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CLACKAMAS, Ore. – A memorial service with full military honors was held for U.S. Army Major (ret.) Charles Larry Deibert at Willamette National Cemetery in Clackamas, Oregon on May 17, 2024. A recipient of The Distinguished Service Cross for his service during combat operations in Vietnam, Deibert served in the Oregon Army National Guard for 15 years and would later serve for five years in the Army Reserves.
Initially enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1956, he joined the Oregon National Guard two years later in 1958. He attended Officer Candidate School, flight school, jump school and jungle survival school before volunteering for service in Vietnam in 1966. Assigned as a platoon leader to the 220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company, he would fly over 570 missions in the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, directly saving hundreds of U.S. troops, making him one of the most decorated Oregon military aviators.
Describing Deibert’s exemplary military service, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Raymond F. Rees, the former Adjutant General of the Oregon National Guard, offered a fitting eulogy for his long career of service to the United States Army.
“To me as a fellow Vietnam veteran, Larry was representative of the vast majority of Vietnam veterans,” Rees said. “That tens of thousands of those veterans served their nation, and returned to become productive members of society and leaders in their community.”
During the eulogy, Rees described the accomplishment of years of military service but also touched on his impacts in the business community and the importance of family and faith.
“I hope to capture in a few words, the scope and breadth of a well lived life and the essence of a man who lived each day as a new day, a new opportunity and new adventure,” Rees said, describing his all-embracing life. “He was successful in a wide ranging business career and as an entrepreneur…and was a caring and loving husband, father and patriarch. In all those roles he exhibited the same rock solid characteristics — (he was) creative, kind and adventurous.”
In recounting his personality and military accomplishments, Rees reverenced the photo of Deibert on the remembrance program cover that reflects, “his gregarious nature, his self-confidence…and along with an impressive array of awards and decorations.”
In describing his military awards, Rees said that those with military experience, “would be drawn to the first award on the top row — that’s The Distinguished Service Cross, second only to The Medal of Honor for courage and gallantry, extraordinary heroism.”
Recounting the missions that Deibert mounted, Rees said the aviators who flew O-1 Bird Dogs or otherwise known as the ‘Myth Makers,’ “flew just a few hundred feet above the jungles of Vietnam. Flying virtually alone, vulnerable to every weapon and seeking out the enemy and calling in badly needed air and arterially support.”
In Deibert’s official citation for his Distinguished Service Cross, for his actions on September 10, 1967, in the Republic of Vietnam, he “distinguished himself with extraordinary heroism with operations against an armed hostile force with exceptional gallant actions,” as he supported a Marine battalion engaged in battle with an estimated two-regiment North Vietnamese Army force.
The excerpt also stated that “facing extreme dangers of being shot down by friendly artillery barrages and hostile anti-aircraft fire, (then) Captain Deibert flew into the area, making several low passes through a curtain of continuous fire, helping locate enemy troop concentrations.”
After advising the Marines of the enemy situation, Deibert called for tactical air support and continued making low level flights over enemy strongpoints.
Among his other military awards, Deibert was recognized with The Distinguished Flying Cross (two awards), The Bronze Star, The Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, The Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Army Parachute Badge, and Army Senior Aviation Badge and other accolades.
In reminiscing about his life-long friend, David Winterholler called Deibert, “a brother from a different mother,” during remembrance remarks. The two attended Officer Candidate School together and then on to flight school at Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker), Alabama.
“Whatever the mission he was assigned, he would not only perform it, but go the extra mile in areas they didn’t expect him to go to and with all the energy available to him,” Winterholler said, describing his longtime friend. “Cruising at 95 miles per hour in the single engine Bird Dog, with 578 missions completed — shows that he was a man of dedication and courage.”
Winterholler said his outlook on life, despite personal setbacks, only made him a more determined leader.
“I never saw him down, he always had a positive attitude as a leader in both the military and the business world. Taking on many endeavors, he retired at the rank of Major, with all his accomplishments and became a successful businessman.”
Deibert served as the National Commander of the Legion of Valor from 2001-2002. After his retirement from the military, he was appointed as the Civilian Aide to the U.S. Secretary of the Army from 2003 to 2017. On August 28, 2010, the Charles L. Deibert Operations Facility was dedicated in his honor, which is located adjacent to McNary Field in Salem, Oregon. The new facility became the Headquarters for the Oregon Army National Guard’s 2-641st Aviation Battalion and 102nd Civil Support Team.
In closing his remarks, Winterholler quoted a passage from the writer Daniel Taylor, which he said defined Deibert’s life and faith.
“We die because we have lived. We live in order to know and love the God who made us. In dying we become more real than we ever can be while part of this sorrowful world.”
As he paused at the end of the eulogy, Rees summarized Deibert’s remarkable list of feats, noting that his career was always about the next challenge, never looking back, and learning new lessons.
“He was a legend — and I wish I could be there today to honor a great American Soldier, aviator, Oregon Guardsman, Marine, public servant and yes, legend.”
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2024 19:33 |
| Story ID: | 472057 |
| Location: | CLACKAMAS, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 149 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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