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Columbia Daily Tribune This article was published in the Columbia Daily Tribune, Sunday, June 10th, and expresses the 114th Aviation Company Association’s appreciation to the community for their contributions to our reunion. THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE OF MID-MISSOURI!The
114th Aviation Company Association held their Reunion in conjunction with
an invitation from the Salute to Veterans Corporation to participate 2001
Memorial Day Weekend events. The 114th Aviation Company was the
first Huey unit to deploy to Vietnam in the Spring of 1963. For
their service in Vietnam until 1972, the Company received a Presidential
Unit Citation, 2 Valorous Awards, a Meritorious Unit Accommodation and 4
Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with Palm. The unit’s initial mission
was in support of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) role as
military advisors to the Vietnamese government. Until the Spring of
1965, the American flag could not be flown on the Unit’s base camp in
Vinh Long. The Company’s Commander (Major George Young) wrote to
the 50 state governors asking for a flag from their state to fly at the
base camp. Fifty flags were received and flown bordering the Company
street called the Avenue of States. Thus fifty state flags were
mounted and carried on our floats in the parade by the Boone County Fire
Protection District. The
members who attended our Reunion were overwhelmed with the support and
attention that they received from the organizations and the people of this
community. We want to thank the principal organizations that
contributed to the success of our Reunion: the Salute to Veterans
Corporation, Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Shelter Mutual
Insurance Company and most of all, the Boone County Fire Protection
District. Thanks
to the others who contributed to our Reunion: Boone County National
Bank, Mizzou Credit Union, Les Bourgeois Vineyards, Tiger Tales Bookstore,
St. James Winery, Boot Scootin Tours, Days Inn, Ramada Inn, First Student
and Home Depot. One of
our members expressed best the feeling of our members at this Reunion,
“It’s the first time I have been honored in 34 years since my return
(from Vietnam). I was impressed by the way the City turned out for
the parade. It just made me feel great.” Allen Jensen,
Delta, Utah. A
major factor in our decision to hold our Reunion in Columbia was the
opportunity for the parade that the Vietnam Veteran never had. The large
number of people lining the parade route and their respectful response to
our presence awed our members. Thank
you Mid-Missouri! Charles
S. Shipman, LTC, US Army (Ret) 114th
Reunion Chairman
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