Elmore, Donald R. DRE., 1SG

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY.

Basic portrait April 1955

My brother, who served in World War II, told me when I was 15 years old that I should join the Army when I turned 17 and that I should make it a career and stay for 20 years. He really loved being in the Army and told me many good stories about Germany. At 15, I did not think about the Army, but as it turned out I did enlist at the age of 17, made it a career and retired after 20 years service.

I also had several cousins that served in WWII as well as two cousins that served during the Korean War. Many of my cousins served between the Korean War and the Vietnam War. They served in the Army, Navy and Air Force.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
When I enlisted, one of my brothers told me I should sign up for Radio Repair, which I did. I spent 20 years in The Signal Corps. Once I graduated Field Radio Repair. MOS 296.1, I was sent to Germany and two months later my MOS was changed to 281.1,

Promotion photo for promotion to SGM E-9

Microwave Radio Repair. I kept the 296.1 as a secondary MOS. Over the years my MOS kept changing. It was changed to 26L20, then to 26V20. I was lastly a 26V50. I spent time on radio sites and on two I was Site Chief. I was also an Area Chief in Vietnam as well as a Site Chief at Chu Lai in 1971 and Operations Sergeant twice and worked in Battalion S-3 for over two years years.

As an SFC I was Acting First Sergeant of Hq&Hq Det, 447th Sig Bn for 6 months. I was then assigned to Battalion S-3 and was in charge of Manpower and Equipment Utilization. In 1973 I was promoted to Master Sergeant E-8 and in January 1974 I was converted to First Sergeant and reassigned to the 532nd Sig Co, 39th Signal Battalion. This was my third time in Giessen, Germany. The name of the unit changed three times but was the same company with the same mission. My unit at the time was the 532nd Sig Co, 39th Sig Bn. In this company I served first as an E-6 Site Chief, as an E-7 Operations Sergeant and lastly as the company First Sergeant.

I retired as First Sergeant in 1975.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?

PLeiku 1967

I served two tours in Vietnam. At my Area Chief Office at Det 10, 362nd Sig Co, Pleiku we came under attack many times. In November 1967 during the 6 day battle of Dak To I took a radio team to Dak To and set up communications. I spent one day there and returned to Pleiku. The runway at Dak To had been under barrages of mortar and rocket fire and was not allow airplanes to take off. I got lucky and heard a helicopter start the engine and I caught a ride on the helicopter back to Pleiku.

I served in direct combat operations in the TET Offensive of 1968 earning an Army Commendation Medal for Valor. After the MP Det Villa was overrun by the VC during the first night of the TET Offensive, our company sent a group of men to take back the Villa and recover all the equipment. During my second tour in Vietnam tours, my Signal Sites came under attack many times 1970-71.

DID YOU ENCOUNTER ANY SITUATION DURING YOUR MILITARY SERVICE WHEN YOU BELIEVED THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY YOU MIGHT NOT SURVIVE? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME.

Vung Chua during the 300 mile road trip

1967 during rocket and mortar attacks on the signal site I came close to being hit and possibly killed. 1968 during the TET Offensive I was under small arms fire while retaking the MP Villa that had been overrun on the first night of the Tet Offensive 1968.

1970 came under small arms fire and mortar attack at the signal site.

1971 again came under mortar and rocket attack on the signal site. Also mortar attack on the motor pool where I was getting my jeep repaired.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?

My Fondest Military Assignment

My favorite assignment had to be my assignment at the Melibocus Radio Relay Station on a mountain top in Germany, 1956 to 1958. I was in Company "A," 102nd Signal Battalion. The radio site was near a town called Bensheim and it was there that I met my wife. I can today remember all the men that were stationed on top of the mountain with me. My least favorite assignments were the two I spent in Vietnam. Not bad assignments, but I was without my family so that made it worse.

During my first tour in Vietnam, I was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor During the TET Offensive 1968 In Dalat, Vietnam.

During my second tour in Vietnam, I received two Army Commendation Medals and a Bronze Star.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
Naturally, the memory of my favorite assignment, but what really stands out is the times I was under attack in Vietnam, especially during the TET Offensive 1968. During the TET Offensive, I earned my Army Commendation Medal for Valor. A very sad moment was when one of the soldiers

1968 Company Operatins Sergeant

was killed in action and then a cook committed suicide.

The next personal memory was when in 1969 the Commander, the XO, and the First Sergeant were all relieved of duty. I had been severely overworked by the burden of 75% of the work in the Company Headquarters and the New incoming First Sergeant, 1SG Richey relieved me of 50% of my workload. He and I later served together in Vietnam for 6 months. I kept in touch with him after our Military Duty until he passed away in 2013.

