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July/August 2013

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.

Looking for Martin Kennedy, who served in the Chaplain’s office at HHC, 4th Trans. Command (part of the 1st Log), Saigon, 1968-69. Contact: Jerry Stilling, 93 Union St., Crystal Lake, IL 60014; 815-459-8369; geraldstilling@att.net

Seabee veteran searching for three UTA School classmates: Bruce Roman (from Wisc.), Gary Lemon (last-known address in Sunnyvale, Calif.), and Dan Crawford (Ohio), who attended a school at Port Hueneme, Calif., Class 05-68. Contact: Larry Sherman, 703 Penn Ave., Elmira, NY 14904; jetersdad@yahoo.com

Looking for any 8th Radio Research Field Station Signal Maintenance veterans. We would like to add you to our trick log. Contact: Wayne Brooks, 757-510-0007; brooks362@cox.net

Would like to hear from anyone who served with 3/5 Cav., Black Knights, 9th Inf., Dong Ha and Quang Tri area, June-November 1971. Contact: Gordon Ritchie #236306, Martin C.I., 1150 S.W. Allapattah Rd., Indiantown, FL 34956.

Looking for E6 “Smokin’ Joe” Monge, my Drill Sgt. at Ft. Gordon Military Police School, November 1974-75. I would like to thank him for his training and inspiration. Contact: Elaine (Leid) Garcia, 4603 S.E. Brown St., Lawton, OK 73501.

Looking for R.S. “Tiny” Keith (from Kans.), who was stationed at Lemoore Naval Air Station sometime around 1968. He was a Navy mechanic on planes and helicopters. He was sent to Vietnam under Marine orders. We last heard from Keith in 1971. He sent his mother a telegram that said, “I am back, I am safe, and I am going to crash.” Contact: Earlene (Townsend) Lourenco, 4372 Summit Dr., La Mesa, CA 91941-7843; 619-462-0444; ealourenco@cox.net  

Looking for anyone who served with the 91st Eng. Co., 809th Eng. Bn., Thailand, or the 56th Special Operations Wing, Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, October 1968-69. Need information about the possible spraying of defoliants for a VA claim. Contact: Jim McCollum, 1316 Horseshoe Dr., Lewisburg, TN 37091-6906.

Looking for William C. Thomas and Charles B. Lewis, who served with me at Plattsburgh AFB, N.Y., 1958-62. Thomas and I were together our entire careers, and Lewis, who was a captain at the time, was transferred to Guam sometime in 1959. Also looking for anyone else who served at Plattsburgh AFB, 1958-62, especially with HQ 820th Combat Support or 38th Bomb Wing, for a potential reunion. Contact: John Stathopoulos, 410-592-2929; johnstatinc@yahoo.com

Seeking any helicopter pilots who served in Vietnam. The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association would like you to join future reunions. Contact: Mike Law, mglaw@earthlink.net or Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, 2100 N. Highway 360, Suite 907, Grand Prairie, TX 75050.

Looking for Phillip “Scooby-Doo” Butler, who served with me in VF31, Oceana, Va., 1971-74. We were both AE3s. Contact: Arthur Miller, 843-723-2162; arthur.miller28@yahoo.com

click to enlarge I am a petty officer of the Italian Coast Guard and am looking for any relatives who also served in the military. I would like to contact my uncle, Angelo Candiano (from Brooklyn), who served in Vietnam and survived a helicopter crash. Contact: Erasmo Pinasco, +393316991771; erasmo.pinasco@libero.it or erasmo.pinasco@mit.gov.it

Trying to locate 2nd Lt. C.A. Johnson, 1st Lt. G.J. Taylor, and 1st Lt. V.C. Davis, who were attached to A Co., 1st Anti-Tank Bn., 1st Marine Div., Vietnam, Tet Offensive 1968. Contact: Terry B. Burkett, terryburkett2003@yahoo.com

Looking for anyone who knew or has photos of my brother, John F.R. “Ray” Griego, KIA on January 14, 1967, near Da Nang, while serving with A Co., 1st Bn., 1st Marines, 1st Marine Div. Contact: Mike Griego, griegomm16@q.com

