Life is not a journey to the grave with the expectation
of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body
but rather to 'skid in' broadside, thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming,
Wow! What a Ride!'                   by:  Sidney Perryman 		  

 

 

                      

William H. (Bill) Simpson 

William H. (Bill) Simpson was born in Laredo, Texas,on June 1, 1934, where he 
received his primary and secondary education. After attending Texas A&M for 
one year, he received an appointment to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, 
Maryland, from which he graduated on June 1, 1956,with a Bachelor of Science 
degree in Electrical Engineering. During the next four and a half years, 
Bill served aboard the USS Phillippine Sea (CVS-47), as an Engineering 
Officer, and the USS Dash (MSO-428), as Executive Officer. In Dec. 1960, after 
being impressed by his understanding of God's leadership in his ife, he 
resigned his commission in the US Navy and entered Southwestern Baptist 
Theological Seminary , Ft. Worth. Tx., in Jan. 1961, from which he graduated with 
a Master of Divinity degree.

After being the pastor of three churches in Texas and Arkansas, he 
completed a year of Clinical Pastoral Education at the Baptist Memorial Hospital 
System, San Antonio, Tx., on Oct. 6, 1975. He served there until his 
retirement on May 30,1997. In 1978 he was certified as a Fellow in the College of 
Chaplains.

During his 22 years as Chaplain, he was active in the Institutional Ethics 
Committee, and served as co-facilitator on Cancer and Grief Support 
Groups. His ministry also included leading seminars on end-of-life issues. Upon 
retirement, he became Parish Associate, Northwood Presbyterian Church. He 
also became a Director of The Samaritan Counseling Center, and the San 
Antonio Eye Bank. After serving each organization for four years, he resigned 
as a director. Bill is married to the former Gerry Forrer of Baltimore, Md., 
and they have two children, Norman and Meredith, and one grandson, Desmond.

On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 , Bill Simpson '56 <olspice [at]  satx.rr  DOT com> wrote Doc Riojas:

Every Midshipman received a Midshipman's pay, just like a Second Class Petty Officer received a Second Class Petty Officer pay. It was from that pay that Midshipmen paid for what they received, uniforms, books, housing, meals, etc. We never saw the whole monthly salary; it was all put into individual savings accounts and we were given a very small monthly allowance. Monthly allowances ran from $3 for Plebes/month to $15 for First Classmen/month. Each month, our savings accounts were charged with the expenses mentioned above. It was not really a free education, though some like to think of it as free.

Remember that our pay scales were early 1950s pay scales; today they are much higher.

Bill

 
 


Bill Simpson  &  DOc Riojas

 

 

From: Ron Montgomery rgmontgomery  [at]  cox   DOT  net
To:    Doc Riojas

 It was just after September 11th, 2001 when 16 year old Sierra Vista High School student Shapoor "Alex" Ghane, Jr. decided to become a SEAL. Quite experienced and accomplished at playing video games, Alex was not in the best physical condition. When he told his mother, Farideh, he wanted to be a Navy SEAL she laughed and said "Sure, and I'm going to be the first woman President of the United States." 

Ale...x began training by running the streets in his neighborhood with rocks in his back pack. When his mother saw how the rocks cut into his back she asked him "Why are you doing this to yourself?". He replied "I've been lazy my entire life, I need to know what pain feels like." With the spirit of a true champion, Alex never quit even after spending a year at BUD/S. 

His first attempt at BUD/S ended when he broke his ankle during the last week of 2nd phase. His second attempt ended also during the last week of 2nd phase when his Iranian born father passed away (Alex’s family fled Iran during the Ayatollah Khomeini regime). 

His third attempt ended when his mother needed his (medical) assistance. Following the conclusion of his BUD/S class 256 graduation ceremony, Farideh approached Alex with outstretched arms to congratulate her son. 

Refraining from immediately hugging his mother, Alex saluted her while standing at attention and announced: "Madame President, Shapoor Alexander Ghane, Jr. reporting for duty." 

Four years ago today Alex was Killed In Training (KIT). Keeping the Ghane family in our prayers. ~Never Forget~ 

Nancy 

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War stories: From Maine to the Pacific, David Heward,  a Navy frogman remembers

By John Governale Jan 26, 2012  

'I don't want anything put in that builds me up. There's nothing I did that the other guys didn't do. What I was doing was the same as everybody else. We were at a certain place at a certain time. We did what we had to do and we hope it was the right thing.'       David Heward  U.S. Navy — During WWII, any time there was anything involving a lot of explosives, they used to say, "Get Hewie. Get Hewie." 


From: Judy & Richie    Wacha rwacha1  [at]  ampabay.rr  DOT  com 
To: Jake,  Jim B. O.T.D., doc Riojas
Sent: Sun, Jan 29, 2012
Subject: Article on Dave Heward

 

                                                                          Dave Heward

 

 
             Erasmo Riojas & John F. Rabbitt                      Diana  Irey         Larry  Bailey

 

 

     
               Emery Lee Martin Jr.                                                           Adm. E. Olson

               
               John Cullet RIP                     Adm.McRaven                                Minh & his wife

 

                       
                                                           Leo Torres
            

 

                            
George Sutcliffe

 

   
                                  Pete Von Hooser                                                  Roy Boem

              

 


                                                        SEALs Pacific NorthWest

 

 

from: Kieran MacDonaugh capt.squint [at] gmail  DOT  com
to: docrio45 [at] gmail DOT com
date: Fri, Jan 20, 2012
subject: Helo Freefall

                              

Doc Riojas,      Here is my brother on a helo, he jumps at sec 9! I can see in his aproach "gate" that he is super excited! I try not live vicariously through him but damn! I did not get much info about the crash but my mom said he called only a few hours ago!

 

 

 


Doc Donel Kinnard

 

           
Scott Allen O'Neill                                             Rick Woolard

 

 

 

                             

 

 
 Captain (SEAL) Rick Woolard

 

 


Don Shipley and Wife

 

               
Hershel Davis& Daughter         Ev Barrett  & Joe Dimartino                                "Pee Wee" Nealey

 

              
                                                                                 Mark Divine    Brad Mc Leod          Phil Blak,  Glen Doherty

 

        
Ranger Ricardo Cerros Jr          Chris Smith                                                Dan Cerrillo  

 

 
Mark Devine

 

2011 MUSTER Photos by Lowell Gosser:  HERE! and

 his movie is  HERE !  great Job Lowell!

 

 

 

 

 

         
01/14/2012 as of this day Don Lumsden                                       Josh Bunning
is the oldest frogman alive.

 

      255 confirmed kills: Meet Navy SEAL Chris Kyle...

 

 the deadliest sniper in US history Served four tours of duty in Iraq, where he gained the nickname 'The Devil of Ramadi' from insurgents Longest shot was a 2,100-yard strike against a man armed with a rocket launcher Prefers a bolt-action .300 Winchester Magnum custom sniper rifle Left the Navy after 10 years to 'save his marriage'

            

    

                      

                    

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081430/255-confirmed-kills-Meet-
Navy-SEAL-Chris-Kyle-- deadliest-sniper-US-history.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

 

 

 

         
Daniel Leary                                                             Frank Toms

 

         
  Adm McRaven          Marcus Lutrell                                    Jack Lynch

 

                                           
Jack Lynch Class29 EC

 

15 members of Class 114 

From: Thomas Campion
to: Doc RIojas
Rio,
I've attached a couple pictures from this year's muster at Fort Pierce. That's Herschel with my wife, me and my swim buddy Rick Sisk with Eric T. Olson, and one of the 15 members of Class 114 that came for our 30th reunion. I'm in the left of the photo with ADM Olson and front row 2nd from right in the class photo!
Have a wonderful Christmas 2011!!
R/ Tucker

Photos compliments of Thomas Campion; Thank you very much.


Thomas Campion, Rick Sisk, Eric T. Olson,


Mrs. Campion & Hershel Davis

 


Iam trying to find a picture of me at the Escape training tank at New London CONN while we were stationed there together. Yes I was on the pistol team with you. the picture of me in the upper left was the day I made W-1 at DSDS.in 1966. Th picture of the LTCOL is my son. The ASAF Acadamy kid is one of my grandsons a d the Navy guy is onother one of my grandson. I will try and find a picture of some of the tank guys.              Jack  Barnes                         WebMaster NOTE:  Jack and Doc Riojas were instructors at the SubEscapeTank, New London Conn. in the 1960's

 


Art Jones AVCM

 


     SEAL Team ONE KIA list

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lt. Cmdr. D.R. Davis MSC USN (Ret.<Sealdoc  [at]  aol  DOT  com>
Date: Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 1:50 PM
Subject: Re: Were you a Navy SEAL?
To: docrio45 [at]  gmail  DOT  com 

Hey, Doc Rio.


Nice to hear from a fellow Corpsman!
I was sent to DaNang as a diving HM to be a part of MTT 10-62. I had no idea where I was going or what the unit designation stood for. Did you go through BUDS? I was independent duty qualified, a first class diver and medical diving tech. I was not jump qualed or other special training that early SEALs received but...I got the job and did it anyway. Do you think they would want me in their archives if I didn't go through BUDs? I look forward to hearing from you. 

DR Davis 

In a message dated 2/17/2011 11:41:07 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
To: <Sealdoc  [at]  aol  DOT  com>
From: docrio45   [at]  gmail  DOT com writes:
Subj: "Your name is NOT on the Corpsman SEAL data list. "


Rio,
Perhaps you should talk to the SEAL Archives and correct that error. 

Thank You      DR Davis

WEBMASTER's NOTE:    

Dr. Davis, What you ask me to do will not automatically make you an HM-8492 (Special Operation Tech.)  I believe only the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery can do that. 

 Being  TAD to a SEAL MTT unit makes you no more of a SEAL than the few Corpsmen that were attached to the UDT/Replacement units at Little Creek and Coronado back in the old days before BUD/S came into being.

I have not read your book I don't buy those SEAL books until they are for ONE PENNY on Amazon.com or the authors send me a free copy.

Erasmo Riojas
aka: Doc Rio HMC (SEAL) retired 


From: "pt-doc" <pt-doc [at]  tampabay.  DOT rr   DOT com> 
Date: Mon, Feb 21, 2011 7:37 pm
Subject: Re: I got your email address from Mr. ALan Routh
To: <docrio  [at] sealtwo  DOT  org>

RIO,
Good to hear from you. As I told Al I think he is just out for the money as his book is classified as fiction and not for real. 

He may have got some of the information from one of the MTT guys back in the states, a few drinks will loosen up anyone. In the book he never classifies himself as a SEAL but that he operated with SEALS.  His memory has to be the worlds best to be able to remember word for word some of the things in the book. 

The wife and I are doing real well, both healthy. So is our 1 year old spoiled rotten dashound I play golf 3 times a week. Not bad for a 76 year old f**t Sorry to hear about dickie Cyrus. 

wish I could help out. Keep in touch. 

PT Schwartz, Navy SEAL 



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from: MmeDefarge      mmedefarge  [at]  comcast  DOT  net
to: docrio45  [at]  gmail  DOT  com
date: Mon, Jul 18, 2011 
subject: US Navy SEALs 
Dear Doc Riojas: 

Please forgive me for just jumping into your inbox uninvited, but I feel the need to thank you - over and over - for the wonderful, incredible photographs and other information you have gathered regarding the USN SEALs. 


  


As a bit of background, I was married to a Surface Warfare officer,  Michael B. Booth, from 1967 to 1976, who served primarily in "tin cans". In July of 1979 he was the XO of the USS Barry as it was pulling into port in Mayport, Florida after a six month deployment. The ship was lacking a Weapons Officer at the time (having flown off the ship earlier to attend some school) and the crew was having some difficulty in securing the lines. My ex-husband (having been a Weapons Officer previously) offered to go down to the deck and assist with the lines. While on deck, one of the lines parted and whipped across the deck and severed both of his legs. They sent down divers in an attempt to recover same, but were not successful. However, thanks to using the uniform web belts as tourniquets, they were able to control the bleeding and his life was saved. I still remember having to tell our two sons about the loss of his limbs as the single hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life. I only tell you this story as a way of saying "I understand" when it comes to the immense sacrifices that Naval men have always made for their country. 

In 1974-1975, we were stationed in Panama City, Florida at what was then called the Naval Coastal Systems Laboratory. My husband was the CO of one of the last three remaining minesweepers in the USN, the USS Fidelity. Our next door neighbor was Jack Ringelberg, who became the CO of the Experimental Diving Unit in June 1975. At that time, the Experimental Diving Unit was transferring all of its personnel from the Naval Shipyard in Washington, D.C. to Panama City. (I believe the EDU's CO was Colin Jones.) Thanks to Jack Ringelberg being a neighbor, we were invited to all the events associated with EDU. 

As a result, I was extremely fortunate to be able to know both Jack Lynch , the former President of the UDT SEAL Assn, (whose passing in 2010 has left me extremely saddened) and Tom Hawkins. Both Jack and Tom exemplified all that a Navy SEAL should be and I have always had the utmost respect for both of them. In addition, they each possessed an outrageous sense of humor and I have so many fond memories of literally laughing myself silly at their antics. 

As the years have flown by, I think back fondly to my memories of Navy life and Navy days and all of your wonderful photographs and other memorabilia bring back such a sense of nostalgia and of "being there." God bless you for all that you have done to preserve the memory of it all! 

You are such an incredible human being yourself with all of the service and devotion you have given to our wonderful country. Again, I apologize for intruding into your inbox, but I just wanted to let you know how much your wonderful photographs and memories are appreciated by we "old-timers". 

