Support Groups Photos

101st Airborne Division

Contributed by Dan O’Brien & Walter Tangel

Just a little info to go with these photo’s

An 8 inch, M110 howitzer becomes an M107 Gun when the barrel is changed to a 175mm. Something to do with the trajectory of the round that defines the difference between howitzer and a gun.

All photos are of A/1/83rd ARTY XXIV CORPS 101 DIVARTY howitzers/guns and all are of 1969 vintage.

Walter Tangel was XO, Bravo Battery, 2/11th FA. 2/11th FA was the DIVARTY 155mm BN. DIVARTY had three other organic BN’s, 105mm, and an ARA BN. I was in-country AUG 68 to Aug 69. I was on FSB Georgia, LZ Sally, Jack, Whip, Lash, Bastogne, and Currahee. My battery was one of eight that took part in the assault on Dong Ap Bia. We probably shot a time or two for you guys in the 327th. Hope we were accurate and ON TIME! (OUR MOTTO).

fsb_jack.aiming_circle The picture is of me at my usual post, the aiming circle. Taken at FSB Jack, early (Feb?) 1969. Note the guidon is red.

I belong to the 187th Rakkasan Association, Samurai Chapter. It seems they don’t mind cannoncockers who shot for them to hook up with their association. It is great to be part of the Infantry brotherhood, even if all I did was pull lanyards for a living!

ON TIME!
Walter

War Dogs

42nd IPSD

577_combat_tracker_team — Rolf and Don with members of the 577 Combat Tracker Team working as a "quick reaction team" to track down the enemy after an ambush was blown. Rolf is the Shepard and Bruce is the Lab. Lou Caputo is Bruce's handler the other men our slack men who work on his team.

trail_meet — Bravo Co, Platoon Sgts. meeting on the trail. Capt. Feliciano was the CO. The one Sgt. at 1 o'clock position was from San Francisco and he was a fire fighter. Bill Bodnar & Rolph worked with Bravo Company many times during late '69 and early '70.

Every picture tells a story. My CO in this unit was a grunt Marine in Guadacanal. He flew fixed wing in Korea.

He always flew his “Hog” UH1B in first to draw fire. The pictured ship was the only one in the unit with shark’s teeth. Somehow the Flying Tiger association found out about it and complained (WHAAAAA!) and the teeth had to be removed!

We flew assaults, rescue and dustoff’s and only lost one pilot while I was there. He was reassigned to the 161st AHC prior to his death.

Bill Haupt, President, Sunshine State Chapter, 101ST Airborne Division Association, inc.