Looking for Marine Pvt. J.D. Gonzales. I found his New Testament Bible in An Hoa, 1970, and would like to return it to him or his family. Contact: Jim Bell, bell.shea.katy@sbcglobal.net

Trying to locate YN1 N. Bonnette, who served with me aboard the U.S.S. Whitfield County (LST-1169) during our Vietnam tours with the Brown Water Navy, 1971-72. Contact: Tony Burgett, tony.burgett@va.gov

Looking for anyone who was at Bien Hoa AB, March-June 1965, to confirm Agent Orange exposure. Contact: Warren Driver, 562-338-9800; warrendriver007@gmail.com

Looking for Rankin (unsure of spelling), a drill instructor who was at Tigerland, Ft. Polk, La., summer 1966. He was an Airborne veteran of Native American descent. Contact: Clay Russell, 329 S. Central Ave. Apt. 4, Truman, MN 56088; 507-848-5289. 

Seeking Van Peski, Clifton, Fernandez, Bailey, Eiler, or any others from the “colorful & dynamic” training cadre from Ft. Ord, H-2-3 Co., August 1969. After extensive Vietnamese language training at the DLI, I served with John P. Vann during the 1972 Spring Offensive, Kontum. Contact: Jim Barker, 408-401-7939; erodemango@yahoo.com

Leon Sims needs verification of a stressor that occurred in 1977 at Ft. Jackson, S.C. He was a cook with permanent party, and while setting up his field kitchen for Basic Training trainees, he saw an individual who had been missing on post for several weeks hanging from a tree. Contact: James W. Stanley, 501-324-2889; james@jwstanleylaw.com

Looking for James M. Owens, who served with me in VMO-2, Vietnam, 1965. Contact: John Chester, 413-596-4234.

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.

Larry Weston needs to verify stressors for a PTSD claim. He was stationed at the Army Unit at Frankfurt, Germany, in the 1980s. In 1983 he helped handle more than two hundred bodies of Marines killed in the bombing of the barracks in Lebanon. He also experienced an explosion due to a terrorist attack outside of the PX sometime around 1984. Contact: James W. Stanley, 501-324-2820 (fax); james@jwstanleylaw.com   

Searching for fellow members of USMC Platoon 368, MCRD Parris Island, graduation August 27, 1968. The SDI was SSgt. S.C. Magana and the ADIs were SSgts. B.E. Webb, Jr., and P.A. Yeager. I’m hoping to organize a reunion. Contact: Roman Milanowicz, 711 E. Millport Rd., Lititz, PA 17543-9246; 717-278-5634; roman.milanowicz@gmail.com

Trying to locate any front-end crew members (pilots or navigators) who flew RC-135 missions out of Okinawa, 1973-75. I need a nexus letter stating where I was, because the VA refuses to acknowledge that I operated within the Vietnam combat zone. Contact: Leonard Bradshaw, PalmSpringsLen@aol.com

Looking for Robert R. Murrney, who served with the Air Force working in photography. His last-known location is Colorado Springs. Contact: Anthony Petrello, camelot28@verizon.net 

Trying to find Lee Blevins from Ohio, who served with me in Vietnam, 1966-68. Contact: Paul Paruso, briggsparuso@comcast.net

Trying to help my father find some friends. Looking for anyone who served with 2nd/60th, 9th Div., Co. A, “Alpha’s Assassins,” based mainly out of Tan Tru. My father, George Anthony Hendrix (went by “Tony” or “Red”), of South Carolina served in the unit from February 1969 to mid-1970. The unit also hitched many rides with the Riverines into Cambodia or close to the border. Contact: Nikki Hendrix, 864-608-0509; countrypunkin31@yahoo.com 

Looking for William and Stanley Jones, two brothers assigned to the 7th RRFS, Udorn, sometime around 1968-69. I believe both were PFCs or specialists in A Co. Contact: Pete Korad, Peerapong@Korads.com

Would like to hear from fellow truckers, clerks, cooks, or anyone else who served with the 523rd Transportation Co., Camp Addison. We also would like to hear from anyone who served with the 54th Bn. at Camp Addison. Contact: Walter Dan Medley, djmedley1@bellsouth.net or Guy McHugh, gmchughg@gmail.com 

