TAPS ...... 2004 - 2005

Those gone but not forgotten

Our prayers and best wishes go out to those left behind. The Brothers and Sisters of the Mobile Riverine Force Association wish the departed fair winds and following seas and our thoughts will always be with you....

TAPS Tribute to a Fallen One

What moves through you is a silence, a quiet sadness, a longing for one more day, one more word, one more touch, you may not understand why he left this earth so soon, or why he left before you were ready to say good-bye, but little by little, you begin to remember not just that he died, but that he lived. And that his life gave you memories too beautiful to forget.

Remembering Vietnam Veterans
Over 2.6 million served
Over 58,000 gave their lives
They fought for freedom
They fought with honor
In the end they fought for one another

A Soldier Died Today

Malcolm Shelby

Roger Jensen

Charles Lemmex

Charles Horowitz

Mark M. Weachter, Sr.

Jon Bouareau

Ray Marshall

Captain William Nation

Frank Haverchuck

Julian Curles

Julian Curles served on A-132-3 in 1968-69.  He passed away on 05/11/04. You may contact his widow, Flora Curles, at:  PO Box 27, Lowland, NC 28552

Autry Rogers Cumbie

Clyde Ramsey Huston III

Clyde Huston passed away May 20, 2004 due to heart failure.  He served with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry from July 1968 to July 1969. 

Mike Kolanik

Mike served with the 162nd Assault Helicopter Company from April 1968 to September 1969.  His family can be reached at: 235 Fieldstone Terrace #3L, Bronx, NY 10471-3064 - (718) 549-1508

Leo Schoenle, Jr.

Joe Ropel

Alvin Rogers

James E. Nyland

Charles L. Osment, Jr.

Richard "Zero" Coontz

Joseph F. Longshaw

Joe Mangan

John Ward

BMCS Raymond A. Lang, US Navy (Ret)., passed away Sunday January 23, 2005 due to complications with a brain tumor and lung cancer.  Senior Chief Lang was a founding member and plank owner of the association. He will always be remembered for his winning smile and ways. Chief always carried himself in true military fashion, with dignity, and was always a delight to be around. He was one the few last remaining association members to have served in WWII, Korea and the Vietnam  War.  During the Vietnam war Chief Lang served as Boat Captain on Monitor 112-1 during 1967-68.  Ray Lang served his country for 30 years with pride and distinction and will be missed by all his shipmates of the Brown Water Navy and Army.  Chief Lang was one of the truly last old sailors of our life time he likes will never be seen again.. "Farewell BOATS!"  You may contact the family C/O of his son: Ray Mikalauskas, 204 W. Cottesmore Cir., Longwood, FL 32770 - (407) 788-6609
 

Billy Scantlin

Mrs. Scantlin called to tell us that Billy Scantlin passed away January 27, 2005 after a long battle with cancer.  He served on the USS Harnett County (LST 821) in 1969-70.  The family may be contacted at: Rt 2 Box E Haskell, OK 74436  (918) 486-7531  (May Billy rest in peace)

George Lang

Daniel Williams

Gerald Sturvist

Daniel Bien

John "Jack" Hermann

David Hackworth

Walter Cullen

John Frank

Retired Gen. William Westmoreland, who commanded American troops in Vietnam - the nation's longest, most divisive conflict and the only war America lost - died Monday night. He was 91.

Westmoreland died of natural causes at Bishop Gadsden retirement home, where he had lived with his wife for several years, said his son, James Ripley Westmoreland.

The silver-haired, jut-jawed officer, who rose through the ranks quickly in Europe during World War II and later became superintendent of West Point, contended the United States did not lose the conflict in Southeast Asia.

"It's more accurate to say our country did not fulfill its commitment to South Vietnam," he said. "By virtue of Vietnam, the U.S. held the line for 10 years and stopped the dominoes from falling."

He would later say he did not know how history would deal with him.

"Few people have a field command as long as I did," he said. "They put me over there and they forgot about me. But I was there seven days a week, working 14 to 16 hours a day.

"I have no apologies, no regrets. I gave my very best efforts," he added. "I've been hung in effigy. I've been spat upon. You just have to let those things bounce off."

Later, after many of the wounds caused by the divisive conflict began to heal, Westmoreland led thousands of his comrades in the November, 1982, veterans march in Washington to dedicate the Vietnam War Memorial.

He called it "one of the most emotional and proudest experiences of my life."

William Childs Westmoreland was born near Spartanburg, S.C., on March 26, 1914, into a banking and textile family.

