Pompano Beach High School Alumni
Pompano Beach, Florida (FL)
Recent Members
| Charles Charles A Kluenie | 1969 |
| Deborah Foss Deborah Knauff | 1975 |
| Jeanne Puder | 1962 |
| Jp Joans | 1972 |
| Linda Neira Linda Graham | 1970 |
| Pete Reisinger | 1964 |
| Shameka Benjamin | 2011 |
| William Hammerly | 1965 |
Military Alumni
Honoring Our Heroes
This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!
Lost Class Rings
Have you lost your Pompano Beach High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Golden Tornadoes lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.
Honored Military Alumni
David Paul Lewis
Class of 1966
Air Force, 20+ Years
Served from 1966 - 1970 including Vietnam and Germany. Attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University the reentered Air Force retiring in 1992.
Class of 1966
Air Force, 20+ Years
Served from 1966 - 1970 including Vietnam and Germany. Attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University the reentered Air Force retiring in 1992.
Dennis W Stricklin
Class of 1968
Army, 20+ Years
4 years Air Force first. Viet Nam '71-'72 got out 1974 for 7.5 yrs then Army for a total of 22 yrs 6 months and 6 days.
Class of 1968
Army, 20+ Years
4 years Air Force first. Viet Nam '71-'72 got out 1974 for 7.5 yrs then Army for a total of 22 yrs 6 months and 6 days.
Desair Rowe
Class of 2001
Army, 4 Years
Served overseas in korea, iraq and Arizona.
Class of 2001
Army, 4 Years
Served overseas in korea, iraq and Arizona.
Frank H. Thomas Jr.
Class of 1965
Marine Corps, 1 Years
Killed in Vietnam
March 30, 1967
Known also as Frank Weidler
Class of 1965
Marine Corps, 1 Years
Killed in Vietnam
March 30, 1967
Known also as Frank Weidler
Harold James Hood
Class of 1960
Air Force, 6 Years
303rd Bombardment Wing, Strategic Air Command (SAC). 4453rd/15th TFW, Tactical Air Command (TAC).
Class of 1960
Air Force, 6 Years
303rd Bombardment Wing, Strategic Air Command (SAC). 4453rd/15th TFW, Tactical Air Command (TAC).
James Daniels
Class of 1967
Army, 3 Years
US Army Vietnam 68-69, Married 7/3/70, reside Sonora, Ky
Class of 1967
Army, 3 Years
US Army Vietnam 68-69, Married 7/3/70, reside Sonora, Ky
John Massey
Class of 1963
Air Force, 4 Years
Strategic Air Command (SAC) KC135 air refueling squadron.
Class of 1963
Air Force, 4 Years
Strategic Air Command (SAC) KC135 air refueling squadron.
Miley E. Parrish
Class of 1965
Navy Reserves, 1 Years
Served from 9-2-69 to 7-24-70
Class of 1965
Navy Reserves, 1 Years
Served from 9-2-69 to 7-24-70
PHILLIP THOMAS STAHL
Class of 1960
Army, 4 Years
A SHAU VALLEY
The Special Forces camp in the A Shau Valley was well located to monitor and interfere with North Vietnamese infiltration from Laos and for that reason drew special attention from the NVA commanders. In the early morning hours of 09 March 1966, the camp's defenders - 17 US and 375 ARVN troops - came under attack by an estimated 2000 NVA troops. Bad weather prevailed at the time, with cloud bases below the level of the surrounding mountaintops, severely limiting supporting air strikes. C-123 flareships could and did drop aerial flares through the clouds, thereby providing illumination for the defenders.
By mid-morning of the 9th the defenders were in dire straits, but the cloud bases had lowered to about 400 above ground. Despite the weather, an AC-47D (tail number 44-76290) of the 4th Air Commando Squadron managed to work its way below the clouds and commenced firing passes against the NVA troops massed at the camp's outer perimeter. On its second pass the AC-47D was hit by enemy fire, literally losing its starboard engine (which fell away from the plane) and developing a fire in the port engine. The AC-47D crash-landed on a mountain slope about 5 miles north of the camp. All six crewmen survived the crash but were taken under attack by NVA troops. Two men were killed and another wounded before an Air Force HH-43 arrived on scene. The HH-43 was able to rescue three of the survivors only because the fourth, 1st Lt Delbert R. Peterson, deliberately sacrificed himself in order to allow the others to be brought aboard the helicopter. A limited number of A-1s were able to work below the overcast and two C-123s were brought in for resupply drops.
