11th Cav Visitors Guestbook

Submitted by
Name: Hurst Palfey Rinehart
From: England
Website: http://drpalfi.co.uk
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Update 2. A Quick Note from Doc Rinehart especially for Mary Matthews Singleton, because she has been searching a long time and she is obviously ever vigilant and lives in hope. To start Mary; I am not yet sure that Charles was the man I found KIA, or that the experience I described occurred on the August 13 1969. It seems the most reasonable date. I was only in heavy combat for three days, never knew where I was, who the wounded loader was on the tank I rode on, the name of the man lying in a vast puddle of blood in the bottom of the tank next to our tank, which I was called to treat. If it was your dear husband he did definitely die instantly. There is a Richard Wallach of Middleburg VA. who was the only D CO, 1/11 tanker wounded on that day. He might have been the Loader who received shrapnel wounds in his legs when our tank was hit by an RPG that fatal day.I rang his Insurance office a few days ago, but have received no reply. I shall send an email to him next. No one out there during my 3 auspicious days yet remembers me. Lieutenant Linthwaite who I rode with was the 3rd Platoon Leader of D CO, 1/11, but he only remembers a few names and not your husband's or mine. He did remember some specific details I described and this begins to give me some hope. The fact that I never knew the name of the KIA on that horrible day has bothered me for years. I do have faith that we'll win. I will never give up and I will inform you when I am certain. I know that your husband rode on tank D33 and his friend was a Ken Hendricks. I see that Sgt Hendricks died of a disease on 10/October 1969 not 1970 as I said before. I only began my search about two months ago, spend several hours a day researching unit rosters, sending emails, searching the white pages and trying telephone numbers. I have discovered a great deal. I have exchanged emails with about 10 different people. When and if I am one day 100% certain that the KIA I was called to was your husband I will confirm that the details surrounding your husband's circumstances are as I have described in my previous "Comments" I will let you know.There is a very scratched photo of Charles and Ken in the D Company Website Photo Gallery. Have you seen it? I will email it to you now. I see that you have sent me an email. Perhaps you have a few details about Charles that the Army told you such as the name of the location, time of day, his platoon leader or platoon number(1,2 or 3) or who his Company Commander was(possibly Captain Ron Caldwell). This would help me in my search. I hope you can see the 451 photos of Viet Nam on my Facebook site. Palfi Laughologist Rinehart. Click on "Photos", Click on Albums and Click on the Album "Clown at War". It is in the 7th row down. The Album Cover Photo is of a very hard looking Afro American Trooper. Lots of Love, Palfi

Added: June 5, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Hurst Palfey Rinehart
From: England
Website: http://drpalfi.co.uk
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Update 2. A Quick Note from Doc Rinehart especially for Mary Matthews Singleton, because she has been searching a long time and she is obviously ever vigilant and lives in hope. To start Mary; I am not yet sure that Charles was the man I found KIA, or that the experience I described occurred on the August 13 1969. It seems the most reasonable date. I was only in heavy combat for three days, never knew where I was, who the wounded loader was on the tank I rode on, the name of the man lying in a vast puddle of blood in the bottom of the tank next to our tank, which I was called to treat. If it was your dear husband he did definitely die instantly. There is a Richard Wallach of Middleburg VA. who was the only D CO, 1/11 tanker wounded on that day. He might have been the Loader who received shrapnel wounds in his legs when our tank was hit by an RPG that fatal day.I rang his Insurance office a few days ago, but have received no reply. I shall send an email to him next. No one out there during my 3 auspicious days yet remembers me. Lieutenant Linthwaite who I rode with was the 3rd Platoon Leader of D CO, 1/11, but he only remembers a few names and not your husband's or mine. He did remember some specific details I described and this begins to give me some hope. The fact that I never knew the name of the KIA on that horrible day has bothered me for years. I do have faith that we'll win. I will never give up and I will inform you when I am certain. I know that your husband rode on tank D33 and his friend was a Ken Hendricks. I see that Sgt Hendricks died of a disease on 10/October 1970. I only began my search about two months ago, spend several hours a day researching unit rosters, sending emails, searching the white pages and trying telephone numbers. I have discovered a great deal. I have exchanged emails with about 10 different people. When and if I am one day 100% certain that the KIA I was called to was your husband I will confirm that the details surrounding your husband's circumstances are as I have described in my previous "Comments" I will let you know.There is a very scratched photo of Charles and Ken in the D Company Website Photo Gallery. Have you seen it? I will email it to you now. I see that you have sent me an email. Perhaps you have a few details about Charles that the Army told you such as the name of the location, time of day, his platoon leader or platoon number(1,2 or 3) or who his Company Commander was(possibly Captain Ron Caldwell). This would help me in my search. I hope you can see the 451 photos of Viet Nam on my Facebook site. Palfi Laughologist Rinehart. Click on "Photos", Click on Albums and Click on the Album "Clown at War". It is in the 7th row down. The Album Cover Photo is of a very hard looking Afro American Trooper. Lots of Love, Palfi

Added: June 5, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Mary Matthews Singleton
From: Clyde, NC
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I am the widow of Sgt. Charles C. Matthews and would like to contact Hurst Palfey Rinehart, as I read his comments of May 7, 2015 and he was the one who found my husband on August 13, 1969. I was not able to obtain his e-mail information. Any help would be appreciated.

Added: June 4, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Joseph Radler
From: Originally from st petersburg,fl. I live in breckenridge, co now
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Hello, my fathers name was kenneth radler. My dad died from very bad brain, throat, intestine cancer. I knew about blackhorse from the youngest age, i would wear his awards and decorations. I look back and remember he seemed happy when i wore them. He told me when i was younger he was called crazy ken. Because of what all of you saw and did, he raised me with his knowledge and experiences. He taught me to staff fight to the point we had bloody fingers when i was under 9. He taught me about terrorists and never negotiating. He taught me about using my surroundings and finding weapons to defend myself. He taught me about never, ever giving up. Nothing is impossible. Him being blackhorse and raising me like he did is why i was able to leave south st petersburg, and now live in breckenridge, colorado as the auto painter of the ski resort. I feel strongly about having my 1st tattoo of the blackhorse insignia, his birth and death dates. I am very proud of all of you, and of my father. If any of you knew him or could tell me more about your experiences, i would really like to know more. Thank you for all you have done and the hell you endured for the USA. my email is joseph.radler1@gmail.com and my cell phone is 8507606681.

Added: May 29, 2015

Submitted by
Name: CHERYLL REEDY
From: MINNESOTA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I have a ring that I found years ago and it's been in my jewelry box. It looks like a class ring with a ruby colored stone. It has on it 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment around the stone and then on the side it says Vietnam. I would say I have had this ring at least 25 years and just trying to see if I can find who it belongs to. It is a man's ring and the size is not real big, there is no name or initials on it, just Royal Crest (ring manufacturer) and 10k on the inside.

Added: May 26, 2015

Submitted by
Name: John Ax C25
From: AL
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I served with 2-47th MECH Inf, 9th Inf Div 67-68. We did several OPs with the 11th Cav in the Tay Ninh AO in early 67. I remember "claymore ally". Great website.. I live just South of Ft Benning and might stop in at your upcoming reunion.... WELCOME HOME BROTHERS..

