M VETE A RA TN N E S I V

® Chapter 535 O incoming F A VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA AMERIC CHAPTER 535 In Service to America

Chapter 535 Web Page www.vva535.org "It Feels Good to Get Involved"

In Service To America and the Gold Country Volume 24 Issue 9 September 2014 President’s Message Jon R. Cavaiani We had a great run at our fair booth this month. A lot of veterans from all wars stopped by to talk and pick up Retired Sgt. Maj. Jon R. Cavaiani, age 70, a former prisoner informational materials. Some thought about joining our of war and recipient of the nation’s highest military award, chapter and took our business cards and applications. We died 29 JUL in Stanford, California. He spent much of his heard a lot of interesting stories and saw a few “Back In career at Fort Bragg, where he served with the 5th Special Nam” stares. The fair was a big success for our chapter. Forces Group. We gave out approximately 200 cards with our chapter information on them and many membership applications. We gave out about 300 copies of The Constitution. I thank all of you who stepped up to run the booth and a special “THANK YOU” to Catherine Ione Perkins from Friends Of Nevada County Military for running the booth alone on one night by herself. Be sure to attend the Sept. 4th VVA General Membership meeting at 6PM with VP Pete Burell. There will be a special thank you presentation to Fred and Margie Buhler for all their years of masterful service and leadership to our chapter. Sadly, I will be out of the area. Thank you Fred and Margie for all those years of service!

Dick Corn, President 277-8856

Contents Page Message from the President...... 1 Jon R. Cavaiani...... 1 Carry & Conceal Course...... 2 Five danderous Things in The Navy...... 2 Chapter Information...... 3 Membership Facts...... 3 Sgt. Maj. Jon R. Cavaiani

Upcoming Dates and Events...... 3 In 1971 as a platoon leader, Cavaiani was tasked with Chapter Birthdays...... 3 protecting a remote radio relay site along the demilitarized Normandy Then & Now...... 4 zone known as Hickory Hill when it came under attack VA Walk-ins...... 5 on 3 JUN according to his medal citation. In the midst of CA Vet Liscense Plates...... 6 an intense barrage of artillery and small-arms fire, Sgt. Maj. Beloved WWI Vets...... 6 Cavaiani helped organize an evacuation of 15 wounded Nam Doug Vietnam...... 7 men while also leading efforts to defend the small base as VVA Application Form...... 8 Cavaiani Continued on page 2 Cavaiani from page 1 instructor on Fort Bragg before holding numerous other posts within the Special Forces community while tally- it was overwhelmed by a much larger enemy force. Dis- ing more than 5,000 parachute jumps. His last Army job regarding his own safety, “he repeatedly exposed himself was as a chief instructor at the Army ROTC detachment to heavy enemy fire in order to move about the camp’s at the University of California, Davis. He retired during a perimeter directing the platoon’s fire and rallying the pla- ceremony on Fort Bragg in which he was hailed as a hero. toon in a desperate fight for survival.” When the time came At the time, he said he would retire to his 294-acre farm for his platoon to be evacuated, the soldier “unhesitatingly in central California, where he would grow peaches. “I’m volunteered” to stay behind to help direct helicopters to just a farm boy,” he said at the time. In 2011, he became rescue his team. The intense enemy fire forced Sgt. Maj. a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment Cavaiani and a small number of other troops to stay be- and was honored on Fort Bragg. In addition to the Medal hind, pitted against an overwhelming enemy force. He led of Honor and the Prisoner of War Medal, Sgt. Maj. Cavaiani the final defense of Hickory Hill and then provided cover also received the Legion of Valor, , Bronze fire while his remaining soldiers escaped. Alone, the soldier Star medal with valor and with oak leaf clus- played dead and avoided capture for 11 days, according to ters. officials. He was captured by North Vietnamese soldiers after trying to signal a U.S. helicopter and spent 661 days in captivity. Carry Concealed Weapons (CCW) “I saw two shadows on the rock and decided discretion Course Offered: was the better part of valor,” Cavaiani said at his retirement Dennis Fruzza on Fort Bragg in 1990. The Vietnamese who captured him was a little old man with a rifle who was probably shak- Carry Concealed Weap- ing harder than he was, Cavaiani said. But the American ons (CCW) courses are was wounded, burned and exhausted and could no longer being offered on August resist. He was released in March 1973, after spending much 9th, September 13th, of his confinement in a solitary cell. “I was not the most co- October 18th, November operative of prisoners,” he said. Cavaiani said receiving the 1st, and December 6th. did not make his life as a soldier any easier because it also left a burden to play the part of a model sol- Veterans and their dier. “You have to maintain, you know, the image,” he said. spouses are being offered the course at a half price of $50. oo each for the class and handgun qualifying. You must His death was announced by the Congressional Medal of show veteran ID or Legion membership to register. Honor Society. Officials on Fort Bragg said he had been battling illnesses associated with leukemia for some time. If interested, please contact fellow Legionnaire Gary Weber They said he died with his wife, Barbara, at his side. With at [email protected] for more information. his death, there are now 79 Medal of Honor recipients liv- ing today. Lt. Gen. Charles T. Cleveland, commander of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, said Sgt. Maj. Cavaiani exemplified the best in our Green Berets and inspired generations of soldiers. “A true American hero, Jon made time to teach, coach and mentor Special Forces soldiers “The Five Most Dangerous Things In of all grades,” Lt. Gen. Cleveland said. “He will be missed The US Navy” by all, particularly those of us who since Vietnam served with him, but he and his gallantry will never be forgotten. A Seaman saying “I learned this in Boot Camp...” The inheritors of his legacy, today’s Green Beret, will see to that.” A Petty Officer saying “Trust me, sir...”

