove on and begin to reacquaint yourself with the parts missing from your past, namely the military connections that shaped and formed your character and life view. Even if your friends don't show you will still have met and formed new friendships with the best people in the world, the currently employed and the veterans of the 1st Team and the 12th Cavalry Regiment. You all come, meeting all day and dinner on the ground, Semper Paratus!
1000 12th Cavalry Reunion Mobilization Alert! Be advised that dates and location for annum 2008 are final. Reunion for all battalions of 12th Cavalry, any era, year, conflict - all active duty and service completed personnel. Click the link on the home page to view a nice video of the on-site facilities. www.BransonSettleInn.Com, Branson Settle Inn, 1-800-677-6906, 3050 Green Mountain Drive, Branson, MO.
1300 Active Duty Alert! On February 12th, our two 12th Cavalry Regiment Medal of Honor recipients, John BACA and Al LYNCH, attended the 1/12th Cavalry Ball at Fort Hood, Texas. Also representing the Association was Jim STOKELY, Pat & Pam WILGONOSKI, Dave and Lynn DENTINGER, & Charlie and Linda BADER. Approximately 900 personnel attended the Ball including ten Gold Star family members. 2 pictures are enclosed. Al was the keynote speaker and his speech about the Brotherhood of Patriots was well received by all in attendance. While at Fort Hood, John Baca visited Troopers at the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) at Darnall Army Medical Center. This special occasion is the first time these two MOH recipients have appeared together at Ft Hood in over 20 years.
On March 3rd at Fort Bliss, Texas HSMOR John Berger presented “Honorary Ladies of the Regiment” certificates to 21 members of the 2/12th Cavalry Family Readiness Group. In addition, on behalf of the Association, he gave LTC NICKOLAS a signed copy of Charles KROHN’s recently released book, “The Lost Battalion of Tet: The Breakout of the 2/12th Cavalry at Hue”.
On March 4th the 2/12th Cavalry was reassigned as the 1/77th Armor, 1st Armored Division. We wish our former Troopers well in their new assignments.
On March 7th, Charlie Bader attended the reflagging ceremony at Fort Hood for the 2/12th Cavalry, formally the 3/67th Armor, 4th Infantry Division. LTC Scott KENDRICK commands this unit and the senior enlisted man is CSM William MAY. Charlie presented LTC Kendrick likewise with a signed copy of Charles Krohn’s book as noted earlier. Another signed copy of the book was donated to the 2/12th Cav library. The 2/12th Cavalry is part of the 4th BCT of the 1st Cavalry Division and is scheduled for deployment to Iraq sometime in the summer of 2008.
On March 26th, Charlie Bader will represent the Association at the 1/12th Cavalry Change of Command ceremony. The Battalion Commander, LTC Morris GOINS is being replaced by LTC FADDEN, who will lead the 1/12th Cavalry back to Iraq in December 2008. LTC Goins is going to remain at Fort Hood as the Executive Officer of III Corps Headquarters. We wish him well in his new assignment. In addition, we look forward to seeing him at the Jacksonville Reunion where he will be the keynote speaker at the 12th Cavalry Regimental luncheon. A hearty round of thanks, best wishes, well done, congratulations, and a pleasant ride to all concerned.
1500 In a similar vein “The Lost Battalion of Tet: Breakout of the 2/12th Cavalry at Hue”. “My gratitude to the 12th Cavalry Association for permission to use this information is great, indeed. This new edition, published by the Naval Institute Press, incorporates the reaction to the first edition from next of kin and family members.” - Charles A. Krohn. <Http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Battalion-Tet-Breakout-Cavalry/dp/1591144345/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199906265&sr=8-1>. “I joined the Cav in March 1968 and about half of my platoon had survived the January Battles in the Que Son Valley and the February Battle of Hue. In fact, through late 1968, if you had gone through Hue you were a veteran, otherwise you were a new guy. The Hue veterans just acted different as they had "been there and done that" and because our combat from March 1968 until February 1969 was of low-level intensity - there was no comparison to the sustained intense level of combat of January and February 1968. I have mixed feelings about the book as I thought he missed an opportunity to tell the story from the enlisted and unit officer view.” - C. Bader
1700 Jim Stokely and Charlie Bader attended the 1st Cavalry Division Association mid-year meeting of the Board of Governors and Foundation Trustees at Fort Hood Texas on February 22nd and 23rd. Jim is on the Board of Governors and Charlie is a recently appointed Trustee of the Foundation. While TDY in town Jim also toured and chatted up the Troopers on post. We each do try, at all costs and at great lengths, to meld the new Cav with us old Cav.
1800 March 29-30, 2008 "Welcome Home” to all of America's Vietnam Veterans in Crossville, TN. March 28 starts with assembly at 0700, colors at 0800, parade at 1000, opening ceremonies at 1200. Entertainment and speakers are yet to be scheduled - 26 governors have been invited while musical entertainment from Nashville has yet to return letters. These should be finalized by January 16th. Sunday, March 30th will start with a field service at 0900 followed by more speakers and entertainment to finish up at sundown. Link: http://www.capveterans.com/american_patriotism/id16.html.
2000 Francis David Donohue, Co A, 1/12th Cav, KIA 12/28/1968, reportedly “near Song Be”. “I am trying to find anyone that may have served with 'Frank'. He was only there for 2 months so it was not a lot of time for people to know him. If you knew him or any details about this incident contact me, (his cousin)”: Jeffrey SANTELL, Harrisburg PA 17109.
2100 A website sent in by an internet friend (the kind you have never met but 'know' by their words and deeds), Sukoshi Joe - Pro Patria Vigilans. He was raving about his and his deceased wife's passion for this work to support all our service members deployed into the world and that touch his area of operations, the Pease Air Terminal in Portsmouth, NH. They serve as an example to us all for what might be accomplished by a band of dedicated and purposeful citizens/veterans. “The Greeters group has grown to well over 100 elders and youths all offering their thanks and greetings for these hero's. The Greeters have not missed a flight since inception, over 120 visits. They assemble in an hours notice. Some drive as much as 100 miles to be there. They are too old to fight but young enough to care. They show respect for the troops and for their service to our Country. ” http://www.peasegreeters.org.
The site and story call to mind something I have read or heard somewhere about a small Iowa (?) town in the middle of nowhere that set itself up to to greet each arriving train (different time different world) of servicemen during WW Twice. Google yourself the answer or if you know the answer to today's mystery word, send me the answer and make the duck come down from the ceiling.
2200 Veterans Law Center of Jacksonville, Inc. We provide legal support and counsel to America's honorably discharged military veterans, wherever they may be, and we do this free of charge to them. Veterans need not reside in Florida or Georgia to receive advice, counsel, or support from our organization. http://www.veteranslawcenter.org.
2300 A gentle reminder to all and sundry to sign on and join up with the 12th Cav Regiment Association in confluence with your 1st Cav Div Association membership - continue your friendships and associations of years past. As someone said last issue, you don't want to be the last trooper standing looking for past comrades and finding no response. Remember, “the Horse is Man's Noblest Companion”. Support the Trooper Support Fund and all of our active duty personnel.
2400 Write if you get work - Journal Closed.
Joe Richard Russell_00
2008_02_12 _1-12 Battalion Ball_MOH_John Baca_Al Lynch
2008_02_12 _1-12 Battalion Ball_Al Lynch_ LTC Morris Goins_Cathy Goins_John Baca_CSM Rodney Harris_Tina Harris
John Baca at the Warrior Transition Unit of Darnell Army Medical Center