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Friday, July 19 2019
TRENTON
REPUBLICAN-TIMES Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 155th Year - No. 89
Trenton, MO 64683
TRENTON PREMIER
75¢ per copy Check out the Republican-Times on the Internet: www.republican-times.com ©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.
Twelve Pages & 1 Insert
Huffstutter, Alexander Part Of Naval Helicopter Unit
Movie Retells Story Of The Seawolves by Ronda Lickteig R-T Staff Writer While many in the community are looking forward to seeing the movie, “Scramble the Seawolves!” on Monday, July 29 at the Hoover Theater in Trenton, two Trenton natives were actually a part of the legendary Navy attack helicopter unit. The movie tells the story of the Helicopter Attack Light Squadron-3, the most decorated squadron in not only the Vietnam War, but in Naval aviation history as well. The squadron was known as HA(L)-3 or the Seawolves. The title of the movie comes from the urgent call for help that came when the Seawolves were needed, “Scramble the Seawolves!” Trenton resident Larry Huffstutter and former resident Eric Alexander were members of the all-volunteer squadron. Huffstutter, who volunteered for the Navy at age 19, said a buddy volunteered himself and seven others to be part of the unit. “That’s how I ended up in HA(L)-3,” he said. Huffstutter found himself at Naval Amphibious School at Little Creek, VA, where he participated in a counterinsurgency course. The two-month course was designed to prepare members for what might happen if they were captured by the enemy North Vietnamese. Among his memories of training are being kept in a POW cage for a week, being waterboarded and spending eight hours in an underground sweatbox - with water and a snake. In Vietnam he was stationed at Bihn Thuy, which was close to a U.S. Army base and down the road from a U.S. Air Force supply base. On the other side of Bihn Thuy was a cement facility which was, he said, full of Viet Cong. Huffstutter, who was in the helicopter maintenance department, said there were 2,556 men
BACK TO SCHOOL Trenton R-9
Parents Can Now Register Students Online Online student registration in the Trenton R-9 School District is now open for the 201920 school year. Parents can go on the school district website at www.trentonr9.k12.mo.us and follow the instructions under “student online registration.” Parents must have a Parent Portal account in order to access the registration forms. Parents who do not have an account can contact the school at which their child is attending beginning Aug. 1, when building offices will open. Those who do not have internet access will be able to do their registration at the high school during the Bright Futures Back to School event on Aug 6, when computers and assistance by school personnel will be available. Other back to school dates announced by the district include building open houses on See R-9, Page 12
in the squadron, which he said was a “child” of the Vietnam War, being commissioned, operated and decommissioned entirely within the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam. It operated during the years of 1966 through 1972. The squadron was needed to help protect U.S. troops who were patrolling the waterways at night (the River Patrol Force of the Brown Water Navy), which was how the Viet Cong travelled. They provided air support for the Navy patrol boats, which included the swift boats and PBRs, a 31foot river patrol boat built on a pleasure craft hull and adapted to a war-time atmosphere, according to the booklet, “River Patrol Force.” The PBRs were well-armed and highly manueverable and could travel at a maximum speed of over 25 knots. In addition, Navy SEAL teams counted on the squadron for protection. “Our job was to protect the swift boats, the PBRs and the SEAL teams,” Huffstutter recalled. “If the Seawolves weren’t flying, the SEALS wouldn’t go. We were ready to go 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” In “River Patrol Force,” a typical flight for HA(L)-3 is described: “Moments after receiving the scramble call, the light helo fire-team is airborne and on its way. In the cockpit a flight experienced pilot receives exact coordinates from the ambushed PBR patrol. The door gunners peer from the open sides of their UH-1B gunships and check the readiness of their M-60 machine guns. The co-pilot insures that the firing mechanism for his mini-guns and 2.75-inch rockets is functioning properly. As they reach the area the patrol officer marks the enemy position with smoke grenades and tracer rounds. The helos roll in at almost tree level and make their first firing run...After the second firing run the fire is suppressed and the fire-team returns to the LST to
be rearmed and refueled. The maintenance crew aboard the LST works hard to have the gunship ready, for as it landed, another call for assistance was received.” According to House Resolution 1228, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2010, the unit flew over 130,000 hours of combat and logistical support; inflicted several thousand casualties on enemy forces; performed 1,530 medical evaluations; and delivered over 37,000 passengers and over 1 million pounds of cargo during the war. “Scramble the Seawolves” made its world premiere on the flight deck of the USS Midway on Sept. 4, 2018 during a Seawolf reunion event. Huffstutter believes those who view the award-wining movie, which is narrated by Mike Rowe, will have a true picture of what the Seawolves provided during the war and he hopes they will understand the sacrifice made by those in the squadron, which included 200 who were wounded in combat and 44 who were killed in action. “The movie is so interesting,” he said, noting that members of the squadron have been donating money for years to help it be made. “I want people who see it to know that HA(L)-3 existed. This movie will explain and give folks here
Larry Huffstutter
knowledge of what we did. It’s really one of the greatest tools of learning that a young adult can possibly have to learn about what it was really like over there.”
