Dear Fellow Banshees,
There are two subjects that I would like to call to your attention in this edition of our newsletter.
The first is the matter of VA health care benefits. There has been a frenzy of e-mail going back and forth over the internet about relatively new but seemingly unknown public law that was enacted to regulate health care benefits at VA hospitals. The more people that I have talked to, the more confused I become as to the actual purpose of the law.
Public Law 104-262 was passed in 1996 and is suppose to better regulate the management of health care benefits for the VA. No matter who you talk to, everyone has their own interpretation of what the law is to regulate from one extreme to another. The law is suppose to subdivide the levels of priority for treatment from 3 to 7 with the request for treatment with lesser priorities more apt to be denied in a financial bind.
One of the problems is that some interpret the law to state that if a veteran has never been to a VA facility before or has not been treated since 1996, he or she must register before October 1998, or loose your right to treatment at the VA hospitals. Yet others interpret the law to say that if you do not register by October of 1998 you will be able to register for treatment on a yearly basis.
Randy Kunkleman and I have talked to several Senators, VA Administrators and Veteran's Service Organizations and the answers run from, "I don't quote me, but..." So you can see we have received a wide variety of answers about PL 104-262 and still can not make a determination as to what is going to happen.
We do know that if you are currently receiving health care at VA Facilities, you do not have to worry. If you have never been to a VA facility or have not received any treatment in recent years it is to your benefit to go and register. YOU MAY NOT NEED THE HEALTH CARE BENEFIT NOW ~ BUT YOU MIGHT NEED IT LATER. Just to be on the safe side, go register, even if you just go to get a flu shoot. We will keep you informed on any further developments.
The second subject I would like to inform you about is an event in San Antonio, Texas. I received a request from Joe Kralich, who served as a medic with the 199 LIB. He is currently in charge of remodeling the Memorial Room in the Medic Training Center at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas and sent me a request for information and assistance.
The memorial is dedicated to Joseph Guy LaPointe who was assigned to B Troop in June of 1969 and was killed in action during Operation Lamar Plain. "Doc" LaPointe was awarded the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR for his actions that fateful day.
Joe Kralich is requesting that if any of you, serving during the same time period, have any photographs of "Doc" LaPointe or have any personal memories of what "Doc" was like, or other things that he did, to please make copies of the photos and put your stories into writing so they may be able to include them into the re-dedication service that is intended to occur this summer.
If any of you are interested in participating or have anything you want to contribute, please contact me. I think this is a very important event honoring a former "Banshee" and we all should get behind it and give any assistance possible. If any of you would like to attend the dedication, please let me know so I can get more information to you.
"Out Front"
Jim Matthews
The Board of Directors of the Pacific Coast Air Museum voted to use wartime colors for their UH-1H Huey, 66-16779.
The Board selected the colors of B Troop 2nd 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division. This Huey served with B Troop in Vietnam along with other units.
We can thank the tireless efforts of our President Jim Matthews for this honor.
The Museum plans to return the Huey to flight status after minor repairs. That means this helicopter will be a flying tribute to our unit.
Visit the PCAM Website
The 1998 Reunion is approaching quickly. This years Reunion is planned for Ft. Campbell, Kentucky ~ Home of the 101st Airborne Division's Screaming Eagles.
We will be providing a Reunion Registration Form in the next Banshee Gazette. The Registration Fee will be $25.00 which will include a Reunion T-shirt. The other monies will be used for name badges, meeting rooms, and any incidentals necessary in relationship to the Reunion.
We are looking forward to an excellent turnout. We are still working on putting everything together for the Reunion. Jim Matthews and a few other members are planning a trip in April to finalize all arrangements.
At the Reunion we will be electing 1998-1999 Officers. If anyone is interested in running for any Office please advise Jim Matthews.
Robert is the owner of Bobby Z's helicopter services that does extensive work for Hollywood. After seeing the B.S. that has been portrayed in the movies about the Vietnam War, he feels that it's about time there was a movie about real people that were involved in the war. He has undertaken the task of writing a movie script "Cowboys and Indians" and would like anyone wishing to share their stories, funny or serious, to put them into short (100 words or less) stories and if he would like to use them the stories can be more detailed. This is your chance B Troop, to tell everyone what it was like for you. He is not on line yet so he hasn't seen some of our already published stories, so if any of you who have contributed stories to the web site, please consider contacting him about his life long task.
Mail Stories to:
I had all the intentions of writing this story for several months, but never really sat down to collect my thoughts and feelings and reduce them to writing until now. I would like to tell you how I came to meet and admire one of the most impressionable people that I have ever met in my life time. My relationship with this person began almost 25 years after my tour in Vietnam and it seemed that we were actually drawn together by fate if you believe in that sort of thing.
In 1992 my youngest son Christopher was playing his final year in the local midget football league. Since the team was playing exceptionally well , their coach wanted to take them to the annual midget league "Turkey Bowl" that is held in Gatlinburg, TN during the Thanksgiving holidays.
