Texas Lone Star Chapter82D AIRBORNE DIVISION ASSOCIATION
TEXAS LONE STAR CHAPTER
FULSHEAR, TEXAS 77441
April 5, 2010
MEETING: Our next meeting, of the Texas Lone Star Chapter, is Saturday, April 17, 2010 at the home of Ron Faulkner, 200 South 6th Street, Highlands, Texas 77562. The Picnic/Meeting will start at 12:00 PM and we will eat at 1:00 PM. This is a family event so bring the family and enjoy the airborne fellowship. There are no costs, the food and drinks are provided by the Lone Star Chapter. A map is to Ron’s home is located on the next page.
CHAPTER WEBSITE: Visit the Chapter website at TexasLoneStar82nd.org
82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION WEBSITE: WWW.82ndAssociation.org
82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION: WWW.Bragg.army.mil/www-82dv
OPERATION “DROPZONE CHARLESTON”: The pre-Convention Meeting has been accomplished and the Host Chapter’s Steering Committees are prepared to put on a first class convention. Their priority is to ensure the Conventioneers have a great time! The Main Hotel, Marriott Charleston Town Center, is approximately fifteen minutes for Yeager Airport and offers free hotel shuttle service. Convention room rates ($99 plus tax = $104.94) are available two days prior and one day after the official Convention dates. The Division has announced their full support with a scheduled jump at the Convention, Thursday August 19th. Please do not procrastinate, register early. Also the 82nd Airborne division in preparation for the Division Headquarters’ redeployment from the GWOT in mid and late June will send a substantial number of Combat Veterans, from Iraq and Afghanistan to the National Convention.
WITHIN THE DIVISION: On March 22nd the Fort Bragg Warrior Transition Battalion opened its own physical fitness center behind Hardy Hall. What was once an old storage space in now home to over $200,000 worth of fitness equipment for use by the Wounded Warrior soldiers and their families. Johnson Controls, Inc donated the equipment, such as treadmills, stationary bikes, various weight machines and more.
OLDEST MEMBER ROSTER: In an effort to identify the Association’s eldest members, Chapters has contributed their eldest member’s names to the Association. The Texas Lone Star has two of our members in the top ten. We would like to recognize them. The top ten on the oldest member roster are:
Date of Birth Age Name Chapter Unit(s) Served Dates Served
5 Jun 1909 99 King, Thurman T DAY A/319 GFA, 82nd Abn Div Mar 42 – Sep 45
10 Sep 1910 98 Wiggins, John O Lone Star 307 Eng Bn Sep 44 – Jan 47
19 Jan 1911 98 Sampson, Otis L SCC 505 PIR Mar 42 – Oct 45
7 Jun 1911 97 Reinig, William L IDC 325 GIR Oct 44 – May 46
15 Jan 1913 96 Paul, Carl W IDC 505 PIR Jul 42 – Sep 45
27 Dec 1913 95 Groscup, Arthur L WVC Svc Co, 325 GIR Mar 42 – Oct 46
27 Feb 1914 94 Hamblet, John B CIN OSS Apr 44 – Dec 48
8 Apr 1914 94 Franco, Dr. Robert T Lone Star 505 PIR Oct 41 – Mar 46
4 Jul 1914 94 Phillips, Roy M RTC 504 PIR Feb 42 – Sep 45
17 Feb 1915 93 Morse, Lindon B NCF 82 Sig Dec 42 – Dec 45
“American’s Guard of Honor”
PICNIC MAP:
Houston
New Members MUST Complete All Parts of Application
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION ASSOCIATION, INC New
Enclosed is $15.00, My membership for the year _____________________________________________
Enclosed is ________________ for Life Membership Date of Birth _____________________________
Name_________________________________ Address_______________________________________
City_______________________________ State______________ Zip Code (9 digit)________________
Rank___________________ ASA_______________________ or SSN___________________________
AirborneUnit(Complete)_________________________________________________________________
Date of Airborne Service: From_________________________ To_______________________________
Month Year Month Year
Present Occupation____________________________________ Single_________ Married__________
Spouse’s Name_____________________________________________ Number of Children__________
E-mail address_________________________________________________________________________
Mail to: Allen E. Schoppe, 5427 Weston Drive, Fulshear, Texas 77441-4127
Make Check Payable To: Texas Lone Star Chapter
82nd Airborne Division Assocation Non Profit Org.
