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God Bless America!
 
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat"
Theodore Roosevelt
 
Who IS Modelhawk, anyway?
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Hi!  I'm Bill Woodier.  Well, there's not much all that remarkable about my life, except my wonderful family.  My wife, Hilary (yeah, yeah, heard all the Bill & Hilary jokes already, thank you!) and I were married on 9 Aug 1969 and we have three terrific daughters; none of which are interested in model building...darn!  Scan on down through my page and you'll find out more about my family and I than you probably ever wanted to know! 

One of my favorite hobbies is building scale aircraft and armor models.  I started building them in the mid 50s with my dad.  I built lost of airplanes in those early years and, once they'd reached their maximum "shelf life" they were usually blown apart with firecrackers or shot up with a B-B gun.  During my later high school years model building took a back seat to sports, girls oh, yeah, and schoolwork.  I got back into it in the 70s, building mostly armor models.  Later I switched over to aircraft mostly.  Check my modeling pages at the link below to find out more about my model building, and to see pics of see some of the models I've built. 

      My modeling page

Join The International Plastic Modeler's Society (IPMS)


In addition to building plastic scale models as a hobby, I also do a little collecting of military uniforms.  I first got interested in military uniforms, medals, etc as a kid.  When I was about 10 years old, one of my great cousins gave me his WW-I uniform and web gear.  I thought it was pretty cool and used to wear it around the house.  Another great cousin had been a Marine in WW-I and fought many of the major battles.  When he passed away, he left my his uniforms and gear as well.  Their uniforms got my interest in militaria up and I've never lost it.   

             
I'm pretty much a fall kind of guy.  With the exception of the short period approaching  Christmas and through New Years, I've always found winter to be gray and oppressive, particularly late January through the end and February; it just seems to drag on and on.  Spring weather is a bit too unpredictable and it seems to stay cool and damp much longer than I'd like.  Summer is pretty neat but the oppressive heat and humidity are a bit much and for me, Summer is just the prelude to Fall and, of course, Halloween! 

Click on the pumpkin below to go to my annual Fall season and Halloween pages.  

   My Fall and Halloween memories  

 
Except for my time in the Marines, I'd lived on the south side of Chicago Illinois my whole life until mid 1979. 

In the fall of 1965 I started college but 'round about the spring of 1966 I was bored with academia; looking for a little excitement, and enlisted in the Marines.  I found it sooner than expected as I was shipped out in early 1967 for an extended combat tour in Vietnam as a Recon Marine (67-68).

   My Vietnam pages

 

After the Marines, I returned home to Chicago, married the girl of my dreams in Aug of 1969 and went back to school (nights) to finish my Associate's Degree.  I got a job at the corporate HQ for Wilson Sporting Goods Co to keep "the wolves away from the door." 
 
 

The pic above:  My lovely wife
 (of just over a year at the time)
 and I taken around Oct 70.       
   

In May of 71, the police department announced it was accepting applications and I tested for a position as a patrolman.  I was successful and in June, left Wilson Sporting Goods Co and began working as a police officer.  I worked in uniformed patrol, tactical ops, drug enforcement, and the detective division for about 8 years.  During that time, I took up college again working night shift and going to school days and earned my Bachelors Degree in Criminology/Pre Law from the U of I Chicago in 1975.

The pic is Hilary and me, Jul 71
(about a month before the birth
of our first child, Denise).


By 1978, I'd become pretty frustrated in law enforcement and, still trying to find out what I wanted to do when I "grew up," I started looking for something new and rewarding to do. 

*
"New" actually turned out to be a new twist on something old as I went back into the military as "the world's oldest Air Force 2nd Lt" in the Spring of 1979.  Guess I finally found it as I'm still on active duty (including my Marine time) with 28+ years and counting.  In the process, we raised three great kids.

This pic was taken at Keesler AFB, MS, Aug
1981; about the time I was promoted to 1Lt.

Our early family Photo Album  (Open but still under construction) 
 

We moved a couple times in the early Air Force years and my model building sort of went into remission until we got our first Pentagon assignment in 1987.  Arriving in Washington DC on 3 Jul, I was just in time for the 1987 IPMS Nationals.  I also met the guy at the Pentagon who was to become my best friend, Ed Robbeloth.  He took me to the IPMS National Convention that was being held in Washington in 1987 and introduced me to IPMS Northern Virginia Modelers.  I enjoyed four years as a member of that club with the exception of a 9-month deployment to the Gulf War (1990-1991) with Special Operations Command Central.

My Gulf War Photo Album

 

 

In Aug 91, I transferred to USCENTAF at Shaw AFB SC where I spent another four years traveling to many of the world's "garden spots" such as Egypt, Yemen, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait.  I was TDY a lot but did have time, along with four other fellow AF modelers (pictured at right) to found the IPMS Gamecocks chapter in Sumter.  We found considerable interest in Sumter's civilian community as well and, as a result, the club continues to thrive long after the five of us moved on. 

At right:  Founders of IPMS Gamecocks (deployed again!), Saudi Arabia, Oct 1994.  Left to right: Me, Alex Tratensek, Mike VanBieber, Chuck Holtie, and Mike Mattei

 

In 1995 I returned to the Pentagon (Air Staff) and back to IPMS Northern Virginia Modelers and have been with then ever since (served as Treasurer for two years).