Cavaiani retired from the Army in 1990 after 21 years of An Ensign saying “Based on my experience...” service. Born in Ireland and raised in England, he moved to the United States in 1953 and joined the Army a year A Lieutenant saying “I was just thinking...” before becoming a naturalized citizen. He volunteered for Special Forces and later served with Task Force 1 Advisory A Chief chuckling, “Watch this shit...” Element, Studies and Observations Group, an elite recon- naissance unit in Vietnam. He would later serve as an -2- Chapter 535 Information Center Chapter 535 Officers & Board of Directors

Officers-Phone President Dick Corn ...... 277-8856 Vice-President Pete Burelle ...... 274-3787 Secretary Dave Johnson...... 885-1230 Treasurer Ralph Remick...... 559-7716 Past President Fred Buhler ...... 265-4878

Directors Ric Sheridan [email protected]...... 274-1413 Dan Davis...... 272-4110 Dave Chaix...... 269-1431 Bill Holman [email protected]...... 265-8387 Kent Hawley…………………………………………….. 432-3551 Bart Ruud...... 823-1368 Dale Epps...... 368-6156 Harold Graves...... 470-8507 CA State Council Delegates Pete Burelle

Chapter 535 Committees Chairs The Vinh Son Orphanage, has a new web site Finance...... Ralph Remick & Dave Johnson Parade and Honor Guard...... Pete Burelle www.friendsofvso.org Membership Affairs...... Vacant Newsletter.... [email protected], 265-8387 Bill Holman Nominations...... Harold Graves Membership Facts Chapter 535 Christmas Year Round...... Harold Graves VVA NCCVC...... Margie Buhler Individual members 33 M VETE Web Master...... Ralph Remick Life members 39 A R N A AVVA T N

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Nevada County Veterans Affairs Rep. Individual members 1 V

Eric...... (530) 273-3396 ® Life member 2 O F A C Total 75 AMERI September Birthdays

9 1 Sheridan, Ric 9 2 Luchini, Ronald 9 3 Joe Alietti Upcoming Dates and Events 9 10 Frazier, Glenn 9 12 Reeves, Thomas Sept. 4 Chapter Meeting 6 pm 9 16 Dave Johnson 9 25 Reber, Jim Spet. 14 Constitution Day Parade 9 29 Hawley, Kent

