| Graphic provided courtesy of Keith ( Hacksaw ) Bodine, 229th. AHB, 1966 Click on picture to go to Keith's website. |
| KENNETH D. MERTEL COLONEL U.S.A. (RET) 1924-2006 This site is dedicated to the honor and memory of Col. Kenneth D. Mertel, who was the Battalion Commander of the Jumping Mustangs as they went into battle in RVN, and who unselfishly created and organized the Jumping Mustang Association because of the respect and love he had for the soldiers who served in this great battalion. He also is responsible for the development of this web site which is carried on in his honor. A tribute to his service has also been posted on the All The Way Brigade web site. Click this link to go there: Crazy Horse Dedication |
This "Jumping Mustang" Web Site is dedicated to all of the "Warriors" who served in Vietnam with our great Battalion
from 1965 to 1971, all "shifts" of our great 1st Air Cav Division and their wonderful spouses, children, and families and
those "Warriors" who paid the "Supreme Sacrifice", and their families.
We can never forget our activation as 1st Bn, 8th Cav, Airborne, Airmobile, Air Assault on 1 Jul 1965. Our hard, realistic
training, day and night. Lost Platoon Leaders and their Platoons in the Georgia swamps, learning to navigate in the
jungle and swamps of Fort Benning Georgia. The battalion goes "Airborne" as all "Legs" go to Jump School, the influx
of Airborne Plat Sgts, 1st Sgts and CSM from the 82nd and 101st Abn Divisions. Our first "jumps".
REMEMBER The "Great Five Mile Run" (could we do it??==we did); the green dye as our underwear changed colors.
We sailed from Savannah, Georgia on 20 Aug 1965, aboard the USNS Geiger, 31 days, "double" timed all the way,
through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific Ocean to Qui Nhon (Quy Nhon), landing on 20 Sept.
Remember our liberty for a few hours on Guam, also our invasion of Honolulu in route?
Ready for an amphibious assault landing at Qui Nhon, we were disappointed (and relieved) when we were taken by
helicopter to An Khe, the 1st Air Cav home base, known as the "golf course".
Do not forget our many battles and many combat actions as our "Warriors" came of age and were "blooded". What a
splendid record this "first shift" made, traditions and high standards set to be carried on by all future "shifts" of
"Jumping Mustang Warriors".
What a great group of officers, NCOs and men, "Warriors" all, "Sky Troopers" all. It was my honor and privilege to be
your first commander.
My personal thanks to Jerry Conners (Recon LRRP Team 1965-66) for starting this "Jumping Mustang Home Web
Page". You have done a great job Jerry.
With all of our Jumping Mustangs continuing input, help and support, our "Home Page" shall continue to improve.
HONOR AND COURAGE, DRIVE ON ALL THE WAY,
MUSTANG 6
Ken Mertel
from 1965 to 1971, all "shifts" of our great 1st Air Cav Division and their wonderful spouses, children, and families and
those "Warriors" who paid the "Supreme Sacrifice", and their families.
We can never forget our activation as 1st Bn, 8th Cav, Airborne, Airmobile, Air Assault on 1 Jul 1965. Our hard, realistic
training, day and night. Lost Platoon Leaders and their Platoons in the Georgia swamps, learning to navigate in the
jungle and swamps of Fort Benning Georgia. The battalion goes "Airborne" as all "Legs" go to Jump School, the influx
of Airborne Plat Sgts, 1st Sgts and CSM from the 82nd and 101st Abn Divisions. Our first "jumps".
REMEMBER The "Great Five Mile Run" (could we do it??==we did); the green dye as our underwear changed colors.
We sailed from Savannah, Georgia on 20 Aug 1965, aboard the USNS Geiger, 31 days, "double" timed all the way,
through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific Ocean to Qui Nhon (Quy Nhon), landing on 20 Sept.
Remember our liberty for a few hours on Guam, also our invasion of Honolulu in route?
Ready for an amphibious assault landing at Qui Nhon, we were disappointed (and relieved) when we were taken by
helicopter to An Khe, the 1st Air Cav home base, known as the "golf course".
Do not forget our many battles and many combat actions as our "Warriors" came of age and were "blooded". What a
splendid record this "first shift" made, traditions and high standards set to be carried on by all future "shifts" of
"Jumping Mustang Warriors".
What a great group of officers, NCOs and men, "Warriors" all, "Sky Troopers" all. It was my honor and privilege to be
your first commander.
My personal thanks to Jerry Conners (Recon LRRP Team 1965-66) for starting this "Jumping Mustang Home Web
Page". You have done a great job Jerry.
