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Last updated on 4/7/24

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A Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment


This patch (shown in black & white) has been reported to be A troop 1/9 Cavalry Scout Platoon although very little information has surfaced about it. An example of the patch and info on it is needed. Please contact webmaster.


Official pattern Guidon for A troop, 1st squadron given to troop commander James Cronen upon departure from the unit
Image courtesy of Thaddeus Cronen

John R. Nielsen Co-Pilot & gunship flown by Major James Cronen, A troop commander
Image courtesy of Thaddeus Cronen

Image courtesy of Lou Rochat

Scouts - LZ Sharon
Image courtesy of George A. Iler - A Troop Jan'68-end Dec'69. Flew scouts (Apache White) & lift (Headhunters) and LNO to 1st Bde.

"Blue" Peterson in Tay Ninh
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

Broken LOH in A Shau
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

Captured truck at LZ Betty
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

Iler at LZ Sharon

"I'll give you a real brief bio of my time w/ A Troop.I arrived in country in early Jan 68. Off to An Khe, Sin City, etc. Tet started about a week after I arrived. I knew then that this was going to be a problem. Off to LZ English for a couple of weeks and then North to I Corps & Dong Ha (where the NVA had never seen scouts, guns, etc. - but that's another tale). Lasted there a few days till we were rocketed & decided to strategically move South to LZ Sharon. I was flying H models w/Headhunters at the time but soon moved to scouts after Bob Peda was killed. I started on S model 13's but the DA at Khe Sahn was just too much. Transitioned to OH6s & off to the A Shau (VFR on top at 8000 was a real experience). I took over as Apache White when Bill Dunnevant caught shrapnel in the neck. Later spent a month as LNO to the 1st Bde at LZ Betty. Back to Headhunters as Lift Plt leader. More Khe Sahn and then moved South to Tay Ninh. Gave the platoon to Kit Beaton (who was w/me in the 3AD in Germany in the late 70's) just before Christmas 98 and back to the States for New Years. And, 23+ more years and I retired as a LTC from Ft. Sheridan, IL. "
Image courtesy of George A. Iler


Lift platoon at LZ Sharon - "This was taken shortly after we moved there from Dong Ha (late Jan 68 I think). We were in the process of digging our bunker/hooch. Back row has some crew chiefs - sorry I can't remember names. W1 John Walker is back row third from left. Front row is 1Lt Bob Peda and Cpt Don Husak (Sp?). Don was "35". A few weeks after this picture was taken, Bob Peda was flying scouts as Apache White and was killed along with his crew chief at Lang Veigh SF Camp on 4/7/68 enroute to Khe Sanh". - George A. Iler
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

LZ English
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

Off from Sharon
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

OH-13S
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

Beatton trying to grow a stash
Image courtesy of George A. Iler

Click here to see "Rocket" today in his Mess uniform
Click here to see "Rocket" today in his Greens

Lou "Rocket" Rochat A 1/9 1970
Image courtesy of Lou "Rocket" Rochat


Apache troop scroll
Image courtesy of Vernon Gregory

"My last 6 months were with A 3/17 as a scout on an OH 6. I started with D 1/9 (rat patrol) for 2 months, then I volunteered to go to A 1/9 as a scout on an OH 6 until the 1st cav stood down." - Vernon Gregory
Image courtesy of Vernon Gregory

Apache 1-9 scout pocket patch
Image courtesy of Vernon Gregory

Apache scout shoulder patch
Image courtesy of Vernon Gregory

A Troop Scouts acroll designed for wear over the 1st Cavalry Division patch
Image courtesy of Lou "Rocket" Rochat


Image courtesy of Vernon Gregory


Image courtesy of Vernon Gregory

Troop patch still sewn to the lower left pocket area of an L-2B flight jacket
Image courtesy of Al Demailo

John Nielson (in cockpit) - who was my Dad's pilot when he was C.O. of A troop. Photo was taken sometime in June, 1966.
Image courtesy of Thad Cronen

W.O. 1 Matthew Lawless with A troop Gunship "The Grim Reaper", Summer/Fall 1967, LZ Dog.
Image courtesy of his son Brigham T. Lawless

Captain Bernie L. Young out for a walk at LZ Dog

A quick history of LZ Dog, home of A Troop 1/9th Cav in 1967: LZ Dog was an old French artillery base, which was situated across Highway 1 from LZ English in Bihn Dihn Province, near the town of Bong Son. Dog was abandonded after Tet in 1968. It later was built into ARVN dependent housing.

Image courtesy of Matthew Lawless via Brig Lawless

Ground crew working on one of the gunships after a mission.
Image courtesy of Matthew Lawless via Brig Lawless

Gunships hunting for "Indians" in the An Lao valley, 1967
Image courtesy of Matthew Lawless via Brig Lawless

A Troop's gunship platoon leader, Captain Bernie L. Young, sitting in his aircraft. Note the Scorpion nose art and the yellow "Delta" on the door, tactical designator for A Troop.
Image courtesy of Matthew Lawless via Brig Lawless

A Troop 1/9th Cav gun platoon "Red Scorpions" in their revetments at LZ Dog, 1967.
Image courtesy of Matthew Lawless via Brig Lawless

A Troop 1/9th Cav lift platoon slicks "Headhunters" in their revetments at LZ Dog, 1967.
Image courtesy of Matthew Lawless via Brig Lawless

SGT Gary Rogney Scout Platoon A Troop 1/9th Cavalry, March 1966 preparing to fly out to LZ Oasis from Ahn Khe which was a desolate, vegetation-free firebase in the Central Highlands of Vietnam in the IDrang River valley near the Cambodian border. The Aircraft is a H-13s Bell with two M2 Kits with M60?s mounted. I also carried a M-60 machine gun.
Image courtesy of Gary R Rogney

Dolled up Nomex shirt from the service time of Lou?Rocket? Rochat.. Died after tour May 29, 2010. Rest in Peace Lou



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