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Camp Frenzell-Jones: Home of the Redcatchers in Vietnam - New Release 6 June 2016

4/28/2016

Last year proved to be a successful year with the release of IN HONOR AND MEMORY, enabling us to complete another project that was long over due.

I first learned about the base camp of the 199th Infantry Brigade and for whom it was named, PFC Herb Frenzell and SGT Billy C. Jones, in the 1980's. I contacted Herb's mother, Chilant Frenzell Sprague who furnished me with excerpts from Herb's diary and his 8mm film footage. I later contacted Billy Jones' family, his sister, Ann, and his wife and daughters, Theada, Connie and Dana. Ann furnished me with photographs, while Theada loaned me Billy's letters. We compiled the letters along with information from members of the unit and official records to tell a complete anthology of the 199th's arrival in Vietnam in 1966, which is both a personal and stirring story. The two infantrymen, Herb and Billy, died in January 1967 and the brigade main base at Long Binh was named in their honor.

We are proud to announce that the book, CAMP FRENZELL-JONES will be available for purchase on 6 June 2016, and will debut at the 50th Anniversary of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade at Fort Benning, Georgia. Pia and I are looking forward to meeting and talking with members of the unit. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me.

Melbourne, Florida Veterans Reunion, April 2016, and Camp Gordon J. Lippman

4/25/2016

We were again able to attend the 29th Annual Vietnam and All Veterans Reunion in Melbourne, Florida, starting with a delicious breakfast at the American Legion Post 81 tent, where we met and had some interesting conversations with veterans Ed, 101st Airborne Division, and Ron, 440th Terminal Transportation Company (TTCO). Ron presented us with his unit patch (440th TTCO - ROAD RUNNER) which we will proudly display on our insignia board that we put on show when we set up with the books. Patch courtesy of Ron Longshore.

We spent time with Joe Craig, at the 1st Cav tent, President of the Florida Chapter, who is doing a great job of keeping the chapter of the 1st Cavalry Association solvent.

Tom at the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association tent told us about Florida Chapter President and author Joe Pond, who was set up with his book, "The 600 m. o. l." After speaking with Lieutenant Pond, we purchased a copy which meticulously pays tribute to black helicopter pilots in Vietnam, with a section on black aviators who lost their lives in combat - information which has not been published anywhere else.

On Saturday we met up with our good friend Bill Robinson, who, in 1965, was stationed with the 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Infantry Division at Lai Khe. In late October and November 1965, he helped build the tactical area of operation (TAOR) at Lai Khe. His specific job then became handling unexploded ordnance for the 3d Brigade. "We'd bring dud rounds to our special blasting place and set them off with charges," said Robinson. As his reputation grew, he became known as "Wild Bill" Robinson. "Five and a half months later, before my enlistment as a draftee was up, we had set off so much dud ammo in the blasting pit, it was 10 feet deep and 40 feet around." The base camp at Lai Khe was memorialized in honor of LTC Gordon J. Lippman, who was a personal friend of Bob Hope and who died, 11 December 1965, of wounds received from a sniper's bullet.

We encountered WWII veteran George Norris (88), again, this year, who was in full dress uniform, with his sweetheart. George escorts the Wall into the park each year on his motorcycle. We also saw Phil G., 39th Engineer Battalion, who purchased a copy of IN HONOR AND MEMORY last year, and who shared his incredible photo albums with us. Phil was stationed at LZ Snoopy and had kept letters he wrote and sent from Vietnam, his draft notice, and lots of great photos.

Anyone at the park on Saturday afternoon must have seen the swarm of bees arrive and nest on the trailer hitch in the vendor area - quite an experience. Doc Russo and the other organizers did a great job of removing and relocating the hive.

We also met up with my good friend CW3 Doug Conklin, US Army (ret.), who not only spent many years in the Army as a calibration expert but was a valued employee of NASA during Cape Canaveral Space Missions. On our last day, we also met George P., NMCB-7, who was kind enough to share his NMCB-7 Cruise Book with us, which has become a great asset to our research. Photo below of Doug Conklin and Ray Bows.

Third Marine Division and VHPA, August 2015, and the 196th Light Infantry Brigade Reunion, October 2015

4/25/2016

During the first part of August 2015 we attended the 3d Marine Division reunion in Orlando, Florida, where Ron Deverick allowed us to set up in their hospitality room. We met a great group of Marines including those who served in Vietnam with 1st Battalion, 3d Marines. We learned much from the stories they shared about their time in Quang Tri Province. The unit historian, Don Bumgarner, shared with us his compilation of unit histories which are phenomenal. Bill Taylor shared photographs of his time in country at Marine Base C-4, and Jerry Wilson (pictured above with Pia) recounted some interesting stories about his time in Iceland as well as Vietnam. Photo by Richard A. Carmer and courtesy of Jerry Wilson.