While assigned to the Battalion Operations 1972/1973 I completed a Manpower and Equipment Report taking almost 8 months to complete it. Normal procedure to get it signed and approved is to forward it through the chain of command. Doing this would take a minimum of one year to get it approved. My OIC wanted me to go to an assembly where commanding General of USASTRATCOM would be present and he wanted me to get the General to approve and sign the report. AS the General ordered a break I confronted the General as he came up,the aisle, I introduced myself and explained what I wanted. I could not believe it. He sat down, took the report and had me explain it to him. I informed him that had a lot of years being assigned here in Germany at Company and site locations and was well versed in what it took in manpower and equipment to perform the mission. He spent about 15 minutes with me and then signed the report. When I got back to Battalion Headquarters my OIC said he could not believe I got the General to sign the report. He congratulated me and that was that.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
During the TET Offensive 1968, while re-taking the Military Police Villa, we encountered a large number of Viet Cong. It was on this operation where I received the Army Commendation Medal for Valor for directing while under enemy fire. In 1970, while I was Radio Chief at Vung Chua Radio

Presentation of ARCM to my ment.

Site in Vietnam I earned the Army Commendation Medal for achievement.

Then in 1971 while I was stationed at the Chu Lai Signal Site I received the Army Commendation Medal for Achievement, The Site Chief had let the site run down and he was relieved of duty. When it was time for me to leave Vietnam I was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement for the period of 1970 to 1971.

I had only thirteen days to get the site back up to operational status before an I.G. Inspection and I accomplished this. This was a 19 man site and there were only 7 men on site when I arrived. I had to get rid of one man because he was a drug user. This was my last assignment in Vietnam. After the IG Inspection which we passed, I recommended 4 of my men for the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service for their participation in preparing for the Inspection. Before my departure I was awarded the Bronze star.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
The most meaningful was the two Army Commendation Medals I received in Vietnam for my work of bringing two different Signal Sites up to maximum efficiency. Then I was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service during that year of service in Vietnam. I was recommended for the Army Commendation

Operations Sergeant 1968.

for Meritorious Achievement in 1969 for my work in getting a signal site completed when it had been sitting non-operational for two years due to the lack of three 60 foot tall telephone poles. The recommendation was sent back to the company to be re-written and instead of rewriting it, someone threw it in the trash. I was able to get the poles, get them installed and get the site operational.

I accomplished this in a period of two months working with the German Electric Company and the U.S. Army Facilities Engineers as well as the German Labor Service. To me, this was the greatest accomplishment for me in my 20 years of service and I did not receive the award. At my Retirement, I was awarded another Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service.

Soon after my retirement, I received the Army Meritorious Service Medal which my last Company Commander had recommended.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?

Company Operations Sergeant 1968

First Sergeant Burnic D. Richey in 1969. When the Company Commander, the previous First Sergeant, and Executive Officer were all relieved of duty, I remained with the company as the Operations Sergeant. When the new First Sergeant came in he made corrections that included taking away many jobs I had that were never mine to deal with. He guided me in many ways.

After the assignment with this company, both the First Sergeant and myself were transferred to Vietnam where again he was my First Sergeant. I got in touch with him many years after we retired and kept in touch with him until his death in June 2013.

LIST THE NAMES OF OLD FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH, AT WHICH LOCATIONS, AND RECOUNT WHAT YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THEM. INDICATE THOSE YOU ARE ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH AND THOSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH.
In basic training at Camp Chaffee in 1955, I served with Robert D. Graham Jr. from Fort Smith, Arkansas. I went on a double date with him in 1956 in Frankfurt, Germany. While in basic, his family came on base and took Robert on a picnic. I was invited along.

I served with all of the below-named individuals at the Melibocus Radio Relay Station, Company A, 102nd Signal Battalion in Frankfurt, Germany.

SFC Michael J. Kishmoian (New York) 1956/1957 Site Chief
SP1 Albert W. Spangler (West Virginia) 1956/1958 Day shift operator/repair. In 1967 I served one week with Spangler in Dalat, Vietnam.

CPL Schneider- (Illinois) 1957/1958 Site Chief for a short period.
SP3 Bill Moore- (Oklahoma) 1956/1957
SP3 James Mitchner- (Pennsylvania) 1956
SP2 Horace Smith- (South Carolina) 1956
SP3 Jerry L. Cordis- (Broken Bow, Nebraska 1957/1958 Deceased. Jerry and I double-dated a few times.
PFC John Padden -(Pennsylvania) 1957/1958
PFC James Cutts -1957/1958
PFC Ketzner- 1957/1958
PFC Gary Martin- (Chicago, Illinois) 1957/1958
PFC David Lebanoff
SFC Almond S. Peppers- 1957/1958, In late 1958 SFC Peppers visited me at my quarters at Fort Monmouth, NJ

SGM Lloyd Appleby. When I was in Company A, 102nd Signal Battalion, and stationed at Melibocus Remote Radio Relay station, near Darmstadt, Germany, Appleby was stationed at Bocksberg Remote Radio Relay Station in the Harz Mountains. When I was promoted to SP3, I noticed that Appleby was on the same orders and promoted to SP2. In 1957 I was promoted to SP2, and on the same orders, Appleby was promoted to SP1.

In 1962 I was stationed at the Caribbean Signal Agency in Fort Allen, Puerto Rico. Appleby was my NCOIC, and he helped me get promoted to SP6. Then in 1966, I met Appleby at the Group Headquarters in Mannheim, Germany. I was trying to get promoted to SFC, and he was trying to get promoted to MSG. I did make SFC, and Appleby did make MSG.