“Scramble The Seawolves” The award-winning movie, “Scramble the Seawolves,” will be shown at the Hoover Theater, located on the third floor of the Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library, at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 29. Doors will open at 5 p.m. The movie was produced by Arballo Entertainment and was named the Best Feature Documentary and the Audience Choice Award winner at the 2019 San Diego Film Awards. The nearly two-hour film, which is narrated by television personality Mike Rowe, tells the true story of the HA(L)-3 squadron through the men who lived it. The showing is free and open to the public, with seating in the theater limited to 152.
Briefs... Chamber Luncheon Set The Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its quarterly luncheon at noon on Wednesday, July 24 in the meeting room on the Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri. The speakers will be Cindy Jennings and Ruby Walker of the Grundy County Breast Cancer Support Group. In addition to the program, tours of the breast cancer supply store, located within the CAPNCM facility, will be given. The cost is $10 for chamber members and $11 for non-chamber members. Reservations can be made at at 359-4324.
Commission To Meet The Grundy County Commission will meet in regular session Tuesday at the courthouse. At 9 a.m., the commission will open bids for the sewer line replacement from the prosecuting attorney’s office to the sewer main. At 9:15 a.m., the commission will meet with Ambulance Director Steve Tracy, followed by a meeting at Grundy Electric Cooperative at 10 a.m.
County Tax Hearing The Grundy County Commission will hold its public tax rate hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 6 in the commissioner’s office at the courthouse. The hearing will be at 9 a.m. The county is proposing to set its tax rate at 20.09 cents on the $100 assessed valuation, which is estimated to raise approximately $235,000 in tax revenues based on a projected assessed valuation of $132,599,802. The tax rate ceiling is 39.18 cents, but is being reduced after the sales tax rollback. Revenue derived directly from new construction based on the proposed tax rate is $4,191 (determined from 2019 new construction estimates of $2,086,402).
Trenton Tax Hearing The city of Trenton will hold its public tax rate hearing on Monday, Aug. 12 as part of the regular city council meeting. The hearing will be at 7 p.m. at city hall. The city is proposing to set its tax rate at $1.113 on the $100 assessed valuation, which is estimated to raise approximately $586,000 in tax revenues for the general fund and park fund. The total tax to be received is based on an assessed valuation of $57,111,860, which is down $738,106 from a year ago. Of the revenue total, the city is anticipated to receive $495,000 based on a tax of 94.01 cents per $100 assessed valuation while the park department will receive $91,000 from a tax rate of 17.30 cents. Revenue derived directly from new construction at the proposed tax rate is $16,785.10 (based on new construction in 2019 of $1,507,960).
NCMC Board To Meet The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees will meet in regular session at 5:30p.m. on Tuesday, July 23 in the president’s office, located in the Frey Administrative Building. Items on the announced agenda include setting the date for the annual levy hearing, a year in review report, readoption of the code of ethics/conflict of interest policies, consideration of bids/purchases for athletic insurance and information technology items, personnel (resignations, employments and Head Start) and reports from the Head Start directors, Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tristan Londre, Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Kristen Alley and President Dr. Lenny Klaver. An executive session for personnel, legal matters and real estate is also planned.
Reading Program Event The Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library will hold its last event of the summer reading program on Saturday, July 27. “Summer Blast” welcomes Grundy County residents of all ages from 1 until 4 p.m. The come-and-go event will be held in the parking lot of the library and will include snacks and games along with face painting. There will also be a water activity, so participants are asked to wear swim gear. To accomodate the event, Crowder Road, from Main to Chestnut, will be closed from 12:30 to 4 p.m. For more information, persons can contact Charity Halstead, Ginny Johns or Amy Morton at the library, 359-3577.
Contest Teams Sought Teams are being sought for the North Central Missouri Fair Team Farmer Competition, which will be held on Thursday, Aug. 1 at the fairground grandstand. The event is open to four-member teams, which must include two males and two females ages 13 and over. Organizers are hoping that businesses and organizations will form teams for the challenge to create some rivalries. There is no entry fee for the teams, with prizes to be awarded to the winning teams. Teams can enter by contacting Betty Spickard at 359-1877 or going to the fair office during fair week. ********** MAIN STREET TRENTON FOOD TRUCK WEDNESDAY Wednesday, July 14 11 a.m. to 2 p.m Main and 10th Streets
Attend The 2019 Mid-America Music Festival Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 - Black Silo Winery
National Weather Service There’s an excessive heat warning through Saturday, with highs in the upper 90s and lows in the upper 70s. A little relief comes on Sunday and Monday with highs in the upper 80s. The high at Trenton on Monday, July 15 was 87, Tuesday’s high was 92 and Wednesday’s high was 95, with an overnight low of 74. The high on Wednesday at the Government Weather Station near Spickard was 89, the low was 68.
What’s Inside... The fall football season is right around the corner and the Trenton Middle School football program is planning a camp later this month. See page 2 of today’s Republican-Times for information about the event, set for July 29-31.
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What’s Inside Sports.............................page 2 Local News ....................page 3 Op/Ed ............................page 4 Community ...................page 5 Agriculture....................page 6 Tax Sale .........................page 7 Comics ...........................page 8 Dear Annie ....................page 9 Crosswords....................page 9