After 2 1/2 years on the Air Staff I moved to the Joint Staff where I was the Commander of the Iraq Task Force and did another 2 1/2 years+ jousting with Saddam (on top of the four I spent at USCENTAF earlier).  I finally came to the realization that (in my personal opinion, of course) I'd wasted enough time on Saddam and the seemingly endless cycle of confrontation.  I decided to, in the words of the immortal Doc Holliday, "seek my entertainment elsewhere." 

In July of 2000 I was lucky enough to land an assignment to the Office of the Secretary of Defense working POW/MIA issues and I couldn't be happier.  The hours are definitely better.  More importantly, the mission feels much more rewarding to me.  There is still some hard work involved.  The issue is definitely fraught with political minefields and frustration but, when you're able to give a family some info on a missing loved one, you just can't beat the feeling......it overshadows just about everything else.

It looks like we're pretty much settled on northern Virginia now and I don't intend to move again.  I like what I'm doing and Hilary is settled into a good job here as a nursing superintendent.  The kids all live in the area, as does our grandson and granddaughter.  The baggage that would go with promotion to Colonel (frequent moves, political maneuvering, long hours, excessive stress, etc) just didn't seem worth it to me any more and I told the General I wasn't interested in promotion.  The flip side of that decision is, when I finish my tour at the POW/MIA office 'round about mid 2005, I'll likely have to retire.  Maybe then I'll have more time to build models (I guess there's always a silver lining there somewhere).

In October of 2004 I had the distinct honor of being recommended for membership in China Post #1of the American Legion.  China Post 1 is one of the oldest American Legion posts in the world, formed in 1919 after the "Great War" in China and was officially chartered by the American Legion in 1920.  In order to gain membership, one must normally be recommended.  I was lucky enough to be sponsored by COL (National American Legion Emblemret) Hal Fischer, a double Ace (10 kills) F-86 pilot from the Korean War, and retired LtCol Paul Mather, a friend and tireless, long-time worker in the Southeast Asia POW/MIA field.  If you'd like to know more of the history of China Post 1, click on the graphic at right.  


I had been attending the Army Chapter of the Chosin Few every year since 2000 as a part of my duties with the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office.  I have spent each reunion interviewing veterans regarding their last recollection of where they men who are still unaccounted for.  They have been very forthcoming with their remembrances, even when painful to recall and we have put that information to good use over the years.  Between the fall of 2001 and summer of 2005, the information these veterans provided was directly responsible in the recovery of over 50 sets of remains from servicemen lost on the Chosin Reservoir battlefield. 

In May of 2006 I was granted another distinct honor when the membership  unanimously voted me an Honorary Member of the Army Chapter of the Chosin Few.  I am humbled to be in the company of such great warriors as an Honorary Member of their organization.
 

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On 1 June 2006, I turned another page in my life when I retired from active duty with over 29 years of total military service (including Marine Corps enlisted and Air Force officer time).  I had a run and thoroughly enjoyed my time in the military serving this great country of ours.  It certainly didn't make me rich but it provided many non-financial rewards that I wouldn't trade for anything. 

Luckily, I was able to take a civilian job in the same office I was working in as a military officer and will continue to serve her in this new capacity.  Now we'll see what the future has to hold for my family and me as we move ahead with this next phase of our lives. 
 

 
   


 
PFC ARTHUR WILLIE GREENE 20 JAN 67
1 Lt ERIC M. BARNES 26 MAR 67
SSGT GODFRIED BLANKENSHIP 26 MAR 67
PFC MICHAEL RAY SMITH 13 MAY 67
PFC ERVIN LOVELL 14 MAY 67
L/CPL RONALD F. KITZKE 27 DEC 67
L/CPL CHARLES E. HARRIS 14 JAN 68
HM3 ROBERT LOUIS TRACY 18 JAN 68
L/CPL MICHAEL G. MURDOCK 1 FEB 68

SGT J. J. JONES

3 JUL 68
   
 
 "Doc" Laporte.......MIA 2 Sep, 1967, Happy Valley, RVN  
   
The two links below provide some info on Doc Laporte.  Both have some inaccuracies and include speculation about Doc.  However, they do give a feel for the nature of his loss. 

I assign no particular credibility to these pages one way or the other; they are provided merely for  information only.
 
   
http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/5000/laporte.html  
http://www.circle-of-light.com/POW-MIA/  
   
See my Vietnam Pages for a complete list (to the best of my knowledge) of all Marines from 1st Recon who gave their lives for Corps and Country in Vietnam and for brief remembrances of those I knew.  
   

Lastly, a short tribute to my wife's father and uncle.  Click the links below for more info.

 

 1st SGT Arthur B. Field

SSGT Westley M. Field

 

God Bless the USA
By:
Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone
I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I'd thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that away.


I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.


From the lakes of Minnesota
to the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas
from sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston
and New York to L.A.,
There's pride in every American heart
and it's time we stand and say:

I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.


 

 

Questions, comments,  suggestions?  E-mail me at Modelhawk@AOL.COM

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