Bert Hubble's THE BOW-WOW REPORT March 1999 promoting Friendship - Communication - Understanding Distributed Quarterly: March - June - September - December To Former Platoon Members of the 47th & 59th Infantry Platoon (Scout Dog)

Fellow Platoon Members:

It has been a while since our last report. VDHA Membership from both the 47th & 59th IPSD continues to grow very fast. Officially the 47th has 42 members who have joined the VDHA and the 59th has 15 members who have joined. From the 47th, new members include Richard Hong, Lowell Rosnau and Franz Shilling and from the 59th we picked up Robert Menist. Others have also indicated their intent to join including Michael Yalango who served with the 47th IPSD 6/69-6/70 and found our Web Site on a surfing expedition. We expect Thomas Thorpe, James Adams, Gordon Brakett, Robert Finkbeiner and some others to be joining soon. For those who want to contact the VDHA directly for Membership Information, I refer you to Randy Kimler who may be reached addressed: 2044 Llano St. Port Neches, TX 77651, Tel: 409-722-0889, or e-mail k9scout70@aol.com

I have received nice letters from John Pinezaddelby, Ronnie McCrary, Simon Ashcraft, Barbara Otto and Lowell Rosnau. Thank you all for the kind words and new information that you were able to provide. Lowell's letter was particularly interesting in that he recounts his experiences with the 47th IPSD during WWII. The letter was so interesting and expands our knowledge of the unit before the Vietnam Era that we plan to publish it on our Web Site - hopefully with some pictures of the 47th IPSD Platoon members from WWII. I am trying to determine if either the 47th or 59th IPSD served in Korea.

Ronnie McCrary, John Pinezaddelby and Simon Ashcraft have provided us with some pictures from their service with the 47th IPSD. Jonathan Wahl has posted the best ones on the Web Site. Barbara Otto has sent me some material including the first letter that Romaine Otto wrote home to his parents dated 7 June 1968.

We have also come into contact with Dean Harrison who served with the 59th IPSD. He has provided some important new information that will add greatly to the Platoon History that we have began on that unit.

Correction: The last Bow-Wow failed to mention that John Pinezaddelby from the 47th IPSD also attended the San Diego Reunion.

Answer: In answer to the question, Who was Baby-san?, Asked in the July-August Bow-Wow, we report that it was Steve Lemish (see Flash Back Photo on Web Site).

War Dog Premier: Unquestionably, the most significant event during the last quarter was the February 10 Premier of War Dogs - America's Forgotten Heroes and subsequent television showing on February 15. We were well represented at the event with Bert and Daryl Hubble, Steve Lemish, Werner Kashkarov, and Franklyn Harrison in attendance.

We arrived at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn in North Hollywood about 4.30PM. After socializing with other VDHA members in the bar, we moved to the Leonard H. Goldenson Theater at the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences at 6:00PM. As soon as we arrved all Dog Handlers were ushered to a room where we signed 100 posters which will be distributed at a later date. In the audience were Loretta Switt (M*A*S*H), Jo Anne Worley (Laugh-In) and several other celebrities whom I recognized but did not know thir names. The original producer of the Rin-Tin-Tin Series was also present but I missed his name and could not locate him in the audience when he was introduced. Before the viewing words of appreciation and recognition were voiced by a GRB Entertainment Executive (name unknown) and Jeffrey Bennett from Natures Recipe.

I believe that approximately 35 former Dog Handlers were in attendance. We were asked to stand and were given a very warm and generous standing Ovation. It was a very humbling experience. I only wished that all of you could have been their to receive ther sincere appreciation for a job well done. After the viewing David Glen Eisley who wrote the music for the film introduced his "War Dog Anthem" which he wrote as a special tribute to all Dog Handlers. Then the entire audience was served hors d'oeuvres and drinks and more posters came out and were given out to anyone who wanted one and signed by Dog Handlers or others associated with the program and film.

It was a very nice affair and we felt honored by all the attention we were given. As to the film, I thought it was a very good film but it is impossible to tell the complete story in an hour. Each Unit and each Handler had their own unique experience bu it went a long way in getting the story out. I thought that the film did an excellent job of telling the shameful story of what happened to the dogs when the troops were pulled out Vietnam.

It's not too early to be thinking about planning to attend the VDHA Reunion in Washington DC in 2000. May and November have been mentioned as possible times but scheduling has not been finalized.

I think that it is worth remembering that most of those in college today were not even born when the Vietnam War ended. The nature of the war has left many issues unresolved. The controversy surrounding Vietnam continues to foster an under current of tension throughout society - even today. The only thing we can do is tell the truth. Write down what you can remember and send it to me and we will work it into the Platoon Diary so that record will not be lost. For the 59th people I have a Word Document where I am keeping that record.

Future Bow-Wow Mailings: I mail this out on a quarterly basis to all identified former platoon members of the 47th and 59th IPSD. I hope that you enjoy receiving them and find something of interest to you. I hope that it will spark your interest in joining the VDHA and/or getting in contact with one of your former buddies. There are many to whom I mail that I have an address but no telephone number. Many of these have not joined the VDHA nor have I had any personal contact with. I presume that theail is getting to them since it has not been returned. In an effort to control my postage costs going forward, I may begin dropping some members off of my mailing list if I can not verify their desire or interest in receiving this report. I am happy to continue to send this out to anyone who is interested. If you are receiving this but prefer to be dropped from the mailing, please let me know.

Thank you, and take care of yourselves.

Bert

 

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Author:	Bertram M. Hubble
Editor/Publisher:	Jonathan D. Wahl
© 1999 Bertram M. Hubble