Blue Ghosts 1967-68

  These are the original Blue Ghosts that were constituted as Troop C, 7/17 Cavalry at Fort Knox, Ky. in 1967 and deployed as a unit to RVN in October of that year.  These men remained together as a combat unit from early 1967 until late 1968. It has been said that the primary reason for the great record of this unit was the fact that it remained virtually intact for almost two years.

"We were so lucky to have been deployed as a unit. I have often thought what that did for us in building bonds. Most of the WO pilots had been together for almost 18 months before we set foot in Qui Nhon and the enlisted and RLO's had been a unit for at least a period of months. The Army learned that you don't fight for your country or your flag - you fight for the guy next to you and they abandoned individual rotations in the '80's. But we knew it in '67 and proved it repeatedly."  Quote from John Shepardson, Blue Ghost 1967-68.

                                                                                                                                      

Thomas Stillwell

       Thomas Stillwell posted this in the BlueGhost.com guest book. I think the door gunner was Fred Hersom.  John Shepardson or Fred should know? I remember the event, one of the few times I heard excitement in Doug Marett's voice.

"I wa flyig wit MAJ MARRIET feb 68. 155lb bomb exploted under our huey.Who was the door gunner that day?thanks Spc4 Stillwell 
Posted by Thomas stillwell on November 9, 2009 @ 4:29pm"

Mike Fiske - Blue Ghost 6 Door Gunner

RE: Blue Ghosts‏
From:	mikel fiske (majmikel@hotmail.com)
Sent:	Fri 9/19/08 2:40 AM
To:	Bill Hatch (blueghostred@msn.com)

.ExternalClass .EC_hmmessage P {padding:0px;} .ExternalClass body.EC_hmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;} I flew with WO Opeim and Shanahan and LT Reed on numerous occasions. Towards the end when Maj Marrett lost his gunner I was selected and Johnny Rhone was the crew chief. I also flew with Huggins from TX when I first arrived in Pleiku. I had already been in country and joined the unit in Pleiku before we left with Maj Burden to go to Chu Lai. We were attached with the 1st of the 9th Air Cav before they departed to Da Nang and we took over their hq on the beach by the Medivac. I was there when the Marine air base ammo dump blew to kingdom come... We flew to Tam Ky which was overrun and we shot them trying to get throug the barbed wire fence when we tried to refuel. I remember doing daisy chains over the ocean until first light. I have read about Johnson. He and I were listed in his home town paper on some event where we got some kills. I kept the clipping. I lost all my piasta and MPC. What a shame. After a break in service I joined a medical unit and became the logistics officer then went to desert storm for a year 90/91. I was with a combat support hospital--the hundred hr. war. I retired as a high school English teacher and USAR Maj Logistics Officer. I am currently working at Customs and Border Protection at Thousand Islands in upstate NY Alexandria Bay NY on Wellisley Island.

It is so good to see many of the soldiers that I served with. They probably don't remember me because of my joining later.

Brady who was shot when Shanahan went down wrote to me. I always wondered if he made it. Secrist was my best friend. He and I had guard duty together and he was shot down and killed that day. I have always felt bad that he died so tragically.

I always wondered what happened to Huggins and Johnny Rhone.


Write back...


mike fiske

John Shepardson Blue Ghost 6x

Then and now. John in 1968 on Hawk Hill with his C-Model and in 2007 at the VHPA Reunion. Except for the scratches on the windshield, nothing has changed.

Then and now. 1968, 2007