Welcome to the home of the 183rd Sea Horses!

This site is dedicated to members of the 1st Aviation Brigade, 10 CAB, 183rd Sea Horses RAC. The 183rd Aviation Company operated out of Nha Trang, Dong Ba Thin, Phan Rang, Bao Loc, Dalat, Ban Me Thout, Gia Nhia and Phan Thiet. 

Visit my Guest book, find old friends, view pictures, visit military links, and read stories from Birddog pilots.

ATTENTION

A PRELIMINARAY AGENDA OF THE OCTOBER 2 - 5

2008 REUNION IS POSTED IN THE NEWSLETTER

The Reunion will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Airport, 5265 International Boulevard, North Charleston, South Carolina 29418 beginning Thursday, October 5th and concluding on Sunday, October 8th, 2008.  The room rate for the Reunion (and any additional days that you would like to stay in order to see and visit more of Charleston) will be $115 per night.  In order to get that rate you must either call (843)308-9330 or go online to www.hilton.com and when making your reservation, tell them that the Group/Convention Code is: 183.  There are a limited number of rooms reserved at this rate, so make your reservations early.  Reservations with the hotel may be cancelled without penalty 24 hours before scheduled check in.

*Announcing….Special discount on the Reunion Activities fees.  Mack Gibson, through his good offices, was able to get the City of North Charleston to provide us with two buses for two days at no charge to us.  Therefore the transportation costs will be less than anticipated when the original cost estimate was prepared.  Because of this wonderful donation from the City of North Charleston, we are going to lower the Saturday activity fee from $70 per person to $45 per person providing that your Seahorse Registration is turned in by June 15th.  We are anticipating a larger attendance at this reunion than any of the three previous reunions and may still have to supplement the free transportation provided, but if you get your registration in by June 15th your total cost for reunion activities for all days will only be $200.  We also hope that this additional incentive will get you to commit to the reunion early so that we can ensure that our planning will meet the attendance needs for the reunion.

The reunion fee pays for the evening meals for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, refreshments and a continental breakfast in the hospitality suite, “give aways” and door prizes, transportation and other some other expenses that may be incurred in the reunion.  The hotel room rate of $115 per room per night is available to all of our attendees of the reunion. 

Again, I would like to thank the Committee who has done a great job in making this reunion a truly memorable one.  A special thanks to Mack and the City of North Charleston.

Mini Reunion News:

The September 2007 Mini-reunion held in Jasper TN and hosted by Bill Keener and Al Cherin (Shortround) was the largest they have ever hosted. The Country Hearth Motel welcomed the unit in neon lights and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable.

In all there were twenty-eight attendees. They consisted of seventeen Vets with eight bringing wives. We also had three guests. The names of the attendees are: Jim McHaney, Al Cherin, Jim and Brenda Benoit, Marcus Mitchell, Carl and Janelle Forgey, Don and Jane Tyler, Rickie and Carolyn Crooks, (with Jim Trager as a guest), Lynn and Maxine Guthrie, Steve and Lourie Waskow, Bill and Wanda Keener, (Bill also brought Jim Keener, his son in-law and Harry Joe Hooper) John Bradley, Dale Helms, Terry Hackney, Bob Howland, Mack Gibson, Steve and Brenda Beard, and Tom Morris.

Two of the attendees, Lynn Guthery and Steve Waskow had not seen each other in almost 40 years! They had a good time catching up on things. Everyone enjoyed their company, humor and brotherhood.

We celebrated three birthdays; they were Al Cherin, Steve Waskow, and Jane Tyler. At this time we do not know what ages were celebrated.

On Saturday we paid tribute to two gentlemen who have supported veterans and the 183rd by making them “Honorary Seahorses.” The first went to Harry Joe Hooper. Harry Joe uses his truck to carry the “Moving Vietnam Wall” around the country. This year his sons had his truck “Tricked” and it was shown on the TV show “Trick My Truck.” Mack Gibson made the presentation. The next Honorary Seahorse was J. R. Robinson who honored our Vets in San Antonio TX each day they came to eat in his restaurant. Each Honoree received a certificate, a pocket patch, and coin.

On Saturday we had a great outdoor feast hosted by the Keener clan.  John Bradley, Steve Beard, and Bob Howland conducted a memorial service for our fallen brothers.

The evenings were spent around the swimming pool talking and laughing. All who received a jar of jelly brought by Marcus Mitchell really enjoyed it! The steak flippers brought by Lynn Guthery were a big hit!!

The April 2007 Mini Reunion in Kimball TN, hosted by Al Cherin (Shortround) and Bill Keener and family was a GREAT success! In all we had eleven attendees and three wives in the gathering. The people attending were Al Cherin, Bill Keener and family, Markus and Kathy Mitchell, John Bradley, Jim and Brenda Benoit, John Fischer, Jim McHaney, Tom Morris, Bob Howland, Roger Willis, and Terry Hackney. The days were filled with conversation, stories, lies and lots of laughs. Mack Gibson presented 183rd coins to all enlisted men not having one along with some good will gifts to great friends of the 183rd. On Sunday John Bradley conducted a memorial service for our fallen brothers. Pictures soon to come!!

A special thanks to all the Committee members, their spouses and their teams for putting together such a well organized and moving reunion!

Reunion Committee Members: