Info Sheet - Charles A. "Chuck" Weseman
Died 8 April 2012 - Age 72
Bill Cirincione, Tom Meeks, Charlie Rice, Bruce Powell, Garrett Marcinkowski, Bill Chiaramonte, Sam Dooling
see also Joe Owen video and Marcinkowski Eulogy
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Messages prior to his death:
From Bill Cirincione, Gun Platoon Ldr, Friday, 27 May 2011:
…Do you remember Chuck? He was a 1st Lieutenant, in D Troop, and eventually retired from the Army as a Major. He was a Cobra pilot in 1969 and a good friend of Dallas St. John's. They both were Warrant Officers when they arrived at D Troop.
I recommended Weseman for an in country direct commission to 1st LT., and he got it.
He had prior enlisted service in the Navy, before going to WOC school in the Army..
Chuck is now retired, living in Melbourne,Florida, and bedridden. He has lots of medical problems.
Chuck is maybe 70 or so now. His wife, who is nicknamed "Montana" , takes care of him. She is originally from The Philippines; a very nice lady..
I traveled to Melbourne, Florida to see him about 6 months ago. Maybe you could figure out some way to let all the D Troopers know Chuck's mailing address, so that he could get some friendly mail, and get some well wishes, which may cheer him up…. Bill
From Tom Meeks, Cobra Gun Pilot: 19 June 2011:
To all who remember Chuck Weseman. I visited him last week when I was in Florida for a class reunion (50th). Chuck is bed ridden and has been so for the last three years. He barely speaks, has Parkinson's along with diabetes and skin cancer on his scalp. He is does not remember lots of things but he did remember "crazy Bruce" and Bill Cirincione. He does not do email anymore but if someone wanted to write via snail mail, his wife reads to him although, he don't remember much afterward. Think he would enjoy any correspondence…. Tom
Messages after his death:
From Charlie Rice; April 09, 2012: Bruce, Sad to tell That Charles A. "Chuck" Weseman ,Maj (Ret.) died on Easter Sunday at 0800 at his home in Melbourne, Florida. He had been ill for 5 years and passed peacefully with Manja, his wife of 20 years at his side. He will be cremated and buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His wife goes by the nickname " Montana". Bill Cirincione gave this information to me and asked that I get the word out . I remember him as a high energy WO gun pilot that I teased about being our " Polecat" as he took on the task of wiring the company for "more efficient" use of the two large generators that had been " borrowed' from somewhere in a lift partnership with the Muleskinners…. Charlie
From Bruce Powell: April 10, 2012: Chuck and Dalles St John came in to us about the same time and often flew together. I wish I had been able to gather more of their wild war stories in the Cobra. Maybe we can catch up with Dalles and get his input.
I remember making an effort to get all my Cobra pilots qualified as "Aircraft Commanders" as soon as possible in case we had a pilot shortage later. Dalles and Chuck would sometime flip a coin to see who had to fly front seat that day.
Tom and Ann Meeks were close to Chuck and his wife, from assignments after Nam. They had visited him last year. He was in pretty bad shape and still reliving the Centaur glory days at every opportunity. His wife said he spent hours watching and rewatching the Centaur Brothers DVD. Let us all bless this great Centaur warrior into God's hands and honor his memory.
From Moose Marcinkowski, Troop XO, 10 August 2012:
In the time Chuck and I served together as Centaurs I never heard him bad mouth anybody or anything. When given a mission he just gave a "roger out" and did it.
As XO a lot of my Cobra missions were usually # 1 gun at night. I still remember one night we had to support a fire support base under heavy attack. We did so and pretty much expended everything we had. Relived by a gun team from the Aviation Bn, we back the rearm/refuel. While there, the other Cobra broke and couldn't go back out. Chuck and I looked at each other and said "let's go." Back we went and completed the mission single ship. That was typical of Chuck.. Get the mission done and sort it out later.
Chuck fired the rockets and I worked the mini gun and chunker around the perimeter. The ground commander was most impressed that we would calmly engage targets while we were being fire upon by a .51 WITHOUT TRACER. The ground commander put us in for a DFC.
Chuck was a good troop and I shall always remember him that way….Moose
From Bill Chiaramonte: I too remember Chuck Weseman as one good man. Vague memories of him being Santa Claus for some local kids and taking responsibility for the large diesel generator we traded for with the Coast Guard. Hope more of these memories will be triggered.Aug2018
From Sam Dooling: I was a new guy in the troop and Chuck was given the dubious honor of training me how to be an aircraft commander (AC). We would go out on VR missions with Chuck in the front seat and me in the back; I learned a lot from him — but the one memory that really stands out was after we completed a mission and were headed back to Cu Chi, Chuck got clearance to fire some rockets in a hedgerow complex a few miles SW of the airfield. We expended a full load of rockets shooting two pair on each pass — initial pair to adjust from and money pair. After that one lessen on how to set up the aircraft (power, trim, dive angle, recovery, etc.), I was pretty much always able to put rockets wherever I wanted them to go. That lessen made me a pretty good rocket shooter and probably saved my ass (and the collective asses of people I was supporting) for my entire tour in Cobras. Aug2018