InfoSheet/Obit for Gerald L. "Jerry" Wright
Deceased 5 June 2020
OBITUARY
Gerald L. Wright, 78, residing in AZ, formerly of MI, died Friday, June 5, 2020.
Gerald was born November 23, 1941 in Palo, Michigan to the late Harold and Inez (Sutton) Wright. He married Sally (Ziehm) Philippi on September 1970 in Romeo, MI.
Gerald was a graduate of Carson City High School and Michigan State. He was in ROTC, and joined the US Army after graduating, serving during the Vietnam war as a Helicopter pilot (1966 & 1967). In 1977 he rejoined the Army as a full time reservist Budget Analyst retiring as a Colonel in 1997.
He is survived by his wife, Sally, 2 stepdaughters, Debra (Jake) and Sue, 3 grandchildren Carl, Carlee & Chris and 6 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter Julie (Wright) Giguere.
Flt Class 66-4 Armor Branch
Call Signs: Red 27 and Centaur 24
B 1/9th Cav 1966; D Troop 67
D Trp Gun Platoon Jan to Jun 1967 as a 1LT
From the Dale Dow Archives:
Parts of email from Jerry 8 January 2002:
“I was in D Trp mid December 1965, in country transfer for 1/9th Cav, to June of 1966. I was a Gunship Pilot, call sign Centaur 24. MAJ Delvy was the Gun Platoon Leader. I have some good photos of the Blues Platoon Leader, mortar rounds through the roofs of enlisted barracks in D Troop, and others. Some notable events; extraction under fire of a LRRP Team (only 4 of the 5 came out), NW of Tay Ninh, middle of the night mission to help and Infantry Company that was overrun and convoy cover from Cu Chi to Tay Ninh, etc."
Parts of email from Jerry 9 Jan 2002:
"It was Tom Fleming (I think) that gave another Lieutenant and myself a good chewing for a little event I Saigon. Delvy, Platoon Leader, asked him to go easy on us because we were in our 12th month. If he had not done that we both probably would have ended up with an official letter in our files. If we ever get the chance I'll tell you about the "little event".
"As a note to the timeline, I arrived at D Trp just as the C models with the 540 rotor heads were delivered. It sure was nice to fly especially after flying B models. Also, later in life I served with a three star, LTG Rick Brown, who was either Troop or Squadron Commander."
"I will attempt to get to the reunion in. Chattanooga." signed Jerry and Sally