A Message from the President

By vote I became the new President of the 101st Airborne Division, Vietnam Veterans Organization. I am a native Washingtonian, born and raised in Northwest section of the city. I enlisted in the US Army in April 1966, completed the Southeastern Signal School in November 1966 and Airborne at Ft. Benning, GA in December 1966 and deployed to Germany in March of 1967 with the 10th Special Forces Group and later the 8th Signal Battalion. The highlight of my stay in Germany was the six day war in the Mideast, as an augmentee of the 509th Airborne and was assigned to the reactionary force slated to relieve Israel had they given the appearance of losing the engagement which all military history buffs know, didn't come close to happening. I found it one of those strange ironies of life how one minute you're sitting in the EM club drinking Jim Beam and ginger ale, the next minute you're sitting on the tarmac by the C-130 getting ready to go to war.

As part of the build up for the division's deployment, I was reassigned to A Co., 1/502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division in October 1967 then quartered at Ft. Campbell, Ky. In the replacement Company I was told that I now had the honor of serving in the Infantry, the Queen of Battle, when I informed my captors that I didn't have any infantry training or experience, they told me, "We'll get you some." They kept their promise! I served with A Company in the Republic of Vietnam from December 1967 until October 1968 at which time I was infused into the 199th light Infantry Brigade. I served in all of A Companies platoons and participated in all of it's major engagements with the exception of the Battle of Phouc Yen because I had been sent to Division Headquarters in Ben Hoa the day before by Captain Spiegleberg. When I returned to the states I was discharged in December of 1968 with an early out.

I attended the Washington Technical Institute and American University where I received an Associates Degree in Corrections Administration and Bachelors Degree Administration of Justice respectively. I spent a life long career in law enforcement, first as a Federal Protective Office, then as a Corrections Officer and eventually a Criminal Investigator in the US Department of Justice. I retired in August of 2002 with 37.5 years service. I now work as a contract Background Investigator for the US Department of State. I also spent 14 years in the 121st MP Det., DC Army National Guard as a Criminal Investigator (CID).

I became a member of the organization after discovering its existence on the internet and attended my first meeting at the Myrtle Beach, S.C. reunion in 2005. I live with my lovely wife Cookie about three blocks south of Walter Reed Army Hospital and about one mile east of General Cushman who also resides in Northwest Washington. Cookie and I are blessed, all of our children and grandchildren are doing well......maybe too well because it seems like the grandchildren are always over at their house!

I am a 3rd Degree Master Mason in good standing with Hiram Lodge #4, F. & A. M. and the Bachelor-Benedict Club, Inc. of the District of Columbia. For those of you who don't already know, I am the proud, sole surviving son of the late Eugene C. Allen of White House Butler fame.

Our 2010 reunion at Ft. Campbell saw the unveiling of the long awaited memorial to the brave troopers of the 1/502nd infantry, 101st Airborne Division, Vietnam era. To those brave young men who made the ultimate sacrifice, we have forever enshrined their names in stone for future generations to acknowledge and honor. As the new President I would like to personally thank all of those who gave of their precious time and resources to see this great effort come to fruition. We have fought the good fight, we have finished the race, we have met the charge, and we have kept the faith.

I feel as all of those who have come before me that at this juncture our first order of business should be solidifying a site and date for our next reunion. As of this writing Washington, DC and Ft. Benning, GA are in the forefront but that’s of course as of this writing. I would like to thank the members for considering and electing me to head this organization dedicated to the preservation of the history of arguably one of the most storied military units to ever take the field, The 101st Airborne Division. It is a distinct honor and privilege to serve.

I can be contacted at callen101@verizon.net

A Message from the President

Charles E. Allen