Nancy Booth

                            

 

from: MmeDefarge      mmedefarge  [at]  comcast  DOT  net
to:: "Erasmo \"Doc\" Riojas" docrio45  [at]  gmail  DOT  com
date Tue, Jul 19, 2011 
subject: Re: US Navy SEALs 

Dear Doc Riojas: 

Thank you so much for the pictures of the 50th SEAL reunion! You look absolutely wonderful and I need to know your secret for continuing to look so young. I have to confess my favorite picture of you is still the one from 1949 when you were 17 years old. What a handsome young man you were with that dapper "pencil-thin" mustache. 

At your request, I am attaching a photograph of my ex-husband, Michael B. Booth, which was taken when he was XO of the USS Barry (DD 993). After the loss of his limbs, he was promoted to full Commander which is the rate at which he retired from the Navy due to complete disability. We are both residing in Jacksonville, Florida and are blessed with seven beautiful grandchildren. 

I am not sure why you would wish to post about a surface warfare officer to what is essentially a special warfare web site, but you have my permission to do so, if you wish. 

Again, I thank you so very much for all of the wonderful pictures and memories. 

Carry on. 

Nancy Booth

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WEBMASTER'S NOTE:
Thank you very much for the kudos, Nancy.  I wish to post your story and Mr. Booth's picture because www.sealtwo.org has pictures and stories , and readers, of OTHER THAN  U.S.Navy SEALs.  You are the prime example!  You and all the rest of the fans that visit this web site is my reason for continuing to add, and to edit www.sealtwo.org.
Again, My sincerest Thanks,
Your friend, Erasmo "Doc Rio" Riojas, USN Retired

 

 

 

 

 

From:  klk7   [at]  smunet  DOT Net
To: Doc Riojas
Wed, Jul 6, 2011

Thank you for your reply. 

I do appreciate you putting me on your web site. HOOT was one of my most favorite shipmates, although I didn't know him on the ship. He made several reunions, and he found out about them through my putting the notices in the VFW & Legion magazines. Thanks again for your service, and if there is a doubt of any kind about putting me on the web, I will understand. You Seals are the best special operative group ever organized. Take care & be well. 

Lane Kunath RM2/c
USS Hinsdale APA-120
Iwo Jima & Okinawa survivor

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source:  Fire in the Hole  Vol XXIV No. VII Spring 2009

 

 

 


These are some old pictures from my family back in Vietnam


Thu, May 12, 2011 
Quang Nguyen
Creative Director/Founder
Caddis Advertising, LLC
quang [at] caddisad  DOT com    Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Phan

 

 


22JUN2011

:-) Howdy, Rio ~ 
Good hearing back from you.

Glad to hear you folks are going to be in attendance for the 50th. That's great.

Yes, I served with ST-2 from 1984 to 1987. Rick Woolard was the skipper when I first checked aboard, and, of course, Rudy was the MCPOC and senior Bull Frog then. I sure did enjoy the time there. A bunch of hard-chargers to learn from, for sure.

Billy Hoffmann

 6

 

 

from: John Stevens
to: Doc Riojas
Mon, Apr 18, 2011
subject: My Dad

Doc Rio,

Recently, I was led to your website by a link in a message from a friend.  On page 15 .     I was surprised to see a copy of the email that I sent to Pat Park and a number of other friends, informing them of the death of my friend Ryan Job.  I am honored that you and Pat thought it worthy of inclusion on your site.  I often think of Ryan and give thanks I had the opportunity to meet him.

 

I have, of course, read through the site and learned about you, sir, and your service to our country.  I thought it almost eerily coincidental that my father, who was only four years older than you, managed to catch the tail end of WWII by joining the Navy at age 17.  Appropriately enough, he served on Okinawa as a Corpsman for the Marines.  I have attached a copy of the memorial page I set up for him in the National WWII Memorial Registry.

 

I believe you would have liked him.  He graduated from the University of Miami of Florida and became the second college graduate to join the Florida Highway Patrol in the early 50’s.  Some of my best memories are of him coming home to our little house in Orlando in his gray uniform with the Stetson hat and the Sam Browne belt, looking about ten feet tall.  Sometimes his friend Chuck Saunders (the first college graduate to join FHP) would drive him home and I got to sit in the black and cream pursuit car.  Dad left FHP and became chief of security at the old Martin Orlando missile plant in Orlando.  A football fanatic, he quit that job and founded the Missile Bowl, the armed forces football championship back in the days when the services fielded teams, often filled with pro-ball ringers who had been drafted.

 

He did a lot of other things, but he was always first and foremost a great dad.  I guess the craziness ran true in the family because I became the first lawyer to join the Metropolitan Police Department in Nashville, Tennessee.  Now I am a trial attorney with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

 

I hope you don’t mind my writing and sharing this story with you.  I do want to thank you for all that you have given the rest of us through your service and for sharing it on your site.  If I can ever be of service to you, I hope you will call on me.

 

Very respectfully,

 

John E. Stevens

Vienna, Virginia

 

 

 

WEBMASTER NOTE:

Thank you very much John. I will meet your father in the future of in heaven in the Hall of Heroes.


 -----Original Message-----
From: Larry Bailey [mailto:larrywb [at]suddenlink  DOT net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011
To: john.edward.stevens [at] usa  DOT  net
Subject: Re: Thanks 

John, I couldn't open the attachment. Could you send it in the body of an e-maill? Thanks! 

My address is  Chocowinity, NC 27817. 

L.Bailey 

On Apr 20, 2011,
John Stevens wrote: 

Hi, Captain Bailey! 

It is good to hear from you. Doc Riojas has been kind enough to post the email I wrote about Ryan Job back in 2009 and to put my Dad's WWII Memorial page on his site. 

When I was about 6, I used to wear Dad's steel pot and march around with my Trainer rifle. Once, I asked him why he had scraped the Red Cross off the helmet (I could see where it had been), and he answered in kind of a grim way, "Because it was just a target for the Japs." (This was in the 50's before we had to be culturally sensitive.) 

He also explained to me how Corpsmen are pretty much the only Navy personnel that Marines will tolerate. Right after he finished advanced training for independent duty in the Pacific, he was at a bar with his buddy knocking a few back before they shipped out (to Okinawa, as it happened). A very large Army sergeant began to hector him, trying to pick a fight. My Dad was not a small man, but he said this guy had him worried. Just when he thought he was going to have to swing, a little Hispanic Gunnery Sergeant pushed him away, saying, "Stand aside, Doc. I'll take care of this prick." And the fight was on. At this point in the story, Dad would smile and say, "We took care of the Marines, and the Marines took care of us." 

I hope you are enjoying life. Maybe I can get out to Phoenix the next time you visit, and you, Mac, Steve, and I can all get together. 

Stay frosty, 
John 

P.S. I attached my contact info just in case you need to reach me for anything. Don't hesitate. I'm only two years from retirement and I don't give a @#$!

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PTSD 


By Sylvia Riojas-Vaughn


Father's screams wake us again,
maybe the neighbors, too - thin walls.
We children huddle at our bedroom doors,
watch him thunder downstairs,
flailing his arms,
shouting, Get down, get down!
Mother rushes behind him, yells,
Wake up, wake up! You're safe!
Their low voices soon drift from the kitchen,
Mother hollers to go back to bed,
but sleep eludes me.
I remember the stories of the slain recounted
over arroz con pollo,
\wonder which firefight
Father relives tonight.

 

 
Nils Berger Olsen
BRANCH OF SERVICE 
U.S. Army

HOMETOWN 
Brooklyn, NY

HONORED BY
CTRCM Thomas H. Helvig USN (Ret), Nephew

              ACTIVITY DURING WWII 


MEMBER OF THE 99TH INFANTRY BATTALION (SEPARATE) NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN SKI TROOPS, 474TH INFANTRY REGIMENT DEVIL'S BRIGADE, 1ST SPECIAL FORCES.

 BORN IN NORWAY, HE WAS NATURALIZED A U.S. CITIZEN ON JUNE 18, 1943 AT LEADVILLE, COLORADO WHILE ASSIGNED SKI TROOP TRAINING AT CAMP HALE, COLORADO. 

HIS UNIT SAILED FROM THE U.S. ON THE SS MEXICO AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND IN SEPTEMBER 1943. WENT ASHORE ON D-DAY PLUS 15. FIRST ACTION WAS IN THE TAKING OF CHERBOURG, FRANCE. 

HIS BROTHER WAS KILLED IN ACTION WHILE ADVANCING WITH HIS UNIT ON JULY 15, 1944. FOUND OUT ABOUT HIS BROTHER'S DEATH WHEN A LETTER HE HAD SENT WAS RETURNED AT THE BATTLEFRONT WITH 'DECEASED KILLED IN ACTION' WRITTEN ON THE ENVELOPE. 

HE SAW FURTHER ACTION IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM AND WAS ENGAGED WITH THE GERMANS IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. WHILE ADVANCING WITH HIS UNIT IN BELGIUM, HE WAS ASLEEP SITTING AGAINST A TREE ON SEPTEMBER 19,1944 AND WOUNDED BY A GERMAN SNIPER. 

THE ROUND ENTERED AND EXITED THE FRONT OF HIS HELMET WHICH HE CONTINUED TO WEAR THROUGHOUT THE WAR. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR AND PURPLE HEART.

NOTE: This narrative is being included in the World War II "Book of Remembrances" at the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.   Entries such as this one for Nils Berger Olsen are available to all World War II participants.      CTRCM Thomas H. Helvig USN (Ret), Nephew

 

 

 

 


Veterans of Foreign Wars  September 1989            is the source of this article about UDT-18

 

                       

           

                              

 

 

Rear Admiral Gary W. Rosholt

Deputy Commanding General, Special Operations Command,
U.S. Central Command

                                                       

Rear Admiral Gary W. Rosholt, the son of a career U.S. Air Force officer, was commissioned through the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Upon graduating from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, Class 106 in February 1980, he was assigned to Underwater Demolition Team 12, where he made two Western Pacific deployments with Amphibious Ready Groups. He was then transferred to SEAL Team 1 as the command's diving officer, and then completed another deployment to the 7th Fleet as a strike platoon commander.

Rosholt's shore duty assignment was as the training program coordinator for Naval Special Warfare officer and enlisted training with the Chief of Naval Technical Training in Millington, Tenn. During this time, he also completed his Master of Science degree in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas. In his next assignment, he served as the executive officer of Special Boat Unit 20. There he completed two deployments as deputy commander to Mobile Sea Base Hercules in the Northern Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will.

During his first assignment in the Reserve Component, Rosholt was a special projects officer with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, White Oak, Mass. He then served as an action officer for Joint and Navy Special Operations issues on the OPNAV staff in Warfare Policy. He was then assigned as commanding officer of NR SIMA Norfolk Detachment 406. With NR OPNAV N85/N86 106, he served as a requirements officer in the Expeditionary Warfare Division, Naval Special Warfare Branch. He also commanded both NR Special Boat Unit 20 and NR Naval Special Warfare Unit 4. As a Navy emergency preparedness liaison officer, he served with the Director of Military Support and as the Navy liaison within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense. He then served as commanding officer of NR U.S. Special Operations Command Detachment 108 and commanding officer, NR Naval Special Warfare Command HQ.

Rosholt is currently serving as the deputy commanding general of the Special Operations Command, U.S. Central Command.

Rosholt’s personal decorations include two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, Meritorious Service Medal, four Navy Commendation Medals, the Army Commendation Medal and permanent award of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge.

In his civilian career, Rosholt is a consultant specializing in Special Operations-peculiar research, development and acquisition programs. He is licensed as a professional engineer by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Updated: 15 October 2008

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=455

 

       
        Chuck Newell Jr. & his Kids                           John Eric Branchizio            Steve Waterman, Navy Photographer

 

            

      
                                Elle                                                    "Bad Bo" 

 

     REAR ADMIRAL HOWARD ROOP, USNR (ret)
 17 Oct 1924 - 02 June 2011


Rear Admiral Roop was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1924, and enlisted as a Naval Aviation Cadet in 1942. He was called to active duty in July 1943, and discharged as a seaman first class in January 1946, following various naval ground and flight schools.

He entered the University of Southern California on a football scholarship and graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in commercial aviation. Upon graduation, he received a direct commission to Ensign. Recalled to active duty in during the Korean conflict, he was assigned to the USS Logan (APA 195) as assistant boat group commander. Prior to release from active duty, he completed training at the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, joined Underwater Demolition Team FIVE, and served as Operations Officer.

Rejoining the Naval Reserve, he served in the air intelligence program from 1954 to 1967, as executive officer and, ultimately, Commanding Officer. In 1959, he achieved an MS degree, and in 1971, a Doctorate in Education, both from the University of Southern California.

Following promotion to Captain, he transferred to the Naval Air Reserve Staff, Naval Air Station, Los Alamitos, and ultimately was selected as the Commander. Following a brief tour with the Los Angeles Recruiting Office, he rejoined the intelligence community and, after transfer to Volunteer Training Unit 0994, continued in the intelligence program on a TAD basis until promotion to Rear Admiral in April 1980. At this time he took charge of the Reserve Command of Region 19. In 1982 he went on active duty as the Deputy Director of Naval Reserve at the Pentagon. Admiral Roop retired from the Navy in 1984 and returned to southern California.

Rear Admiral Roop has received the Meritorius Unit Commendation, WWII Victory Medal, American Theatre, China Service, Korean Conflict with one battle star, National Defense, Good Conduct, as well as several United Nations medals and awards.

While in retirement the Admiral was a consultant at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, California, assisting in the training of the candidates for the SEALS. In 1987 Admiral Roop returned again to the Washington area as the Commandant of the Defense Intelligence College until he retired in 1990.

