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Recently Declassified Report on
Fixed Wing Gunships in SEA!

Also NEW:  A Night to Remember Rescue of Spectre 22
...by Gunner Bob Jacobs

2013 40th Annual Spectre Reunion
Oct 10-13, 2013
Countdown
 

HOTEL REGISTRATION

IS OPEN!!!

 Special "Thanks" to our Good Friends at the Sheraton Four Points for their support of our Reunion as this is the 3rd Year in a row that they haven't raised prices...TRUE FRIENDS OF SPECTRE! 
THANKS AGAIN FOUR POINTS!

JUST IN!

SP Hotel Korat Article
Spectre guys doing what Spectre guys do!

2012 Spectre Spotlight
 (Reunion Newsletter)

NEW SURVEY

Spectre Maintenance Team:  Please take this SURVEY to let us know if you would like a new Spectre License Plate Created with the same Ghostrider Logo as our AirCrew Plates.  You have been asking so we would like to give you options.  Sorry, we cannot order all the dozens of individual jobs as specialty plates but want you to know you ARE one of us and we want you to have the same plate option as us.  Survey closes in 30 days.

  SAD NEWS:

Senior Master Sergeant James E. Paris, U.S. Air Force Retired, 76, passed away at his residence on Tuesday, January 15, 2013. He was a native of Cleveland, NC, and the son of the late Hal and Della Paris. Sergeant Paris was an active and devoted member of East Pine Grove Park United Methodist Church and God’s Corner, Johnson City. He had been a resident of the local area since 1996. Sergeant Paris was a veteran of over twenty two years, having retired in 1975 at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He served three tours of combat duty in Southeast Asia, two as an aerial gunner on “Spectre” AC-130 gunships flying over 200 combat missions. His military decorations include two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, ten Air Medals, two Commendation Medals, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Gold Palm. He was a member of the American Legion Post 22, NorthGlenn, CO, and life member of VFW Post 3631, Aurora, CO...More...

Good Friends... It is with great sadness that I pass along to you that our friend and brother former Spectre FE, Matt Chaknis, lost his battle with cancer on Mar 25, 2013 and passed peacefully. Matt will be missed greatly.

Matthew L. Chaknis, age 58, of Edinburg, NY, died Monday morning, March 25, 2013 at St. Mary's Hospital, Amsterdam, following a brief illness.  The family will receive relatives and friends from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 28th at Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, 51 Fremont St; Gloversville, where a service will follow at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Bonnie Orth officiating. Interment with Military Honors will take place in the spring at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Johnstown.  Memorial contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to SPCA of Upstate NY, 588 Queensbury Ave; Queensbury, NY 12804 or to a military charity of your choice.

He was born May 28, 1954 in Gloversville, the son of the late William and Catherine Clifford Chaknis.   Matthew served his country faithfully for over 15 years from 1976 to 1992 in the Air Force in the 16th Special Operations Group as a flight engineer technician, stationed at Hurlburt Field in Florida.

·        http://brbsfuneral.com/obituary/Matthew-L.-Chaknis/Edinburg-NY/1192299

More Sad News... 

Dale R. Osborn, Ubon Spectre IO and USAF combat controller passed away March 2, 2013 following a battle with cancer.  Dale was member of Rick Collins crew 1970-1972 and flew over 300 missions.  He was injured when aircraft received multiple 57 mm rounds in March 1972.  He will be missed..  Crew picture 1971.  Dale "Ozzie"  Osborn is back row on right, second from end.  Arms behind in parade rest and not wearing survival vest.

A memorial to honor the life of Mr. Dale R. Osborn, of the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron, was held on Tuesday, March 12, at 3pm the Holloman Chapel. We ask that each of you take some time from your busy schedule to come pay your respects to a true American Hero, a fellow Airman who, as a former Air Force Combat Controller, earned five Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals and three Purple Hearts. Keep the Osborn family in your thoughts and prayers. Please contact SMSgt Edward Medina, 49 CES/CEA or 2Lt Christopher Cashen, 49 CES/CEA, if you would like to make a donation, send cards, flowers or gifts to the Osborn family.

More Sad News:  A true "Friend of Spectre" has passed:

Pracha of Pracha Jewelry in Ubon and Korat  and Bangkok Passed away yesterday! Burial services will be held in Bangkok at an unnamed wat on the 5th of march.

Spectre Joe, Larry Butterworth and Dave Burns will be attending the service. Pracha got sick un-expectantly on the night of the23rd and died on the 24th of Feb. 

He was a very good friend  of forty two years and was well known by all the Ubon Bunch.  His Son Peter and daughter Fatima are both married now. His wife Jazz  is devastated.

Jan 18, 2013 Hurlburt Warrior Newspaper
"The most fearsome weapon is evolving" featured on pg. 14

And DON'T MISS our President, Bill Walter, featured on pg. 4 as well!
Thanks to Don "The Chief" Beardsley for sending this in!

NEW BOOK:  SPECTRE GUNNER:  This is the true story of  Master Sergeant David M. Burns, an aerial gunner assigned to the deadliest squadron in air force history. Aboard the AC-130 Spectre gunship, he flew a total of 287 combat missions over Laos, South Vietnam, and Cambodia, in pursuit of the truck traffic coming down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. His squadron destroyed more than fifteen thousand trucks loaded with war munitions destined for South Vietnam and Cambodia. Despite heavy and constant anti-aircraft and missile fire, the loss of six aircraft and the lives of fifty-two men, the crew never wavered in its dedication to the mission.

BLAST FROM THE PAST!  First Flight Engineers at Ubon
Photo from MSgt Chuck Beasley (FE) & Charlie Spicka (AC)

16 SOS CHANGE OF COMMAND

U.S. Air Force Col. Bill West, 27th Special Operations Group commander, Lt. Col. Tracy Onufer, 16th Special Operations Squadron relinquishing commander, and Lt. Col. James Mott, 16 SOS commander, stand as they commence the 16 SOS change of command ceremony at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Nov. 9, 2012. The 16 SOS flies the AC-130H Spectre gunship and provides air support. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jette Carr)

NEW!!!  New Videos from Ubon 1972 Donated by Larry "LiL Pete" Peterson...Thanks LiL Pete! AND 1970 "Sockey Game"
Photos of Spectre -v- Special Forces

MOST RECENT REUNION!!!
The 39th Spectre Reunion Information
A HUGE Thanks to our recent DONORS
Larry "Lil" Pete" Peterson $3000 (to enable all non-winning 2012 Scholarship Applicants to win a $500 Scholarship each!

Claude Bradshaw $224
Roger Dale $130
Lil Pete (yes, another donation) $120
Stu Jorgensen $75
Mark Gunn $25
DONATIONS
 We also now have the capability to take in your donations via any Major Credit card
and PayPal as well.  Please contribute to help out the Spectre Association today! 
Click on button below to make a Donation and THANKS for supporting the Association!

2012 39th Annual Spectre Association Reunion
PHOTOS ARE HERE!!!

Oct 4-7. 2012 at the BEAUTIFUL Sheraton Four Points!

LOTS of NEW Spectre Pride & Vietnam Photos...check them out!
(Don't miss the Lang Metzger Memorial Page as well)

A small Christmas Gift from us all!  Downloadable Christmas cards to email to your friends.  Just click on the small image then right click, "Save Image as" to save to your computer and email away!  Merry Christmas!!!