Trooper Down – Peter V. Jakubiak, Sr.
Peter Jakubiak, Sr. passed away on June 19 in Hinsdale, Illinois after a brief illness. Peter was born in Albany, NY on September 11, 1951 to the late Vincent and Helen (Josefchak) Jakubiak. Even at an early age, he excelled in math and science, and he received a full scholarship to the SUNY Maritime College. After one semester, he moved to Hawaii in order to experience life to the fullest. He enlisted in the Army while living in Hawaii in order to serve in Vietnam, where he was a scout with 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. After Vietnam, he served in Germany and eventually settled in Louisville. He is a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, NY and, at 46, he enrolled at Spalding University, where he received a partial athletic scholarship and served as the cameraman for all basketball practices and games.
Middle East Conflict Memorial
There is a little known memorial to the fallen from the wars in the Middle East. This link is to a moving video about the memorial. It’s well worth a visit. opens in a new windowhttp://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=WEPBQGu74oo&feature=player_embedded
Books of interest and more news from Point Alpha
Below is an email from the Director of the Point Alpha Foundation (former OP Alpha). In it, he describes some books that might be of interest to members of the Blackhorse Association. Note that currently the books only exist in German. If you are interested, please contact Herr Bausch to obtain copies. Also, for those of you who served at OP Alpha, its website, opens in a new windowwww.pointalpha.com, will bring back many memories (even more if you can read German!). Included in the email was this aerial photograph of Point Alpha –
Sir,
I am the director of the Point Alpha Foundation in Geisa near Fulda, Germany. The foundation is in charge of the former OP Alpha in the Fulda Gap, right at the former inner- German border. OP Alpha was home of platoons of the U.S. Constabulary Units after WWII and of units of the 14th and 11th ACR during the time of the Cold War. In two museum locations – one on the West side in the former OP and one directly on the border on the East, we display information on the military situation in the Cold War, the possible scenarios in the Fulda Gap, the routine of the troopers up there, and the character of the communist regime in the GDR.
The Point Alpha Academy holds seminars on the same topics. You can find more information on us at our homepage opens in a new windowwww.pointalpha.com.
This year we published two books. The first one was written by a member of our scientific board, the historian Dr.Dieter Krüger and bears the title: At the Abyss? The Era of the Military Alliances: NATO and Warsaw Pact 1947-1991. The second one, written by Mira Keune and me, is titled Point Alpha – From the Hot Spot of the Cold War to a Learning Place of History. It highlights the political and military history of the Cold War era in the Fulda Gap from 1946/47, the role of the American units, and the history of communist regime in the GDR until its end in 1989. The next publication is under construction. It deals with the operational plans of NATO and Warsaw Pact in the Fulda Gap and compiles the results of a scientific conference held last year.
Best regards from The Rhön Mountains!
Volker Bausch
Direktor
Point Alpha Stiftung
Geschäftsführer Point Alpha Akademie
Schlossplatz 4
36419 Geisa
Tel.:036967/596421
Mobil:0172/7346632
E-Mail: volker.bausch@nullpointalpha.com
www.pointalpha.com
Point Alpha and environs.
Reunion Photo Album
Books can be ordered by contacting Carlton at opens in a new windowmrtcarlton@nullaol.comcreate new email or at his postal address:
512 Sundance Lane
Georgetown, TX 78633
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Can You Identify?
Colonel Chester E. Kennedy, 11th ACR, 1963-64
Colonel Donald P. Boyer, 11th ACR, 1964-65
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New Website of Interest
The Gold Vault Chapter, which hosted the Louisville reunion, has a new website of its own – opens in a new windowwww.blackhorseveterans.org. It’s well worth a visit.
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Origin of the Regiment’s Nickname?
Joe O’Leary, who served in A Troop in 1966-67 sent the following note to our historian Don Snedeker:
"I just read this in a Vet’s Bulletin. Do you know if it’s true?"
USA Unit Nicknames: The Blackhorse – 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. In the early 1900s, the regiment was camped at the Presidio, and the residents of San Francisco nicknamed the regiment due to majority of their horses being black in color.
Don’s Response: The Regiment was stationed at the Presidio of Monterey, south of San Francisco, in the 1920s and 30s. It started with one of the Troops being mounted on black horses, then spread to one of the squadrons.
During this period, the Regiment was frequently called upon to provide extras for various Hollywood Old West movies, to include one or two with Ronald Reagan. The best horsemen also participated in riding shows and competitions all along the West Coast, as well as parades in SF and LA. The 11th Cav Officers’ Polo Team was quite successful.
I had not heard that the residents of San Francisco had come up with the nickname, but it is possible.
Allons!
Don
Do any of you budding historians out there have any additional information on this? If so, please contact Don at opens in a new windowblackhorse4@nullverizon.netcreate new email.
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We want your input!
If you have an item of interest to the membership that you would like to see in future eBlasts or our bi-annual newsletter, please send items directly to opens in a new windowbanditsix@nullaol.comcreate new email. The more detail you provide the better. In particular if you have knowledge of the passing of a former member of the Regiment and want this information published, please provide details of Regimental service and/or an obituary. This is your newsletter, please contribute.
You can always find the latest news and information on the Blackhorse Association at: opens in a new windowhttps://www.blackhorse.org
If you run into Blackhorse veterans or serving members of the Regiment, let them know about the Association and point them to the website.