On 25 to 30 August, we attended the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA)Reunion in Washington, DC. We had a great time meeting helicopter pilots of all units, including John Flanagan, author of "Born in Brooklyn...Raised in the CAV!", and Jim Pratt, of 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, who shared incredible stories and photographs. We got to meet Les Hines, in person, who was instrumental in helping to preserve the memory of many servicemen included in the book IN HONOR AND MEMORY. John Turner of the 92d AHC contributed photographs and footage of his time in Vietnam, and I got to speak with members of the 93d Transportation Company about there time in Soc Trang in 1963. We also touched bases with Annie Delp, Director of Historic Photographs, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, who is locating photographs of the fallen for the future educational center. We were happy to learn that IN HONOR AND MEMORY contributed over 60 photographs that the fund did not have.

Burt Leach and Carl Lorence, of the 93d Transportation Company stand with Ray Bows Photo by Pia Bows

Thanks to Gene Shurtz, of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, whom we met at VVA National in July, we made contact with President Dave Eichhorn, who graciously made space for us to set up with IN HONOR AND MEMORY at their reunion at the Hilton, Daytona Beach in October 2015. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting and talking to members of 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, including those who were stationed with Corporal Michael J. Crescenz, for whom Camp Crescenz in Da Nang was named; members of 3d Battalion, 21st Infantry, Captain Belcher's unit, for whom FSB Belcher was named; and members of 2d Battalion, 1st Infantry, SP4 Donald Sloat's unit, for whom the Donald P. Sloat Day Room at LZ Hawk Hill was named; and members of the 8th Medical Support Battalion. We also made strides in our project as, after years of research, we finally found out for whom LZ Mellon was named - survivor Captain Dan Mellon of 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry.

In November 2015 we returned to DC for Veterans Day and got to spend time with our good friends, Ron "Big Doc" Smith and Carolyn, and spent time at the 1st Cavalry Division reunion.  When we returned home to Florida we received a couple of DVD's from Karl F. Haartz (VP), 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Association, about Shakey's Hill in Cambodia, named for SGT Chris A. Kefalos, and the MIA's on Tiger Mountain - the DVD's were very interesting and much appreciated.

The rest of the year was spent promoting IN HONOR AND MEMORY and FIRST ON THE WALL at local libraries and shows in Florida.

VVA National Convention, July 2015

8/19/2015

In addition to meeting VVA delegates from all over the United States, we had the good fortune to meet Bill Dumsick, comrade of Cpl Brian Gauthier, for whom Camp Gauthier was named; and Dave Peckham, comrade of HM1 Louis V. Romanelli, for whom Camp Romanelli was named. We got to see lots of good friends again including the West Virginia team: Dave Simmons and his wife, Ivan Freeland, Mitch Carte, John and Connie, Jerry Midkiff and others. Dave was honored by the VVA with a prestigious award, which we know was well deserved. Also honored with an award was Duery Felton, for his life long work as curator of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection of items left at the Wall. We also met SFC Lovelady, US Army, who works closely with Joe Galloway on the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Fellow author Ken Williamson, was set up with his book, Saying Goodbye To Vietnam, which is an excellent work. Ken was a photo journalist in Vietnam and there are then and now photos throughout his 375 page, hardbound book.

As always, thank you to those veterans who shared photographs and information about the locations they were at in Vietnam.

May Events 2015

5/31/2015

In May we were invited to Philadelphia by Scott Brown, Director of the Veterans Advisory Commission for the City of Philadelphia, where I was honored to speak about Philadelphia veterans featured in IN HONOR AND MEMORY. I got to share the stage with my good friend Bob Erkert, one of the many contributors to the book. Thank you to the people of Philadelphia for making us feel so very welcome.

We then travelled to Washington, DC, for Memorial Day weekend, where we met General Barry McCaffrey and MG Marty Whelan, from whom I received a challenge coin. We saw a lot of old friends, and met many new people. Thank you to those who shared information and photographs for future publications.

We are now back in Florida, doing more research before we set out again this summer for events in Springfield, Illinois (VVA) and the VHPA Reunion, Washington, DC.

