On August 12, 2012 the Hamilton Hawks had their annual War bird fun fly. The event helped the club raise money and get some publicity. A big thanks goes out to everyone who helped out to make it possible. Club members Chuck Brannigan, John Anthony, Bob Black and Jerry Williston and his wife were a huge help.

The war bird event was a great way to get new pilots out to the field, club members to hang out and to swap old war stories from veteran to veteran. The event also had pilot prizes. There were a lot of cool prizes donated that you could have won. Not to mention, there were two main raffles. The two main raffles included the blue nose and the bf-109. Congratulations to Noli Dabu who won the blue nose and Alie Hall who won the bf-109. Overall the war bird event was a great turn out and we thank everyone who came out and supported the Hamilton Hawks!

Please see here below a list of our club Veterans who responded to my request for this article, thank you to all of you.  We're proud to have you as a part of this club!

2nd Lt. John R. Arbogast Jr USInfantry O1872944
You can include my army experience, if you like, although it is from somewhat longer ago than what you are probably expecting. You don't know me because I have been rather inactive in the Hawks for the past several years although I am a charter member from the time the Club was formed by Bob Smorey in November 1977.  I actually had been flying there in Joyce Park since 1957.  I'm now 83, by the way.
   Anyway I was assigned to active duty in the Infantry in August 1951 to various units eventually ending up at FECOM (Far East Command) in central Korea as a rifle platoon leader in E company 31st Regiment of the 7th Division somewhat North of the 33rd parallel and South of the Yalu river.  There my personal activity was mainly going on patrol every third night.
   My only "claim to fame" (if there is such a thing) is that I led the assault platoon in a somewhat ill-fated event titled "Operation Smack" on "Spud Hill" and even got my name in the Army Journal! This was an exercise to determine if a well-supported daylight raid would succeed against a well fortified location. The conclusion was "Probably Not". Anyway from all this I received  the C.I.B. (Combat Infantryman's Badge), Silver Star, and Purple Heart. In retrospect I guess this was an exciting time although it all seemed mostly uninspiring at the time.
 
Jack Coulson
My name is Jack Coulson. Most people know me as Jack.  I was in the Army  from 1971 to 1974 and served in Vietnam from 1972 to 1973.
I received the Bronze Star medal for my service in Vietnam.

Chris Heather
Chris Heather (aka Bearcat Chris), I ranked Captain in the USAF-R, from 1992 to 2000.  I performed Nurse Practitioner, psychiatry duties in 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton Ohio.
I remain in the IRR (Individual Ready Reserve), and volunteered for combat duty in Iraq, but never was called ….too fat and too old.
My father, Cpl. Roger Heather, was in the first infantry company (63rd Infantry Division) to enter Germany in WWII.  85% of the men in his company were killed or wounded.   Dad received two Bronze Stars, and the Combat Infantry Badge.  My grandfather, Dr. Walter Heather, was a U.S. Army field surgeon in France, during WWII.

Joseph Buschelman.
I served in the Army for 7 1/2 years. I am a combat veteran of the Persian Gulf War - Operation Desert Shield / Storm with the 24th Infantry Division 3rd 41st Field Artillery.

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