During a lull in their hectic schedule, my wife Judie and I were trying to pass some time by browsing through the endless amount of shops along the "Parkway" in Pigeon Forge. I went into a discount book store and my wife opted for a craft shop that was right next door.
Inside, I passed a rack of books and the cover of one book really attracted my attention. The entire front cover was a picture of the Vietnam War Memorial and at the base of this "Finally At Rest" From Page 2 particular panel was a photo of a soldier and a letter wrapped in plastic. On either side of the photo and letter was an American Flag and a bouquet of flowers. Anyone that has been to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington knows that articles like these are left at the "Wall" on a daily basis. The title of the book was "Shrapnel In The Heart" and was written by Laura Palmer.
It was about the articles and letters that were left at the "Wall" and short background information about the persons involved. The book was discounted because it was out of print for several years.
At that time I normally did not buy books about Vietnam, but for some reason this particular book was screaming at me. I laid it down several times but kept picking it back up staring at the cover. I still had not made up my mind to purchase the book, but as I started leafing through the pages I thought I saw a familiar face in one of the photos. I immediately went back to the photo and the caption that read:
"DONALD G. RESPECKI
Sergeant, Troop B 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division
(Airmobile)
December 26, 1942 - April 22, 1969"
The several pages following the photo went on to explain more about Don and the problems his mother had trying to find out the circumstances surrounding his death and how she and the rest of his family coped with loosing him
.For those of you who did not know him or had forgotten about him, Sergeant Donald Respecki was assigned to Troop B 2/17th Cavalry when it was still a light armored cavalry unit in 1968 and remained with the unit after its transition into the air cavalry unit. He was assigned to the aero rifle "blues" platoon and on April 22, 1969, he, along with Sa Atuatasi, were killed in action, supposedly by our own artillery. Don had less than two months to serve before going home and Sa was "in country" for less than two months. Thinking about it now, I can still hear 1st Sergeant Meadows yelling "Respecki do this!" "Respecki do that!" It seemed that was the only name Abner knew, which did not bother the rest of us as long as he left us alone.
Several months passed and the book had already been buried in one of my desk drawers. I was cleaning out my half of our bedroom closet and ran across some old military records I had forgotten I owned. About halfway through the stack I found a copy of the program that was printed for the memorial service for Donald Respecki and Sa Atuatasi. It was fading very bad and barely legible. Out of all the memorial services I attended in Vietnam, this was the only program I managed to save. I do not think that I grew callous to the fact that friends and acquaintances from our unit were being killed, but Respecki and Atuatasi deaths always seemed to stand out, may be because of the circumstances surrounding their deaths or because they were the very first losses that I experienced personally.
I went to my desk and found my copy of "Shrapnel In The Heart. " I reread the section about Don Respecki. Near the very end of the book there is a notation saying that if you knew of anyone who's story appears in the book to please contact the publisher. This lead me to write to Laura Palmer, explaining who I was and what I had found. I asked if she thought Mrs. Respecki would like to have the program and I even included a copy of the program to validate my story. All this time, I was actually thinking I might never really get a response from anyone.
A few weeks went by and then the letters started to come. First from Laura Palmer, the author, thanking me for contacting her. She told me she was in touch with Georgia Respecki and she would appreciate very much to hear from me. Next came a letter from John "Soup" Campbell, one of Laura's research staff. "Soup" was asking if I and my family would like to join their group in Washington D.C on Veteran's Day for the observance of the 10th Anniversary of the Vietnam Memorial. If we stayed with their group, I would probably get to meet Don Respecki's mother there. She had not been to Washington for their yearly trek, but he was almost positive she was coming for the 10th Anniversary of the "Wall." Then a letter from Mrs. Respecki herself. After a cordial introduction and 'thank you' to me for contacting her, she said she had not been able to go to Washington for a few years. Now with the possibility of meeting someone who knew her son, she was definitely coming this year.
I was out of the service 20 some years. I had a wife and four children. I rarely talked to any of them about Vietnam. I always thought I was well adjusted, well educated and could handle any situation, but now I was having serious doubts. In fact, I never told my family, but I was beginning to panic. All I wanted to do was send Mrs. Respecki the original memorial program. I knew Don Respecki but I was a long shot from being considered one of his best friends. Certainly there were others that knew him a lot better than I did. They were certainly more capable of handling this situation better that I could, but where were they now?
I had heard that when some returning veterans went to look up surviving families of their friends that had died during the war, the results went from one extreme to the other. From gracious to disastrous. Some parents were resentful because the visiting veteran lived and their son or daughter had to die. Some parents unofficially adopted the surviving veteran and their family as substitutes for what they were denied by the death of their son or daughter. I had a million questions. What did I get myself into? What did I get my family into? Was I really ready for this? What would I even talk would I even to Mrs. Respecki? What would my family think of me if I changed my mind and didn't go? The list of questions goes on and on. I really had to think this over before I could make a commitment and say that I was going to go.
Continued...
Due to the length of this article, I have decided to do it in two parts. The conclusion will be in the next issue of the "Banshee Gazette"
Jim Matthews
I am a new member of B Troop 2nd 17th Cavalry Association. I hope to stay a member for many years to come.