- 3 - Veterans Directory Newsletter Submissions Congress Senate - Veterans Affairs Committee...... 202-224-9126 Please ensure that submissions for the newsletter reach us House - Veterans Affairs Committee...... 202-225-3527 no-later-than the 15th of the month before the meeting. Department of Veterans Affairs They may be mailed to: Board of Veterans Appeals...... 202-233-3001 Central Office...... 202-233-4000 VVA Chapter 535 Freedom of Information/Privacy Act...... 202-233-3616 Attn: Newsletter Editor Personnel Locator...... 202-233-4000 18455 Augustine Rd, Nevada City, CA 95959 Public Information...... 202-233-3056 Veterans Health Administration...... 202-535-7010 e-mail to [email protected] or VA Telephone Care Program...... 800-733-0502 call Bill Holman at (530) 265-8387 Cemetery, Burial, & Headstone Info...... 800-697-6947 Agencies The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not neces- Department of Defense...... 703-545-6700 sarily the views of Vietnam Veterans of America National, DEERS Information (California)...... 800-334-4162 State Council, or Chapter 535 or the newsletter editor, but CHAMPUS (California)...... 800-741-5048 those of the author of the comments. Office of Management and Budget Veterans Affairs..202-395-4500 Small Business Administration Office of Veterans Vietnam Veterans of America Chapters are hereby given Affairs...... 202-205-6773 permission to reproduce any locally produced articles Locator & Reunion Services published in this newsletter. Permission to reprint any- Army Worldwide Locator...... 317-542-4211 thing else must come from the original source. Navy Times Locator Services...... 703-750-8636 Service Reunions...... 703-998-7035 Has Your Address Changed? Vietnam Veterans Locator...... 319-388-9023 Veteran’s Locator Service...... 800-449-VETS Please let us know before the Post office quits forwarding your newsletters. If you find your not receiving your news- Miscellaneous Vietnam Women’s Memorial Project...... 202-328-7253 letter’s or hearing from us, please contact Bill Holman at Sons & Daughters In Touch CA...... 805-872-4035 265-8387. Retired Pay - Cleveland DFAS...... 800-321-1080 Navy Lodging...... 800-NAVY INN Army Lodging...... 800-GO ARMY

Normandy Then & Now - Omaha Beach near Colleville sur Mer

June 6, 1944: Members of an American landing party assist troops whose landing craft was sunk by enemy fire off Omaha beach, near Colleville sur Mer, France on June 6, 1944. At the same location on August 22, 2013 A tourist carries a bucket and spade to her child on the same section of beach. -4- VA Walk-ins and walked around the lobby to ease his pain in his lower Wait Time back, shoulders and neck.

Anyone whose wait at the doctor’s office had them be- At 4 p.m. workers started leaving the clinic but Duck was lieving they had been forgotten will be able to relate to told twice people working the back offices knew he was what retired U.S. Marine Jeffrey Duck says happened to there, he said. After the place seemed empty, Duck said he him at a Orange City Florida Veterans Affairs clinic. Duck, could still hear voices and people moving the back offices, 53, patiently sat for three hours before realizing he might so he thought it would be just a matter of time before be the only one left at the Orange City VA clinic. Duck did someone attended to him. not have an appointment when he walked into the clinic about 1 p.m. on 21 JUL to have his pain medication pre- The last human movement he saw was a blond woman scription refilled. “I expected to have to wait you know, leaving with only caught a glimpse of the back of her head. because everybody else has got an appointment so it is After that everything was quiet and he slowly realized fair that they get seen first,” Duck said while sitting in his he had been forgotten and left alone at the closed clinic. Deltona home Wednesday. “I figured it would be a while.” A So he pulled out his phone and started videotaping his while turned into hours. Duck watched as workers started experience, he said. “I said I am the last person here and I leaving for the day and was told people in the back knew better record this because I didn’t want to get arrested for he was in the lobby waiting. being at the VA, so I wanted to show I am here and not like breaking in or something like that,” Duck said. As he moved around videotaping, the alarm sounded and he called 9-1-1, he said. “I want to report that I apparently got left in a VA medical facility and the alarm has been going off,” Duck told a dispatcher in the 9-1-1 call. “I assume I have been left here all alone and the police are coming.”

