E Company

   It was billed as a “party” and the E Company mini-reunion held in Colorado Springs was a rousing success. Close to 40 Rangers and family members took part in a variety of activities arranged by Doug “Mac” MacCallum including a viewing of Erik Spinks’ documentary video and the opportunity to welcome Nhan, our Vietnamese Ranger comrade, who was making his first trip to the United States.
   When I arrived on Sunday at the Clarion Downtown, the reunion headquarters, I was greeted by a sign reading, “Welcome E Company 75th Rangers, Nam Vets.” I put on my running shoes in order to recon the area and was delighted to find Monument Valley Park, just a stone’s throw from the motel. The park has an excellent running and bike path that follows Monument Creek for miles in either direction. An historical marker by the creek warned of the danger of flash floods and told of one that hit Colorado Springs in 1935 claiming 18 lives. It said, “If the creek begins to rise, head for high ground.” Instead of higher ground, I headed back to the motel where the early arrivals had been told to meet for our evening meal. Still dressed in my running clothes, I found Bob Copeland and Terry Leishman waiting in the lobby and told them to fall out for PT only to have Leishman look at me and say, “What’s PT?”
   After changing, I headed over to the Antlers Hotel where a group including Shirley Parrish, daughters Karen McChord and Cindy Pletcher and her sister, Lilian Holt, had assembled. When I told Shirley that this was one reunion where she did not have to worry about selling raffle tickets, she replied, “Don’t be so sure.” I should have known better because back in the hospitality room there were three beautiful red, white and blue afghans that had been knitted by Cindy along with several of Emory’s belt buckles and a magazine article about E Company Rangers in Nam. The items were raffled off by Shirley and her daughters as they do at all our reunions with the proceeds going to the company unit fund.
   Monday morning, Roy and Sharon Barley, Copeland and I set out to visit the first of many attractions Mac had lined up. Bishop’s Castle is a construction project where for the past 40 years, one eccentric individual has been building a castle out of rocks. Unfortunately, it is located in the middle of nowhere and there was not a street address to enter into Barley’s GPS. I told the group not to worry as I had a map and so off we went. After driving for an unusually long period of time, we spotted a lake in the distance, but there should not have been a lake anywhere close to Bishop’s Castle. Sharon took the map and informed us that we were headed in the wrong direction, much to my chagrin. When we got back to the motel I heard on more than one occasion that “there is nothing more dangerous than a 2nd lieutenant with a map.”
    After climbing the winding staircases of the castle, we headed to Westcliff for lunch at the Pizza Express. There we met Mike Watson, a friend of Bill Cheek’s and a former 2nd Battalion Ranger who jumped into Grenada. Mike is originally from New York but loves the wide open spaces of Colorado and we had a great visit. As we left, Mike passed on special greetings from Cheek who he hears from on a regular basis.
   Nhan was scheduled to arrive that evening so Copeland and I drove to the airport to meet him. He had emailed a photo showing what he would be wearing so when I spotted a passenger wearing a black beret and jacket with a Ranger scroll on it, we knew it had to be Nhan. After exchanging enthusiastic greetings, we loaded up and drove back to the motel where he was welcomed as a long-lost friend. He had not spoken English in some 40 years but still retained a remarkable ability to understand what was being said. We were all moved when Nhan called us to his room and presented the Rangers with gifts he had made. He is a talented man: author, cook, boy scout leader, businessman, soldier and it is remarkable that through the internet, he was able to reconnect with E Company and then join us in Colorado Springs for a reunion.
   Tuesday morning we set out for the Air Force Academy and while heading to the visitor’s center on the campus, a wild turkey was spotted by the road. I pulled alongside to allow Nhan the chance for photos as the turkey gobbled and then strutted into the woods. After touring the inspiring academy chapel, we headed to the Garden of the Gods where Nhan had me stop at every overlook for photos. He took so many that he said he needed to recharge the battery to his camera. By then, it was getting close to supper time. I had mentioned that there was a restaurant named the Saigon Café located in downtown Colorado Springs. As a former restaurant owner, Nhan asked if we could dine there so he could check out the quality of Vietnamese food served in the United States. Not only was the food good, but so was the company for when Nhan and I entered the dining room, we were greeted by Marshall Larson, John Berg and Copeland who invited us to join them. Our waiter was Vietnamese and it was interesting to listen to him converse with Nhan, even though I could not understand a word of what was being said.
   Wednesday morning we drove to Cripple Creek to tour the Mollie Kathleen Mine. As we moved into higher elevation we passed snow on the ground so we stopped and Copeland took a photo of Nhan holding his first-ever snowball. The tour of the mine was fascinating. We went 1000 feet below the surface where we got an idea of the dimly-lit and dangerous conditions under which the early miners operated. After lunch in Cripple Creek, we traveled back through Old Colorado City where Copeland’s sharp eyes spotted a store that sold fudge and ice cream. Being a thoughtful person, he suggested we stop so Nhan could taste American ice cream and being polite, he said we needed to order some for us so Nhan would not be eating ice cream by himself.
