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936th FA BN
The 936th Field Artillery Battalion held its 59th Annual Reunion
August 22 & 23, 2009 at the Clarion Inn in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The
936th was known as the “shootn’est, non-salutin’est” outfit in Korea,
assigned to Eighth Army and sent to provide additional artillery support
where it was most needed.
This Arkansas National Guard Battalion fought 300 days without a
single day in reserve (March 29, 1951 to January 20, 1952). The
Battalion fired over 300,000 rounds of 92-pound, 155mm artillery
shells during the Korean War.
Mrs. Lori Hart’s beautiful singing of the Star Spangled Banner was a
highlight of the reunion. Mrs. Hart also sang several other songs. A
Gainesville, Texas school teacher, Mrs. Hart is a frequent performer at
veteran and patriotic events.
Our keynote speaker was Colonel Don “Doc” Ballard, Medal of Honor
recipient. Don Ballard was in Vietnam in 1968 to save lives. His Marine
unit was ambushed. Ballard exposed himself repeatedly to hostile fire
to pull wounded Marines to a safer location for treatment.
An enemy hand grenade landed among the wounded. Ballard picked
it up and threw it back. Moments later, another grenade landed near
him. This time he didn’t have enough time to pick it up, so Ballard
threw his body onto the grenade to protect his Marine patients. The
grenade failed to explode; Ballard grabbed the grenade and threw it
away. The grenade exploded in mid-air, but out of harm’s way.
Ballard left the Navy in 1970 and received a reserve commission in
the medical branch of the Kansas National Guard, from which he
retired with the rank of Colonel. Ballard is involved in numerous veterans’
activities. His number one charity is the National Combat Medical
Memorial and the Youth Education Center in Kansas City.
Colonel Ballard was escorted to the Clarion Inn by approximately 40
members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a nationally known motorcycle
club that attend military funerals and other patriotic events.
Billy W. Bohannan, 10617 East First Street
Tulsa, OK 74128-1403, (918) 437-5324
Welcome to the 936th FA Bn’s reunion (L-R) Ken Garner, Tommy Ledford, Wayne
Bohannan, Allen (“Sunny”) Dunn, Bill Dorough
Lori Hart (L) and Col Ballard at the 936th FA Bn gathering
Col Ballard chats with Patriot Guard Riders in Fayetteville, Arkansas
Wayne Bohannan (L) and Buzz Sawyer (R) at 936th FA Bn’s reunion
57
The Graybeards
November – December 2009