Duck — who during a visit at his home Wednesday was wearing a Marine polo, has his honorable discharge paper displayed on a wall and a Marine Corps license plate on his vehicle — is a patriotic veteran. His fervor got him in trouble a few years back when pulled down a neighbor’s flag because it was flying upside down. He burned the flag because he felt the way it was displayed was disrespectful to veterans. He was charged with petty theft and criminal mischief but the 2010 charges were dropped after he ful- filled the conditions of a pretrial agreement. Duck said he wants to see veterans get better care, respect and service at VA clinics, so he called the media after making the 9-1-1 call because of the problems plaguing the Veterans Health Administration. “Sincerely I didn’t think it would be a bad Jeffrey Duck idea to bring attention to this,” Duck said. “If you want something fixed, you got to keep it in the news.” Duck said after realizing that he had been forgotten and left sitting in the lobby of the clinic, all the news of a “bro- The incident prompted the VA to issue an apology to ken VA system” came to his mind. His ordeal started shortly Duck. Michael Strickler, spokesman for the Veterans Health after arriving at the Orange City clinic Monday afternoon. Administration in Orlando, said the agency apologized to Duck was seen by a nurse at 1:30 p.m. and then told to go Duck. Strickler provided a statement to the newspaper. back to the lobby and wait to hear about his prescription. “We want to apologize to Mr. Duck for his experience Then at 3 p.m. he realized it was taking longer than he yesterday (Monday) at the Orange City VA Community expected, so he talked to a front desk person and was told Based Outpatient Clinic,” the statement said. “The Orange that walk-ins take longer than those with appointments. City VA’s Chief Medical Officer reached out to Mr. Duck to The front desk attendant spoke to someone in the back assist him with his health care needs. We are looking at our of the office. “So I knew that they were aware that I was closing procedures and will make changes to ensure that there,” Duck said. As he waited, Duck said his pain level this does not happen again.” increased and since he had only three pills left, he held off taking them until he got his prescription filled. He got up -5- CA Vet License Plates America’s Most Beloved Vets-World Sales Low Production Uncertain War I

California veterans were quick to voice their disappoint- ment when the state’s VETERAN license plate was re- placed by an HONORING VETERANS version that ap- pealed to family and friends of veterans. A bill, sponsored by the County Veterans Service Officers and the California State Commanders Veterans Council and signed by the Governor authorized the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to recreate the specialty plate. The law requires Alvin York Bill “Bojangles”Robinson Billy Mitchell Buster Keaton CalVet to collect and hold pre-paid VETERAN license plate applications until 7,500 are received before DMV will actually produce the plate. CalVet has until the end of n Claiming “don’t want to fight” when drafted, Avin York this year to accomplish that task. Once that threshold is received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a crossed, DMV will produce the plates and take responsibil- German machine gun nest, taking 32 machine guns, ity for processing future applications. That same “hold and killing 28 German soldiers, and capturing 132 others. wait” process applies to all new specialty license plates in California. As of June 30, CalVet had received fewer than n The black tap dancer and actor s Bill Robinson served 200 of the 7,500 hundred applications needed by year’s as a rifleman and drum major for the 369th Infantry end for plate to be produced. Unless sales skyrocket in the Regiment, nicknamed the “Harlem Hellfighters.” next six months and the threshold number is reached, the VETERAN plates will not be produced, and the money sent n The father of the Air Force and namesake of the B-25 to CalVet to reserve plates will be refunded to those who Billy Mitchell led one of the first coordinated air- paid. HONORING VETERANS plates will still be available. ground offensives at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel.

n The vaudeville and film star Buster Keaton served in France with the 40th Division, entertaining troops as one of the Sunshine Players.