5427 Weston Drive PAID
Fulshear, Texas 77441-4127 Sweeny, Texas
Permit #32
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 1, 2010 MEETING: Our next meeting, of the Texas Lone Star Chapter, is Saturday, February 20, 2010 at the South Houston American Legion Post 490, located at 11702 Old Galveston Road across from Ellington Field. The meeting will start at 12:30 PM. CHAPTER WEBSITE: Visit the Chapter website at TexasLoneStar82nd.org 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION ASSOCIATION WEBSITE: WWW.82ndassociation.org 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION: WWW.Bragg.army.mil/www-82dv ASSOCIATION NEWS: National Headquarters monthly bulletin goes paperless. This month is the first attempt to publish the National Bulletin. To get your copy simply go to the Association website. CHAPLAIN’S FUND CONTRIBUTION: The Acadiana Chapter recently contributed $2,794.86 to the 82nd Airborne Division’s Chaplain “Helping Hands” benevolence fund. The Battalion Chaplains administers this fund, giving vouchers to assist families for food purchase at the commissary. A special Airborne Thanks goes to the Acadiana Chapter for their generosity. TAPS: On December 8, 2009, the Lone Star Chapter lost a World War II member, Earnest H. Brown. Earnest Brown was a true hero and gentleman. He was born on December 17, 1919 in Houston, Texas, in the Heights section of town and attended Reagan High School. In 1940 he enlisted in the Army. He went to OCS at Fort Benning. He joined the airborne and after completing jump school, he was sent to the 82nd Airborne Division in New York as a replacement as the Division was shipping out to Africa. He was assigned to HHQ, 504 PIR to the 2nd mortar platoon. The Division trained in the desert in Tunisia for its first combat. Earnest’s first combat jump was into Sicily. Their DZ was the Farello airport behind the 1st Infantry Division near Gela. Then as the 504 PIR approached Sicily, the navy open fire. This fire caused the pilots to scattered their formations. Earnest’s plane was hit and he landed about fifteen miles from the DZ. After landing and forming up a machine gun from the 36th Infantry Division started firing on him. He fought with the 36th ID until he found his way back to the Division. He fought with the 82nd Division up the west side of the Island moving north. He fought mostly the Italians. They were not very good fighters he said. They would fire at your first and they surrender if you fired on them. The battle for Sicily ended and Earnest and the Division began training for the next mission. The next mission was a jump into Italy near Naples to help General Mark Clark and the 36th and 45th Infantry Divisions. Earnest did not make this jump because he was assigned a liaison officer and joined the Regiment in Naples. He helped policed Naples until the regiment was order north to hill 1205. Hill 1205 was real fight. He remembers firing his mortars at 100 yards. After securing the area the 504th PIR move back to Naples to rest and prepare for Anzio. The 504th PIR followed the 3rd Infantry Division into the southern end of the Anzio beachhead landing in LCI’s. As the 504PIR was unloading low-flying German aircraft drop bombs and strafed the troopers. Anzio was a tough fight. The 504PIR were to capture some bridges along the Mussolini Canal. Earnest’s company was in a good defense position along the canal. They received order to attack Borgo, a cross road. This was deadly fight and they took out a German 88 with rifle fire. In this fight they lost half of D Company and 3 tanks. Due to the lost of so many soldier and officers, he was transferred to D Company as Platoon Leader. After more than two months in Anizo, the 504 PIR was sent to Naples and then shipped to England. It was in Anzio the 504th PIR earned the honor of “Devils in Baggy Pants”. The 504th PIR returned to England before Normandy. The Regiment was not in shape to fight in Normandy. It was in Leicester, England, that Earnest met and married his wife Olga How. Earnest jump into Holland and landed at the Grave bridge. In two hours they had captured the bridge and the town of Grove. Then after a few days of patrolling he received orders to clear the river area of Germans and fire support in preparation of a river crossing. There was some tough fighting in Holland. After Holland the Division was moved to Sissone, France. Just a short time after arriving in Sissone, they received orders to move into the Battle of the Bulge. Earnest did not travel with the Division. He was assigned to other duties as camp commander of equipment. He joined the Division as it moved toward Cologne, Germany. He rejoined D Company in Cologne and fought with the Division until the end of the War. He came home was discharged in September 1945. In January 1946, Olga joined him in Austin, Texas where he started law school at the University of Texas using the GI Bill. After graduating from law school he joined Phillips Petroleum Company in Houston as a corporate attorney and retired after 36 years. Earnest is survived by his wife, Olga, and son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Sarah Brown and two grandsons. Rest in Peace, you are a great American. ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
MEETING: Our next meeting, of the Texas Lone Star Chapter, is Saturday, November 21, 2009 at the South Houston American Legion Post 490, located at 11702 Old Galveston Road across from Ellington Field. The meeting will start at 12:30 PM.
CHAPTER WEBSITE: Visit the Chapter website at TexasLoneStar82nd.org
82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION WEBSITE: WWW.82ndAssociation.org
82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION: WWW.Bragg.army.mil/www-82dv
AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY: If you are AIRBORNE, you are part of the best… the elite. No matter when or where or which Airborne Unit you served. You volunteered and survived jump school, earned your wings and become forever, a part of that worldwide fraternity to which all troopers belong. William P. Yarborough, one of the pioneers of the U.S. Airborne, said “…Those who choose to become military parachutists must sometimes during the process, prove to themselves that they possess certain strengths that set them apart from many of their fellow human beings.” It is probably the self confidence and self-respect which successful paratrooper training reveals nurtures, and has made the airborne soldiers of all nations so formidable on the field of battle. It is our intention and reason for existence, of the Texas Lone Star Chapter and the 82nd Airborne Division Association reason, to continue and foster that special esprit de corps, which only paratroopers know.
