2012 Reunion Pictures Now Posted

**** New Photos posted ****

35th INFANTRY REGIMENT (CACTI) ASSOCIATION
REUNION 2013—Virginia Beach, VA
SEPTEMBER 26TH - SEPTEMBER 29th

Reunion Form
Norfolk Airport Shuttle Service
Cavalier Hotel Registration and Information

Vietnam Memorial Replica Wall Visits

From time to time, we have been posting, in the guestbook, appearance schedules for the various replica Vietnam Memorial Walls around the country. We will continue to do this but just so you can make future plans below is a complete schedule of all the replica Wall appearances that we are aware of for the balance of 2013. 

We encourage anyone who lives near the appearance site to visit these Walls.

And if you go we would ask, if you have time, for you help us to memorialize  our old friends whose names appear on the Wall by leaving a placard in Memorial  to them. This placard will also serve to allow any old Cacti out there who happen to visit these Walls to find that we exist as an Association.

Just contact Doc Hall at jimdochall@yahoo.com and he will send you via snail mail a placard to leave at any Wall that you visit.

Date

Appearance site Wall name

April 21/28, 2013

Wickham Park, Melbourne, FL

Florida All Veterans Reunion

May 9/12, 2013

Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Green Cove Springs Junior High

May 17/20, 2013

Harley-Davidson of Jackson, Jackson, MS

Trail of Honor

May 23/27, 2013

Swan Lake Iris Gardens, Sumter, SC

Sumter Iris Festival

May 30/June 2, 2013

Eden, NC 27288

Freedom Park

July 3/7, 2013

Pikeville, KY 41501

Pikeville Soccer Complex

July 10/14, 2013

Williamstown, KY 41097

Kentucky Veterans Cemetery North

July 17/21, 2013

VFW Fox River Post 4600, McHenry, IL 60050

McHenry Fiesta Days

September 4/8, 2013

Concordia, MO 64020

Concordia Ballpark Complex

September 12/15, 2013

1st Vietnam Veterans Homecoming, New Philadelphia, OH 44863

Buckeye Career Center

September 19/21, 2013

Georgia Southwestern State University, Americas, GA

The Ride Home

October 13/20, 2013

Nature Coast All Veterans Reunion, Crystal River, FL

Holocene Corp Property, US 19

October 31/November 3, 2013

Greenfield Township Fire Department, Carroll, OH 43112

Freedom's Never Free

November 7/11, 2013

Buddy Riley Blvd, Baptist Church Grounds, Magnolia, TX

Veterans Day

 

 

Battle of Plei Djereng - 11-12 and 21-22 March 1967

Dave Chapman is the son of Lt Russ Chapman who served with the 3rd Platoon, B, 2/35th, Russ participated in the battles of 11-12 March 1967 and 21-22 March 1967. Greg has done a great job of posting the UTM grid coordinates into Google Earth and creating a very interesting and user-friendly overview. You will need the Google Earth program to run the link but that program can be downloaded free from various sources. Please take the time to take a look!

My father was LT. Russ Chapman – leader of 3rd platoon, Co B, during the battles of 11-12 March and 21-22 March 1967.

Over the years I’ve been in contact with many Cacti members through your website in an attempt to learn more about my father’s experiences in Vietnam. He passed away in March of 1992, and like many Vets he was reluctant to talk much about Vietnam. I have been piecing together his movements during his tour through after action reports, battalion radio journals, decoration citations, and personal contacts for many years.

Recently I read “One More Sunrise” by Curtis Gay. A particular passage in the book struck me, as I recollect my father talking about the jungle – when Gay stated that they never really knew where they were or where they were going from a geographic coordinate perspective.

I had always wondered about the battles of March – exactly where they were fought. Recently, I spent some time converting the military UTM coordinates mentioned in the AA reports into Google Earth coordinates and plotting the battle of Plei Djereng on Google Earth. The output of this effort is fascinating. I can now see exactly the movements by Company. Using some of the Google Earth tools, such as “Street View”, I can walk the same path as my father from the CO B LZ into the terrible ambush position where he lost several members of his platoon. When you open this file – and assuming you have Google Earth installed (free) – the battle area should show up both on the map and also a series of entries will be available in the LH Nav column. When you click on the places, I’ve inserted the specific passages from the After Action reports to provide a type of timeline of activity associated with each pin drop location. The broad, semi square area is the “Sweep” area Co A was assigned, and is anchored by the 4 coordinates mentioned in the After Action report.

You men of B/2/35 have my undying respect and admiration.

Most Respectfully,
Greg Chapman
San Diego, California
gchap@mindspring.com

In order to view the link below you will need to install Google Earth. To install click here

The following link is Battle of Plei Djereng using Google Earth

"Thanks to Wiley (Tiny)Dodd for accepting the position of VP for Membership. If any of you have any suggestions which might aid us in our quest for new members and sustaining membership, please let Tiny know.

Thanks to Alan (Ole) Olsen for agreeing to serve as a Service Officer for our Association. If any of you have questions about dealing with the VA, please contact Alan.

Please give both of these men your full support.

JimBeddingfield

2013

The new year is just around the corner and it’s not too early to think about your annual dues for the coming year.

If you haven’t yet sent in your dues for 2013, please take a minute to do this before the thought gets away from you.

We thank all 2012 Annual Members for their continuing support of our great Association. Through your membership and donations we have been able to continue the many projects that are important to all of us. Among the things that your dollars support are our Web Site; the Cacti Times; support of our Active Troops; Scholarship funding; Historical Research; Lost Buddy research; Health and Welfare Support for old friends who have been hit by hard times; the Cacti Monument Project; and the opportunity for all of us to get together with old friends every year.