In civilian life, the Admiral was an educator for 32 years, serving as teacher, coach, counselor, high school assistant principal, intermediate school principal, high school principal, and assistant superintendent of the Bellflower and Huntington Beach, Union High School Districts in California. Active in community affairs including Rotary and the Long Beach Boy Scout Council, he was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship by the Huntington Harbour Rotary Club. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the World Affairs Council of Orange County.

The Admiral was a consultant for the Commander, Thirtieth Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, and to a directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He taught Leadership at the Marshall School of Business, USC, and was also employed for leadership training by a number of businesses. 

 Howard is survived by his wife, Harriet B. Roop, daughters Catherine Grey and Darla Haller, grandchildren Anne Grey and Ryan Basden.

 

Celebration of Life June 17 at 12 PM-Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana-in lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Education Outreach of the World Affairs Council OC, the United States Navy League Orange County Council, or the Orange County Philharmonic Society.

 

 

 

 1

                                                           
                                                                            Margaret Mence  &  Erasmo Riojas

 


Seal Team Zero T shirt

 

A native of East Texas, where he graduated from Marshall High School and Stephen F. Austin State College, Larry Bailey was raised on a dairy farm, where he milked an estimated 300,000 Holsteins and Jerseys. Upon graduation from college, he went to Navy Officer Candidate School and was commissioned an ensign in 1962.  After a less-than-stellar eight months as a destroyer sailor, he volunteered for Underwater Demolition Training at Little Creek, Virginia, and graduated therefrom in January 1964.  After spending a year at UDT-22, he transferred to SEAL Team TWO, where he spent the next three years.  Among his deployments at that command were combat tours to the Dominican Republic and Viet Nam.

Larry's 27-year Navy career saw him stationed in Panama, Bolivia, Scotland, the Philippines, and Viet Nam, in addition to various stateside postings, which included Little Creek, VA; Coronado, CA; and Ft. Bragg, NC.  He commanded Naval Special Warfare Unit TWO in Machrihanish, Scotland, and Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado.  He retired from the US Special Operations Command in 1990.

Since retirement, Larry has worked as a consultant, speechwriter, fundraiser, and general gad-about.  His most notable activities included presiding over Vietnam Vets for the Truth, which campaigned against John Kerry in 2004, and over Vets for the Truth, which unsuccessfully tried to deny John Murtha a 17th term in Congress.

Larry and his wife Judy are the parents of two adult children: Tucker and Hallie.

 

Capt. (O-6) Bailey, Larry
U.S. Navy 1962-1990

http://www.oldwardogs.us

/larry_bailey/index.html

                              

 

             
                   Wayne Jacobs                    David Godshall,  David Kohler,  Tom Norris  Adm. Olson

 

 

 

                            

 

        
           Dick Young                                                                                  Rich Young, Dick's son

 

 

            What do you look for in a person when building a team?

I like to deal with people who have a degree of humility about themselves and who express themselves with a quiet confidence. I don't like a whole lot of high-fiving in the end zone or when people overstate and under-deliver. I like people who can understate and over-deliver. The great military men and women I've been around have had a great degree of humility in them even though they are great Americans that accomplished great things.

                              John Morgan, senior global strategist, Toffler Associates;     said that !

 
http://sealtwo.org/togetherserved

 

SSGT Bruce Cullen USMC

 

 

                          

Doc

 That's from spending to much time in the goat locker...LOL  Alright let me ID those for you. Use your best judgment Doc. Again I think I have some UDT pictures or may  not have any I really can't remember I know I have some of us working the Mike boats in the Dominican Republic..So let me pull out the old seabag.  Best...To you my friend,

 bruce  cullen   

 

 
LT. R.W.Peterson USNavy SEAL

 DOc, Still kickin ass after all these years. The one in civilian cloths was taken at my bunker this year. The other posed shot was taken at Camp Pendleton in 1968-9 I was E4 then and on my way to PI for school then RVN. 

Hey if you ever get to San Antonio Stop in at the Drop Zone Café it’s owned by Hope & Ed Fernandez. My picture is on the wall. I am a life member of the “Alamo Silver Wings Airborne Association” 

Email:   Bruce Cullen    [at]   charter   DOT  net

           

        

               

                                   

Bruce and Cheryl

James W. "Doc" Myers,  (1941 - 2010)

October 25, 1941 - July 29, 2010
James W. Myers, 68, of Edgerton, passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2010, at his home with his loving family by his side. He was born on Oct. 25, 1941, in Edgerton, son of the late Donald and Bernadine (Holmes) Myers. He was united in marriage on July 14, 1988, to Joan Dallman in Lake Tahoe, NV. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Edgerton. 

He retired from the Navy after 20 years of service in Special Warfare. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, Kayaking, taking his dog for rides and watching Jeopardy. He was a life member of the V.F.W., the Military Order of The Purple Heart and Vietnam Veterans. He was also a member of the Marine Corps League and the UDT/Seal Association, Knights of Columbus and past Grand Knight, a Eucharistic Minister and an Usher at St. Joseph Catholic Church.


He is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Joan of Edgerton; two daughters, Stacy (Josh) Finn of Edgerton and Sara Lund of Janesville; two grandchildren, Madison and Brooke Finn; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Trisha; and one son, James.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010, at ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH, Edgerton, with Father David Timmerman officiating. Burial will be in the Fulton Cemetery. Friends may call on Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, at the EHLERT FUNERAL HOME, (US HWY 51 S) Edgerton from 4 until 7 p.m. and at the CHURCH on Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Full Military services will be held at the Cemetery by the Edgerton Memorial Squad.

http://gazettextra.com/obits/2010/aug/01/james-myers/

                
                                                                      Pepe Lopez

 

           
                     "Temo" Rocha                          David Riojas JR.(my nephew's son)        Chris Tolentino (nephew)

 


Daniel Guzman (Nephew)

                                                      

              A PRAYER FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY


Father in Heaven, watch over America's sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers, in their hour of peril. Bring them home safely to their loved ones. Wrap your loving arms around the wounded, and bring to your side the ones who have lost their lives. Let their loved ones know peace of mind from the pain of having lost those who were so dear to them. Let their children learn wisdom as they grow up without their mothers and fathers. Amen

    
                                           click on graphic

Dear Members of the NavySEALs.com Community  ,

September 11, 2001 was a day of great sacrifice for Americans.

 No group has better understood that, nor has acted in such a manner as to make that sacrifice a more meaningful page in our nation's history, than the United States Navy SEALs. The SEALs have taken the fight to the enemy with extraordinary result. But their success has not been without cost. 

More SEALs have made the ultimate sacrifice in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom than in any other conflict since Vietnam. Please join me in honoring the memories of Naval Special Warfare's fallen heroes in the Global War on Terror. 

                        http://www.sealtwo.org/memorialkiaseals.htm

Keep their families in your thoughts. And let their examples of selflessness and sacrifice be an inspiration in your own lives. 

Kind regards, 

Mark Divine
Founder and CEO
BUD/S 170

 

 

0

Norman K. Ott, Jr.
1931 - 2009

 

Ott, Jr., Norman K., 78, of St. Petersburg, died , March 25, 2009. 

Born in Allentown, PA, he came here in 1988 from Vienna, Virginia. He was a graduate of Allentown High School. He was also a graduate of Lehigh University with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering as well as competing on the school swim team. He was a United States Navy veteran. 

He worked for Sylvania Electric as well as Westinghouse as a Sales Engineer in Pittsburgh, PA. From 1962 to 1991 he worked as an Operations Officer for the Central Intelligence Agency conducting operations in Turkey, Africa, Vietnam, Cuba, Persian Gulf and the Near East areas. His last assignment was as the CIA Intelligence Advisor to General Schwarzkopf at CentCom Headquarters in Tampa, FL during Operation Desert Storm. 

He was Protestant. In his youth, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow in the Boy Scouts. His reserve SEAL team helped train the original Mercury 7 astronauts in water landings. While serving as scout master in Istanbul, Turkey, he led an annual swim from Asia to Europe across the Bosphorus Strait. 

He was an avid tennis player and worked as a league coordinator for the USTA and played in numerous leagues. He was a loving husband and father, scout master, football coach, soccer coach, basketball coach, advisor, provider and family comedian. Upon moving to St. Petersburg in 1988 and retiring in 1991, he spent his time playing with his granddaughters, sailing, playing tennis and was President of the local chapter of the UDT/SEAL Association. He is survived by wife, Ruth Ann Ott, St. Petersburg, FL.

 

 

 

 

     M. SGT. RAUL PEREZ BENAVIDEZ  U.S. Army  
 http://www.medalofhonor.com/RoyBenavidez.htm

                                                           
                                                               Roy P. Benadvidez, M.O.H., Vietnam

                                                   
                                                             Roy P. Benavidez & Erasmo "Doc" Riojas

 

MSG Roy P. Benavidez Vietnam R.I.P.

On 2 May 1968, 12 Green Berets were surrounded near Loc Ninh, South Vietnam, by an entire battalion of NVA. They were thus outnumbered, 12 men versus about 1,000. They dug in and tried to hold them off, but were not going to last long. Benavidez heard their distress call over a radio in town and boarded a rescue helicopter with first aid equipment. He did not have time to grab a weapon before the helicopter left, so he voluntarily jumped into the hot LZ armed only with his knife.

He sprinted across 75 meters of open terrain through withering small arms and machine gun fire to reach the pinned down MACV-SOG team. By the time he reached them, he had been shot 4 times, twice in the right leg, once through both cheeks, which knocked out four molars, and a glancing shot off his head.

He ignored these wounds and began administering first aid. The rescue chopper left as it was not designed to extract men. An extraction chopper was sent for, and Benavidez took command of the men by directing their fire around the edges of the clearing in order to facilitate the chopper’s landing. When the aircraft arrived, he supervised the loading of the wounded on board, while throwing smoke canisters to direct the chopper’s exact landing. He was wounded severely and at all times under heavy enemy crossfire, but still carried and dragged half of the wounded men to the chopper.

He then ran alongside the landing skids providing protective fire into the trees as the chopper moved across the LZ collecting the wounded. The enemy fire got worse, and Benavidez was hit solidly in the left shoulder. He got back up and ran to the platoon leader, dead in the open, and retrieved classified documents. He was shot in the abdomen, and a grenade detonated nearby peppering his back with shrapnel.

The chopper pilot was mortally wounded then, and his chopper crashed. Benavidez was in extremely critical condition, and still refused to fall. He ran to the wreckage and got the wounded out of the aircraft, and arranged them into a defensive perimeter to wait for the next chopper. The enemy automatic rifle fire and grenades only intensified, and Benavidez ran and crawled around the perimeter giving out water and ammunition.

The NVA was building up to wipe them out, and Benavidez called in tactical air strikes with a squawk box and threw smoke to direct the fire of arriving gunships. Just before the extraction chopper landed, he was shot again in the left thigh while giving first aid to a wounded man. He still managed to get to his feet and carry some of the men to the chopped, directing the others, when an NVA soldier rushed from the woods and clubbed him over the head with an AK-47. This caused a skull fracture and a deep gash to his left upper arm, and yet he still got back up and decapitated the soldier with one swing of his knife, severing the spine and all tissue on one side of the neck. He then resumed carrying the wounded to the chopper and returning for others, and was shot twice more in the lower back. He shot two more NVA soldiers trying to board the chopper, then made one last trip around the LZ to be sure all documents were retrieved, and finally boarded the chopper. He had lost 2 quarts of blood. Before he blacked out, he shouted to one of the other Green Berets, “Another great day to be in South Vietnam!”

This battle lasted six hours. He had been wounded 37 times.

Hoo-Yah, Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez ~

Talk about a small world here, man: Roy's young nephew, Jesse
Benavidez, was a young Petty Officer who served at SEAL Team VI as a
support technician in the 90's. After I left RED Assault Team and was
serving as the command Chief Master-at-Arm's Jesse was one of my
assistants (-as a Disbursing Clerk) and he told me of his uncle Roy.
Of course he was very proud of him.

That was an outstanding video and I plan on forwarding it to some
folks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ7968BbMnU&feature=player_embedded

William F. Hoffmann (SEAL), October 25, 2010

Roy P. Benavidez, Recipient Of Medal of Honor, Dies at 63

By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN
Published: December 04, 1998

Roy P. Benavidez, a former Green Beret sergeant who received the Medal of Honor from President Ronald Reagan for heroism while wounded in the Vietnam War, then fought to keep the Government from cutting off his disability payments, died on Sunday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He was 63.

Mr. Benavidez, who lived in El Campo, Tex., suffered respiratory failure, the hospital said. His right leg was amputated in October because of complications of diabetes.

On the morning of May 2, 1968, Mr. Benavidez, a staff sergeant with the Army's Special Forces, the Green Berets, heard the cry ''get us out of here'' over his unit's radio while at his base in Loc Ninh, South Vietnam. He also heard ''so much shooting, it sounded like a popcorn machine.''

The call for aid came from a 12-man Special Forces team -- 3 Green Berets and 9 Montagnard tribesmen -- that had been ambushed by North Vietnamese troops at a jungle site a few miles inside Cambodia.

Sergeant Benavidez jumped aboard an evacuation helicopter that flew to the scene. ''When I got on that copter, little did I know we were going to spend six hours in hell,'' he later recalled.

After leaping off the helicopter, Sergeant Benavidez was shot in the face, head and right leg, but he ran toward his fellow troops, finding four dead and the others wounded.

