LIEUTENANT COLONEL (RETIRED) JOHN E. GROSS
113 Paddock Club Drive
Panama City Beach, FL 32407
(850) 249-4707
John &
Kay Gross
LTC Gross was a 1965
Distinguished Military Graduate of the East Tennessee State University ROTC
program. His assignments include service as platoon leader and company
commander in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC,
platoon leader and company commander in the 9th Infantry Division
in Vietnam, instructor in the Florida phase of Ranger school, company
commander and battalion logistics officer in the 4th Infantry
Division at Fort Carson, CO, recruiting company commander in Long Island,
NY, operations staff officer, HQ, IX Corps/ U.S. Army Japan, brigade
operations officer and executive officer in the 7th Infantry
Division at Fort Ord, CA, Professor of Military Science at East Tennessee
State University, and seminar chairman and course director at the Armed
Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA.
His military education includes the Infantry Officers' Basic Course, Airbone School, the Ranger Course, Jumpmaster School, the Infantry Officers’ Advanced Course, and the Nuclear and Chemical Targeting Course, all at Fort Benning, GA; the Air Ground Operations School at Hurlburt AFB, FL, and the College of Naval Command and Staff at Newport, RI. LTC Gross earned a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Michigan State University.LTC Gross is the author of Jupiter 6, a novel about Vietnam and “The Tet Battles of Bien Hoa and Long Binh” in the December, 2005 issue of Vietnam Magazine.His awards and decorations include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with "V" device, the Bronze Star for meritorious service, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, two awards of the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnamese Staff Honor Medal, First Class, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Master Parachutist's Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Japanese Parachutist's Badge.Since his retirement in 1988, LTC (Ret) Gross has taught Junior ROTC. He presently teaches at Holmes County High School, Bonifay, Florida.LTC Gross is married to the former Kaye Taft of McMinnville, TN. He has a daughter, Kara, a son, Evan; a stepson Jeremy, a step daughter Hilary, and two grand children, Kristin and Hayden.
Ted
G. Arthurs & Don Lassen
Ted
G. Arthurs was born in the small town of Uhrichsville, Ohio, on October 5,
1929—the same month as the occurrence of the “great crash” of the stock
market, which heralded the world’s terrible depression of the thirties.
After a poverty- stricken childhood, still poor but proud, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps on his seventeenth birthday. Following this three-year hitch, he joined the U.S. Army’s Paratroops, spending the better part of the next twenty-seven years in the Airborne Infantry.
He fought in Korea and Vietnam, during which time he was awarded two Silver Stars, two Purple Hearts, Bronze Star w/”v”, 2 Combat Infantryman’s Badges , the Legion of Merit and more than two dozen other decorations and awards.
He serves as first
sergeant of rifle companies for well over thirteen years and as command
sergeant for eleven years, including four years in the U.S. Corps of Cadets
at West Point.
An ardent family man,
he saw to it that his wife, Marlene and three children accompanied him to
all peacetime assignments.
Ted’s most resent award
came in April 2006 when the World Wide Army Ranger Association selected him
as Airborne Man of the year.
Ted is now leading
the good life taking trips, diving for golf balls and enjoying time with the
family. Ted is a true warrior.
Ted recently wrote a book and had it
published. The name is “Land With No Sun” a story of the brave paratroopers
of the 4th Battalion, 503 rd Airborne Infantry, of the famous 173rd
Airborne Brigade. During his tour with them as their sergeant major from
May 1967 through May 1968, 125 of his 750 brave riflemen were killed in
action, and more than 500 were wounded. Most of these true incidents took
place in the Dakto area of Vietnam’s dark, triple-canopied jungles in the
mountainous central highlands and some in Tuy Hoa’s costal area. T he
purpose of this story is to assist the public in understanding how it really
was.
Tom
& Carol Cruise
CSM Thomas M. Cruise entered the Army in 1961. After completion of BCT, AIT
and jump school, he went to the 101st Abn. Div. After earning the
U.S. Army Ranger tab in 1965, he went to Vietnam with the 173rd
Abn Bde., returned to the 101st Abn. Div, spent one year and went
to the Florida Ranger Camp as an instructor in 1967. During his second tour
to Vietnam in 1969, he served with the Vietnamese Rangers. After returning
to the U.S., he earned the Pathfinder Torch in 1971. Some of his other
assignments were ROTC instructor at St John’s Military Academy, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, 1 sgt of CO. A, 1-17th Mec. Inf. in Korea, drill
sergeant for two years at Ft. Jackson, S.C., 509th Pathfinder Co
at Ft. Rucker, Al., SGM Academy at Ft. Bliss, Texas, reassigned to the 1-75
Ranger Bn. where he was promoted to E-9 and assigned as SGM of DPT, 24th
Inf. Div. Other assignments included CSM of the 3-19 Mec. Inf., and as the
CSM, 2nd Bde, 10 Mtn. Div. CSM Cruise is married to Carolyn
Cruies and has two sons, Robert and Tom.
