I put this video together to remember the fellowship we’ve had at our Silver Spur reunions. A special thanks to all who have put our reunions together over the years to bring us closer, it is a lot of work and dedication on their part to make them possible! Pandemic permitting, our next reunion is in April 2021 and I’ve provided a link to our reunion page below.
Back to the video, I recorded the music from a movie I saw many years back but unfortunately cannot remember the name of the movie, song or the artist but I believe it is very appropriate for this video. – Roger “Bear” Young
After encouragement from several Silver Spur family members, Pam and I have reactivated our Silver Spur site which I decommissioned on May 1, 2020. You can now reenter the site here at its original location:
All the original articles and links are now active in their original net addresses, including our Spur history, Honor Roll, the entire site with only minor updates.
With the current pandemic sweeping our nation and entire planet, we felt it was important to restore the site. We pray you are all safe and staying healthy during these difficult times.
My former Scout Platoon Leader, Spur 16, Bill Reynolds has passed on December 28, 2019 to Fiddler’s Green after battling serious health problems for many years. Bill served as our Scout Platoon Leader from 1969-1970.
He was a personal inspiration to me, a very courageous and highly decorated patriot that served our nation so very well both while in the U.S. Army and later working with TEXCOM at Ft. Hood, a civilian contractor that helped develop the Apache attack helicopter and Abrams main battle tank.
To my knowledge looking through our Silver Spur history, Bill received 6 DFCs, a Silver Star and a Purple Heart and other decorations while serving two tours in Nam.
When I see this graphic below, I think of Bill Reynolds. The man was absolutely fearless and aggressive always taking the fight to the enemy. In March ’70, Bill and his Observer Sp/5 Kevin McCormick had 30 KBA operating out of Soc Trang on one mission as documented in the March 70 Redhorse Review in the section linked here entitled, A TROOP ROUTS NVA
My wife, Pam Young (U.S. Navy ’70-’74) writes of Bill:
At some of the reunions we attended, I was privileged to hear some of these incredible, awe-inspiring stories of the bravery, fearlessness, and courage exhibited by Bill and his fellow Silver Spurs serving in Vietnam. These gentlemen are the best examples of Americans who performed their duties in the most highest and honorable manner. And then, I experienced another side of Bill, one of a southern gentleman, who had only the best interests in his family, friends and country…a kind and gentle soul and heart. I will miss him dearly. And I will miss his sweet reference to me as “Miss Pam.”
My love and sincerest sympathies to his beloved wife, Julie, and cherished children. – Pam Young
I will truly miss his friendship and leadership. He loved his family, our country and his fellow Silver Spurs. I’m thankful that I was able to visit Bill in 2000 and at one of our Spur reunions years back at Ft. Rucker. And I’m thankful that my beloved wife, Pam Young, was able to locate him years after serving with Bill in Vietnam. I will truly miss this great man and true American patriot… God speed my Brother…
God bless his beloved wife Julie and his entire family.
REMEMBERING BILL by Spur 34 & Spur 14, Terry Shulze
Bill Reynolds and I did a few memorable things together, most of it involved combat. However, there was one non-combat story that really stands out with me. It was a trip to a bar in Soc Trang.
Bill got a jeep and we headed into the bar. As we walked in there was a ruckus between one of the ‘ladies’ of the bar and one of our troopers. Apparently he believed she had taken money from his wallet while they were engaged in some ‘business’. She denied it and told him to empty his pockets. He had a field jacket on with bulging pockets. He looked over at Bill and me and declined to empty his pockets.
Bill and I got a couple of beers, sat down and started telling war stories from our first tour. I had some pretty good ones with the 1st Cav at Hue, Khe Sahn, Ah Shau valley, SF A-teams over the border, some ugly night river patrols, Camp Evans ammo dump exploding, getting shot in the balls, etc. However, Bill one upped me with the day he went down THREE TIMES!
The first time was an engine problem and he got the OH-13 down OK. He went back to the base and picked up another aircraft, went out to the AO and promptly got shot down. The aircraft got pranged fairly badly and that pissed Bill off. So he went back to the base and got another aircraft to go after the bastards that shot him down. This time he came in from a different angle, and they shot him down again! He crashed about 100 yards from the first crash. He figured he was having a bad day and decided to take the rest of the day off.