He dragged survivors aboard the helicopter, but its pilot was killed by enemy fire as he tried to take off, and the helicopter crashed and burned. Sergeant Benavidez got the troops off the helicopter, and over the next six hours, he organized return fire, called in air strikes, administered morphine and recovered classified documents, although he got shot in the stomach and thigh and hit in the back by grenade fragments.

He was bayoneted by a North Vietnamese soldier, whom he killed with a knife. Finally, he shot two enemy soldiers as he dragged the survivors aboard another evacuation helicopter.

When he arrived at Loc Ninh, Sergeant Benavidez was unable to move or speak. Just as he was about to be placed into a body bag, he spit into a doctor's face to signal that he was still alive and was evacuated for surgery in Saigon.

Sergeant Benavidez was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1968, but a subsequent recommendation from his commanding officer that he receive the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for valor, could not be approved until a witness confirmed his deeds.

That happened in 1980, when Brian O'Connor, the Green Beret who had radioed the frantic message seeking evacuation, was found in the Fiji Islands. Mr. O'Connor told how Mr. Benavidez had rescued eight members of his patrol despite being wounded repeatedly.

President Reagan presented the Medal of Honor to Mr. Benavidez at the Pentagon on Feb. 24, 1981.

Shortly before Memorial Day 1983, Mr. Benavidez came forward to say that the Social Security Administration planned to cut off disability payments he had been receiving since he retired from the Army as a master sergeant in 1976. He still had two pieces of shrapnel in his heart and a punctured lung and was in constant pain from his wounds.

The Government, as part of a cost-cutting review that had led to the termination of disability assistance to 350,000 people over the preceding two years, had decided that Mr. Benavidez could find employment.

''It seems like they want to open up your wounds and pour a little salt in,'' Mr. Benavidez said. ''I don't like to use my Medal of Honor for political purposes or personal gain, but if they can do this to me, what will they do to all the others?''

 

A White House spokesman said President Reagan was ''personally concerned'' about Mr. Benavidez's situation, and 10 days later the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Margaret M. Heckler, said the disability reviews would become more ''humane and compassionate.''

Soon afterward, wearing his Medal of Honor, Mr. Benavidez told the House Select Committee on Aging that ''the Administration that put this medal around my neck is curtailing my benefits.''

Mr. Benavidez appealed the termination of assistance to an administrative law judge, who ruled in July 1983 that he should continue receiving payments.

When President Reagan presented Mr. Benavidez with the Medal of Honor, he asked the former sergeant to speak to young people. Mr. Benavidez did, visiting schools to stress the need for the education he never had.

Born in South Texas, the son of a sharecopper, Mr. Benavidez was orphaned as a youngster. He went to live with an uncle, but dropped out of middle school because he was needed to pick sugar beets and cotton. He joined the Army at 19, went to airborne school, then was injured by a land mine in South Vietnam in 1964. Doctors feared he would never walk again, but he recovered and became a Green Beret. He was on his second Vietnam tour when he carried out his rescue mission.

Mr. Benavidez is survived by his wife, Hilaria; a son, Noel; two daughters, Yvette Garcia and Denise Prochazka; a brother, Roger; five stepbrothers, Mike, Eugene, Frank, Nick and Juquin Benavidez; four sisters, Mary Martinez, Lupe Chavez, Helene Vallejo and Eva Campos, and three grandchildren.

Over the years, fellow Texans paid tribute to Mr. Benavidez. Several schools, a National Guard armory and an Army Reserve center were named for him.

But he did not regard himself as someone special.

''The real heroes are the ones who gave their lives for their country,'' Mr. Benavidez once said. ''I don't like to be called a hero. I just did what I was trained to do.''

 

 

 

 

 

                           

                               
                                                                                 Arron Justiss

         

 

 

                 
                   Danny Dietz                                          Amir Pishadad                                           Dave Bird

 

                 
           Dave Phelan                                      John barttelson                                    Welt Doc Gary

 

                   
                  Dave Phelan                                                         Neil Roberts

 

         Rick Nuygen , LCDR Dentist
               Joe Baimbridge (with the cane)                                                                  

 

HOOYAH! UDT/SEAL STORIES OF THE 1960s:
Routine and Offbeat Exploits that Team Members have been Talking and Laughing about for Years
— New Second Edition!

Navy Seal Nick Nickelson (KNMF Chair!) relives brutal Hell Week that broke most men's spirits while strengthening others. Learn what SEALs go through and find out if you have what it takes. You will be surprised by who passes and who fails to make it through Hell Week, and you will laugh at preposterous situations that young Navy SEALs find themselves in.

The Book Contains:

                                          

One of the missions Nick was charged with as a UDT/SEAL was the rescue of Astronaut Gordon Cooper in the Faith 7 Landing.

Nick is standing on the right, after placing the floatation collar on the capsule. Astronaut Cooper is inside the capsule (see photo to right).

The new Second Edition of HOOYAH! includes many new stories plus all the stories from the First Edition. The Second Edition contains 43 stories and 22 photos related to Naval Special Warfare and the men who belonged to the Navy's elite UDT/SEAL teams during the 1960s. Some stories are humorous and some are not. Most of the stories relate to West Coast BUDS Training and Class-28. The remaining stories relate to specific events supported by the Teams during the 1960s. Historic events such as "The Cuban Missile Crisis", "Project Mercury: Faith 7", and "Naval Pentathlon" are but three examples. This book contains many stories that are humorous and depict the style or character of the individual capable of surviving training and life in the Teams. Other stories relate to historic events and the men from Naval Special Warfare who supported them. All stories document events Team members have been talking and laughing about for years.

The Author, Nick

HOOYAH! UDT/SEAL STORIES OF THE 1960s:
Routine and Offbeat Exploits that Team Members have been Talking and Laughing about for Years


— New Second Edition!               

Navy Seal Nick Nickelson (KNMF Chair!) relives brutal Hell Week that broke most men's spirits while strengthening others. Learn what SEALs go through and find out if you have what it takes. You will be surprised by who passes and who fails to make it through Hell Week, and you will laugh at preposterous situations that young Navy SEALs find themselves in.

The Book Contains:

Nick with Mercury 7 Capsule

One of the missions Nick was charged with as a UDT/SEAL was the rescue of Astronaut Gordon Cooper in the Faith 7 Landing.

Nick is standing on the right, after placing the floatation collar on the capsule. Astronaut Cooper is inside the capsule (see photo to right).

The new Second Edition of HOOYAH! includes many new stories plus all the stories from the First Edition. The Second Edition contains 43 stories and 22 photos related to Naval Special Warfare and the men who belonged to the Navy's elite UDT/SEAL teams during the 1960s. 

Some stories are humorous and some are not. Most of the stories relate to West Coast BUDS Training and Class-28. The remaining stories relate to specific events supported by the Teams during the 1960s. Historic events such as "The Cuban Missile Crisis", "Project Mercury: Faith 7", and "Naval Pentathlon" are but three examples. 

This book contains many stories that are humorous and depict the style or character of the individual capable of surviving training and life in the Teams. Other stories relate to historic events and the men from Naval Special Warfare who supported them. 

All stories document events Team members have been talking and laughing about for years.

The Author, Nick Nickelson, will receive $2.50 in book sale proceeds for each book sold by Heritage Books, Inc. Nick is donating all his book sales proceeds to The Kenny Nickelson Memorial Foundation for Homeless Veterans (KNMF), a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt charity for each sale they make. 

There is no extra charge for Shipping and handling (S&H is Free). If you order the book directly from KNMF, approximately $5-8 from the sale of each book will benefit this charitable organization (see "To Order a Book" below).

No further copies of the First Edition will be printed. Sales by JoNa Books do not benefit KNMF or the Author. KNMF is selling the remainders of the First Edition that they have in stock.

READER BOOK REVIEWS - 2007

Bob Kelley

I ran out of reading material yesterday so I am again reading your HooYah book. I never read a book twice but your book is like visiting an old friend. The 60's were a time in our lives that seem like yesterday. What some people may consider PTSD we regard as great memories and a high point in our lives. Hope to see you at the reunion this year. Take care.

Larry Nelson, Cdr USN (Ret); UDT 22, UDT 21, SEAL Team 2, SBU-12, CNO (OP-954G)

I'm a retired SEAL from the VietNam era, and though I'm a little abashed to say that the deployment of my platoon from UDT 22, which was supposed to augment UDT 13 in country in 1969, was canceled, I am pleased to support you and your son's memorial fund. He sounds like a terrific guy. I know if I were you I would be asking myself the same question: "How can I best honor my son?" You are doing him GREAT honor by continuing his selfless service. I look forward to reading your book and knowing that in my buying it, I will be supporting you in your most heartfelt expression of the love you have for your son. Hooyah!

Hadji "Jim Foley," B.U.D.S. Class 28, 1962

For those true "Teams" enthusiasts this second edition rendered by Mr. Nickelson is a must read! His talent for reliving "Our" past, some 40 plus years ago is truly heart warming. Nothing but more truth, emotion, and devotion. His related events are not pumped with hype nor sensationalism--but simply the "GRIT" which each "Team Mate" possessed. "Simply basic, thorough, and natural easy reading!" Thank You, Richard G. "Nick" Nickelson and family - "A Hearty Well Done!" Love You Brother.

Dennis McCormack

I enjoyed reading your book, and discovered that we share friendships with some of the same people. Bob Wagner was a good friend and, I in fact, relieved him at DaNang in 1964. As there were only 60 of us in the first Seal team, we got to know each other rather well in a short period of time. 

Tom McDonald, Frank Waton, and I went through training together in class 23. Ted Mathison, R.E., Roger Sick, Roger Moscone, Tiz Morrison (by the way, like Beartracks, Tiz was the ultimate pickup man), Richard Allen, Beartracks, and another Allen who was a welter weight boxing champion, whose first name escapes me, Roscoe Thrift, Layton Bassett, and the list goes on and on of people I knew in a way that only another team member would understand. I think of my teammates often. 

I was on the All-Navy Boxing team, certainly not at the same level of expertise as Richard Allen or Bob, for that matter, but between being a boxer as well as being combative measures instructor for ST1, suspect that was why Bob and I had a close affinity with one another. I enlisted in the Navy in 1956 at 17, spent 2 years on a destroyer before I could get into the teams. I was a RM1-P1 in 1963, and was leading Petty Officer for 37A ops out of DaNang in 1964. 

I was in UDT-12 from 1959-1962 (4th Platoon with Paul McNally and Lloyd Cobb, who seemed to snatch up all of the jocks right out of training. Did you ever work with Delmar Fredrickson? David Wilson? David was the 2nd Seal killed in combat), and Seal Team ONE from 1962-1965. Ah, for the good old days!!! I did not know Bill Robinson while on active duty, but became good friends with him after he retired. He was one of my biggest fans, and would constantly brag about my academic exploits. Cathal (Irish) Flynn was and remains a good friend of mine. We went to Vietnam together.

 I decided to take advantage of a scholarship and got out of the Navy in December 1965 and ultimately became a clinical psychologist, after a stint as a high school football coach and math teacher. I just retired in 2005, finishing up my career as Chief, Department of Behavioral Medicine for Winn Army Community Hospital. Impresses the hell out of me. Ha-Ha!!

 General Webster would introduce me as the SEAL Shrink, as he said that would give me instant credibility with his troops, and it did! I also worked with the 160th out of Hunter, if you are familiar of their work with dev group. We might have met, who knows, but I don't recall you by name. Sometimes I would instruct UDT personnel in karate and judo, or we could have met on the rugby or football field. 

It was sad, but at the beginning of the formation of Seal Team ONE, "they" moved us away from the strand to a nondescript supply Quonset hut on base, so we had little contact with our former teammates. At any rate, it is entirely possible that we ran into each other. 

Your book brought back a flood of memories; can't you tell? Take care.

READER BOOK REVIEWS - Previous

Pamela J. Russell NSW Archives (Fort Collins, CO)

A highly readable collection of short stories about one man's experience as a member of the Navy's elite Underwater Demolition Teams, specifically UDT-12, during the tumultuous 1960's.

 The author does not attempt to paint a broad historical overview of the Teams but rather presents an intimate insider's perspective of one boat crew, seven men, who train together and forge a bond of friendship and trust that lasts a lifetime. 

Nick Nickelson writes with a keen memory for detail, an understanding of his fellow man, and an obvious love and respect for his teammates. I enjoyed his recall of the 1963 operation with astronaut Gordon Cooper and the Mercury Capsule, a part of UDT history that is seldom told. I hope he has more stories to tell.

Jim Foley, UDT-12, (62-65) Class-28 West Coast

I thoroughly enjoyed your book from cover to cover. Picked it up and never laid it down, in spite of the tears rolling down my cheeks. Ha Ha Your recall is remarkable, only your face was absent it was as if we were sitting across from each other. You have a wonderful playful way of weaving your stories, coupled with the candid humor. 

Nick, I can't say enough about your renderings even if I knew none of the characters, I do now. Above all, no macho crap but valid nuances which will entertain all those who indulge as it pyramids to one of the most personal, insightful readings in the S.O.G. realm.

Rev. Thomas P. Rausch, S.J., Loyola Marymount University

I'm enjoying your book: amazed that while I was going through my novitiate at Los Gatos (1960-62) you were doing Hell Week and all that other punishment; don't know how you did it. But it's good reading, good stories, well told. Didn't know you were a writer. Nice going! You have much to be proud of.

Dave Walker, Seabee Team 0311, Vietnam Combat Veteran

I finished the book over the weekend and enjoyed it immensely! Like a breath of fresh air to finally read something about the teams that wasn't a lot of hype. I like the way that you put photos throughout the book and didn't clump them all together. I also appreciate your style. It is refreshing to read.

