1st Plt A Troop 3/4 Cav Current Tour in Iraq

Fellow Troopers,

3/4 Cavalry will complete its current deployment to Iraq in October. The squadron is operating in the Balad area. They recently transfered Forward Operating Base Paliwoda to Iraq control. See the news release at this link.

This video is from the 1st platoon A Troop and was made at the start of their current tour. Shows some of the terrain and conditions that they conduct operations under. Enjoy!

We can all be proud of the job the current squadron's soldiers are doing for our nation.
Thanks,

John,

Happy 4th of July

Fellow Troopers,

Have a great 4th of July with your family and friends. Freedom is not free and Americans have always fought for freedom when necessary. All current and former MacKenzie's Raiders can be proud of your service to our country and for the job you did during your time in the troop. Your sacrifices have helped to continue our tradition of freedom that began 233 years ago. Have a great day!

Thanks!

John,

Flag Day 2009

Fellow Troopers,

Tomorrow is Flag Day. Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. All are urged to fly our nation's flag tomorrow. Below is a very good patriotic poem about the flag that explains what our flag means to our nation and its citizens. To learn more about the history of our flag go to http://www.usflag.org/index.html

I am the Flag

by Ruth Apperson Rous

I am the flag of the United States of America.

I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.

There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.

My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.

Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.

My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.

My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.

My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.

My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.

I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity.

I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home.

I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers - the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth.

I am as old as my nation.

I am a living symbol of my nation's law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

I voice Abraham Lincoln's philosophy: "A government of the people, by the people,for the people."

I stand guard over my nation's schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.

I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.

Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.

I have my own law—Public Law 829, "The Flag Code" - which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.

I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.

Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.

I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.

If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.

Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom.

As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are - no more, no less.

Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth.

Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty.

God grant that I may spend eternity in my "land of the free and the home of the brave" and that I shall ever be known as "Old Glory," the flag of the United States of America.

Thanks,

John,

Memorial Day Tribute

Fellow Troopers,

Freedom is not free. We owe our freedom to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. As we do each year on this weekend we pay our respects to all of our servicemen and servicewomen who have served and sacrificed for our nation. Here is an excellent tribute to all those who have served in our military: Past and Present.

We served with 87 members of Alpha Troop that gave all and did not return. They made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation, Alpha Troop, and their fellow soldiers. Take time to remember them this weekend.

SGT Donald Brown 1/12/68
SP4 Ronald Neal 1/17/69
SP4 Gene Kosel 1/20/68
SP4 Robert Swalley 1/20/68
PFC James Parham 1/20/68
CPL Gary Elia 1/20/68
PFC John Esten 1/20/68
PFC Joe Michaud 1/20/68
SP4 John Moore 1/20/68
SGT Andy Garnica 1/20/68
1LT Charles Ayers 1/22/69
SGT David Klippel 1/23/68
PFC Gary Hobbs 1/27/70
SSG Richard Dornellas 1/27/70
SGT James Feeney 2/2/69
PFC Clarence McKinnon 2/2/69
PFC Alan Ramsey 2/2/69
PFC Harrison Allen Jr 2/14/68
SSG Leonel Buentello 2/14/68
SSG Luther Page Jr 2/14/68
SSG Thomas Johnson 2/14/68
SSG Vernon Tscherter 2/14/68
SGT Charles Penney 2/14/68
SSG Donald Lloyd 2/14/68
SP4 William Conley 2/21/68
SSG James Brown 2/21/68
PFC Donald White - 3/5/67
PFC Hugh Merrill 3/6/66
SGT Walter Blalock 3/6/67
SSG David Ray 3/6/68
CPL John Rick 3/23/70
SSG Gernot Bender 3/25/69
PFC George Browning 3/28/69
SGT Michael Poggi 3/28/69
PFC Rockford Everett 4/12/68
PFC Thomas McVay 4/12/68
SGT Thomas Robertson 4/12/69
SGT Rafeal Torres-Rivera 4/23/65
PFC Arthur C Tijerina 5/1/68
MSG Charles Vanover 5/6/89
SP4 John Carmack 5/12/67
PFC Raymond Gibbs 5/12/67
SGT Clarence Husk 5/12/67
SP5 Frederick Taylor 5/15/68
PFC Steven Rugar 5/15/68
PFC Theodore Bradshaw 5/21/66
PFC Ollie Sauls 5/27/68
SP4 Eugene Hilton Jr 6/3/68
CPL Milford Wensel 6/5/69
CPL Marion Andler 6/10/70
SP4 John Maloney 6/10/70
SGT Melvin Wink 6/10/70
1LT Edwin Winter 6/10/70
SGT Shojiro Yamashita 6/10/70
CPL James Davis 6/10/70
SGT Alton Phillips 6/15/69
SGT Jerry Carver 6/26/70
PFC Ervil Bray 7/29/67
SSG Charles Roland 7/29/67
SGT Roland McLlravy 7/29/67
CPT Earle Drake 8/6/67
1SG John Veara 8/19/68
SP4 Roy Harbaugh 8/19/68
SGT Terry Hodges 8/19/68
SGT Dwayne Kever 8/19/68
SP4 Alvin Langford 8/19/68
PFC Leonard Sexton 8/19/68
PFC Gilbert King 8/22/68
PFC Paul Parker 8/22/68
PFC Robert Sanders 8/22/68
PFC James Griffen Jr 8/24/68
SP4 Lewis King 8/24/68
PFC Peter Kovach 8/24/68
SGT David Rasmussen 8/24/68
SP4 Raymond Spinler 8/24/68
SSG Bruce Tindall 8/24/70
CPL Randy Brackin 9/1/70
CPL Francis Amoroso 9/3/67
SP5 Ronald Hack 9/10/68
PFC Richard Caputo 9/22/68
PFC Adolph Hamm 9/22/68
PFC Merrel Sarvela 9/22/68
SSG James Joslyn 10/15/66
SP4 Kenneth Shrum 10/15/66
PFC Freddie Keeley 10/24/67
PFC James Wymer 12/15/66


