Locator

A VVA STAFF REPORT

Send your Locator and Reunion notices to Locator, The VVA Veteran, 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Alternately, send an email to veteranlocator@gmail.com or mkeating@vva.org. The Locator and Reunion services are provided without charge.

Trying to identify the other Marines in this photo of me with John Wayne, taken on June 20, 1966, while I was serving as a Navy Corpsman attached to Bravo Co., 1^st Tanks, 1^st Mar. Div. on Hill 55 (Chu Lai/Da Nang area). A company of Marine ONTOS and the 7^th Marines were on the same hill. Contact: Gene Hackemack, 979-551-0581; squeezeman123@gmail.com

Trying to locate Ralph Haugherty, who served with me in 1^st Cav., Co. D, 2/12. My last contact with him was in January 1968 at the Battle of LZ Leslie, Que Son Valley. His last-known address was Flagstaff, Ariz. Contact: Roger Blanco, P.O. Box 1178, Questa, NM 87556; 575-770-5475; artcan@newmexico.com

Searching for Lt. William R. Holland, who served with Provisional Co., 25^th Inf. Div., Nui Ba Den, 1970. Contact: Buddy, bbohager@gmail.com

Looking for anyone who served with me in A Co., 1^st Bn., 327^th Inf., 101^st Airborne Div. “Screaming Eagles,” Vietnam, May 1968-69. Contact: Willie Davis, Jr., 1209 Berthoud Pass, Hephzibah, GA 30815.

Trying to find Navy Engineman (E-3) Gary Jones (from Pine Bluff, Ark.), who went through NIOTC with me at Mare Island, Calif., spring 1970, and was stationed with me in River Assault Sqdrn. 15, Div. 152, Mekong Delta, summer-fall 1970. Contact: Bob Nyland, bnylandp38@hotmail.com

Looking for Robert Houston (from Los Angeles), who served with me in MACV, 1966-67. Contact: Darrell Morrison, Zill4344@aol.com

Looking for Watkins, a Marine who served with the 9^th Engineers Unit in Hawaii and was based near Da Nang (Marble Mountain) in Vietnam. I believe he was from Florida. Contact: Joe Lamberson, 913-568-8635; saltypelican
@sbcglobal.net

Searching for the Sgt. E5 of the Big Red One who gave me his Bronze Star after I helped him call in incoming enemy mortar fire from the communications tower at Phouc Vinh Base Camp one night in June or July 1967. At the time I was serving with the 1^st Signal Bde., 2^nd Sig. Gp., 36^th Signal Bn., 595^th Signal Co., White Plt. as communication support for the Big Red One and the 162^nd Helicopter Co. Contact: Tony Molina, 4121 Logsden Rd., Logsden, OR 97357; 541-444-2828; 541-444-8330 (work); tonym@ctsi.nsn.us

Searching for all former members of the 1/83^rd Arty. who served in Vietnam in 1966-71. Contact: Bill Taggart, 856-228-5614; artillery_83rd@yahoo.com or visit http://83rd_artillery.home.comcast.net

Searching for Jim Epperson, ASH2 Navy Fighter Sqdrn. 162, who was in an auto accident with me on March 16, 1970, just before we flew out of Miramar, Calif., to Vietnam. Contact: Danny Townsend, 731-733-1037; dannyt@tds.net

Trying to find anyone who was at Bien Hoa Air Field in July-August 1971 and can verify the use of dioxin and other chemicals to burn human waste. Also looking for anyone who was transferred from Bien Hoa to Camp Evans, then to Phu Bai, with the 1^st Aviation Bde. Contact: Illinois Barconey # 94061, Dixon Correctional Institute, Unit 2, Dorm 12, P.O. Box 788, Jackson, LA 70748.

Looking for Mike Kelly and Jim Garner, Co. C, 37^th Signal Bn., Chu Lai, 1967. Contact: Ben Graham, 918 Gypsy Ln., McClellanville, SC 29458; mrhog45
@hotmail.com

Looking for anyone who served with me in the 4^th Marines in the Radio Communications or TACP sections, Chu Lai, 1965-66. Contact: Charlie McSurley, surek@brightok.net

Would like to hear from anyone who served with me in B Co., 3^rd Engineers, 3^rd Marine Div., Quang Tri, Camp Carroll, Rock Pile, Cam Lo, Con Thien, Khe Sanh, 1968-70. Contact: Daniel Waters, 7 Chapman Ave., Auburn, NY 13021; 315-252-1295 (after 2 p.m.).

