The article below was taken from a 1967 yearbook and is the first know written history of Blue Ghost combat operations.
Name: Arnold Edward Holm, Jr.Rank/Branch: O3/US ArmyUnit: F Troop 8th Cavalry Blue GhostsDate of Birth: 05 March 1944 (New London CT)Home City of Record: Waterford CTDate of Loss: 11 June 1972Country of Loss: South VietnamLoss Coordinates: 162326N 1072407E (YD565135)Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered Category: 3Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OH6A Refno:Source: Compiled from one or more of the following:raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondencewith POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK in 2006.Other Personnel In Incident: Wayne Bibbs; Robin R. Yeakley(missing from one OH6A); James E. Hackett; James R. McQuade,Richard D. Wiley (missing from second OH6A).SYNOPSIS: By December 1971, U.S. troops in-country had declineddramatically - from the 1968 peak of nearly 55,000 to less than30,000. The enemy, temporarily on the defensive by the moves intoCambodia in 1970 and Laos in 1971, began deploying new NVA forcessouthward in preparation for another major offensive.In March 1972, the Vietnamese launched a three-pronged invasion ofthe South. One NVA force swept south across the DMZ, its goal apparentlythe conquest of the northern provinces and the seizure of Hue. A secondNVA force drove from Laos into the Central Highlands, and a third effortinvolved a drive from Cambodia into provinces northwest of Saigon.Fierce fighting ensued on all three fronts, with NVA success the greatestin the northern provinces. Fighting continued until by June, the NorthVietnamese began withdrawing from some of their advance positions, stillholding considerable amounts of South Vietnamese territory in the northernprovinces.On June 11, 1972, Capt. Arnold Holm, pilot, PFC Wayne Bibbs, gunner, andSP4 Robin Yeakley, passenger, were aboard an OH6A observation helicopterflying from Camp Eagle to the Northern Provinces of South Vietnam on a visualreconnaissance mission. The function of their "Loach" chopper was searchingout signs of the enemy around two landing zones (LZ's). The OH6 joined withthe AH1G Cobra gunship as "Pink Teams" to screen the deployment of air cavalrytroops. On this day, Holm's aircraft was monitoring an ARVN team insertion.During the mission, Holm reported that he saw enemy living quarters, bunkers,and numerous trails. On his second pass over a ridge, at about 25' altitude,the aircraft exploded and burned. It was reported that before the aircraft crashedthat smoke and white phosphorous grenades began exploding. After the aircraftimpacted with the ground, it exploded again. Other aircraft in the area receivedheavy anti-aircraft fire. No one was seen to exit the downed helicopter, nor wereemergency radio beepers detected.In another OH6A (tail #67-16275), 1Lt. James R. McQuade, pilot, and SP4 James E. Hackett,gunner, tried to enter the area of the crashed OH6A, but encountered heavy fire andtheir aircraft was also shot down. McQuade's aircraft was hit, and the intensity of theresulting fire caused white phosphorous and smoke grenades carried aboard the aircraftto explode prior to hitting the ground. The aircraft continued to burn after impact andno crewmen left the ship before or after the crash.No ground search was made for survivors or remains of either aircraft because of hostilefire in the area.There are unanswered questions remaining from Vietnam. Of the nearly 2500 Americans whodid not return alive or dead, experts venture that hundreds may still be alive. Thousandsof reports have been received concerning them. Whether the two OH6A crews are among thoseseems unlikely. But one can imagine their willingness to deploy on one more combat teamto bring those who are alive home to freedom.====================July 28, 2006 ••
By RAY HACKETT Norwich Bulletin NORWICH -- The search for the remains ofWaterford native Arnold Holm hit yet another snag Thursday, stealing someof the joy that came with an announcement earlier this week his helicoptercrash site had finally been found after 34 years. The search for the remainsof Holm and his two crewmen may have to wait until 2008. Holm, a U.S. Army captainand helicopter pilot, was shot down June 11, 1972, over the Central Highlands ofVietnam.