Looking for Roderick Henri Miles, an African-American soldier I met on a Pan Am flight from Saigon to Taiwan sometime around July 1971. He spent R&R with me and the group of Australian soldiers I was with. I was serving with the New Zealand Army, attached to the Australian Army. Miles had also served in New Zealand with the Antarctic Team at the American base in Christchurch. Contact: Ross Henry Wardlaw, rhwardlaw@yahoo.com

Looking for SP6 David Senkovich, SP5 Leroy Grady, SP5 Abiazar Denizard, SP4 Scott Neidert (from Ohio), 1st Lt. Childs (our platoon leader), or anyone else who served with me in Lai Khe, February 1967-68. I was a medic with 1st Div., 2/2 Mechanized, Co. B, 2nd Plt.. I was platoon medic for six months and spent the next four months as senior medic for Co. B. My last forty-five days were spent in Lai Khe as the NCOIC for the company aid station. Contact: Bill “Doc” Green, 813-294-5476; wrgreens@aol.com

Seeking anyone who served in 224th Avn. Bn. (RR), 509th Radio Research Group, November 1968-69 and August-November 1972. I have lost all contact with my buddies who were pilots in 146th Avn. Co. and 158th Avn. Co. Contact: Donald E. Henke, dphenke@fidnet.com 

My father found two lighters during his service in the Vietnam era at Camp Lejeune or at Camp Johnson, Camp Geiger, Marine Corps Air Station New River, or one of Camp Lejeune’s other satellite facilities. The lighters were probably found in a training area. One lighter is inscribed “TR Lawler, USMC, RVN 67-68” on one side and “make love, not war” on the other. The other lighter is a Zippo and is inscribed “Thomas” (first name begins with an “F,” but I can’t make out the rest of it) and has the USMC emblem on it. Contact: Steven Carter, 252-259-1100; 103 Creek Spring Dr., New Bern, NC 28560.

Looking for a Basic Training book from 3752 BMTS, Flight 887, Lackland AFB, June 1973. SSgt. Baker and TSgt. Petross were DIs. Contact: Brad Dexheimer, Brad.Dexheimer@co.mille-lacs.mn.us

Looking for any B57 crew chief who served with me in the 8th, 13th, or 90th Bomb Sqdrns., Yokota, Kunsan, Clark, or Bien Hoa, 1964-65. Contact: Bob Baxter, BobB1943@comcast.net

Looking for anyone who served in B Btry., 1/21 Arty., 1st Cav., 1968-69, especially Capt. Swain, Lt. Monahan, and those who were wounded when Bob Krell was killed on May 12, 1969. Contact: Richard “Obie” Obershaw, 612-867-4866; griefguy@aol.com

Trying to locate anyone from the 9th Mt. Bn., 1966-69. Also looking for Maj. John R. Stanley, Rocky “Bird Dog” Brewer, and Richard Baraza. Contact: Mike “Red Dog” Price, 469-261-7291; mikewiththebluecar@yahoo.com

Looking for anyone who served with my husband, David Bryant, at USASTRATCOM Long Lines North Bn., 1970-71. He died of hairy cell leukemia, and I need verification that members of his unit visited the DMZ in Korea. Contact: Candice Bryant, c/o James W. Stanley, Jr., 917 W. Markham, Suite A, Little Rock, AR 72201; james@jwstanleylaw.com

Need help for a PTSD claim. Need verification of rocket and standoff attacks at Khe and Di An, 1969-70. Contact: Carl Williams, c/o James W. Stanley, Jr., 917 W. Markham, Suite A, Little Rock, AR 72201; james@jwstanleylaw.com 

Looking for any information on a Marine Capt. Hall (I may have the name wrong) who was assigned to the USN, 31st NCR Military Training Unit, Port Hueneme, Calif., and went to Vietnam in the later half of 1969 on a two-week inspection trip. He was KIA, but his name is not on The Wall. Looking for any information about when and where he was killed. Contact: Earl Pederson, pedersonearl@hotmail.com 

Looking for Howard Williams from Ohio, who served with 3/39, B Co., 1st Plt., 9th Inf. Div., Rach Kien, 1967. Contact: Larry Shelton, 342 County Rd. 2418, Leesburg, TX 75451; 903-767-3470; blckiron@aol.com

