Adolfo Flores passed away on Dec 20, 2013. He served two tours in Vietnam from 1964-1966 and again from in 1968-1969. He was an 11D20 Armored Reconnaissance Specialist with 1st Squadron, 11 ACR. He was awarded the Army Commendation medal with ”V” device, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart for wounds received on November 20, 1968 near Binh My while serving with 1/11 ACR. He was proud to be a part of The Blackhorse, and he loved his country and God. I’m proud of my HERO because that’s what he was to me. He left this world with his boots on to be in "God’s Army".
Thank you, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA
Gloria Flores
The following note is from Mike Starry, son of Donn Starry, on the passing of Mike’s wife, Bonne.
Dear Family and Friends,
We’re doing fine here in very chilly Newport News. Sisters Diana and Sherlyn left yesterday, Joe/Kristen and Julia leave late this afternoon. Erin and I will continue here getting all the arrangements together.
Bonne’s Obituary is at: http://www.dignitymemorial.com/nelsen-funeral-home-williamsburg.
Her funeral was Monday January 13 in Harper, Kansas. We had a reception for her her in Newport News on Saturday Jan 18, 1pm-4pm.
Much love to all…don’t take the prayer flags down just yet!!
From Kris Thompson, former commander of C Troop, 1/11th ACR, and HHT, 4/11th ACR in Fulda, Germany in the mid-80s. He also commanded 2/185th Tank Battalion, CA ARNG, and the 223rd Infantry Regiment (RTI), CA ARNG, and he is a 2001 graduate of the United States Army War College.
"Blackhorse, this is Anvil …set at OP Alpha, continuing mission…" These words, last spoken 20 years ago near Fulda, Germany are now being spoken again by former Blackhorse Troopers nightly while maneuvering their virtual armored formations across cyber battlefields. These troopers ride into battle in the rapidly growing world of online wargaming. The most popular online wargame in the world is World of Tanks, produced by Wargaming.net (based in Minsk, Belarus). World of Tanks is a "massively multi-player online" game (MMO). This game won the "Best Online Game" award at the Global Golden Joystick Awards for 2013 and set a Guinness Book of World Records certified record for "Most On-line Players Simultaneously on One MMO Server" with well over 40,000 players online at one time in North America.
The Blackhorse has a strong presence in this cutting edge global wargaming community. A number of former Blackhorse troopers formed a "Regiment" of "clans" in World of Tanks. Currently, the Blackhorse has a full regiment of three "clans" or ground squadrons (1/11, 2/11 and 3/11) and one clan (5/11) for players under 18. A clan is a group of up to 100 players who battle together in tournaments and "clan wars" on a global map. Recently, the Blackhorse wargaming group formed an "Air Cavalry" clan (4/11) to participate in the recently released World of Warplanes (also produced by Wargaming.net), as well as new clan in the on-line game War Thunder (which combines tanks and planes in one game). The game World of Tanks typically pits 30 players commanding their own historically accurate tank in 15-on-15 battles lasting 10-15 minutes. There are also tournaments, training sessions, and full scale wars on global maps where clans fight against other clans for territory. The vehicles used are tanks from the 1920s through the late 1950s, light, medium, and heavy tanks, self-propelled guns, tank destroyers, and some experimental vehicles, from all the major belligerents in WWII.
The Blackhorse clans use TeamSpeak 3 for in battle communications, which is basically a global conference voice line service. The TeamSpeak chart of "rooms" for the clan members to talk with each other during battle and outside of battle are divided in squadrons and troops and a regimental headquarters. Squadron and Troop nicknames mimic the real world Regimental call signs of the Cold War (Ironhorse, Anvil, Cold Steel…). It is this voice communication aspect that provides the true heart and soul of the Blackhorse gamers. James Taylor, a former Blackhorse noncommissioned officer in I Troop who served in the late 80s, put it this way:
For any troopers interested in looking into the Blackhorse on-line gaming community, you may visit the websites at:
www.11thacrwot.guildlaunch.com, or
https://www.facebook.com/WOT11THFAMILYGROUP/
Or you can contact the undersigned (kpthompson2011@nullyahoo.com) or Ray Utter (raymondutter@nullgmail.com).
for 2014-2015 school year
The April 1, 2014 deadline to submit your scholarship applications for the 2014-15 school year is fast approaching. Go to the Blackhorse web site https://www.blackhorse.org/scholarships.cfm
for details and application form. The completed application must be postmarked not later than March 31, 2014 and mailed to:
Bob Hurt
75 E. Shadowpoint Cir
The Woodlands, TX 77381
Or it can be emailed to bobhurt3@nullcomcast.net.
Any questions, call Bob at 281-364-7285. Reminder: Last year’s winners must reapply (complete the full application as if it were the first time) to be eligible for this year’s awards.
In case you missed it, your Regiment was featured during the Superbowl pregame reading of the Declaration of Independence. Regiment is at mark 00:05 and 05:19. Click on the link below to see this.
opens in a new windowhttp://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=21dc555c-3d19-4b0a-9839-fbc1359dcd2b
As most of you know, we are moving the Blackhorse Memorial from Fort Knox to Fort Benning. This move is being funded entirely by donations and we are still short of the funds necessary to make this move. With the Armor Center moving from Fort Knox to Fort Benning, the move of the memorial only makes sense. Not only will the memorial be moved, but we will also take this opportunity to improve it. If you want to contribute to this important project, please go to the Blackhorse Association website (see below). In the upper right hand section is information and details on how to contribute.
The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment’s Blackhorse Association will hold its annual Blackhorse Family reunion in Colorado Springs, CO, June 12 -15, 2014. The reunion is open to all past and present troopers who served with the Regiment, the Regimental Community, and all separate units that supported the Regiment.
The reunion will be held at the Hotel Elegante Conference and Event Center, 2886 South Circle Drive, Colorado Springs, CO, 80908. The Elegante is in the process of a major several million dollar renovation. Rooms have been set aside for reunion attendees at a special negotiated rate of $115 per night.
Attendees are encouraged to make plans early. For reservations, please visit opens in a new windowhttps://www.reseze.net/cassets/mkt/mcmelegante/landing_pages/MCM_Colorado_Blackhorse_Association.html or call (800) 981-4012 (reservations). You can phone their Front Desk directly at (719) 576-5900 (be sure to give them our Group ID number – 693108 – and say you are attending the Blackhorse reunion).
For additional lodging options, go to opens in a new window http://www.expedia.com/Colorado-Springs-Hotels.d602991.Travel-Guide-Hotels.
opens in a new windowCLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND A REGISTRATION FORM
