12th Cavalry News - Saber Column
September - October 2008
Ken Howser
DA 1594 Daily Staff Journal of the 12th Cavalry Regiment
DA 1594 Daily Staff Journal. 0001 Journal Opened, hog gravy and chitlins, let's see if this pig will fly. “Hey Sailor, new in town?” Thanks to staff for awarding us the medal and trophy for 'most pictures by a regiment' last issue. Coodo's also for labeling individuals in said pictures. Jeffery Spratt called to correct the top image column two as (L-R) Benjamin, King, SPRATT, Greenleaf, Dulloff. Gerry, no double dipper, is only in the previous image. Space is limited so details on all subjects may be obtained from me via the usual methods. Requests vis-à-vis specific company's pictures/updates are available only by email. Keep those cards letters pictures and reminisces coming in. The mailbag is bustin' at the seams – if I owe you a letter I'll get back to you.
0400 A check of 2/12 Thunder Horse in Iraq - “Another month gone by and your Troopers are performing spectacularly. We have had a couple of bumps and bruises and some ailments causing Troopers to be evacuated from here for treatment. We received replacements and are expecting our next group to arrive soon. Soon it will be October and only 100 degrees. Stay safe and, "Always Ready". ” 2/12 Family Readiness Group are offering fabulous 2/12 Battalion tapestry throw blankets (jpeg 1) for $40.00 + shipping. 2/12 FRG had an August town hall meeting and families are offered classes dealing with deployment issues. A Co had a July social and are selling A 2/12 logo-ed t-shirts to generate funds. B Co had an ice cream fund-raiser social and an end of summer BBQ. D Co had a pie-in-the-face fund-raiser, yum! F Co had an August indoor cookout. HHC had a pizza party planned.
0800 1/12 update postponed pending notification & response of concerned entities. I've been walking through the stable and have deadlines all over my shoes. Once Cav always 12th Cav and I have the stories to prove it...
1200 I have had a very pleasant chat with an F Troop veteran of the Japan Occupation, January 1947-48. Trooper Joseph J Champagne Jr, Gold Bar, WA 98251 <no email> is a Veteran of Underage Military Service <www.oldvums.org> enlisting at age 16 in 1946. He wishes to contact the same, F Troopers and: Spivy, Angelo DeAngelo, and Richard Cram. He served at Camp McGill and a seaplane base in Tachama (?) Japan. He remembers standing for hours in ranks on the hot tarmac awaiting MacArthur and his parades, while the troopers passed out from the heat. Like more cowbell, the Saber needs more Japan train stories. A stick-out moment for Joe was missing his stop and arriving at the end of the line where the engineer walked away, saying there would be 4 hours till the next train. Not wishing to be AWOL, he and his friends commandeered the train and started back, the engineer running to join up. They ducked going through Yokohama, wondering what the MP's thought about an empty train going speeding past. Joe went on to enlist in both the Marines, where he was a coach for a rifle team, and the Air Force in mobile communications equipment. He left the services in 1962 and truck driving in 1999. He currently lives in the mountains and tries his hands at picking bluegrass on a Martin flattop guitar.
1400 “Troopers Carlos Ramos and Thomas Jones, C 1/12 3rd platoon M-60 gunners meet for a mini-reunion in Carlsbad, CA, July 2008. These two buddies met on the West Coast again, decades after they humped their M-60s through I and III Corps in Vietnam. Charlie Company called them "the Showboats" and when the enemy was contacted, the officers would call for the "showboats" to come up to the area of contact and give them hot lead. Carlos got through his war experience by thinking of this very scene on the beach at Carlsbad (jpeg 2) and was anxious to show Jones, from the Jersey shore, his vision of the Pacific Ocean. The two were reunited this year for the first time in 40 years. Trooper Ramos is a contractor who still lives near this beach and Trooper Jones is a college professor now living in the state of Washington.”- Thanks to Alan & Tweek VanDan.
1500 Our final contact by lima lima was with Trooper Carl H Lawrence, C 2/12 Cavalry Vietnam, May 1966-Dec 1967, Hurdle Mills, NC 27541 <no email>. Trooper Carl is searching for: Sgt Parker, Sgt Atkins, Sgt Mooney, Lt Patterson, Lt Ringrose and Col Edgar C Doleman, Jr. The latter was an author of 'Tools of War' in the Time-Life Vietnam Series. Carl enlisted in 1959, served until 1979 and was a triple dipper with the Cav. He served on the Korean DMZ with the 2/5th and 1/9th Cavalry. He has vivid memories of working the border of Cambodia in 1966 around a Special Forces camp west of An Khe, using slicks at treetop level to draw enemy fire. Here in Nov/Dec 1966 they spied John Wayne in SF uniform (you just cannot miss him) and his entourage, standing walking and talking to SF troops 2/12 were defending. He asked who the other soldiers were and was told, “They're nobody.” Big John ambled over despite protests from his handlers to talk to real soldiers. He drank coffee and talked to them with tears in his eyes until he left in his own good time. Trooper Carl wants to know if anyone else remembers this incident? Carl went on to teach 12 yrs of Army Junior ROTC in HS and currently drives tour buses. He plans to see y'all in TX next year.
1700 “Congratulations are extended to Trooper Joe and Jill DiMartino C 1/12 and Trooper Pops and Rose Wilkos D 1/12, both Vietnam, both couples blessed with strapping grandsons in August. Trooper Joe's grandson is nicknamed "Little Trooper," and Trooper Pop's grandson is nicknamed "Gummy Bear." and they are both going to be heart throbs.” - Emeritus VanDans.
2100 Emailing sitrep from Trooper Raymond D Banning, HHC 2/12 Vietnam, 1969-1970, Willard, MO 6578. His second tour was in the Cav; his first tour was as an advisor in II Corps. “I was on 1st Bde staff working for Joe Kingston from Jan to June, then was sent down to 2/12. I served as the Bn Executive Officer replacing Bill O'Keefe, KIA when his helicopter was hit by artillery round. I served under LTC Ivan Boone and LTC Hal Iverson.” Since first light we have been exchanging email conversations concerning activities incidents and personalities, witness to the same history, as our tours with 2/12 overlapped. We share with each other two differing perspectives, that of officer and enlisted. Quaint, ain't it?
2200 This is a most important Presidential election, weigh your choice on who and what is best for the nation, then vote early and often. We all hang together or we swing separately. Don't sweat the small stuff in the election or life as you can't change it, and it will only kill your buzz. I hope I see many of you on 11/11 weekend at my usual hangouts, Veterans Day at the Wall - the Cav in DC. I label the Wall to be the Cadillac of Veterans Day observations and if able I am Johnny on that spot. We are all too aware of mission creep and it is true for VD as well. Many communities not longer have VD parades and activities, leaving it to Veterans service organizations instead, at greatly reduced participation. The original concept was to honor those that had died in WWI and those that had served in combat by “a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business, with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.” Now, any person who served under the colors is a veteran and after 1 day serving in uniform is a veteran of the country's service, as we consider active duty to be veterans. Many confuse Armed Forces, Memorial, and Veterans Day, blending and messing the message of each. Don't get me started on flag etiquette! If you wish to see it done correctly and honorably come to DC and the Wall. Here you will know in your heart what it is, and means in your being, to be a 'veteran'.
2300 ½ I wish all a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Annum, your Jan and Feb holidays, as well as your faith and ethnic specific holidays to boot! Boot to boot! Ride on cowboy.
2400 If I got it wrong I am still sticking by my story! Write if you get work. Journal Closed.