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Vietnam OKs dig at site of alleged POW's crash
September 16, 2006 ••
By KATHERINE HUTT SCOTT Norwich Bulletin WASHINGTON -- The Vietnamese government
is willing to proceed as soon as possible with excavating the possible remains of Army Capt. Arnold Holm, U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons said Friday. Holm of Waterford was shot down while flying a helicopter on a reconnaissance mission in 1972. An official of Vietnam's foreign affairs ministry wrote this week to Simmons, responding to the congressman's request that the excavation start asap.MORE-http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/h/h404.htm
Battle of Tam Ky
These Photos , taken by James Sheridan, are of the Battle of Tam in August 1968 where the 1/1 Armored Cavalrly and F Troop 8th Cavalry engaged an NVA Regiment. Enemy killed were in excess of 600. The white smoke is from fires set by the Blue Ghost Scouts.
Camp Enari-Pleiku October-November 1967
Highway 19 from Qui Nhon to Pleiku through An Khe Pass. When we arrived in Qui Nhon, the troop was loaded into the back of trucks and transported on this highway all the way to Camp Enari, a ten hour trip.
| Tent City, Camp Enari. Blue Ghost living quarters. Upon at arrival at Enari we were assigned to these tents. There was no electricity, only a wood floor where we had cots. The electrical lines visible were strung by Jack Burden, BS in engineering from West Point, and provided for two light bulbs. Jack procured the electrical lines and ran them about one quarter mile and tied into a main line on the road.   C Troop 7/17 Air Cavalry headquarters and orderly room. Camp Enari.   Blue Ghost Lift Platoon on flight line at Camp Enari, October 1967   Blue Ghost Blues on first operations near Pleiku in the Central Highlands. October 1967. First encounter with the Montagnards or Mountain people. These people lived in the montains and were friendly, very small and dark brown in color. |
Great photographs of the 1st Squadron 1st Armored Cavalry on Hawk Hill and combat operations in 1968. Blue Ghosts were under the operational control of the 1/1 Cav and operated from Hawk Hill.
F Troop 8th Cavalry Vietnam Veterans Association Inc.
By Laws of the 8th Cavalry Vietnam Veterans Association
Where is John Brown?
Note: July 4, 2008--John has disappeared. He does not respond to emails nor telephone calls. I fear he has become indisposed. He was last seen in the reunion videos holding a microphone and addressing the gathering. Perhaps someone should check on Brother John. He could have been arrested or fallen ill. Hope that he is ok! John H. Brown (birds@epix.net);
July 16, 2008--Eureka! Received an email from John in re the passing of Ron Nishita. John relates that "we are on it" as far as sending flowers for the funeral and memorial service. John is the newly elected president of the F Troop 8th Cavalry Vietnam Veterans Association and I am sure that he will do a good job. He has a lot of interest in the history of Blue Ghosts and the preservation of its legacy, something his predecessor seemed to be lacking. Perhaps he will post on the message board every once in a while and let us know what he is up to.
November 7, 2008--John has gone silent again as we have not heard from him since July 16, 2008 on the occasion of the death of Blue Ghost Ron Nishita. As president of the F Troop 8th Cavalry Association, we know that he is a very busy man, however, we wish that he would at least say hello once in a while. It would be entirely appropriate if he did so, after all, the last time I checked, this was indeed a Blue Ghost web site. Maybe in John’s view, there are some Blue Ghosts that are important and some that are not.
February 22, 2009~ Still no word form our sagacious F Troop 8th Cavalry Vietnam Veterans Association President, John Brown. He has been observed posting up a storm on several other Blue Ghost web sites and even the 7/17th Cavalry site, but he avoids participation on this site. Even though he lurks here often, Mr. Brown will not post reunion information nor any other news that he might have. His favorite place to post seems to be a private forum on the PX web site in which one has to become a member to have access . In the opinion of this forum, Mr. Browns’ conduct of his office is totally unacceptable, unnecessary and in direct contravention to the by laws of the very association to which he is the president. We certainly do not need to be a secret society hiding in a private forum headed by a select few. If Mr. Brown has some sort of problem or disorder perhaps he should seek treatment. He is clearly straying across the line of accepted conduct.