Washington, DC, May 2015 - Ray explains IN HONOR AND MEMORY to Sam Williams, a US Army captain who served with the 88th Supply & Service Battalion (Direct Support) at Camp Schmidt in Pleiku. Photo by Pia Bows

WBUR Radio and Melbourne Reunion

5/8/2015

Ray Bows being interviewed by Bob Oakes for WBUR Boston on the legacy of T/Sgt Richard B. Fitzgibbon, Sr., earliest name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Photo by Pia Bows

At the beginning of April 2015, I was approached by WBUR Boston for an interview in reference to their 40th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon program, which began with the death of US Air Force Technical Sergeant Richard B. Fitzgibbon, Sr. They interviewed me about the circumstances of Richard B. Fitzgibbon's death, which I had researched extensively many years ago for Chapter 3 of my 1997 book "VIETNAM MILITARY LORE - Legends, Shadows and Heroes." The Fitzgibbon Bachelor Enlisted Quarters in Saigon was named in his memory (see pages 131 and 481 of my new 2015 book IN HONOR AND MEMORY).

Ray Bows presents George Norris with a replacement for his USA Forces Western Pacific shoulder patch.

As we have for several years, my wife and I attended the veterans reunion in Melbourne, Florida, at the end of April. We encountered many old friends including George Norris (87), a World War II veteran, who, still as he has done for many years, escorted the Wall to Wickham Park on his motorcycle. George is one of our favorite veterans and we are always happy to see him. I encountered many good people and veterans while autographing copies of my books, including a veteran from Syracuse, New York, who was a principal in the Syracuse Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program. He remembered me and my speech when I was keynote speaker in 1996, paying tribute to Marvin M. Belt and Carl Torello, for whom facilities in Vietnam were named. We also met Harry Walling Jr. and his charming wife, Wendy. Harry lost his father, Sergeant Harry A. Walling, Sr., US Army Special Forces, in 1964 and the Walling BEQ was named in his honor (see pages 417 and 510 of IN HONOR AND MEMORY). I had searched for the Walling family without success since 1988, and when I wrote chapter 30 in "Legends, Shadows and Heroes," I used strictly military records to construct the story. Our encounter was phenomenal and we were able to exchange much information. Harry also put me in touch with other members of the Walling family.

We hope to see many of you at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, over Memorial Day.

Lane Army Heliport and touching bases with old friends

2/17/2015

From left to right: Curtis McVey, Robert C. Lane, for whom Lane Army Heliport was named, and Bill Roundy take a break at the 478th Flyng Crane Company compound at An Khe, Vietnam, 1965. Photo courtesy of CWO Curtis McVey

In February 2001, while set up as a concessionaire at the Post Exchange at Fort Rucker, Alabama, autographing one of my previous books, my wife Pia and I were fortunate enough to meet Chief Warrant Officer Curtis McVey, US Army (retired). Chief McVey, and CWO Robert C. Lane, (for whom Lane Army Heliport at An Son was named), were best friends and flew on a regular basis in Vietnam together. The McVey/Lane team flew their CH-54 Sky Crane to the top of Hon Cong Mountain, delivering a 15,000 pound payload - the massive 1st Cavalry Division insignia made of a gigantic roll of rubberized plastic matting. Once installed, the insignia could be seen from miles away, and was the symbol of Camp Radcliff throughout most of the war. Chief McVey was a legend at Fort Rucker as a helicopter instructor for many, many years. Many seasoned helicopter pilots who served in Vietnam have told the story of their first flight on their first day of helicopter flight school. Of course, a Huey helicopter is incapable of inverted flight, but Curtis McVey would do it anyway. With students in the chopper, he'd perform a hard steep banking movement and when the chopper was nearly upside down, believe it or not, he'd cut the engine, creating a "hammer head stall" and let the aircraft drop. When the belly of the craft was pointed straight up in the air, he'd turn the engine back on and complete his three-sixty. Curtis called this incredible feat the "Dilly-Whiffer", while some students came away calling it the "Whilly-Differ". As you can well imagine, after experiencing the phenomenal maneuver some new students came away confused! Because of the intense training the student/pilots received at Rucker from Chief McVey, many lives were saved in Vietnam. "I had a big responsibility to train them the best I could, before they were sent off to war," he once told me. I'm still in touch with Curtis and proud to call him my friend. As for IN HONOR AND MEMORY, he contacted me last week saying, "I wanted to call you to tell you how much I appreciate you writing this book. Absolutely every place I flew a Sky Crane to, in Vietnam, is mentioned. " Curtis apparently forgot how significant his contribution to the manuscript was. He still lives near Fort Rucker, but spends most of his time at home now. He'll be 84 years old on the 4th of April. He doesn't do the internet, but if anyone wishes to comment, I'll make sure your words and thoughts are shared with him.

