12th Cavalry News - Saber Column
May - June, 2010
Ken Howser

0001 - Journal Opened. Hey Sailor, new in town? Read on for another jaw dropping shade tree session of chewing on the good times and spitting out the bad. You have my guarantee that you will get your money's worth the first 5 minutes or the rest is free

0114 - Your favorite Cav Regiment is not still slogging in the past, we have become socially networked for you and your fellow 12th Troopers! Go to Facebook.Com/12th Cavalry Regiment and there you/we are! Surf on over, give us a look-see, become a friend, view and upload, and kindly avail yourself and your comrades of all these ultra-modern conveniences. Your service has given you benies, don't say we do not provide.

0214 - To all who have inquired and expressed concern over my welfare, many thanks. I have had ulnar nerve and carpal tunnel release surgery to correct those deficiencies of my body. I have had a great surgeon and wonderful care, being almost totality free from pain at the surgery sites from the get go. Where I am sore and not yet stable is in my forearms and wrist areas. The right side went way better than the left (5 weeks apart), in fact I was back at the laptop and writing in two days, and that only because I held myself back. Now if the muscle mass and strength in the arms and hands will return, I'll be 29 once again!

0314 - We are still looking for those items of interest and pictures you feel worthy from our current or near current 12th Cavalry Regiment Troopers; which means ACTIVE DUTY! Since I was conned into appearing here I have asked for your input and contributions: what am I, the Maytag repairman? Except for the FRG websites, the Batt liaisons, and the command structure I am getting negative feedback. Your words printed here – free. The royal 'we', as my social studies teacher (a retired diplomat) once stated to our class, “We will be absent tomorrow, but we will have a substitute.”

0414 - “Ken, Hope everything goes well for you and your surgery. We had the change of command for 3rd Brigade and all the Battalions under 3BCT this morning, but LTC Fadden did not change out. This will come sometime during the first part of June I am told. Will let you know for sure once I get a firm date. Take care.” From Kyong (Susie) Carter, Family Readiness Support Assistant 1-12 CAV. Thank you Susie and Semper Paratus! A best seller and available still - order your 1-12 CAV BN Throw TODAY! See your 12th Cav Saber Scribe for info and other BN items available.

0514 - “Ken, We have welcomed Angela Shoemaker as our new FRSA. On a separate note: 2-12 Cav just finished platoon-level training here at Fort Hood, and we'll begin platoon live fire exercises in a couple of weeks. We've really improved the competency of the Soldiers and leaders in the past 60 days in our training cycle. During that period of time as well, we integrated over 100 new Soldiers into our ranks - most straight out of basic training. It's great to see the look of confidence that our Soldiers have as they complete a training event. Case in point: we completed night live fire for our platoons earlier this week, and in the glow of the B Co 1SG's HMMWV headlights at 0430, I saw determination and pride in the faces of our infantrymen - the same faces that my CSM and I inbriefed only a week ago that were filled with anxiety. We're preparing for our rotation to the joint readiness training center at Fort Polk in June, and we'll continue to keep you updated.” From LTC Joseph C. (Joe) Holland, Commander, 2nd Bn, 12th Cavalry, Thunderhorse. Thank you, Sir, and Boot to Boot!

0614 - We noted the passing of Lawrence William Gubbe, Sr. January 27, 2010 (in line 0613 last issue). Since I quoted to you an online obituary, I was presuming that it was in all matters correct. Edward F. "Ted" C adwallader called in from Elk Groove, CA , and placed my toes firmly back on the line. There was no 'San Marcos Prison Camp', a fact I easily verified via Google. The citation should have read “Santo Tomas Internment Camp” and Ted would have known – he was a civilian internee, age 6 when it was liberated by the 1st Cav, 3 February 1945, and he is CMDR of 49'ers Chapter, American Ex-Prisoners of War , and a MSgt (Ret.) USAR. Talk of small worlds; he described to me his friend Trooper George Fisher, asst. gunner on the “Georgia Peach” from the 44th Tank Battalion, 2nd tank through the wire and living in my small burg in Maryland, unbeknown to me. He suggested we make contact, seeing how all this had played out and my extreme interest in the 44th and indeed, all things Cav. I have done this in person, no cold anonymous phone call from me, and a nicer person one could not find. I hope to have many more visits to George. As there are only about 10 members remaining to the 44th they have effectively disbanded as an organization, but their memories and spirit remain. Because of my error I have met two intelligent, gracious, verbose and just plainly nice individuals. As we say in the newspaper game, “All mistakes you find, were put there for you to find.” Otherwise I would get few responses.

0714 - Since I am fessing up about miscues, the image in March-April Saber labeled '1st Sergeant Paul T. Lyczak, C 1-12' was indeed not Sgt Lyczak but an unknown Trooper of B 1-12 Cav, somewhere in Vietnam. I am told the images provided of 1st Sergeant Lyczak did not translate well into newspaper format, therefore we have no printable picture of First Sergeant Lyzack. My humble apologizes to all concerned, but most importantly, to Mrs Marlene Lyczak.

0814 - Trooper Ronnie A. Gainer, D 2-12 and Vietnam, writes in to ask a question of the time period near 6 May 1969 concerning his company, and either an ambush or an explosive attack that day. The exact date is unknown, the date given is the date on his special orders for a purple heart award. He was wounded that day and is seeking the names of all the other Deck wounded that day, and/or that month if someone can provide them to him. One he remembers is 'Kessler', exact spelling of name unknown, also an engineer and an artillery officer. Another time Ron was ordered off a QRF helicopter to a combat zone, allowing an artillery officer and the artillery support he could bring on-board and into the fray. He was later to hear the artillery officer was killed in the ensuing firefight. He would like learn who this officer was and to put these matters at long last, to rest.