Thanks!

Civil War/Indian War Troopers Reburied With Honors

Fellow Troopers,

On May 16th fifty-eight Civil War and Indian War soldiers were reburied with honors at the Sierra Vista National Cemetery in Sierra Vista, AZ. Les Stafford, A Trp 66/67, attended the ceremony and provided these photos. Click on the photo to see it full size.

4th Cavalry Memorial Band plays during ceremony.

The remains were discovered during construction that uncovered an abandoned cemetery in Tucson. They were exhumed to make room for the Pima County court complex. Some of the soldiers fought in the Civil War while stationed in the Arizona Territory. Others were assigned to Arizona during the Indian Wars. Two were are Indian scouts, and one is a Buffalo Soldier.

Caskets of the 58 soldiers.

The soldiers served as cavalry, infantry, cooks, musicians, or farriers. Most had been assigned to Ft. Lowell in Tucson. The soldiers names were identified through the use of old military and cemetery records. The names were not matched to specific remains because of a lack of DNA evidence.

Honors rendered during the ceremony.

The governor of Arizona, other dignitaries, and a large crowd attended the ceremony. Several Veterans organizations in Arizona came up with the idea to move the soldiers remains to the National Cemetery and planned the reburial of the soldiers. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provided marble markers for the graves.

Thanks Les for attending the ceremony and providing these photos.

Armed Forces Day

Fellow Troopers,

Today is Armed Forces Day. It will not get much coverage in the news. It is an important day that was created in 1949 by President Truman so that our nation can honor our servicemen and servicewomen that serve around the world protecting our freedom. It takes a great deal of courage to join the military. Maybe even more so today when it seems that service in the military is looked on as a lesser calling by some portions of our society. Those who serve today are our new "Greatest Generation". They know the meaning of "Duty, Honor, & Country and they know sacrifice. I am proud of them all. My hat is off to each and everyone of them. It is also special for those of us who served during previous conflicts like our Vietnam War. We have a bond with those who serve today. I know you all do this but anytime you see one of our servicemen or servicewomen thank them for their service. It makes their day a whole lot better to know that they are appreciated.

Run for the Wall 2009

Fellow Troopers,

Mike Gauthier, A Troop Arty RTO 68/69, is participating in the Run for the Wall 2009. Here is a photo of Mike at the refueling stop in Marana, AZ. Mike met up with John Moore 68/69 for coffee at the stop. A photo log of the ride will be posted at url: http://www.w5blt.com/RFTW/RFTW.htm


The purpose of the Ride to the Wall is promote healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world.

The ride is conducted in a safe, supportive and private atmosphere in which all participants can reflect and heal on their journey to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. in the hope that they can return home to a new beginning.

If other former troopers are participating in the Run for the Wall, let us know and we will annotate it here.

Thanks,