COMPANY COMMANDERS AND UNIT STAFF:
Jerry R. Curry, 1965–66
XO – Bill Schmale (Unit Historian)
Ops Off – Dick Quigley
Asst Opns Off – Melvin Davis
Acft Maint/Supply Off – "Jay" Weight
Acft Repair Tech – Don Behny
CSM – Carol Simpson (from J.R. Curry notes)
1st Sgt – Felix Alston
231st Sig Det – Bob Covino1st Plt Ldr – Bill Everett
Sec Ldr – Stuart "Stu" Miller2nd Plt Ldr – Dave Rogers
Sec Ldr – Robert Richards
Sec Ldr – Charles "Woody" Woodhurst3rd Plt Ldr – Bob Chancellor
Sec Ldr – William “Bill” AmbergerPlt Sgt – Dominick CarecciaSec Ldr – Michael Pepe4th Plt detached to Saigon, eventually became part (5th Plat) of the 219th Aviation Company
Sec Ldr – Robert (Henry) Teer
Complier Note: MAJ Curry was reassigned as the S–2 with the new 1st Aviation Brigade on 1 Mar 1966.
Bill Schmale, 1966 (KIA 2nd tour):
XO – “Jay” Weight / Gene Wilson
Opns Off – Dick Quigley / Walter “Chico” Fernandez
Asst Opns Off – Bob Jordan / Joe Davis
Acft Maint/Supply Off – Bill Everett / Tom Murray / Lem Brinkley
Acft Repair Tech – Joe Hamm
1st Sgt – Joe Morrell
Flight Surgeon – Duane Glatz, 134th Medical Detachment (also served the 131st Avn Co)
231st Sig Det – Toby Decker1st Plt Ldr – Charles Evans / Dave Antonopolis / Bob Garth (KIA) / Dave Antonopolis
2nd Plt Ldr – Jerry Willis / Palmer HainesPlt Sgt – Thomas Long3rd Plt Ldr – Ben Hartman / Jim CarlinPlt Sgt – Roger Putnam
Compiler's Note: Bill extended to get command of the Company. Between RVN tours we visited together when he was XO of 18th Avn Bn in Hanau (V Corps) and I was XO of the 16th Avn Bn in Nellingen (VII Corps) in Germany. He was working on a new MTO&E for an O–1 Company at that time.
Bob Dunne, 1966–67:
XO – George Woods
Opns Off – Gene Wilson
Asst Opns – Walter "Chico" Fernandez
Acft Maint/Supply Off – Lem Brinkley / Jim Carlin
Acft Repair Tech – Joe Hamm
231st Sig Det – Toby Decker1st Plt Ldr – Dave Antonopolis / Aubrey Lockett
2nd Plt Ldr – Palmer Haines / Dick Tobiason
3rd Plt Ldr – Jim Carlin / John SutherlandPlt Sgt – Roger Putnam4th Plt Ldr – Bill Grimsley
Compiler's Note: Bob came to us from the Hq 223rd Avn Bn where he had been the S4. He was an "older" Major – one of six who “lobbied” for the Company.
Courtney Smith, 1967:
XO – George Woods
Opns Off – Gene Wilson / John Sutherland
Asst Opns – Walter "Chico" Fernandez / Larry Deibert
Acft Maint/Supply Off – Jim Carlin / Lloyd Morgan Acft Maint Tech – (?)
231st Sig Det – Toby Decker1st Plt Ldr – Aubrey Lockett
2nd Plt Ldr – Dick Tobiason
3rd Plt Ldr – John Sutherland / Nate Stackhouse
4th Plt Ldr – Bill Grimsley / "Bob" Freck / Larry Diebert
Compiler's Note: Courtney came to us from DaNang/Marble Mountain where he had been a Plt Ldr in the 18th Avn “Otter” Company.
George Woods, 1967:
XO – Gary Clark
Opns Officer – John Sutherland
Compiler's Note: George extended his tour for four months to get the Company; however, DA already had him "tagged" as the USMA Avn Detachment Commander at Stewart AFB — so he got only two months in command of the 220th. He had a group of us in the 1971—72 CGSC together at Ft. Leavenworth, where he was an instructor at that time. He is a USMA 1956 graduate.
