The Peru Gazette

Plattsburgh – The military biographies of the fifteen veterans who flew to Washington D.C. on the June 22, 2019 North Country Honor Flight were memorable, often very stirring and humorous. Thank you to Honor Flight Operations Director Janet Duprey for providing them.

GERALD COOPER

Navy  1951-1955   Korea   EM-2  2^nd Class

Jerry was an electrician who served on the USS Glouster PF-22, a patrol frigate that escorted destroyers.  The ship was loaned to Russia during WWII and returned to the United States during the Korean War.  As the Korean War was winding down, the old ship was turned over to the new Japanese Navy.  Jerry also served on the USS Alvin C Cockrell DE-366.  In addition to his service in Japan, Jerry received credit for service in China and Korea.

ROGER CROWNINSHIELD

Army     1967-1970   Vietnam   SP4

In Vietnam Roger served as a medic in the operating room and said he still doesn’t like to talk about it.  As we can understand, he saw too many soldiers badly wounded and way too many die.  Roger said war is no good, but he said the Army had respectable medical schools and provided decent training to the medics. He also appreciates having the opportunity to visit other states such as Texas and foreign  countries, including Germany.  Overall Roger’s service was a good experience as he got to see other parts of the world.  

KENNETH DARRAH

Marines   1966-1969  Vietnam  Corporal 

In 1967 Ken was engaged in Operation Buffalo when a U.S. plane dropped a bomb on them.  He was standing closest to the bomb but never got a scratch.  Tragically 49 Marines were killed that day.  Ken said it was the most terrified he was during his time in Vietnam where he participated in over 30 operations.  He was a rifleman and a Team Leader in and around Quang Tri Provence.  Ken received 2 Purple Hearts for wounds suffered during his service in Vietnam.

DAVID DEFAYETTE
Navy(SeaBees) 1958-1963 Vietnam E-5
After being stationed on two transport ships the USS Missile and USS Gaffey, Dave was assigned to the Mobile Construction Battalion 3 during his time in Okinawa and Thailand. An engineer and builder by trade, he helped construct a MAG 16 for Marines to land helicopters and beach craft. His son was actually stationed there 26 years later!
He was instrumental in building housing on Guam for Clark Air Force Base. Later they constructed a base in Thailand where he worked with 20 men & 20 women who spoke no English. David says he wouldn’t trade his 4 years of service for anything in the world. 

ROWLAND FOURNIER

Army 1951-1953 Korea  Private 1^st Class

Rowland served with the 485^th Engineer Battalion and the 682^nd Engineer Division.  He drove truck and was trained in demolitions: how to cut enemy railroad tracks and dig up roads so enemy troops couldn’t get through. 

He was stationed in Fort Rucker, Alabama where the barracks were just a frame on the outside with nothing on the inside.  He was deployed to Germany and found barracks that were finished off, hardwood floors and very good food.  

Rowland will soon be 90 and he still splits his own wood although he said he uses a splitter now!   

KENNETH  HINTZ

Air Force   1961-1965   Cold War  Airman First Class

Ken spent all his years of service at Plattsburgh Air Force Base with the 380^th Civil Engineering Squadron. As a power technician, he was assigned to local missile sites. When the Cuban crisis was starting up, none of the missile sites were ready.  He was impressed the civilian contractors were able to get 4 sites completed and almost all the sites were done by the end of the crisis.  Ken clearly remembers the day President Kennedy was shot and they were all called back to the Base on alert.  

MICHAEL HORNE

Air Force   1965-1985    Vietnam   Master Sergeant E-7

Michael arrived in Vietnam just after the TET offensive.  He worked as a specialist operating Navigational Aid equipment assisting planes to take off, land and to locate them while in the air.  The VietCong blew up Michael’s NAV equipment but he still extended his tour and re-enlisted to get his tax-free bonus.  After retirement he joined U.S. Customs.  During 20 years in the Air Force he was shot at once; during 15 years with Customs he was shot at twice.   

SHANE LLOYD

Navy     1960-1983    Vietnam    E-7 

Shane worked in Personnel and took photos for 18 years.  His first ship landed at Waikiki Beach where he said there were lots of beautiful women!  He spent a year in Vietnam aboard the USS Fort Marion and he was deployed to Alaska. Shane met his wife Valerie at a party in Arizona as she greeted him with a “Hi Sailor”.  They have 7 children and Shane said every time he went on a ship he got a letter from Valerie saying ‘guess what’.  Shane retired after 23 years of service.

LEON MENARD

Army    1965-1967    Vietnam   Staff Sergeant E-7

Leon was a crane operator who handled a 100 ton crane on a barge derrick on water.  The hook on the crane was 14 tons.  They were shot at often but he feels it was to agitate them as nobody got hit.  Leon was the first in his battalion to make E-5.  Later the Captain turned down a move from E-5 to E-7 but the Colonel gave him the promotion.  After working all night, they awoke him one morning as Tiny Hare from WIRY was there to interview him.  Leon said it was nice to see someone from home. 

WINSTON NORCROSS

Army Air Corps 1944-1946   WWII   Private First Class

Winnie enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a high school senior.  As the War was winding down his chance to become a pilot was cancelled.  Assigned to the 393^rd Bombardment Squadron he was part of  Crossroads Project in Arizona where bombs were tested.  He then went to Marshall Islands as a tail gunner on a B-17 doing search and rescue.  Winnie said he was only shot at once when he and a couple of buddies tried to steal watermelons and the farmer shot at them!   

Also want to recognize Winnie’s son Guardian James Norcross, Air Force, 1969-1973, Vietnam Veteran.

GORDON QUINCEY

Navy     1949-1953    Korea   Petty Officer, Second Class

At 17 years old Gordon discovered he was too young to be a pilot so he served as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate at the Naval Aviation Ordinance Test Station in Chincoteague, VA.  He did get to fly quite a bit on the P5Ms but he never put foot aboard a ship!  He was the youngest petty officer in his squadron in Norfolk, VA.  He met his wife and decided to end his military career. Shirley told me they’ve been married 65 years. 

ROBERT RACETTE

Air Force   1948-1952   Korea  

Staff Sergeant 

Bob was a tail gunner and the smallest guy on his bomber crew. He was the only one small enough to fit into the tailgate of the B-29 plane.  Bob had a total of 47 missions.  One day as the plane cleared the Japan coast, the plane developed engine problems.  The pilot turned around and they all bailed out into a rice patty.  Villagers gave them food and shelter until the Air Force came to their rescue.  Glad you made it back safely Bob.  

WILLIAM RICHARDS

Air Force   1951-1954  Korea   

Staff Sergeant

William was a member of the Air Force Police and never served on a base with planes.  He was assigned to Wright Patterson Air Base in Ohio but never went there.  Instead he found himself in California.  He spent his years of service in high security and to this day he will not talk about his job or the name of the base where he was stationed.  

DONALD WOOD

Air Force    1963-1985  Vietnam  

Chief Master Sergeant

When Don joined the Air Force he was supposed to be stationed in Vietnam. At the last minute his orders were changed to Thailand where he served 2 tours of duty.  He thinks that was probably a good swap. Don worked as a Bomb Loader, loading, unloading, and positioning munitions on aircraft.  The Air Force brought him and his family to Plattsburgh and he retired here after 23 years of service.  His wife Jean passed away in 2018, but he still enjoys visiting his children in Florida every winter.