The NVA renewed their attack on the night of 09/10 March. Early on the 10th an A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 148518) from VMA-311 was lost while trying to work below the overcast. Later in the morning an A-1E from the 602nd Air Commando Squadron, tail number 52-133867 flown by Major D. W. Myers, was forced to crash-land on the abandoned A Shau runway; in a daring rescue, Major B. F. Fisher landed his A-1E while under fire, got Myers aboard, and took off again.
By the afternoon of the 10th, with half the fort in enemy hands and bad weather still a factor, it was decided to evacuate the fort by helicopter. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 drew the job, using its 24 UH-34s beginning at about 1700. By the time the Marines were finished, they'd lost two helicopters (UH-34s 149340 and 149347) and 19 of the other 22 had taken heavy damage. In addition to the airlift, small groups of ARVN and Special Forces troops (and at least one downed Marine helicopter crew) exfiltrated through the NVA forces and were picked up over the next several days.
Nine Americans are known to have been killed at A Shau on 09/10 March 1966 - three Air Force crewmen from the AC-47D, one Marine pilot, and five Special Forces soldiers:
• 4th Air Commando Squadron
o Capt Willard M. Collins, Quincy, IL (Air Force Cross)
KIA/BNR
o SSgt Robert E. Foster, Lockport, NY
KIA/BNR
o 1stLt Delbert R. Peterson, Maple Plain, MN (Air Force Cross)
(MIA/BNR. Presumptive finding of death on 09 Deb 1978)
• Marine Attack Squadron 311
o 1stLt Augusto M. Xavier, San Jose, CA (Silver Star)
KIA/BNR
• 5th SF Group, Special Forces
o SFC Raymond Allen, Rossville, GA
o SSG Billie A. Hall, Sand Springs, OK (Dist Svc Cross)
o SGT Owen F. McCann, Utica, PA
o SP5 Phillip T. Stahl, Pompano Beach, FL (Dist Svc Cross)
o SGT James L. Taylor, Nitro, WV
KIA/BNR
Class of 1960
Army, 4 Years
A SHAU VALLEY
The Special Forces camp in the A Shau Valley was well located to monitor and interfere with North Vietnamese infiltration from Laos and for that reason drew special attention from the NVA commanders. In the early morning hours of 09 March 1966, the camp's defenders - 17 US and 375 ARVN troops - came under attack by an estimated 2000 NVA troops. Bad weather prevailed at the time, with cloud bases below the level of the surrounding mountaintops, severely limiting supporting air strikes. C-123 flareships could and did drop aerial flares through the clouds, thereby providing illumination for the defenders.
By mid-morning of the 9th the defenders were in dire straits, but the cloud bases had lowered to about 400 above ground. Despite the weather, an AC-47D (tail number 44-76290) of the 4th Air Commando Squadron managed to work its way below the clouds and commenced firing passes against the NVA troops massed at the camp's outer perimeter. On its second pass the AC-47D was hit by enemy fire, literally losing its starboard engine (which fell away from the plane) and developing a fire in the port engine. The AC-47D crash-landed on a mountain slope about 5 miles north of the camp. All six crewmen survived the crash but were taken under attack by NVA troops. Two men were killed and another wounded before an Air Force HH-43 arrived on scene. The HH-43 was able to rescue three of the survivors only because the fourth, 1st Lt Delbert R. Peterson, deliberately sacrificed himself in order to allow the others to be brought aboard the helicopter. A limited number of A-1s were able to work below the overcast and two C-123s were brought in for resupply drops.
