Tag: Vietnam Veterans

2021 Reunion Fort Leonard Wood Cancelled

Fort Leonard Wood has cancelled all activities due to Covid-19.  Unfortunately this includes our reunion which was scheduled for later this month.

If you have made reservations with the Hampton Inn located at 103 St. Roberts Plaza, Saint Robert Plaza, Saint Robert, MO.  65584, telephone (573) 336-3355 you should call and cancel those reservations. If you made other travel/hotel reservations you should cancel those as well.

If you have paid for the planned dinner, Warren will be returning your check.  If you paid for your dues and dinner on the same check, Warren will deposit those checks and will send you a refund check for the dinner only.

As it stands now, it is almost impossible to find another location and another restaurant to get a reunion together for this year.  We have heard a few suggestions for the next reunion.  It has been suggested that we hold the reunion in the springtime in or near the Atlantic or Gulf coastal areas of the southeastern states; other suggestions are welcome.

Please forward this information to anyone you are in contact with to ensure the information is communicated as widely as possible.

Phil Douglas, 2021 Association Director

31st Engineer Battalion 2019 Reunion Boston

Rekindle the bond of brotherhood at the 2019 31st Engineer Battalion Association reunion in Boston, MA!

6541124455_e2cb2f20d6_oThe original invitation appears below with a new phone number for calling the hotel directly (the original number provided did not work.) The reunion is only three months away and will be here before you know it. Make your reservations now!

Hope to see you all in Boston!

31st-crest-100-gray

31st Engineer Battalion Association Reunion Danvers, Massachusetts
October 3-6, 2019

The Veterans of the 31st Engineer Battalion Association Cordially invite you and yours to gather and rekindle the bond of brotherhood, share stories of our service together and enjoy the attractions and spectacular beauty of Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding area. Boston (as in Boston Tea Party), Lexington and Concord (The Shot Heard Around the World) are where the whole American Revolution started in 1775. Come and visit the birthplace of our nation!
This represents a change from our original venue for the 2019 reunion which was to have been Williamsburg, Virginia. The unexpected passing of our fellow 31st EBN veteran Harley Brinkley, who was heading up the planning for Williamsburg, made it necessary to change to our #2 most popular choice, which was Boston.

LOCATION: Double Tree by Hilton Boston North Shore, 50 Ferncroft Rd, Danvers, Massachusetts 01823.
AMENITIES: Free parking, free WiFi, 32-inch TV with HBO and on-demand movies, free area shuttle (within a 5-mile radius). Hotel restaurants (Tradewinds & Tradewinds Lounge). Indoor pool, and the Atlantis Sports Club 24 hour fitness center.
AREA ATTRACTIONS: Besides being in the Boston metropolitan area, there are many local attractions close to the hotel.
 The Ferncroft Country Club and 18 hole Golf Course.
 CoCo Key Water Park.
 Alfalfa Farm, a historic farm that mixes New England charm with the best wine
making technology.
 Village of Salem, with its history of ghosts, goblins and witches, plus the Peabody
Essex Museum.
 The town of Gloucester.
 Boston, Lexington and Concord. (Trips will be organized to both of these
venues).
Visit the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau website www.bostonusa.com for tourist information.

ACCOMMODATIONS: A block of 70 rooms are reserved with a cutoff date of Tuesday, 3 September 2019 for individual reservations. You can reserve a King or Double Queen bed for $139.00 plus 11.7% tax. A 15% discount at the Tradewinds in- house restaurant will be honored for the period 3 October through 6 October (alcoholic beverages not included). Rates are available 3 days prior and 3 days after the Reunion dates.
RSVP: Make room reservations as soon as possible, but not later than 3 September 2019, by calling the hotel directly at (978) 777-2500. (Explain that you are with the 31st Engineer Battalion Reunion).
TENTATIVE AGENDA: To be supplied at a later date.
BATTALION WEBSITE: 31stengineerbattalion.com is ready for viewing, get updates on the reunion and past photos and postings. Webmaster – June Robbins, (941) 348-5925 junekeywest@yahoo.com. Please get to know the site and contribute information/photos if you wish.
POINTS OF CONTACT: Wilson (Louis) Brown, Director, (508) 294-5869, wilsonbrown46@yahoo.com ; Warren Dubois, Treasurer, (573) 729-8157, dubois@embargmail.com

Invitation to the 2019 Boston Reunion of the 31st Engineer Battalion Association

Official announcement of the 31st Engineer Battalion Association Reunion in Danvers, Massachusetts October 3-6, 2019

The Veterans of the 31st Engineer Battalion Association cordially invite you and yours to gather and rekindle the bond of brotherhood, share stories of our service together and enjoy the attractions and spectacular beauty of Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding area.