Anyway, thank you again for your book. I really did enjoy it and plan on buying some for Christmas presents. I have never bought a book about the teams for myself or anyone else. This will be a first. Thank you again for all that you did in putting these stories in book form.

Chris Bent, UDT-21 (64-66), Class-31 East Coast

I gave up going to the Cher Concert here last night as I was curled up with your wonderful book. The language of the teams floated throughout my being and I savored your journey just cannot remember any pain, just camaraderie. We did stand in sleet in the surf with our shirts off and our rock portage was over an ice-covered jetty but all that for later. Loved your book and got to like you Godspeed & Hooyah.

Chief Don Belcher, UDT-12/UDU ONE

Started reading your book last night and finished this a.m. It brought back a lot of memories of UDT-12. Your book is great; it's easy reading and sheds a lot of light on the teams and their customs! Take care.

Tom Copeland, UDT-12 (62-66) Class-28 West Coast

What a great walk down memory lane! Your book brought back many memories good and bad of Class-28 training. I am so glad you have a good memory and could put the training in the right prospective. Your right about the bond we all have through the years, the teamwork and brotherhood. Thanks for the memories.

Mr. and Mrs. John B. Kilroy, Kilroy Properties

Your well-crafted Book emphasizes facing challenges without yielding, as an individual, and more particularly, as a team. Mutual respect, mutual protection, mutual support, THE TEAM, that's what it's all about!! Total interdependence! the ULTIMATE BUDDY SYSTEM. We translate these guidelines to the base unit, THE FAMILY, and to the foundation of our magnificent Country. GOD BLESS THE FAMILY. GOD BLESS AMERICA.

For more information regarding HOOYAH!, please contact Doris Nickelson:

Telephone (310) 545-2937

FAX (310) 939-7738

or Email for HOOYAH! Info –> Click Here

 

 

 

    
                                   Bret Lynch                                                  Jessie  (Janos) Ventura


                                                                                                                            Nick Rocha (SEAL)                      

                                           
       Dave, Susie & Morgan Tannery                                    Gerry Flowers and Team Mate                                       

                              
                                                                   Chris, Key West FL

                           


                         
                                  Dave "Doc" Tannery                                              Doug Taylor

 

                   
                                     
                                  Mike Manello                                                   Rick Powers

 

                              
                                                                 Steve Anderson

                                    
       T.C. Cummings                                     Rick Blackwood                              Rudyh Boesch

 

     
             Suh                                                               D.  P.                                     P.T. Schartz  'nam

 

         
                 Hershel Haynes                                    James White                     C Dock Hooks

                     

                                                    
                       Riojas,   Paul Rump                                     Gerry Flowers, USMC

                          

 

                                                         
                                                       Henry "Gutz" Gutierrez USMC Korea

“Thereare only two kinds of people that understand Marines:
people that understand Marines:  Marines and the enemy.
Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."

                                   
                                            Victoria Hotel MyTho RVN Navy Cook

 

                                                
                        Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller                         Cpl. Joseph Vitorri MOH  Korea  on Hill 749
                                                                         Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Mar.Reg., 1st Mar.Div.(Reinforced)

 

                               

                                
                                                               Minh, he looks very much alive 

 

                                                       
                                            Liberty in Olongapo P.I. with the "LBFMs"  PBR Sailors: Lowell W. Dickey

         
               Herschel Haynes
                                   
                               Herschel Haynes             Joseph Scho Walter 

 

                     
                  Jim "Mad Dog" Madison                                        P.T. Schartz                        Robert Smith

 

         
Doc Gary Welt                                                                    340836

 

                   
                                                               Capt. Jack Menendez  

 

                     
    Dave Phelan                           Steve Anderson  Robert Smith

 

                   
                  michael a strenk.                       Gary Wignall YN2  ST1 

           

                                        
                                                             Tommy Cox and David LeJeune

    
                                                                   Curt Gibby             Leon P. "Pepper" Tagle              Dan Potts         
       Adm.Hyland & Capt.Paul Gray                     CDR.Thieu Ta Hiep LDNN

                  
                                   Jack Menendez & Jacklynne  

                             
                                                                             Our Father

  
                Alan, Kyle, Brain  Kruppa                                                                 Steve  Waterman

 

          
                             Linda Hubbell, John Hobbs, Pappy Hewlitt,Mike Driscoll, ???

                                                   
                                                    Lourdes Tolentino     Al ALberts         John Hobbs     Erasmo "Doc" Riojas


Joe "Red" Coyle        Bernie Campoli

                                                            
                                          Joe Kruppa          Ron  Douglas


        Harold Christensen

Doc Riojas;       I was stationed at Little Creek in SEAL Team 2 from April of 1968 to January of 1970.  Worked in the operations department handling messages, and assisting wherever needed. 

When i went to Vietnam, it was from Feb-Aug 1969. I think with Lt Yeaw was the platoon officer. I remember Harry Constance in the platoon, and somone named Bull. Not sure of the others.
I live in Connecticut, still employed (work at IBM), and am glad that i was able to find your website, and appreciate if you would post my pictures. Here they are:  

Thank you,  Harold Christensen


          Harold Christensen

Picures of Harold Christensen from 1969 on deployment in Binh Thuy, Vietnam with ST2 platoon ~Feb-Aug 1969.

Doc Rio,      We traded notes a while back, and you asked me to see if i had any pictures of when i was attached to the ST2. As i searched some of my old antique boxes of memorabilia i did find some that i am attaching to this note. All three are from Binh Thuy, during the period Feb-Aug 1969. A long time ago. Take care, and i hope all is well with you.   Harold CHristensen


  Harold Christensen pointing to sign:  OIC NSAD, Binh Thuy ;  I do not know those two guys at the window.


            Harold Christensen  and family

 

 

                                         

Hi Doc Rio,

I can’t remember if we’ve ever bumped into one another at the reunion beer truck (Little Creek) over the years, but I was looking for information on the Gulf Coast Chapter (South Carolina in that one?) and ran across your website.

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed perusing the photos.  A couple of the Afghanistan heroes were my platoon mates at one time when I was their platoon Chief at ST-8.  They sure made us proud, along with all our other fallen brothers. 

Seal Two was my first Team after jump school in 1986 and I got the real deal “welcome aboard”.  I don’t know how, what seemed like the whole Team mustered on the Quarter Deck, happened so quickly, but it was quite a surprise to get stripped, pink bellied, thrown off the pier, and told to check the watch bill so fast.

 So, after us FNGs learned proper “Welcome Aboard” and Team “check in” procedures, my Teammates and I carried on tradition in fine form, striving to outdo one another with deviant games and “pays to be a winner” competitions, always vigilant to spot a trio of FNG’s in starched cammies, holding a manila envelope with their boots shined, standing around out front or on the Quarterdeck. 

Later on as a platoon Chief, I even had the boys paint two sets of FNG (mandatory on the check in sheet) footprints in our platoon hut so they could get to know the new guys out of sight of the XO.

Anyway, Cheers mate!!  Enjoy the photo, I took it at the ST-10 QD last Feb when I went to Koch & Hardy’s memorial svc.

Steve Messer, ENCS(SEAL) – USN RET

BUD/S 140, ST-2, ST-6, ST-8, SERE, NSWC Det Hurlburt

Assistant Training Director   Government Training Institute  (GTI)

1349 Locust Ave    Denmark, SC  29042     Phone:  208-608-3983   Fax:  803-793-0060     email:  steve [at] gtitraining.org      Web:  www.gtitraining.org

webmaster's NOTE:      Thank you Steve.  You remined me of the my experience as a FNG at ST-2.  I was welcomed by Rudy Boesch at the quarterdeck.  He said, "welcome aboard, don't unpack your bag, you will be going to Ranger School monday and you got the weekend watch."    Doc Riojas

 

 

Happy Birthday to the United States Navy!
 There was a time when everything you owned had to fit in your seabag.
Remember those nasty rascals?  Fully packed, one of the suckers weighed
more than the poor devil hauling it.  The damn things weighed a ton and
some idiot with an off-center sense of humor sewed a carry handle on it
to help you haul it.  Hell, you could bolt a handle on a Greyhound bus
but it wouldn't make the damn thing portable.  The Army, Marines, and
Air Force got footlockers and WE got a big ole' canvas bag.
After you warped your spine jackassing the goofy thing through a bus or
train station, sat on it waiting for connecting transportation and made
folks mad because it was too damn big to fit in any overhead rack on any
bus, train, and airplane ever made, the contents looked like hell.  All
your gear appeared to have come from bums who slept on park benches.
Traveling with a seabag was something left over from the "Yo-ho-ho and a
bottle of rum" sailing ship days.  Sailors used to sleep in hammocks, so
you stowed your issue in a big canvas bag and lashed your hammock to it,
hoisted it on your shoulder and, in effect, moved your entire home from
ship to ship. 
I wouldn't say you traveled light because with ONE strap it was a one
shoulder load that could torque your skeletal frame and bust your
ankles. 
It was like hauling a dead linebacker.
They wasted a lot of time in boot camp telling you how to pack one of
the suckers.  There was an officially sanctioned method of organization
that you forgot after ten minutes on the other side of the gate at Great
Lakes or San Diego.
You got rid of a lot of the 'issue' gear when you went to a SHIP.  Did
you EVER know a tin-can sailor who had a raincoat?  A flat hat?  One of
those nut-hugger knit swimsuits? How bout those 'roll-your-own'
neckerchiefs...the ones girls in a good Naval tailor shop would cut down
& sew into a 'greasy snake' for two bucks?
Within six months, EVERY fleet sailor was down to ONE set of dress
blues, port & starboard, undress blues, and whites, a couple of white
hats, boots, shoes, a watch cap, assorted skivvies, a pea coat, and
three sets of bleached-out dungarees.
The rest of your original issue was either in the pea coat locker, lucky
bag, or had been reduced to wipe-down rags in the paint locker.
Underway ships were NOT ships that allowed vast accumulation of private
gear.
Hobos who lived in discarded refrigerator crates could amass greater
loads of pack-rat crap than fleet sailors.  The confines of a
canvas-back rack, side locker, and a couple of bunk bags did NOT allow
one to live a Donald Trump existence. 
Space and the going pay scale combined to make us envy the lifestyle of
a mud-hut Ethiopian.  We were global equivalents of nomadic Mongols
without ponies to haul our stuff.
And after the rigid routine of boot camp, we learned the skill of random
compression, known by mothers world-wide as 'cramming'.  It is amazing
what you can jam into a space no bigger than a bread-box if you pull a
watch cap over a boot and push it with your foot. 
Of course, it looks kinda weird when you pull it out, but they NEVER
hold fashion shows at sea and wrinkles added character to a 'salty'
appearance.
There was a four-hundred mile gap between the images on recruiting
posters and the ACTUAL appearance of sailors at sea.  It was NOT without
justifiable reason that we were called the tin-can Navy.
We operated on the premise that if 'Cleanliness was next to Godliness'
we must be next to the other end of that spectrum...
We looked like our clothing had been pressed with a waffle iron and
packed by a bulldozer.  But what in hell did they expect from a bunch of
swabs that lived in a crew's hole of a 2100 Fletcher Class can?  After
awhile you got used to it...You got used to everything you owned picking
up and retaining that distinctive aroma... You got used to old ladies on
busses taking a couple of wrinkled nose sniffs of your pea coat, then
getting and finding another seat.
Do they still issue seabags?  Can you still make five bucks sitting up
half the night drawing a ships picture on the side of one of the damn
things with black and white marking pens that drive the old
master-at-arms into a 'rig for heart attack' frenzy?  Make their faces
red...the veins on their neck bulge out.... and yell, 'What in God's
name is that all over your seabag???'
'Artwork, Chief...It's like the work of Michelangelo...MY ship... GREAT,
huh?"
"Looks like some damn comic book..."
Here was a man with cobras tattooed on his arms...A skull with a dagger
through one eye and a ribbon reading 'DEATH BEFORE SHORE DUTY' on his
shoulder...Crossed anchors with 'Subic Bay-1945' on the other
shoulder...An eagle on his chest and a full blown Chinese dragon peeking
out between the cheeks of his butt... If ANYONE was an authority on
stuff that looked like a comic book, it HAD to be the MAA...
Sometimes, I look at all the crap stacked in my garage, close my eyes
and smile, remembering a time when EVERYTHING I owned could be crammed
into a canvas bag.
(Author unknown)

 

BlackHawk Hires Director
     
 Stephen “Mato” Matulewicz 

Stephen "Mato" Matulewicz will assume the new position of Executive Director of Operations for BLACKHAWK!

Command Master Chief (SEAL) Stephen Matulewicz retired with distinction from the US Navy after serving for 23 years.He has been a member SEAL Team TWO, SEAL Team FOUR and SEAL Team SIX.   Matulewicz retired from the United States Navy with the rank of command master chief. A Navy SEAL since 1985, he served in Afghanistan and Iraq. His personal decorations include the Bronze Star.

He also served as a Master Chief of the Research and Development team at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG) and served as the Ninth Command Master Chief of SEAL Team TWO in Little Creek, VA. 

Stephen “Mato” Matulewicz will assume the new position of Executive Director of Operations for BLACKHAWK! In this new position, Mr. Matulewicz will manage the day-to-day operations across all functional business groups, which include four US facilities and a sales and marketing organization supporting more than 2500 dealers world wide. Mato’s demonstrated leadership abilities and his intimate knowledge of the core business processes within BLACKHAWK! and their customer base uniquely qualify him for this position. Prior to his new position, he has served as BLACKHAWK!’s Director of Special Operations Business Development since 2006.

