New Base Names Honor Vietnam Service Members

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Roger Young

From Vietnam magazine, August 2022:

View PDF File

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China Beach Series now on DVD

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Roger Young

The China Beach television series, all four seasons, are now available on DVD. Pam and I are enjoying them and the DVDs provide good video quality. However, we did feel some of the episodes in Season 3 drifted into the weeds at times, There is no “free preview” on these. – Roger “Bear” Young

Amazon.com: China Beach Seasons 1-4 Bundle Complete Series (All Regions)[DVD] : Michael Boatman: Movies & TV

Sample of China Beach:

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Book Review: Mended Wings

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Roger Young

I wish to recommend for Silver Spur reading a book I received for Father’s Day.  I have read only the last (10th) chapter and the epilogue, because they are about scout pilot Dennis Duarte and two of our KIAs, Dan Cheney and Walt Koslosky.  I knew Walt but not Dan, who arrived shortly after I departed.  They were lost in a Cobra on 6 January 1969.  That one chapter made the book worthwhile for me.

The book is Mended Wings, available through Amazon, by Colin P. Cahoon, a helicopter pilot of later years.  The chapter gives an in-depth account of the action that day which is different from any other I have heard.  It seems well-researched and I have no reason to doubt the account.  Four ships were shot down that day.  Besides our losses in the Cobra, Duarte and two others, not Silver Spurs, were wounded.  The chapter has a very emotional surprise ending.  I do not know Cahoon and my recommendation is completely unsolicited.

And the epilogue is about Dan Cheney’s sister, Jerilyn Brusseau.  She and her late mother, Rae Cheney, founded Peace Trees Vietnam, which clears unexploded ordnance and promotes education in Vietnam.  They have founded a Dan Chaney Elementary School, among other good works.  I know Jerilyn and I met her mother before she passed.  I wrote a VHPA article about them a few years ago. See “Free Preview” below for a sample.

Chuck Oualline, Silver Spur 3 

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Book Review: Scouts Out!

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Roger Young

3-17 in Afghanistan flying Colors in 2010

I just read Scouts Out!, a story of 3/17 in Afghanistan flying the OH58D Kiowa Warrior and the painful end of 3/17 and the Kiowa*. I’m sure everyone has seen it. I just wanted to say I enjoyed it, identified with many of the frustrations he describes, and even got a bit teary at the end. It reinforced for me that despite it’s limitations, I was proud to fly an OH58A Kiowa for 3/17. Thank you all for the privilege.

Regards,

David Earley, Possum 22 & Spur 22

  • Note, as of this date the current 3-17th is stationed at Hunter Army Airfield and is flying AH-64 Apache gunships. As David stated the OH-58D has been retired from the Army inventory. You can click on “Free Preview” below. – Webmaster

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Silver Spur Patches

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Roger Young

Silver Spur patch by David Toms, Spur 35

 

Roger,

I am glad you like the patches. I had 50 of them made up. I was hoping to provide them at the recent 2022 reunion. I gave some to Bill McCalister  to put them in the package that he was giving out to the attendees.

If you care to put on the site that anyone who sends me a self addressed, stamped envelope I will send them one. Note: that would exclude those who already received a patch. You should also note that the envelope has to accommodate a 4 inch diameter patch.  My address is:

David Toms
10100 Hillview Dr.
Apt 2102
Pensacola, Fl 32514

Note: if there are more requests than patches it will take a couple weeks to have new ones made up.

Any questions, please contact me at: rdtomsjr@gmail.com

David Toms, Spur 35

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SOG Podcasts

Posted on June 13, 2022 by Roger Young

Oh wow! I just ran into these pod casts from the guys that did the ‘A team’ missions in ‘Nam. I watched this podcast and I figure I probably worked with this bloke in May ’68 out of FOB 1 (Phu By) and then maybe FOB 3 (Khe Sahn, My Loc). He started talking about an ugly mission over in the Ah Shau and for a while I thought it was one that I was on. A very ugly extraction, but there were enough differences that it had to be a different mission.

He said the NDA’s (non-disclosure agreement) were for 20 years, but I remember them being for 30 years.

We hated in the mornings for the CQ to wake us up and tell us we had drawn an FOB mission. Crikey, you knew it was going to be a bad day.

Spur 34 & Spur 14, Terry Shulze

SOG Casts

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Healing Wounds by Diane Carlson Evans

Posted on June 4, 2022 by Roger Young

June 4, 2022:

Fellow Spurs, Pam and I read the following book this Memorial Day weekend and highly recommend it. It was written by Army Nurse Diane Carlson Evans who served at Vung Tao & Pleiku taking care of our Brothers. It documents her dealing with our war and coming back to the World, and her ten-year struggle to get a Vietnam Women’s Memorial near the Wall in D.C.

