Be Thou at Peace
We wish to express or sincere condolences to the Eckles family.
Merl was a core member here in the Chapter. He attended most every Chapter event regularly. He insisted on buying the roses for all the ladies at the Chapter’s ‘Honor The Ladies Night’. Additionally he ensured the Spinal Cord Injury Unit(SCIU) patients had Dr Pepper every month. At the SCIU he was man-in-charge of drinks and refreshments for years.
Merl was a kind sole and a friend to all. He will be sorely missed by all the members of SFA XXXI as well as the staff and countless patients of the Dallas VA SCIU.
God Speed Command Sergeant Major Eckles
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I must regretfully post the passing of another SFA XXXI member, Richard 'Rick' Rose who passed away 03 March 2015. In Vietnam Rick was a member of IV Corps Mike Force from 1968-1969.
He was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for VALOR. In addition to his SF qualifiaction and US parachute badge he was also awarded the CIB and Vietnamese parachute badge. Other decorations included the NDSM, VCM and VSM.
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FINAL MANIFEST CALL...
I must regretfully post the passing of long-time member and former SFA XXXI Chapter President Harvey E. Cox Jr. who passed away peacefully this morning (11 February 2015) at home with his family after a long courageous battle with cancer.
Harvey was a stalwart member of SFA XXXI supporting the Chapter in many ways. He always provided embroidered shirts and hats, trophies and plaques excepting no payment or credit. It was his way.
He served in the Army from 1958 to 1963 with 10th SFG(A) stationed in Berlin, Germany.
He will be sorely missed but never forgotten.
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WD Walker - passed April 2014
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1939 - 2011
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Folks, I have just learned this morning that Don Karr, a long time member of our chapter, passed away at the Dallas VA Hospital on February 4, 2010. He died from complications of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder and Congestive Heart Failure. Don was cremated and his ashes were sent to his sister and aunt in Pueblo, Colorado. Final disposition is pending.
Don was a life member of the SFA. He was a 100 % disabled veteran and was retired from the U.S. Army as a SFC E7, serving with both the active duty and reserve Special Forces. He was a veteran of Vietnam, where he served a tour with MACSOG, CCN.; He also served with the 20th SFG during Operation "Desert Storm" in 1991.
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It is with a heavy heart the I announce the passing of Paul Poole, MSG (Ret) member at large of Chapter XXXI. He passed away this morning at 0130 hours February 2, 2010 in Cabot, Arkansas from a heart attack. Funeral details will come at later date.
He will be missed. I've known him since our days in Training Group in the summer of '66. Vaya con Dios mi hermano.
Gene
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Billy M. Smith - our chapter namesake.
SP5 Billy M. Smith was infantry operations and intelligence specialists assigned to Detachment A1-132 (Ban Don), 1st Special Forces Group, U.S. Army Special Forces Vietnam, MAAGV. On November 8, 1963, SP5 Smith was part of a patrol with mountain tribesmen in the Dar Lac Plateau region near the Cambodian frontier, approximately 170 miles northeast of Saigon. A Viet Cong machine gunner suddenly raked the members of the patrol and SP5 Smith suffered a graze wound of his head and broke his shoulder in falling. The Vietnamese commander of the patrol was also wounded. A firefight ensued resulting in one enemy killed and an unknown number of guerrillas wounded. On October 7, 1995, Billy M. Smith passed away at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Dallas, TX, due to the injuries he suffered in the ambush thirty-two years earlier. His name was added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in May 2001.