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The 22nd Inf. Monument at Ft. Benning.
From Tommy Tompkins: Each year my wife, Dee, and I attend the State Fair of Texas. On the grounds of State Fair Park in Dallas is the Texas Vietnam Memorial. We always take time to go by and visit and say hi to any vets that may be there. This year, one of the vets saw the 25th patch on my cap and remembered they had a 25th wreath in storage that had not been put on display. He retrieved the wreath and I had my wife snap a few pictures for me to forward to you for the newsletter. Not sure how many of our members even know about the memorial.
Top Warner in the Michelon Plantation
Photos sent in by Dave Gehr - CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE
B-52 CRATER WITH FRESH AGENT ORANGE WATER…..
Smoke em if you got em.
James Lind – Bob Duplechin – Danny Christain – Radio (Cummings ?)
Sent in by Trevor "Limey" Grange: Escaped John Deere. Pictured L to R - Vince Anderson, ? Davidson, Gene Hahaj (R.I.P.)
Dave Gehr sent this picture taken in1967. Dave is pictured on the left and Roger Omalza (?) on the right. Click on to enlarge.
Many of you have fond memories of seeing Angel Fire, New Mexico, often with Larry Rhodes, 4th Plt. Medic 65-67. Barbara Rhodes sent this article she ran across in her local paper. Click link for the article.
"I think that anyone of us that is traveling through New Mexico should take a little side trip to visit “Angel Fire” Vietnam Memorial. It is truly awesome, with a visitor center with many great items of interest. Larry Rhodes (C/3/22 Medic 65-67) and Barb Rhodes took us to Angel Fire during one of visits with them. It is a beautiful part of the country and Carolyn and I have returned to visit several times. I know Larry took many of our Brothers that visited him up to the Memorial. Larry and I both have personalized bricks on the walk way. The bricks are for Vietnam Vets only. You can purchase a brick to be installed at the visitor center." Don Snyder.
Joe Mack sent this picture of himself holding the painting from combat artist, Jim Nelson.
"On Top of Black Virgin Mountain."
Dave Gehr sent this:
These pictures are from 1987 – our first gathering in 20 years. Enjoy!
Included: Dave Say – Bob Duplechin – Bill Schwindt - Dave Gehr - Larry Rhodes - John Stelzer
Angel Fire, N.M.
In the early days.
Click on all pictures to enlarge!
Check this out! - From Dave Gehr
Moving documentary about U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Shorty Menendez, tunnel rat for Charlie Company, 3/22nd Infantry is featured. Very nice presentation!
MY 2nd PLATOON AFTER OUR FIRST AMBUSH...SUCCESS ! ME, SHEDD & PHIL THOMPSON CHRISTMAS 1966
Pictures from Vietnam sent in by Dennis Sigler: click picture to enlarge
Submitted by Joe Piazza, 1965 era Viet Nam. Blast from the past!
Click on map to enlarge.
Chuck Boyle emailed: "I recently came into an archived after action report from the Battle of Good Friday, 11-12 April 1968.
It is 160 pages long with eyewitness accounts, radio logs, map, sketches, etc...."
Look on the Good Friday page under War Stories, for the link (at the bottom) to read the report.
Brothers lost on 1/7/69: 52 years ago, we lost six of our fellow brother in arms: Lt. Leo Mullins, Danny Scott, Craig Olson, James Merrill, William Francisco and Larry Welch. I would like for you to remind those of C/3/22 who are fortunate to be here today of those six fallen comrades. A personal prayer of remembrance would be a fitting tribute to keep their memories ever present in our minds. Stay Safe, Bob Slater
Step by step construction and dedication of the monument sent shared by Fred Buttinelli.
Click below...
The amazing story of the (Harley from Wisconsin) Left at the wall. submitted by Dave Gehr
John Eickhorn, 4th plt '67, emailed 2 interesting links for the "Links" page. Take a look, they are toward the bottom of the page.
Three Agent Orange Presumptives Added: Three conditions will be added to the list of those presumptively associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Those conditions are bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and Parkinsonism.
Vietnam War era Veterans and their survivors, who previously filed and were denied benefits for one of these three new presumptive conditions, will have their cases automatically reviewed without the need to refile a claim.
Ronnie “Carolina” Evans (died recently 7/21/2021) is second from right.
All four of these brave men are now gone. Left to right, Steve Todd who passed away a couple of years ago (1/21/2019), Bruce Hahn, (KIA May of ’70), Carolina, Chatwin Strother, (KIA May of ’70).
From Jim Cunningham
Deanna Tompkins sent the pictures on the left of Tommy taken at Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg, TX.
Great old picture from Minneapolis '99 Reunion. Good one of a lot of guys taken on the river cruize. Sent in by Dave Gehr.
Click on picture to enlarge.
Sent to Dave DeMauro from one of his Combat Photographer Brothers, Roger Welt: Congratulations on another famous Dave DeMauro RVN photo being published! I just received the 2022 25th Infantry Division calendar and there was your photo!!!
REMINDER: Click on the pictures to enlarge.
"I hear from Shorty yesterday that Capt Keith Skiles has died. I had you take a picture of him with two other officers in that photo album. He was great and a blessing after Capt Pride. It was Skiles that got me out of the bush and a rear area assignment after returning from my R & R in about mid July of 1970. He may have saved my life. Thank God for men like Keith Skiles."
The picture and message were from Stuart Simonson to his son, Spense. Spense Simonson sent this in to us. Both were at the Columbus Reunion.
Ralph "John" Johnson, C/3/22 68-69 3rd PLT wrote: I feel lucky to be this old, and so far, in this good of health. Wouldn’t have bet on it 53 years ago, no way. Still writing and playing music. I had the idea last summer to re-do the old Bellamy Bros song from, 85, Old Hippy. Call it Real Old Hippy. John
Click on "Next" twice for Put a Name on the Face and three times for More Pictures. Stuff too good not to save.
From Rick DeNomme about the crosses he and family put up for every Memorial Day:
It's our way of getting people to take a moment to remember what war is about and to remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our great country.
Brothers forever
This article was 1st published in the latest “Triple Duce” Newsletter.
This article is a first-person account by Jesse A. Rivera, describing a harrowing ambush mission during the Vietnam War on January 1, 1968, near the Cambodian border at Fire Support Base Burt. Rivera, then a Private First Class and Forward Observer for 81mm mortars, was assigned to a twelve-man patrol to set up an ambush.
The patrol faced significant challenges, including navigating the dense jungle in darkness and uncertainty about their exact location. As enemy movement intensified, Rivera made critical decisions, including calling in a phosphorus round to confirm their position. The patrol soon found themselves in a dire firefight against North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) forces, with enemy soldiers attacking from both sides. Amidst the chaos, Rivera led a successful retreat to a bomb crater, where he and his comrades regrouped and defended their position.
The battle escalated as Rivera coordinated mortar and artillery fire, and eventually, airstrikes. Injured by shrapnel, he was evacuated to a hospital. Upon his return to his unit, he learned that other patrol members had provided statements about the incident, but he was never asked to contribute his own.
This gripping narrative highlights the intensity of combat, the quick thinking required for survival, and Rivera's bravery in ensuring his unit's safety.
