| The
July 2024 Newsletter is out! It is ALL
there, reunion registration form, schedule of events,
hotel information, every thing! For
your copy, click here. Please note, US mail copy of the FAC Newsletter has been discontinued. For printing instructions, click here. |
08 Jun 24: Hen Min Hiu, Cutie 11, Flew West on 15 Jun 2024 in Las Vegas NV. Click here to read a very nice tribute by a fellow FAC.
07 Jul 24: Major Edward L. Claiborn, Helix 21 flew West in 2019. Ed flew O-2a for the 20th TASS out of Chu Lai. He was the ALO for the 198th Light Infantry Brigade starting in August 1968. Slow hand salute to this brave warrior.
22 May 24: Legacy Pictures Request: Looking for pictures to be displayed in a museum of 20 TASS activities during the War in Southeast Asia. Click here for details.
16 Mar 24: Reunion Update, Hotel registration notice. Click here.
11 Mar 24:
Lt Col (USAF Ret.) Albert 
Muller,
Nail 10, flew west on 16 Nov 23. All flew OV-10s for
the 23rd TASS out of Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air
Force Base. Al was a life member of the Association. Click
here for Details and Obituary
15 Feb 24: Craig
Steven French, Cutie, flew west on 13 July 2023. Craig flew O-2s as a
FAC for the 21 TASS out of Phan Rang in 1971 and Osan for the 19th
TASS in 1972
. For details
and obituary link click here 
10 Feb 24: LtCol
USAF
Ret.
Aaron B. “Buck” Loggins, Bird Dog 81, took his final
flight 10 February 2023.
Doctor Loggins was 91.
He flew O-1s for the 20th TASS out of
Kontum, DaNang, Ubon, and NKP.
He had two tours.
For details and obituary click here.
10 Feb 24: Col (USAF Ret.) Norris J.
Krone Jr.,
Bird Dog 43, flew west on 28 June 2019. Norris was a member of
the 20th TASS from September 1970 – March 1971. For
details and obituary click here.
10 Feb 24: Maj
(USAF Ret.) William Henry “Hank” Hilbun III, Dixie
flew West 08 Sep 2023. Hank
flew 0-1s for the 23rd TASS out of Nakhom Phanom,
Thailand. Slow hand salute to this brave comrade in
arms. Details click here
02 Feb 24: FAC TRIBUTE PRESENTATION THE SURVIVORS! For years the FAC Association has presented a tribute to the families of those of us who flew west. Given that the association will itself fly west, it seems appropriate to offer to those of the survivors a copy of that tribute, its history and a letter from its author and long time presenter Colonel Dale Hill, Nail 49. All three documents are down loadable. For a copy of Colonel Hill's letter click here. For a copy of Crew Chief Bob's History click here. For a copy of the tribute click here.
04 Jan 24: The January 2024 Edition of the FAC Association Newsletter is out!! It has information about the reunion in October and a survey about your attendance. To read the news letter, click here.
NOTE: To download a copy, move your cursor to the bottom center of the page. A block of four buttons will appear. The button on the right will cause a PDF copy to be deposited in your computer's download folder. The button on the center right will cause a printable PDF copy to appear on your screen. Press the printer symbol in the PDF tool bar at the top of the page. The remaining buttons are self explanatory.
19 Dec 23: MGen Jerrold Allen, Nail 14
flew west on
13 December 2023. Jerry flew OV-10s for the 23
TASS. Funeral will be held on 29 Dec in Randolph Chapel
One at 1330. For more details and a link to his obituary press
here. 
04
Dec 23: Senior Master Sergeant, Garry Lee Knight, Radio
Operator for the 19th TASS flew west on 15 August
2023. Gary served two tour during the War In
Southeast Asia, Oct 1967-69. For details and a moving
obituary click here.30 Nov23: IT'S ABOUT REUNION 2024, HELP US GET A COUNT! ARE YOU COMING? FOR THE LATEST NEWS CLICK HERE
29 Nov 23:RUSTIC'S NEWS LETTER December 1st Edition. To read it, CLICK HERE
31 Oct 23: Col (USAF Ret.) Jerold L.
Weiss, Covey 259,
flew west on 28 August 2022. Jerry flew O-2s for
the 20th TASS out of Da Nang during the years 1968 - 69.
