WWW.46THSFCA.ORG 46th Special Forces Company (Airborne) Association Thailand. Newsletter March 2014. To all our Members and Friends around the World. Click here to find us on Facebook GREETINGS FROM THE DESK OF: REED F. (CADILLAC) JOHNSON February started off with birthdays and memorials, on the 2nd for Reed’s Mom Leon, Brian’s Dad Dolf, also Chase Johnson’s birthday then Pranee’s Birthday on the 11th. We started planning our trip to Chiang Mai, canceled from January due to me having Pneumonia. Then I fell over again and that is the reason for the pictures of me with two shiners. The rumor that Pranee hit me is not true!! Also on Feb. 11th we attended the VFW Post 9876 Pattaya meeting and learned about the convention for the Pacific that will be held here. Feb. 21st we attended the meeting at SFA CH 3 BANGKOK where there were many guests of SOF troops from the states. Feb 23rd to 26th we were in Chiang Mai to deliver blankets and treats to the 360 children that we support in the Province. My beret is off to Pranee who drove the 1,200+ miles round trip. She now sees why I am always beat after that trip. 46THSFCA member, Dean Meyers from Pattaya provided the funds for all the treats for the 360 children. Feb. 28th was the last day for group travel bookings from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in our reunion in May. We have had no people sign up for the trip due to the travel advisory put out by the USA. I live here and have seen no problems any where here in Thailand. In March we are planning a trip to Lop Buri Province and visit our 5 schools. Also the Thai Airborne Association will have their yearly banquet in Lop Buri. We will also have the info on WOUNDED WARRIOR CRUISE V. In April we will visit our 11 schools in Buri Ram Province. Big news is that one of our big supporters Chase Johnson will enter the US ARMY. May & June we hope that we will be able to celebrate the 60TH Anniversary of SF in Thailand but as it stands right now it does not look good. Thank you for all your support Yours in Comradeship Reed F. (Cadillac) Johnson D2550L, USA SF MSG(R), CEO 46TH SFCA Life Member VFW Post 9430 Skyway WA. Life Member SFA CH 3 Bangkok Thailand Past VFW Dpt. Cdr. Panama Canal 1980-81 Feb 2 Birthday Feb 11 Birthday Feb 17 This is me with Eye after five days. I fell over again when my legs went and I took a header. The rumor that Pranee hit me is not true!! Feb 21 The crew at the SUBWAY SHOP in the lobby of CHARLIE PLACE HOTEL on SOI BUAKHAW PATTAYA with the Subs they supplied for the meeting at SFA CH 3 BANGKOK. The Manager of Subway is in the red top, Ms. KUNG. Members of SFA CH 3 BANGKOK with their guests from SOF units in the USA over for an upcoming military workout. Feb 23-26 Visiting Schools in Chiang Mai WAT PANG TERM SCHOOL This is the first school we started supporting 11 years ago. Pictured is teacher ATCHARA WORAHAN. Her father was the Principle and was retiring after 20 years at the school. He cried when he saw what we brought the children and said for 20 years they had nothing and now that he is leaving the children have lots of school supplies. All the children from Pre School to 6th grade a total of 80. When they finish 6th grade their schooling will be over because there are no other schools in the mountains. The little ones getting their blankets and treats first. A very happy little boy. The children enjoying the treats provided by 46THSFCA member, Dean Meyers from Pattaya. (Dean is a retired school teacher) On the left side are the student teachers and on the right are the permanent teachers. Here in the mountains the teachers live at the school Monday thru Friday and go down the Mountain on weekends. The teachers do not stay long and are always changing ATCHARA WORAHAN SCHOOL This School has 40 children at it was a separate school until 2 years ago and is now joined with the 1st School. It is about half an hour from them down the Mountain. Pranee passing out the blankets and treats. A very happy little girl. Happy children with their teachers. PAR TAN SCHOOL The principle, next to me is Chanya Pongmuengmak. She is the only Principle that speaks good English in our schools here. Her school only has 38 students and is getting smaller every year due to the poverty. People are leaving. One of the boys receiving his Blanket. The children with their teachers WAT BAN NOI SCHOOL The children after they received their blankets and treats. The principle Prasob Chokwattana in the dark red shirt is the best Principle in all the schools we support in Chiang Mai. