Photos by CWO Patrick M. Snyder,
1971, First Platoon, Catkiller 11

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a silent presentation and without an abundance of explanatory words. Patrick Snyder took and now shares these excellent photos from his tour with the Catkillers, which say a lot to those who flew over this area. While we have these and other photos from the last two years our unit served in Vietnam what we are missing are the specific details of how unit personnel stood down in December 1971, packed up equipment and moved it and themselves back to the states. We already know it was a piecemeal process: our last MIA occurred on 14 December 1971, as Staff Sergeant Floyd D. Caldwell hitched a ride to catch another stateside–bound flight at Da Nang. If the unit had deactivated in the states after Vietnam more of our history might have survived. Perhaps it isn’t important to everyone that we record the details, but I for one am curious and want to know. If anyone has facts to share, they would be appreciated.

Donald M. Ricks, CATCOM Editor

There are 6 small pictures at Camp Eagle. The second of those shows Huey Cobra pilot Jay Smith talking with an LOH pilot. (Jay was my good friend and he arranged the ride back in the LOH for me.) Another picture shows a firebase near the DMZ. The sixth shows the Mohawk revetments. I have a very clear picture of the wreckage of the Mohawk crash inside a hangar but I have not been able to find it yet.