Kindness of Colonel Welch

f50lrrp · 07-29-2009, 11:24

In 1969, I had just arrived in Los Angeles, after returning via the Oakland Army Depot and SFO from a year and a half in RVN. I took a taxi from LAX to my Mother’s house and opened the door with a key that she had mailed to me. It was obvious that she wasn’t home because there was no perishables in the house.

I called my aunt the next morning to ask where my Mom was and my aunt told me that she was at Letterman, in San Francisco, with my Dad. She further explained that my Dad had been in a jeep accident in Korea and had been medivacted to Letterman for treatment. She asked if thew Red Cross had notified me and I replied no.

I quickly flew to SFO and went to the hospital. My Dad had developed bi-lateral pneumonia and it was hit or miss wether he would survive. My Mom told me that she had asked the Red Cross three days before to notify my Brother and me.

I went to the phone and tried to call my Brother at his OCS company only to be told by the candidate CQ that my brother was at the Officer’s Club because he was a senior candidate. The CQ told me that he was under orders to not disturb the instruction that the company was receiving. I tried to explain the situation to the CQ but he just hung up on me.

I then called Colonel Lamar Welch, who was the Commandant of the Parachute School. I explained to Colonel Welch that I was just back from Vietnam and that I was a paratrooper, that my Dad was a WWII paratrooper (now a Colonel) and that my Brother was also a paratrooper and that Welch had said at my graduation from the parachute school that if we were ever in a bind and called upon another paratrooper for help and the other paratrooper didn’t help to let Welch know. I suggested to the Colonel that I needed help and didn’t know anyone else at Fort Benning to call on for help.

Colonel Welch asked me for all of the pertinent details and promised to do what he could.

My Brother had Colonel Welch show up at the Officers Club in his fatigue uniform and tell the Company Commander what he wanted done. The next morning my Brother arrived at Letterman Hospital in his Class A uniform. He explained that Colonel Welch had pulled some magic and that at 9:30 pm there was a T-10 trainer waiting at Pope AFB to transport him to Travis AFB. The AF had a staff car waiting on the runway to transport him to Letterman.

My Brother had about an hour with my Dad until my Dad slipped into unconsciousness. The doctor suggested that we go get some lunch and we did. After returning to the hospital we found that my Dad had passed away while we were eating.

I have never forgotten the kindness that Colonel Welch displayed to me and my family.

abc_123 · 07-29-2009, 21:31

I don't know the man but through your story, however I have no doubt that he's the type of man that I'd follow anywhere.

thanks for sharing.

Wayneo79 · 07-30-2009, 10:22

I find that we can always use these rays of sunshine in our busy life.

Thanks for sharing.
Wayne O

f50lrrp · 07-30-2009, 11:10

Colonel Welch was the commandant of the Fort Benning Jump School from the 1950s through the time that John Wayne made the movie "The Green Berets".

The movie was filmed at Fort Benning and Colonel Welch played The Commandant of the Jump School in the movie. There was a scene where JW walks up to a colonel and asks how many of the men jogging by were going to be his,,,

SF_BHT · 07-30-2009, 15:09

I take it this is who you are talking about....Col Welch.jpg

Mike · 07-30-2009, 22:15

Col Welch pinned on my wings as I was DHG April, '67.

He did a good one for your family.

mark46th · 07-31-2009, 18:23

He was the Airborne School Commandant when I went through in January 1971. He gave an interesting speech to the class...

Richard · 07-31-2009, 21:30

I was in the same class as Mark - COL Welch was still there and a legend around Fort Benning - and he was still a legend when I returned to become Branch Chief of Tower Training Branch in the 4th Airborne Training Battalion in 1984 and later HHC CDR in 1-507th in 1986.

Richard's $.02

wbturner · 08-01-2009, 20:43

Col. Welch personally pinned my wings on in Oct 1966 when I graduated Jump school. He was the kind of man you could follow anywhere. He made every new paratrooper feel like he was part of the whole thing. Great Man!

W B Turner

**PRB** · 08-01-2009, 21:45

When did he leave Command of the Airborne School, anyone know? Not sure if he was there when I went thru or not.

Mike · 08-01-2009, 23:06

There was a story that his career was damaged when a barracks he was responsible for burned and some guys died.
We had a fireguard on each floor in 45th Co.

He gave a speech on how good paratroopers looked with spitshines and pegged pants.

We all got our khakis pegged.

A bunch of us got to SFTG together and after a parade formation one day everybody with pegged pants had to go and 'splain ourselves.
Neer heard anymore about it.

Penn · 08-02-2009, 04:56

Quote:

I was in the same class as Mark - COL Welch was still there and a legend around Fort Benning - and he was still a legend when I returned to become Branch Chief of Tower Training Branch in the 4th Airborne Training Battalion in 1984 and later HHC CDR in 1-507th in 1986.

Richard
This would would mean that both you and Col. Welch were responsibile for my training. While you were there, did you ever hear the story of the disapperance of the "Airborne Student Equalizer"? The baseball bat that was hung on a hook outside the window every morning by the "Black Hats".

Richard · 08-02-2009, 05:30

Quote:

While you were there, did you ever hear the story of the disapperance of the "Airborne Student Equalizer"? The baseball bat that was hung on a hook outside the window every morning by the "Black Hats".

Nope - which group did it belong to? Ground, Jump, or one of the companies?

FWIW - training companies were 43rd, 44th, 45th, and 46th in 4th Airborne Training Battalion and then became A, B, C, and D when the 1-507th was reactivated in October 1986.

Richard

Penn · 08-02-2009, 05:39

I Believe it was the 43rd, a bit fuzzy on that and the Company motto, which I think was was “Death from Above”.

Penn · 08-02-2009, 05:47

The Bat was found by me in my wall locker, placed there by my fellow friend in crime from 12th Grp. After jokingly making the suggestion that we should "Get" the bat... Needless to say, the black hats drilled us until 9PM or so outside the barracks, merciless PT. A lot of people were very pissed off.
You can image my surprise when released and finding it in the locker. Getting it out of the room and back on the hook was the real trick though.