 

 

                              

                             

  2004 FO/UWSS Photos

 

                                                              
                                                  Webmaster el_ticitl@yahoo.com

Four old retired GIs are walking down a street in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. They turned a corner and see a sign that says, "Old Timers' Bar - all drinks 10 cents." 
They look at each other, and then go in, thinking this is too good to be true. 
The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the room, "Come on in and let me pour one for you! What'll it be, Gentlemen?" 
There seemed to be a fully-stocked bar, so each of the men ask for a martini. 
In short order, the bartender serves up four iced martinis... Shaken, not stirred, and says, "That'll be 10 cents each, please." 
The four men stare at the bartender for a moment, then look at each other... 


They can't believe their good luck. They pay the 40 cents, finish their martinis, and order another round. 
Again, four excellent martinis are produced with the bartender again saying "That's 40 cents, please" 
They pay the 40 cents, but their curiosity is more than they can stand. 
They have each had two martinis, and so far they've spent less than a dollar. 
Finally one of the men says, "How can you afford to serve martinis as good as these for a dime apiece?" 
"I'm a retired GI from Boston," the bartender said, "and I always wanted to own a bar. Last year I hit the Lottery for $25 million and decided to open this place. Every drink costs a dime - wine, liquor, beer, it's all the same." 

Wow!!!! That's quite a story," says one of the men. The four of them sipped at their martinis and couldn't help but notice three other guys at the end of the bar who didn't have drinks in front of them, and hadn't ordered anything the whole time they were there. 
One man gestures at the three at the end of the bar without drinks and asks the bartender, "What's with them?" 
The bartender says, "Oh, they're retired Navy Chiefs. They're waiting for happy hour when drinks are half price."

                              

                               Admiral Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr., USN


                                         
Z-grams  
Photographs of Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. 
Biographical Summary

Full Name: Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr.
Date of Birth: 29 November 1920
Date of Death: 2 January 2000
Prominent Assignments:
Nominated on 14 April 1970 by President Nixon to serve as Chief of Naval Operations. Became CNO with rank of Admiral from 1 July 1970 to 1 July 1974.
Served as Commander U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam and Chief of the Naval Advisory Group, U. S. Military Assistance Command , Vietnam , from 1 October 1968 to 15 May 1970.
As Director of the Chief of Naval Operations Systems Analysis Group from August 1966 to August 1968, he organized and directed the Systems Analysis Division and served as Deputy Scientific Officer to the Center for Naval Analyses.
Served as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla SEVEN from July 1965 to July 1966.
Education: Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr.
Date of Birth: 29 November 1920
Date of Death: 2 January 2000
Prominent Assignments:
Nominated on 14 April 1970 by President Nixon to serve as Chief of Naval Operations. Became CNO with rank of Admiral from 1 July 1970 to 1 July 1974.
Served as Commander U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam and Chief of the Naval Advisory Group, U. S. Military Assistance Command , Vietnam , from 1 October 1968 to 15 May 1970.
As Director of the Chief of Naval Operations Systems Analysis Group from August 1966 to August 1968, he organized and directed the Systems Analysis Division and served as Deputy Scientific Officer to the Center for Naval Analyses.
Served as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla SEVEN from July 1965 to July 1966.
Education:

1939

Valedictorian of Tulare High School , Tulare , CA

1939

Rutherford Preparatory School , Long Beach , CA

1942

Cum Laude Graduate of U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis , MD

1953

Naval War College , Newport , RI

1962

National War College , Washington , DC
Other Highlights:
Eagle Scout.
Served as Commanding Officer of the first ship built from the keel up as a guided-missile ship USS Dewey (DLG-14)Was prize crew officer of captured Japanese gunboat Ataka, captured at mouth of Yangtze River near end of WW II.
At age 44, the youngest naval officer ever promoted to Rear Admiral.
At age 49, the youngest four-star Admiral in U. S. naval history, and the youngest to serve as Chief of Naval Operations.

                               
            Larry Lyons   (click on photo to see Mike & Connie Baumgart)                DeLaFlor

                      SEALs for Christ Web Site                                   

           
           A. "Nasty" Nash                                   Hofelich family    

 

 

           Robert C.  Machen  emails SeaStory


-----Original Message-----
From: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas [mailto:elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001
To: Machen,Robert C
Subject:  thank you 

you must be having a senior citizen moment. Bob, you signed the ASR-ARS Assn guest book. 

I am the webmaster for the asrarsassn.org erasmo doc riojas go to: www.mi-vida-loca.com and see about me. 
doc riojas class 4/55 DSDS i am also a Navy (SEAL) usn Retired. 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Machen,Robert C" <rmachen   [at]  mwdh2o.com>
To: "'Erasmo "Doc" Riojas'" <elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001
Subject: RE: thank you 

Could you take a minute to identify yourself, and what your background is? Thanks, 

Bob 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Machen,Robert C" <rmachen   [at]  mwdh2o.com>
To: "'Erasmo "Doc" Riojas'" <elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001
Subject: RE: thank you 
BOB, 

I was on ASR-8, ASR-20, AS-11, AS-19, AS-33, and all diving billits in my naval career. I became a SEAL in 1966, but we got demolition pay and parachute jumping pay, no diving pay but we did a lot of SCUBA diving. 

I made two trips on the USS SEALION for sub lockouts down in FL for practice and the real thing down in south America. 

being troops on a boat was great, we had open galley, and were allowed to go topside on calm days. Boy did that piss the crew off. 
Doc Riojas


----- Original Message -----
From: "Machen,Robert C" <rmachen   [at]  mwdh2o.com>
To: "'Erasmo "Doc" Riojas'" <elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 
Subject: RE: thank you 


Sorry, didn't make the association. Navy Seal eh? My respects, Sir! 


-----Original Message-----
From: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas [mailto:elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com]
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2001 
To: rcjcmachen  [at]  aol.com
Subject: thank you 

R. Machen, you wanna share some of your navy experiences? I'll post them on the web site maybe some of your old buddies will see it and respond to you. thank you, spread the word about the web site.     tu amigo,    doc riojas 

-----Original Message-----
From: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas 
Sent: Thursday, October 11,
 To: Machen,Robert C
Subject: Re: thank you 

hehehheheheh, do you have any pictures or stories from your diving ship history to contribute to the web site? 
visiit it again at: http://www.asrarsassn.org/index.html 

thank you very much
doc rio 

-----Original Message -----
From: "Machen,Robert C" <rmachen@mwdh2o.com>
To: "'Erasmo "Doc" Riojas'" 
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 
Subject: RE: thank you 

Hi Doc, while I was aboard Corporal (no idea what year) we operated with Sea Lion, making practice deposits along the coast of southern Puerto Rico. We carried some troops, but had none of the other abilities of Sea Lion. Our troops had their rafts stored in the superstructure, and lived a very cramped life, as we had no extra berthing. Fortunately they didn't stay aboard over about 2 days at a time. We were prepared to put teams into Cuba as well, but instead took part in the "blockade". I gotta tell ya, I always respected those guys, and for the most part I think they appreciated what we did for them. I've read of submarine skippers that put their crews, and boats, in harms way to ensure they never left a single man in peril. No doubt in my mind that we were part of the greatest Navy on earth. I'm proud to have been a part of it. 

Bob


-----Original Message-----
From: Erasmo "Doc" Riojas [mailto:elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 
To: Machen,Robert C
Subject: Re: thank you 


thank you Robert, great sea stories. 

i sure would like a copy of that torpedo and maybe a little story? 

thanks doc riojas 
tu amigo doc rio 


----- Original Message -----
From: "Machen,Robert C" <rmachen@mwdh2o.com>
To: "'Erasmo "Doc" Riojas'" <elticitl@mi-vida-loca.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 
Subject: RE: thank you 


I have a couple of pics of 2 of the boats I served on, which you would be welcome to. Funny how it worked back then, I had 4 kids, and couldn't afford a camera, or much of anything else either. I'm sure you recall that we didn't make near the money they do today. My kid made more money for sea pay, than I did as EM2(SS). And he didn't hot bunk or stand port and starboard watches! 

Stories? Well yeah, we all have stories. My problem is that they are getting pretty dim, and everything is beginning to run together. You know, things like which boat was that on?, which ocean were we in?, who did what to whom?, etc. I recall picking an aircrew out of the sea, but can't recall which boat, or when. All I remember is that they wanted off that stinkin' submarine at the earliest possible time. Hell NO!......they weren't interested in going to Bermuda with us, get us OFFA here! Buncha pussies! 

I remember getting a practice ASROC stuck in our sail, during fleet exercises with some tin cans, but don't remember the details, except that it hit our main induction, and caused some flooding in the boat. 

I remember operating with Enterprise in the Med, in 64, and landing a smoke flare on their flight deck. We were supposed to fire a flare when our Skipper had reached a torpedo firing solution. He tracked them, got inside their air cover, outwitted their destroyer escorts and the Skipper got a good shot at them. So we fired the flare, the wind caught it and it landed on their airplane floor. Guess that pissed 'em off! We got reassigned that same night. 

Another thing I remember was when our Cap'n made full Commander. We got the word when we pulled in to St. Thomas, V.I. We were tied up across the pier from some Gator boat, full of Jarheads. CO came up the forward room hatch, decked out in full dress whites, with sword, going to some big shit meeting with other ranking officers. His crew met him topside, and promptly threw his ass over the side. A congratulatory ceremony for us "bubbleheads", and the Skipper accepted it as such. Never lost his composure and even managed to throw his hat back on deck before he hit the water. Seems the duty officer up on the gator boat, saw this happen, and sent a squad of Marines over to help the Skipper control his mutinying crew. We had the skipper back on board by the time they got there, and he was some kinda pissed. Not at us, but at the skimmer duty officer. He explained it real plain to the ensign that he didn't need any #^$(()6$@^* help. He was having a party with his crew, and get his $#%%^%$&* Jarheads off our boat!! 

As I recall, I was on a boat in company with Thresher, when she went down, in 63. We were her surface contact, and our sonarman is the one who initially made the call she was in trouble. Details of that are real hazy. The SO was a guy named Paul Waters. He is mentioned in the book Blind Man's Bluff, as a Chief Sonarman. He was SO2 when I knew him. 

I'm sure there's other stories that come up, but like I said, it's getting hard to sort them out. I recently visited with some of the guys I served with, and our wives got sea sick, or tired of the smell of BS, maybe. But we had a great time reminiscing the old days. Your Sec/Treas, Charley Micele, is an old friend and shipmate, from USS Corporal. He was one of the guys visiting. 

I'll try to attach pix to this e-mail, but please Doc, bear in mind that I am the original Cro-Magnon man when computers are the subject. I have a lengthy download of pictures of an Australian Mk 48 torpedo attack 
(practice) on an old ship. Are you interested? 

Regards, Bob 

PS, did you go in to Cuba?

                           click on this image to go to that web site:

 


           Capt. Patt         


Who is this Dude? email:  docrio45 [@] gmail.com                                

 
Miguel Yanez & Doc Luttrell                        Hershel Davis                         

 


     Hung Larry Bailey Kiet Nuyen


Christopher L. Zevallos

 


L to R: Pauson, Bill Earley, "French" Boisevert, and Callahan

        
Fred Frankville                                                                                 Jim Dickson

 

Photo by Joe Singleton UDT WWII from Angelton TX

 


Ted Sampley

 

                                                  
                                                                    Sydney Perryman   

 

                
                                        Sidney Perryman

 

                           


---------- Original Message ----------
From: "Doc Rio" <docrio@warpspeed1.net>
To: "Will Randall" <randallwe@aol.com>, "Tom Schmitt" <schmitthouse@gmail.com>,
Subject: Emails that have come my way from these folks. Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:15:02 -0500 

Please give me your name if you have an email listed only as ; Example: justUDT@somewhere.net 
I would like to separate the SEALs from the other Veterans. 
Thank you. 

Please respond with the word in SUBJECT line: 
CIVILIAN SEAL BOAT SUPPORT(or whatever it is called now) PBR EOD DV UWSS USMC 

Thank you very much. Erasmo "Doc" Riojas SEAL Team TWO notoriaty 
"NO" class number; My hell weeks in the korean war as USMC "Leg" 

Thanks doc RIojas www.sealtwo.org 

From: ahoyxfrog1@netzero.com
To: docrio@warpspeed1.net
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: Emails that have come my way from these folks. 

Rio: You'll have to tell me why you need to know, first. I am real cautious who I give out personal infomation to. Sorry.       ~Jack Schitt 

P.S. Please don't feel bad about it. You're not the only one, there's a lot of guys who don't know Jack Schitt. 


From: "Doc Rio" 
To: <ahoyxfrog1 [at] netzero.com>
Subject: Re: Emails that have come my way from these folks. Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:00:57 -0500 

LOL! sure, my web site is unclassiefied. so is my email list. don't give anything if you feel unsecure about it. 

Jack Schitt (you smell like that too?), you may already be on my web site www.sealtwo.org I got so much shit in there i can not remember who or where. 
respond with REMOVE in subject line and i'll paint you gone. 

no problemo, 

Ahoy X Frog 1 if you are a SEAL: HooYah 

doc Riojas retired ST-2 'nam war games
bio on navy Log, usn Navy Memorial ,
search Erasmo Riojas -----

From: Robert Berry
To: Doc Rio
Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009 6:07 AM
Subject: Re: Emails that have come my way from these folks. 