Looking for any family or friends of Robert Simonsen, who committed suicide in 1963 while on leave in his home town, Cedarburg, Wisc. I was best friends with his sister at the time. Robert had joined the Army and was on leave from Basic Training. I would like to visit his grave site. Contact: Joyce Ann Cook, 511-B East Proctor St., Carson City, NV 89701; 775-841-5834.

Looking for anyone who served with SP5 Chuck Marinos in Charley Co. and Delta Co., 1/5^th Arty., 1^st Inf., Quan Loi and La Khe, February 1968-69. Marinos was wounded in April 1969 when he and Richey Ceresa were hit by a 122 millimeter rocket at LZ Andy. Ceresa was killed. Marinos was awarded a Purple Heart by Lt. Brombaugh, but it never got recorded on his DD-214. I am a VA advocate for Marinos and was stationed at Quan Loi with the 1^st Air Cav. at the same time. Contact: Chuck Bartlett, 805-300-1883; chuckbartlett@roadrunner.com

Seeking anyone who remembers me from HQ 3/12, 1974-75, for a VA claim. Contact: Timothy Miles, trkrswife@hotmail.com

Looking for Sgt. Leo Amos, who was stationed at Army MARS Radio Station AB8AV sometime in 1969-71. We made phone patches for the troops to call home via radio. I was at Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu AB6EOQ. Contact: Bob Goodwin, thegoodwins@rochester.rr.com

Trying to locate Sgt. Rose. I served with 4/23, 2^nd Brigade, 25^th Div., November 1967-October 1968. I was in Charlie Co. and my call sign was Mohawk Charlie 36. Contact: Allan Lobeck, 281-932-7841; allan.lobeck@gmail.com

Looking for Nicholas DeBello, John D. Johnston, Thomas J. Merrell, and Robert L. Arnold, who served with me in the 101^st Airborne, Co. A, 326 Engr., 1969-70. Contact: Gene A. McGee, 716-531-3004; bikergranpa61@gmail.com

Looking for any information about G.B. (a.k.a. Bo Jangles), the black gibbon ape I had as a pet for a time while serving in Ubon, Thailand, 1971-74, or his original owner. G.B.’s original owner was an I.O. in the 16^th SOS Spectre Sqdrn. who drove a motorcycle. Contact: Nick Furda, mfur638@aol.com

My husband, Stanley R. Whiteside, would like to hear from Bob Webb, Jr. (from Detroit), “Fish” Fishburne (Dallas), “Fuji” Fujihara (Los Angeles), and anyone else who served with him in 2^nd Bn., 9^th Marines, Vietnam, 1966-67. Contact: Cres Whiteside, wsacz444@ocsnet.net

Looking for anyone who sailed on the U.S.S. Magoffin (APA-199) (the “Mighty Magoo”), 1944-68, especially the 600 Marines we took to Da Nang in 1966 or any of my shipmates from 1965-October 1967. We are having a reunion in Boston in September. Contact: F.B. Albertson, 167 Londonberry Rd., Goose Creek, SC 29445-5503; 843-312-3452.

Seeking Donald Hall and Edward Paul, who served with me in the 5^th and 1^st Inf. Divs., Vietnam, July 1965-September 1966. Also seeking any family members of Theodore Dempsey, who served with those units and was killed on December 20, 1965. Contact: Richard Ginkinger, 139 Maryland St. NE, Warren, OH 44483; 330-395-3662.

