E-News – October 2019
October 2, 2019 May 4, 2021
Trooper Down
Colonel Kurt Dexter Philip Norman (US Army Ret.), 67, passed away August 28, 2019 following a two-year battle with glioblastoma in Watertown, NY. A veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Colonel Norman commanded the 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and was the Chief of Staff for the US Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, VA. He was awarded multiple Legions of Merit and Meritorious Service Medals. Colonel Norman was born September 21, 1951 at Fort Clayton in the Panama Canal Zone to Captain Robert (US Navy Ret.) and Agnes Norman. He enlisted in the US Army in 1969, attended Fort Belvoir Preparatory School, and graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1974. Three days after graduation, Kurt married Karin Jones in Nanuet, NY. He earned his Army Parachutist Wings as a cadet, adding the coveted Ranger Tab following graduation. He spent over 20 of his 35 years as an Armored Cavalry Officer in overseas assignments spanning Germany, Kuwait and South Korea. His soldiers and commanding officers held important roles in Kurt’s development as a trusted leader and loyal comrade. Colonel Norman earned his MMASA from the Command and General Staff College in 1986 and his MBA from Salve Regina University in 2003. After retiring in 2004, he went on to lead Lockheed Martin’s Business Development for Army Plans until his diagnosis. He enjoyed the business partners and associates he was honored to work with during this second career, which focused on many of his interests, such as engineering and building gadgets. His hobbies included watching hockey, playing lacrosse, hiking, gardening, model trains, stained glass, playing guitar, and restoring antique clocks, cars, and boats. He was an active member of the ADK 46ers and had climbed all 46 peaks in the Adirondack Mountains and completed the Marine Corps Marathon in 1987. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 45 years and love of his life, Karin; daughters Kimberly Freisenbruch (Chris) and Krystina Loprete (Matthew); sons Kurt and Korbyn; grandchildren Danyka, Kenzie, Kara and Kaleb; and brothers, Robert (Julie), Gary (Linda) and Kim (Tammy). Numerous in-laws, a nephew, a niece, his dog and cats, and a list of long-time friends survived him as well. Both of Kurt’s parents, a nephew, great friends, and numerous loved pets preceded him in death. “Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story no one on earth has ever read, which goes on forever; in which every chapter is better than the one before.” C.S. Lewis “The Last Battle”
Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. _________________________________________ |
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| Request for Assistance I was in NCO school in 1969 with a Sam Sprague. He graduated as an E-5, MOS 11D40 (see photos below) and was assigned to F Troop, 11th ACR. He was a track commander and one of his crew was Bob Vilivita. I’ve been in contact with Sam’s family as he has passed away, and they would like to find out as much info as possible and including some pictures as well. Any info you have would be greatly appreciated. SSGT Doug Conn
4th Bn, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division Association
Vietnam 1969-70
I’m one of the founders of our association.
opens in a new window www.tomahawkveterans.com 
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A Worthwhile Project – Request for Assistance Extended Deadline! We’re looking for stories from Bad Hersfeld, Bad Kissingen, and Fulda, Germany for an anthology. The Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center is looking for stories about life in Bad Hersfeld, Bad Kissingen, and Fulda during the Cold War. If you are a brat, spouse, veteran or service member and want to write a memory piece or two about your experiences of everyday life there for our anthology “On Freedom’s Frontier: Life in the Fulda Gap,” we’d love to include it in the book, which will be published in late Spring 2020. Any memory—from barracks or home life, to interacting with the locals, or patrolling the border—is great. You will get a free copy of our anthology as your payment. The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2020. Sales from the anthology support our writer-in-residence program and the museum. For more information or to e-mail stories, please contact:
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Put “Freedom” in subject line Thank you! Circe Dr. Circe Olson Woessner, Director
Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center 546 B State Hwy 333 (Historic Route 66)
Tijeras, NM 87059
Open SAT -WED 10:30-5:00 & by appointment Mail to:
546 B State Highway 333
Tijeras, NM 87059
(505) 504-6830 __________________________________________ |
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| Upcoming Events for the Regiment November 9 – Horse Detachment – Santa Barbara, CA – Veterans Day Parade (plus a small event afterwards)
December 12 – Veteran’s Home walk – Ft Irwin to Barstow, CA _____________________________________ |
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Interesting Article – The German Border |
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| Blackhorse Family Reunion 2020 
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The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment’s Blackhorse Association will hold its annual Blackhorse Family Reunion in Colorado Springs, CO, June 4-7, 2020, to celebrate the association’s 50th Anniversary. The reunion is open to all past and present troopers as well as the families, who served with the Regiment, including anyone who served in the Regimental Community or any of the separate units that supported the Regiment and including friends of the association.
We will be returning to the Elegante Hotel and Conference Center, the location of our 2014 reunion. Rooms have been set aside for reunion attendees. Rates vary by night and require a resort fee and County taxes.
Reservations must be made by May 1, 2020. You can book your rooms for next year’s reunion by calling the Elegante at 800-981-4012 and using group code 2262554. All reservations must be guaranteed and accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card. We have reunion room rates from Sunday, May 31, through Monday, June 8, 2020.
To ensure there is no confusion, please check your calendars and make certain to book the night you plan on arriving and the date you plan on leaving. If you fail to show, for example, because you booked your room for Tuesday, but your plane doesn’t arrive until Weds, you risk having your reservation cancelled as a “no show.” Double check your dates and book in advance. First come, first served.
Silent Auction
Silent Auction donations can be shipped as early as you wish to JT and Beth Anne. Their address is as follows:
2020 Newcombe Dr, Lakewood, CO 80215-1342 or
Registration
Beginning October 1, you may register via postal mail to AFR, using the registration form from the Reunion website or enclosed in the newsletter. Registration is also easy on the AFR website.
The registration fee is as follows:
Attending BOTH Friday and Saturday night meals – $126 per person.
For those attending EITHER Friday or Saturday night meals – $103 per person.
No registration fee for Children 12-and-under and children meals are complimentary. There is no late registration fee.
The registration fee covers the buffet at the Friday evening ‘Stable Your Mount’ social, the Saturday night dinner, a reunion coin and other reunion costs (AFR fees, AV equipment and Store support).
Fees for tours provided by AFR, will be charged separately. Attendee transportation, including airfare, rental car, and lodging must be organized separately. For more information, see www.blackhorse.org; or contact Scott Harrison at 813-944-8808, , or keep up to date on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/events/479386812866506/
The AFR Registration site is located here (after October 1, 2019):
www.afr-reg.com/Blackhorse2020
