Centaur Website Newsletter - October 2022

index: News, Checking In, Help Find, Donut Dollies, MyPages, Deceased, Photos, War Stories, Reunions, T Shirts

 

News

Our huge Legacy Website: Have you viewed all our 244 Videos? Our 8000 photos (Album/SlideShows)? - Over 400 Essays/Discussions? Watched our 8mm & 16mm films? We hope that you are watching and having your memory cells revived so you can add your input to it. Every little piece, comment, photo, story is valuable. Time to help out. email powellcentaur@gmail.com

My First D Troop/Squadron Reunion by Mike Vaughn. This is an essay that Mike wrote in 2002 after attending his first D Troop/Squadron reunion. Date: September 5 through September 8, 2002. Mike has expressed the deep feelings of many of us from our first reunions. If you haven't been, you may be depriving yourself of an enormous experience and deep feelings of self worth.

Centaur Vets Day Reunion Updates:

.....The Reunion Host team will be telephoning all individuals that have signed up or expressed and interest in attending to provide an overview of the reunion and answer any questions.

.....Attendance Roster updated and Video Schedule begun.

.....Confirmed that there will be Cobra, Huey and LOH static displays. Sit in them/take photos.

.....We hope to have Helicopter Rides. Good chance on the Huey but probably not on the Cobra. They might be able to get a Cobra up for rides but no guaranty at this point. This is a tough business keeping the old aircraft flyable and certified for passenger rides. We will keep you informed on the Reunion Page of our website.

.....Things are moving rapidly! A large group of Centaurs have signed up for the parade. If you are interested, and haven't signed up yet, please contact Jim now. jim@thewaltfamily.com

......Next years (2023) Reunion Host and location will be chosen by a public vote at this years reunion. If you are interested in being a Host in the future or determining the next location, please talk to Jim Walt soon, so he can present that input to the group before the vote. jim@thewaltfamily.com

 

 

AH-1G Cobra #68-15012 "#1 Du Me Mi" has been found and being resurrected!

Back in the June 2022 Centaur Newsletter, Matthew R. Godec from the US Army Museum put out a note requesting any information on Cobra 012.

In this Newsletter Jonathan A. Bernstein, Arms and Armor Curator at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, follows up with his note:
"I wanted to reach out to see if it would be possible to contact any pilots or ground crews that flew or worked on AH-1G 68-15012, better known as #1 Du Me Mi. This past May I was on a parts acquisition mission for the restoration of our AH-1G (68-15140) at Aberdeen Proving Grounds when I was sitting in 012's rear cockpit about to remove the main control panel. When I saw the tail number, I immediately recognized it (Lou Drendel's original painting of her is hanging over my desk at home) and contacted colleagues of mine over at the National Museum of the US Army." read the whole article.
Send input to "Peake, Michael" <thegermansons@yahoo.com>

 

 

Centaur LRRP SFC Alvin Floyd (KIA) will be inducted into the Georgia Military Hall of Fame on 5 Nov 2022.

We encourage everyone to reread his InfoSheet with comments and DSC Award.

 

 

 

Michael Peake updates the Centaur Call Signs page with 14 new entries. Is your name and call sign correct?

 

Want to get excited about Army Aviation? Check out these few, of many, available videos:

AAHF Southwest Chapter 17 Sep2022 in Show Low, AZ

AAHF Restoration of Huey 315 and Cobra 518

How it all started (AAHF)

It would be hard not to get excited when watching some of the videos available about the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation. These folks, their families and friends have found something truly exciting and fun to be involved with during these otherwise trying times.

 

Major upgrade to the Centaur Website: Centaur Society Nav Button becomes the Helicopter Button.

The Navigation Buttons on the left side of every page on the website have been changed. The third button down used to be Centaur Society. Since the Society has served its purpose and grown into, and become the Centaurs In Vietnam Organization (CIVO), this button is no longer needed. The Society is still remembered for all its work in the History Section and the buton changed to "Helicopters".

 

Organizations: Confused by the many groups and organizations involving Centaurs? Check out this new Discussion page on the website that trys to explain it all: Relationship of Organizations Involving Centaurs.

 

Checking In

 

Bain Cowell Former Centaur Director checks in. He is still a Docent at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, GA and continues to support our Centaur Legacy effort by handing out his Centaur BS cards. It needed to be updated with his new email address.

 

 

 

 

Jake Cirincione 2LT (Bill Cirincione's son) contacted us for more info on his dad. Wants to talk. If you remember more about Bill or have photos or documents not on the website, please email me at powellcentaur@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Carl Burns a Centaur Director, checks in from the UPS store where he had several items printed up for the November Centaur Reunion in Phoenix.

Carl hopes to make the reunion this year with his son.

 

 

Allen Brinkerhoff 1LT Centaur 28 Heavy Scouts D/F Troops Sep 70 to May 71: Allen checks in and will hopefully get some photos to us so we can create a MyPage.

 

Finding Centaurs & Friends

Does anyone remember a PFC or SP/4 Chris McKay? Air Traffic Controller MOS. Served in 1972 at Tan My. Do any of you pilots or crewmembers remember having an ATC controller at Tan My? Please send info to Frank Dillon at <dillon@casstel.net> or on the F Troop Facebook page.

