Fort Hood to Mt. Hood

I was born on May 4,1947 in Portland ,OR. I am married to my wife Patti for 33 years. We have2 childern, Brian, and Kristi that both are here in Portland . I have worked at United

Salad Co. in Portland for 38 years, with a brief 3 years with Continental Airlines 70 - 73

and 2 years with a family bussines 82 -84.

 I was drafted in Oct. 66 , basic at Lewis, AIT Poke, and in country Nam Apr 67.We flew

air assults 2 to 3 times a week in central Vietnam in later 67 and went North in early 68.

 I was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry.

 After returning in Apr 68 to the states, I was in Hood until Oct 68.

IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER I WOULD NOT        B.C.:)

I was born in October, 1929, and raised in Portland, Oregon.  Went to Gonzaga High School in Spokane, WA, and after high school did 3 yers in the Naval Reserve, then joined the National Guard.  I was assigned to an Aviation Engr. Bn. as a Hvy. Eqpt. operator and Prime Mover driver at Fort Leonard Wood, then as a Transportation Cadre at Fort Riley, KS. 

Lucky me, I was sent to Korea in early '51 and assigned to HQ 2nd Bn (The Ghost Bn), 7th Cavalry.  I was a command driver, company armorer, watchdog and all around utility grunt, do-all-whatever.  We were pulled off the line in Dec. '51 and went into garrison in Hokkaido, Japan.  My tour was up in May, '52. 

I went back to over-the-road-trucking for the next 40 years and retired with over 2 million safe miles.  My wife, Karen, and I have three sons, a daughter, four granddaughters and a grandson.  Along the way, I raced motorcycles (flat track) and sports cars, achieving some notoriety.  I shot competitively in High Power and Long Range (1000 yd.) matches.  Started with an '03 Springfield, then an M1 and other bolt match rifles and an AR (M16) based match rifle.  At one time, I held five NRA National records.  I'm semi-retired from some competition, but still shoot Long Range Matches.  Still hunt deer and elk and frequently fish on my son's charter boat, business name "Legend Sportfishing". 

I was part of the original group with Chuck Daugherty in establishing the Columbia Willamette Chapter.  Will Hayden and I were privileged to represent the 1st Cavalry as Color Guard at the Memorial Day ceremonies at Willamette National Cemetery.  I have been active with the Korean War Veteran's Chapter of the 7th Cav. Regt.  Unfortunately, I had to stand down from some activities due to previous commitments as a VFW Chaplain and Honor Guard member, church Elder and 'other stuff''......but you know, "once a Trooper, always a Trooper"!

The photo, above, was taken in October, 1951, Line Wyoming, Korea.

Garry Owen

Co. C 2/8 1st Cavalry Division, May to September 1968, I Corps, Vietnam.  MOS 11B, WIA by booby trap while on patrol near LZ Jane in vicinity of Hue.

Flight School class 67-9, Joined B/229th AHB, 1st Air Cavalry at LZ English August 1967 and rotated back from LZ Sharon in August 1968. 2nd tour in 1970/71.

I live in Sherwood, Oregon with my wife Susan. I have 4 children and as of July 22nd have 3 grandchildren. I will be retiring at the end of 2009 and will procede to knock down the Honey-Do list along with working on my projects. I also volunteer as an airport inspector for the Oregon Department of Aviation, and am active in our church. Susan and I enjoy travel, particularly international and one of our next excursions will be to revisit Vietnam.

1969-1970

Welcome home.

Hi All!  I graduated from Norte Vista H.S. 6/65 in Riverside,Calif. and got my 1st job in the lumber business. My H.S. Sweetheart ,Debbie, and I were married 1/29/66. I was drafted in June and took Basic at Ft.Ord and AIT at Ft.Polk's "Tiger Land"  arriving RVN and assigned to B 2/5 of 1st Cavalry Div.Airmobile 12/5/66.  I  was assigned to 4th Plt.  earning CIB by Feb. and Air Medal by end of May '67.  I finished my 2 years up at Ft.Riley then back into the lumber yard business in Calif., Colorado and to Oregon in 1983 . I  went to my first 1st Cav reunion at Ft.Hood in 1995 which opened up doors to relocating the men I served with . I retired in 2001 . our home is in Corneluis,OR we are members of Thousand Trails and travel alot with our 26'Artic Fox trailer. I enjoy deer and elk hunting and going to Pow Wows    Thank You All for your service and the comradrie you share.  Paul  "Swig" Schwiegeraht . 

I retired from the army after 27 years. Served in Vietnam with MACV during Tet '68 and with the 1/7th Cavalry (Garry Owen) in War Zone D as the division came out of Cambodia. All of this is related in my first book Prodigals: A Vietnam Story. I also served with the 2/7 Cavalry at Fort Hood for 2 1/2 years.

Most recently worked as a contractor on the battlefield for over 2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan.

My second book: Homeward Bound: Americas Veterans Return from War is a history of veterans and was selected as an Association of the US Army book for this year.

Now living in Bend with my loyal wife Sandy. All the kids are grown and gone. The cats keep us company.