Silver Spurs
Photo Corner
Photo Corner
NOTICE: All photos remain the property of the contributor. NO PERMISSION is granted or expressed for the use of photos or content for the purpose of for-profit ventures!
A Troop, 3/17th Air Cavalry Silver Spurs
Roger 'Bear' Young, Scout CE, Spur webmaster
A Hero's Son...
Roger:
This young man [below] is the now grown son of Capt. Robert DeCelle who was a Scout Pilot that flew with A Trp.
Lt. Aaron DeCelle
Capt. DeCelle was shot while drawing enemy fire away from our Blue's team. The infantry had gotten pinned down after walking into an L-shaped bunker complex and "Kippo and Dihn" were killed. Seven others were also wounded. This young man's father in a very heroic act, drew fire without ammo so our infantry could withdraw.
I was wondering Roger if you could do me a small favor and put this picture and story on the site for a little while so all the A Troop people can see it. This young man was born the day after Capt. Robert DeCelle heroically gave his life to save his friends...
- Dan Sutherland
Lift Platoon
I JUST FOUND THIS SITE [Oct 2001]. MY NAME IS BOB MILLS. I WAS SILVER SPUR 12 FROM AUG 70 TO APR 71. I FOUND A PICTURE I TOOK OF CPT DECELLE JUST BEFORE HE WAS SHOT DOWN. ALSO TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
HERE IS WHAT I REMEMBER HAPPEN AT HIS SHOOT DOWN . WE WERE OPERATING IN AN AREA ABOUT 40 MILES NW OF QUAN LOI AND I WAS THE SCOUT ON STATION. WE HAD FOUND A BUNKER COMPLEX THAT WE KNEW WAS ACTIVE. WE RADIOED FOR THE BLUES TO DO A GROUND RECON. BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE AND WERE BEGINNING TO ENTER THE BUNKER COMPLEX , CPT DECELLE RELIEVED ME AS OUR PINK TEAM WAS LOW ON FUEL. AFTER SHOWING DECELLE WERE THE BUNKERS WERE I LEFT AND HE WAS SHOT.
THE CREW CHIEF WITH HIM AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHO [Ed Kictarek] LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND LANDED THE 58 WHERE HE WAS SHOT. THE AMC CALLED ME AND ASKED IF I WOULD GO BACK AND PICK UP DECELLE. WHEN I LANDED I KNEW HE WAS IN BAD SHAPE AND ALSO KNEW THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIFT HIS CREW (3) AND MY THREE OUT OF THE TIGHT LZ. SO I ASKED MY 2 CREW MEMBERS IF THEY WOULD STAY WITH THE BLUES. THEY AGREED AND SGT TAYLOR WHO WAS IN THE BACK OF DECELLE'S AC GRABBED HIM AND GOT IN THE BACK OF MY AC.
THE AMC WANTED ME TO TAKE HIM TO LONG BINH BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FUEL SO WE TOOK HIM TO QUAN LOI. I WOULD LOVE TO SEND THE PICTURE OF CPT DECELLE TO HIS SON . DID YOU KNOW THAT MAJ RUSSELL NAMED QUAN LOI "FORT DECELLE"?
Spur 12
`70/`71
Courtesy of SGM (Ret.) George J. Byrd
Personnel in the picture:
(Front row kneeling, left to right)
SP4 Tomas R. Mesa, SP4 Enrique R. Cruz, SSG G. Byrd
SGT Elmer Boughton SP4 Jerry R. Jones SP4 Glen C. Clary SP4 James D. Davis
A Troop Scout Platoon as of mid Feb '69
Courtesy of Al "Trapper" Kemes
President Nixon Visits DiAn, 30 July 1969
Courtesy of Charles Presley
Silver Spur 12, Dan Murphy
SFC Art Bonevich - Scout PSG
Courtesy of Art Bonevich
Art was wounded and shot down in Parrots Beak area, Cambodia in May 1970. Art was transfered from "Charliehorse" Scouts late '69 to the Silver Spur Scouts
Dave Tela being awarded an Air Medal w/V device. Paul Chalet also awarded a medal
in that ceremony staged on the airfield side of Redhorse Headquarters at Di An.
Courtesy of Dave Tela
"Dynamite" Delmore at Scout Party - Soc Trang 1970
Courtesy of Roger Young
Courtesy of William Smith -- DiAn 1970
Cpt. Estep
Courtesy of William Smith -- DiAn 1970
Silver Spur 26 Charles Womble -- DiAn 1970
Courtesy of Charles Womble
Scouts (L to R): Reisig, Rouse, Sheehan, Boyd -- DiAn 1970
Courtesy of Roger Young
Scout C.E.s Walter "Tex" Adams & Roger "Bear" Young -- DiAn 1970
Courtesy of Roger Young
"Kathie" - 67-16020 -- Cpt. Reynolds was wounded in the leg and survived - April 1970
Courtesy of Roger Young -- "Kathie" C.E.
One of the first of its kind, if not the first of its kind, the Snake above at Quan Loi was outfitted with a 20mm cannon mounted under its left wing. This weapons system was installed for the '70 Cambodian incursion. On its initial testing the ferocious muzzle blasts put holes in the side of the fuselage next to the gunner and the latches on the canopy failed. Plating was installed to protect the thin skin, the vital flight controls and wiring harness on the left side of the fuselage. Canopy locks were also altered. This ship pictured was from the "Raiders" Platoon of the 334th (E Troop 3/17)
.
This is the business end of the M61A1 20mm cannon!
Dave Tela, Spur 38 gives us more insight:
"The M28 turret on the Cobra could hold one M134 'minigun' with a selectable firing rate of 2000 or 4000 rounds per minute and one M129 40mm grenade launcher that, on a good day, could fire up to 400 spm. The Spurs did mount a couple of M134's on a few aircraft that effectively made it possible to fire 8,000 rounds per minute. That, combined with the 20mm and 21 rockets made for a nice platform. Never did have much use for the 40mm exploding 'baseballs.' "
This particular Cobra was named, Pistol Pete and the last three digits of its tail number are 075.
[Please see A Troop History - 1 Jan '70 through 31 Dec '70 for more Quan Loi photos from Larry]
WO White with 934 at Quan Loi -- 1970
Courtesy of Tom White
Scouts (L to R): Jacobs, Reisig, Ortiz & Jennings -- Late 1970 at Quan Loi
Courtesy of Roger Young
The Redhorse Inn
Courtesy of Tom White
Walt Lee (left), Paul Bennett (center back), Tom White (right), and CPT Alfred Woodrow Sidel
Courtesy of Tom White
Spur 19 - WO Tom Richardson at Quan Loi
Courtesy of Tom Richardson
Dan Sutherland at Quan Loi pool -- 1971
Courtesy of Dan Sutherland
A Troop area, Quan Loi -- 1971
Courtesy of Jerry Smith -- D Troop Photo
Sgt. Taylor (Observer) flying with WO Mark Hansen at Quan Loi in Jan '71
Courtesy of Robert Mills, Spur 12
From the '71 Unit History
Courtesy of "Kipp" Ervin
From the '71 Unit History
Courtesy of "Kipp" Ervin
To Page 2 of Silver Spurs Photos!
To Page 3 of Silver Spurs Photos!
To Page 4 of Silver Spurs Photos!