His love of uniforms began early.

He was an Eagle Scout and attended The Citadel for a year before transferring to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in 1936 and, during his senior year, held the highest command position in the cadet corps.

Westmoreland saw action in North Africa, Sicily and Europe during World War II. He attained the rank of colonel by the time he was 30.

As commander of the 34th Field Artillery Battalion fighting German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, he earned the loyalty and respect of his troops for joining in the thick of battle rather than remaining behind the lines at a command post.

He was promoted to brigadier general during service in the Korean War and later served in the Pentagon under Army Chief of Staff Maxwell Taylor.

Westmoreland became the superintendent of West Point in 1960 and, by 1964, was a three-star general commanding American troops in Vietnam.

After his tour in Vietnam, Westmoreland was promoted to Army chief of staff. He retired from active duty in 1972 but he continued to lecture and participate in veterans' activities.

In later years, Westmoreland often spoke to Vietnam veterans' groups, accepting invitations to visit veterans' groups in all 50 states, his son "Rip" Westmoreland said.

"That became, in effect, his raison d'etre," the son recalled. "He did have a point of view on Vietnam but he did not speak about that. He was not out there trying to justify anything. He was there looking at the veterans with his wonderful presence.

"He shied away from making money," his son said. "That was primarily a function of him being old school, and he felt it was unsavory cashing in on his contacts. He actually had an agent at one point, and he fired the agent."

Albert Moore said:  "General Westmoreland had been a members of the MRFA since 1993 making him a plank owner and founding member.  He also served in the 9th Infantry Division during WWII and was instrumental in reactivating the 9th Division to Vietnam."

Rudy Mahanes

David Davis

Leroy Thoreson

Roy Heilpern

Dale Winkel

Don P. Jackson

Glen Lee "Butch" Tennill

Jimmy W. Young

Jimmy W. Young died in early December from a heart attack.  He served with A Co, 2/47th, 9th I.D. from August 1967 to August 1968.  Jimmy was in the 4th platoon.  He leaves behind his wife Marie and daughter Audrey.  His funeral will be at the Pace Funeral Home in Livingston, Texas on Wednesday December 14, 2005. You may contact the family at: P. O. Box 34, Livingston, Texas 77351

Edward Q. Castle

John Magriplis

Curtis Hatterman

Eugene P. Shawver

George Johnson

Reverend Charles Kovich

William Rose

Sabino "Sam" Saavedra

Tom Spencer

Bernard Harmon

Freddy Shugart

George R. Leicht

Michael Tramo

Dennis A. Gershman

Fred L. Kalles

Thomas I. Lucas

Charles W. Starck

Kay R. Evans

Charles R. Caverly

Raymond G. Phoebus

Clyde J. Ray

Clyde J. Ray, BM3, passed away on May 10, 2004.  While in Vietnam he served with River Assault Squadron 11 - River Assault Division 111 onboard A-111-3.

Thomas Ivan Lucas

Thomas Ivan Lucas, SFC (USN Ret.), passed way on August 6, 2004.  While in Vietnam he served onboard the USS Benewah in 1966-67.

Charles W. Stark

Charles W. Stark, IC2, passed away on August 21, 2004.  While in Vietnam he served onboard the USS Benewah in 1966-67.

Samuel E. Davis

Samuel E. Davis, BM1, passed away on February 18, 2005.  While in Vietnam he served with River Assault Squadron 15.

Raymond G. Phoebus

Raymond G. Phoebus, BM3, passed away on January 28, 2005.  While in Vietnam he served with River Assault Squadron 9 - River Assault Division 91 onboard A-91-1.

James C. Janssen

James C. Janssen, BM2, passed away on September 30, 2005.   While in Vietnam he served with a River Assault Squadron/Division, but at this time we are not sure which unit.

James A. Krone

James A. Krone, BM2, passed away on October 17, 2005.   While in Vietnam he served with River Assault Squadron 9 - River Assault Division 92.

Donald D. Warren

David Earl Dawley

Paul E. Bellmore

A Soldier Died Today
Written by A. Lawrence Vaincourt
http://www.vaincourt.homestead.com

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes, to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened,
For they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer
For old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer,
For a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary
And quite uneventful life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Quietly going his own way,
And the world won't note his passing,
Though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories,
From the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
A guy who breaks his promises
And cons his fellow man?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It's so easy to forget them,
For many times it's so, 
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnnys,
Went to battle, but we know,

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.