He anticipated in Operation Prairie Fire. To read details
and obituary click here
17 Oct
23: Timothy Ray Eby, Covey 540 and Rustic 40
affectionately known as "Captain Skinny" flew west at 0800
15 October 2023. Tim flew OV-10s for the 20th
and 23rd TASSs. Tim was well respected by his brother
FACs. He was a life member of the FAC Association. Click
here for details and funeral arrangements. 04 Sep 23: The FAC Association's FINI FAC Reunion dates are October 24-27, 2024 here in Ft Walton Beach, FL. Early arrival day will be Wednesday, 23 October 2024.
The reunion hotel is the re-branded and renovated
"The Island Resort Hotel" on Okaloosa Island. More
information is available on the Notam Board. To go there click
here.
04
Sep 23:Reflections is a new page. It is an
index page to Al Matheson's Legacy Project, a collection of
life's lessons learned from participating in the War in
Southeast Asia. To go there click here
Geezer's page, The
Saga of Miss Me by M. Joe Ganger, Bart 100,
Bomber 42 To read it click here.30 Jul 23: New War Story on
the Old Geezer's page, Mission Over Laos by Jim
Richmond, Nail 37. Click here
to read it.23 Jul 23: Lt. Col. (USAF Retired) Richard L. Stewart, Nail 76, Covey 513, and Mike, 13 flew west on 08 April 2023. Dick flew O-1s and O-2s for the 21st and 22nd Tactical Air Support Squadrons. His home town was Boynton Beach, Florida. He was a life member. Fair winds and a slow hand salute for this brave warrior.
20 Jul 23: The July 2023 edition of the FAC Association Newsletter is out. To read it click here.
08 Jun 23: Michael
L.Taylor, Nail 28 / Spike 28, flew west on 12 May
23. Based in Thailand, Mike flew OV-10s for the 23rd
TASS over Cambodia and Laos. He was shot down while flying
over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, listed as missing but later rescued
and returned. Details and an obituary can be read at https://www.fac-assoc.org/flew-west/flew-west2023.html
Slow hand salute for this brave warrior.20 May 23: Major Roger M Brodale, Allen
02/07, flew west on
27 Apr 2023. Roger flew O-1s for the 19th TASS from Jul
1968 til Jul 1969. He was well respected, highly decorated
and a fine aviator. Details and his obituary
can be read at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dfw/name/roger-brodale-obituary?id=51794781
Fair winds and a slow hand salute for this outstanding warrior.15 Apr 23: The unveiling of OV-10 No. 638 is on! The unveiling at the Australian War Memorial, which was delayed due to the world wide outbreak of Covid-19, has been scheduled for August 18, 2023. That date marks the 50th anniversary of the ending of the Australian involvement in the Vietnam war. A ceremony commemorating that, the unveiling of the OV-10, and a reunion dinner is scheduled, and we are invited! For detail of all of the events click here.
14 Apr 23: New war story on the Old Geezer's Page, "The FUBAR SAR." Ned Helms, Rustic 15. To read it click here.
13 Apr 23: New war story on the Old Geezer's page, "Sleeping on the Job" by Dale Hill, Nail 49. To read it click here.
08 Apr 23: James A. Richmond, Nail
37, flew west on 04 Apr 23. Jim flew OV-10s
for the 23 TASS from Nov 69 until Nov 70 out of NKP. Click
here to see Jim's Old Geezer story. Soft winds
my brother and a slow hand salute too. His obituary can be
read at https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/tx/fredericksburg/james-alvin-richmond-16228770
17 Mar 2023: Lt Col (USAF Ret) David C. Hartsock, Covey 229 and Dart 10, flew west on 11 May 2014. Dave flew O-2s for the 19th TASS and 20th TASS. We apologize, we have no picture and have only recently learned of his passing. His obituary may be read at https://www.newcomerdayton.com/obituary/84026
03 Mar 2023: Sgt Steven E. Peffer, Rustic /
Mechanic, flew west
on 27 Feb 2023. Steve was a maintenance officer O-2s
at Bien Hoa Air Base from Dec 1970 - 71. He left a legacy as
a Rustic. He will be interred at Sacramento Valley National
Cemetery on May 12th. More information and an obituary to
follow. Slow hand salute to this outstanding warrior. 
02 Mar 2023: Col (USAF Ret.)
David H. Pinsky, Cobra 4, flew his final mission on 9 Oct 2020.
Dave flew O-1s for the 19th TASS based at Duc Hoa. While in South
east Asia, he flew 614 combat missions and was awarded 2 Silver
Stars, a Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star, 26 Air Medals
and a Purple Heart. Dave was a life member of the FAC
Association. His obituary can be read at https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/19294062/Dave-H-Pinsky/Santa-Rosa/California/Santa-Rosa-Mortuary-Eggen-Lance-Chapel01Mar 2023: Col (USAF Ret.) Patrick D.
