Reunion 2023

HOTEL AMENITIES

ALL our guests will enjoy a 2-Room Suite during their stay at the Embassy Suites Downtown Hotel and get a FREE Breakfast (fully cooked-to-order) every morning, plus a FREE Cocktail Reception (2-drinks) every evening. Includes beer, wine, spirits and hors d’oeuvres.

We will have our own 2500 square foot meeting room to use as our Hospitality Room each day of the reunion.

On our last day of the reunion, we will have a Texas BBQ Buffet Luncheon, along with a cash bar inside of the hotel atrium for everyone in our group to enjoy together.

Flat Reunion Fee Cost

Our Reunion Fees includes a Name Badge, access to our Hospitality Room, all of the Hotel Amenities, (1) Raffle Ticket for a $500 Best Buy Gift Card, and one (1) Texas Style BBQ Buffet Luncheon Ticket, along with another chance to see and visit with your buddies!

Reunion Fee: $100/per person

Payment Deadline: February 24, 2023. No refunds after January 31, 2023

Other Events: None to mention at this time

Veterans who are planning to attend are listed below by their HERD unit:

John Ackelson

Pilot

Gordy Anderson

Pilot

Don Armstrong

Door Gunner

Tony Bolivar

Pilot

Sonny Caughlin

Crew Chief

Joe Cole

Pilot

Ned Costa

Crew Chief / Gunner

Art Cruz

Door Gunner

Michael Dow

Door Gunner

Bob Durand

Pilot

Mike Gauntt

Pilot

Steve Greene

Pilot

Zelner Houchin

Crew Chief

Harold James

Crew Chief

Bob Jameson

Crew Chief

Jim Jeffryes

Pilot

Phil Johnson

Pilot

Neil Kimerer

Crew Chief / Gunner

Jaime Longoria

Crew Chief / Gunner

Robert McDonald

Crew Chief / Gunner

Don McKeough

Pilot

Chuck Merkel

Pilot

Bruce Neva

Crew Chief / Gunner

Terry Lee Parker

Avionics

Tomas Rendon

Crew Chief / Gunner

Jim Revoir

Pilot

Don Sholett

Crew Chief / Gunner

Tony Simmons

TOC Specialist

Sal Sosa

Crew Chief / Gunner

Guy Strang

Pilot

Walter Tanaka

Crew Chief / Gunner

Ken Thibodeaux

Crew Chief / Gunner

Bill Wansing

Crew Chief / Gunner

Cliff White

Pilot

Dave Woodard

Door Gunner

___

James Chin

A/319th Field Artillery

Roscoe Heyman

A/3/503d Infantry

Jim Jenkins

A/3/503d Infantry

Rusty Kulp

C/1/503d Infantry

Rene Macare

A/4/503d Infantry

Dan Sampson

C/2/503d Infantry

Tim Shook

A/1/503d Infantry

Alvin Ward

C/2/503d Infantry

David Watson

C/1/503d Infantry

___

Donny & Leslie

Kidd, Jr.

KIA: Donny Kidd, Sr.

Casper Platoon Challenge Coin

$10/per coin

Our latest coin design challenge coin was reproduced for the 2020 reunion.

(No Mail Orders)

You can purchase your coins in advance now and pick them up ONLY at the reunion. For information contact:

Steve Greene

YES - Casper Coin

In Stock

Marilyn Jones

Wife

DAT: Joe Jones

Patrick Beltz

N/75th ABN RGR

Larry Cole

N/75th ABN RGR

Dave Cummings

N/75th ABN RGR

Jeff Horne

N/75th ABN RGR

Rodolfo Reodosio

N/75th ABN RGR

___

173d Airborne Brigade:

HHC/Casper Platoon

173d Airborne Brigade:

Infantry

173d Airborne Brigade:

LRRP/LRP/RANGER

Our Mission

Casper Aviation Platoon (CAPO) sponsored reunions are designed to provide a good time for ALL of the Caspers, affiliate Veterans, their family and friends. Click below & let us know if you will be joining us in Fort Worth:

YES – 2023 Reunion

Who Can Attend Our Reunion

Besides the Casper Aviation Platoon Veterans, all other affiliated Vietnam Veterans that were members of the: 173d Airborne Brigade (1/503, 2/503, 3/503, 4/503) and various HHC and support Battalions, N/75th RANGER/LRRP, 335th AHC “Cowboys” and the 61st AHC “Lucky Star” are also invited.

Casper Aviation Platoon REUNION 2023

LZ: FORT WORTH

March 27, 28 & 29

ROOM RESERVATIONS

Our 3-day Reunion Dates are: March 27 thru March 29 Check-out is: March 30. However, our special Casper Platoon Room Rate can also be used to check-in early on Sunday, March 26 (most of our guests do). Come and enjoy yourself, relax and have fun with your family, friends and war buddies!