Note: Update-It has come to light that Mr. Brown and Mr. Buckley have made financial contributions to the web site with the private forum, Blue Ghost.commercial, thus they both have a stake in the endeavors of that site. This goes a long way in explaining their public comments and attitude in re Blue Ghost web sites. They both have less than an arms length interest in promoting one web site over another. This type of bias indicates a less than legitimate intent to promote the legacy of the Blue Ghosts and runs counter to the stated purpose of the veterans association.
May 25, 2009 ~ Apparently Mr. Brown has completed his tenure as president of the F Troop 8th Cavalry Vietnam Veterans Association and rode off into the sunset. We still hope to hear from him some day and wish him well in his future endeavors. A new president, Richard Gustafson, has been elected and we wish Gus much success in the coming year. I am sure Gus will keep us fully informed on the association activities.
February 12, 2010~ Brian Stomps has supplied and posted considerable information about the upcoming reunion. Dick Crawley had send out an email with reunion information to the vast email list that he complied over the past ten years. He even included an attachment with the registration form. That email along with all the other information has been posted in several locations on this site, therefore, it appears that as usual, the fellows putting on the reunion are doing a very good job of getting the word out and that is a very good thing.
June 11, 2010~John Brown has reported that he has been diagnosed with a carotid aneurysm and will have to have surgery. I contacted John and sent him best wishes to get well. He wrote back and indicated that he is very uncomfortable and stressed. I went through the aneurysm diagnosis a few years back and it is a serious situation. Over the past couple of years, I have written extensively about him in these pages and got on to him quite a bit about his activities and although it was mostly tongue in cheek, I intend to suspend that activity. John now needs our support and prayers to get through his ordeal and he certainly has mine.
December 8, 2010~John seems to have recovered fully. He has become super active on facebook with many comments, observations, weather reports and photos.
March 30, 2011~John reports on facebook that he now has Lyme Disease and is on drugs.
June 1, 2011~John has hid his facebook comments.
Compiled by Tom Burkhart
Depending on the individual and when the individual served, and depending on which organization F Troop 8th Cavalry and the preceding C Troop 7/17 Cavalry Regiment was attached to or supported during the Vietnam conflict, the following unit awards are indicated. Note that this document is NOT OFFICIAL and may contain errors of omission and inclusion.
Source: Department of the Army Pamphlet 672–3 dated 29 January 1988
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p672_3.pdf
DAGO = Department of the Army General Orders
1st Squadron 1st Cavalry
(page 3) Presidential Unit Citation for period 31 Jan – 31 Mar 1968DAGO 60, 69
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go6960.pdf <DIR></DIR> <DIR></DIR>Valorous Unit Award f
or period 24 Aug – 25 Sep 1968DAGO 53, 70
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7053.pdfRVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 24 Aug – 31 Dec 1969DAGO 42, 72
RVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 31 Mar – 30 Jun 1970DAGO 42, 72
RVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 8 Feb – 31 Mar 1971DAGO 42, 72
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7242.pdf17TH Cavalry, 7th Squadron, C Troop
(page 26) Presidential Unit Citation for period 31 Jan – 31 Mar 1968DAGO 60, 69
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go6960.pdf8th Cavalry F Troop
(F/8) (page 12 – 13) Valorous Unit Award for period 24 Aug – 25 Sep 1968DAGO 53, 70
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7053.pdf Valorous Unit Citation for period 11 Aug – 31 Aug 1969DAGO 43, 72
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7243.pdfRVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 24 Aug – 31 Dec 1969DAGO 42, 72
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7242.pdfRVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 31 Mar – 30 Jun 1970DAGO 42, 72
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7242.pdfRVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 8 Feb – 31 Mar 1971DAGO 42, 72
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7242.pdfRVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 1 Apr – 30 Jun 1971DAGO 6, 74
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7406.pdf <DIR></DIR> <DIR></DIR>23rd Infantry Division
(page 100)RVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 24 Aug – 31 Dec 1969DAGO 42, 72
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7242.pdfRVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 31 Mar – 30 Jun 1970DAGO 42, 72
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7242.pdfRVN Gallantry Cross w/palm
for period 1 Apr – 30 Jun 1971DAGO 6, 74
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/go7406.pdf
