Air cavalry in Vietnam to be focus of discussion

On Aug. 9 at 1 p.m., the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation will host a video and oral-history discussion, "Centaurs in Vietnam: Air Cavalry at War," delivered by husband and wife Carl and Ruth Ann Burns of Manalapan.

Carl was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam, while Ruth Ann served there as a war correspondent. Together they wrote "Centaurs in Vietnam: Untold Stories of the First Year," an account of the war as seen through the eyes of air cavalry helicopter pilots and the troops they flew into battle. This program will be held at the Vietnam Era Educational Center in Holmdel.

According to a press release, the book captures an unvarnished account of how the Army formed an air cavalry troop in early 1966. "Rookies to war," the pilots were plucked out of the skies of places like Fort Rucker, Ala., and joined by troopers from across America to fight a guerrilla war in the jungles and rice paddies of Vietnam.

Capt. Carl W. Burns was a decorated U.S. Army helicopter pilot stationed in the hot spot of the Iron Triangle in Cu Chi, and one of the many Huey pilots who provided the backbone of military operations in the war. Ruth Ann was the youngest accredited war correspondent and one of only a few women who covered the Southeast Asian war in the late 1960s.

According to the press release, they will share the story of one year of the 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry, nicknamed the "Centaurs," which left the paradise of Hawaii's shores for the heat, rain, mud and guerrilla warfare of Vietnam. The combination of helicopters, infantry and of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRPs) rewrote the early history of military operations in Vietnam.

Burns, a former bank executive officer and financial adviser, graduated from Rutgers University and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was shipped to Vietnam in March 1966.

Stationed at Cu Chi, site of the infamous Viet Cong tunnels, he was a helicopter pilot with the famed "Centaurs." He flew combat and reconnaissance missions in Vietnam, earning a Purple Heart, 16 Air Medals and the rank of captain.

According to the press release, Burns reached out to a network of fellow pilots and troopers through the Internet and by telephone, encouraging them to share their stories.

Man by man, pilots to grunts, the e-mails flooded in and the book took shape. He contributed his Vietnam experiences to the Rutgers Living History Society, for which he serves as vice president. He is also a tour guide at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial and Vietnam Era Educational Center.

Ruth Ann Burns left her Rutgers University journalism classroom for the jungles of Vietnam to cover the war and spend her first anniversary with her husband. Her coverage garnered many awards as she reported through the eyes of the young soldiers fighting in the war.

She went on to a distinguished career in journalism and public television and is currently a vice president at Georgian Court University, Lakewood.

Lecture attendees are asked to RSVP to 732-335-0033. A donation of $5 per person is suggested. The Vietnam Era Educational Center is adjacent to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans' Memorial off the Garden State Parkway at exit 116. The educational center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular admission is free for veterans and active-duty military personnel. Regular adult admission is $4; student and senior citizen admission is $2; and children under 10 are admitted free.