All the pictures in this collection are of troops and vehicles assigned to 
D Company, 1 Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry in Vietnam

2005

Jerry Williamson (center) shares combat experiences with SPC Brian Noaker (l) and 1LT Joseph Linhart (r).  Jerry served in D co in Vietnam as an SP-5 and went on to pursue several careers as a policeman, private investigator, and a therapist.  Eric served in Kilo Troop as a sergeant and became a contractor, a job he still holds today.  Lt. Linhart is the fire support officer for E troop, 2-11 ACR in Iraq.	Jerry Williamso, Eric Newton and Lt Linhart in Iraq where they were filming a documentary about the Blackhorse deployment to Iraq.

Both men served in Vietnam with distinction in the same job in sister battalions, but both men never met, not until about a month ago. A meeting that never took place in one foreign land finally became actualized in another, where a new generation of Soldiers is again fighting to bring peace and democracy to a war-torn country. 

Members of the 11th ACR Veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia Association, Williamson and Newton both felt the urge to visit Iraq, to reconnect with the unit that they last fought with over 35 years ago when the two men were just young Soldiers. By gaining support from the present chain of command, the two men came to Iraq together to see the Soldiers who continue to carry on the Blackhorse tradition.

During their seven day stay, Williamson and Newton were allowed unprecedented access to Task Force 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. From living in a forwarding operating base to going out on counter-insurgency patrols, the Vietnam Vets were able to witness the full spectrum of operations that the 11th ACR Soldiers have been conducting in their deployment to Iraq. 

1  courtesy of 1LT Joseph Linhart, Echo Troop Fire Support Officer