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Army 1965-68

119thAHC crew chief 1966-68

USN 1966-1970 Aviation structural mechanic 2nd class PO. Two years stateside and 2 years all over the Pacific and Asia. A great time that I'd gladly do over, but having no say in ones destiny brought me back to civilian life. The GI bill got me a BS and half of my Masters.

We have a few things in common. My father spent a lot of time in 11th ACR, 1st squadron in particular with which he spent a year in Vietnam in 1966. You being an artilleryman, you've obviously been to Ft Sill, OK. I've got relatives all over SW OK and my in-laws currently live there. I served in Germany the same time you did as I was there 1988-1991.

Lieutenant Colonel (Promotable) Colice D. Powell
US Army Transportation Corps
1987-present
AKA Expat

USN 69-77

EM1(SS) nuke

Army Aviation / chopper mechanic - crew chief 1969 to 1972
National Guard - 1985 to 1994 Field Artiliary.

Ken

USAF 1958-1978

Aviation Mechanic
Flight Engineer
Recruiter

U S Air Force - active duty 1976-78, reserve duty 1978-81.

US ARmy
Sgt E-5
1967-69
Communications Section Chief
05C40 - Radio Teletype
1 tour Camp Colbern Korea
Basic - Fort Ord
Radio School - Fort Ord
Radio Teletype School - Fort Gordon

U.S. Army 1967-1971
Capt. VC
Medical Department Activity
Ft. Lee, Va.

rvn 71-72
59th engineers the first half of the tour
h. co 1st cav - 2nd half

SGT Keith Segar 1982-1986
05B-20A4
1st bn, 75th

Pershing Special Ops-Nuclear Tactical missiles
Schwabisch Gmund, West Germany 1983-1985

Military Intelligence
Fort Carson, CO 1985-1986

U.S. Army 2002-2006
2-37 Armor, 1st Armored Division, Germany and Iraq
1-72 Armor, 2nd Infantry Div., Korea
1-11 ACR, Fort Irwin, Cal.

National Guard 2006-2008

Shellback Snipe

USAF 92-98 ELINT

Wife - USAF 91-97 Linguist

Both worked at the shiny building in MD

A young fellow with two little kids kept coming to my table at a Kalispell gun show. He showed interest in only one thing on my table � a brand-new Forster case-trimmer with a passel of accessories. He'd pick it up, turn it over and over in his hands, stare at it for a while, lay it back down, and look back at it as he took the kids by their hands and slowly walked away. Never said a word.

Each time was exactly like the first. He obviously knew what the thing was, wanted it badly, and couldn't afford it.

He and the kids were shabby but clean-scrubbed. He wore a faded and tattered field jacket with frayed cuffs and an embroidered Combat Infantryman Badge. On his ball cap was an embroidered unit designation and a place name that I recognized as somewhere in Viet Nam.

The fourth or fifth time he came to the table and picked-up the Forster, I gestured to the CIB �

"Did you earn that in 'Nam?"

"Uh � Sir?"

I repeated the question.

"Uh � uh � yes, Sir."

I reached under the table and got the boxes for the Forster and all the accessories � about half a dozen calibers of pilots, etc, a hollow-pointer, and a few other odds and ends. I put all those goodies in their boxes and handed that double handful to him.

"Please accept these with my compliments and my gratitude."

"Th-thank you, Sir!" (Superfluous � the look on his face and the knot in my throat were enough.) Of course, I never saw him again and didn't expect that I would.

Still wish that I had a Forster outfit like that for each of you 'Nam guys.





When Bill Buckley opined that every gift carried with it an expectation of reciprocation, I told him of that quiet little gun-show episode. He accepted my point and added that the story had made his day.

US Army Airborne

USAF Dec '68 - Dec '72

USAF Civil Service '73 - 2005

Home all day with the wife, (combat zone) 2005 -

VA 46, Shellback, Bluenose.

AARNG,,WARNG,, 76-88
SGT. E-5
142ND, FA
HHC, MECH INF. (TANKS)

USN '61 to '83.

Retired as LCDR, but started as a whitehat...

jim