On Nov. 9-11, the Vietnam Veterans from ALPHA Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Regiment (Black Lions), 1st Infantry Division will be holding their Annual Reunion. This is the 11th year that they have met in Northern Kentucky and say they love the central location for attendees and continue to return for the friendly, supportive hospitality.
Member Bob Gruen’s granddaughter, a student at Goodridge Elementary School in Hebron, Ky., invited him to attend what was then a small Veteran’s Day celebration. Several ALPHA members tagged along and were impressed by the student participation, so they have continued to return to what has now grown to a celebration at the neighboring high school football field. This year’s celebration will be held on Friday, Nov. 9.
During past reunions, the brothers of ALPHA Company compiled a recorded oral history of two major events they participated in during 1968. The first event was the Tet Campaign which began on Jan. 31 and lasted into March. The second event was a major engagement with a large North Vietnam Army (NVA) force in the Loc Ninh area about 90 kilometers north of Saigon. This battle in Loc Ninh lasted 4 days and resulted in relieving pressure by NVA in this area. All the attendees participated in one or the other, and some participated in both. Thus, the 50-year anniversary is very memorable for all the brothers of ALPHA Company.
Excerpt articles from their recorded history have been published in issues of the Vietnam Magazine. The first was in the magazine’s annual Tet issue, Feb 2016, titled “All Hell Is Breaking Loose.” The second articled appeared in the June 2017 issue titled “A Sergeant’s Prayer Is Answered.” Articles to be published late 2019 and early 2020 are in the works.
The group’s meeting will be held at the Residence Inn Marriott, Erlanger Ky. The brothers of ALPHA appreciate and value the friendships they’ve developed with the personnel at the school and the Residence Inn and look forward to returning to Northern Kentucky.