Some of Tom’s awards and
decorations include, the Bronze Star w/oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart,
Meritorious Service Medal w/oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal w/oak
leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Legion of Merit, NCO Professional
develop ribbon (5) and the Combat Infantry Badg
Tom
& Carol Moody
I joined the Army in 1958
in Raleigh, North Carolina, and completed Basic Training at Fort Jackson,
South Carolina in 1959. I took advanced training at Fort Gordon, Georgia,
at the Military Police School. From there, I was assigned to Redstone
Arsenal in Alabama to work in Military Security. The call came to Redstone
that Airborne soldiers were needed, so I volunteered to join up and was
assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, where I completed jump school in
1959. I was with the 82nd through 1964. During that time, I worked my way
up through the ranks from Sergeant to First Lieutenant.
I have graduated from the following military schools: Military Police School, Ranger School, NCO Academy, Pathfinder School, Infantry Officer Candidate Course, Officer Rotary Wing Aviator Course, Flight Instructor Course and Aircraft Carrier Training Course. I departed Fort Bragg in 1964 and completed three tours of duty in Vietnam, working with Combat Aviation Units as a Pathfinder Unit Leader, Company Commander and in Brigade Operations. Some of my decorations include: Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist's Badge, Air Medal (34th) Award, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 device, Vietnam Service Medal w/2 Silver Stars, Army Commendation Medal w/first Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star Metal second award, Senior Army Aviator Badge, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry w/second Oak Leaf Cluster. In 2004, I was selected Airborne Man of the year by the World Wide Army Ranger Association. In 2006, I was presented the Military Order of Saint Maurice Legionnaire and in 2007, I was selected as a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Training Brigade.
I retired from the Army in 1978, settling in Destin, Florida, where my wife Carol and I ran a family deep-sea fishing business In 2006, I retired from the fishing business and settled on a small ranch in Crestview, Fl. to enjoy the “good” life.
I have been
working with the Swamp Rangers, a group of retired Rangers and supporters of
the military in this area for several years. I helped organize and named the
Swamp Rangers as they operate today. We are an independent organization only
answering to our members. I was elected the first president and have been
re-elected several times. Our mission is to support the 6th
Ranger Training Battalion in any way the commander sees fit. I offer
suggested activities for the troops and their families and he approves or
disapproves them. He request support from us and we provide the support he
needs. Our working relationship with the commanders of Camp Rudder has
created a bond between the active Ranger community and the retired military
community, creating a great working relationship for the health and moral of
our soldiers and their families.
SGM
Frank & Leone Moore
SGM Moore served in the Airborne Infantry from 1955 to 1981 A native of
Monroe Louisiana Moore enlisted in the USMC on 11 May 1951 and served with
the 1st Marine Division, 11th Marine Mike Battery, in
Korea. He served with the Marines from 11 May 1951 to 11 May 1954.
SGM Moore enlisted in the Army on 11 August 1954 and went for refresher training at Ft. Bliss Texas. He was then assigned to the 11th Airborne Division, 503rd Infantry Regiment, the “Rock”. He played football for the Army for one season before going to jump school. After pinning on his jump wings he was assigned to Munich Germany with the 11th ABN, Pentomic Div. Moore served in Germany with the 11th ABN DIV for three years, then on to the 82nd ABN Div . SGM Moore served two tours of duty in Vietnam, the last being with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. After serving in Alaska, he was discharged from the Army with over thirty years of service.
SGM Moore’s schooling and training include Basic Airborne Course, 82nd HALO school, 10th Special Forces long range patrol school, Jump Masters course, Distinguished Graduate Special Forces Recondo School, Distinguished Graduate Army Ranger school and the Instructor training course summer and winter NWTC.
SGM Moore’s Awards and decorations include: Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star medal 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal (9 award), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Expert Rifle M-16, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Occupational Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Overseas Service Ribbon and numerous campaign ribbons.
SGM Moore was the
jumpmaster for one night airborne combat operation, on 1 December 1967 with
a long-range patrol of company E, 20th Infantry Airborne.
Colonel Stan Shaneyfelt attended Northeast Louisiana State University on an athletic scholarship and joined the army as a private in March 1957. He was commissioned through the Infantry Officer Candidate program at Ft. Benning. Some of his assignments include establishing the ROK Army Ranger School, led a recon platoon , two rifle platoons and commanded two rifle companies in 2/504 and 1/503 ABGs. Sr Adv 33d ARVN RNG BN, XO/CDR 3BN, 187 INF, 101st ABN DIV, VN and Sr Adv 2D ARVN ABN BDE. CHN BNG RNG CMTE, CDR (ABN) US Army Element, TFs 7/11, US Strike CMD, MacDill AFB, FL. CDR 2D BN, 21st INF, 24th INF DIV (Light). G1, 1st INF DIV, Ft. Riley, KS. Joint TRADOC/FORSCOM Project Officer for orchestrating the writing and fielding of the Battalion Training Management System (BTMS). ASST DIV (FWD) CDR, CDR 3D BDE, 1ID (FWD) Goppingen, GE. DIR RNG DEPT, USAIS.
