Huge Crowd at Honor Flight #32 & #33 Send-off Ceremony
Karl Baggs of Peru (Left) was one of the twenty-eight honored vets.
By John T. Ryan
September 28, 2021 – The North Country Honor Flight honored two veteran flights this morning #32 and #32, a total of twenty-eight Korean War, Vietnam veterans. Several hundred people attended the 7 a.m. send-off ceremony. The U.S. Oval Fag flew at half-mast in honor of the members of the U.S. military who died this week in Afghanistan. The Peru Gazette is awaiting the names and biographies of today’s vets. This post will be updated when they are received. Thanks to all the Honor Flight volunteers who do such an outstanding job!
NYSCOPBA, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Associaton, sponsored both flights.
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Updated 8:10 pm. August 28.
Veterans on Flight #32
Karl R. Baggs
Romeo Barriere
Donald J. Carr
Gordon Traver
Donald C. Cassidy
Carl J. Duford
Glen L. Gilmore
Arlene M. Gosnell
Edward P. Hall
Homer J. Lamere
David S. Premo
Floyd A. Rock
James B. Versput
William F. Wolford
Robert L. Woods
Veterans on Flight #33
Albert Barcomb
Alan Beaubriand
Thomas Davison
Richard Flora
Earl Garrant
Oliver Hickok
James Knapp
Harry Landry
Gerald LaValley
Ronald Miller
James Page
Eugene Sears
Dale Stehens
Michal Zmijewski
Veteran Biographies
Karl Baggs
Navy 1964-1968 Vietnam
A Mechanic onboard ships, Karl started planes while they were still chained to the ship; then someone would unchain the plane for takeoff.
Karl started the plane; someone unchained it before the flight crew arrived. The plane taxied with Karl at the wheel, so he slammed on the brakes.
The flight boss wasn’t happy, but Karl was happy when the flight crew took over!
Romeo Barriere
Army National Guard 1967-1993 Vietnam
Basic training at Fort Knox led Romeo to many exercises including REDEYE Missile launchers.
After 7 years he joined Plattsburgh 962nd Ordnance Company. Sent to Germany they lived in tents heated by small coal stoves.
Romeo saw many countries and U.S. bases, retiring after 24 years of service.
Donald Carr
Army 1955-1963 Vietnam
Don was an Airborne Division instructor. In Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia they were the eyes and ears on night missions counting enemy vehicles.
Squad leader Don led Airborne Rangers on night parachuting from 20-static line jump helicopters, dropping 400 feet searching for enemies.
Gordon ‘Andy’ Traver
Army 1968-1971 “`Vietnam
Andy graduated from college, married the next day, enlisted in the Army the 3rd day. He completed Military Intelligence and Vietnam language courses, and with 5 others settled in the middle of nowhere in Vietnam.
Isolated, never safe, eating more rice than anyone should in a lifetime, the 6 Intelligence operators returned stateside.
Donald Cassidy
Air Force 1947-1967 Cold War
Don was shift leader decrypting top-secret messages. Air Force inspectors made unannounced checks for security.
Don traveled to Japan, France, Germany, England, Turkey, Greece, Italy. In North Africa, he married his first wife at a landfill. Don said he should have known the marriage wouldn’t work out.
He’s been happily married to Annette for many years.
Carl Duford
Air Force 1962-1986 Vietnam
Carl worked Presidential Security from 1969-1973.
In Vietnam, as a Military Policeman, he was responsible for securing the perimeters with K-9 dogs. One night Carl prevented the Vietcong from overrunning the base along the perimeter.
For his action and bravery, he received the Bronze Star for Valor.
Glen Elmore
Navy 1970-1991 Vietnam
Admiral Thomas Mattingly chose Glen to work with the Space and Navy Warfare Systems Command.
The joint operating focus with Marines monitored electronic frequency durations and satellite communications. The Admiral became an Apollo 16 astronaut.
Glen spent a year on Diego Garcia Island, Indian Ocean. He said it was ‘choice duty’.
Paul Gardner
Army 1967-1970 Vietnam
After basic training, Paul went to Vietnam in 1968. Paul was in country for Tet Offensive, the 1969 Tet counter-offensive and counter-offensive phases IV, V, VI.