Both VETERAN and HONORING VETERANS plates can be personalized and can be customized with the distinctive military branch or veterans service organization logo of choice. Proceeds from the sale of these plates help sup- port efforts of the California Department of Veterans Af- fairs and 56 county veteran service offices to connect vet- erans and their families with the benefits they’ve earned through military service. The veteran license plate program is a partnership between the California Department of Vet- erans Affairs, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Association of County Veterans Ser- vices Officers, Inc. To purchase either of the two specialty plates, go to http://www.calvet.ca.gov/ VetServices/Pages/ License-Plates. aspx . You may also call CalVet at (877) 741-8532 (toll free) to request that a specialty license plate application be mailed to you. Source: CALVET Newsletter

-6- Nam Dong Vietnam

In 1964, Roger Donlon, a 30-year-old Special Forces soldier, was sent into the thick of the jungle in Vietnam. It was his first deployment, but he and the 11 soldiers on the team he was leading had been well-trained and well-prepared. The soldiers were sent in as advisors to the South Vietnamese. Their job was to train and equip them to fight off the Viet Cong. The men were excited, as young men are when they travel to a new country, a new culture, and they were filled with hope that they were going to be able to help people help themselves, the now-80-year-old said. They knew the risks: they could be killed, or, perhaps worse, be captured and taken as prisoners of war. “We all vowed to each other we would fight until the end,” he said. Roger Donlon, Julian Olejniczak and Thurman Brown hold a photo of their Army Special Forces team taken in Vietnam in 1964. On July 6, just six weeks after the team arrived, they faced that test. In the cover of night, about 800 or 900 Viet Cong rows.” After receiving that award, he wasn’t supposed to ambushed the camp at Nam Dong about 30 miles west of be sent back to the same In late June, with the 50th an- Da Nang. The team was far-outnumbered with half or more niversary of the battle near, Donlon, who lives in , of the 300 South Vietnamese they were working alongside and three surviving members of his team were honored at turning to fight against them. Even though the odds were the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)’s annual dinner. stacked against them, the men of the 7th Special Forces Before the dinner, he said everyone carries wounds of war, Group hunkered down to fight. They rescued their ammu- some visible, some not. He hopes sharing his story will nition from a blazing building and began to take positions help some of today’s soldiers’ fight off discouragement. around the camp. Donlon dashed to the main gate, shoot- “You get discouraged when you see things go awry, you ing down the men who were trying to use explosives to think you are preparing people to defend their own coun- blast their way through. Many men were wounded in the try and then they don’t,” he said. “Some people want help initial onslaught of heavy gunfire, and some don’t. You just have to keep doing your job and falling grenades and exploding mortar shells. Despite a being the best at it.” severe stomach wound and being shot in the shoulder,

Donlan continued fighting and working to evacuate the The 7th Group named their headquarters building at their injured men. compound near Crestview after Donlon — “a complete

surprise,” he said — and other locations after the men They had lost radio contact and so Donlon moved from who fell in the battle. He believes that’s a step in the right position to position, hurling hand grenades as he went. “I direction of honoring their memories. “Now the next was reassuring each member of the team that we were generation will ask who was John Houston, who was ‘Pop’ still a fighting force,” he said. They began to take casualties. Alamo?” he said. “And then they will think about the great Sgt. John Houston was killed and Master Sgt. Gabriel ‘Pop’ accomplishments these men made and will want to be bet- Alamo died in Donlon’s arms. Australian Warrant Officer ter people and better soldiers as they continue to shoulder Kevin Conway, who was also at the camp, became the first the responsibilities of defending our great country.” soldier from his country to be killed in action. “It was hard for me to inform them of the causalities we took, but I felt it was important for them to know their teammates had died for the sake of their brothers,” he said. “When that happens you have a renewed strength; it’s almost impos- sible to describe.” In the light of day, after five long hours of battle, the team was victorious. They had held onto the camp. For his work inspiring his men to “superhuman effort,” Donlon received the first Medal of Honor of the .

But, he wouldn’t be the same. “Pop died in my arms,” he Y said. “When that happens you make a silent vow that if you OU AR TEN live, you’ll conduct the rest of your life in ways that bring E NOT FORGOT respect and honor to their lives. They gave all their tomor- -7- M VETE A R N A

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