0914 - Trooper Steven C. 'Doc' Vogt, B 2-12 and also Vietnam, calls in to request a copy of December 1970 Stars & Stripes, or there about. On 31 December 1970, 1300, Bet was sent to reconnoiter a possible POW camp with Doc's platoon walking point, when they walked into an undiscovered bunker complex. Within minutes Doc had 17 WIA on his hands, and the rest, as they say, is history. The story got a write up in Stars & Stripes and as was the norm then, only a few were ever sent out to each company. Doc was not the lucky one to get or save a copy, so now he seeks someone to scan and souvenir him a copy. Can someone help a brother out?

1014 - Trooper Jones, Carl B., B 2-12 and again Vietnam (3rd times the charm!), writes in from Baltimore, Maryland (today!) to report that he is once again in contact with Martin N. 'Marty' Tirrell and Jerald 'Jerry' McLain, due in large part to the Saber and the 12th Cavalry Regiment Association. Carl is still working for the Postal Service and as a landscaper; all the while contemplating journeying into retirement, though laboring under no rush to surrender to it. Carl looks forward to seeing his old and new Trooper buddies, perhaps at a reunion or a gathering down the road.

1114 - Good times, good times. To make a long story short, I won't. Betwixt my surgery's and to escape the heretic pace for awhile my wife and I slipped away to Williamsburg Virginia, historic capitol of the Commonwealth, for a week of R&R. Being the veteran supporter that I am and loving to be in the fellowship of fellow veterans, whenever we travel somewhere I always look for both Cav Association and Vietnam Veterans of America meetings I might attend, on the rare chance one actually is taking place while I am in town. Using the internet to scrounge for local VVA chapters I came upon VVA 957 and it's members. It seems this enlightened chapter holds a weekly breakfast meeting at the Cracker Barrel open to available members, and various and sundry visitors. I did avail myself the pleasure of attending and would highly rate the experience to you all. I spent an immensely enjoyable 3 hours in their company, only disconnecting to honor another appointment. Many topics were openly discussed, the least of which was the variance and detail of our Vietnam service. Don't get me wrong; it did come up, but it was not the thrust and parry of our conversation. So I postulate to you that you do likewise and follow in my wake. You have nothing to lose but your fears and your prejudice.

1514 - “Reunion: a meeting or social gathering of persons acquainted with each other through some former event or connection.” - The FreeDictionay.Com. Each reunion is better than the last and worse than the next and you never know where you will find the next one. I am a firm believer in relaxation and the attending of reunions, greatly evidenced by my exhortations to you each bi-monthly issue. I take liberties to say my fellow scribes are down with that though I have never submitted them to a certifiable poll. With luck continuing on your side you will meet me, and I in turn will meet you at the Bloomington Homecoming. Ya'll come now, and introduce yourself.

1714 - From the online ElPasoTimes.Com “Tales from the Morgue” file dealing with Lt. Gen Hobart R. Gay, Gen George S. Patton Jr’s chief of staff and chief strategist throughout World War II, with Gen Patton when he was accidentally killed in 1945, and commanding the 1st Cavalry Division in the Korean War from July 1950-April 1951. “When World War 1 broke out I was a senior (in college). A group of us decided to enlist in the Army.” he said. Upon completing OCS at Ft. Sheridan, IL, he was commissioned as a Cavalry lieutenant. “I had never seen a McClellan saddle.” he said. He was sent to Hatchita, NM for his first assignment, to serve with the 12th Cavalry Regiment. “I stayed there on the border” he said, “until I got orders to report to Ft Bliss (the 7th Cav) in December, 1917. My heart was broken – I did not know what I had done to get shanghaied away from my outfit.” Place that in the 'We knew but we didn't know what we thought we knew, now we know the rest of the story!' file. Shoot me a line and I will send you the link or the complete story.

1914 - 'Missing in the Ozone' + An Ongoing Saga = You have gone missing in our directory and website locators; please check in and notify us of your emailing and other particulars. A B-C'ing you list to include: Daniel W. Burge> C 2-12 Cav, Larry Burks> D 2-12, Leonard "Butch" Byram> B 2-12, Robert Caldwell> D 1-12, Bill "Doc" Campbell> C 2-12, Truman Carroll> A 1-12 Cav, Don Carroway> B 2-12, Terry L. Carter> C 2-12 Cav, Ben Castaneda> A & Service Troop, James "Steve" Catt> E 2-12, David Clement> B 1-12, George Coclogh> B 1-12 Cav, Johnny Cole> A 2-12 Cav, Roy Conner> E 2-12, Jack Craigen> C 1-12, and Thomas J.Crowley> C 1-12. All Troopers please ensure that we have your data in our records, even if your name has not yet been listed, by sending an email update to both myself and the webmaster at the addresses under my name. (Anyone else possessing these details, please also notify us.) We have had 2 replies from last issue, so thanks be to all.

2114 - If you have not seen this video The Warrior Song , go online and check it out. It is an intense but upbeat song and has been making the rounds of the warrior emails for a while now. The words and music are by Sean Householder (no relation) and it is available via iTunes with all profits going to the Armed Forces Relief Trust.

2214 All items are figuratively if not literally true at time of printing and under a strict, though liberal, Literary License.