My father is trying to locate Jefferson, his captain when he served with the 4^th Inf. at Camp Enari during the Vietnam War. Jefferson may have been in charge of the camp at some point. Contact: Beth Sanders, bsanders@lifebio.com

Looking for anyone who was in the Security Plt., H&HQ Co., 3^rd Bde., 1^st Air Cav., late 1968-November 1969. Contact: Chris Tardiff, ctar7777@aol.com

Looking for Roger Swanson (from Pa.), who went to Vietnam on U.S.N.S. General Gordonin in January 1967 and served with the USMC Artillery, 1967-68. Contact: Bob Wonnell, bobwonnell@embarqmail.com

Trying to locate two Army buddies from April 1967: SP4 Booker T. Frazier (from Ft. Knox, Ky.) and Robert Case, who served with me in Co. B, 6^th Bn., 32^nd Armor. Contact: Charles S. Brown, csbrown40@yahoo.com 

Looking for Jim, who served with VMA 223 in February 1966-March or April 1967. He was a big Notre Dame fan from Indiana, and played pinochle with Phil from New Orleans and never lost. Contact: Phil, cppoche@hotmail.com 

Looking for anyone who served with my late father SFC Daniel E. Owens, who served in the Army from 1959-89. He served two tours in Vietnam, the second at Davis Station, Tan Son Nhut, sometime in the early seventies. He was also assigned to the 502^nd ASA GP in Vietnam. I would like to know what he did to be awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Device, among other medals. Contact: Danielle Delint, d_delint@yahoo.com

Looking for Larry T. Lee, who served with me in the 614^th F-100s, Phan Rang Air Force Base. We were roommates from September 1969 until he left in July 1970. The last I heard, he lived in California. Contact: Tom Harvey, tomdebharv@sbcglobal.net

Searching for anyone who served aboard the U.S.S. Wexford County (LST-1168). We are trying to put together a reunion. Contact: Arthur R. Traendley, 518 W. Lookout Ave., Hackensack, NJ 07601; 201-488-7646; or Larry Condra, larrygeec@netscape.net

Searching for any B Btry., 4/42^nd Arty. members who served on Brillo Pad firebase in Kontum Province, May-June 1968. The battery commander was Cpt. Pea. Contact: Manuel Román, Jr., docrjr@sbcglobal.net

Looking for anyone from Lima Btry., 4^th Bn., 12^th Marines, 3^rd Marine Div., 1966-67. Charlie Austin was the cook, Capt. Dan was CO, and Earl Eugene Sanders (from Kansas City) was a good friend. Gorman made Sgt. just before
I left for the States. Contact: Steve Cole, catfishcole48@ymail.com

Trying to find any family members of Carroll Wayne Eaves, who was killed in Vietnam. While cleaning out a garage near Mt. Vernon, Ill., we found a container of his personal items, including photographs, diplomas, and letters sent home to his mother, Mrs. Stanley Eaves, from Vietnam. We believe he was from Makanda, Ill. We would like to return these items to his family. Contact: Debi King, 618-316-4816; kingkongandbeauty@gmail.com

Looking for Kemp, Feaster, Garrett, Larsen, Costa, Fred Swett (from N.H.), and Jones, who served with me in the 26^th Marines, Vandergrift Combat Base, 1969. Our lieutenant was Enos. Contact: Rick “Hoocho” Hollihan, Jr., AJ-0676, 1600 Walters Mill Rd. BB34, Somerset, PA 15510.

Looking for anyone who served in Vietnam with Project Counter out of Ft. Lee in 1967, especially those who went over on the advanced flight out of Langley AFB in a camouflaged C-130 with stops in Hawaii, Wake Island, and Clark AFB, Philippines. Contact: Gary Gantt, P.O. Box 26813, Winston-Salem, NC 27114; 336-425-5931.

I am an Australian Vietnam veteran who served with Number 2 Canberra Jet Bomber Sqdrn. Trying to locate Capt. Al Ash from New Orleans, who served with the U.S. Air Force, and Capt. Wendel Cook, who served as a pilot with an F100 super sabre squadron. Both served with me at Phan Rang Air Base, 1968-69. Contact: Kevin “Rick” Neilsen, moho8@bigpond.com

Looking for Lt. Williams or anyone else who was at LZ Fat City, June-September 1969. Contact: John Knobloch, knob1@charter.net

Looking for anyone who served with me in the 1^st Inf. Div., Co. D, 2/18^th Inf., January 1968-69. Contact: Bill “Coyote” Combs, WBC7809@aol.com

Would like to reconnect with anyone who was based in Quan Loi with the 1^st Air Cav., C Co., 15^th Med. Bn., 1969-70. Contact: Albert Benamou, abenamou@hotmail.com or alben248@me.com

