| 2008 has been a very busy, exciting and productive year for your Association. Your Officers, Directors and Staff have done a brilliant job of taking us through the transition laid out by the membership at the Las Vegas Reunion. We have again been able to publish the Blackhorse Newsletter and we will continue to publish the newsletter twice each year. We have initiated a monthly Blackhorse E-News email program to better inform the membership of the activities of the Association. The Association web page at www.blackhorse.org has been totally reworked and we were able to place it online on the Association’s 38th birthday. We will continue to upgrade the web and ask for your participation in this effort. Of fiscal necessity, we were forced to close the Sutler Store at Fort Irwin but in December, we were able to offer Blackhorse memorabilia again through a contractual arrangement with Finish Line Awards, a leading retailer of military unit memorabilia. You may again shop online through the Blackhorse Gear link on our web page or go directly to our store at www.blackhorsestore.org. The staff is currently working with officials at Fort Irwin and the Regiment to again offer a "store front" memorabilia sales operation in the Regimental area at Fort Irwin. From a management and statutory compliance perspective, we were able to obtain our permanent 501 © 3 non-profit charitable status from the IRS and all required Federal and State Income Tax submissions were made. Our required Secretary of State corporate filings were also accomplished. Most of you are aware that an anonymous donor made a commitment to donate $50,000 a year for four years to the Association and he also offered to match member donations up to $100,000 a year. In the first year of our fundraising initiative we fell considerably short of our member goal of $100,000. Our donor has agreed to let us see if we can do better in the second year. If we do meet our member goal of $100,000 this year, the donor will consider continuing his matching offer. Thirty-four of our members have committed to $1000 a year for four years—-this is our Allons Club initiative. We had hoped for 100 Allons Club members to insure we take full advantage of our donor’s offer. Realizing everyone may not be able to support at that level, we are initiating a program of giving where we are asking 10% of our members to give $100 a year. If we can get participation at that level, we can take your Association to levels that previously were thought to be impossible. Help us make this happen. The 2009 Fulda Reunion is on. The reunion committee has informed us that over 200 members intend to attend and the number is growing. Check the reunion details on the web and in our E-News and Blackhorse Newsletter publications. I wish to thank each of you for helping us revitalize the Association. We must succeed.
Our commitment 38 years ago was a Blackhorse commitment and our Regiment fulfills its commitments. Happy New Year to all of you. With your help, this can be our greatest year ever.
Allons! and Blackhorse Forever! |
2009 REUNION UPDATE:
The Blackhorse Reunion in Germany is a GO! Thanks to the efforts of a lot of people over the last two months, we have determined that we do in fact have enough interest to warrant the continued planning for the reunion next summer from June 24-28, in Bad Hersfeld, Bad Kissingen, and Fulda. Despite the ongoing financial crisis, and hefty airfares, and less-than-ideal exchange rate, we have nearly 200 people who have said that they are either sure to go or nearly sure they will go – please see all their names below. We anticipate that others will commit as we get closer, especially when they realize that this is almost surely the last time we try to do this. For all of you who have registered, thank you, and please encourage all your friends who are not on the list below to join you. For all of you who have committed, please send your registration forms in as early as you can – to help us with our planning. And for all of you who have not decided yet, we urge you to consider one more trip to the former border area and join the crowd listed below. It will be one last celebration of our winning the Cold War, one more time to see the beautiful towns we once served in, one more chance to see our German friends, and one more party. If you have any questions about anything regarding the reunion, please contact Glenn Snodgrass at jgs525@nullcox.net or 70… (cell) or 70… (home). |
Houston/Southeast Texas Chapter Upcoming Events The next Houston/Southeast Texas Chapter Meeting of the Blackhorse Association is scheduled for Monday night, 26 January 2009, beginning at 6:30pm at the Goode & Co Texas Bar-B-Q; located at 8911 Katy Freeway (I-10 West) in Houston, Texas. The telephone number there is (71… . Our guest speaker will be MSG Daniel Sellers, fellow Blackhorse Assn member who is currently stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. MSG Sellers has recently completed another tour in the Middle East and he will be speaking about his experiences in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This will be a special opportunity to get the current view directly from the war zones.
We will also be conducting an election of Chapter Officers at this meeting. Officers are elected for a 2 year period of Service. Positions being voted on at January’s Chapter Meeting include:
· President
· Vice President
· Treasurer
· Chaplin
· Secretary
Meeting dress is Business Casual.
Point of Contact for additional information and RSVP’s is Glenn Allardyce (28… .