Maitland Military Show - 14 & 15 February 2015

2/8/2015

If you are in the Orlando area on Saturday, 14 February 2015, come by and see Ray at the Winter Military Relics Show located at the Bahia Shrine, 2300 Pembrook Road, Maitland, Florida. From I-4, take Maitland Blvd. (Exit #90) West to 2nd traffic light (Keller Rd.). Turn left, then immediately right onto Pembrook Drive. The hall is a 1/2 mile down on the left.

Ray will be set up with not only copies of IN HONOR AND MEMORY, but also his collection of military insignia and duplicate items for sale.

Vero Beach Military History Expo Show - Saturday, February 7, and Sunday, February 8, 2015

1/29/2015

Located at Indian River County Fairgrounds
7955 58th Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32967

Master Sergeant Ray Bows, US Army (ret.) will be signing copies of his new book, IN HONOR AND MEMORY, at the upcoming Military History Expo Show in Vero Beach, Florida, on Saturday, 7 February 2015, from 1000 hours to 1700 hours. Bows will be set up under the covered 20,000 square-foot pavilion which will house a large military vehicle display from WWII, Vietnam, and present day. Please come by and see Ray, whether you already have your book or not.

At a previous book signing, Ray Bows, far right, helps a fellow veteran find information on his unit in Bows' new book, IN HONOR AND MEMORY. Photo by Pia Bows

A Weekend to Remember

1/25/2015

Marty Jester, holding his copy of IN HONOR AND MEMORY, and Ray Bows, at the Thai Mango Restaurant on Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Photo by Pia Bows

On Friday, the beginning of this weekend, I encountered an old friend, Marty Jester, who had joined the Air Commandos in 1961. Marty was one of the original Air Force personnel to join the Air Commando program, originally dubbed Jungle Jims. One of Marty's other claims to fame was that he was a close personal friend of Tuffy the Tiger, the mascot of the 93d Transportation Company (CH-21 Helicopter) when the 93d was stationed in Soc Trang.

Marty and I had so much to talk about that I failed to mention to him that it was fifty-two years ago this weekend that I enlisted in the United States Army as a seventeen year old private. When we first arrived at the Fort Dix reception station, if a soldier had a really large foot or a really small one, he was issued old brown boots rather than the new black boots of 1963. There were signs prominently posted in the barracks stating, No boot dying in barracks or on back steps. Luckily I was not issued the World War II leftovers, while the really big guys, and the smaller ones in my company learned the complexities of dying combat boots.

The other remnant of World War II and Korea that I did deal with was the M-1 Garand Rifle. The M-14 was still being developed, not to mention the M-16 that was still years in my future. In basic, I became one of the company's high scorers on the rifle range with the M-1, a weapon that served my predecessors fearlessly at Normandy and Inchon. I took basic training in February and March 1963, one of the coldest winters that Fort Dix had in quite a few years, and some soldiers suffered from frost bite during our basic training cycle. The thing I remember most about basic, was crawling into my bunk at night, in a nice warm barracks, and although totally exhausted, wondering what we would be learning and doing the next day. I looked forward to it all, however not everyone felt the same way.

During my basic training they never mentioned Vietnam. Yet, the first two tactical helicopter units, the 8th and 57th transportation companies, had been in Southeast Asia since December 1961, flying CH-21 Shawnees into combat. In July 1962, the first helicopter losses of the Vietnam War occurred. Tencza Compound, Camp Goldberg, and Guthrie and Lane hangars would be named for those who died in that crash as a result of enemy fire from the ground. Six days after I had arrived at Fort Dix, US Army advisor Captain Leon D. Kramer was killed in Quang Ngai Province and subsequently the Kramer Compound in Quang Ngai City was named in his memory. There had been many locations named before my entry into military service, about twenty in all. The fallen were being honored by naming locations for them since 1956, when few if anyone in the states could even find Vietnam on a map, and as basic trainees, my fellow soldiers and I had no understanding of what or where Vietnam was.

By the time I arrived in Vietnam in June 1968, there were almost 400 facilities and installations named in honor of the fallen. I have now registered a total of over 800 locations in the new book, not to mention another 2,300 fire bases and landing zones. Its a long way from 17 to almost 70. Fifty-two years ago I had absolutely no idea what the future held.

Author

Master Sergeant Ray Bows, US Army (ret.) spent twenty years on active duty including overseas assignments in Korea, France, Vietnam, Germany, and Belgium, with TDY to Crete and Italy.

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