Boston (as in Boston Tea Party), Lexington and Concord (The Shot Heard Around the World) are where the whole American Revolution started in 1775. Come and visit the birthplace of our nation!

This represents a change from our original venue for the 2019 reunion, which was to have been Williamsburg, Virginia. The unexpected passing of our fellow 31st EBN veteran Harley Brinkley, who was heading up the planning for Williamsburg, made it necessary to change to our #2 most popular choice, which was Boston.

LOCATION: Double Tree by Hilton Boston North Shore, 50 Ferncroft Rd, Danvers, Massachusetts 01823.

AMENITIES: Free parking, free WiFi, 32-inch TV with HBO and on-demand movies, free area shuttle (within a 5-mile radius). Hotel restaurants (Tradewinds & Tradewinds Lounge). Indoor pool, and the Atlantis Sports Club 24 hour fitness center.

AREA ATTRACTIONS: Besides being in the Boston metropolitan area, there are many local attractions close to the hotel.

 The Ferncroft Country Club and 18 hole Golf Course.

 CoCo Key Water Park.

 Alfalfa Farm, a historic farm that mixes New England charm with the best wine making technology.

 Village of Salem, with its history of ghosts, goblins and witches, plus the Peabody Essex Museum.

 The town of Gloucester.

 Boston, Lexington and Concord.

(Trips will be organized to both of these venues). Visit the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau website www.bostonusa.com for tourist information. 2

ACCOMMODATIONS: A block of 70 rooms are reserved with a cutoff date of Tuesday, 3 September 2019 for individual reservations. You can reserve a King or Double Queen bed for $139.00 plus 11.7% tax. A 15% discount at the Tradewinds inhouse restaurant will be honored for the period 3 October through 6 October (alcoholic beverages not included). Rates are available 3 days prior and 3 days after the Reunion dates.

RSVP: Make room reservations as soon as possible, but not later than 3 September 2019, by calling (800) 222-8733. (Explain that you are with the 31st Engineer Battalion Reunion).

TENTATIVE AGENDA: To be supplied at a later date.

BATTALION WEBSITE: 31stengineerbattalion.com is ready for viewing, get updates on the reunion and past photos and postings. Webmaster – June Robbins, (941) 348-4925 junekeywest@yahoo.com. Please get to know the site and contribute information/photos if you wish.

POINTS OF CONTACT: Wilson (Louis) Brown, Director, (508) 294-5869, wilsonbrown46@yahoo.com ; Warren Dubois, Treasurer, (573) 729-8157, dubois@embarqmail.com.

Charlie Company’s Action in Cambodia Earned Citation For Valor

Submitted by John Lough, in honor of all those Engineers who served and supported the Cambodian mission from headquarters to the front line.
The Cambodian Incursion in May and June 1970 was one of the largest combat operations of the Vietnam War. President Nixon sent 32,000 soldiers, including engineers of the 20th Brigade.
 

engineers-clear-bridge-cambodia-john-lough
Engineers prepare explosives to clear the twisted wreckage of a blown bridge, Cambodia 1970

Twenty six men of Company C 31st Combat Engineer Battalion became the first engineers to reach Cambodian soil on May 5th.  A bridge destroyed by a stunned and retreating enemy kept the 11th Armored Cav. from encircling the enemy sanctuary. After combat assaulting with the 11th ACR into the dense jungle, they were able to clear the mangled bridge away.

engineers-thrust-into-cambodia-j-lough
Army engineers work on a bridge in Cambodia, 1970

The first of a three bridge section assembled in Quan Loi by the 79th Engineer Company was brought in by Sky Crane to be wrestled into position by Charlie Company Engineers.

While the road to Memot was inching its way forward, other engineers including Charlie Company were building their way to Snoul chasing the NVA back toward their headquarters. Then the word was received that “The City” had been found. Company C 31st Engineer Bn and 557th Engineers were dispatched to begin ripping a trail while under enemy fire to “The City” and “Rock Island East” then began removing tons and tons of NVA supplies, destroying what was left.

