2014 Update

There seems to be more Pathfinder activity in the last year.  Some of it thanks to Facebook and this blog seems to allow non facebook pathfinders to find us..       PopTop's untimely passing seem to bring to mind the fact that we are not bullet proof nor do we have an expiration date and stirred a desire in some of us to find each other again.   Many of our group are retired or semi retired and that too can account for the "search" for our Vietnam brothers.   Time, availability, great technology, God....all play a role in revisiting a unique time in our lives.   My priest told my wife in years past when I was still recuperating from cancer that it would be a good thing for me to reconnect with the men I served with.  He went on to explain that a bond occurs when you put your life in the hands of another person day after day and when you lay down at night.   That was the catalyst for the creation of this blogsite.  

I am making a new 2014 resolution to try again to regularly update this blog.  Please pass it on to any pathfinders that served with us.   This is not intended to reach the larger pathfinder association group but to allow discussion, memories, shared experiences and photos or information about possible reunions for the group we served with in Vietnam.    I will attempt to fill in a few gaps from my last 2013 post from our Facebook page, conversations, visits and emails or phone calls I have received.  This may take a few posts.    If you have not joined our group please send an email by using this link   Reply and we will add you to the group.  It is closed to anyone other than the ones we served with in Vietnam.

These great video reproductions are from Maverick ( Lawrence Dawson )  He uses You Tube to make them viewable to all of us.  Great job Maverick and many thanks!

 Combat Assault 1969 Opening a Fire Base

 Firebase Cannon Oct. 1969

This one he calls  part 1 of The Tower and features yours truly.  Thanks Maverick. 

 This is Part 2

It is great to see actual footage and that Maverick lends his expertise so we can revisit it.

Here is another he posted called Little Larry.   

Sgt. Sisson, Cement Mason

Last weekend I had the opportunity to spend some hours with Black Magic ( Rick Damon)  and his wife Brenda.     It had been since the early 70's at a pathfinder reunion in Oklahoma since we had a chance to visit.    We both had a little ( well maybe a lot) more grey hair and each had adversities we had overcome but we were able to share some great conversation and lunch at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas and vowed to try to get together again.   The wives hit it off and were already comparing and sharing a German recipe.

Guru & Black Magic

Brenda Damon, Black Magic, Guru and Ms. Guru...Elaine 

A little background on Black Magic... He and Brenda live in Louisville, Kentucky.  They raised six children together and have I think about eight grandchildren...or maybe I think everyone has as many as I do.  Regardless they have a fine sounding family....    I think I recall that he is in insurance or perhaps a financial planner.  Most important is that he is still working and enjoying life.  Brenda told Elaine they were going on another trip next month to Cabos for some R&R.  Probably a bit different than the one we took together in Vung Tau.     Our visit brought up more memories and that is why I decided to make the resolution to update this blog more and encourage you to find more of our group to reconnect here and on our Facebook group.  There is a link posted on the home page of this blog that will take you directly to the Facebook page where you can request to be added to the Pathfinder group.   Also thanks to Crash (Marty Clarke), JP (Tim Nutter) and Attitude (Dan McGibbon) we have been compiling a list of call signs, names, email addresses and contact information.  Please help us with this so we can try to make contact with all our Pathfinders.   You can send them to me by clicking this link.    Contact Info

Looking forward to hearing from and seeing more Pathfinders in the upcoming year.

Guru (Larry Abbott)