The First Centaur Aerorifles -1966
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I was a brand new Armor Branch 2nd Lieutenant with zero infantry training, other than ROTC at Oregon State University. Little did I know that I was to become a combat infantry platoon leader of a unique unit in a few months.
I reported to active duty at Fort Knox October 15,1965, received about 60 days of Armor training, before reporting to a post in Germany, with an Armor unit. About 3 weeks before the completion of my Basic Armor Training Course, orders came through sending me to 3rd Squadron Fourth Cavalry, Schofield Barracks Hawaii. I turned my brand new 1966 Corvette Stingray into the the military loading docks in Oakland California, and caught a taxi to Travis AFB.
Upon arrival I found out that my orders had been changed the night before. The new orders had me take another taxi back to Oakland, to climb aboard the USS Barrett to be part of the cadre aboard this troop ship destined for Hawaii. Upon arrival in Pearl Harbor I was met by my 3/4 Cav "sponsor" who announced to me "I hope Lt. Alto, that you did not ship a car". I eloquently reminded him, that he had previously said to me, 4 weeks before," ship the vette over, we are not going anywhere"! Now his retort was, "get someone to go get it asap".
My dad had to take time off from falling timber and take his first airplane ride, to go and retrieve the car for me.
Upon arriving at Schofield Barracks and reporting in I was told I was assigned to lead the Aero Rifle Platoon, the ground unit of D Troop (Air) 3/4 Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division.
My first thought and great worry was "why would these men relish the thought of following a zero experienced butter bar Lieutenant, with no infantry training. How would we accomplish the mission? How would we survive?
We, the Aerorifles, were doing something that had never been done before. We were going to be doing the vast majority of training with our UH-1 Hueys in the war zone. Most of the riflemen, grenadiers and machine gunners were in route to us on a ship somewhere. We were shipping out for Nam in a couple of weeks.
At that time the unit had 1 pilot, 1 Hiller observation helicopter (OH-23G), M-14 rifles, leather boots, cotton battle fatigues. We had just days to weld a Rifle Platoon together…seemed impossible!
But it did happen because of the experience and dedication of great foot soldiers like David .W. Horner and Don Mounce, both veterans of WWII and Korea; plus Sergeants Lewis Efrid, Leroy Factora, Oscar James, Alvin Nixon, Leon Rivera, Richard Stegner, Harold Weaver, Willie Young Jr., Robert Tegelman, and other great patriot soldiers. They represented the best America had to offer.
I owe my life to them.