REMEMBERING OUR VET'S
CPT Ira F. Archer, III, US Army Infantry, Drafted February 1964 by Pennsylvania draft board.
Ranger, Airborne, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Purple Heart, 1964-68, 4 years 7 months, 13 days, 52nd Infantry, Chu Lai. Joint Body count 68. (Also worked with First Marine Division.)
Joe: From a different time. Miss it. And NO; I did not Kill Babys; although we were called Babykillers by the Haight Asbury freakass communists so heavily that we did not talk about the war in the 70’s civilian life. WE killed zipper-head communists. I worked for Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, who ordered free whiskey and beer delivered to troops in the field along with ammo, water and crap food. He was replaced by Westmoreland . LBJ was the Agent Orange Sprayer. 200,000 of my brothers have died from that death spray of Monsanto and LBJ. Only 58,000 died in combat. 16,000 combat deaths in 1968. We’ve had no revenge for Agent Orange. The VA will treat it. But alternate medicine seems to work better.
Best, Ira.
Ranger, Airborne, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Purple Heart, 1964-68, 4 years 7 months, 13 days, 52nd Infantry, Chu Lai. Joint Body count 68. (Also worked with First Marine Division.)
Joe: From a different time. Miss it. And NO; I did not Kill Babys; although we were called Babykillers by the Haight Asbury freakass communists so heavily that we did not talk about the war in the 70’s civilian life. WE killed zipper-head communists. I worked for Gen. Creighton W. Abrams, who ordered free whiskey and beer delivered to troops in the field along with ammo, water and crap food. He was replaced by Westmoreland . LBJ was the Agent Orange Sprayer. 200,000 of my brothers have died from that death spray of Monsanto and LBJ. Only 58,000 died in combat. 16,000 combat deaths in 1968. We’ve had no revenge for Agent Orange. The VA will treat it. But alternate medicine seems to work better.
Best, Ira.
Joe:
Keep doing what you doing – you are the man. You may already know that Fred Fisher was in the marines while the rest of us were going to college. I recall when Fred returned from basic training he was a changed man. I remember Tony, Don, Dave, Steve and I were in a bar celebrating his return and some guy and his friends were giving us a bad time about something or other. Fred went wild trying to kill the guys with some of the killer moves he learned in the marines – needless to say he went crazy. Fred, Tony, Dave and I were best of friends growing up in the “Hill” and going to Rosemont School and where we were known as the “Buddy Rolls”. We all stayed close throughout High School and often took on the Wayne guys in highly competitive Basketball games every Saturday morning at the Gym. We beat the Wayne guys regularly, although the Wayne guys became frustrated and brought in Don Shaeffer, a Wayne guy who went to private school, who was well over six feet tall. In response, we brought in Paul DeSantis (who was in our class but didn’t graduate with us) and Paul was more than a match for Don and we continued to win. Fred as you may recall was married to Nancy Campbell and I believe he had one or two daughters. Sadly, after a number of years of marriage, Fred divorced Nancy and ran off to Texas and married at least two or three other women. Fred came back to a number of our early reunions and we totally enjoyed seeing him again. Fred and I stayed in touch up until his death about 8 or so years ago. Shortly before his death, Nancy Campbell called me and told me Fred was dying in a VA Hospital down in Huston Texas. I immediately jumped on a plane and flew down to Huston and found the Hospital. The place was horrible and Fred was bed ridden and could not talk because of all the wires and hoses that were attached to him. The only way we were able to communicate was for me to remind him of stories of the past and he would squeeze my hand. He was in terrible pain because of this breathing hose that was in his nose and he kept trying to tell me to please have it removed. Finding a nurse or a doctor was impossible, so I took it out myself. I could tell he was greatly relieved because it was the first time I saw him smile. I stayed with him all day but had to leave in the evening to catch my flight. Before leaving I tracked down a military officer in charge of the hospital and asked him about funeral arrangements and he assured me Fred would have a small military funeral ceremony and would be buried at the local military cementary. Needless to say I had a hard time saying goodbye because he had a tight grip on my hand as if to say – don’t leave. Sadly, Fred past away the following day. I could go on and on with stories about Fred – like the fact he was totally responsible for the bonfire after we beat LM, stealing porch furniture from the houses surrounding the football field. In retrospect, Fred came from a broken family and I truly believe he spent his entire life with us trying to find himself and make people like him. I truly miss him.
