Charlie Company 4/23 Mechanized (1966-68): Pictures

Have photos you'd like to share? Please email them to gcompton67@yahoo.com to get them posted here. Feel free to include a brief caption.

***************************************************************

Congratulations, Regis!

On May 3, 2019, Staff Sergeant Regis Kern, 1^st platoon, was inducted into the Ohio Military Hall of Fame! This Bronze Star Vietnam veteran, recipient of two Purple Hearts, from Charlie Company, 4/23, was presented with the Ohio Medal for Valor. In 1967, Regis led a platoon and came upon a 50-caliber machine gun that was unmanned. Regis began firing the gun and went through 3500 rounds, which caused the gun to get so hot it exploded, throwing him to the ground, hurt. He would not leave his platoon until all were rescued—the mission complete.

Click below to see a video of the presentation:
Regis Kern video

Regis Kern, on right, wearing his medallion.

Ohio Medal for Valor

Regis and wife Bernie surrounded by family at the induction ceremony.

****************************************************************

Below are some photos Nancy Compton took at our 2018 reunion in Junction City, Kansas. She's sorry that she didn't manage to get everyone's photo!

Yakking in the meeting room

Mike and Andrea Rounds

Jimmy and Dianne Pritchard

Jan and Richard Londry

Jerry Stiner celebrating her birthday

Meeting room scene

Mel Anderson

Bobbe and General William Hartzog

Vivian and Doc George Nichols

Nancy and Doug Thompson

Jerry and Chuck Stiner

Sandy Loudis

Kim Vaughn with daughter Kitty Peacock and granddaughter Verity

Suzanne and Steve Cagle

Nancy and George Compton

Eddie Lyon

Humvee training vehicle

Scene at Fort Riley, Kansas

George Compton and Mike Rounds on a hike

Bernie and Regis Kern

Diana and Jim Poppaw

George Compton and Doc Nichols at the Eisenhower Presidential Library

Mike and Andrea Rounds

****************************************************************

Click on the link below for photos compiled by Dave Wronowski:

Charlie Company Shutterfly Album--Vets Then and Now

****************************************************************

***APC***

Doc John Wood, 2nd platoon, sent us some exciting news and photos of a new acquisition commemorating the service of the Vietnam-era 4/23 troops. A restored APC is now permanently on display at joint base Fort Lewis/McChord. Our reunion in 2011 was held in Seattle, where we enjoyed visiting this base, the home base of the current 4/23. Here's John's message:

"This is now sitting in front of Battalion Headquarters. They located an old model from California and had it shipped up. They completely painted the whole thing and, man, does it look sharp!

Steve Johnson and I attended their deployment ceremony the first of April, and LTC Greg Harkins told us to come by the headquarters to see the surprise.

Man, did it bring back memories seeing that bad boy again. It is sealed shut so we could not look inside.

Including also a picture of the Tomahawks at the deployment ceremony."

Steve Johnson, on left, with Doc Wood.

Deployment Ceremony of the Current 4/23, based at Fort Lewis, before leaving for Afghanistan

Below, the current 4/23 Tomahawks, back from deployment. Photo taken February 2013.