For those who may have gotten sidetracked over the past year (or more) and not gotten around to renewing your membership (it is easy to do), “We need you.” It doesn’t matter how long you have been away from the fold, we want your support. Please take the time to get back in the game by sending in your 2013 membership, and help us all to keep this great Association vibrant.

We need you one and all. You have earned the right to be a part of this organization, and our hope is that we have earned the chance to count on your support during the coming years.

So please, while you have it fresh in mind, take a few minutes to print out your renewal membership form and send in your 2013 support check.

Cacti Monument

Not Just a Monument Honoring the 35th's Service, But a Monument to Cacti Generosity.

Your 35th Infantry Regiment Association is now moving into the final design phase in preparation for installation.

Special thanks need to go to the late Mike Tryon for bringing this project to the Association, for promoting it and for tirelessly working to make it a success. Working along with Mike from the beginning has been John Lorts, our “Cacti Times” editor. Both men have served the Association well.

And while these guys deserve the recognition for their work, I speak for the entire Board of Directors in expressing our deep gratitude and appreciation for you, the Members of the 35th Infantry Regiment Association. You have made us all very proud!

MONUMENT UPDATE

Work continues on the 35th Monument at Ft. Benning, GA Final plans have been resubmitted to the National Infantry Association for approval. ( We made some revisions to the initial plans which were approved earlier.) The monument company has finished the clay mold for the bronze cactus. The details for each of the panels have been finalized. The monument company is working on the details for each of the panels.

The monument is pentagon shaped with each of the panels 2 1/2 feet high and 5 feet long, made of black granite. Panels contain the crest, a CMB, a CIB, Medal of Honor panel, awards and decorations panel, and a panel with the coat of arms and history.

As you can see by the drawing, it is truly a monument of which we can all be proud. It represents the Cacti from its creation until now and leaves room for future additions. The fifth panel is blank for now.

Due to rising costs from the time we began this project, we are still about $10,000 short of having enough for the completion. The original goal of $28,000 was met and has been noted as met. We thank each of you for your contributions. We again ask that you make another contribution for this project..

We plan a dedication ceremony for the late Spring or early Summer. As soon as a completion date has been set, we will post it on the website. We look forward to the completion of this monument and what it represents for the Cacti. Please make plans now to attend the dedication. And please make a contribution for this monument. All donations are tax deductions.

Jim Beddingfield
President

These two monument progress pictures were taken on March 27, 2013:
   

President's Message

We have good news from several fronts. The 2nd-35th will not be deploying to Afghanistan this Spring as previously announced. I am sure this is good news for all of them, their families and friends. We certainly think so. We await news of their new assignment.

Construction on the Cacti Monument at Ft. Benning has begun. The monument company poured the footing for the pentagon-shaped base the last week in March. At my last contact with them, they will pour the base and pad the week of April 8 if they have good weather. I appreciate all the support that each of you have given in the development of this project. We will announce the date for the dedication in the near future. Once the date is announced, please make plans to attend with all your fellow Cacti .

The Membership Committee has done an outstanding job contacting many annual members urging them to renew their memberships. The response has been great. Several have joined again after two or more year’s absence. A second mailing will contact those who may have forgotten or for some reason have not yet joined.

Letters were also sent to Life Members, Family Members and Friends asking that they consider making donations to one of our designated funds. The response has been outstanding for this effort as well. We have received designated donations for all our funds, including the Scholarship Reserve Fund and the Monument Fund.

If you have not done so, please register for the reunion in Virginia Beach September 26-29. It should be another rewarding experience. The plea goes out each year and each year we have another or several first-timers. This is great. Make plans now to attend.

Jim Beddingfield
President

Got a news story about one of our members?

We would like to present current articles on the guys who make us the best Infantry Regiment Associations around. Please submit articles to Past President Pete Birrow, at his email address. (Email Pete)

The Spring 2013 Issue of the Cacti Times, John Lorts, Editor and Bill Henson, Associate Editor, is out.

Here's a sample of page one of this issue. If you haven't seen the electronic color version Click Here to see what you're missing. Members may email Steve Rainbolt, our Secretary, to Sign Up.

WAR STORIES SECTION

The War Stories Section has turned into a huge success with almost 50 stories written by our Cacti Members. Got a “Cacti Story?”  It can be a battle story,  A funny or sad story. Just put it down the way you remember it. If you want a “creative license” to embellish a little you got it. Only rule is not to be malicious. Submit them to Wiley "Tiny" Dodd by Email, today!

Cacti Watch

The Association is proud to offer the 35th Infantry Regiment "Take Arms" Watch. Order one today and wear it with pride. Ordering Information.

Vietnam KIA Photos Needed

Dick Arnold, Doc Hall, and Pete Birrow have been gathering KIA Photos for a number of years. Their work has added immensely to our mission to memorialize our war dead. But we still need a few more. Click Here to view a list of Vietnam KIA photos needed. If you're a fellow Cacti, or a friend or family member, please consider sending a photo to Dick Arnold at his Email address.

Vietnam War - Gravesite Location Project

Doc Hall and Pete Birrow have been compiling a list of gravesites for our Vietnam KIAs for some time now. Through personal visits and searches on the web they have located hundreds. The information is now available by Clicking Here. If you have personal knowledge of a gravesite not found on the list, please contact Doc Hall at his Email address

Cacti Scholarship Program

All of our Cacti families are encouraged to apply for scholarship awards. To be eligible the applicant must: Be a child, stepchild, grandchild or great-grandchild of an Association member or a 35th Infantry Regiment member who was killed in action.  Be a graduating high school senior.  Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale).  Relatives of Association Board members are not eligible.

For more information see the Scholarship page of this website, or contact the Chairman, Mike Slyck. Mike's email address can be found on the Officers page.

 

     

Battle of Plei Djereng 11-12 MAR '67