Once stateside, the Army raised his life insurance to $15,000. How nice of the Army.
Paul was discharged August 28, 1970.
Arlene Gosnell
Air Force 1952-1956 Korean
At 18, Arlene’s Dad signed for her to join the Air Force. She was in Texas, Wyoming and England. 3 months short of being 21, her Dad refused to sign for re-enlistment.
Arlene re-enlisted, met Robert in Westover, and they married in Guam.
She retired from Plattsburgh Air Force Base in 1990 after a long career with the Department of Defense.
Edward Hall
Army 1953 – 1956 Korean
Ed served with the 7th Division, 17th Regiment above the 38th Parallel. There were no towns, just the compound.
He guarded millions of dollars of military payment certificates watching the color of certificates so the black market couldn’t get ahold of them.
Issued a 45 pistol Ed didn’t know how it worked, whether it was loaded or not or what to do with it.
Homer LaMare
Army 1950-1953 Korean
Homer, Buck, was a parachutist with the 11th Airborne Division, Korea.
Stateside they parachuted into Fort Drum during a snowstorm. Several men were injured but Buck, fortunately, wasn’t hurt.
Stationed in Tennessee Buck enjoyed the Grand Old Opry and Nashville bars. Coming home to Tupper Lake he hitch-hiked or hopped a train.
David Premo
Navy 1952-1966 Korean
On the Ship, USS Coral Sea David split the catapults launching aircraft and bringing them back in. One day in Cuba an airplane crashed; the ship caught on fire.
David wanted to ride a camel. The camel’s owner said ‘what can you trade’? Dave gave the owner his sunglasses and got his camel ride.
Floyd Rock
Army 1965-1967 Vietnam
On One Delta Huey helicopter, Floyd was mechanic crew chief and door gunner with an M-60 machine gun. He trained infantry to load and unload from the Huey.
1967 Tuwa Air Force Base, Floyd flew the Huey hauling troops of the 111th Airborne and picking up wounded soldiers.
James Verseput
Air Force 1971-1975 Vietnam Era
Caught between the closing doors, Jim sustained a back injury in “the Black Hanger” on Plattsburgh Air Force Base.
1972, Jim was defueling a plane to a fuel truck when a short caught the truck on fire. Laying on the ground, he used all 500 gallons in the jet fuel fire extinguisher.
Jim was awarded ‘Safety Officer of the Month’.
William Wolford
Air Force 1953-1973 Korean
Bill was a pilot of K B 50 J; C 130 E and C 141 planes.
During the Pakistan/Anaheim War, Bill was tasked to bring civilians out in his C-130. A Two-Star General handed 110 civilians up to Bill loading into a plane designed for 30 passengers.
Robert Woods
Army 1950-1952 Korean
Bob went to Germany on the USS Langfitt. Sailors slept on fold-down cots, with a thin piece of canvas cloth, cots stacked 5 high. Turning over the sailor hit the guy above.
Carrying Class A uniforms on backpacks, they wiggled items from the packs. Hanging clothes on pipes brought a quick announcement “no hanging clothes on pipes”.
Flight #33 Veteran Biographies
Albert Barcomb
Army 1961-1964 Vietnam
At boot camp, the Sergeant asked for a volunteer driver. Al raised his hand; the guy next to him said ‘never volunteer’. As the soldiers got through swamp training with mud up to their necks, Al was totally dry driving the jeep or a 2-1/2 ton truck.
He had TDY in Verdun, France and went 40 miles to visit Germany.
Alan Beaubriand
Marines 1966-1970 Vietnam
While Alan was serving in Okinawa, he met three people he had gone to high school with.
A ship to shore radio operator, He was among the Marines transported from California aboard the USS Tulare. The ship safely delivered the Marines and cargo to the DaNang Harbor.
Alan finished his tour as a driver and radioman in Okinawa.
Thomas Davison
Marines 1970-1972 Vietnam
While in Okinawa on guard duty, Tom met up with his cousin.
They separated as Tom transferred to patrol the Ho Chi Minh Trail. At Freedom Hill the cousins reconnected.