1970 Cambodia, 31st Engineer Battalion
1970 Cambodia, 31st Engineer Battalion

Many Engineers were killed or wounded during this operation. For their action, Charlie Company 31st Combat Engineers was awarded a Citation for Valor.

Editor’s note:

John Lough served with the 31st Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Army) and was wounded during the Cambodian Incursion in 1970. He is a Purple Heart recipient.

If you served with the 31st Engineer Battalion and have an experience to you’d like to share, please email the editor. Thank you.

Submitted stories are not verified for historical accuracy; they are personal accounts as told by those who experienced them. Comments are welcome.

 

 

2017 Reunion Message from Association Director Leo Farias

Fellow Vets/Association Members,

In mid-October I provided the Initial Notice for 31st Engineer Battalion 2017 Reunion which was a heads-up on our next reunion to be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 5-8 October 2017. My main goal then was to give you the opportunity to start your planning early and to give you the information needed to make your reservations at the reunion site, the Hotel Elegante Conference and Event Center.  Some of you have already made your reservations…that is appreciated.  Please note in the Invitation details that you must make your room reservations NLT 18 August 2017 in order to obtain the group rate(s).
For your information and planning I’ve included a three-page invitation package which consists of:  1) The Invitation; 2) the Draft Agenda; and 3) Additional Information supplementary to the Invitation and the Agenda.  Soon I will be contacting some of you, unless you volunteer first, to help plan/coordinate/perhaps oversee any of the following:  Registration, Hospitality Room operation, the proposed Friday evening Dinner Group outing, the Banquet, etc.  Charles Bruckerhoff will again be doing Group Photos.  The Agenda is a draft, so please study it carefully.  If you have any suggestions, ideas to improve our reunion, or any questions, let me know.
In mid-October I had several Mail Delivery Failures and have deleted the following from this group send:  Don Fleming, Greg Jennings, Lee Pelton, William Stockinger, Marty Salmonson, Charles “Wes” Slaughter, Maynard D. Copeland, and Alvin D. Spiker.  If anybody knows anyone listed, please help get them back in the loop for our reunion and communications.  Also, we have a battalion roster (also broken down by company) of our people who did not/may not have email.  The following group will be reaching out to find/contact them:  HHC- myself; A Co-Don Rusbult & Bob Mackey; B Co-Stephen Johnson & Cam McConnell; C Co-Fred Webb; D Co-Tony Janairo & Chuck Moseley.  Email addresses for these contact persons can be found at the To: listing for this email.
For your information, it is sad to report the following losses since our 2015 reunion: HHC-John Frye, Maint. Warrant, HHC Maurice Modisette, George Ingram, and Linda Willis (wife of Ed Willis); C Co-Rich Hopkins, Dave Young, Doyle Dietsch, and Robert Solvedt; and D Co-Al “Sarge” Sandlin.  Pray for the repose of their souls and may they RIP.
We will keep you posted on matters of importance between now and our reunion. Also, be aware that our website 31stengineerbattalion.com is available for viewing, getting updates on the reunion, seeing photos, and posting.  June Robbins, our Webmaster, is doing a commendable job.  We appreciate her.
A Christmas Blessing to all.  Let us give thanks for the gift of family, love, and our continued friendship within the 31st. Wishing you good health and looking forward to seeing you in Colorado.
Sincerely,
Leonel (Leo) Farias
Association Director

Phuoc Vinh Ground Zero

In our Water

When you consider that we LIVED there, (ate, drank & sleep) with an open tank for the drinking and cooking water, slogging through the mud during the rainy season, could we really avoid exposure?

The veterans who were physically present at Phuoc Vinh Groundwater Zero are, undoubtedly, the most likely to show high level body-burdens of the compounds, even today. Why haven’t we tested the veterans who were subjected to the heaviest and most continuous contamination? Thousands of these soldiers can indeed be found today, through service organizations and the various grassroots networks addressing this issue.

Establishing a group of veterans subjected to high levels of exposure, by evidence of Dioxin (2378 TCDD) testing, and THEN studying these epidemiologically will get at the truth of the matter. The results of blood or tissue analysis of these veterans of Ground Zero will definitively show very high levels of exposure. An additional survey of the medical histories of deceased veterans of Phuoc Vinh will provide STARTLING data.