The NVA renewed their attack on the night of 09/10 March. Early on the 10th an A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 148518) from VMA-311 was lost while trying to work below the overcast. Later in the morning an A-1E from the 602nd Air Commando Squadron, tail number 52-133867 flown by Major D. W. Myers, was forced to crash-land on the abandoned A Shau runway; in a daring rescue, Major B. F. Fisher landed his A-1E while under fire, got Myers aboard, and took off again.
By the afternoon of the 10th, with half the fort in enemy hands and bad weather still a factor, it was decided to evacuate the fort by helicopter. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 drew the job, using its 24 UH-34s beginning at about 1700. By the time the Marines were finished, they'd lost two helicopters (UH-34s 149340 and 149347) and 19 of the other 22 had taken heavy damage. In addition to the airlift, small groups of ARVN and Special Forces troops (and at least one downed Marine helicopter crew) exfiltrated through the NVA forces and were picked up over the next several days.
Nine Americans are known to have been killed at A Shau on 09/10 March 1966 - three Air Force crewmen from the AC-47D, one Marine pilot, and five Special Forces soldiers:
• 4th Air Commando Squadron
o Capt Willard M. Collins, Quincy, IL (Air Force Cross)
KIA/BNR
o SSgt Robert E. Foster, Lockport, NY
KIA/BNR
o 1stLt Delbert R. Peterson, Maple Plain, MN (Air Force Cross)
(MIA/BNR. Presumptive finding of death on 09 Deb 1978)
• Marine Attack Squadron 311
o 1stLt Augusto M. Xavier, San Jose, CA (Silver Star)
KIA/BNR
• 5th SF Group, Special Forces
o SFC Raymond Allen, Rossville, GA
o SSG Billie A. Hall, Sand Springs, OK (Dist Svc Cross)
o SGT Owen F. McCann, Utica, PA
o SP5 Phillip T. Stahl, Pompano Beach, FL (Dist Svc Cross)
o SGT James L. Taylor, Nitro, WV
KIA/BNR
Stephen E Jessop
Class of 1960
Air Force, 42 Years
Texas, Mississippi, Turkey, Ohio, Colorado, Iran, Georgia, Alaska, Florida et al. Airplane, airplanes, airplanes...
Class of 1960
Air Force, 42 Years
Texas, Mississippi, Turkey, Ohio, Colorado, Iran, Georgia, Alaska, Florida et al. Airplane, airplanes, airplanes...
Stirling Clarke Shippey
Class of 1960
Army, 2 Years
Served as corpsman at US Army Tripler Medical Center, Hawaii
Class of 1960
Army, 2 Years
Served as corpsman at US Army Tripler Medical Center, Hawaii
Stirling Clarke Shippey
Class of 1960
Army, 2 Years
SP5 Shippey, US Army Tripler Medical Center, Honolulu, HI
Class of 1960
Army, 2 Years
SP5 Shippey, US Army Tripler Medical Center, Honolulu, HI
Suzy Cardner
Class of 1983
Navy, 2 Years
Honorably Discharged after 15months of service. August 22, 1983 I attended Boot Camp in Orlando, FL...October 14, 1983 I attended RADIOMAN "A" SCHOOL @ Naval Training Center San Diego, CA. Feb. 11, 1984 I had orders to Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, FL...Was discharged after becoming disabled on November 23, 1984.
Class of 1983
Navy, 2 Years
Honorably Discharged after 15months of service. August 22, 1983 I attended Boot Camp in Orlando, FL...October 14, 1983 I attended RADIOMAN "A" SCHOOL @ Naval Training Center San Diego, CA. Feb. 11, 1984 I had orders to Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, FL...Was discharged after becoming disabled on November 23, 1984.
Alumni Stories
Read and submit stories about our classmates from Pompano Beach High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Golden Tornadoes.
School News
Tropical Flutes concert
Tropical Flutes is a flute choir consisting of piccolo, c, alto, and bass flutes. Our "A Christmas Evening" i...
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Our Pompano Beach High School military alumni are some of the most outstanding people we know and this page recognizes them and everything they have done! Not everyone gets to come home for the holidays and we want our Pompano Beach High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Pompano Beach are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!