Need help for a claim. Trying to locate three men from the 65^th Engineer Bn., HHC Co: SSG Pete Gallaher (or Gallagher), who I believe was a supply sergeant or heavy equipment operator; Capt. John E. Miller, company commander of the 12B Engineer Branch; and 1^st Sgt. Michael Lillie, who I believe was a 12B engineer. I was a 76Y unit armorer. Contact: Kurt Utich, 586-909-8727; kurtutich@aol.com

Looking for Sp.5 Fortmann, Sp. Edward LaRose, John Mars, and Richard Barr, who served with HHC, 4^th Eng. Bn., 1968. Contact: Gary Gibbs, garygibbs@windstream.net

Trying to locate tank commanders SSG York, SSG William Johnson, the other SSG Johnson (can’t remember his first name), and SSG Robinson, who served with me in HHC and B Co., 4^th Engineer Bn. (tank section), 4^th Inf. Div., 1968-69. Contact: John Day, m60a1@verizon.net 

Searching for members of the 629^th Ordnance Co. (field supply parts), Vietnam, September 1965-May 1975, deployed from Ft. Lewis in August 1965. Join us at future reunions. Contact: Gary L. Matthews, 712-485-2422; GMatt41347@aol.com

Looking for the platoon picture and yearbook of Platoon 396 MCRD, San Diego, October 7-December 7, 1965. Two of the DIs were Brenan and Rodderick. Contact: Mike Garcia, 3738 E. Traditions Way, Holland, MI 49424; bobtail316@yahoo.com

Searching for Jack McLaughlyn, Roger Blackman, or other members of 569^th Topographic Corps, 864^th Combat Engineers, March 1967-June 1968. Contact: duvienh55@aol.com

I took Basic Training in Ft. Carson, Colo., in 1966. Trying to locate anyone who has photographs of me or a graduation picture of my unit. Contact: Felix Vallejo, auydaserhumanos@hotmail.com

Looking for Barry Foster, Jimmy McCoy, James Smith, Albert Jones, Anthony Flowers, and Theodore Ziggler, who served with me aboard the U.S.S. Perkins, 1965-66. Contact: Joe Powell, 704-363-4273; jwpowellsr@yahoo.com

Need help for a claim. Looking for anyone who contracted hepatitis C on the shot line. Also looking for any medic who remembers cleaning up my small wound in a field tent somewhere outside of Bien Hoa. It had become infected after I had taken a piece of metal from it. At the time, no one with a wound could leave. Contact: Paul Gagne, rogue.gagne3@gmail.com

Looking for anyone who served with the 1^st Bn., 40^th Arty., Vietnam, 1966-69. I have info about our upcoming reunion. Contact: Bushrod N. Carey, Sr., 211 Waterford Ln., Winchester, VA 22602; 540-450-8265; bushrod.carey@gmail.com

Trying to locate anyone who served with me in 4^th Inf. Div., 2^nd/35^th, Alpha Co., Vietnam, July 1969-September 1970. My MOS was 11 bravo. Contact: Robert Sadowski, bmlw5252@yahoo.com

Searching for my Basic Training unit photograph. I had Basic at Ft. Campbell with Co. E, 2^nd Bde., 7^th Bn., graduation in April 1968. I was the 1^st squad leader, and the platoon leader was George Heatherly (KIA 1969). Our DIs were SSG Brown and SSG Cahoon, and the training officer was 2^nd Lt. Mason. I am looking for the group photo. Contact: Mike Berzinsky, 1712 Crystal Spring Rd., Two Rivers, WI 54241; 920-794-8142; lerch@charter.net

Seeking stories of rock ape encounters in Vietnam or surrounding areas. Contact: Mike Shaw, poka513@comcast.net

Searching for my Basic Training unit photograph or graduation book. I had Basic at Ft. Jackson with Co. A, 2^nd Bn., 1^st Bn. (A21), graduation May 1967. Contact: Milton “Butch” Gardner, 5201 Nuthall Dr. Unit 207, Virginia Beach, VA 23455; 757-717-3773.

Trying to locate James M. Owens, my squadron mate from VMO2, Vietnam, 1965. Contact: John Chester, 413-596-4234.