As we are sitting there, the trooper who had been arguing with the ‘lady’ came over and asked to talk to me outside. I went outside with him and he wanted to clear things up about his honesty. The reason he didn’t want to empty his pockets was that they were full of dope. He opened his bulging pockets and sure enough they were full of marijuana cigarettes. I said “OK, I didn’t see anything.” I went back into the bar and sat down, didn’t say anything to Bill about what I had just seen, I just picked up my beer and continued on as nothing had happened.
About 10 minutes later the fool walked up to our table again and asked Bill to come outside with him. I just shook my head, he had probably had a few smokes just to test the product. Bill came back in, sat down, picked up his beer and said, “I didn’t see anything.”
About 15 minutes later two MPs walked into the bar. I looked over at the two enlisted men and could see the panic on their faces. I looked at Bill and he said, “Think we should ask them to join us?” “Yep” I replied, went over to their table, leaned over and said “Get over to our table, now.”
They sat down, one with each of us and I asked my bloke, “Tell me about your girl-friend.” He started telling me about her as the MPs walked by, eyeing them closely. The MPs continued walking and approached the momma san that ran the bar and said something to her. She looked over at me. Apparently, the MPs advised her that there wouldn’t be any more trouble as those officers would take care of any problems.
After the MPs left I told them, “OK, looks like they left, you can go back to your table.” Bill and I got back to telling war stories and drinking beer. When it came time to leave Bill said, “Think we should give them a ride back to the base?” I replied, “Yeah, that fool will never get through the gate wearing a field jacket with bulging pockets in the heat of the Delta.” I walked over to their table and asked them if they wanted a ride back to the base. They jumped at the idea. They got in the back of the jeep and we headed back to base. As we drove through the gate, the MPs saluted Bill and I, we returned the salute.
When we stopped in the company area, Bill jumped out, slammed the door to the jeep and bellowed, “This never happened!” As he walked off, the two EMs turned to me stunned and I gave them a dressing down. “Dumb guys, really dumb. Don’t expect to get this kind of back up again.” Then I walked off saying “Fucking idiots” to myself, but loud enough for them to hear it.
Other career minded officers probably wouldn’t want to stick their necks out like that for their troopers, but when you are willing to go into a hot LZ to rescue a downed crew, a couple of MPs don’t seem like such a big deal.
Years later Bill and I were corresponding by email and I mentioned the story. He joked about us and a potential court-marshal and how our CO, Major Art Dervaes, was always concerned about us. I replied, yeah, poor Art Dervaes, he knew we were both bat-shit crazy.
Bill wasn’t just a good pilot, he was a true leader that accepted the responsibility to take care of his troops. The Army was lucky to have him and I was lucky to know him. – Terry
Bill Reynolds & Cpt. John Estep taken before Bill went home after being wounded in the leg on 20 Apr 70
Bill was shot down on 20 Apr 70 in 020. Note bulkhead stitched by enemy fire. The armored seat saved his life.
Bill Reynolds and his father, Guss, both served with the 3/17th. I believe his father was with B Troop?
Swartz, Bear & Reynolds at 2006 Spur Reunion
Photos of Bill were featured in this 2011 Silver Spur video:
[Bill’s photos at 1:42-1:53]
Pam and I put this video together to uplift our spirits as we head into the Christmas Season. Merry Christmas to all our friends & family in 2019! – Bear
DEAD BUG ! – A Tribute to the Army’s first generation of combat helicopter pilots.
(Yes, by ___, we flew in Vietnam and we were winning when I left.)
As we get older and we experience the loss of old friends, we begin to realize that maybe we ten-foot tall, bullet-proof Army aviators won’t live forever. We aren’t so bullet-proof anymore. We ponder…if I we’re gone tomorrow, “Did I say what I wanted to my Brothers?” The answer is “No!” Hence, the following random thoughts:
When people ask me if I miss flying, I always say something like, “Yes, I miss the flying because when you are flying, you are totally focused on the task at hand. It’s like nothing else you will ever do (almost). ” But then I always say, “However, I miss the unit and the guys even more than I miss the flying.”
Why, you might ask? They were a bunch of aggressive, wise ass, cocky, insulting, sarcastic bastards in smelly flight suits. They drank too much, they chased women, they flew when they shouldn’t, they laughed too loud and thought they owned the sky, the bar, and generally thought they could do everything better than the next guy. Nothing was funnier than trying to screw with a buddy and see how pissed off they would get. They flew helicopters that leaked, that bled RPM, that broke, that couldn’t hover, that burned fuel too fast, that never had all the radios and instruments working, and with systems that were archaic next to today’s new generation aircraft.