Skip Orsatti
Keep doing what you doing – you are the man. You may already know that Fred Fisher was in the marines while the rest of us were going to college. I recall when Fred returned from basic training he was a changed man. I remember Tony, Don, Dave, Steve and I were in a bar celebrating his return and some guy and his friends were giving us a bad time about something or other. Fred went wild trying to kill the guys with some of the killer moves he learned in the marines – needless to say he went crazy. Fred, Tony, Dave and I were best of friends growing up in the “Hill” and going to Rosemont School and where we were known as the “Buddy Rolls”. We all stayed close throughout High School and often took on the Wayne guys in highly competitive Basketball games every Saturday morning at the Gym. We beat the Wayne guys regularly, although the Wayne guys became frustrated and brought in Don Shaeffer, a Wayne guy who went to private school, who was well over six feet tall. In response, we brought in Paul DeSantis (who was in our class but didn’t graduate with us) and Paul was more than a match for Don and we continued to win. Fred as you may recall was married to Nancy Campbell and I believe he had one or two daughters. Sadly, after a number of years of marriage, Fred divorced Nancy and ran off to Texas and married at least two or three other women. Fred came back to a number of our early reunions and we totally enjoyed seeing him again. Fred and I stayed in touch up until his death about 8 or so years ago. Shortly before his death, Nancy Campbell called me and told me Fred was dying in a VA Hospital down in Huston Texas. I immediately jumped on a plane and flew down to Huston and found the Hospital. The place was horrible and Fred was bed ridden and could not talk because of all the wires and hoses that were attached to him. The only way we were able to communicate was for me to remind him of stories of the past and he would squeeze my hand. He was in terrible pain because of this breathing hose that was in his nose and he kept trying to tell me to please have it removed. Finding a nurse or a doctor was impossible, so I took it out myself. I could tell he was greatly relieved because it was the first time I saw him smile. I stayed with him all day but had to leave in the evening to catch my flight. Before leaving I tracked down a military officer in charge of the hospital and asked him about funeral arrangements and he assured me Fred would have a small military funeral ceremony and would be buried at the local military cementary. Needless to say I had a hard time saying goodbye because he had a tight grip on my hand as if to say – don’t leave. Sadly, Fred past away the following day. I could go on and on with stories about Fred – like the fact he was totally responsible for the bonfire after we beat LM, stealing porch furniture from the houses surrounding the football field. In retrospect, Fred came from a broken family and I truly believe he spent his entire life with us trying to find himself and make people like him. I truly miss him.
Skip Orsatti
Hi Joe,
What a excellent idea, keep up the good work.
I do know that John Jordan was in the Army, that is how he decided to make Germany his home. I have no pictures of him and have not heard from him in a long time. When I did hear from him he was always interested in all our class mates. Now that both of his parents and his only sibling have passed I doubt that he ever comes state side.
Yvonne (Johnson) Bobb
What a excellent idea, keep up the good work.
I do know that John Jordan was in the Army, that is how he decided to make Germany his home. I have no pictures of him and have not heard from him in a long time. When I did hear from him he was always interested in all our class mates. Now that both of his parents and his only sibling have passed I doubt that he ever comes state side.
Yvonne (Johnson) Bobb
I was a Corporal in the Army, a water purification specialist
who spent 6 years hiding from my Sergeant! no picture)
Tony A
who spent 6 years hiding from my Sergeant! no picture)
Tony A
Joe Conway: Just a note to let you know that Adams was in the Army for some time. I believe he was stationed at Fort Knox. Can you imagine Adams guarding the gold – like letting the fox into the chicken coup. Adams sent me a post card while he was stationed at Fort Knox, which I still have, which had a very simple message –“Skip, get me the hell out of here”. The extent of Tony’s commitment to the Army is somewhat mysterious and the government is still trying to find out exactly what happened. Apparently, there was a major fire at one of the Army’s facilities which contained all the records of their military men. Strangely, all of Tony’s records were destroyed in the fire and Tony simply didn’t exist. Can you imagine the odds of something like this happening to you or I ? Having known Tony since 1st grade at Rosemont, nothing surprises me. Ironically and if my memory serves me right, I think Tony’s was trained in use of that back-pack fire hose that shoots flaming gas to force the Japs out of caves during WWII. Very interesting.
Skip O.
Skip O.
Hi Joe
Beach (Sachse) served in the Navy for two years. Submariner.
He was stationed in Key West during the Cuban Missile Crisis
George Lennox
Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
Beach (Sachse) served in the Navy for two years. Submariner.
He was stationed in Key West during the Cuban Missile Crisis
George Lennox
Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
Robert Chapman served for a total of three years in the army. in the United States he served in a Nike missile base in Edgemont Pennsylvania he also served in Germany , he went there on a 10 day ride on a troop ship, including taking saltwater showers and eating sea rations.
Hi Joe,
I served a 6 year obligation with the 2d Battalion (Nike-Hercules ) unit at Warrington, Pa. ending May 1968.
My basic training was at Fort Knox, KY. & my MOS training for the Nike Missile unit was at Fort Bliss, Tx.
I am sorry I have no military photos but I assure you that I was in good shape. 6ft 2 inches & 180 lbs.
Art
I served a 6 year obligation with the 2d Battalion (Nike-Hercules ) unit at Warrington, Pa. ending May 1968.
My basic training was at Fort Knox, KY. & my MOS training for the Nike Missile unit was at Fort Bliss, Tx.
I am sorry I have no military photos but I assure you that I was in good shape. 6ft 2 inches & 180 lbs.
Art