McCaslin, Nail 41,
flew west on 7Apr 2022. Pat flew OV-10s for the
23TASS. During his tour he was awarded 2 Silver Stars and 2
Distinguished Flying Crosses and a Purple Heart. He was a
life member of the FAC Association. His obituary can be read
at https://www.timesonline.com/obituaries/p020619225 Feb 23: The February 2023 Newsletter is out! It is the delayed January 2023 Newsletter. Click here to read it. To download a copy, move your cursor to the bottom center of the page. A block of four buttons will appear. The button on the right will cause a PDF copy to be deposited in your computer's download folder. The button on the center right will cause a printable PDF copy to appear on your screen. Press the printer symbol in the PDF tool bar at the top of the page. The remaining buttons are self explanatory.
25 Feb 2023: LTC (USAF Ret) Charles L.
Pocock, Viper 7 and Rod
7, flew west on 14 May 2022. Charlie flew two
tours in the O-1 for the 19th TASS starting in 1966. During his
FAC years he was awarded a Silver Star, two DFCs and a hand full
of Air Medals. He authored a book about his adventures titled Viper
7. Charlie was a Life member. His obituary can
be read at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/colorado-springs-co/charles-pocock-10755468
25 Feb 2023: Col (USAF Ret) Carl
F. Knabe, a Covey FAC, slipped the surly
bonds of earth on a westbound heading on 27 Jun 2022. Carl
flew OV10s for 20 TASS May 1969 - 70. He flew out of
Pleiku. During his tour he was awarded a DFC, 12 Air medals
and a Purple Heart. His obituary can be read at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/springfield-va/carl-knabe-10810992
19 Jan 23: Article, "The Rescuers, Leave No Man Behind" is an interesting article from the Winter 22-23 edition of the Skyhawk Association Journal. The article is about the rescue of two Marine A-4 pilots shot down over Laos in December 1969. Our Nails from the 23rd TASS out of NKP played an important role. To read it click here.
31 Dec 22: Wilson J. Hall, Trail 16, Covey
flew west on 08 July 2020. Wilson flew O-2
for the 20th TASS during the 1966-67
time frame. He
was life member of the Association. Details
and obituary 31 Dec: A FAC's Legacy Tribute. A copy of this tribute and its history is presented to the family of a fallen FAC. To read it go to the "Flew West" page and then select A FAC's Legacy.
If you wish to download a copy, move your cusor to the middle of the screen near the bottom. A box will appear with four symbols. To cause a copy to be downloaded into your download file, click on the symbol with the downward pointing arrow. To cause a printable PDF copy to appear on your screen, click on the rectangle with a beaker. This document has three pages. If you desire to print only the Tribute, print only page one in landscape.
19 Nov: New War Story on the
Old Geezer's page, Leave No Man Behind by Bob
Franklin. To read it, click here
29 Oct: The 2022 COS Reunion Recap page Is out! click here to read it.
23 Oct 22: Eldon R.
Sonny Haynes, Covey 262, Flew west on Sunday 9 Oct 22. Sonny
flew OV-10s for the 20th TASS. He was a life member. Details
and Obituary10 Sep 22: Wanted: Did you know
Ralph Michael Wong, a radio operator (70-71)? His widow would
like to talk to you.
See details at (Wanted Poster
220910)
03 Sep 22: Robert Wiltuck, Col (Ret.)
Covey 180/280
and Helix 41 took his last flight on 22 Jan 2022. Bob
flew O-2s for the 20th TASS starting in Nov 1967. He was a
life member of the FAC Association. Slow hand salute to this
brave warrior. Click here for Details and Obituary. 26 Aug 22: New story on the Old Geezer's page, "Bubba-SOG" It is a good read. Take a look. Click here
15 Aug 22: Lachon, "Beefy" Gregory, Rustic Alpha and Sundog Alpha, flew
west on 09 Aug 22. "Beefy" was a radio operator.
Slow hand salute to this warrior. Details
03 Aug 22: LTC Gerald P. Schwalb,
Red Marker 02, flew west
18 Jul 2022. Jerry flew O-2s for the 19th and
22nd TASSes in 1969-70. Details & Obituary
01 Aug 22: Joseph V.
Potter, Sidewinder16, Covey 06, Jade 06, flew west on 17
Jun 2022. He flew for the 19th and 20th TASS
during three tours. He was a life member. Details
& Obituary Erratum: Originally the
date of passing was posted in error as was his rank.