We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:47:23 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Here's another story not well covered except by press local to Fort Rucker, Al, home of Army Aviation. I think we should blogburst this, just as we did 1LT Jackson's award. Chuck Simmins of North Shore Journal has been all over CW4 Yoakum's story as usual for him, and has the local media reports, if you'd like to see them (and maybe send a pat on the back to the newsies in question). From DIVIDS, meet Chief Yoakum via his friends: By Spc. Nathan Hoskins 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs CAMP TAJI, Iraq – When most Soldiers receive recognition... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:57:05 -0600 CW4 Yoakum continues a fine tradition in the 227th Aviation Regiment. One fine April day in 1971, I was sitting in front of the D Troop, 7/17 Cav officers hooch at Camp Holloway, Pleiku winding down from a 10 day mission up near the Laotian border. We had a new Assault Helicopter company in town, A Company, 227th Aviation Battalion, better known by their nickname: Chicken Man (A famous radio comedy serial with a wide following in Vietnam). They had just been assigned to Camp Holloway because the 1st Cavalry Division was standing down and all of its aviation assets were reassigned to the 1st Aviation Brigade. I was about to meet Chicken Man 6. Major William E. Adams strode up, demanded to know who I was and ordered me to get the hell out of his company's BOQ. As an infantry officer in aviation country, I told him where he could go. MAJ Adams was not amused and a big dust up ensued. The S4 had screwed up and had forgotten that the teeny weenie ground troop had a little piece of his building and we got to keep it. I thought MAJ Adams was a horse's a$$. I was wrong. A few weeks later I watched Chicken Man 6 die. He and his entire crew were killed in action trying to rescue a shot down Cobra crew from a RVN firebase near Dak To that was under siege by 3 NVA regiments. Chicken Man 6 received the Medal of Honor. He was a great leader, a great pilot, and a true hero. CW4 Yoakum is of the same ilk and deserves to be ever remembered along with the Chicken Man. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66678 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66678 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:28:20 -0600 Kevin - you, and the thousands like you, are exactly why the Castle does these posts, and dances the Dance. I'm sure your brother is regaling 'em with tales of derring-do at Fiddler's Green. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66672 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66672 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:16:23 -0600 Welcome, Kevin. We're so sorry for your loss, and yes, we will always remember and honor his service and sacrifice. The dance is in memoriam. It is a celebration of life, a mourning of death, and recognition of the ultimate sacrifice. Therefore... I dance. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66670 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66670 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:52:10 -0600 Keith, was a great guy. I think about him everyday. I know on the morning of 2 Feb 2007 ther is no place in the world that Keith would have rather been than sitting at the controls of Apache 337. Kevin http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66667 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66667 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:10:07 -0600 Eric - did you click the link for the Dance? At the Castle, that's the only dance we do as a group. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66661 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66661 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:57:16 -0600 ... rgr that, Justthisguy... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66660 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66660 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:50:02 -0600 Dang, Eric, I clicked on your link and got all Deja Vu! Didn't you hang out at Acidman's, when he was still warm? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66644 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66644 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:14:43 -0600 The Avengers were the first group of soldiers I supported thru AnySoldier.com in 2004. I have often thought of them and wondered if they had been back to Iraq. They had a great group picture of all of them on and around an Apache. God bless them all for the hard work and sacrifices they make. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66643 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66643 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:02:00 -0600 Eric, the Happy Dance is not the only dance. I think that the Armorer was referring to a very grave, formal, and solemn dance, done in slow time, with exactly prescribed movements. One of the movements in that dance might be standing perfectly still with heels together, thumbs on trouser seams... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66640 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66640 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:30:20 -0600 .... he needs to be honored, that is for sure.... but I am not sure that dancing is necessarily the way to celebrate his life....... he was a brave, brave man..... and thank you for the story... these kinds of stories need to be told... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66637 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66637 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:27:57 -0600 Wow amazing story. But it's all there in Chief Yoakum's face. He seems like someone we would've been glad to have known. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66634 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66634 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:59:08 -0600 CW4 Keith Yoakum and CW2 Jason Defrenn back in May. It has a link to a nice video, and a now defunct link to a tribute from another Apache pilot. (I wishI had saved that Tribute to re-post it). As I quoted then ... It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66629 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66629 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:01:11 -0600 http://thunderrun.blogspot.com/2007/11/distinguished-service-cross-blogburst.html]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66625 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66625 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:13:35 -0600 Keith and Jason were great troopers and even better friends. They will be waiting on Fiddler's Green with a cold one. RIP gentlemen. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66622 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/11/another_disting.html#comment-66622 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:33:11 -0600