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Register for the 2009 Border Legion Reunion Now! FULDA BAD KISSINGEN BAD HERSFELD
24 – 28 JUNE 2009 The third gathering of the Border Legion will convene in Germany 24 – 28 June 2009. All current and former members of the 11th and 14th Armored Cavalry Regiments, assigned and attached supporting units and members of community support organizations, their family and friends are invited to attend. This might be our last reunion in Germany. Cost is $100 per person and includes registration materials, entrance to the Friday Fest in Fulda, transportation to the Saturday memorial service at OP Alpha, entrance to the OP Alpha museum, lunch at the OP, and the Saturday night Border Legion Banquet at the Orangerie in Fulda. The cost for children 12 and under attending the banquet is $40; no cost if not attending the banquet. Additional events for Wednesday and Thursday are being organized by the Squadrons and will take place in the host cities. Any expenses for these events will be paid for separately through the Squadron sponsors. Transportation, including airfare and rental car, and lodging must be organized separately. You are encouraged to make hotel reservations early. A listing of hotels with telephone numbers and web sites can be found at www.blackhorse.com or www.14cav.org. You may receive assistance with making hotel reservations by contacting Renate Stieber in Fulda at 011-49-661-79822 or 34265, FAX at 011-49-661-241036 or email at "gabaca@nullt-online.de". The reunion agenda, hotel information, planning updates and Squadron Points of Contact can be found at the Blackhorse and 14th Cavalry web sites listed above. Updates will be published regularly via email. For those without email a regular mailing will be sent spring 2009. If you have questions you may contact: Glenn Snodgrass at (703) 250-3064, jgs525@nullcox.net for 11th Cavalry
Tom Smart at (703) 375-6450, tom.smart@nullL-3com.com for 11th Cavalry
Greg Wilcox at (703) 247-8467, greg.wilcox@nullsri.com for 14th Cavalry
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A Blackhorse Christmas 
Thanks to the American Legion Newport Harbor Post 291 and the Blackhorse Association, Santa Clause (aka Steve Spriggs) was able to deliver 150 toys to the boys and girls at Fort Irwin. Thank you Post 291 for everything you have done and continue to do for the Blackhorse! |
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Website Feedback: Blackhorse Troopers, we have received wonderful feedback from our new website at opens in a new windowwww.blackhorse.org . Some of the feedback we have received are actually requests from Troopers that we will publish when room is available. Please take a moment to view the requests below and let us know if you might be able to assist by e-mailing Alex Silverman at . Allons! Trooper Search- Chris Wood, a member of E Trp., 2/11 from ’88 to 90 is searching for a full troop photo. If anyone out there can help him, contact him at Rich Mercado, former A Trp., 1/11 is looking for a Troop photo taken between 86-91. If any of you A Trp, 1/11 guys have a copy, contact him at . |
| | | | UPDATE FROM AFGHANISTAN: CSM GLENN GUYHello from Afghanistan, I wish I could give you an update, but we are in full operations so you know the deal…I can say that we are taking the fight to the Taliban daily. Our KBR chow hall manager is a former 3/11 Trooper, his name is Robert Meyer and is from Hageratown,MD.Here is a pic from an HA visit to a local school in Gardez, I am on the right. |
Remember When… 
Workhorse Troopers, What is this? Do you remember when? We would love to hear your guesses and any nostalgic comments you have about this specific photo. We will try publish most of the replies that we receive in the next E-Newsletter. Allons!Last month’s Remember When: Schnell Imbiss Replies: "Right outside the front gate of the 3/11th ACR in Bad Herzfeld. Has sausages and French fries. I liked Mary’ Ranch better … it was right behind this shack about 2 blocks down the hill. Had a couple of juke boxes on the wall. Ahh the memories." Mark Mayer, HHT 4/11thACR from September 1989 to December 1989, HHT, 3/11th ACR December 1989 until December 1991. Watched the Berlin Wall fall from Fulda and went with the Squadron to the Peace Keeping after Desert Storm. Thank you Mark for sharing your memories! |
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A piece of history… By Don Snedeker In August 1969, the Regiment was under the operational control of the 1st (US) Infantry Division (The Big Red One) conducting reconnaissance and convoy security operations in the area from the Blackhorse Base Camp north to Lai Khe and beyond. The Third Squadron was in the midst of Operation Toan Thang II, working combined operations with units of the 5th Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Infantry Division in an area called the Lam Son. On the 17th of August, the VC/NVA launched their third wave offensive, following up on the early February nation-wide attacks commonly called the Tet ’68 offensive and the early May attacks that came to be known as Mini- or Second Tet. Due to the extensive losses suffered by the VC and NVA, the third wave of attacks were on a substantially reduced scale from those in February and May. Nonetheless, in mid-August the Regiment and ARVN forces were in almost daily contact with small groups of enemy forces moving south from their Cambodian sanctuaries toward the Saigon-Long Binh-Bien Hoa area. The Third Squadron conducted several cordon and search operations in mid- to late August in the villages in the Lam Son, looking for enemy soldiers attempting to hide amongst the local population. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eldon Nygaard, an OH-23 pilot, was part of Third Squadron’s Aviation Section in 1968. During the last six days of August, Mister Nygaard must have eaten his Wheaties, for he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions on August 26th and the Army Commendation Medal with "V" for valor just five days later. The citations from these two medals for bravery tell the story. On the 26th while on a reconnaissance mission, CW2 Nygaard noticed that his Squadron Commander (LTC McEnery) was pinned down by a platoon of bad guys. On his first pass over the area, CW2 Nygaard’s observer engaged the enemy with his personal weapon. "Making another daring pass, Warrant Officer Nygaard engaged the enemy with his M-79 grenade launcher and forced the enemy to shift its fire to engage his helicopter. He continued these dangerous low level engagements until the commander and his men could maneuver from their highly vulnerable position to relative safety. While on a subsequent pass, Warrant Officer Nygaard alertly spotted a wounded enemy soldier and realizing the value of a prisoner, landed the helicopter and captured the soldier…" Five days later, Chief Nygaard was back over the Squadron’s ground troops, this time during the conduct of a cordon and search mission in Chanh Long Village – known as Dog Leg Village by the Troopers of Third Squadron. Another aerial observer spotted an enemy force concealed along a river bank. Chief Nygaard’s ARCOM-V citation picks up the narrative: "Upon learning the location of the enemy forces, Warrant Officer Nygaard landed his OH-23 helicopter and personally assaulted the enemy positions. During the engagement, elements of the Squadron killed one of the enemy soldiers and flushed another into the open. The enemy soldier immediately indicated that he wanted to surrender, but as Warrant Officer Nygaard approached him, the soldier attempted to escape. Although out of ammunition, Warrant Officer Nygaard pursued the enemy soldier and, using his empty M-79 grenade launcher as a club, subdued him…" |
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