Gary Clark, 1967–68:
Opns Officer – John Sutherland
Asst Opns Off – Walter Coffman (Unit Historian)
Acft Maint/Supply Officer – Ken Trent
1st Sgt – Dominick Careccia (2nd tour with 220th)
Compiler's Note: Ken Trent, who moved from the 2nd Platoon in Hue to Hq as the Supply Officer, has told me that Gary was quite a banjo player. Ken played the guitar and they hit a lot of hot licks together at Phu Bai. Ken wrote at least the first few verses to the "Cat Killer Theme Song" sung to the tune of the Wabash Cannonball in late 1966/early 1967.
Millard Pedersen, 1968:
XO – Jim Wisby
Jim “Gee” Wisby, 1968–69:
XO – Russ Blanchard (Deceased)
1st Sgt Stuart (?) Epling
Opns Off –
Asst Opns –
Acft Maint/Supply Off –
Acft Maint Tech –
231st Sig Det – Eric Teets1st Plat Cdr –Sarge Means
2nd Plat Cdr –
3rd Plat Cdr –
4th Plat Cdr –
Compiler's Note: Know only what I have heard and read about "Gee". He served in the 219th Aviation Company during his 1st tour in RVN.
Ed Miler, 1969:
XO – Russ Blanchard (Deceased) / Bob Joles
Asst Opns Off – Glenn Strange (Unit Historian)
1st Sgt Stuart (?) Epling1st Plat Cdr –Sarge Means
2nd Plat Cdr –
3rd Plat Cdr –Paul Brennan
4th Plat Cdr –
Compiler's Note: I have been in communication with Ed since I got a copy of the booklet that he put together for his children and grandchildren.
Raymond G. "Gene" Gebhardt, 1969–70 (Deceased):
XO – Bob Joles
Opns Off – Paul Brennan
Asst Opns –
Acft Maint/Supply Off –
Acft Maint Tech –1st Plat Cmdr –Jack Bentley, Pete Blevins
2nd Plat Cmdr –
3rd Plat Cmdr –
4th Plat Cmdr – Stephen A. Grass [OERs show duty assignment as Platoon Commander (Cdr)]
Compiler's Note: I talked with him when he was CO and I was Btry Cdr, C/2/20th ARA in 1969–70 in Quan Loi. I also talked with Frank Newman, an old friend, who was CO of the 131st Avn Co at that time about a week before he was KIA near Phu Bai. Brief conversations—just checking up on how things were in Phu Bai. Gene also informed me of the unit award of the PUC (Navy) that he had just received.
John Stokes, 1970:
XO – David K. Latimer
1SGT Donald Kunimura
Opns Off – Paul Brennan
Asst Opns –
Acft Maint/Supply Off –
Acft Maint Tech –
( ? ) Warren Taylor (Unit historian)1st Plat Cdr –Pete Blevins
2nd Plat Cdr –
3rd Plat Cdr –
4th Plat Cdr –
Compiler's Note: I have located and talked with John in Frisco, CO. He was assigned as XO of the 212th CSAB in Da Nang after his command of the 220th.
Jack Guinn, 1970–71:
XO – Dennis O'Connor
Acft Maint Officer – Bill Dortch
Darryl Johnson, 1971:
XO – Chuck Goodrum
Opns Officer – Randy Jones
Acft Maint Officer – Paul Garin
4th Plt Ldr – Harold Bordeaux
Harold Bordeaux, 1971:
4th Plt Ldr in March at Phu Bai and Khe Sanh during Lam San 719
Company Commander during 9 May – 23 May
Assigned to 11th Aviation Group in Da Nang
Med–evaced at six months during this second tour
David Sapp, 1971:
XO – Chuck Goodrum
Opns Off – Thomas Shaver
Supply Off – Larry Vanhorn
1st Sgt – Pedro Toves1st Flt Cdr – Randy Jones
DETACHED INFORMATION:
I can’t connect all of these names with any particular CO, but maybe someone can:
* Personal contact established
XOs (from the Catkiller Roster):
Pete Blevins, 1969–70
Bob Joles, 1969–70
*Dennis O’Connor, 1970–71 (2nd tour – 1st tour with 2nd Plt at Hue/Citadel and 4th Plt at Dong Ha during 1967 – have talked with him recently)
Richard Sowder, 1970–71
Chuck Goodrum, 1971 (2nd tour – was 36 during 1968–69)
Opns Officers (from the Catkiller Roster):
John Mulvany, 1967–68 (Deceased)
Bob LaFerriere, Asst Opns 1968
Quinton “Andy” Anderson, 1968–69
Grayson Davis, 1968–69
Paul Brennan, 1969–70
John Hillman, 1969–70
Jerry DiGrezio, 1970–71
*Al Paulson, 1970–71
Randy Jones, 1971
Thomas Shaver, 1971
1st Plt Ldr (16) [Quang Ngai]:
Bill Everett, 1965–66
Charles Evans, 1966
Dave Antonopolos, 1966
Bob Garth, 1966 (KIA)
Dave Antonopolos, 1966
Aubrey Lockett, 1966–67
1st Plt Ldr (16) [DMZ / Tally Ho]:
John Mulvany, 1967–68 (Deceased)
*Gary O’Shields, 1968 (Corrected on phone call from Gary)
John “Bear” Kovach, 1968
Ned Wilson, 1968–69
Sargeant Means, 1968–69
Jack Bentley, 1969
Pete Blevins,1969–70
Charlie Finch, (1969–70 ?)
