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Subject: Welcome Home - 187th Assault Helicopter Company (Viet Nam), Springfield, IL - 11 NOV 06

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cgbrocksmith User is Offline

Posts: 1291
Quincy, IL - "Defend Those Who Defended Us"

30 Oct 2006 8:06 PM	Alert
UPDATE: 6 NOV 06 @ 5:43 AM Staging for the parade will be at : Jefferson St. Between 1st and 2nd Streets Date 11/11/06 Staging time 9:00 Parade starts at 10:00 We will be in the parade then move to the cemetary to set up a flag line. Please join us : This is a long over due WELCOME HOME !!!!! Any question please e-mail me tracy_pgr@yahoo.com Thanks Joe Tracy < < < < < < < > > > > > > > > > Special Mission for Vietnam Veterans of the 187^thAssault Helicopter Company SUMMARY Title: Vietnam Veterans of the 187th Assault Helicopter Company Date: November 11, 2006 Venue: Oak Ridge Cemetery View: http://65-242-99-83.hagenhosting.com/cgi-bin/suite/calendar/calendar.cgi?request=detail&event_id=12560&website=default SHORT DESCRIPTION Belated Homecoming for Vietnam Veterans of the 187th Assault Helicopter Company It is Illinois ' tribute and is open to the public TIME: 12:00 DATE: 11 November 2006 LOCATION: Oak Ridge Cemetery Springfield IL The 187th Assault Helicopter Company (Veteran's...(more) DATE: 11 November 2006 LOCATION: Springfield IL The Illinois Vietnam Memorial Wall is located right here in Springfield at the Oak Ridge Cemetery which is off Illinois Route 29 just south the airport. It is Illinois ' tribute and is open to the public PURPOSE: Special Mission for 187^thAssault Helicopter Company The 187th Assault Helicopter Company (Veteran's Association) will have the "Welcome Home" ceremony they never received after serving in Vietnam. Location and time: Illinois Veterans Memorial in Springfield at 1200 hrs on Saturday November 11th after the Veteran's Day parade. Speaker is Brigadier General Reeve This is a reunion of the helicopter group of the 100 eligible Veteran’s Association), 90 are already confirmed (and families) booked at the Route 66 Hotel. These are the Vietnam Vets that did not have a warm homecoming and had a 31% casualty. This is supposed to be a healing weekend. Many will be arriving on Thursday at the Route 66 Hotel and PGR is welcome to socialize and mingle with the veterans. Schedule of their activities includes the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum on Friday. Details to follow. RIDE CAPTAIN: Joe Tracy (Senior Ride Captain)

MIAP Central US Operations Coordinator "To Care For Him Who Shall Have Borne The Battle" - Abraham Lincoln President Abraham Lincoln stated in the Gettysburg Address: "From these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain." Dying for Freedom isn't the worst that could happen...BEING FORGOTTEN IS! Respect and truth, not law, counters the obnoxious!

Russnmary

Posts: 13
Colorado Springs

31 Oct 2006 11:12 AM	Alert
I am a previous member of the 187th Assault Helicopter Company and proudly served as a helicopter pilot with the unit in Vietnam from March 1967 to March 1968. I am also a Patriot Guard Rider in Colorado Springs, CO. Regretfully, I will not be attending this 2006 Springfield, IL-based reunion, but I am with you in spirit. Although absent, I honor and salute each of you, and leave you with this quote: "It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle." Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Each of you is a true hero, just as those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Smokey Baron Helicopter Pilot Vietnam 67-68

ivetret

Posts: 1742
Shermer, IL

01 Nov 2006 8:58 PM	Alert
187TH ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY 2006 REUNION Itinerary http://www.187th.jgaffney.net/ ILLINOIS VIETNAM VETERAN MEMORIAL http://www.state.il.us/agency/dva/images/vietnammem.jpg Below is the reunion pin for the veterans given me by Bill Vala this evening who is the organizer for the reunion.