Mi..o..mi..o...I am the one that lives down the bio.....My photo is in the Navy Memorial Log, also. Been there nylon 20 years now. I am the only son of Awe Schitt. You see, Awe Schitt was the only ferilizer magnate in the south that was knee deep in the business. So it was only natural that he would marry, Noe Schitt, the daughterof O. Schitt, owner of Needeep N. Schitt, Inc. They got together to keep the dynasty heir strong. They had only one son, Jack. Thanks to my genealogy efforts to provide you with "clues" ---you can now respond in an intellectual way. ~Jack 

ahoyxfrog1 , "A 50's Frog"


From: "Doc Rio" >
To: <ahoyxfrog1 [at] netzero.com>
Subject: Re: Emails that have come my way from these folks. Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:51:20 -0500 

http://www.navylog.org/Default.aspx?&gv380__gvac=2&tabid=58&gv380__gvff0=Schitt&gv380__gvfl0=4&gv380__gvff1=Jack&gv380__gvfl1=5 
Jack Schitt is not enrolled in the Navy Memorial's Navy Log. 

Adios and Up yhour ass with mobile gas and happy motoring. 

doc Rio 

 From: ahoyxfrog1
To:  Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: Emails that have come my way from these folks. 


Thanks, Rio.....I try to be nice to you and this is what I get back. I'll try a little harder next time. By the way, it's MOBILE EXXON now....merged a long time ago. I liked your website. I know it took a lot of doing on your part to get it up and running. You get lots of Yahoo's for that. It'll a nice thing that will keep you busy for a long time. Most of your friends will tell you that the Navy didn't know Jack Schitt back then. That's why the name isn't there. But the creator of the character is and he was one of the first on the log many years ago when the log was first established. Lighten up a little, Rio, else you'll get old fast. Losing your sense of humor has caused your San Antonio memory to fade a little. You see, a sense of humor will keep your memory sharp...take me, for example, I remember you very well...I pulled your rip cord every once in a while back then but your chute never opened...you didn't seem to be offended by it on the surface. --Of course, you were younger then. I can't hep it, it's the Irish in me...that's just the way it is.

 ~O'Berry 

btw: I sent you a few names of frogs who have passed over the past few years...some of them, you may remember. 

From: Robert Berry
To: Doc Rio
Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009 6:07 AM
Subject: Re: Ryan Job, WIA, SEAL, Dies after surgery

Thanks Rio. That was a terrible way to die. Bet it was the onset of Staph infection that did it. Here are the names of several original " 50's Frogs" web footed friends who have passed over the previous three(3) years. Bobby Dalrymple
Trevor "Moose" Heard
Steve Bourecsky
Bob "Frogfoot" Weller 
* John Hebert 
* Billy Hilton (Team 3) Rick Waller None were SEALS. All were graduates of UDTraining Classes 4,5 and 6. and assigned to West Coast Teams. 

There are several others who have passed whose names are not coming to the fore of my mind at the moment....I'm having a Senior blank moment. I believe Don Marler has a complete list. 
* = Recently.

 

                        
                     Tom Haden                                                           SAS Australian  worked with ST-1


Richard Young Sr.

                         

Call me corpsman, call me ‘Doc’ 


By KEITH POUNDS  Saturday, February 13, 2010 

Perhaps to the surprise of some, I won’t blast President Barack Obama on his 
inability to pronounce the word “corpsman” (which he pronounced “corpse man”). 
Instead, I’d like to take the opportunity to give much-needed praise to 
Navy/Fleet Marine corpsmen who are, as you will see, a special breed of 
warriors.

During my own service as a corpsman, I served at the Naval Hospital, Camp 
Lejeune, N.C., as well as onboard the USS Joseph Hewes (FF-1078) home-ported in 
Charleston, and with the 4th Marine Division, New Orleans, La. My specialties 
included combat casualty care and nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. It’s 
fair to say I know what I’m talking about.

After initial basic training (boot camp), perspective corpsmen are sent for 
medical training at the Naval School of Health Sciences in San Diego, Calif. 
From there they can specialize in any number of medical ratings including X-ray 
technician or pharmacy technician.

Corpsmen act as health advisers and emergency first responders for the Navy and 
the Marine Corps. They treat a variety of illnesses from the common cold to 
decompression sickness requiring hyperbaric treatment.

Many attend Fleet Marine Service School, where they are trained in all aspects 
of Marine Corps operations. From there, they can further specialize as a Special 
Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman or FMF Recon.

Corpsmen stationed with a Marine unit or far out at sea on a Navy warship often 
find themselves in volatile, life-threatening emergency situations. There are 
often no sterile operating rooms and equipment. Doctors and nurses are often 
miles, if not hours, away. As one author wrote, “Bunkers become operating rooms, 
shirts become tourniquets, and corpsmen become miracle workers.”

For a corpsman, being stationed with the Navy means serving in a Navy hospital 
or clinic or onboard a U.S Navy ship. We call this being “on the blue side.” For 
corpsmen stationed on “the green side,” it means serving as a specialist in 
emergency medicine and combat care with the Marine Corps.

Ask almost any Marine who has been in combat what the phrase “Corpsman up!” 
means and he’ll tell you it’s a cry for what the Marine Corps calls the “angels 
in green.” These are U.S. Navy hospital corpsman specially trained for combat 
medicine.

Combat corpsmen are trained in patrols, tactics and navigation and wear the same 
grungy, dirty, sweaty uniforms as Marines and serve as the front-line emergency 
medical response personnel, very often under enemy fire with little regard for 
their own safety.

As many corpsmen share a space on memorial walls with the Marines they tried to 
save, they have adopted as one of their mottoes, “Where angels and Marines fear 
to tread, there you’ll find a corpsman dead.”

In World War II 1,170 corpsmen lost their lives. In Korea it was 108. In 
Vietnam, 638. Fifteen died as a result of the bombing of the Marine barracks in 
Beirut in 1983. Seven corpsmen have been killed in Afghanistan and 31 have died 
in Iraq.

As further testimony to the bravery and commitment of our corpsmen on the 
battlefield, they have received 1,582 Bronze Stars, 946 Silver Stars, 31 
Distinguished Service Crosses, 174 Navy Crosses and 22 Medals of Honor.

There have been 20 Navy ships named after corpsmen. Corpsman John “Doc” Bradley 
was one of the six men photographed by Joe Rosenthal raising the second United 
States flag on Iwo Jima during World War II.

As any corpsman will tell you, few honors sit on one’s heart as well as being 
called “Doc” by your Navy and Marine buddies.

Quoted in the Navy News Service article, “The Making of a Fleet Marine Force 
Corpsman,” Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Richard Lister said, “A doc is someone you 
can count on. He’s someone in your platoon that when something happens to one of 
our fellow Marines, you can call on him and not have to worry. He’s your buddy, 
a comrade in arms, a person who you count on to cover your back, to lay down 
fire, dig fighting holes or do whatever the hell Marines are doing. That’s who a 
doc is.”

As Herschel Smith wrote in “Captain’s Journal,” “they carry a rifle, they engage 
in combat, and they do all the things that Marine infantrymen do. When the 
Marines go on 20-mile humps with full body armor, backpacks and weapons, the 
corpsmen do all of that and more. The corpsmen take all of their medical gear in 
addition to their other load.”

In his 2005 book “Corpsman up,” Paul Baviello tells of the anguish that all 
corpsmen carry with them. He writes how corpsmen “journey into a living hell and 
experience the thrills and horror of combat, the agony of the wounded and dead 
and see foxhole relationships develop between blacks and whites, farm boys and 
city kids ... when friend after friend is wounded and he knows that their lives 
are in his hands and then wonder for the rest of his life if he did the right 
things.”

Yes! Our corpsmen are among the most respected, revered members serving in the 
U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps. If you know a past or present corpsman, call him 
“Doc” and thank him for his service. He deserves it,

Keith Pounds served as a hospital corpsman 2nd class (SW) during the 
Lebanon/Grenada-era. He is the author of “The Psychology of Management” and 
holds an MBA with a concentration in organizational psychology He can be 
contacted at Keith.Pounds@alumni.aiuonline.edu

 

 

CDR Don Gaither

 

Jake - So glad to hear from you. So far I have received two great responses to Doc's call to help us out. 

Don's widow's name is Burtis (Burt to some). I have attached a couple pix that were taken at the fifties frog reunion she attended in Louisville, KY in October 2009. Don Belcher put together a book of info about Don's navy career and made the presentation to her. She is now 88 years young and just as beautiful as ever. 

We would be so appreciative if you could jot down your memories of your time with Don. He was a man of few words and I think many in the family have found out the last few years what a great Navy career he had. And also if Jean has stories about Burt and some of the other team wives, I know she would love to get them. 

My home phone number is 295-2406. I usually get home from work around 6:00 pm. And weekends you just never know when you can find me home. 

If you would rather send pix and info via USPS, my home address is: 

Dawn Walton 
 Loogootee, IN 47553 

I would gladly reimburse the postage. 

A little background on Don: he was born and raised in Washington, Indiana (west side of Daviess County). He married Burtis who is from the east side of the county. They bought a farm and built a house just a couple of miles down the road from Burtis' mom and dad. Don's last shore duty was at Crane Naval Base about 20 miles north of there. After that, he worked as a civilian as chief ordnance officer at Crane. He later was diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer and passed away in 1983. 

I married their nephew (my MIL and Burtis were sisters) in 1984. I did not know Don very well but my husband did as he and Don's son, Paul, are the same age so they spent a lot of time together and still do since he and his wife live next to Burt which is a few miles from us. 

If you know of others who could share their experiences, please pass their contact info to me. 

Thanks again for taking the time to write to me and also for your service. 

Dawn 


-----Original Message-----
From: Jake Rhinebolt 
Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 11:56 To: Walton, Dawn M CIV NSWC Crane; doc riojas
Subject: Fw: Info request on a CDR Don Gaither 


HELLO DAWN I SEE WHERE DOC RIO ASKED YOU TO SEND ME YOUR PHONE # .....I AM JAKE RHINEBOLT..... CDR GAITHER WAS KNOWN TO THE TROOPS AS THE BULL GATOR.--- AND WAS C. O. OF UDT 22.....OR 21 ......IN MY BOOK .

 I BELIEVE THE REST OF THE TEAM HE WAS THE MOST RESPECTED C.O.OF THEIR CAREAR AND WE ALL HAD SOME GOOD ONES.......MY WIFES NAME IS JEAN WHO REMEMBERS HIS WIFE BUT NOT HER NAME.

 JEAN JUST FOUND A GOOD PICTURE OF HER WITH TWO TEAM WIVES ....OUR PHONE # IS 389-1195....SEND US YOURS AND WE WILL GET YOU A PICTURE AND THERE ARE SOME TERRIFIC STORIES OF THE GATOR WHICH I NOR ANY OTHER TEAM MEMBER WILL EVER FORGET.

.IF IT AS ANY HELP I CAN SEND YOU A LIST OF NAMES AND ADDRESES WHO HAVE GOOD MEMORIES OF HIM........JAKE 




From: Doc Rio 
Subject: Fw: Info request on a CDR Don Gaither
To: "UDT-SEAL Association" 
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010, 


DOes anyone know him and can answer this woman?> 

thank you Rio 



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Walton, Dawn  
To:  Doc Riojas
Date: Thu, Feb 11, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Subject : Info request 


I am married to the nephew of CDR Don Gaither. I am trying to help his widow with locating information or pictures of Don during his Navy career with UDT. Just wondering if you crossed pathes with him either at Little Creek or Coronado? 

Thanks for your time. 

Dawn Walton 

Billy B  Boy GAither sure shook some ghost up.. That was Team UDT 21 there should be some more guys around..  That knew him Officer types.. they take pictures.. Funny I forgot to ask Rudy..  He has a ton..     

HELLO DAWN I SEE WHERE DOC RIO ASKED YOU TO SEND ME YOUR PHONE # .....I AM JAKE RHINEBOLT..... CDR GAITHER WAS KNOWN TO THE TROOPS AS THE BULL GATOR.---   AND WAS C. O. OF UDT 22.....OR 21 ......IN MY BOOK AND I BELIEVE THE REST OF THE TEAM HE WAS THE MOST RESPECTED C.O.OF THEIR CAREAR AND WE ALL HAD SOME GOOD ONES.......MY WIFES NAME IS JEAN  WHO REMEMBERS HIS WIFE BUT NOT  HER NAME......   JEAN JUST FOUND A GOOD PICTURE OF HER WITH TWO TEAM WIVES ....OUR PHONE # IS 389-1195....SEND US YOURS  AND WE WILL GET YOU A PICTURE AND THERE ARE SOME TERRIFIC STORIES OF THE GATOR WHICH I  NOR ANY OTHER TEAM MEMBER WILL EVER FORGET.......IF IT AS ANY HELP I CAN SEND YOU A LIST OF NAMES AND ADDRESES WHO HAVE GOOD MEMORIES OF HIM........JAKE

From: "William R. Daugherty"
To: "Doc Rio"
Sent: Thursday, February 11, 2010 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: Info request on a CDR Don Gaither


 Oh yea. My 1st udt CO. We called him obstacle course pine cone lunch. 
He ran the o course every day and those who pissed him off had to go 
with him.
Bill

Sent from my iPhone

Rogueman Don Gaither is old history  may be the 50 frogs might have something.. I knew him but never got his picture.. He is the one that took us on the death run over the mountain in St T. and made Rip Collins and me go the obsticle course with him every lunch break..  also a keeper of the ladies in St T..  Tough guy but squared away..