A Military Police radioman, Tom used a short whip to call in air raids and bombings at night. Tom said they were sitting ducks in DaNang as the Vietcong owned the night.
Richard Flora
Army 1966-1969 Vietnam
As crew chief, Richard oversaw repairs and flew on helicopters
that had 4 millimeter 60 machine gun outriggers -2 on each side.
In Germany, Rich served with the 9th helicopter support Calvary and the 24th Infantry Division. Army helicopters flew on one side of the Czechoslovakian border and the Czechs flew on the other side.
Earl Garrant
Navy 1956-1959 Vietnam
Earl served on the USS Saratoga CVA 60 Aircraft Carrier. They were stationed at the entrance to the Mediterranean. Earl did generator repair and maintenance and stood watch for hours.
The Saratoga tied up in Cannes, France during the 1958 Lebanon crisis. All sailors were directed to man battle stations.
Oliver Hickok
Marines 1956-1975 Vietnam
After 4 years in the Air Force, Oliver joined the Marines; 3rd Division.
Oliver took part in 15 field Operations. In February 1968, he was hit in the shoulder, back, and knee during the Tet Offensive. Medivacked to Da Nang, to Japan, and home to recover.
Oliver is a 2021 National Purple Heart Hall of Honor two-time Purple Heart recipient.
James Knapp
Navy 1958-1960 Vietnam
James enlisted in the Navy in Philadelphia. He was sent to the U.S. Naval Station in Newport, Rhode Island where he graduated from radioman A School.
Jim served on the USS McGowen as a radioman and was later switched to gunnery clerk aboard the USS Springfield until his honorable discharge.
Harry Landry
Army 1967-1969 Vietnam
Harry was a First Air Cavalry Fire Crewman and Squad Leader.
Harry and two others were critically wounded by open fire while being medivacked. Harry was hospitalized for 8 months.
With several medals, Harry joins his WWI grandfather and WWII father in a family of heroes.
Gerald LaValley
Army 1961-1963 Vietnam
Gerald was in the Signal Corp stationed in Orleans, France. With security clearance he was at the headquarters for communication and information systems If messages came in with a piece missing, the entire message was resent.
Living off post, his wife Darlene was with him for 14 months. Gerald enjoyed visiting Belgium, Holland, Spain and Germany.
Ronald Miller
Army 1967-1970 Vietnam
Ron was a General Vehicle Repairman with the 815th Combat Engineers.
Ron said they spent lots of time on guard duty protecting the machinery and perimeter known as Engineer Hill, Pleiku. There were 2 machinery fields. They’d fix machinery in the day and stand guard duty at night.
Not much sleep during a long year in Vietnam.
James Page
Air Force 1962-1966 Vietnam
Jim entered the Air Force at 17. He went to Texas to become a jet mechanic. As a heavy equipment operator, he was sent to Paero, France to extend the runway.
The Georgia boy went to Tuley, Greenland blowing and plowing snow to keep the runway open. On to Plattsburgh Air Force Base with more snow and operating heavy equipment, this became his home.
Eugene Sears
Air Force 1955-1956 Vietnam
Gene was a Photographer and Film developer stationed in Sumter,
South Carolina and Little Rock, Arkansas. In the days of good old-fashioned cameras, he took photographs, developed film in a dark room and made prints.
Gene filmed in various locations and situations often taking pictures from airplanes.
Dale Stephens
Air Force 1968-1989 Vietnam Era
Dale served 20 years; the first decade in administration and the 2nd
in-flight management.
1980-1985 Dale was stationed at Plattsburgh Air Force Base. Discharged from Myrtle Beach he retired In Plattsburg.
Dale has an amazing collection of 400 patches most of which are from aviators – some from enlisted personnel.
Michal Zmijewski
Air Force 1963-1967 Vietnam
An aerial photographer Mike flew many reconnaissance missions. He was stationed at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, then transferred to Plattsburgh.
Mike’s missions entailed filming military accidents, airplane crashes and even murders.
Mike met a local Keeseville girl. He and Marge will soon celebrate their 57th anniversary.
Posted: August 28th, 2021 under Community Events, General News, Northern NY News, Regional NY-VT News, Veterans' News.