Parts will bring tears to your eyes, some laughs along the way, and the frustration she felt dealing with bureaucrats and even some fellow vets bringing the Women’s Memorial to the Wall. An excellent read!

Here is an Amazon link to her book:

Roger ‘Bear’ Young

 

 

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The Misty Experiment

Posted on May 21, 2022 by Roger Young

Brought to my attention by Spur 38, Mike Billow. An interesting part of the Vietnam experience by PBS:

“The story of the special U.S. Air Force squadron whose pilots volunteered for one of the Vietnam War’s most dangerous air missions. Their assignment: search for enemy supply transports and anti-aircraft installations concealed within the web of trail paths and waterways collectively known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The squadron also directed rescue operations for U.S. and allied aircrews shot down.”

You can stream it here:

https://www.pbs.org/video/the-misty-experiment-nFK9Xe/

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3 Deadliest Jobs of the Vietnam War…

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Roger Young

Documentary brought to my attention by Silver Spur President, John ‘Waldo’ Pepper:

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Why Were Australian Vietnam Veterans Treated Shamefully?

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Roger Young

Just published in May 2022 by HistoryNet, a troubling article concerning our great allies and Brothers from Australia that served in Vietnam with honor! 

Please see: Why Were Australian Vietnam Veterans Treated Shamefully?

Roger “Bear” Young – Silver Spur webmaster

PS:

After posting the article on the Australians, Pam found this article by Vietnam Veterans of America regarding Canadians that served in Vietnam in the U.S. Armed Forces. They experienced a similar homecoming: 

Canadians in the Vietnam War – January/February 2022

 

Posted in Articles of Interest, Feature Stories | Tagged | 3 Comments

National Vietnam War Veterans Day – VVMF – March 29, 2022

Posted on March 29, 2022 by Roger Young

Program starts at 4:34 into the video Honoring ALL Vietnam Veterans at The Wall:

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The Tet Offensive

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Roger Young

Our early Silver Spurs were heavily involved in the 1968 Tet Offensive, and were awarded the Valorous Unit Award for their heroic actions. Please feel free to share you thoughts below in our comment section!

Valorous Unit Award Ribbon

According to VVMF, we lost 246 American service members on January 31, 1968, the deadliest day in the Vietnam War…

Podcast by Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, 2021 on the Tet Offensive:

Additional VVMF podcasts available here

Posted in Articles of Interest, Audio/Music | 5 Comments

Music of the Vietnam War

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Roger Young

2021 Podcast by Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund:

 

 

Additional VVMF podcasts available here

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Taps For Joe Galloway

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Roger Young

August 18, 2021:

Fellow Spurs, it saddens me to report the passing of Joe Galloway who was a quest speaker at our 2008 Silver Spur reunion. Joe was a dear friend of all military veterans, especially his brothers who served in Vietnam. Thanks to Chuck Oualline, many of us had the opportunity to meet Joe who will be missed by all. It was an honor to have met Joe who did so much for Vietnam veterans.

Pam found this article today:

Journalist Joe Galloway, who covered 1st Cav in Vietnam, dies at 79 – Killeen Daily Herald – 18 Aug 21

Joe Galloway at 2008 Spur reunion – Pam Young photo

 

Here’s Joe speaking at our 2008 reunion, introduction by Spur 3, Chuck Oualline:

 

Our thoughts are with his wife and all who knew him. 

Roger “Bear” Young – Spur webmaster

Joe Galloway’s Speech at the 2000 VHPA Reunion in Washington, DC
July 2000 – VHPA

Joe Galloway Remembered – Vietnam Veterans of America – 20 Aug 21

Joseph Galloway: Life of a War Correspondent
Conversations from Penn State – March 2014

Posted in Announcements | Tagged | 1 Comment

A Tough Time For Veterans

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Roger Young

August 17, 2021:

As Vietnam veterans I’m sure we all remember the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Recent events in Afghanistan have opened some old wounds for many of us. Feel free to share your thoughts below in the comment section if you desire. It is at these times we need our Brothers to deal with deep-seated emotions. – Roger “Bear” Young, Silver Spur Scout C.E., Spur webmaster

August 18, 2021:

I want to make clear I’m not saddened that we’re pulling out — I never wanted our troops there in the first place because I don’t believe in nation building — I’m saddened by how the ‘withdrawal’ is taking place and how little was learned from our war. I’m very thankful for all the comments as we move forward together, as Brothers, during this stressful time. – Roger “Bear” Young

 

 

 

Talking About Afghanistan – We’re Here to Help – Health.mil

 

Important Message to all Veterans from WDVA – 30 August 2021

Posted in Announcements, Articles of Interest | 11 Comments