Looking for anyone who was in B Co., 2nd Bn., 1st Bde., Ft. Gordon, Ga., April-June 1967. The DIs were SFC Penley and SSG Blowe. Contact: Bruce Carbone, 863-258-3042; rvn68@tampabay.rr.com

Trying to locate Chief Warrant Officer Frank Pitzer or anyone who was stationed at Dong Ba Thin, 1969, and remembers my hand being injured by a dropped tool box while loading a truck going to the Special Forces camp at Duc Lap. I was serving with the 10th Aviation Bn. at the time. Contact: Roger Anderson, 906-224-7321; tigershark7049@yahoo.com

click to enlarge Would like to hear from Bob Ward, whom I met in January 1969 when he was on R&R in Australia. I was a nurse living in Sydney at the time. We wrote for a while after he went home to the States, but we lost touch. I have always wondered how he is doing. Contact: Helen Plummer, purplepopcorn@tpg.com.au

Looking for 3rd Div. Marines Lt. Enos, Kemp, Feaster, Garrett, Larsen, Costa, Bush, Jones, and Fred Swett, who were with me at Vandergrift Combat Base, 1969. Contact: Rick “Hoocho” Hollihan, Jr., AJ-0676, 1600 Walters Mill Rd. BB-34, Somerset, PA 15510.

Need help for a claim. Looking for anyone who served aboard U.S.S. Jason, 1970-71. I was in the engine repair shop under Chief Knight. I have hearing problems and tinnitus, and need a letter from someone stating he has the same problems. Contact: Martin Helfrich, P.O. Box 156, Victor, MT 59875.

Would like to hear from anyone who served with Charlie Co., 3rd/8th, 4th Inf., October 1967-68. Contact: Cecil “Tarheel” Lee, 919-963-2390; candclee@embarqmail.com

Looking for Charles Meadows (from Ohio), Paul Vilria (from Sacramento), or anyone else who served with 2nd Bn., 1st Marines, 1st Mar. Div., Khe Sanh, Con Thien, or Hill 881 North and South, 1967-68. Contact: Bill Abril, 102 Hamilton Rd., Wrentham, MA 02093; 508-384-2552.

Need corroboration for a hearing loss claim. Looking for anyone who served with me in VP22, 1965-70. I believe my hearing loss was caused by the P3 Orion aircraft noise I was subjected to. It was especially bad when the squadron was deployed to Adak, Alaska, in November 1966-May 1967. Contact: Dennis Normoyle, 720-326-2019; djnormoyle@hotmail.com

Searching for my Basic Training unit photograph. I had Basic at Ft. Campbell with Co. E, 2nd Bde., 7th Bn., graduation in April 1968. I was the 1st squad leader, and the platoon leader was George Heatherly (KIA 1969). Our DIs were SSG Brown and SSG Cahoon, and the training officer was 2nd 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 

I am doing research for a book I am writing about Masons who served in the military in the Vietnam War combat zones in 1955-73. Also interested in hearing from any brothers who were in support positions during those years. I am interested, specifically, in Masons who came to the aid of their brothers during the war. If you have photos, please send them along with your letters. Please include your MOS, units and years served, and in what ways you were helped in periods of distress. Contact: Richard Garis, 146 Red Pine Dr., Lexington, SC 29073-6911; 803-359-3663; garisrichard@yahoo.com 

Looking for Robert Ulin from Calif., the CO of A Btry., 5th Bn., 22nd Arty., Vietnam, 1968-69. I was his driver. Contact: Edward J. Cronin, 4 Lakeside Rd., Milford, CT 06460; 203-874-8803; 203-260-8479.

Would like to hear from John “Tex” Cook (from Houston or Austin), Monte Smart (Me.), Flaco (N.M.), Moon Mullins, Jack Liengenfelter (loved Tammy Wynette), Buck, or anyone else who served with me in Co. B, 1st Bn., 5th Inf., 25th Inf., Cu Chi, 1968-69. I was the platoon sergeant. Contact: Lloyd Lee, 734-429-9552; vv6869@frontier.com

Army 14th Combat Engineer Battalion Assn., September 19-21, St. Louis, Mo. Contact: Frank Lomoro, 760-927-8240; Cappita1@yahoo.com or http://rugged.14thcombatengineers.org


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