COL BERNARD P. KOZOSKY
% IOWA MILITARY ACADEMY
BLDG M-2 CAMP DODGE
7700 NW BEAVER DRIVE
JOHNSTON, IOWA 50131-1902
HEADQUARTERS IOWA NATIONAL GUARD
IOWA MILITARY ACADEMY
7700 SW BEAVER DRIVE, CAMP DODGE
JOHNSTON, IOWA 50131-1902
December 1, 1992
LTC David Chandler
3916 Cedar Cay Circle
Valrico, Florida 33594
Dear Sir:
I am responding to your locator file notice in the Army Times for contact from former members of the 21st RAC.
I served in the 21st RAC from January 1970 through January 1971. I was assigned as an 0-1 pilot in Second Platoon at Chu Lai (Black Ace 29) until July of 1970. I was then transferred to First Platoon at Marble Mountain, Da Nang (Black Ace 19) until DEROS, I flew the following types of missions:
- Visual recon for Army, Marines and Navy.
- Artillery Forward Observer for Army, Marine and Navy guns.
- FAC and target marking for Army, Air Force, Marine and Navy TAC Air,
- Convoy cover.
- Photo both hand held and KA-39 wing mounted cameras
- PSYOPS botti Boeing mounted loudspeaker and leaflet drop.
- C & C/Recon for Special Forces and LRRP insertions and extractions, ground operations for U.S. Army, Korean-(ROK) Marines, and Australian Army, and Riverine operations.
- Radio Relay for Special Forces and LRRP'S.
- Search and Rescue.
In total I flew approximately 1,000 hours in Vietnam and covered most all of I Corps and limited areas across the borders in Cambodia, Laos and North Vietnam.
I also served in a variety of additional duties. While assigned at Chu Lai, these additional duties included
- OIC/Personnel Manager for Foreign Nationalist Labor(KP's, Hootch Maids, and Daily Hires)
- Company Motor Officer
- Unit Instructor Pilot
- U-6 (Beaver) Pilot
- Aviation Fuel Officer (Tanker Truck Operations and Quality Control)
While assigned at Marble Mountain, my additional duties
included:
- OTC KA-39 Camera Operations
- Daily intelligence Stininiary (Intsum) Reporting Officer
- Instructor Pil.ot
- Mairitenance Test Pilot
- Unit OTC for C-Day (MPC Conversion) activities
I have a number of black and white photos and color slides of unit areas and members, villages and towns, the area of operations mentioned above, and of course the Bird Dogs. I recall the names of some of the men I served with but I failed to maintain contact with any of them over the years.
After departing Vietnam I served a tour at Fort Rucker as a Battalion S-1 and then left the Active Army in 1973. Since that time I served four years in the USAR. Part of that time was spent as a Personnel. Services Company Commander. In 1978 1 then went to work full time for the Iowa Army National Guard. I have served the Guard as Chief Auditor, an Aviation Battalion XO, a Support Group XO, and an Air Cavalry Troop Commander. I served as a Military Police Battalion Commander in Operation Desert Storm and I am currently the Commandant of the Iowa Military Academy.
You may be interested in knowing that the International Bird Dog Association (IBDA) is headquartered here in Iowa, in the city of Keokuk. I am not yet a member, but I do have an address.
You do not mention in your notice in the Army Times the reason for Seeking former 21st RAC members, but if I can assist you in some way please feel free to contact nie. I would enjoy hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Bernard P. Kozosky
Colonel, MP, Iowa Army
National Guard
Commandant