2006 May-Jun

MEDEVAC 15th Med\15th FSB
Mike Bodnar
307B N Main Copperas Cove, TX 76522
1704 254-542-1961
E-mail: mbodnar27@juno.com

Executive Director Dennis WEBSTER wrote to mention a request to join the 1st Cavalry Division Association from a member of the U.S. Air Force who says that he was attached to the 15th MED for a four month period (Dec '67-Mar '68), and served as a Medic on the MEDEVAC helicopters.

Does anyone know if there ever were Air Force personnel attached to the 15th MED? Dennis says that there is nothing in our Order of Battle indicating that there were any unit attachments. The 1st Cav has Air Control units and Weather Squadrons attached that are Air Force, but no medical units.

If anyone knows of this situation-if it happened, and served on MEDEVAC with any U.S. Air Force personnel, let us know. All claims for membership like this have to be strongly confirmed because of the fraud that has perpetrated the Association over the years.

15th MED President Murray GIBBS GunnerMadmur@aol.com writes: "Our treasurer Bob MCKINLEY has informed me there are members who have indicated they are coming to the Reunion but have not sent in the Registration Form. Jim [CALIBRO] and I will be getting in touch with those members to remind them. I sent Jim and Bob a detail list of what I know about those members who said they were coming, but have not sent in the form.

"I believe there will be members showing up at the Reunion that we didn't know were coming. We must make some kind of allowance to add them to the Dinner List if they plan to attend the Dinner/Meeting Saturday night.

"If any of you who are planning to attend the 2006 Reunion and have not sent in the Registration Form, please do before the middle of May. Jim CALIBRO will be calling in the number of people who will be going to the Dinner/Meeting.

"FYI; Last month one of our members died. He is COL Joe WEAVER. Please feel free to e-mail his wife at JOEWEAVER@charter.net with your condolences. He will be missed by the us. In the e-mail that he sent to me in January, he mentioned the cancer he had. Here is the e-mail that his wife Lynne sent to me:

"'I'm sorry to report Col. Joe WEAVER died March 23, 2006, at the age of 73, so will not be attending the Reunion. He enjoyed going to Reunions and meeting old friends. He would be sorry to have missed this one. Sincerely, Lynne WEAVER.'"

Also from Murray, "I made a clarification in the last update about a member who served with the 15th MED Bn., named GOLDSMITH. It is now confirmed by Lisa GOLDSMITH that her husband's first name was Walter. This is her e-mail sent to me answering my request for more information:

"'My deceased husband's full name was Walter E. GOLDSMITH. He was also known as 'Doc' and 'Goldie.' He served in Vietnam in 1970 approx. Jan. through September. He had two injuries, one of which took him to Japan for recovery.' Please respond to Lisa if anyone has any information regarding John. He was a pilot '70-'71. Lisa's e-mail is: lisalgoldsmith@msn.com ."

Larry MUSE inquires, "Did you know of a Doc JOHNSON that may have served with the 15th MED Battalion in Tay Ninh Providence in the November 1968 time frame? I have a friend who's father died in his arms and she is seeking information about him. Thanks for everything you have done for me in the past with my friend Johnny Glen GREGG!" If any of you have any information about Doc JOHNSON contact Larry MUSE at: zihauatanejojoe@netzero.net .

Recently received was an e-mail concerning next year's 1st Cav Div Assn. Reunion. Since the 1st Cav Div will be deployed, there will not be a 2007 Reunion at Killeen, TX. Murray says that it had been planned to attend the 1st Cav Div Association Reunions every other year at Killeen, TX., and would like to recommend that the 2007 15th MED Reunion be somewhere toward the eastern United States. Here is part of that e-mail from Dennis WEBSTER of the 1st Cav Div Assn.:

"The Board of Governors made a decision to move the 2007 Reunion from the planned location of Killeen/Fort Hood to Riverside, California. This decision was based on indications that the Division would not be at Fort Hood during the Reunion. The Division currently has two brigades scheduled to deploy this summer and while nothing official has been released it is expected that the rest of the Division will also deploy this year. Our 2008 Reunion will be held in Jacksonville, Florida and we will return to Killeen/Fort Hood in 2009 and get back to Killeen on odd years, and away Reunions on even year schedule. The Division's rear detachment needs to remain focused on taking care of families and any wounded Troopers that have returned, and not try to provide support for our Reunion. The Division provides a lot of support to make our Reunions in Killeen successful. We know that this will not be a popular decision with some of our members that only attend Reunions in Killeen, but I believe it was a necessary decision. I have scheduled a trip to Riverside to sign contracts at the end of April."

The First Cavalry Division Operation Iraqi Freedom Memorial Dedication was highlighted on Tuesday, April 4th, on the ABC World News Tonight. Many active duty troopers, veterans, family members, and 1st Cav Assn. Executive Director Dennis WEBSTER commented.

Henry "Cpt. Hook" LAND <capthook1stcav@netscape.net> had e- mailed beforehand: "Things are on track for the dedication of the 1st Cavalry Division Memorial on 4 April 2006. We have received several photographs of the engraving, and reports from Bob TAGGE, who went to Waco to see the work, are great. Check our Web page <http://www.1cda.org>, and then click on the Division Memorial link to see what is going on, and view a couple of photographs. The Memorial construction is nearly complete and it looks magnificent! Planning and coordination for the Dedication ceremony are being orchestrated by the Division and we expect around fifty Gold Star families to be present."

'70-'71 MEDEVAC crew chief Jim "Fergie" FERGUESON medevac0@hotmail.com posted: "Just to let you guys know, my info is wrong. I live at 208 1/2 Morton St., New Eagle, PA. Phone: (724)258-7574. Update the found list if you would."

Jon CASTLE jon.castle@comcast.net writes: "Dear Murray and all, RE: Searching for a person once you have remembered their name, I use http://zabasearch.com a lot. It is free, quick, and as complete as any search engine I have ever used. Sincerely, 'MEDEVAC Numbah 10,' 1971." Always remembering our 1st Cav troops on duty around the world; over and out.

FIRST TEAM!
Garryowen,
Mike Bodnar C 2\7 '69
MEDEVAC 1-7\70
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE