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Next Gathering 14-18 August 2012, Fort Lee, Virginia
Hotel: Baymont Inn & Suites
5380 Oaklawn Blvd
Prince George, VA 23875
Phone: 804-452-0022
Reservations: We are registered as the
GATHERING, ask for that and you’ll get
the group rate of $70/night plus tax for
double or king, and $90/night plus tax for
queen suite. All rooms have room service,
free Wi-Fi, 32-inch flat screen TV (42” in
suites), microwave and fridge. Some
whirlpool suites available (ask! They’re
gorgeous!) There are 6 handicapped
rooms and smoking and non-smoking
rooms also.
Other perks: Free hot breakfast M-F
6-9AM, S-S 7-10 AM.
  | Photos | |
Satans Li'L Angel
5 Photos, 5 comments
Run For The Wall 2012
4 Photos, 4 comments
Camp Vasquez
1 Photo, 9 comments
Downtown QuiNhon
5 Photos, 1 comment
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When I felt low I used to take my butt end of my RPG round and go to a quiet place and just hold it and think about the past and what's to come. After I got to meet a great bunch of Trans and guntruckers I donated that old piece to the... more
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 CAMO Crew supports local Veterans, and sometimes have more vehicles than drivers
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ifslab wrote today at 11:50 AM With Barbara Bowers help, two more bricks are ordered. Both have Proud American logo.
One brick has the names of the crew when she fell, Thorne, Bennett, Allen and McDonald.
The second brick has the logo and the inscription is :
"In memory of LT. Ralph Fuller.
Thanks again Barbara...you're a good troop!!!
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 | Larry driver523,
I sent a dvd to calvin and he made a copy and sent to Sammy,,,Maybe one of them will bring it to the Gathering,
so people can watch and make copies,,,,,,,,
I need to learn how to u-tube and post.....
I am in process of learning Web-Cam with the grandaughters,..............old dog new tricks,,,,Magic'''
Yepper ya had the bestest seat Rear Gunner,,,,Sgt Willie NCOIC,,Jack Cole runnig around passing out drinks,,,,
"RED" |
 | It was all that Red says it was and more, I had the best seat in the house, what a ride. |
| I / Sherry took a video of convoy from Calvins' to Gathering...
Sammy asked me how fast ya run,,,Speed limit is OK,,,,
We were on I-65 running 75mph,,of course Calvin were running the rear.....If ya not the lead dog,,the view and smell is always the same...hehaw But if ya a sled dog ya get in the sled and listen to all commands and Bark Out Orders,,,Learned that from Slick and Vance,,hehe
Back to story.......I told Sherry i wanted a video and Pictures of this,,,So here I go pullled out in show off lane,,three lane 80mph,,Saw the Ace blow smoke and Sammy was tacked out at 85mph and I bumped governor at 3000rpm 92mph on my King Ranch 425hp we pulled up and he waved out the door hole for mirrrow,,,when she was able to get the front bumper in video,,,,Sherry said put that camera down and slow down,,,
You pulling the RV and out if control again,,,Ahead was a 18 wheeler in middle lane and a trooper beside him,,,I shut down and pulled back in on the rear and we all passed on the right...
I kept looking for Lights on the trooper,,,I guess he thought we had to much fire power for him to deal with////or could not beleive what he just saw.....hehaw
"RED" |
| This was parked across from me last night;;;;; http://www.whiteacorn.com/I toured the outside last night and was to tour the inside this morn,They left early and I missed the tour,,,poop,,,and i did not take and pictures,,,,and I am a vivid picture and video taker.... Some moments you just miss the boat.......poop "RED" |
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red523rd wrote on May 16, edited on May 16 I sent ya a e-mail Larry,
I had one to many last night,,,and just had to tell a story,,,
well it's going in the book,,,,and I had a visitor last night,,,
Thorne wanted to remind me that when the first rpg hit the box he put the pedal to the medal,,,,cause it was Fraz job to pull the shield,,,,and I was to be the next,,,and Calvin was last ,,,,and we were not going to give up if we had to blow the truck,,,,,,POW MIA,,,,was a no no,,,,we could check out,,,,but never leave the truck for the enemy..........When the second rpg hit the right front wheel and went thru the motor and stopped her dead in the middle of road,,,,,we were in deep chit and he pulled the pin on his gernade and started to box thru hole only to see me there smoking and bleeding like a stuck pig,,,,the third rpg hit the rear duels at that time and I told him to see if the bitch would start and get us out of the kill zone was our only hope that they were already coming out of the ditches and trying to come aboard,,,,,He did and thru his gernade out the window and I saw it blow and kill a few beside the truck,,,she rattled and limped to the edge and she blew her engine as King Kong went by,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,My radio transmissions had been bleeped by ???????????
I was talking to a pilot call sign Smoke IT,,,he was bringing Willie Pete to smoke their ass....The Picture I have seen of the aftermath the next morn looks like it,,,,.//// or I set the fire with a flare,,this I learnd from Vance on Black Widow,,,,,,,Night Ambushes shoot M79 Flare at their position,,,and hope it fires them up,,,and you can see them running from the fire and it's all over for them,,,,Like a duck shoot at night,,,,,,,,,,,,,
ENOUGH CHIT FOR NOW<<<<>>>>I GETTING OUT OF CONTROL AGAIN<<<<>>>>Coffee time,,,,,BYE for now.....
"RED" |
| The Story:::::
It is written,,,,that when we were hit we were gone,,,,
Fact is that Frazier was KIA instantly,,direct hit him in chest ,, he saw it coming and ducked,,,He was blown against me and schrapnel blew/burned my flack plum off me and we both bounced off the wall and hit the floor,,,I came close to going over the side,,,I had a death hold on my 50 at I ate with my face,,and teeth,,,,nearly biting my tounge off,,,,I checked Fraz and Calvin was burning ammo,,,,So I got up and the fight was on.....and some things Calvin and I will take to the grave,,,,
The story of Baird going past a Disabled 5 ton and stopping to check on the driver,,,WAS SATANS LI'L ANGEL,,,,,My 50 got hit by a 51 VC round and was disabled and I got Schrapnel in the face and had to go to a 60,,,,and when Baird stopped,,his 60s were not working,,,,I turned over command to Calvin and dismounted over the cab and slid down the hood and ran over and gave them my 60,,,King Kong had already came by and i saw the RPG hit them in the rear duels,,,Uncle Meat was arriving along with a jeep medic who hit me with morfine and I went down,,,Cause I had already gave myself one out of the first aid kit on Angel,,,Thats some facts that I will tell for now,,,,
It's all history for now,,,,, I need a drink just to tell ,,,,,,
6 months later I got out of Hospital and they discharged me..
I had been used up,,,and discarded like a pair off wore out boots,,,,,,,,,,I was trashed,,,,and I new it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"RED" |
| Larry,
If LT. said it,,you can take it to the Bank....
Up untill 1998,all my stuff was in the bottle / box all sealed up.
My youngin needed a computer for college,he was showing me how to start it and what all it would do,,,so we typed in Vietnam transportation,,,,and chit there was ATAV,,,,I pecked on that thing every chance I got,,,Learned how to e-mail etc,,,,,,
Well beeing a newbe I printed all for info,,,,I put in folders,,,
I have folders of stuff from everywhere,,,, Rick Phillips helped me apply for medals I never received....I left as ya know on a medavac never to return,,,Calvin & Thorne put all my stuff in my foot locker and forwarded to my home address,,,,Well
someone thought I died and it has never been seen since....
All was lost,,,,along with all my blood and butt,,,Their are all kinds of stories about that ambush,,,,Some on records all over the web and at the museum,,,,,,,All have a few mistakes, and need to be corrected,,,,,I confirmed them with Calvin and we got to confirm them with Lt Baird at the last Gathering,,,,We three had never talked about it together to see if each one was the same,,same,,,and we all remembered it the same as it was last night....I have saved all my stuff and have a BIG Binder I have written stuff down and add to at time as I find out the COLD HARD FACTS,,,,A book written by "RED",,,,,,,
Titled ,,,The Final Finale,,,,by Chester "RED" Israel ....
If I finish it before I check out,,Five,,,Twenty,,,,Third,,, copies will be printed,,
and you are on the list to receive one....
I refuse to let the lives lost be in vane....Period.....
"RED" |
| Red, the CAMO exists for guys like you, Calvin, Danny, Jim Baird and Ralph Fuller...and some other fine Americans we have met and some we can only remember thru you guys.
We have voluntarily accepted the mission of representing Veterans from WWII thru the present quagmire.
Write your stuff down and share it Brother...or it will be lost and can't be recovered after those who "were there" are gone.
Yep...I know I'm just an old Retired 20+yr Grunt, but I am the CAMO Imperial First Sergeant so I get to talk chit...LT Fuller said so!!
We are actively recruiting/training young folks to carry on the mission cause you and the rest of us folks our age group will eventually roll into that final ambush and won't come out. |
 | This months VVA magazine. MD Burnes looking for FH Pringle 512th Trans Co. 1967. Contact Burns at
PO Box 187
Clifton, TX 76634 |
| Larry,
You are a real friend,,,,I have many that think they know me,and I have many that are friends,,,But Few turn out to be Real Friends,,Ya know What I Mean............................
You Camo Boys filled my Bucket List and healed my Heart....
#1 was to go to Georgia and see LT.....done
#2 was to go to a Veterans Day.............done
#3 was to be in a Veterans Day Parade.....done
#4 was to go to the Hooch of the Camo Crew....done
#5 was to tour the Gulf Coast from Flordia to Texas,,,,,done
We got home Thanksgiving ,,,giving thanks for friends like
you and the Camo Boys,,,,and the friends I made there !!!!!!
Thanks Brother,
Ya Friend,
"RED" |
| Red...if it was your last ride in a Guntruck I'm Proud it was here.
Maybe this year you can ride in my pickup towing sumpin military or just ride on a float.
However it works out I'm Proud to have you as a friend Bro. |
| Out Of
The puff of the dust and smoke
As it all starts to settle down
There can be seen a
Outline of a soldier standing
Rifle in ready mode
For whatever is there
Coming in or at him
To defend at all cost
To see that all his brothers
Are safe and sound
After what has just gone down
For this is what
He had trained to do
This is all his knows
At all cost to defend
Those of his brothers in arms
From any and all that
May do them harm
Even if he himself is hurt
To make that stand is all
He can and will think about
Nothing but death itself
Would be able to stop him
Out love for life and God
That day he put the uniform on
To stand his ground
Or make that march on
To defend God and Country
To be keeping free our way of life
He will move on
Written By
R.C.Keckler
05/01/12
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red523rd wrote on May 14, edited on May 14 I had better get my shit together and head east !!!!!!!!!!!
I'm 400 miles west of my home base,,,took a wrong turn,,,hehe
oops we over the border again,,,and alone,,,but have gps now,,,
wish we had all this new tech back in nam,,,hehaw,,,lazer guided,,etc,,,,boy we could have kicked ass......
Well I am to far gone now,,,,will follow the Rolling Thunder Troops to Angel Fire;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Edd ya better find ya another NCOIC,,,,,,I made my last ride Veterans Day 2011,,per doc...
Later Buddy,
"RED"
max669 wrote today at 2:06 PM
guns are locked and loaded
got plenty of ammo for all the guns
i got Red manning the M2 Calvin manning the 60
got Rodski manning the mini
Pavlick is driving
Ouchman riding shot gun with the 79
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| Tied up this weekend, but don't giveup. I may be ready some day. |
 | Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..' |
 | Well ease back into it brother.....we want ya around to inspire us a while longer.....I'm back hittin on a cylinders and ready to race...sortta.. :-) |
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