Andy Bergren, 1970–71
Louis Brezinski, 1970–71
*Dick Wolfe, 1970–71
Randy Jones, 1971
John Niemi, 1971
Andy Rengen, 1971
2nd Plt Ldr (26):
Dave Rogers 1965–66
Jerry Willis, 1966
Palmer Haines, 1966 Dick Tobiason, 1966–67 (WIA in Hue)
Dennis O’Connor (?)
John Herring, 1968–69
Bill Faulkner, ( ? )
Gary Miller, ( ? )
Louis “Buzz” Treathan, 1970
Kenneth Wiley, 1970–71
3rd Plt Ldr (36):
Bob Chancellor, 1965–66
Ben Hartman, 1966 (KIA on 2nd tour)
Jim Carlin, 1966–67
John Sutherland, 1967
Nate Stackhouse, 1967–68
(?) Feltner, 1968–69 (from J. Smith in Historical Index)
Chuck Goodrum, 1968–69
Paul Brennan, 1969–70
Daryl Wesley, 1969–70
Thomas "T.C." Clark, 1970–71
Tom Daly, 1970–71
4th PLt Ldr (46):
Bill Grimsley, 1967 (brought the Platoon home from Pleiku)
Larry (?) "Bob" Freck, 1967 (from John Holihan)
*Larry Diebert, 1967–68 (Initially with 1st Plt at Quang Ngai)
Mike Sharkey, 1968–69 (from "J S") – ( ? ) from Hooper’s book
John Beatty, 1970–71
John Hillman, 1970–71
CLOSING:
Can we pull our memories together and get some help in naming the rest of the platoon members (Pilots, Platoon Sergeants, Crew Chiefs) and the Company HQ, XO, 1st Sgt, Operations, Maintenance, Flight Line, et al, positions during each year or era?
COMPILER:
Gene Wilson
Tel: (253) 582–9249
Email: dew1952@comcast.net
Snail Mail: 7620 – 98th Avenue SW, Lakewood, WA 98498–3271
EDITOR’S NOTE: For personal security, this page has ben set to NOINDEX, NOFOLLOW to prohibit compliant internet robots from indexing this page.
Typical letter sent to relatives, from the commander, upon assignment to 220th RAC (courtesy of Johnny Moore, deceased):
220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company
212th Combat Support Aviation Battalion
APO 96308
2 Nov 1968
Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Turnbow Jr.
Box 171
Leachville, Ark. 72438
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Turnbow:
Your son, Jim, was assigned to my unit...on 1 November 1968. The company is located at Phu Bai, in the northern part of the Republic of Vietnam. Collocated in this part of the area are elements of the 101st Div, 1st ARVN Div, US Marines, Navy, and Air Force.
The 220th RAC utilizes the O-1 "Birddog," a light, single-engine, reconnaissance aircraft. This unit has been in Vietnam since June 1965, and is known throughout Vietnam as the "Catkillers." We support the XXIV Corps in their area of operation by providing day and night visual reconnaissance.
While your son is with this unit, be assured that he will have available the best food, clothing, and medical care the Army can provide.
If you ever have any questions or require my assistance, please feel free to write me at this address:
Commanding Officer
220th... [RAC]
APO San Francisco 96308
[signed]
James M. Wisby
Major, Infantry
Commanding
