Born: Ashland, Oregon on August 19th, 1946
Raised: Primarily on the Klamath River family ranch on the California/Oregon border.
Elementary School: Ashland, OR and Hornbrook, CA
High School: Yreka and Sacramento, CA.
Worked As: Cook and Assistant Manager at IHOP, Sacramento, CA
Drafted: To Army February 9th, 1966
Military Service, United States Army
Trained in Armored, attended Officers Candidate School
and trained as helicopter pilot, March 6 – October 24, 1967.
Served in Viet Nam (3 tours – shot down 6 times)
- Dec. 11, 1967 – Jan. 1, 1968 : Troop D, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry,
9th Infantry Division as Section Leader of the Aero Scout Platoon - Jan 2 – Feb 9 :106th Gen Hosp
- Apr 10 – May 16, 1968 : Aero Scout Section Leader
- May 17 – Sep 13, 1968 : Aero Scout Section Commander
- Sep 14 – Dec 10, 1968 : Section Commander Aero Scout
- Dec 11 – May 29, 1969 : (Captain) Commander Aero Weapons Platoon (Huey Cobra Helicopter)
- Jul 10, 1969 – Apr 9, 1970 : Armor Officer Advanced Course at Ft. Knox, Ky
- Apr 9 – Jul 23 1970 : 1st Squadron 4th Cav 1st Infantry Division, Ft Riley, Kanasas, S-1 Officer Cavalry Officer
- Jul 24 – Jun 14 1971 Troop Commander Air Cavalry Troop (Troop D 4th Cav)
- Jun 15 – Feb 3 1972 Troop Commander
- Mar 27 – Jun 9 1972 Aviation Safety Course San Pedro Ca
- Jul 19 – Oct 15 1972 RW Section Leader Unit Avn Safety Officer
- Oct 16 1972 – Jan 16 1973 Special Services Officer in Thailand
- Jan 17 – Dec 10 1973 Rotary Wing Section Leader Thailand
- Dec 11 1973 – May 20, 1974 Rotary Wing Section Leader/ Safety Officer
Married, adopted Thai baby girl
- May 21 1974 – Aug 18 1975 Texas (Sul Ross University)
Adopted Mexican/American boy. Fathered a daughter.
- Aug 16 1975 – Aug 24 1977 : Area Commander New Haven, District Recruiting, Springfield, MA
- Aug 25 1977 – Feb 22 1979 : Major – 501st Aviation Battalion 1st Brigade 1st Armored Div
S3 Tactical/Training Operations Katterbach Germany, family stationed in Germany - Feb 23 1979 – Jun 15 1980 501st Aviation Company Commander B Attack Katterbach Germany
Divorced
- Jun 1980 – Jun 1981 : Command General Staff College Ft. Levenworth, Kansas
- Jun 6 1981 – Apr 28 1984 : Lt Colonel University of Southern Mississippi,
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Commander of combined ROTC’s
Remarried
- Apr 29 1984 – Apr 28 1986 : Lt Colonel Commander 4th Aviation Training Battalion
Ft. Rucker Dothan Alabama, contracted Epstein Barr virus during exercises (damaged heart)
Medically retired in 1986. Returned to family ranch to live. Separated.
Required to stay in Portland in 1992 to be available for heart transplant (7 months). Transplant performed April 28, 1993. Transplanted heart defective, passed away early morning April 30, 1993.
Accomplishments
Cowboy, short order cook, musician, calvary officer, warrior, unqualified hero, exceptional leader, bareback bronc/ bull rider, educator, participator, counselor, inspirator, visionary, humanitarian, speaker, innovator, Master wings pilot, air assault, philosopher, horse trainer, roper, deer rancher, mystic, Living Memorial Sculpture Garden board member, beloved human being, Cowboy.
Dreams
General, roping buckle owner, rock star, night club owner (Spade’s House), Siskiyou County Supervisor and political reformer, loving/loved family man, Klamath Kartel creator/developer to produce a regional market by encouraging entrepreneurship including landfill recycling, county television, organized livestock (exotic) production, local theme tourism, and much more. Living Memorial Sculpture Garden to become nationally recognized. To always maintain a positive, progressive attitude. To aggressively strive for physical, mental, and spiritual self development. Though enthusiastic example, to encourage others to enjoy life, responsibility, and to fully realize their own unique potential.