Notes on 13th CAB Reunion at Fort Rucker April 26 – 28

The event was a great time! It turned out the reunion purpose was for the 13th CAB, now the Rucker school training BN, to be able to learn about its roots within the Delta aviation companies.

On Thursday 4/25 and Friday 4/26 people began to check into hotels in the area. The 336th folks used the Enterprise Ramada Inn as home base. There were 140 attendees listed and included the following 336th men:

Tom Beauchamp 66-67
Jack Bertelkamp 67-68
Howard Crotty 65-66 A-101 Avn
Ron Donakowski 70
Ron Freeman 65 A-101 Avn
Jesse Glance 68-69 Warrior 6
John Harris 65 A-101Avn
Woody Herndon 68-69
Paul Hollowell 67-68
John Kennedy 66 A-101 Avn
Bob Knight 65-66 A-101 Avn
67-68 336th
Frank Mitchell 69-70
Jim Morin 68-69
Roger Nale 65-66 A-101 Avn
Don Nelson 68-69
Ray Nutter 66 A-101 Avn
Les Scates 68-69 Red Devil
John Turnbull 68-69 Warriors/13th CAB
Robert Wardell 66-67

Check in and registration was held at the Ft Rucker Museum during Thurs and Friday. Most everyone hung around on Friday to introduce and see who was there and look over the great museum. I ran my VHS tape of old Soc Trang 8mm movies for a few of the T-Birds. At 1700 hours there was a gathering for everyone at the O Club bar for social hour. At about 1800 hours, the current school BN Cdr announced a welcome to all the veterans and displayed a “Shadowbox” display of 13th CAB units. The shadow box is about 36″ x 48″, has a dark wood carved IV Corps on a light wood background. The box will eventually be filled with unit patches and descriptions. It will be hung alongside other like shadowboxes on the wall in the O Club bar. The current 13th CAB Cdr gave a very nice presentation stating the “new” 13th owed a lot to us and that they were very appreciative of what we all had faced and accomplished. It was moving!

At 1900 hours the 336th group gathered at the Ramada Enterprise for war stories, recollections, picture album review and just reuniting. I had my video of my old 8mm movies running on a TV and photos. We closed the Ramada out about midnight.

I had breakfast with Turnbull and Bob Knight and his wife on Saturday. We took a tour of the Apache Long Bow simulators then moved on to Yano Hall near the museum. Yano Hall is an old hangar. It had been set up with tables, food, beverages, slide show and VHS projectors and static displays of 3 UH1s and one OH58. One UH1 had a Warrior on nose cone the other in 52nd Med paint. The aircraft were open. Photos were taken of small groups.

Saturday evening was a coat and tie buffet dinner at the O Club at 1800. We had a cocktail and ate dinner. Past Cdrs of the 13th CAB were present for another presentation of a plaque honoring the units of the 13th. The CG, Ft Rucker, BDE Cdr, Ft Rucker and the 13th CAB Cdr, Ft Rucker all made a short presentation. Dessert was served and we closed out. A small group of 336th guys sat out at the Ramada Inn pool telling stories for a while then we all packed it in.

On Sunday morning at 1000 everyone gathered at the museum for a Memorial Service. The museum is now used for all flight class graduations. It is impressive to sit in rows of chairs between and under RVN era helicopters. The Chaplin gave a very sincere closing for our activities and again told us that our efforts were greatly appreciated. After moments of silence, some additional photo taking and long-hug goodbyes everyone moved out for home. It was a good time!

I will try to fill in some information about guys I think you would know. Go to 336th Assault Helicopter Company website for additional contact information.

Bob Knight email: knightraider14@aol.com Tele: 321-726-3955
T-Bird Chief began service in 1955. He did it the airborne way. He said he served in Germany with the Cav in 1969-?, Where he had Max Taylor and Leo Lafrance in his unit. He retired in 1984, I believe as LTC. He worked for computer printer company for 3 years, then started a business for providing Temp Services for 3 more years. In 1990 he said enough and retired again. He lives in Florida, enjoys motor cycling activities. He was awarded the DSC and is a board member of the Legion of Valor organization. We had fun remembering times with the T-Birds. He said to come see him in Florida. Bob looks great! He still has hair and is really trim.

Paul Hollowell, See 336th website
T-Bird Chief. I now live in Ohio. I didn’t know Paul was from Kettering, Ohio. He went back to college at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio after leaving the T-Birds in 1968. He finished a Masters Degree and did a 2nd tour in the Delta and with 13th CAB. Paul is an automotive executive, I believe with Ford. He has been living in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin, plans to retire in one more year and move to Venice, Florida to a home awaiting him. He looked great! Really trim!

Woody Herndon email Woody.Herndon@kctcs.edu
T-Bird Chief until transferred to Cav due to branch affiliation deal. Woody said a Lt. Nash became T-Bird Chief when he left the unit. Woody is the Facilities Manager for Murray Community College in KY. He completed 11 years active duty and quit as a Major. He did fly with PHI late in the ’90s.

Jim Morin email jimjanmorin@aol.com tele: 956-943-6100
T-Bird. Jim finished his army duty flying UH1s doing mapping for geodetic survey? In Central and South America. He made contacts, speaks the language and has invested in an island in Panama. Jim lives in McAllen, TX is self-employed managing housing, fishing boat and sailing boat. He and his wife, Jan love to motorcycle.

Les Scates email lesscat@adelphia.net
Red Devil. Les was an aircraft maintenance officer with the 336th (176th Trans?). He remembers a lot of other pilots. Les worked with Pratt & Whitney after the army. He did a 2nd tour in EVN. Les did remember recovering my C model on Jan 7, 1969. He said it had 58 holes in it, some .50 cal. I don’t remember all that. Les did recall that Robert DeRosiers was a Canadian and finished his army tour. He came back to Soc Trang to marry the Vietnamese Club Mgr at Soc Trang.

Other T-Birds contacts:
Ron Swanson email jackron@att.net
Bob Taylor email rwtaylor@hq.afis.osd.mil Tele: 703-754-1586
Max Taylor email taylormh@earthlink.net Tele: 850-939-8011
Leo LaFrance email eandl@worldnet.att.net Tele: 386-238-8411
Mark Babcock email n/a Tele: 214-696-6485
Bill Kirk email wqkirk@bellsouth.net Tele: 770-393-2330
DR. Dave Minner email n/a Tele-209-586-0191
P.O.Box 850, Mi-Wuk Village, CA 95346

Other T-Birds I have no contact with:
Bruce Peck
Ron Metcalf
John (Jeff) Ray
Dan Hayward
Robert Todd
Charles (Chiz) Johnson