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Members News Jerry Nelson 46th Member & Supporter invites you to follow his blog. Jerry is a resident of the northern city of Chiang Mai in Thailand. http://goog_1844169573/ http://www.jerrynelsonjournal.blogspot.com/ www.jerrynelsonphoto.com ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ed Booth has had more of the 46TH SFCA coins made with the correct colors. He is selling these for $8.00 each plus postage If you would like the new and improved coins contact Ed at [email protected] ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ US $850.00 FOR CHARITY: BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND/GOLD RING BAGUETTE DIAMOND CHANNEL SET RING WITH A DECLARED VALUE OF $1,100.00... DONATED TO 46THSFCA WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAMS YELLOW GOLD WITH APPROX. 65 CT TOTAL WEIGHT...I-J COLOR...I1-I2 CLARITY... ALL PROCEEDS (MINUS EBAY & PAYPAL FEES) GO TO 46THSFCA WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAMS FULL DETAILS HERE: http://www.ebay.com/itm/111281913001? TO DONATE TIME OR ANY TANGIBLES, CHECKOUT THE WEBSITE: www.46thsfca.org IT'S A GREAT CAUSE & ANY CONTRIBUTION WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Veterans Doing Amazing Shit This is the first part of a multi-part series. It isn't just our service that defines us, it's also what we continue to do after we take off the uniform. Many of us continue to do great things. Some of us do amazing shit. You see the light before you hear the boom, if you hear the boom at all. The violent reverberations as they rip through your body leave you shocked. In a split second your life could be inalterably changed. Are you able to fight? Are you hurt? Are your brothers still alive? These are just some of the thoughts that race through your mind. It was 2007, and 2LT Mark Little had just been hit by an EFP IED. Shouts of "Medic" were heard up and down the line, because everyone knew that LT had to be MEDEVAC'd immediately. 2LT Mark Little, lost both of his legs that day. More here: http://www.theinveterateveteran.com/blog-1/2014/2/17/veterans-doing-amazing-shit-mark-little ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ From: Joe Greene [email protected] : Member of 46th. SFCA Association: Date: February 24, 2014: Subject: Now in Thailand. Hello Guys: I arrived 'in country' on January 18th 2014. I am here on a one year. After a whirlwind tour of Isaan, I am now staying with my girlfriend at two different places... at her home in Udon Thani and at a long stay hotel in a small town near Nong Khai where she works as a supervisor for the Government School System. I have made side trips to Sakon Nakhon and Khon Kaen and over to Loei. While in Sakon Nakhon, with an American friend named Tom, I went to visit my old camp at Nam Phung Dam - home to B-4610 and A-4613 (my old A-Detachment) and two other A-Detachments. Sad to say that there is not much left of the old camp once called Camp Hunky or Honky. It seems after the camp was vacated by the last Americans stationed there it was turned over to the Thai Army. Over the years all the temporary American buildings were torn down and replaced with Thai Army structures and even those are very deteriorated. The camp is occupied by a small caretaker group of Thai Army personnel. There is training jump tower still standing - not in too bad shape. The 1200 ft. Airstrip built inside the camp is still there but mostly gone with only helicopter landing circles clearly visible to the naked eye. We also tried to find the location of the old SF Club in Sakon Nakhon but so much has changed nothing seemed to fit with what was in my mind's eye of memory. Speaking of change, as you may know Sakon Nakhon and Khon Kaen have grown tremendously, couple the general near exploding growth with the modernization and well - there is not much to see from 'back in the day'. I took photos of Camp Nam Phung Dam but not much is recognizable. However, I will be glad to send some to anyone who may wish to have them. I did find out quite by accident, that the last Americans to occupy Camp Nam Phung Dam was an Aviation outfit... a helicopter group that got transferred there when Vietnam was winding down. The Helicopter outfit was assigned as a support element to the 46thSFCA. They left there sometime in 1972 or there abouts. Anyway... At some point, I plan on getting down to the Chon Buri / Pattaya area to visit ..