Looking for Richard Mark Martin, who served with Generator Repair 5T RRU (Radio Research Unit), reorganized into the 83^rd RRSOU (Radio Research Special Operation Unit) in 1967, Thailand, 1965-69 (possibly longer). Contact: Jessica Solomon, jessicasolomon5@yahoo.com

Looking for military personnel who helped rescue the injured from a C47 at Pleiku Air Force Base, May 5, 1968. Contact: Sherman Mitchell, 32540 Zircon Rd., Lucerne Valley, CA 92356; 760-285-4906.

Need proof that I left the U.S.S. Oriskany as a member of fighter squadron VF-162 on July 13, 1965. I left the ship via Cod along with two squadron mates, Gary Liptak and Deano Wyatt. I need evidence that the Cod was in route to Tan Son Nhut Airbase. Contact: William A. Bailey, 1965 Darren Dr., Kingman, AZ 86401; 928-753-7620; bill646550@yahoo.com  

Searching for Luis E. Bonilla, who served with me in 1^st Bn., 4^th Marines, 3^rd Marine Div., Charlie Co., 3^rd Plt., 1^st Squad. He was my assistant for the M-60 and was wounded alongside me on Hill 672 (LZ Loon) on June 6, 1968. His last-known address was in the Bronx, N.Y. Contact: Rene G. Gonzalez, 211 N. Houston Ave., Hebbronville, TX 78361; 361-406-7756; 361-527-2593; rgg495@yahoo.com

Trying to locate Lt. Crook (first name may be James), who was wounded with me in late July 1969 while stationed with B Co., 815^th Engineering Bn. Contact: Keith Burrier, 330-343-1419; dsburrier@gmail.com

Looking for Dale Church, Larry the Kid, Santa, Crash, or anyone who served with me in the 90^th Chem. Det., 11^th Inf. Bde., Americal Div., October 1969-November 1970. Also looking for Brian Bellows and Jerry News: I’ve located John Kubik, and he needs your help for a PTSD claim. Contact: Paul “Peanut” DeCosta, 1035 Merrymount Ave., Turnersville, NJ 08012; 856-404-7299; paulanne1@verizon.net 

Looking for Marine buddies I went to Vietnam with. I served in Vietnam in 1968-70, then I came home and served with the Reserves in 1970-74. Also would like some photos (copies are fine). Contact: Daniel P. Waters, 7 Chapman Ave., Auburn, NY 13021; 315-252-1295.

Trying to find anyone who served with my late father, George W. Pickard, Jr., in 1946-74. He was with the National Guard and the Army in WWII and Korea. He did three tours in Vietnam with the MCB-6 Seabees. Contact: Shirley Martinez, 7 Chapman Ave., Auburn, NY 13021-4701.

Would like to hear from anyone who served with 772^nd Medical Detachment, 197^th Medical, 1^st Aviation Bde., Long Thanh, October-December 1971. Contact: Gordon Ritchie #236306, Martin C.I. A-2/110L, 1150 SW Allapattah Rd., Indiantown, FL 34956.

Looking for Al Zanger, Van Kinney, Joe Reynolds, or anyone else from HHC-4-3 (January-March 1969, BCT) or C-2-2 (March-June 1969, AIT) at Ft. Ord, Calif. Contact: John Westhafer, 15619 Chadron Ave., Gardena, CA 90249; 310-676-0422.

Looking for six Air Force friends: John Raymond and Jake Baker, Dyess AFB, Texas, 1967-68; Choo Johnson, Lucky Patterson, and Fred Knight, Vung Tau, Vietnam, 1969; and James Kelly, Utapao, Thailand, 1971. Contact: William Kay, 410-579-2250; bkay76m@aol.com

Looking for anyone who served with me in the 1^st Cav., 13^th Sig. Bn., Vietnam, September 1966-67. Contact: Michael Characky, 818-518-0972; mecscc@verizon.net

Looking for Rachel (or Rachael), a Marine from Los Angeles who served in the 2^nd Bn., 4^th Marines, G Co., 3^rd Plt. On September 8, 1966, we were point co. on an operation and incurred severe sniper fire. Two Marines, radioman Phillip Herrera and rifleman Williams Juergens (or Jergens), were hit. Rachel risked his life to provide cover fire for the corpsmen to come to their aid, but they later died. Contact: John A. Klepacki, jaklepacki@cox.net