2021 UPDATE..........I hope all you Hillclimbers that read this as doing OK with this current situation. 2020 was a lost year for our reunions. I can't say with certain about how 2021 will turn out. Hopefully I'll have something to say with thirty days. Today is February 27, 2020. One more thing. I'm sure that some of notice that there are several problems with the website. The software that was used to make many of the picture presentation (Adobe Flash) is no longer supported by any of the Internet search engines. As a result, I'm having to work through the site and change how the old Adobe Flash presentations are programmed. Bear with me, this will take a little while.

R. Brown

LOOKING FOR A HILLCLIMBER.........

We are looking for another “lost” Hillclimber.  A Vietnam veteran who served in the Delta named Frank Yungwirth has an old Zippo lighter in his possession and he cannot remember where he acquired it. 

He had no idea how to go about looking for the individual whose named is engraved on the Zippo.  He was steered to our site because the 147th ASHC is also engraved on the lighter.  The 114th AHC is also present.  Most likely this “Chuck” was in both outfits.

We don’t have any Chuck listed who was in the Hillclimbers before 1969.  Also, anybody from the 114th AHC Association and their website who can supply any help would be appreiated. 

If anybody has any idea who may have been the original owner of this lighter, please contact

zippo lighter

*October 13, 2012*

The following email was received today (10/15/2012). I am very sadden, as I'm sure we all are, by this news:

__________________________________

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the entire family, I am very sorry to
have to inform you that my dad, John Caron passed away at home Saturday
night October 13, 2012.

Dad was with family, in no pain and comfortable
when he died. He had been brought home Friday afternoon as he wished and
cared for by the family with the assistance of Hospice. His hip
replacement surgery in August stressed his kidney and heart and he was
unable to recover.

A Memorial Service will be held at 14:00 on Monday,
October 22nd at the Drake Road Chapel, Allnut Mortuary, 650 W Drake Rd,
Ft. Collins CO.

A Military Interment will be held at a later date at
Fort Logan National Cemetery.

If you would like to see a copy of Dad's obituary, it will be posted at the link below in the next few days. Memories and comments can also be left at that web site.

I apologize in advance if you receive multiple emails or this email in
error. Sorting out Dad's email addresses has been "interesting".

Thank
you for your friendship and concern. We know we are in your thoughts and
prayers.

Chris Caron

PDF Obituary for John Caron

This link will take you to a review of The History Channel presentation called "Vietnam In HD." It is written by Rodney Brown and is not intended for the easily offended. You can visit this link at The History Channel website store and buy this documentary here.

This is an interesting link to a story about the recovery of a Hillclimber Chinook that crashed into a canal during the Vietnam War. It is told by the people who actually did the recovery. Download PDF here.

Hillclimber 17 image

18/12/10: "Hillclimber 17" has been found! THE ORIGINAL ENTRY IS BELOW. The update is below the line.

This Zippo Lighter is from late 1969 to 1970. It belonged to a CW2 Pogo, aka Hillclimber 17. Since no CW2 Pogo shows up on any Vietnam Veterans lists and is also not listed by the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association rosters we are assumining that "Pogo" is a nickname. This lighter is now in the collection of a menber of the Swiss Army General Staff. LTC Rolf Gerster collects these lighters and has several in his collection. His website can be reached by going to www.gersters.ch.

Since we don't know who CW2 Pogo was we are asking for help in locating this former Hillclimber. He may already be listed on the Hillclimber member's roster, we just don't know. If anybody has any ideas, then please send an email to rrbrown@147thhillclimbers.org

__________________________________

CWO Richard R. Jackson was Hillclimber 17 with the nickname of "Pogo." He passed away 15 February 2010. He was the half brother of Joseph Pisano. I'm sorry that the news could not have been better.

There has been an interesting development with this case. CWO Jackson has a nephew who contacted me and maintains that he had no brothers, either full or half. At this point all I can think of this situation is that soldier's have this habit of referring to each other as brothers and it is not a stretch that some soldiers would use the word "half" as a term of endearment.

__________________________________