189th
ASSAULT HELICOPTER COMPANY
THE
GHOSTRIDER NEWS
March
2022
Greetings; Ghost Riders, Avengers,
Caretakers, friends, and family.
Spring is almost here, and I
am sure that you will welcome it with
open arms, I know that I will.
Warmer weather will bring a
time that we can get outdoors and
enjoy the warm weather. Hopefully
everyone is staying healthy and safe, and that Covid has not affected your
family. We hear of so many that have
been affected
with it.
I am sure that you are ready to get rid of the mask if you are still
required to wear one. I pray that
2022 will be a much better year.
Unit Reunions:
I know that everyone is ready for a reunion.
We know of several and I will list what I know of now.
You can click in the blue links for that unit.
VHCMA:
The Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members
(VHCMA) Reunion is scheduled for Nashville, TN August 31-Sept 4, 2022. The VHCMA website
does not have the information on the reunion as of this date, however Bob Taylor
has been able to get all 189th AHC members a special invite.
If you would be interested in attending this reunion, send me and email
Gerry.sandlin@gmail.com
and I will send you the necessary information.
The reunion will be held at the Inn at Opryland in Nashville, TN.
57th AHC: As
of this date there are no information published about a reunion.
119th AHC: As of this
date there are no information published about a reunion.
155th AHC:
As of this date there are no information published about a reunion.
170th AHC:
As of this date there are no information published about a reunion.
179th ASH:
As of this date there are no information published about a reunion.
189th AHC: At this time there is
no reunion as a unit alone planned.
I encourage everyone if you were a crewmember of a cook to attend the VHCMA
reunion. Many of our members are
also members of the VHCMA. So, send
me an email, let me know and I will send you the information.
Gerry.sandlin@gmail.com
National Vietnam War Museum:
At Mineral Wells, Texas.
Grand Opening of National Vietnam War Museum.
25 June 2022.
You may remember several years ago we raised funds and built a replica of
the
Camp Holloway Memorial Wall at National
Vietnam War Museum in Mineral Wells, Texas.
Most of our pilots trained at one time at
Fort Wolters. The memorial wall was
one of the first exhibits built, but finally it is coming more of a reality.
Bobbye and I planned to attend as well as others.
If you plan to attend let me know and I will see if we can get a good
room rate, This will be an informal,
no host get together
Pilots Perch:
by Steve Schmidt (“Silver Lead” – 1st A/L Platoon)
Hi friends, it is good to be
able to reach out and let you know that life is going on. Yes, I know life is
precious and as I approach my 80th birthday I am reminded that nobody
ever got out of here alive. So I am on that back slope. I know that there are
things today that I can’t do (hard to admit, but necessary if I am going to keep
body and soul together). No more climbing on the roof to see if there is storm
damage. Just recently I had a close neighbor climb up on his son’s roof to look
it over. Got done with the inspection, climbed back down the ladder and walked a
couple steps, tripped, and landed on his face and nose with horrific damage. A
couple months later he was dead. So now I have the new limitation of watching
carefully where I step. Seems I need to have my old flight helmet so I can go
about my daily work without fear of mortal damage if I miss a step.
By the way, this year it will
be 55 years since the 189th AHC moved out of Fort Carson and into
Camp Holloway. Yes, they actually cut the perimeter fence and put us out in the
mud.
Regards to all, Steve Schmidt (“Silver Lead” – 1st A/L Platoon)
News From the Vinh Son Orphanage
The 189th has been very supportive of the kids over the last several
years. On behalf of the kids and the nuns, thank you.
After almost 2 years of successful social distancing and following COVID
protocols the bug hit the orphanages in the middle of January.
There have been 32 kids and 2 sisters infected.
The good news is the kids are young and strong and the nuns are using
every tool in their book to manage the outbreak.
So far everybody has recovered.
Check our February Newsletter
(https://www.friendsofvso.org/)
to see pictures of how they managed.
Our March newsletter highlights our support of education.
Over the last 15 years, because of our donors, we have been able to
support kids to go on to be everything from auto mechanics to bakers to nurses
to nuns and even a priest.
Today we keep in contact with the nuns much the same as we do our families.
We use e-mails of course but also make use of ZOOM and Facetime to keep
current of events. We are hoping to organize a trip by Board members later this
year or in 2023 for sure. Again,
thanks so much for your support.
Patrick Leary Avenger 3
Gerry’s Travels: It
seems like it has been a long time since we traveled anyplace.
Bobbye and I joined Lonnie Welch at Eustice Shiver’s birthday party in
Florida in November and had a wonderful time.
Eustice’s wife Judy arranged for a DJ and there were plenty of down-home
country music. Just good adult fun.
Other than that, we have just been staying in.
We may go back to the Florida Coast in a few weeks.
Mainly trying to stay healthy and safe.
Happy Easter to everyone.
Gerry