In the last Ban'shee Gazette, Trooper David Livingston said,"The formation of B, 2/17 as an Air Cavalry element took place at Ft. Hood, Texas in 1968."
I always thought Troop B, 17th Cavalry got into the Air Cavalry business back in April of 1957, at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.
I sent some articles for you to keep, and use in the unit history, you guys are putting together.
Back in the nineteen fifties, we (B Troop) were, "OUT FRONT", but we were called the, "EYES and EARS",of the 101st Airborne Division back then.
If one day, I can finely make it to a 17th Cavalry Reunion, I will bring all the stuff I have on B Troop, in the fifties.
Take care, and I hope to meet up with you someday, on an LZ somewhere.
"Sky Trooper"
Stephen R. Anderson
Stephen,
Thanks for the information. This is exactly what we are looking for for B Troops archives.
The information you provided me will be available at the Reunion this year and will be entrusted with Jim Matthews in our Units archives.
From the articles you provided it looks like B Troop was one if not the first Air Cavalry Unit in the Army.
Thanks for the information.
Dave Martin
From: Fort Sill, OK
Comments: I was searching for some information on the Internet and came across the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's Association page. Next, I saw this page. My father is Leroy C. Davis. He was in B/2-17 in Vietnam in 1970. I looked through the diary of a scout pilot and saw the annotation when dad was shot down in April 1970 in the A Shau Valley. It was very reassuring to see that we are trying to keep this part of history alive.
Website: Vietnam Veterans Memoria; Classic
From: Klamath Falls OR
Comments: Just wanted to provide any Northwest Banshees (or any other vets) a heads up on an event coming up in June. In conjunction with the visit of the Moving Wall (6 - 12 June) to Klamath Falls, OR the Klamath County Combat Veterans Committee will be hosting the"Vietnam Veterans Memorial Classic" car and motorcycle show June 6 and 7. The car/bike show is limited to vets and active duty only and registration is FREE w/copy of DD 214. Registration includes free event dog tags, hat, shirt, BBQ, and Sat night dance with music by the Drifters. Limited to the first 2000 cars and bikes. For info call 541-884-5193 or see the website listed here. Hope some of you can make it.
You should take your 1969 Roadrunner up to Oregon. You can stop and see Burdine and some of our other comrades too.
Larry Allen and some of the Blues from 1969-1970 had a Reunion before LZ Ratliff. Those attending were Harvey Gilbert, Garrett Rierson, Roman Martinez, Bobby Bland, Steve Carper, Lee Miller, Robert Acklen, Walt Massinger, Patrick Duran, Casmir Denys, John Glaze, Regin Ruggard, Gary Vasquez, and Larry Allen.
Check out the pictures from this Reunion, now available on our website.
It is my understanding that you will be able to sign up for VA care at anytime in the future. Of course like anything with the VA this will probably be subject to change.
The priority levels begin with;
1. 50% Service-connected and above
2. 30-40% Service-connected
There are 7 levels total. It looks like if you are excepted you will qualify for glasses and dental care as I read the program.
Again we urge everyone to sign up for VA Care. VA has many programs available and you fought for these benefits and deserve them.
The VA has PTSD programs, Alcohol and substance abuse programs, and numerous other programs that you can use and reduce your costs by using the VA.
With the problems of Agent Orange you never know when you might need services from the VA. Sign up for care and make sure you are not left out of something you might need.
We will bring you additional news about this program as we get it.
We would like to thank the following indivduals for contributions to the Association.
| Ronald Garner | $100.00 |
| Robert "Bobby Z" Zajonc | $100.00 |
| Joe Dally | $75.00 |
David Martin has volunteered to become the first State Coordinator for the Association. Since, he is moving back to his home state of Texas he has accepted the responsibility of keeping all B Troop members in Texas informed of what's happening with the Association.
He is hoping to also be able to put together some mini-reunions for our members in Texas. He will also be providing a Texas Roster so all members will know where each other are. He plans to start his work as soon as he and his wife Jinger get settled into their new home in Lubbock.
We are hoping to get other members that are interested in becoming State Coordinators in their states. If you are interested in this endeavor please let Jim Matthews know.
The Banshee Gazette address will be changing in May. Dave and Jinger Martin are moving back to Lubbock, Texas. Dave was born and raised in Lubbock.
David is excited about the move because The Center for Vietnam is located at Texas Tech University. Dave is activly working with Jim Matthews our Associations Historical Archivist, attempting to document the history of individuals in our unit.
We feel this information is of vital importance from a historical view point. What better way to record history that by, the ones that made it. Let's not let someone else tell our stories and feelings about Vietnam.
I Suffer From Occasional Loss Of Mental Stability,
And Become Very
Violent With Only Slight Provocation.
The Veterans Administration
Has Determined
That Both Mental And Physical Harassment Of My Person
May Be Hazardous To Your Health And Well Being.
So, Please, For Your
Sake...
STAY OUT OF MY FACE