More detail on this person: Colonel Lavere
Bindrup passed away March 6, 2010. If you recall,
LTC Bindrup was 2/17 Squadron Commander in
1969-70 and after six months in command he was
replaced by LTC Bob Molinelli, "1970 Army Aviator
of the Year." This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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10/23/2024
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I remember that LTC Patterson replaced LTC
DeLoach who brought the Squadron to Vietnam and
who deros'ed in August or September 1969.
Patterson came in from Washington. I was the
2/17th Squadron XO. During his first week in
country, he ordered a Squadron Officers Call to
meet at the Clubhouse at 1930 hrs on his first
Saturday night in country. I advised him that was
a bad time, since that was when the Rocket Belt
became active and the enemy would send several
122 mm rockets streaming into the Division area.
Patterson said something like "Pshaw" and
schedule it anyway, Dave. I did and on Saturday
night at 1930 hours, Patterson's jeep came
screaming up hill to the clubhouse in a could of
dust and he hopped out. Almost when he hit the
front door the rockets came in. We all hit the
ground and after a short time things returned to
normal and we had our meeting.
Sometime during the next week he told me to
schedule another Officers Call for the same time.
I again, advised him of the Saturday night rockets
and he said Pshaw,-- schedule the meeting for 1930
Hrs. I did. He and his jeep came up the hill to
the club in another cloud of dust and his driver
slammed on the breaks creating more dust and dirt
and Patterson hopped out covered in a new coat of
dust. A minute or so later, the first rockets hit
and he jumped in a foxhole and broke his leg. He
had spent about ten days in command of the
Squadron and was evac'd back stateside. (He later
became a major general.)
Major Chintz Wolverton, "C" Troop Commander
replaced LTC Patterson. Less than thirty days
later, LTC Lavere "The Jungle Fox" Bindrup took
command. Normally Department of the Army
assigned "up and coming" Armor Officers to
Squadron and Troop Command positions. But in
this case, Bindrup was doing a job in the south
near Saigon and was available, so he got the job
and "Chintz" went back to "C" Troop.
Bindrup became our commander for the next six
months and as I recall he let the Troop
Commanders do their job. So, in that light, I am
not too sad that Patterson broke his leg. When
LTC Bindrup finished his Cavalry tour of duty, he
became the 101st Division G-2 and sent us on
frequent "Sniffer" missions in or near the mighty
A'shau Valley. By the way, that didn't sit too
well with us. However, some of the results of the
"Sniffer" Missions led to B-52 strikes called
"Rolling Thunder." That's another story.
Anyway here is Colonel Bindrup's Obit.
LaVere Wendell Bindrup (1931 - 2010)
TREMONTON, Utah/LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Col. (ret)
LaVere (Bin) Wendell Bindrup died March 6, 2010,
after a two-year battle with cancer.
He was born Aug. 22, 1931, in Salt Lake City,
Utah, to Leland Samuel and Lela Nye Bindrup. He
grew up in Logan, Utah, where he graduated from
Logan High School and Utah State University. Upon
graduation from USU, he received his ROTC
Commission as 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army. He
married Patricia Barber on Sept. 8, 1952, in the
Logan LDS Temple.
Bin entered the Army in February of 1954 at
Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. He and his
family were stationed at many Army installations
throughout the U.S. He attended Army flight school
at Gary AFB, Texas, helicopter school at Ft.
Rucker, Ala., officers basic course at Ft. Knox,
Ky., and Command and General Staff College
(where Colin Powell was his classmate) at Ft.
Leavenworth, Kan. He spent three years in
Germany, had a tour of duty in Korea and two in
Vietnam. He received many decorations, among
which were the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion
of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service
Medal, Air Medal with 17 clusters and Republic of
Vietnam Campaign Medal.
He enjoyed photography and gardening and was a
member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, where he was an elder in the Tremonton 4th
Ward. He is survived by his wife, Patt, and two
children, Sydna (Mike) Harris, Elwood and Kirk, of
Denver, Colo.; six grandchildren, Craig (Beckie)
Harris of Thatcher; Andrea (Clark) Jessop of
Plano, Texas; Ricky (Kim) Harris of Tremonton;
Joel (Syna) Harris of Logan; Treesha and Daniel;
and seven great-grandchildren. Also surviving are
three sisters: Inez Bindrup, Donna Loy Gossner and
Judy (Alan) Hofmeister; and one brother, Jay
Bindrup.
He is preceded in death by his parents and sister
Beverlee.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday,
March 12, 2010, at Rogers and Taylor Funeral
Home, 111 N. 100 East, Tremonton, with Bishop
Jeff Reese officiating. Family and friends may
call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 11, 2010,
and from 9:30 to 10:40 a.m. Friday at the funeral
home. Interment will be at the Elwood Cemetery
with military honors.
From: Dave Larcomb