Added: May 21, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Hurst Palfey Rinehart
From: England
Website: http://drpalfi.co.uk
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Hi Folks. Here's an update. I am beginning to believe, after much searching through this wonderful website and a few others like Quinton & Avery's D Co and Doc Taylors Medics that it may have been the1st Platoon D Co that I was sent into the field and Heavy Combat with 10 days before being sent back to The World and that the Tanker that I found KIA in the bottom of the tank next to our RPG’d and diabled Command Tank might have been SSG Charles Crockett Matthew 22 years old and In Country 55 days from small arms fire. He was KIA on 13 August 1969. This date makes more sense than that of SSG Peter Alan Kidd's death on 22 August 1969, because I was dusted off on the 2 days after the Firefight I described. If the dust off occurred on the 24th I would have only had 5 days to return to Quan Loi(I now think this is where I was Chinooked out to the NDP from(Possibly Near Loch Ninh), then back to Blackhorse Camp near Xuan Loc to pack my going home box and then shipped up to Bien Hoa Air Base to sit for 3 days in The Shed to be flown to The World and Discharged in San Francisco. The 13th makes much more sense. It also make a great deal of sense because I have just recently (3 days ago) made contact with retired LTC Steve Linthwaite(I thought the Platoon Leader was Lt Postlethwait on the three days I rode Medic. Very similar names, but I was in shock to say the least. There was a Doctor with the 37th Med Co named Cpt. Arnold E. Postlethwait. Perhaps it was he, at the end of the airstrip at Loch Ninh who pulled the shrapnel out of my right cheek and had me dusted off back to Quan Loi or a Dr Conroy who was, as I have described, Short and shocked that I was In The Field), but Steve remembers several significant details I talked about and a couple of pictures of a Afro American Medic I found in the D Co Picture Gallery. He was then 1st Lt Linthwaite from Kentucky and 1st Platoon Leader D Co 11 ACR. I have now found pictures of him and seem to recognize him. He, at the moment, cannot remember the name of our gunner or loader whose legs received shrapnel wounds and was dusted off that fatal day. Big thanks to Allen Hathaway, Doc Taylor for putting me on the Find A Fiend List and Unit Rosters and allowing me to leave these long probing Comments, their associates, also Quentin and Avery of D Co, Bob Hershey, a Cook in K Troop and all who have devoted enormous energy, skill and time into developing these websites, maintaining them and all of CAVNAV organisation. The reunions sound like an absolute wonder. Allons All.

Added: May 7, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Michelle
From: Denver
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Gary Dilberian, I just found the you posted! My dad the SGM (Top?) would have said his job was riding around in helicopters. Like most vets, it seems, he shielded us from the details.

Email me if you're interested in seeing these super 8 videos he took - I'm sure we can figure out how I can transfer you a couple gigs of files.

Thank you!
Michelle
mjtdenver@hotmail.com

Added: May 6, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Brad Adkins
From: North Carolina
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
All, I am saddened to inform all of you that my father, Retired MSGT Clinton C. "Chet" Adkins passed away Dec. 22, 2014 and was inurned at Arlington on April 30th of this year. He was for a time platoon leader M. Company, 3rd Squadron and was in Vietnam from August 68 to August 69 I do believe. If any of you are willing, I need some help. I had mentioned to my dad before he passed that I would like to compose a short narrative about his time in Vietnam. He gave his blessing and gave me access to everything he had available albeit very little. What I would like to do is establish a basic timeline, towns he may have passed through, operations he took place in, maybe the locations of where he may have earned his awards, and the people he rode with along the way. If any of you have anything at all to offer, please email me at yaardbird012371@gmail.com. Thanks in advance for any help you my be able to give, and as always thank you for your service.

Added: May 5, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Hurst Palfey Rinehart
From: England
Website: http://drpalfi.co.uk
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I was a Medic with the 37th Medical Company from August 68-69. I was drafted in December 1966. I was 23 years old and burnt out from trying to finish my University Degree in Detroit and working at the same time to pay for it. I signed up, while I was in Basic Training at Ft Leonard Wood in December 1966 to be an Operating Room Theatre Technician, because they said it would guarantee that I would not be in combat. I had to sign on for an extra year and the "guarantee" did not work out as you will soon learn. I was assigned to Blackhorse and the 37th Medical Company. Each medical Company needed two ORT(91D20), because we were trained to sterilize surgical instruments and assist on operations. I spent a short time at Blackhorse Camp working in surgery and at the Vietnamese Hospital in Xuan Loc. I then spent from about September 68 to April 69 running the Aid Station at Regimental Headquarters in Bien Hoa. It was a relatively secure area, but we did have some rough times. Dealing with the wounded, dead and dying is never easy and we were fire upon.

I was sent back to Blackhorse Camp around May or June and worked in the Emergency Room of what had been the 7th Surgical Hospital the 37th Med. Co had taken over. I was also assigned by Top to be the unit photographer. Sometime around the end of July I went in convoy to a place I still do not know the name of about 4 hours drive north along a mainly dirt road with(after a while) many blown-up curled railway tracks beside it. There were many near naked Montagnard herdsman and women as we approached a large compound in another Michelin Rubber Plantation. I am still trying to find out what the name of it was. It was possibly near Loc Ninh.

I only started on computer about 4 years ago and started discovering dozens of sites about the 11ACR and Viet Nam about 3 months ago. It IS overwhelming, but important to say the least. I am hoping to find out the name of this base, the night defence position next to an airstrip I was sent out to by Chinook 10 days before I was to go home because of the shortage of Medics in the Field, the name of the unit I was assigned to for the three days of heavy combat before I was wounded and sent home. I need to know the name of the platoon leader whose tank I rode on(I think possibly Lt. Postlethwait from Kentucky), the area the Firefights took place in, our loader that was wounded by the RPG that went through the front of our M48 Tank and killed the engine, a guy that died in my arms in the tank beside us( a guy named Peter Alan Kidd of B Troop was KIA 22 August 69. He was the only Blackhorse fatality between the 13th and possibly 30th of August.) We went out from the NDP the next morning and had a track blown off the command tank I was riding on, spent the night in the boonies and I caught some shrapnel in the face the next day busting brush pushing Charlie back. I could not get it out. Someone said that I should go see the Doctor at the end of the airstrip next to our NDP. I was dusted off back to the compound around the 26th, sent back to Blackhorse Camp and back in The World on the 29.

I started applying for compensation for Hearing Loss and PTSD, that I have suffered terribly with ever since, in September of 2012 while visiting my brother in my home town of Midland, Michigan. They quickly denied me saying, for instance, that I would not have been exposed to loud noises as an Operating Room Nurse. I appealed. I sent many letters from family, Psychiatrists, Doctors and even the Regimental Surgeon of Blackhorse who stated categorically that I would definitely be suffering fro PTSD. I have lived in England since 1972 so this is all being done by the Midland County, Michigan Veteran's Advocate. I received a second denial because the VA said I had not attended the appointments in London with the Psychiatrist or Hearing Specialist. They were both practically the tops in their field in England. It cost the VA $1,400 for this arrangement. I sent them the letters wherein the Psychiatrist stated that I had at least 30% PTSD and the Hearing Specialist the same from my war experiences. Last July I received a letter from the VA stating that they had assigned a special DRO officer to review my appeal.

Sorry, I did not intend to write you all of this, but I just wanted to put things in perspective. I want to get some pictures up onto the website so that someone might recognize and remember me and other guys and fill in these blanks. I may need, at sometime, to have someone else be able to say I was in the thick of it like many poor dudes were ALL the time. I wrote to the records department to see if they had a record of my wound and combat assignment over a year ago, but have never received a reply. I received all my medical records two years before that, but there was nothing about my wound or the pleurisy I contracted at Ft Leonard Wood in that harsh winter. I never received a Purple Heart or a Combat Medics's Badge. I'm not bothered about that, but I would actually like to talk to someone who was there with me. I took one picture of us being ambushed on my first day out, but only one before the sound of "Doc; git yer * * * over here." I was new to the Field and found there wasn't even Morphine in the Medic's bag I was given. The next day I met a Medic who said, "God Doc; I didn't know you were in such trouble. You should have called me over. I could have helped." I was too busy trying to figure out if the first guy I went to was dead or not, filling out his casualty card and rushing past an ARVN corpse and back to the wounded loader on our tank.I was in a total state of shock and remained so for about six months. I have these two pictures I think might be of the African American Medic that spoke to me that day. I found in on the D company site. It would be good to put it up on the Medic's website and see if I might get in contact with him. He might be able to verify my tale. Someone may know him. I may need that for my appeal even though, as I've said, I had several harrowing experiences at Headquarters under fire also.

Thanks for your time and effort in reading this. I hope I can get on the site and put a load of pictures up. If you can give me your telephone number it is free for me to call from England or we can Skype or Facebook. You can see about 451 Viet Nam photos in my FB Photos/Albums/ Clown at War. I make my living as a clown and a photographer. Have a look at my websites and especially my Facebook Site Go to Palfi Laughologist Rinehart/Photos/Albums and scroll down to "Clown at War" the Album Cover photo is one of a very hard looking Afro American Blackhorse Trooper. There are about 451 others. I took over a thousand others I have not looked at much over the last 45 years since Nam and have not scanned them all yet Have a look and feel free to make comments. You may recognize and name someone or place you know and correct me on some. detail.

Enough for now. I must take my pooch out into the woods for a walk..

Allons,

Palfi AKA SP5 Hurst Palfey Rinehart.

Added: May 3, 2015