With all of our Jumping Mustangs continuing input, help and support, our "Home Page" shall continue to improve.
HONOR AND COURAGE, DRIVE ON ALL THE WAY,
MUSTANG 6
Ken Mertel
| "Jumping Mustangs" 1st Bn 8th Cav |
| 1st Cavalry Division Airborne - Airmobile |
| This page is dedicated to the Sky Troopers of the 1st Bn (ABN) 8th Cav who fought in Vietnam 1965-1971..."We are all JUMPING MUSTANGS, whether we jumped with a parachute or simply jumped from a hovering helicopter, sometimes many feet in the air into the jungle, thus the name of our Home Page Web Site. Individual Company Home Pages are included". |
| Initial Members were Parachute Qualified... We were all Air Assault and Airmobile |
| The airborne flash for the Jumping Mustangs was approved by the Institute Of Heraldry. The blue background represents the Infantry, and the yellow border with a black stripe represents the cavalry. 1ST AIRBORNE BRIGADE WING BACKGROUND ON RIGHT. |
| Our Actions Lead to the Development of the Current Air Assault Badge and We Performed the First Two Night Combat Air Assaults in History and were Awarded the Air Assault Badge Depicted on the Left. |
| Under Enemy Fire, We replaced our Expert Infantry Badge (left) with Combat Infantry Badges (Right). |
| The Combat Medical Badge (right) was awarded to those men who desperately fought to save the lives of our wounded comrades, which replaced their Expert Medical Badge (left). |
| The Battalion received the following Unit Awards for Heroism, Valor and Gallantry during Combat in the Republic of Vietnam. |
Presidential Unit Citation for Heroic Actions at Pleiku Province (1965). This citation is
awarded to units of the Armed Forces for extraordinary heroism in action against an
enemy. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in
accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it
apart and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism
required is the same as that which warrants the awarding of a Distinguished Service
Cross to an individual.
awarded to units of the Armed Forces for extraordinary heroism in action against an
enemy. The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in
accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it
apart and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism
required is the same as that which warrants the awarding of a Distinguished Service
Cross to an individual.
Valorous Unit Award for Combat Actions during Fish Hook. The degree of heroism
required is the same as that which warrants the awarding of a Silver Star to an
individual.
required is the same as that which warrants the awarding of a Silver Star to an
individual.
RVN Cross of Gallantry with Palm. Awarded to the unit for combat actions in the
Republic of Vietnam.
Individual Awards and Decorations may be found on the Company Web Pages
Republic of Vietnam.
Individual Awards and Decorations may be found on the Company Web Pages
| We are proud members of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), the highest decorated unit in the Vietnam War. We fought to free the oppressed, and answered President John F. Kennedy's call "Ask not what your Country can do for you, but what you can do for your Country!" GOD BLESS AMERICA! GOD BLESS OUR WARRIORS IN HARMS WAY! JOIN THE 1st CAV DIV ASSOCIATION LINKS TO COMPANY HOME PAGES IN RED ALL LINKS IN "BLUE" WILL OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW, CLOSE IT TO RETURN HERE HHC...1965-1971 Alpha Co...1965-71 "A" Co...1965-66 by Walt Gamache Bravo Co...1965-71 "B" Co...1968 by Mike Price "B" Co...68-69 by Paul Grandy "B" Co...69-71 by Bill Hunt Charlie Co...1965-71 "C" Co...1968 by Kevan Mynderup Delta Co...1965-71 "D" Co...1965-66 by J Conners "D" Co...1967 by Paul H. Wessman "D" Co...1968-71 by Jerry Frease "D" Co...1969-70 by Gordon Swenson Echo Co...1968-71 The following links will open in a new window. Close it to return here. 1st Cav Medic by John D. Dennision (Fiddler's Green 5-24-07) Now maintained by Carol Dennison Dukes' Broken Dreams SKYDOC’S “C” 1/8th Cav “DOC” Dan R. GREENBERG 1965 Operation Henry Clay Airborne Jumping Mustang Historian Need Someone CLICK REUNION REGISTRATION FORM IN THE NAVIGATION BAR AT THE TOP TO SIGN UP |
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| Site Dedication by Kenneth D Mertel, U.S.A. Col (Ret), Battalion Commander 1965 - 1966 |
| REUNION 2009 MINOT, ND JULY 30 - , 2009 |
| Jumping Mustangs - Honor and Courage Home |
| IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING AN E-MAIL WITH Urgent: Send a Thanksgiving Meal to a Severely Wounded Soldier. This from the 1st Cav Division Association click here to read close page to return here |
| This is something that I thought was very important to get out. It will be gone before Thanksgiving. |