RICHARD P. RODBART
ATTORNEY AT LAW
26 PINE TERRACE WEST
SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY 07078
December 14, 1992
Lt. Col. David Chandler
3916 Cedar Cay Circle
Valrico, Florida 33594
Dear David:
Got your acknowledgment of my December 1 response. I really have a wealth of info, more in the nature of photos, memo pads, maps, SOI, etc. I even have the parachute serial
number inventory for all chutes which were issued to each aircraft by tail number (enclosed)!
Names of unit members (some first names missing):
AVIATORS:
Cpt. William R. Dortch, OF 103283: assigned to tail number
183. Bill was from South Carolina (Beaufort, I think). He came to us around December, 1967 and took over the third platoon when I left. He was an excellent pilot and was cool under pressure situations. Played a mean game of basketball on the Quang Ngai compound court. I have a letter or two which I received from him after I returned home. Bill was my roommate at Quang Ngai and a true gem.
Cpt. Cecil R. Gleason, 05536798: or "Cece the Gleas" as he was known to us. Cece was a quite but always friendly soul who was there when you needed him. DROS approx: 1/69
ILT. Chuck Goodrum, 05332293: a big kid who was careful and did the job well. DROS: approx: 4/69
ILT. W. Hooper: no real recollection. DROS approx: 6/69.
lLT. J. Albright: no real recollection. DROS approx: 6/69.
December 14, 1992
Page 2
ILT. Bill Milleson: I remember Bill returning to Ft. Rucker and going to a movie on post with him (Chitty, Chitty, Bang Bang). Boy, the mind recalls some strange things!
CPT. Ron Collier: in the first group of aviators who crossed the Pacific with the 21st Aviation Company. Flew into the Mekong Delta with CPT. Carl Propp who commanded the first platoon. Both were top notch.
CPT. Terry Tate: third platoon leader who preceded me.
Married an Aussie whom he met on R&R.
CPT. Richard J. Hayes: got to Tay Ninh a week before me. We roomed together in flight school. After about four months in country Rich got a "soft" job in Saigon area. We again
roomed together upon our return to Rucker. We kept in touch after we both left the Army, he in 1969, me in 1970. Visited one another. He lived in Erie, Pa. for years and only recently moved to N.C. (4003 New Yarmouth Way, Apex, N.C. 27502). I should get a Christmas card soon.
ILT Leroy Burkemper: an original with the unit.
ILT. Keith Moorehead: another original, buddy of Burkemper. CPT. Willie Tyson: ditto and an old timer.
ILT. Richard Roberts: from the flight school class behind us.
a nice guy.
lLT. David Conway: this is a puzzle. Conway arrived around December, 1967. His dad was a LTC somewhere. I heard
that he was killed with his observer while contour flying 112 the side of a mountain. However, his name is not in the official government register of KIA.
MAJ. Bernie MacInerney: the original company XO.
MAJ. Ernie Strum: the original CO. A good man who let you do your job.
CPT. David Thomas: a favorite. Probably our best pilot. Arrived around October, 1967. From McLean, Va. My best
photo in country was a close up of Dave next to a teen aged Montaniard girl who always smiled.
December 14, 1992
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CPT. DeWayne "Zekell Jordan: first platoon leader, later replaced by Propp. A fine pilot and one of the originals.
ILT. Dana DeVos: from my flight school class. A member of the first platoon. Tall and skinny. Nice guy.
MAJ. Edwin Moses: the unit's second CO. Replaced Strum and was replaced by Prather. First class commander.
ILT. Tom McFarlin: came to us in Tay Ninh. Not much recollection. Big guy from way down south.
ILT. Butch Hein: no recollection
CPT. Charles Welch: the company operations officer at Tay
Ninh and an original. Stationed at the airfield, Charlie was very square for an assignment to an aviation unit. When the batallion commander visited Tay Ninh and inquired as to what the unit aviators meant when they would occasionally
broadcast "Tango, Papa, Sierra," it was Charlie who later
told us that he was compelled to tell him, "This Place
Sucks!"
ILT. William Parcells: an original at Tay Ninh. Known for occupying all of his spare time in letter writing.
lLT. Dennis Dorch: an original from Bloomfield, N.J. Dennis got a "soft" job at Long Binh after about 3 1/2 months. I kept in touch with him through his second tour in
helicopters. Upon return from that experience, he became a Sheriff's officer or something similar in Tampa and was
killed in a traffic accident with a truck in the late 1970's. I still hear from his widow Mary, who has remarried and lives in N.J.
CREW CHIEFS: I have serial numbers for some. an original
SFC Alejandro Bagasol (deceased) SP/4 M.H. Jessop
SP/5 D. Gilbert SP/4 C. Henderson
SP/4 S.A. Eriksson PFC C.R. Biswell
SP/4 C. Master PFC C.R. Collins
SP/4 M.S. Fisher SP/4 Michael Bisco*
SP/4 Bradley* SP/4 Charles Edwards*
SP/4 Stull SP/4 Calvert
December 14, 1992
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ENLISTED MISC.:
SPIS Willis and Barber: worked operations at Tay Ninh airfield.
MSgt. L.F. Counts: the unit's first First Sergeant.
SP/5 Saling: worked in the motor pool.
Sgt. Imilkowski: supply, I believe.
SFC Crutcher: I believe he was a platoon sergeant.
That's it for now. (That's plenty!!) All the above are part of the 1967-68 history of the unit. I have photos of all and more. I also have several hundred slides of unit members, locales and air shots. All are treasured possessions. I guess I should have them transferred to video. If I do, I'll let you know.
Let me know what other info you've developed from my era.
None of the names (except Prather) are familiar to me.
Happy holidays,