 

Who is this? Photo is slide MP-041 in Michael Peake's Slideshow. 1972-73

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donut Dollies

Nicknamed “Donut Dollies” as an homage to the Red Cross women who handed out donuts to troops in previous wars, these Red Cross workers were part of the Red Cross Supplemental Recreational Activities Overseas (SRAO) program.

Donut Dollies War Story Discussion Page has been started. Go to the War Stories Discussion page and scroll down to Donut Dollies. Send your Centaur stories and photos to be included.

Sandy McLeod sends photo of Donut Dollies with LOH 68-17154 "Sweet Carolin" and wants to identify the pilot. Photo probably taken in Apr to June of 1971. powellcentaur@gmail.com

"Did anyone take other photos of these Donut Dollies during that visit? I’m sure the Donut Dolly Association would appreciate them. May also help ID at least one of them - the one wearing a nametag. Also talking about the LOH; Harlan Sparrow got there in April, ’71 when it was, or soon to be, Sweet Carolin.  Ed Wolfe, who left shortly thereafter in early May doesn’t recall Sweet Carolin name on any of the LOHs.   I left in mid-June.  So, having taken the picture, we’re tentatively concluding the Donut Dollie visit to be May/June.  But, knowing name change time, if anyone can recall, would confirm." Sandy

You can find more Centaur photos of Donut Dollies in these Slide Shows:
Slideshow Photos: Dwight Byrd #18 thru 21; Gerald Walsh #26; TJ Lange #255 256; Bob Tegelman #280

 

MyPages

 

Michael K. "Mike" Remington SP4 Aerorifle Platoon "Blues" 1972 has been located by Tina Cook and has signed up for the Newsletter Distribution. We have created a draft MyPage for him using his photo from the 1971-72 Yearbook.

 

 

 

Leon Bond SP4 Company Clerk F Troop Jan 1971 to Jan 1972 has a draft MyPage awaiting a current photo. Also an InfoSheet. Leon has some photos he will sort through for posting on the website in the furture.

 

 

 

 

Charles Traylor PFC Avionics Mechanic Oct 1972 to Jan 1973 now has a draft MyPage using a 1977 pic of him as a SP5 at Ft Campbell. His Nam photos were destroyed. Maybe you can find a Nam photo of him for us. powellcentaur@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

James "Jim" Turner SP4 Medical Technician February 1971 to September 1971 sends in a current photo for his MyPage. He is also going to send us some Nam Photos.

An InfoSheet has been added

 

 

Deceased

 

We found the Obit for CPT Jack D. Dickson with photo. A Deceased page has been created and an InfoSheet/Obit page. He is mentioned in article on Time line TLN 19 May 1969

Does anyone know him well enough to send condolences to Family from Centaurs?

 

 

 

Kenneth Ray "Kenny" Campbell SP4 Aug 1970 to Aug 1971, Service Platoon and then to Scout Crew Chief.

Ken is remembered by his close Centaur friend Joe Hoover in the InfoSheet/Obit

 

 

 

Enrique A. Bustamante CW3 Pilot 1965-1966 died 26 November 2017. John Moore located this photo of him.

He has a limited Info/Obit page and an MP1. He retired as a CW4 and may have been on his third tour to Nam. Do you remember him or have any photos or stories.

 

 

Daniel D. "Dan" Perry SP4 Helicopter Mechanic 67N20 Sep 1970 to Sep 1971, died back on 3 August 2017. He, Ken Campbell and Joe Hoover were close friends who came to the Centaurs from the Diamondheads, 25th Avn Bn. He mostly worked on the OH-6A Scout aricraft.

Can you identify the two unknowns in his MP1?

 

 

Robert Simmons CPT Troop XO, Centaur 5, 1969-1970, died 13 July 1995. We have no photos of him. He has been listed in our "Wanted" Memory Jogger section since 25 Jul 2019 (MJ056) - The only info we have on him up until now is "CPT 1970 Died after tour 95/06/13 VHPA". John Moore has located an old newspaper article and photo of Bob's gravestone that we have used to create a Deceased MyPage for him. Eric Brethen remembers him as the Troop XO. Terry Branham remembers him and makes comments on the Deceased Obit page. Mike Holder mentions in his reunion video that Simmons checked him out in an LOH in one flight. Surely someone will spot a photo of Bob so we can properly honor him.

 

Photos/Slideshows/Video

 

Don Borey finds pic of Skip Petrie in Goldsmith's Photo Album. It is now added as an MP to Skip Petrie's Deceased MyPage. Notice also that the MP on Petrie's page is linked to go to Goldsmith's Photo Album page.

If you notice other good photos of guys that are not shown on their MyPage as an MP, please send an email with that info to the Webmaster. powellcentaur@gmail.com

 

 

 

War Stories

 

Daniel "Dan" Wilson Story - 1969, by Allen KC Allcock. KC tells about Dan his great friend during their tour together in 1969, before Dan's unfortunate death in 1970 - KIA. Story is linked to from the War Stories Essay page and from Allcock and Wilson's MyPages.

KC also tells the story of how he and Colleen, Dan's sister, got together.

 

Reunions

 

November 10-13 - Centaur Veteran's Day Reunion Phoenix, Arizona. See Roster for those already planning to attend - Approximatey 80+ people.

Next door to the Commemorative Air Force - World's Largest Flying Museum

Contact Jim Walt at jim@thewaltfamily.com. We hope to have Huey and Cobra Rides available for a fee. See Huey Rides Video.

Download the official Reunion Registration Packet