“Lest I keep my complacent way I must remember somewhere out there a person died for me today. As long as there must be war, I ask and I must answer was I worth dying for?” [Elenore Rosevelt] @}-,-`-

cgbrocksmith User is Offline

Posts: 1291
Quincy, IL - "Defend Those Who Defended Us"

03 Nov 2006 7:21 PM	Alert

From: Bill Vala To: tracy_pgr@yahoo.com Subject: Additional Info about the 187th AHC Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 15:14:57 EST These former active duty members of this Army helicopter unit have stayed in touch after the Vietnam war and organized national re-unions. Although they have been held at major cities all around the country before, they opted to have it in Springfield this year. Given the pain from how poorly they were treated upon their returning home, we going to try to make some of it up to them by dubbing this the "Welcome Home" Reunion. The interest in attending from the membership has been extraordinary as the largest number ever from their group is planning to attend. The members will be bringing with them one of their actual aircraft they acquired that was flown in combat for display at the Route 66 Hotel. This helicopter will be under their guard around the clock the entire time as it means a great deal to them. Members of the 187th will start arriving on November 8th and depart sometime on Sunday, November 11th. We are informing all local veteran groups of their pending visit and encouraging anyone interested to stop by Hotel to greet these special vets. They plan to spend some time with other members and hope to take in some local sites. The schedule that is firming up includes a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion for the ladies, a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on Friday evening and participation in the Springfield Veteran's Day Parade starting at 10:00 AM on the 11th. From there they will go the Illinois Vietnam Veteran's Memorial at Oak Ridge where it is hoped that they will be greeted by some senior Illinois Army Officers. Later on that Saturday evening at the Hall of States Ballroom at the hotel, there will be special memorial service by the unit where the names of all their departed will be read. The Sangamon County Sheriff's Department Color Guard is scheduled for the ceremony. I should also add because of the uniqueness of this event along with growing support from the community that the media is really taking a strong interest as well. Military Particulars about this unit.... They suffered a 31% mortality rate losing 141 members. One member was shot down 3 times in one day. This regular US Army unit was activated at Fort Bragg in September 1966 and sent to Vietnam early in 1967 where they serviced the Tay Ninh Province in the Republic of South Vietnam. They were tasked with a ground support, re-supply and med-evac role. They lost their first members, a crew of four, on July 7th. While performing this hazardous duty on into 1972, they lost as many as 6 men in a single day. Some estimates of their activity include supporting thousands of troops, transporting countless tons of critical supplies and extracting hundreds of wounded. The fact that all of this was done at great peril is underscored by the loss of scores of their unit members. One example of their performance occurred in February of '71. The gun platoon of the 187th flew 306 sorties; logged 261 blade hours; destroyed over 375 caches, bunkers and fighting positions, and killed over 400 of the enemy in 27 days. This unit was the first Assault Helicopter Company sent into Cambodia on May 1, 1970. They were active in all of the following campaigns:
Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase II	01 Jul 1966 - 31 May 1967
Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase III	01 Jun 1967 - 29 Jan 1968
Tet 68 Counteroffensive	30 Jan 1968 - 01 Apr 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase IV	02 Apr 1068 - 30 Jun 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase V	01 Jul 1968 - 01 Nov 1968
Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase VI	02 Nov 1968 - 22 Feb 1969
Tet 69 Counteroffensive	23 Feb 1969 - 08 Jun 1969
Vietnam Summer - Fall '69 Offensive	09 Jun 1969 - 31 Oct 1969
Vietnam Winter - Spring '70 Offensive	01 Nov 1969 - 22 Feb 1970
Sanctuary Counteroffensive	01 May 1970 - 30 Jun 1970
Counteroffensive, Phase VII	01 Jul 1970 - 30 Jun 1971
Consolidation I	01 Jul 1971 - 30 Nov 1971
Consolidation II	01 Dec 1971 - 29 Mar 1972 Bill Vala

MIAP Central US Operations Coordinator "To Care For Him Who Shall Have Borne The Battle" - Abraham Lincoln President Abraham Lincoln stated in the Gettysburg Address: "From these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain." Dying for Freedom isn't the worst that could happen...BEING FORGOTTEN IS! Respect and truth, not law, counters the obnoxious!

TRACYFDS

Posts: 0

06 Nov 2006 4:10 AM	Alert
MOVED TO TOP OF THREAD.

TRACYFDS

Posts: 0

07 Nov 2006 7:41 AM	Alert
Anyone wanting to meet up and go down together from Bloomington, Ken(redspec5) and myself are meeting at 6:30 at Times Past Inn on Towanda Ave in Bloominton. Welcome to join us. Plan to leave there at 7:00

ParrotHD

Posts: 43
Decatur, IL

09 Nov 2006 10:14 AM	Alert
Two riders coming over from Decatur. We're meeting at the Citgo station across from the old Holiday Inn on Rt 36 West on the far west edge of Decatur. 45 minute ride on I-72 to downtown Springfield. Anyone from the south or east welcome to join us. Leaving at 0815 hours.

