With the resurection of our treasured icon, the company guidon, and the emergence of the four key figures in its grand odyssey now known, I propose to you yet another mystery surrounding this swallow tailed pennant. Its predecessor, which remains among the missing artifacts of our history.
There is a photograph of our company taken during a run, dated May 18, 1963, printed in the JayHawk newspaper. The run is led by Major Hunt. Carrying the guidon is SFC Jim Craig. The guidon is black top half, over a gold bottom half. The gold letters in the top half appear to read, LRRP. On the bottom is the word AIRBORNE, in black. There does not appear to be any gold fringe along the perimeter.
There is another photograph, also printed in the JayHawk, dated August 7, 1964. It was taken in Nijmegen, Holland where our boys took first place (yet again) in the annual four day march competition. It shows the ten man team of LRRP's, including Zeke Evaro, "Big Willy" Williams, Jerry D. Lewis, and (I think) Johann Hansen running at double time, carrying bouquets of flowers given to the winners. Carrying the "new" guidon , sewn by Terry Pratt's (then) wife, is tall, lanky SFC J.D. Smith. This guidon is gold over black. The letters LRRP are in black on the upper gold ground. Below is the map symbol for AIRBORNE, a sort of winged gull design, in gold, on black ground. There is a gold fringe all around.
So, here is the question. What happened to the first guidon? Does someone have it? Is it lost, never to be found? Will we ever know the rest of the story?
Joe Chetwynd |
