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FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024

Remembering

Comrades that did not Return

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New on the Website

Happy Vietnam War Veterans Day - CannonKings!

Vietnam War Veterans Day

March 29, 2024

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A Nice Surprise!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY

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Many thanks to Adrian Gravelle

for providing links to two interesting stories:

Ukraine's Biggest Howitzers Are

Vietnamese Love American Booty

What Did the VPA Do With All The Captured Weapons?

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New Revised Searchable

"A Legacy of Honor -

A History of the 6th Bn 27th Arty VN"

Is Now Available on the Site With Extra

Pages from the National Archives And

Also New Extra Material

IN HONOR OF YOUR SERVICE

WITH THE 6/27TH ARTILLERY VIETNAM
YOU ARE INVITED TO VIEW

THE PREMIER OF

PART 1 A VIDEO HISTORY OF THE

6TH BATTALION 27TH ARTILLERY VIETNAM

"EARLY HISTORY TO ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM"

AND NOW

PART 2A

"ARRIVAL IN VIETNAM TO JUNE 1966"

AND NOW

PART 2B

"1966 - LAST HALF"

AND NOW

PART 3

"1967"

AND NOW

PART 4

"1968"

AND NOW

PART 5

"1969"

AND NOW

PART 5

"1970 & 1971"

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

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2022 Group Reunion Photo

The 2022 Branson Reunion was a great one, but if you missed attending you can still experience a little of the fun by viewing the photos and video. To do so just click the link below:

VIEW THE REUNION PHOTOS AND VIDEO

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Things You Learn at a Reunion

In December 2018 George Owens sent me photos he had taken while in Headquarters Battery at Quan Loi in 1968-69. I worked on his photos and put them into a photo gallery and uploaded them to the website in January 2019. The most important thing I forgot to do was put in links so you, the visitor and George, himself, could view and enjoy the photos.

At the 2022 Branson Reunion George very tactfully asked me if I could show him how to find his photos on the website. I agreed while thinking that perhaps George was computer handicaped. I very quickly discovered he was not and that it was my error. I had not put in the necessary links that the visitor would use to find George's photos. It is with this in mind that I would like to correct this error and ask you to take some time and visit George's page and view his great photos.

View George Owns Photos

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While visiting with Ron Pinkman at the 2022 Branson Reunion Ron mentioned he had about 100 photos he had taken while he was with Alpha Battery at Quan Loi in 1968-69. He mentioned he would like to share them with the website, but there was a slight problem. The original prints were stuck under plastic in a photos album. He said he tried to get them off the page, but as he tired he could see that it would destroy the pictures.

In further conversation, Ron said that he did have the small 2 X 2 bonus pictures the photo developer included for free. Those, he said, were in pretty poor shape, but he was willing to send them to me to see what could be "salvaged".

The first mailing included 11 pictures which I worked on and posted for just Ron to see. He like what he saw and agreed to mail the remainder of the photos with the agreement that I would return the originals to him along with a DVD of the digitized pictures. This being accomplished the photos were put up together into four galleries and uploaded to the website. I think you will find them interesting and fun to view Thank you, Ron, for sharing your photos with us.

View Ron Pinkman's Photos

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Agent Orange Exposure Doubles Risk

of Developing Dementia, Study Finds

26 Jan 2021 Military.com | By Patricia Kime

"A new study of more than 300,000 Vietnam-era U.S. veterans has found that those who were exposed to Agent Orange are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia as those who were not."

"For the study, researchers at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System examined the medical records of thousands of veterans and found a two-fold risk of dementia for those whose medical records indicated evidence of exposure."

Click Here to Read Article at Military.com

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A Current Look at Quan Loi, Phouc Vinh & Song Be

I am happy to tell you that I just recently found a new website started in the fall of 2017 by "a small team of travel and history enthusiasts of different nationalities who combined, arguable have the most experience of any team in visiting former war sites of the Vietnam War." The site is called "Vietnam War Travel - Discovering the Places From the Vietnam War."

Visit their website and take a video tour of the Quan Loi Airstrip, Phouc Vinh Base Camp and Song Be - LZ Buttons Area. Take a look at these locations where many of us served and how they appear today.

Here is a link to the main home page: https://namwartravel.com/ Check out the top menu under "III Corps" for links to all the locations.

Here is a direct link to the Quan Loi Tour: https://namwartravel.com/quan-loi/

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We Have a New Online Cannon King Roster

We apologize to those who have attempted to access the online roster over the last few weeks. Unfortunately our web service provider discontinued the feature that was used to produce the roster. Fortunately, most of the entries were backed up and we have been able to restore them in a New Cannon King Roster.

If you were listed in the old roster your listing is probably in the new roster, but you can complete the online form with your information and you will be emailed the new username and password.