Bilklya burbank

From: trident33To: Larry Bailey ; Doc Rio ; dawn.walton@navy.mil
Cc: UDT-SEAL Association ; Jim Cook ; Tom Blais ; Bill Bruhmuller ; chuck newell
Sent: Thursday, February 11, 2010 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: Info request on a CDR Don Gaither

Larry,
    He relieved Frank Kaine as CO, UDT-21 in 1957, and I was his XO for about 1-1/2 years. I'll followup with more, as well as a few photos of his change of command when he relieved Frank Kaine.

when you left Team 21 was the C.O. Don Gaither. I remember a
LCDR Gaither in "60 when we were in St. T. was this him?. I remember
CB Thomas being locked in a conex and Sam B reporting him AWOL to the
C.O.                                                     Gerald T. (Jerry) Hammerle

 

Posted by Gerald T. (Jerry) Hammerle on Thursday, February 11, 2010 

Kerry, when you left Team 21 was the C.O. Don Gaither. I remember a
LCDR Gaither in "60 when we were in St. T. was this him?. I remember
CB Thomas being locked in a conex and Sam B reporting him AWOL to the
C.O. while CB was hollering the whole time from in the box but no one
would acknowledge him.
This was also the year someone nailed his wood shower shoes to a 2x4
to keep him from making so much noise at night when he was up walking
around.
There are many more CB stories out there, have any?

Jerry, 22 (EC)

Posted by Ken Abasolo on Thursday, February 11, 2010 

Check of the database shows that this man is among our ranks.

Gaither, Donald G, Lt - Lt. Cdr.
Class: 0 Early
Teams listed: UDT21, UDT5

Rio asked me to post this for him.

Ken.

 

 

THE 4 STRIPPER IS CAPT. TALLANT NOSE GROUP......THE FRENCH GUY ON THE LEFT IS THE ONE ARMED CAPT...........JAKE
--- On Mon, 2/15/10, Harry Humphries  wrote:

From: Harry Humphries 
Subject: RE: I would like help in IDing all the ST-2 guys: thank you
To: "Erasmo Riojas" , "Jake Rhinebolt"  Doc Martin
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010, 6:48 PM

Klaus Kratky sp? to left of Jessie. Stan Janeka to chuck's right.  Pierre Burts to Jake's Left.  Harry Humphries to Jakes Right, left of Doc Martin.  The short Lt. is our skipper, Tom Tarbox (TNT) and the Captain is NOSEGROUP commander, not sure but Jake would know.

FYI Jack Lynch passed away at 1640 ET.

best mates,

 

 
 
 
RIP YES HARRY THAT WAS SOME TRIP....YOU TOOK THE PICTURES OF THE LAUNCH SITE WHILE EVERY ONE ELSE WAS HAVING SNAKS +WINE....GALLAGER TURNED A BEACH SURVEY INTO A SWIM ON THE BEACH AMONGST THE GIRLS....ON ARIVAL TO PARIS THE NAVAL ATTACHE WAS GOING TO THROW US OUT OF COUNTRY BECAUSE OF OUR CONDUCT ON ARRIVAL AND BECAUSE NOSG  HAD NOT TOLD HIM WE WERE COMING.....CHOICE WORDS FROM GALLAGER HELPED ME EXPLAIN WHY THROWING US OUT WAS A BAD IDEA....AND HE WISLY RELENTED......SAM F. KEPT THE FRENCH GUYS ENTERTAINED ALL NITE EVERY NITE AND BARELY SURVIVED THE LONG SWIMS ..... HE WAS COUGHING BLOOD EVERY MORNING ON THE PIER.......ON FINISHING THE TRIP JIM WATSON ORGANIZED US AND WE ALL CHIPPED IN FOR A GIBSON GUITAR FOR SAM =A PERFECT TRIP ......WE GOT A WELL DONE FROM
--- On Mon, 2/15/10, Doc Rio wrote:

From: Doc Rio 
Subject: I would like help in IDing all the ST-2 guys: thank you
To: "Harry Humphries" , "Jake Rhinebolt" , "Richard Martin"
Cc: "Doc Rio" 
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010, 6:39 PM

 

 

Jake,

I found this picture on the set of GI Jane we shot back in 90s.  The set decorator found a collector of SEAL memorabilia and used the collection to decorate the set.  I was perusing the stuff and had to look twice holy Shit, a shot of our old Assault Group 2 with you in the lead, Gallagher, Piere Burts, Myself and Doc Martin.  Also Tom Tarbox, Rudy Chuck Jessie, Peewee Nealy.  The old original Team 2. Those were the days.  Oh by the way the French Commandos and the follow on trip to Toulon! Wow.

Doc you should post this one on your collection this was just before we deployed to VN.

Best to you both,

Hump

Harry Humphries,

----- Original Message -----
From: Harry Humphries
To: Erasmo Riojas ; Jake Rhinebolt ; Doc Martin
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 5:48 PM
Subject: RE: I would like help in IDing all the ST-2 guys: thank you

Klaus Kratky sp? to left of Jessie. Stan Janeka to chuck's right.  Pierre Burts to Jake's Left.  Harry Humphries to Jakes Right, left of Doc Martin.  The short Lt. is our skipper, Tom Tarbox (TNT) and the Captain is NOSEGROUP commander, not sure but Jake would know.

FYI Jack Lynch passed away at 1640 ET.

best mates,

HH

Harry Humphries,
President, Global Studies Group
www.gsgi.biz

 

 

 

 

 

Capt. William A. “ Bill”  Robinson

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Doug Robinson  Date: Mon, Feb 15, 2010  
Subject: My Father;  Capt Bill Robinson
To: Doc Rio

Dear Doc, I hope this email finds you well. I tried emailing you before but had no success. Please sir, if you have anyone that has or if you have any pictures of my late uncle, Capt. William A. “ Bill”  Robinson (1931-88), I would sincerely appreciate it. Even if you have any stories on him, that would be very appreciated. Thank you.

  Best, Doug Robinson 

From: Larry Bailey 
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 5:36 PM
To: Doc Rio
Cc: Rudy Boesch
Subject: Re: Capt Bill Robinson (1931-88): looking for pictures and seastories about him  

I knew Bill fairly well.  In fact, it was Bill who provided a home and a job and a car (his Aston-Martin, I think it was) to my Australian girlfriend in 1970. 


A story I heard, but I wasn't there.  Bill was CO of an amphibious ship of some kind in the Norfolk/Little Creek area and encountered problems with loading some kind of cargo.  He thereupon had his sailors cut a hole in the side of the ship to make things easier.  The admiral did NOT like that, because he had technically accomplished a "ship alt" (ship alteration), which was a BIG no-no.  I think he skated, though. 

I'm afraid I don't have any photos of Bill, nor any more stories than the two snaps above. 

Larry Bailey 

----- Original Message -----
From: Doug Robinson
To: 'Larry Bailey'
Cc: 'Doc Rio' Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 8:23 PM
Subject: RE: Capt Bill Robinson (1931-88): looking for pictures and seastories about him 
Capt William A. Robinson was his name but he was called Bill. He was murdered in San Diego while looking at real estate in Feb 1988, in broad day light. It was most likely a professional hit and they never found the perp’s. Over 1000 people attended uncle Bill’s service, it was a sight for my eyes.   Thanks for all your kind and generous time, Doc, sir.   Best, DAR 


     
Doc Riojas,  

  The Christmas Cards begin from 1946 when Dad entered the US Naval Academy (Bill followed to USNA in 1949), so Bill was still in High School in Arlington Heights, IL. The cards are small, old and in black and white photos that were copied onto the little paper 4” X 4” Christmas cards. I scanned the pix you now have, and that was the clearest and best resolution I could get. That is the best we can get from these old paper, printed copies. Sorry. That is why I pray that some of your fellow patriots can help.   Best, DAR  


My uncle Bill.   Lt. James A Robinson (1927-2002) USNA 1950  

Smitty wrote that: "Having done about all the advising for the LDNNs that I could do, I was getting anxious to leave the Cam Ranh Bay peninsula and go someplace where I could get involved again in actual combat missions."   Page 62.

Smitty was my good buddy.  We were advisors at the LDNN training Camp at CamRanhBay Vietnam in 1970.  I am contradicting the above entry on page 62 of his book "Death in the Delta; Diary of a Navy SEAL" because his transfer down to SeaFloat did not go down the way he tells it in his book.  Please, I am not calling him a liar, after so many years, he remembers those events different than I do.  I have LT. Kuhn's email if anyone wants to challenge my contradiction.

It is not true.  I was there when Smitty got orders from CDR John O'Drain to go to SeaFLoat and take the place of a USMC LCPL that was working with TuTa Al. Sphinx EOD.  That Marine was the second advisor along with TuTa Sphinx that were in charge of riding two swift boats that were escorting the civilian sand barges being towed by USA civilian tug boats.  They were hauling sand from down the South China Sea to build up the marsh on the banks of SeaFLoat where Solid Anchor was to be constructed.  This was happening every day, and sometimes twice a day.

Erasmo "Doc" Riojas worked for/with LCDR Al Sphinx for about 45 days. I relieved an airdale sailor that hated that job a lot worse than I did.  In order for him to get out of that shitty job, he put a smoke grenade in one of his leg cammie pants pocket.  He then duck taped the pants leg so that he would not be able to stop the grenade from burning after he pulled the pin on it.  He burned a hole so large in his leg that the Corpsmen from seafloat were speculating that he may have to have his leg amputated.

Now do you believe that working with Al Sphinx escorting those sand barges was a shitty job?  Riding a Swift Boat, hot deck, no place to hide if the did hit the boat  with an RPG!  The deck on those metal boats got so hot we could not sit on it's deck.

I was  relieved by that LCPL USMC Negro marine.  That kid lasted about two weeks before he got wounded on one of his arms.  That job was the shittiest job that Rio was ever assigned to while in Vietnam.  While Al Sphinx was living in a tent,  Rio had to sleep on a plywood hootch on six foot stilts because of the rising tide.  The Viet Hi and the Kit Carson Scouts lived on hootches that were built on top of ground that was raised by the SeaBee bulldozers.  There were hundreds of rats where we lived and when the tide came up, they would crawl up anything available including Doc Rio's hootch.

When LT Kuhn told Smitty that he was going to go work at SeaFloat he became a very unhappy camper.  In the book, Smitty said he asked to be transferred, but who would want to leave a safe and secure area in the rear with the whiskey and beer for a shitty hole like Sea Float?  We were in one of Vietnam's paradises.  It was as if we were in Key West FL.  White Sandy beaches, clear blue water, tons of lobster and fish and the base had a large Mess Hall and EM and CPO and Officer's Clubs.  We had a Post Office and a large Navy Exchange.  Life was good there.   No incoming fire, and no V.C.  Smitty did not want to leave.  He was forced to leave.

The best thing about Smitty going to SeaFloat is that he lived on SeaFLoat with his buddies from SEAL Team ONE.  I had to live on the beach next to AL Sphinx's tent.  I was very much disliked by the SEALs from Team ONE because I was an East Coast Puke.  I would not go eat on SeaFloat.  I would either eat "C" Rations or go eat with the Viet Hi.  I had to use the shower on the beach from SeaFloat but I would try to make it when the SEALs were not using it.  I did not want to get into fist or verbal fights with them because I was totally outnumbered.   I hated every day I spend on that gig with LCDR Sphinx escorting the sand barges on board the Swift Boats.

You must go read Gary's Smith's adventures with Tuta Sphinx.  I know he was in a shitty job, Smitty did not bad mouth LCDR Sphinx in his book.  That is good.

Al Sphinx gave orders that if we got shot at or we received VC rocket fire, we were to beach the boat and jump off and go kill all the VC.  As if the VC, usually a few sappers were going to wait for us to land on the beach and kill them.  The VC were very clever at how they fired their RPGs remotely from a ways into the swamp.  While I was there we got fired at but they never hit the boats or inflicted any personnel casualties.  God, I hated that job with a passion and the day I left, after about 45 days, I gave God thanks for getting me out of that shit hole.  I had to take a Jolly Green Giant to Soc Trang.  I stayed there in a SeaBee Camp for two days awaiting a fixed wing flight to Saigon.

I had a great time being a guest of the Seabees.  They treated me very friendly.  I had a place to sleep and plenty to eat and drink.   They made me an honorary Master Builder after I showed them that I could do something they could not do.  The ole breaking the web belt in two pieces with one's bare hands. Yes, I showed them how I did that trick.

They had a movie every night and they would bring in girls from the nearest village to work in their clubs and to do hootch cleaning and such tasks.  Those guys had it made.   The day I left Soc Trang, on the way to the airfield, there was a VN pheasant selling small baby Rock Pyton snakes.  I bought one and named it "Frito."  I made it back to Saigon safely, back to my hotel room at the LeiLi.  I was given time off and took off for R&R to Thailand with two PBR CPO buddies from the Lei Li.  Two weeks in Bangkok was exactly what I needed to forget my days with AL Sphinx and the Sand Barges and the Team ONE SEALs and the rats.

SEA STORY:  We were having a steak cook out by our hootch.  It was LT. Kuhn, Chief Willits, Doc Marshall, Frency Bosivert, and Doc Rio.   We noticed coming through the gate to our camp "Smitty."  We were being visited by a Navy Journalist doing a story on our camp.

We told him to invite Smitty for a picture of us around our BBQ drum.  We all had made plans to take a very deep breath and push out our chests at the time the picture was to be taken.  We did not tell Smitty about that.

When Smitty saw the photo, he said, "guys, I got to start working out, look at me."  The photo showed Smitty slouched with his gut hanging out.  We all had a great laugh.   There is that picture on my website www.sealtwo.org  somewhere.


Quan and Journalist at LDNN Camp

           
Doc Riojas sitting in Front

 

 

 

 

                                                            

 

SEAL TWO Photo ALbums by Doc Rio
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