DATE SET FOR CHAPTER’S CHRISTMAS PARTY: The Chapter Christmas Party will be held on December 5, 2009, from 11:30 to 3:30 at the Hobby Hilton, located at 8181 Airport Blvd, Houston, Texas 77061, across for Hobby Airport. The meet and greet will start at 11:30. The buffet dinner will begin at 12:30. The cost is still $15.00 per person; however we must go to a cash bar. We look for everyone to come and have fun. Please RSVP to Ron Faulkner at 281-426-5265 or Allen E. Schoppe at 281-346-2546. Mark your calendar.
THE 2009 FALL PICNIC: The fall picnic was held last month at Ron Faulkner’s house. It was a gorgeous day and we had a good turnout. The Chapter has two picnics each year. If you had to miss this picnic, don’t miss the next one in the spring. See the Photos located on the Chapter’s website at TexasLoneStar82nd.org.
2010 CHAPTER OFFICERS: The officers elected for 2010 are: Chairman – George Martinez, Vice-Chairman – Robert Ontiveros, Secretary-Treasurer – Ron Faulkner, Sergeant-at-Arms – Regino Valle, Color Guard – Paul Winburn.
2012 NATIONAL CONVENTION: The Chapter is in discussion with the Alamo Chapter and the Alamo Silver Wings to host the 2012 National Convention in San Antonio. This is just the primitive stage of events. There are many questions that need answers. The Lone Star members first need to commit to host these activities. The convention is lots of work. We will have discussions during our next meeting and at the December Christmas Party. We have met with the other organizations and they are thinking about the convention and commitment. Let me state again that nothing has been agreed. If the chapter wants to host the event, further discussion will start after the first of the year.
For those who wonder “why the poppy?” It comes from the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae. The Battle of Flanders, Ypres, or as the Germans referred to it, Kindermord lasted officially from 19th October until 22nd November 1914. The reported battlefield dead between those dates were England 58,000, France 50,000 and German 130,000. That was only the first battle. The 2nd battle claimed 105,000 dead in May 1915 and the 3rd battle claimed 438,000 dead in July 1917. Think about what the families must have felt, when whole towns young men were killed in a single hour. The last surviving soldier of that first battle, Alfred Anderson, died in November 2005.
October 4, 2009
MEETING: Our next meeting, of the Texas Lone Star Chapter, is Saturday, October 17, 2009 at the home of Ron Faulkner, 200 South 6th Street, Highlands, Texas, 77562. The Picnic/meeting will start at 12:00 PM and we will eat at 1:00 PM. This is a family event so bring the family and enjoy the airborne fellowship. There are no costs, the food and drinks are provided by the Lone Star Chapter.
NEW MEMBERS: Richard Baker lives in Dickinson and is a Deputy U.S. Marshal. He served in HSC, 313th M1 Bn. 82nd Abn Div from July 1991 to 1995. Wendell McCellon lives in Bacliff and is retired. He served in the 3rd Bde from Feb 1969 to October 1969.
CHAPTER WEBSITE: Visit the Chapter website at TexasLoneStar82nd.org
82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION WEBSITE: WWW.82ndAssociation.org
82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION: WWW.Bragg.army.mil/www-82dv
DATE SET FOR CHAPTER'S CHRISTMAS PARTY: The Chapter has set December 5, 2009, from 11:30 to 3:30 PM as the date and time for our annual Christmas Party. We have several locations to decide and the location will be announced in our next newsletter. The cost is still $16.00 per person; however we must go to a cash bar. Mark your calendar and we will announce the location next month.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS: It is important that you change your address when you move. Just notify your chapter or you can use the internet. The National Webmaster provides a fast and easy way to inform the National Headquarters of any changes of address information. To change your address on the inernet go to www.82ndAssociation.org/members and click on the Change of Address link to reach a form that will send to National your new address.
LOOK TO THE SKY! 36 ID AIRBORNE INFANTRY BATTALION STANDS IN THE DOOR: The rumors are true. The Texas Army National Guard is standing up an Airborne Infantry Battalion. The 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) officially entered carrier status on September 1, 2009. The 143rd Infantry Regiment last saw airborne service as G Co 143d Infantry (Long Range Surveillance) Battalion in 2001, and now the proud lineage of this regiment will be re-activated as the only Airborne Infantry Battalion in the Army National Guard. Like their active duty Airborne counterparts, the 1-143d Infantry Battalion will be capable of deploying world-wide to conduct Airborne forced entry operations into an objective in order to seize and hold terrain. This new force structure in the Texas Army National Guard will include Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), Riffle Company, (B Co) Weapons Company (D Co), and a Forward Support Company (FSC). The balance of the battalion will be located in Alaska and Rhode Island. These units are being built from the ground up as opposed to transforming an existing force structure, so this unit presents vast opportunities for Texas Guardsmen who ant to be part of this elite force of paratroopers. If you are interested in accepting the challenge or know of anyone who is interested in this challenge, contact the Battalion S-1 at 512-782-6757 or his email address - airborne143infantry@ng.army.mil. AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY!
PICNIC MAP