If you were listed in the old roster and you just want a new username and password you can send an email request and after your information is verified to be in the roster you will be sent the new credentials to access the roster.

Click Here to Go to the New Cannon King Roster

We Have A New Cannon King Bulletin Board

Like the online roster we also lost our Bulletin Board. Unfortunately, we not able to recover any of the original entries, but we have found a new and better Cannon King Bulletin Board. This feature requires you to register to control access and monitor comments, but once registered you are able to contribute to any ongoing topics or start a new topic. We ask you to abide by the Golden Rule in your comments on the board.

Click Here to Visit the New Cannon King Bulletin Board

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News For Veterans

Exchange and Commissary Access Expanded

Starting January 1, 2020, eligible Veterans and caregivers can use commissaries, exchanges, and morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) retail facilities, in-person and online. Find out if you're eligible and what this access means for you in the New Year!

Click Here for more information and eligibility requirements. If you are a vet you are eligible, but you need a Veteran Health Identification Card. Here is how to get one.

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Welcome to the VA

Check out this helpful brochure from the Veterans Administration explaining all the benefits for Veterans. Click Here to Download the PDF.

Click Here to View the January 2020 VA Benefits Newsletter

Weekly VA Bulletin Sign-up

Click Here to Sign-up For Free Weekly Bulletin

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Retiree Assistance Office Bulletins

Read & Subscribe to:

(Click Here to Access all Previous Bulletins)

This Report is published twice monthly on the 1st and 15th day. It contains useful news regarding DOD, Vets, Veteran's News, Veteran's Legislation, Military History, Health Care and General Interest information.

You may download the most current Bulletin by Clicking Here.

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Agent Orange Catching up to Vietnam
Vets Decades Later

Source: Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, http://www.messenger-inquirer.com

OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — Snow fell outside the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 696 as its members held their monthly meeting Feb. 9, 2016.

Although attendance was down, most of those present were Vietnam veterans receiving some percentage of disability benefits from their exposure to Agent Orange — a herbicide sprayed by the United States military during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971.

Among them were Billy Milan, Lou Drawdy and Terry Stinson.
They were like thousands of other Vietnam vets who returned home unaware that they had been exposed to the same toxic dioxin that was meant to combat their enemies — the Viet Cong guerrillas and the North Vietnamese Army, known as "Charlie" to U.S. forces.

Now, decades later... Click Here to Continue (PDF File)

Click Here For More Agent Orange Information

Researchers call for more study of Agent Orange's effects on Vietnam Veterans and their kids

By Mike Hixenbaugh, The Virginian-Pilot,
and Charles Ornstein, ProPublica

More than two decades of studying Agent Orange exposure hasn’t produced a solid understanding of how the toxic herbicide has harmed Vietnam War veterans and possibly their children, according to a report released Thursday.

Additional research is long overdue, the report said,. . . Click Here to Continue

Vietnam War History & Research

After Almost 50 Years, the Complete Pentagon Papers

"It may be a first in the annals of government secrecy: Declassifying documents to mark the anniversary of their leak to the press. But that is what will happen Monday, when the federal government plans to finally release the secret government study of the Vietnam War known as the Pentagon Papers 40 years after it was first published by The New York Times.

Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers, said the report should not have been secret even in 1971.

At first blush, it sounds like the release of one of the worst-kept secrets in history..."

Read the complete story at The New York Times.com
Read the complete Pentagon Papers at The National Archives

The Vietnam Collection

Vietnam: A Television History was a landmark documentary series produced by WGBH. This collection contains most of the materials gathered and created for the 1983 series, as well as additional Vietnam-related materials from the WGBH archive. Vietnam: A Television History was one of the last WGBH series produced entirely on film. Starting in 2008, materials were reconstructed, transferred, and digitized for preservation and access. Visit the WGBH Open Vault

Were you in Quan Loi on August 12-13, 1969?

If your answer is yes, you don't have to be reminded of the ground attack that was repulsed that night. Many thanks to former SSGT Robert W. Smith for providing us with a copy of the August 14, 1969 Stars and Stripes. If you would like to learn about that night or refresh your memory click here to read it.

If you have a memory, photos or video of the August 12-13, 1969 Quan Loi ground attack you would like to share with the site, please drop me an email. (JWavra)

Vietnam Vets Take Notice - Here Are Some Interesting Statistics...

In case you haven't been paying attention these past few decades after you returned from Vietnam, the clock has been ticking. The following are some statistics that are at once depressing yet, in a larger sense, should give one a sense of pride.Many Thanks to Don Albers, former Battery Commander, Alpha Battery, 6/27th Artillery Vietnam - 1969 for sending these statistics to us. Don received them from friends at West Point Academy. We are not sure who to attribute this original compilation of statistics to, but whoever you are - thanks for doing it. Even if they are a little mind-blowing.

"Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam; less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran's age approximated to be 54 years old."

So, if you're alive and reading this, how does it feel to be among the last 1/3rd of all the U.S. Vets who served in Vietnam? We Don't know about you, but kind of gives me the chills, considering this is the kind of information we are used to reading about WWII and Korean War vets.

Click Here See them All:

Over 50 Years Ago - 6/27th Artillery

2 Nov 1965 - The Gordon arrives at Vung Tau

3 Nov 1965 - The battalion disembarks at Vung Tau and is flown to Bien Hoa Air Base and staging area

4 Nov 1965 - The Dick Lykes with battalion equipment arrives in Saigon harbor

10 Nov 1965 - A and Service batteries deployed to Widow's Village, east of Bien Hoa

On or about 10 Nov 1965 - First Fire Mission in Vietnam

19 Nov 1965 - B, C, HQ batteries deployed to Phuoc Vinh

9 Dec 1965 - Alpha and Service Batteries relocate to north side of Bien Hoa Air Base.

24 Dec 1965 - General Harold K. Johnson, Army Chief of Staff, visits C Battery at Phuoc Vinh

Click Here to Learn of Other 50th Anniversary Milestone

Website Highlights

Historic Quan Loi Vietnam Videos on the Website

In 1966 Michael Chalifoux, assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, was only in Quan Loi for a month when his aunt in Pennsylvania sent him a Super-8 movie camera. Over the next 7+ months Mike shot film in and around Quan Loi, including the Frenchmen's Swimming Pool, the airstrip with all types of aircraft, the nearby Montangard Village, and An Loc to list just a few. His film shows Quan Loi (L Z Andy) in its early days as an airstrip.

The 40+ minutes of film was copied to DVD. For ease of viewing on the website the video was edited into six smaller videos. Mike was interviewed during a Skype call and his comments were added to the videos. All six videos were uploaded to youtube.com and then embedded on pages on the website. You can view them all by clicking here. Thank you Mike for sharing your film with us.

Barney Bowles Quan Loi Video - 1969

In 1969 Barney Bowles got an 8mm camera. He does not remember whether it was sent to him or if he bought it at the Quan Loi PX. It was an opportune time to have a video camera and Barney used it to shoot video of the 175mm gun tube explosion.

In addition, Barney shot some video of the old Alpha Battery Administration Area where the old EM and NCO/Officers Clubs were located abutting Frenchie's recreation area. Included in this video is some clearer shots of the tube explosion.

For those who were with Alpha Battery at Quan Loi in 1969 the video will bring back memories of the old Admin Area and some shots of the Firing Battery.

Thanks Barney for sharing this video as we know it took some extra effort to copy the video from an old broken laptop.

Click Here to view the video

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The Day the 175mm Gun Tube Exploded - A Retrospective

A few months short of 50 years ago an incident occurred at Alpha Battery 6/27th Artillery at Quan Loi, South Vietnam. It could have been disastrous, but instead only a couple of Cannon Kings were injured, neither seriously. The tube of Number 4 Gun exploded during a fire mission in the early hours of late March or early April, 1969. If you know the exact date please let us know.

We bring together a memory, along with photos of that incident, from a Number 4 gun crewman, Mario Williams, who was on the gun that night. He was one of two soldiers hit by shrapnel from the tube explosion.

Also included is a "never-before-seen" 8mm video taken the following afternoon by B. J. Bowles, a member the FDC crew.

Lastly, "Lost" photos taken by the late Larry Jameson along with the remarkable story of how his photos were returned to him some thirty years after he "lost" them. He was hit by shrapnel from an NVA rocket while on guard duty in April, 1969. He was medevac'd south and then on to Japan, never to return to Quan Loi. His tube explosion slides photos did not make the trip with him and it was a fluke that years later they were "returned" to him.

Click Here to learn the story of The Day the 175mm Gun Exploded

Click Here to Read New Comments

The Saga of the Quan Loi Queen

Chances are, if you were at Quan Loi on November 17-18, 1969, and you had a camera, you took photos of a C-130 that was hit by a rocket on the Quan Loi Airstrip. I took several photos as did Jan Maclaga, Dennis Camp, Glen Russell and Jim McLain of that damaged aircraft. I'm sure there are many more squirreled away in closets and attics of Quan Loi Veterans. That battered C-130 was a "curiosity" of the war. All of us knew that the plane was severely damaged from that rocket and it would remain on the side of the airstrip for several months until a crew was finally sent in with a new wing and other parts to repair her. I doubt that any of us knew that the twenty-one year old USAF Loadmaster of the Queen, Norm Thomas, was killed that day from rocket shrapnel. It is time we honor his memory.

