Photos on title page 2010

[Niner Alpha]

I was going through the album to check on the new update and saw this photo and it struck me as being one that was well thought out like it was not just another snap shot. Gary Stoltz, Echo, 68/69 had.... and probably still has ... an eye for photography. Lots of his photos are well thought out.

Reminds me of the Plain of Reeds.....too.

[Niner Alpha]

This photo comes from Rick Ackers. It's a good photo...but the quality of the reproduction leaves a lot to be desired. However, I like it and so I use it. It goes to show that there were some moments of acting foolish but having fun.

Rick's photo was made at Can Giouc in late 69 or early 70. The four guys are all from Rick's, Alpha Company, 1st platoon. Mata, Sgt. Tierney, Macke, and Plt. Sgt. McClure. At least I think that's the rank at the time. Tierney went on to be an E6 plt.Sgt. At the time of the photo Mata was probably E4 and Macke may still have been a PFC.

Whatever.

[Niner Alpha]

Mirl Hollabaugh served with Alpha Company in 69. He made it home from Vietnam and he died a few years ago. His widow found this site and sent me an email wondering if I wanted his hard copy photos as she was about to toss them. Those hard copy photos are now at the National Infantry Museum recorded as donated by Mrs. Hollabaugh and in the 6/31st file. I sent Mrs. Hollabaugh a CD copy of all the photos after receiving the hard copies.

This one haunts me in some way. I'm glad it wasn't lost to time as it nearly was. If any relative of a now dead vet passing by here has photos....don't let them go away. Save them to CD and share them. It's part of history that needs to be saved.

[Niner Alpha]

Had the notion to change the photo today. "Blackie" Schoenherr was picked. One of his photo's was passing in the sample window. Got to thinking....hey, that's the guy I need to pick. Blackie was in Delta, 3rd Platoon, 69/70. He was one of Jerry Whites platoon mates.

[Delta75]

Niner...thansk for picking Blackie's pictures.....quite a few of the men who served with me in the field are in these pictures. Jim McPike, my RTO, (KIA - July 1969) is at the bottom left.

Jerry

[Niner Alpha]

April and I figured I'd change it again.

David Tyo, Alpha Company, went back to Vietnam a year ago. He visited Jerry White's family and took the tour of the area.

His photos are in the album on the second page in the last set as a sub album.

[Niner Alpha]

Thought I'd change it today. And the thought that crossed my mind was a salute to the FO teams....me having been one thing and another of one, I moved right ahead once the notion hit me.

In this collage top left you see three men from Delta company. The guy to the far left is John Lonsdale . He was 9er Delta Oscar in May of 1970 when he was KIA in Cambodia. (Incidentally the guy in the middle of that group, Cliff MacComber, infantry, was KIA two days after John, also in Cambodia.) To the top right you see Lonsdale 9er Delta, John Bayer. In the very middle is 9er Delta India in some part of 69, Vern Weed... a long time site supporter and friend. Left middle is Keith Carson ,short time Alpha FO late 69 and long time FDO at Delta Battery 2/4th during 1970. Right middle another view of one of the 105's at Gettysburg. At the bottom left you see the Alpha FO team for a few months in 1970...Gene Cruise 9AI, Jerry Holderness 9A, and me as 9AO. Bottom right is me again as 9A and Joe Delgato as 9AO. Bottom middle is D battery at Can Giouc...they could really pile up the spent canisters. Top center is a M102, 105 howitzer on a platform at Gettysburg.

[Niner Alpha]

Time for another header change. This time...to encourage more E company guys to go the the reunion this year after reading Jerry's latest forcast that puts them as tail end charlie... I picked Dan Ezso's early Echo company photos. Guys who came from training in the snow to beautiful...hot...humid... stinking.... and often deadly, Vietnam.

Among the photos are a group shot of the advance party to Vietnam and a couple of bridges...one blownup and one military one that is about to be blown up as well as a few photos taken in Bearcat.

[Niner Alpha]

Seems like in the past during most July headers I've featured a "reunion" collage since the usual Regiment reunion follows in August. Well.... as a creature of habit......and nothing else coming to mind....well same old same old is served up.

This time I added a photo of one of the many Delta 4th Platoon reunions that have been happening back over years, and one of the recent Delta 3rd Platoon reunion, as well as a few from past Regiment reunions including the first really big 2005 reunion. I also added one of me and Del Bumann as one of those by the way reunions when one or two guys meet from time to time. I also felt like adding one of Mike and Jim and John....three guys from the same Alpha platoon that met face to face for the first time in forty years at the California reunion. And lastly, in contrast to the punch bowl from the old WWII 31st Regiment, the modern attendance trophy for the 6/31st company that brings the most people to the 31st Regiment Reunion.

Thanks to the efforts of Jerry White and a few others who took on the task of contacting guys from their companies, like Jim Tierney did for Alpha, the reunion in Reno coming up in August should be the biggest one of all for the 6/31st. The cutoff date for registration for reunion events is July 19th.

[Niner Alpha]

John Bayer was the last officer grade FO for Delta company. He was FO for Delta during Cambodia and the mid part of 1970. He and the actual last enlisted man Delta FO, Ron Heinzel, are the last two men to contribute to the photo albums.

A couple of John's photos were used in the FO salute header a couple months ago, but I used them again now anyway rather than some other choices since I thought they belonged in the collage.

[Niner Alpha]

September is a little early. Had this notion when I woke up this morning so I decided to get on with it while it was in my mind. The idea was no doubt because I had some reunion pictures that Jim Tierney sent me to post. Looking at all us old guys... thought I'd put some of the then and now ...or nearly now...pictures together. The guys in the old photos are the same guys as in the new....for the most part...although in some cases more than two photos are necessary to do a then and now. The photos all came from various of our albums.