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My name is Mike Teutschman, I joined the Army as a volunteer in August 1966. After basic training at Ft. Ord, CA, I went
to Ft. Gordon, GA for infantry training. I then went on to Ft. Benning, GA for Airborne School. I was then assigned to Ft.
Hood, TX where we formed the 268th Pathfinder Detachment. After a few months in Texas, we were off to Ft. Benning again for
5 weeks of Pathfinder School. After graduation we took 10 days leave before returning to Texas and then 3 days later we were
headed for Vietnam. Arrived in Nam May 4th 1967 then returning to Ft. Benning GA in May 1968 with the 187th Pathfinder Det
until my discharge in June 1969. I also served one year with the Vermont National Guard in a Mountain Infantry Company (1984)
and another year with the 12th Special Forces Reserves in California (1987).
My Favorites
Favorite Band or Musician: Cheap Trick, Casting Crowns, Brooks and Dunn
Favorite TV show: The Powerblock, LOST, NCIS and Leverage
Favorite movie: We Were Soldiers
Favorite book: Keeping
the Promise by Donna Elliott
Pathfinder: First In, Last Out By Richard R. Burns
Favorite sports team: Rams, Lakers, Angels, Dodgers, Anaheim Ducks
Favorite
food: Steak & baked potato, Mexican
My Hobbies
I play basketball once or twice a week. I hate to workout, so this is how I get my exercise. I like to go shooting (pistol
and rifle) and love to take long trips on my Harley.
I now have a Jeep Wrangler and would like to do some 4 wheeling. I
use to go camping until my Toy Hauler was totalled.
I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 truck with the Cummins diesel engine which I have had upgraded with the Banks six gun
bundle. Who needs a HEMI.............
Things I've Done
- Earned a Commercial Helicopter and Fixed Wing pilots license. Took the Helicopter Instructor course.
- Did some skydiving which is sure different than military jumps. I have 32 military staticline jumps (1 malfunction and
2 crash and burns) and 20 solo freefalls.
- Went back to Vietnam for 2 weeks in 1999 with Jerry Elliotts sister Donna to get information on what happened to him on
21 Jan 68 (still MIA).
- Took a 3 week 7500 mile Harley trip with Run for the Wall in 2000. Seattle to Southern Calif to Washington D.C. and back
to Seattle. What an incredible and emotional trip.
- Attended the 1st 268th Pathfinder Reunion in 2005 in Washington D.C. (6 of the original 15 members plus Donna representing
her brother Jerry)
- Attended a 4 day defensive handgun course at Front Sight in Nevada. Excellent course if you have or plan on owning a handgun.
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| Mike 67-68 |
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| Phu Hiep, Vietnam |
| Mike 67-68 |
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| Phu Hiep, Vietnam |
| Mike 67-68 |
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| Supporting the South Koreans in Vietnam |
The 268th Pathfinder Detachment, 268th Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade supported the White Horse, Tiger Division
and Capitol Division of the South Korean Military in Vietnam's II Corp. In addition, we supported the 173rd Airborne Brigade
and on occasion the ARVN's. As Pathfinders we were the first into the Landing Zones (LZ). We would communicate
with the inbound helicopters by radio advising them of any hostile fire, hazards, winds and any other helpful information.
We could also request medevacs and fire support as needed.
Other duties included laying mines around the perimeter of Phu Hiep airfield, leading and protecting convoys
and serving as doorgunners on Huey helicopters of the 129th Assault Helicopter Co. (Bulldogs).
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