May-Jun Saber

Mike Bodnar
307B N Main Copperas Cove, TX 76522
254-542-1961
E-mail: mbodnar27@gmail.com

From the 15th Medical Battalion Association website are the following recent deaths and obits: Valerio Dobrich and Larry L. Ash.

VALERIO DOBRICH Valerio was born August 20, 1942, in Brovinje, Croatia. At age eight, Valerio emigrated from Croatia to Trieste, Italy, where he lived until age 14, when his family immigrated to the US and lived in Queens, NY. He became a United States citizen at 19 and was drafted into the U.S. Army at 22.

Valerio and his wife were on vacation, June 2024, in Europe when he suffered a heart attack on their third day there. He passed away a week later in Pula, Croatia. It then took weeks to have his body cremated, paperwork completed, and clearance from the US Embassy to bring him back to the United States.

Valerio served in Vietnam as a combat medic in the 15th Medical Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, earning 2 Bronze Service Stars. Nothing more stated.

After completing his service, he worked as an electrician for 39 years, including 23 years for the NYC Transit Authority. He owned his own business, Dobrich Electric, in Cobleskill, NY, and served as an electrical inspector in Albany, NY. He was a 100% disabled Veteran who had lost a kidney and underwent two openheart surgeries due to his time in Vietnam. He was a lifelong learner, constantly pursuing new skills and ideas and reading broadly. It is reported Val was an avid gardener who enjoyed growing his own food, especially figs and radicchio. He was particularly interested in genealogy, researching the history of his family and home region of Istria, Croatia for over twenty years, and authoring a book about his findings for his family.

Larry Ash LARRY L. ASH Larry passed away on January 27, 2025, at the age of 75. He was born on July 15, 1949, in Marietta, Georgia. Larry served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. In Vietnam, Larry was a door gunner in the Medevac Platoon of the 15th Medical Battalion. It is said that he did an excellent job protecting the Medevac helicopter when the aircraft started receiving enemy fire. Larry was a charter member of the 15th Medical Battalion Association and attended many reunions until his health prevented him from attending.

Although not mentioned in his 15th MED Assn obit, Larry told me that before being a MEDEVAC door gunner he was an 11 Bravo infantryman in A 2-12 Cav, Ace High. To my knowledge, Larry was in MEDEVAC after I left in July 1970. I never met him. So, his time in A 2-12 Cav had to have been ‘69-’70. A rough estimate, but better than not knowing.

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