►►Special Online Booking Link below is the best and easiest way to reserve your suite. Just click:

https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=FTWESES&groupCode=CESCAS&arrivaldate=2023-03-26&departuredate=2023-03-30&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

The Sunday, March 26 date will automatically appear as your check-in arrival date. However, you can change/edit your arrival date during this process. However, most will want to arrive earlier to spend more time in Fort Worth.

Telephone Reservation: (817) 332-6900 or (817) 200-2870 · You must identify yourself with our group: "Casper Platoon Reunion" to get our special rate. Our Group Code is: CAS.

Reservation Deadline: February 24, 2023 to get our special guest room rate: $179 + tax (reservations are based on room availability).

Hotel Parking & Airport Transportation

There is no self-parking available at the hotel. Casper Platoon guests who drive will receive a discounted valet parking rate of $22/day (reg. $32) at the Embassy Suites Downtown Fort Worth hotel.

Hotel Shuttle: The hotel does not have a hotel shuttle. But there are a variety of shuttle/limousine $$ services available at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport or from Love Field Airport. There are also $$ Taxi and UBER rides available.

Street Address: 600 Commerce Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102, USA.

HOME PAGE

Last updated: 5/6/2022

AT A GLANCE

The Embassy Suites Downtown Fort Worth is an all-suite hotel located in the heart of downtown Fort Worth and only one block away from Sundance Square Plaza. There is easy access to more than 30+ restaurants and bars within a short walking distance of the hotel. There is also a lot of indoor and outdoor lounge seating inside of the hotel to meet, eat, drink, etc. There is also a FW Metro bus stop nearby the hotel that can take you all over town including the Fort Worth Stockyards and much more.

BOOK NOW! The rooms are limited to availability!

Special 2-Room Suite Rate: $206/night (reg.$239)

The Embassy Suites Downtown Fort Worth is our reunion base and where our Reunion Cocktail Receptions, Buffet Luncheon and Hospitality Room will be held/located. There is also a lot of FREE time during our reunion for you, your family and buddies to explore fun things to do in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Fort Worth Stockyards

Attractions · Shopping · Entertainment · Dining

Located 3 miles from our hotel and you can ride The Molly Trolley to get you there.

The Fort Worth Stockyards consists of mainly entertainment and shopping venues that capitalize on the "Cowtown" image of Fort Worth. Home to the famous Boot Making, fine Western Wear and a Saloon where customers "can “belly up” to the bar, relax and have a cold beer while in the Stockyards; just like they did in the days of the big cattle drives", as they shop around the store. The city of Fort Worth is often referred to as "Where the West Begins." Whatever kind of entertainment you’re looking for, there are plenty of ways to cut loose at the Stockyards. Take a train ride, catch a shootout show, explore our museums or enjoy the nightlife at a saloon-style bar.

Sundance Square

Shopping & Entertainment

Located 1 block from our hotel, Sundance Square is the name of this 35-block commercial, residential, entertainment and retail district in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. Named after the Sundance Kid in western folklore, it is a popular place for nightlife and entertainment in Fort Worth. The area includes numerous hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, museums, clubs, movie theatres, performing arts, concerts and festivals throughout the year. There are a lot of things to do throughout this area.

The National Vietnam War Museum

Vietnam War History

The National Vietnam War Museum is located in Mineral Wells, Texas and is about an 1 hour drive from our hotel. The museum project was formalized in 1998 to develop a national venue that would create an atmosphere of learning about the Vietnam War era.

At two previous Casper Platoon Reunions to Fort Worth, we visited the museum both times during the first phase of development. During that time, we as a group donated several Casper Platoon Artifacts for display. The construction of the main museum building has now been completed and several of us have already discussed another visit there during our 2023 reunion (Tuesday March 28). Several of our group may have their own vehicles at the reunion and perhaps can offer rides to others? In 2015 and 2018 we as a group rented a chartered bus for the round-trip and stopped for lunch (pay your own) at a local cafe near by the museum.

The admission to the museum is free, but a chartered bus is not. The bus(s) seat 56 people (cost per person to yet be determined). SO if you would like to attend this Optional Event…Please reply accordingly by clicking on one of these links below in order for us to plan the event:

YES - I will have a vehicle and can offer rides or YES - I am interested in the Chartered Bus

We will announce report more when we get get closer to the actual reunion.

Watch this promotional video to see the current state of the museum. (You will be taken to a new window)

https://vimeo.com/283716623

The National Vietnam War Museum

https://www.nationalvnwarmuseum.org

Some Of The Fun Things To See & Do In DALLAS & FORT WORTH