A year ago I was diagnosed with actinic keratosis, a precancerous skin condition and a cancerous spot (squamous-cell carcinoma) was surgically removed. Whether my skin condition is linked to the thirteen months, I spent in Phuoc Vinh and surrounding areas remains to be seen…

Agent Orange, named after the color of the stripe on the barrels in which the defoliant sprayed by American forces during the Vietnam War was stored, contained tetrachlorodibenzop dioxin (known as TCDD), one of the most poisonous chemicals ever made by man.

The following is an Agent Orange study done by Gregg Knowlton:

The following photos are from “fold3” a collection of original military records

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2013 REUNION – LAS VEGAS NEVADA – October 3-6

Our reunion will take place at Palace Station in Las Vegas Oct. 3-6.  The schedule and instructions for making reservations can be found on the reunions page.

Note that we have until August 30 to get the special rates and they apply if you wish to arrive early or stay an extra day or two.  If we book a minimum number of rooms, we will get up to four room upgrades and discounts.  On August 31 we will raffle them off.

About the rooms, the Value Courtyard Rooms we visited are well maintained, have amenities such as TVs and irons, are connected to the hotel and will save you money, but they are smaller than the Luxury Tower Rooms.  Half of the Value Courtyard Rooms are on the second floor with no elevator.

If you wish to eat a meal at the hotel, we will be offered discount buffet meal coupons:

Breakfast (Monday – Saturday): $6.29 ($4.99+tax and 18% gratuity)

Lunch: (Monday- Saturday): $ 8.81 ($6.99+tax and 18% gratuity)

Dinner: $10.08 ($7.99+tax and 18% gratuity)

Sunday Brunch: $11.34 ($8.99+tax and 18% gratuity)

Also by August 30, please send a check to Warren Dubois made out to 31st Engineer Battalion Assoc. (address below) for the Saturday banquet so we can pay the catering bill.

If you are not currently a member and wish to join, make contact with Warren Dubois, 906 Virginia Drive, Salem, Mo. 65560.

email: duboisw@embarqmail.com

If you have any questions about the reunion, send an email to powers.bob@gmail.com.

Origin of the Black Spade, 31st Engineer Battalion Coat of Arms

SUBJECT:  Coat of Arms for the 31st Engineer Battalion                   3   JUN  1965

TO:         Commanding Officer

31st Engineer Battalion

Fort Bliss, Texas 79906

  1.  The coat of arms redesignated for the 31st Engineer Battalion on 16 August 1954 is rescinded.
  1.  A coat of arms for the 31st Engineer Battalion is authorized.  The blazon and symbolism are as follows:

BLAZON

SHIELD:         Per Chevron wavy gales and argent, in chief two mullets of the last, in base on a spade sable on edelweiss proper.

MOTTO:       Demonstramus   (We Demonstrate)

SYMBOLISM

The two stars allude to the arms of the town of Bischwiller in France (Alsace Ardennes).  Considered a “hot spot”, the unit suffered its first casualties there.  The wavy chevron represents Central Europe, the area in which the unit constructed bridges.  The edelweiss refers to the Rhineland.  The spade with edelweiss together with the two stars represent three battle honors awarded the unit for services in the European Theater, World War II.

  1. Each CARS regiment or separate (fixed organizational structure) battalion is authorized an organizational color.  The shield of the coat of arms is embroidered on the eagle’s breast and the motto on a scroll held in the eagle’s beak.
  1. This authorization is in accordance with the following:
  1. Paragraph 68, AR 840-10, 23 August 1962

(Below is the original document, which has been recreated above.)

31st Engineer Battalion Coat of Arms original document

Many thanks to LTC Robert Dixon, 31st Engineer Battalion Commander, for providing this information.

Looking for Mike Meadows from C Company 1970-71

Don Fleming is looking for a way to contact Mike Meadows: he and I served with C co 70-71 in VIETNAM and CAMBODIA and I have been trying to connect with him so if any of you know, please contact me GREASY@Q.COM.

Please reply if you have any information by clicking on “leave a comment” (directly below this post.)

Thank you!

Looking for someone from HHC or Charlie Company 31st mid 1971 to Battalion stand-down Feb. 1972

Jerry R. Ladd is looking for those who served during his time period at HHC or Charlie Co. (middle ’71 to battalion stand-down in February 1972.) Please reply to this post (click on “leave a comment” at the bottom of this post to reply.)

Thank you!