Military education includes: 7th Army NCO Academy, INF Officer CAND School, RNG CRSE, ABN SCH, Pathfinder, Jumpmaster, SPEC Warfare Counter Insurgency Course Ft Bragg, DLI (VN/German), IOAC, Armed Forces STF College, Army Installation MGMT CRSE, Army War College. Stan is a graduate of the U. of Tampa.
Awards and decorations include the SS w/2 OLC, LOM w/1 OLC, DFC, BS w/ 1 Silver OLC, PH w/ OLC, MSM w /OLC, AM (Num 11), CIB, RNG TAB, Pathfinder BDG, MSTR Parachute Wings, VN RNG Combat BDG, ARVN ABN MSTR Parachute Wings. Included in 7 foreign decorations is The Order of National Security, (SAMIL) Medal presented by the President of South Korea. COL Shaneyfelt has been inducted into the Infantry Officer Candidate School and Army Ranger Halls of Fame. He is a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Training Brigade.
Stan retired from the military in 1987. He worked for defense contractors for ten years at Ft. Benning, GA, and Eglin AFB. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Shalimar, FL, with their miniature schnauzer, Quincy.
Ed and Elva Scholes
PERSONAL PROFILE SUMMARY:
Served 35 years in U.S. Army in
key leadership positions from platoon leader to deputy commanding general of
XVIII Airborne Corps, Third U.S. Army, and a major NATO command.
He has served in Infantry, Airborne Infantry, Special Forces, and Ranger
units, to include four combat tours in three conflicts. Primary theater of
interest since 1980 has been Middle East. Retired from
active military in 1996 as Major General to assume position as Project
General Manager of Army supervised contract to provide training and support
to Saudi Arabian National Guard. After six and a half years in Saudi
Arabia, returned to U.S. in 2002 as private consultant. Since June 2002,
worked as private contractor for several U.S .firms ., which involved
defense related work in Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Algeria, Columbia, Peru,
Bolivia and USA.
CAREER EXPERIENCE:
Project General Manager, 1996-2002. Worked in Saudi Arabia for six and a half years for Vinnell/Northrup Grumman Corporation to manage the implementation of U.S. Army-supervised contract, which provided all necessary training and support to Saudi Arabian National Guard, their nation’s immediate ready force of 100K soldiers. Planned and supervised training from individual level to unit level to national command staff level. Provided all support requested to include construction projects. Supervised the work of 350 Americans, 400 Saudis and 800 sub-contract workers. Reorganized and modernized their forces through improved training in schools and units, and through the extensive use of graded field exercises.Deputy Commander and Commander of U.S. Army Forces, NATO Major Command, Turkey, 1993-1995. Responsible for all operational and contingency planning, and exercises for NATO Land Southeast Command in Turkey. Involved wartime planning against Syria, Iran, Iraq, and other countries along NATO’s southeastern boundary.Deputy Commander of XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, Fort Bragg, N.C., 1991-93. Provided command supervision for 25 Brigade-size units in SE United States for all operations, training, exercises and deployments. Supervised the management and operations of Fort Bragg.Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of XVIII Airborne Corps, 1990-91, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. Led the deployment of XVIII Airborne Corps elements into Saudi Arabia on 9 Aug. ’90. Forward Commander of XVIII Airborne Corps forces deployed to Saudi Arabia for first three weeks of Desert Shield/Storm. Responsible for command supervision of 50,000 soldiers of Corps units for combat operations and support during the war.Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force-South (JTF-South) and Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, 1989-90, as Chief of Staff of JTF-South, led the deployment of Corps elements to Panama in preparation and implementation of Operation Just Cause. As Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, supervised all operations and activities of Corps and Fort Bragg.Assistant Division Commander, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C., 1988-89. Responsible for the training, support, deployment and employment of assigned units of the Division.Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff, Third U.S. Army/ARCENT, Fort McPherson, Georgia, 1985-88. Responsible for the operational/contingency planning and coordination, support, exercises, theater programs, deployment and employment of all Army forces in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.Commander, Infantry Training Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1983-1985. Responsible for the basic and individual training to Army standard of Infantry recruits.Deputy G-3, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 1980-83. Responsible for the planning, coordination, assessment, deployment and exercises of Corps units in support of all combatant CINCs. Corps was also Army Headquarters for Rapid Deployment Joint Fast Force (RDJTF) for Middle East Theater before CENTCOM was formed.Commander, 2d Training