But a little closer look might show that every guy in the room was sneaky smart and damned competent and brutally handsome in his own way! They hated to lose or fail to accomplish the mission and seldom did. They were the laziest guys on the planet until challenged and then they would do anything to win. They would fly with rotor blades overlapped at night through the worst weather with only a little position light to hold on to, knowing their flight lead would get them on the ground safely. They would fight in the air knowing the greatest risk and fear was that some NVA anti-aircraft gunner would wait ’til you flew past him and open up on your six o’ clock with tracers as big as softballs. They would fly in harm’s way and act nonchalant as if to challenge the grim reaper.
When we flew to another base we proclaimed that were the best unit on the base as soon as we landed. Often we were not invited back. When we went into an O’ Club, we owned the bar. We were lucky to be the Best of the Best in the military. We knew it and so did others. We found jobs, lost jobs, got married, got divorced, moved, went broke, got rich, broke some things, and knew the only thing you could count — really count on — was if you needed help, a fellow Army Aviator would have your back.
I miss the call signs, nicknames and the stories behind them. I miss getting lit up in an O’ Club full of my buddies and watching the incredible, unbelievable things that were happening. I miss the crew chiefs saluting as you got to your ship for a Zero-Dark:30 preflight. I miss pulling an armful of pitch, nosing it over and climbing into a new dawn. I miss going straight up and straight down. I miss the tension of wondering what today’s 12 hours of combat flying would bring. I miss the craps table in the corner of the O-Club and letting it ALL ride because money was meaningless. I miss listening to BS stories while drinking and laughing until my eyes watered. I miss three man lifts. I miss naps on the platoon hootch porch with a room full of aviators working up new tricks to torment the sleeper. I miss rolling in hot and watching my rockets hit EXACTLY where I was aiming. I miss the beauty and precision of a flight of slicks in formation, rock steady even in the face of tracers flying past you from a hot LZ. I miss belches that could be heard in neighboring states. I miss showing off for the grunts with high-speed, low level passes and abrupt cyclic climbs. I even miss passengers in the back puking their guts up.
Finally, I miss hearing DEAD BUG! called out at the bar and seeing and hearing a room full of men hit the deck with drinks spilling and chairs being knocked over as they rolled in the beer and kicked their legs in the air—followed closely by a Not Politically Correct Tap Dancing and Singing spectacle that couldn’t help but make you grin and order another round.
I am a lucky guy and have lived a great life! One thing I know is that I was part of a special, really talented bunch of guys doing something dangerous and doing it better than most. Flying the most beautiful, ugly, noisy, solid helicopters ever built … an aircraft that talked to you and warned you before she spanked you! Supported by mechanics, crew chiefs and gunners committed to making sure we came home! Being prepared to fly and fight and die for America. Having a clear mission. Having fun.
We box out bad memories from various missions most of the time but never the hallowed memories of our fallen comrades. We are often amazed at how good war stories never let truth interfere and how they get better with age. We are lucky bastards to be able to walk into a reunion or a bar and have men we respect and love shout our names, our call signs, and know that this is truly where we belong.
We are ARMY AVIATORS. We are Few and we are Proud to have been the first combat helicopter pilots the world ever saw.
I am Privileged and Proud to call you Brothers. Clear Right ! Clear Left. Pullin’ Pitch.
Jerry Turner 114th Avn Co (AML) White Knight A Co 101st Avn Bn Warrior25 SETxPGR Waterboy TBD (The Benevolent Dictator) Rolling Thunder TX2
TaggedArmy Aviation|Comments Off on DEAD BUG ! – A Tribute to the Army’s first generation of combat helicopter pilots.
Brought to my attention by our Silver Spur President, John Waldo Pepper.
The video caption reads:
Montgomery College Student, Jacob Ehlers, interviews Vietnam War Veteran Larry Earles. Earles was a helicopter pilot, primarily flying “Loaches” in hunter-killer missions accompanied with gunships. A highly decorated pilot, Earles was shot down seven times while flying in combat zones but miraculously was never wounded.
Montgomery College is a public, multicampus community college in Montgomery County, Maryland. Montgomery College serves nearly 60,000 students a year, through both credit and noncredit programs, in more than 100 areas of study.
After September 2026, I will no longer be hosting our entire website. This includes military news, the Silver Spur sites, nor our racing pages. After 29-years it will be time to close it all down. Be well. – Roger ‘Bear’ Young, Spur webmaster