Career Paramedic serving 30 years as of March 2006

cgbrocksmith User is Offline

Posts: 1291
Quincy, IL - "Defend Those Who Defended Us"

11 Nov 2006 3:57 PM	Alert
CONTINUE RIDE REPORTS HERE.

MIAP Central US Operations Coordinator "To Care For Him Who Shall Have Borne The Battle" - Abraham Lincoln President Abraham Lincoln stated in the Gettysburg Address: "From these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain." Dying for Freedom isn't the worst that could happen...BEING FORGOTTEN IS! Respect and truth, not law, counters the obnoxious!

ivetret

Posts: 1742
Shermer, IL

12 Nov 2006 6:03 AM	Alert
Vietnam Slide Show Narrator compares flying a helecopter to riding a motorcycle on a dirt track. Rest of the story.... http://www.sj-r.com/Sections/News/Stories/100355.asp

“Lest I keep my complacent way I must remember somewhere out there a person died for me today. As long as there must be war, I ask and I must answer was I worth dying for?” [Elenore Rosevelt] @}-,-`-

TRACYFDS

Posts: 0

12 Nov 2006 12:13 PM	Alert
Ride Report What an great honor it was to be involved in this Welcome Home/ Reunion weekend for the 187th Assault Helicopter Company. Ken (redspec5) arranged for us with a hour and a half notice, to escort the Helicopter from the Prairie Aviation Museum in Bloomington to Springfield on Friday. Ken lead flying 3 big flags and I was tailgunner flying the PGR Flag and the USA flag. The helicopter was one of the actual ones that belonged to this group and some of those there, this weekend had flown or serviced this one. We were able to see there reactions when they came out of the hotel to see it for the first time since Vietnam. I had to laugh when one of the wives said that the guy's thought someone had modified the seats (they weren't as big as they were then) . Ken and I mounted 4 big flags on the flatbed trailer and headed back. Back Sat morning, we went to staging area, got to thank many Veterans, as we waited for the parade to start. We thanked one veteran that told us he had never been thanked for his service till last year and you could tell how much it meant to him, to just hear THANK YOU. When the parade started it was the Honor guards leading the the Helo followed by the 187th members and spouces, then the Patriot Guard. 6-7 bikes and Kens cage. After the parade we made our way out to the cemetary to present the flag line for their ceremony there. Everyone held two flags and spaced out to where it made a very nice flags presentation. After the ceremony many of the Veterans came over and walked our line thanking us. Of course we wondered why are they thanking us. I am honored that it meant so much to them that they wanted to thank us, but the honor to be there and say Welcome Home and Thank You, is something that I am sure none of us will ever forget. Thank you Bill Vala for all of your assistance in organizing this. Thank you Ken for your assistance with flags and the escort. Thank you to all the members who rode in the cold to get there, with out all of you we could not do what we do. You are what makes PGR here in Illinois what it is. Makes me proud to part of such a great group of people.

redspec5

Posts: 0

12 Nov 2006 3:08 PM	Alert
There were not a lot of dry eyes on either groups part as they walked along the flag line and thanked each one of us. Mine are not exactly dry just writting this right now. God bess each and every one of the 187 th. Hellicopter assault group. I see that Heuy every Thursday when I volunteer at PAM. I had no Idea how much it meant to those guys just to see and touch it once again. I will never again see it as just an exhibit. It is now almost a person made from the personalities of the men I spoke with.

TRACYFDS

Posts: 0

14 Nov 2006 3:26 AM	Alert
Joe... Wanted to thank you again for bringing some guys over. It really meant a lot to the 187th. It was also my first opportunity to see your unit "at work". You were really professionals. It really showed that your presence there was about the 187th alone and not about your unit members. It was very nice to see. My compliments to you all. I hope to link up with you guys down the road. May God bless you and your work! Bill

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Forums > Mission Information > PGR - Archives > Welcome Home - 187th Assault Helicopter Company (Viet Nam), Springfield, IL - 11 NOV 06

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