From the Editor:

After President Aaron Brandenburg’s praise of Tony Bell, our exciting March guest speaker, we open with several; “Letters to the Editor.”

From the Mailbag:

John Vast served with another Green Beret, attached to a contingent of three Aussies at the II Corps Mike Force in and around Pleiku. This story is about his experience with interpreters.

We received two items of interest from Chapter member Ham Salley:

First, he unearthed a gem—a special recording of the “Ballad of the Green Beret” by the U.S. Army Band (check it out on our YouTube channel!). Debra Holm, the digital mastermind for the chapter, provides the link to the video, and also brings us up to date on additions to our Chapter’s YouTube channel.

Secondly, Ham, who served at FOB 3 right next to the Khe Sanh base treats us to some history of the Rangers from October 1943, 75th infantry Merrill’s marauders to resurrection in Vietnam. Then he briefly tells the “Rest of the Story.”

Chapter Spotlight:

Our support of Afghans who fought with us continues. Debra Holm gives us an update on the community in Mojave, especially the special donation made to aid a mobility-challenged community member.

Jim Cragg, a member who tirelessly bridges the gap between veteran organizations, shares updates from other groups and provides insights into his company’s cutting-edge medical advancements. No wonder AUSA recently honored Jim for his outstanding contributions!

Bookworm Corner:

I delve into Lanny Hunter’s gripping memoir, Exit Wounds, Hunter’s account of his year as a Medical Doctor for 5th SFG (A). He touched on so many things any soldier might relate to, especially former and current SF. It’s packed with history, action, and perspective, written in a concise and personally relatable style. Directly following my review is an excerpt from his book— the first three chapters—so you can see for yourself.

Beyond the Chapter Walls:

An article from a February 1970 issue of Stars and Stripes puts you in the passenger seat for a hair-raising 11-mile drive during the Vietnam War.

Denis Chericone, a former SOG member, takes us back to a perilous mission in Laos in his article “First Mission.” Also check out the links in his bio.

Friendly Reminders:

There’s still time to sign up for the SFACON 2024 cruise!

Please feel free to view the pictures of our March Chapter Meeting. And don’t be a stranger! Submit your own stories for future publications—we’d love to hear from you!

Enjoy.

How Miller
Sentinel Editor