by Bob Snider
555 Red Horseman
29 September 2K
I think the Air Force has invented a “time machine”. The 35th Red Horse reunion has come and gone but the memories will, like the Red Horse, live on for eternity in our minds, hearts and souls!
The main event was the RH Stable Stomping Social at the Ramada bar. It was so interesting to meet so many people and have such easy conversations, like we had known each other before and the only thing we had in common was that we were or had been in the Horse.
The following will be but one horseman’s view of the reunion.
It all started, from our point of view, in October/November 1965 when we received orders assigning us to the 555 Red Horse Squadron at Cannon AFB New Mexico.
Who would have thought that 35 years later we would get together to see and hear what we had started becomes an integral part of the United States Air Force.
The reunion began with resignation on Tuesday morning 0730 in the lobby of the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, with a packet of information about the Red Horse Round-up.
The reunion was hosted by the 823rd Red Horse Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida, with the first event being the “History Lunch” (1st 17 years), and the guest speaker (retired) General Mayes.
It was quite a sight looking out at the tables and seeing over 200 personnel, most in camo fatiques and more CMSgt stripes then I knew existed.
Most of us had heard that we were hand picked for the Red Horse, but most of us didn’t believe it. We had not met the Horse yet or had any idea how he would effect our lives.
General Mayes spoke of how he, with other officers, went through AF records to find the “best” personnel for the new combat construction units, the Red Horse.
It was with much pride and a huge sense of accomplishment to give General Mayes a standing ovation at the end of his talk, as he was choked with emotion telling of what we had done as members of the Red Horse. God bless America.
We swapped stories, told of close calls, and remembered those of us who did not come home from wherever the Horse took us, to defend freedom, and honor, to pay that ultimate price.
0630 Wednesday, Red Horse run on the beach. Ain’t no way!!! I’m not a morning person. Ask my NCO when we were at Phu Cat and I would be given a bacon and egg sandwich, which I ate in ranks, as we got our orders for the day. It was a lot easier to have a nice breakfast and find a ride to the 823rd RH compound for the days activities.
We arrived at the Red Horse compound to find a well-maintained area, with fairly new buildings and equipment to work with. Someone finally figured out that you have to have equipment to train on, that equipment, and from the looks of the yard, they do a lot of training.
From the electrical end there were generators with multiple plugs, spider boxes, A/C unites and pallets of plugged cables to interconnect everything with, you could run a war with just hand tools.
The venders were there also, with portable buildings made of plastic. They were accordion in nature and would unfold to approx. 6’ wide x 10’ long with a plastic floor, doors, windows, all you need provided is the G.I. The best part is they fold up to be shipped or carried to your next TDY. They come in quarters, showers, etc.
Guess the AF had to go to something like this, with all the female personnel that are in and throughout the service. There were also portable aircraft hangers that could be set up in some 32 hours. Kitchens on wheels IDK (Initial Deployment Kitchen) that can feed 500 troops 2 meals a day. These come in several configurations to meet the need.
What a wonder America is, even in war we fill the need with the best that our tax money can buy. Not that I’m complaining, our troops need the best and should have it always, it’s just ironic, I guess.
In the afternoon, there was the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Red Horse Hall of History. This building commemorates the Horsemen who made the RH legendary around the world through Operations, Exercises and Disaster relief auctions.
There are many pieces of donated memorabilia from the 555th troops covering many years with the Horse. Thank you one and all !!!
After the ribbon cutting there was a round table “I was there” discussion of past RH operations in: Vietnam, Korea, Somalia, The Gulf War, Iraqi Airfield denial, Bosnia (and the list will grow).
Combat Dining In. This event was held in the portable aircraft hanger that had been draped with cameo netting and had a water and sand hazard in the center area.
Most of the troops arrived wearing cameo fatigues with full face paint and water blasters that must hold up to 3 gallons of ammo. With all the festivities about to begin and toasts offered, time was taken to have the Chaplain lead us in prayer for the evening and acknowledge, with an empty set table with a red rose, those who are Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action.
The speaker for the evening was (retired) General Jimmy Dishner (2nd 17 years), who spoke of the later years of RH and the future as the AF mission changes.
As we entered we were appraised of the “rules of the mess”. To break any of these rules meant “going before the Grog”.
It is said the grog originated in medieval England at the time of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Legend has it that the bowl was present only at social functions of the greatest importance and that indeed the table was round so that each of Arthur’s Knights was equidistant from the potent brew.
In those times, it was quite an ordeal for a Knight to rise from his seat and partake of the wondrous mixture due to the weight of his suit of armor. It became a true challenge to rise, drink and sit again.
As a result, King Arthur ruled that this ordeal would be reserved as punishment for the knave who was out of order or unruly.
This tradition has been carried over through the years and is now an integral part of the Air Force dining-in.
With an estimated 180 troops at the mess, you know that rules will be broken. The Grog protocol was as follows:
1) Don the helmet and flak vest.
2) Negotiate the water and sand obstacles, (walking over the pool on a 4x4 you were a perfect target for all the water weapons, need I say more?).
3) Ride Charlie to the grog in true Red Horse fashion.
4) Stand at attention, facing the grog and salute the bowl, (a two-hole out house).
5) Fill your cup.
6) Perform an about face.
7) Raise the cup in salute and state “To the mess”.
8) Consume the liquid in one continuous drink.
9) Invert the cup on your head to demonstrate it is empty.
10) Place the cup in the tartan.
11) Salute the grog.
12) Return the helmet and flak vest to it’s place and return humbly to your seat.
To say the least no one made it out of the mess dry. HUAH! This evening was ONE to remember !!!
The last event for everyone was Thursday evening at the Eglin Beach Club. The Cajon seafood boil and Turkey fry was as it should be when in Florida.
The conversations and reminiscing will live past the night, to be added to our Red Horse memories, our thoughts of years and people gone by, of our youth and dreams and longings for a better self, country and world.
Amen.