All of us at Quan Loi relied on the crews of the C-130s, C-7A Caribous and choppers who flew in mail, supplies and provided us safe transportation. Quan Loi would have been a whole lot worse without them. Thanks to the pilot of the Quan Loi Queen that November day, Lou Hari, we can now learn the complete story of that sad incident and what eventually happened to the Quan Loi Queen. I think you will find it one of the most interesting stories to be added to the site. Click Here to read it.

The Frenchman's Club & Swimming Pool

If someone asked those of you who served at Quan Loi, South Vietnam to name one good memory of the place - perhaps it would be the Frenchmen's Swimming Pool and

Clubhouse Area. It was a unique place in Quan Loii let alone the entire country of South Vietnam and it was a very good memory.

The Frenchmen's Area is long gone now, removed by the new government of a united Vietnam some years after reunification, but the memory is preserved in GI's photos and in one case the only known film of the place. Come back with us now and revisit that memory in new video.

Click Here to View

SP5 Larry W. Thomas' 1969 Quan Loi Video

While in Vietnam SP5 Larry W. Thomas, F Battery 16th Artillery, purchased an 8 mm movie camera from the PX shortly before leaving country, with the idea he would be able to film his infant daughter when he arrived home. Larry said he had the camera for only a few days in Vietnam. In the remaining days he had at Quan Loi in 1969 Larry made just this one video of Quan Loi Base Camp and F Battery 16th Artillery with the idea he would be able to show it to his family when he arrived home. We are lucky Larry kept the film and years later had it digitized and now shares a copy with us.

Although Larry’s video is short, it does give you a good image of Quan Loi, especially Larry’s 155 mm towed howitzer battery.

Click Here to View

"A Legacy of Honor
History of the 6/27th Artillery 1917 - 1967"

A new "searchable" copy of this exceptional history of the 6th Battalion, 27th Artillery is now available for download in PDF format.

It has long been a goal to re-type SP4 Paul Frederick's entire History as a searchable text document.

Well, it was a long process that was not without its benefits, in that it, at last forced me to read the entire document while typing it from the first to the last word. I have tried to remain as faithful to the original document with this copy, correcting only minor errors where discovered. Due to the differences used by SP4 Frederick’s manual typewriter page layout and today’s computer edition there may be some slight differences in page numbering. In this edition footnotes have been numbered consecutively rather than by section.

SP4 Paul R. Frederick’s History of the 6/27th Artillery is a remarkable document, especially when you consider the conditions of where and when it was researched and written – on the battlefield per se – Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. Regrettably SP4 Frederick’s history ends in the middle of 1967. The 6/27th Artillery remained in Vietnam for another four years serving in heroic ways. No history of these remaining years has yet to come to light. Perhaps one day one will.

John A. Wavra
Webmaster, QuanLoiDotOrg

Click Here to Download and View

Ever Hear of WACR Radio Blackhorse Quan Loi?

In the Spring of 1970 Quan Loi, Vietnam, got its very own radio station. It was hard to believe! Before its arrival the only receivable stations were Vietnamese. It was a joy to listen to "The Quan Loi Kid" or "Lucky Fritz" playing American popular music. They, via WACR Radio Blackhorse, brought a piece of Home to Quan Loi.

On May 20, 1970, John Wavra, then Alpha Battery Clerk, taped over three hours, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the EM Club on a reel to reel tape recorder. An 8 plus minute sample of that recording has been available on the website for several years. Now you can listen to the entire 3 hour plus recording in its entirety.

In addition you can also now listen to over 1 1/2 hours of a recording from May 1, 1970 made by then CW2 Brian Russ, a Cobra Pilot with Blue Max at Quan Loi (C Btry 2/20 ARA).

A long over-due thank you is given to all those soldiers who made it all possible.

Click Here to Listen

Who We Are

This webite was started in October 2002 by John Wavra with much assistance from Jim Hynes and Reed McDonald. It has since grown to what you see on your screen today. It would be but a few pages if not for all of the comrades who helped. I thank each and every one of them for their contributions of photos and/or stories, etc., which have helped to began to tell the story of the 6/27th Artillery in Vietnam. It is long past time that credit is given to all those who helped.

See them all at Who We Are. There is still much to tell. Come, join us! Add your photo or name to those listed on the Who We Are Page by sending your memories and stories to me. Email Conjuncti Stamus John Wavra R20

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Revised: 03/28/24 23:11:14 -0500. Email Us Home

Choose a Link Help! I need a laugh!

Recommended.... Vietnam Books, Videos etc.

Remembering Comrades that did not Return Nona Graham Photo

Search this website

Choose a Link

Help! I need a laugh!

Recommended....

Vietnam Books, Videos etc.

Remembering

Comrades that did not Return

Nona Graham Photo