   Thursday morning the world premier of “Painted Faces,” Erik Spink’s documentary video about E Company, was shown in the hospitality room. There were two showings: the first for the Rangers interviewed by Erik at our last reunion in Orlando followed by a viewing for the rest of the Rangers and their families. Attending the first showing was Clancy Matsuda and we were delighted that Clancy and his lovely wife, Connie, were able to travel to the reunion. It was appropriate that Clancy was the first member of E Company to appear in the film because while serving as our commander, he brought us from a platoon-size unit to a company filled with some of the best Rangers in Vietnam. Clancy was the commander who required us to “paint up” with camouflage before going on patrol thus the film’s title was most appropriate. Other E Company members at the reunion who appeared in the film were: Ken Mellick, Sal Disciascio, Joe Eachus, Barley, Copeland, Larson and MacCallum. Unable to attend the reunion but also featured were: Hilan Jones, Ed Chafin, Tyrone Muse along with Bob Carroll, a former LRRP commander in the 173rd Airborne and Steve Szabo, a 9th Division vet and close friend of E Company members.
   Everyone who watched the film was impressed that a director so young ((Erik had just finished his freshman year in college) could produce such a professional looking film that gave the viewer a good bit of E Company history along with a sense of what it was like to conduct long range patrol missions in Vietnam. The interviews were skillfully edited so that everything flowed together along with carefully selected still photos and video footage showing 9th Division lurps in Bearcat and the Delta. Included in the footage were some of the Rangers who gave their lives in Vietnam, to include Erik’s uncle, Richard Bellwood. The DVD is one that every E Company veteran will want to own and show to family members. Anyone who was not in Colorado and would like a DVD, can order one by sending a check or money order for $15.00 to: ESProductions, 3233 Fairmount Avenue, Bronx, NY 10465-1447.
   After we watched “Painted Faces,” a number of us drove out to Cheyenne Mountain for a tour of the NORAD facility where every item in space as well as every aircraft flying in this country is closely monitored. The following day, we all left for a ride on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway but as it had snowed the night before, we were unable to make it all the way to the top. I had a chance to sit across from Don Dupont and his daughter, Deloris, and he talked about his days as a signal corps first sergeant in Germany. In the “small world department,” a passenger in our railway car overheard our conversation and introduced himself as a former commander of the infantry battalion Don’s signal unit had supported.
   The scheduled activity for Friday evening was a visit to the Flying W Ranch for dinner and a western show. Mac had warned that advance reservations were required and while many followed his advice, some of us waited until the day before and found out the show was sold out. Those who went said the musicians were excellent and I made a mental note to pay closer attention next time Mac issues an operations order. Later that night the raffle drawing was held and the winners were: Ralph Harter, Fred Jenkins along with Barley, Berg and Leishman.
    Saturday morning broke bright and warm as our group made it out to Canon City for a ride on the Royal Gorge Railroad. The train followed the Arkansas River where we could see a number of rafters shooting the rapids and then passed through imposing 1000-feet high granite cliffs. The evening meal was at the Edelweiss, a local German restaurant where our table was serenaded by two authentic-looking German troubadours who serenaded us with songs such as “There is No Beer in Heaven.” After the meal, the reunion’s final activity was held outside the hospitality room where Barley presented Nhan a new laptop computer on behalf of E Company so he might always be able to remain in our communications net. Erik Spink then asked the cast members of “Painted Faces” to assemble under a banner for a group photo taken by official reunion photographer, Rip Tragle. Then a large group photo was requested with the other Ranger attendees including: Ron Tessenshon, Poncho Alaire, Ken McConkey, Greg Foreman, Bob Hernandez, Ron Bird, Don Booth, Bill Christiansen, Tragle and his faithful companion, Beanie. Erik, his mother, Joan Bellwood, and other family members served as the photograpers for that photo as we were blinded by a succession of flash bulbs. Hopefully, the pictures will turn out giving proof of the tremendous success of “Mac’s Party” in Colorado Springs.
   While Colorado is history, plans are well underway for by our West Coast pointmen (Foreman, Hernandez, Larson and Tess) for the 2009 reunion in San Diego. Be sure to mark May 13 on your calendars next year as that is when the fun will begin. We were delighted to have Tom Deutschland, a former E Company officer, attend his first reunion and he told everyone he would like to be back again next year. We hope all of our other members will be there as well. Until then, always remember that:
Rangers Lead the Way