Then in Vietnam in 1970, in Company B, 361st Signal Battalion, in Danang, Appleby was my First Sergeant. In 1973 I was promoted to MSG, and Appleby was still an MSG. I was able to meet with him at Battalion Headquarters of the 39th Signal Battalion in Bremerhaven, Germany. He was walking down the hall, and we shook hands. We were now both E-8. He was an MSG, and I was a First Sergeant. He told me that he had seen a guy in Frankfurt wearing First Sergeant stripes and thought it was me, but then changed his mind and said, No, it couldn't be. I asked him if he thought I could not make the First Sergeant. After I retired, I read in the Army Times that he had been promoted to SMJ. Appleby had six more years of service than I did. We were both in the same MOS.

Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, from 1958 to 1960, I served with SFC Smith from Hawaii and an SFC Nelson while working in the Microwave maintenance section of the Signal School.

I also served with the below-named individuals at Fort Monmouth from 1958/1960 and then served with them 1960/1963 in Puerto Rico:
SP5 Elmer C. Willet, Jr. from Hyattsville, Maryland. Microwave Repair.
SP5 William A. Masser from Cincinnati, Ohio. Microwave Instructor.
MSG Masser came to see me at the Chu Lai Radio Site in Chu Lai, Vietnam, and spent the night. This was in the spring of 1971.

SP6 Joseph J. DiNapoli 1968/1970
Joseph was an SP5 Cook but had been assigned as a clerk in the Company Operations in Giessen, Germany, where I was the Operations Sergeant. He was promoted to SP6 and reassigned as a cook in Darmstadt, Germany. Joseph was also a bowler with a decent handicap.

First Sergeant Burnic D. Richey. 1968/1970
First Sergeant Richey was assigned to the Stein Nodal Site. The Company Commander, the Executive Officer, and the First Sergeant were relieved of duty, and new personnel was assigned. First Sergeant Richey was reassigned from the Noda Site to Company Headquarters as the First Sergeant. I had been overworked, and he relieved me of many duties that were not supposed to be my responsibility. Then in June 1970, both First Sergeant Richey and I were reassigned to Vietnam. For the first six months, he was again my First Sergeant. Then I was reassigned to another site, and he was reassigned to the site which I had just left.

LTC Dennis D. Foggy Lives in Monticello, Florida 1971/1974
When Dennis was a Captain, he served as the Battalion S-4 Officer with the 447th Signal Battalion in Darmstadt, Germany. He served a short period as acting Detachment Commander. For six months, I was the Acting First Sergeant of HHD Detachment, 447th Signal Battalion. I was then reassigned to the Battalion S-3. In 1973 Dennis was reassigned a Company Commander at Company D, 447th Signal Battalion in Giessen, Germany.

In February 1974, I was assigned to 532nd Signal Company, 39th Signal Battalion in Giessen as the First Sergeant. This is now my 3rd assignment to this company. The Company changed names a few times, but always the same mission and same location.

SGM Angel Martinez Living in Eatontown, N.J. 1974/1975
SFC Angel M. Martinez was the Operations Sergeant at Company D, 447th Signal Battalion, when Dennis was assigned as Company Commander. Angel and I were both bowlers and had a great interest in stereo equipment.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?

Flag at the Melibocus Radio Relay Site

The reaction of my Site Chief in 1957 when I informed him that I had overturned a truck on the main highway. No one was hurt and the truck was repaired.

The other thing that we thought was funny was at our mountain top radio site when the Site Chief raised the U.S. Flag and had it upside down. We did not catch it for two hours. Once we saw the mistake we immediately brought it down and raised it correctly.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
After I retired I worked at a Mercedes Car Dealership for 17 years until I had to retire because of an accident. Since retiring from the civilian job I took up computer repair and building new computers from scratch. I help my neighbors and friends with any computer problem they may have. For strangers, I do charge a small fee much lower than a computer repair shop would charge. Now at the age of 76, I have decided to completely retire and no more computer work.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
I am a member of DAV, (Disabled American Veterans). I personally do not derive any benefits, but since I do donate to them I certainly hope that some disabled American Veterans will receive some benefit.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
I have learned discipline and leadership. I also learned organizational skills which gave me what I needed to be successful in my civilian career. Being able to cope with different personnel problems helped me to deal with some of the same problems in civilian life. When I entered the Army at age seventeen I was already very streetwise, but I believe the Army made me quickly into a man. I know during my career I would watch young men come to my unit and it seems I would watch them grow into men overnight.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE ARMY?
Always obey orders and be as successful as you can be. You are serving your country to preserve freedom. Always respect your superiors. They are correct most of the time. Look for the things they may be wrong about and respectfully inform them of the problem. Every soldier should collect and save as much information about his Army life as he or she can. Save copies of orders, letters, and items such as rank insignia, unit patches. Keep a history of assignments and duties performed. Write a diary for future use in writing their life story. Coming generations will be interested in knowing this.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.

Together We Served and Veteran Community

The questions presented me the opportunity to clearly define my thoughts. The site gives me the opportunity to let others see and read about my experiences in the military. I am constantly adding and editing the information I have posted.

KC 4.23.20