Battalion, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1977-79. Responsible to train to Army standard all new Infantry officers. Completely revamped the training program from 90% in classroom to 90% in field environment with assigned training cadre.Commander, Infantry Battalion, Korea, 1976-77. Responsible for the training, discipline, welfare, deployment, employment and combat readiness of battalion personnel and equipment. Participated in “tree-cutting” crisis with North Korea.U.S. Army Representative to USMC Development and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia, 1975-76. Taught U.S. Army subjects at all USMC schools at Quantico and served as member of USMC Worldwide Briefing Team.Executive Assistant to Comptroller of the Army, Pentagon, 1971-74. Responsible to prepare Comptroller for all official trips, meetings, briefings and duties as Comptroller and Chairman of Board, Army/AF Exchange Service.Senior Advisor, I Corps Ranger Command (ARVN), Vietnam, 1970-71. Responsible for the planning, coordination, organization, deployment, support and combat operations of 9 Ranger Battalions and a Ranger Group located within I Corps Tactical Zone. Provided command and support to U.S. Ranger Advisors in units. Transitioned 9 ARVN Special Forces Battalions to ARVN Ranger Battalions-BDQ. Assisted in planning and support, and participated in support of BDQ in first Operational Level Operation (LAM SON 719) in Vietnam.Commander, Airborne Infantry Rifle Company and S-3, Airborne Infantry Battalion, 1st Air Cav Div, Vietnam, 1967-68. Participated in combat operations throughout I and II Corps Tactical Zones.Commander, Operational Detachment A, 10th Special Forces Group, Bad Tolz, Germany, 1963-66. Responsible for the planning, training, exercises, and conduct of unconventional operations in Europe, Balkans, and Middle East. Also responsible for conduct of MOS course, to include tradecraft training, for Operations and Intelligence Sergeants.Executive Officer and Platoon Leader, Infantry Rifle Company, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1961-63. Participated in Cuban Crisis and trained to accomplish amphibious landings during planned assault.
EDUCATION:
Civilian.
Bachelor of Science (cum laude), Physics, North
Georgia College and State
University, Dahlonega, Georgia.
Master of Science, Operations Research, Naval
Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.
Defense Policy Seminar, Harvard
University JFK School of Government, Wash. D.C.
Executive Leadership Course, Eckerd College,
St. Petersburg, Florida
Military.
Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses
USMC Command and Staff College
U.S. Army War College
General Officer Capstone Course
NATO Senior Officer Course
Ranger Course
Airborne Course (US, German, and
British)
Special Warfare Course
Special Forces Officer Course
Counterinsurgency Course
Jumpmaster Course
Pathfinder Course
Ross & Nancy Franklin
Col (Ret) J. Ross Franklin, PhD lived in a Roman Catholic Monastery for
seven years, 1995-2002, leaving only to take care of his brain injured son.
His principle duty in the monastery was raising funds through various
business ventures for charitable purpose. During his US Army career he has
received 13 individual valor awards from the US Army and 5 from the
government of Vietnam. He is the most decorated officer in his West Point
class of 1950, receiving every award for valor awarded by the US Army except
one. He commanded every unit from a Ranger platoon of 25 men to an airborne
brigade of 7,000 men in 48 months of combat in two wars. He was wounded
twice. He is airborne and ranger qualified, as well as being a rated Army
aviator. He was the deputy of the Peers Commission who investigated the My
Lai massacre and was responsible for writing the report that went to the
President of the United States and other senior officials.
In the book of Pulitzer Prize winner
Seymour Hirsh, COVER UP, about the Peers Commission Hirsh writes that
General Peers called Colonel Franklin, “the most qualified officer in the
United State Army for the job”, in testimony before a secret sub committee
session of Congress. Franklin was given less than 12 hours to leave the
Congo (Brazzaville), a communist oriented country, when the Prime Minister
complained to the US ambassador about his alleged activities attempting to
bring down the government. He is a member of the Legion of Valor, an
organization of those who hold one of the two highest US awards for valor.
He was a student at the French War College (Ecole Superiure de Guerre) in
Paris for two years. This school is essential in the French Army to become a
general. He was featured in a newspaper article for a charitable project he
worked on in the mid '80's.
He professed poverty, obedience and chastity in the monastery. He was a
principal in a 60 Minutes documentary TV program where he was a protagonist
against a senior officer he had relieved in combat who falsely accused him
of war crimes. It was the longest segment produced to that time and won the
Emmy award that year. CBS was sued for 60 million USD as a result of this
program and Franklin was their principle witness. CBS won the suit, after an
evidentiary dispute went to the US Supreme Court.