The Fort Hood Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 54, No. 76, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 7, 1996 Page: 3 of 34
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By William P. Bradner
III Corps Public Affairs
III Corps and Fort Hood Command Sgt. Maj. Ri-
chard Ross passed the III Corps Flag and his re-
sponsibilities to incoming Command Sgt. Maj. Ben-
jamin C. Palacios in a ceremony held at the III Corps
flag pole in near-freezing weather Feb. 28.
Ross retired after 29 years of service. The number
of people braving the sleet during his ceremony were
"
"1
A V\ A
-L S I
Chinooks
make final
post flyover
’Story and photos by 6th Cav Bde
Company B 2nd Battalion
•-158th Aviation Regiment 6th Cav-
alry Brigade launched its final
multi-ship training flight at Fort
«Hood Feb. 14 led by unit com-
mander Maj. Cary A. Hilton.
With a training mission scenario
to insert troops into Robert Gray
'Army Airfield eight CH-47D Chi-
nook helicopters launched from
Hood Army Airfield to Temple
•Airport for a notional troop
.pickup and then flew across post
to Robert Gray for the troop inser-
tio
After departing Robert Gray all
eight aircraft joined up in a final
echelon right formation for the
^flight back to Hood Army Airfield.
This was the Wagonmasters fi-
nal multi-ship mission since Co
S*iis scheduled for inactivation by
5£$ept. 15.
The CH-47D Chinook unit
& ‘which had 16 aircraft has about
nine helicopters left.
I
Takas Two |T Tango!
But When
The Dance
Is Over...
'K
DIVORCE!
$ “t A E E
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O ther Civil & Crim inal ees Upon equ est
in
Rcc?s€? Jr.
10th & Harris KiDeen r-eyr
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~The 2-158 Avn Wagonmasters fly over Fort Hood as a unit for the last time in February.
The rest of the unit’s aircraft are
scheduled to be turned in by the
end of May leaving III Corps and
Fort Hood without any active-duty
medium lift helicopter support
which they have had for 25 years.
These missions have included
nine rotations to the National
Training Center in Fort Irwin Ca-
lif. a deployment to Honduras and
numerous fire fighting operations.
a tribute to his popularity and success on Fort Hood.
Lt. Gen. Thomas Schwartz III Corps and Fort Hood
commander praised Ross for his selfless service to
the Army and the corps.
“He has given every bit of himself to the Army
his personal touch can be seen all over this post”
Schwartz said.
Retired Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk former III Corps
and Fort Hood commander put on his battle dress
uniform and helmet one more time for his friend and
CW02 Brock Tedrick inspects CH-47 No. 217 before a flight.
The rotor area clearance spans about 100 feet by 60 feet.
During the past two and a half
years Wagonmasters have flown
more than 3500 hours providing
medium-lift and cargo support to
the brigade III Corps and Forces
Command.
PERSONAL CREDIT PLAN Inc.
Loans
from
s100 -*430
on your
signature
Community bids farewell to corps sergeant major
The peculiar looking 31000-
pound (with fuel) tandem-rotor
aircraft can fly up to nearly 200
miles per hour.
It can carry cargo and passen-
gers up to approximately 19000
pounds.
The helicopter is equipped with
three cargo hooks used to trans-
port the water buckets during its
fire fighting missions.
It is the probably Army’s most
unique helicopter because it is the
only aircraft in the active inven-
tory capable of conducting
waterborne operations including
floating.
CREDIT STARTER LOANS
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MON.-FRI. 9AM-5:30PM
SATURDAY 9 AM-1 PM
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co-worker.
“I swore I’d never wear this Kevlar again... but
for this one man I had to” Funk said.
“Richard Ross will always be my friend come hell
or high water. He has the heart of a soldier and has
the hearts of soldiers” he said.
Ross attributed his success to the command ser-
geants major in the subordinate units listing them
by name and saying he could not have achieved all he
did without such outstanding support.
V'» a *
Story and photos by 6th Cav Bde
Despite shortages of aircraft
water buckets and aircrews the
Wagonmasters of Company B
2nd Battalion 158th Aviation
Regiment 6th Cavalry Brigade
played a pivotal role in bringing
the recent range fires under con-
trol near North Fort Hood and the
town of Flat Texas.
Local residents described the
Wagonmasters’ fire fighting efforts
as “heroic” as they battled against
high winds leaping flames dense
smoke and extreme heat to save
houses livestock and farms. Sev-
eral aircraft returned covered with
soot and ashes.
The 2-158 Avn also provided
refuel services during the fire fight-
ing operations topping off 393 air-
craft with more than 77000 gal
A CH-47D Chinook helicopter from Co B 2-158 Avn 6th Cav Bde prepares to lift a 2000-
gallon Bambi water bucket that was used to transport water to the fires.
Helicopters aid fire fighting
lons of fuel
during the
peak fire fight-
ing period.
The Wa
gonmasters fly
the CH-47D
helicopter
which can lift
a 2000 gallon
water bucket.
From Feb.
20 to 27 the
Wagonmasters
lifted 534 wa-
ter buckets
in
more than
1000000 gal-
lons of water on the flames.
Since the fires were brought
under control the Wagonmasters
have been on constant alert to re-
DOUGLAS B. WILLINGHAM DDS
ain St. a as A rn ld In Salado-N ext to 1st State ank
By A in tm en (817) 947-5242
fht
Fort Hood Sentinel March 7 1996
Incoming Command Sgt. Maj. Palacios kept his
comments short stressing only that his primary fo-
cus while on Fort Hood would be caring for soldiers
and their families and expressing gratitude for being
named to the position. Palacios has served in both
the 1 st Cavalry Division and 2nd Armored Division
among others. He has served in all enlisted leader-
ship positions in the Armor Career Management Field
his most recent assignment was command sergeant
major of the 25th Infantry Division.
S:1
Lt. Will Ellison and Staff Sgt. Stu Hoosier of
Co B 2-158 Avn show the enormous size of
the 2000-gallon Griffith water bucket.
A3
mmlmx
IP
spond when anew fire erupts. The
Wagon-masters dropped 657 buck-
ets of water and logged more than
116 flight hours since Feb. 20.
WE PROCESS
UNITED CONCORDIA
DELTA AND
OTHER INSURANCE
CLAIMS
BELTON
7 Miles
South of
Belton. 1
Block East
off I-35 at
Main St.
and
Thomas
Arnold
In Salado
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Bobick, Cpl. Julia. The Fort Hood Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 54, No. 76, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 7, 1996, newspaper, March 7, 1996; Fort Hood, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth310106/m1/3/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Casey Memorial Library.