COZZALIO ACE ALAN

LTC Ace Alan Cozzalio was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 04/30/1993 at the age of 46.7 from Heart problems
Hornbrook, CA
Flight Class 67-18
Date of Birth 08/19/1946
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with D/3/5 CAV 9 INF in 67-69
Call signs in Vietnam WAR WAGON 10, CRUSADER
This information was provided by Christopher Houston Cozzalio (son), Mike Sloniker

More detail on this person: LTC(Ret) Ace Alan Cozzalio, 8/19/46 - 4/30/93

Born in Ashland, Oregon on August 19th, 1946
Raised primarily on the Klamath River family ranch on the California/Oregon border.

Elementary School: Ashland, OR and Hornbrook, CA
High School:Yreka and Sacramento, CA.
Cook and Assistant Manager: IHOP, Sacramento, CA

Drafted to Army February 9th, 1966

Military Service, United States Army
Trained in Armored, attended Officers Candidate School
and trained as helicopter pilot, March 6 - October 24, 1967.

Served in Viet Nam (3 tours - shot down 6 times)
Dec. 11, 1967 - Jan. 1, 1968 : Troop D, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry, 9th Infantry Division as Section Leader of the Aero Scout Platoon

Jan 2 - Feb 9 :106th Gen Hosp
Apr 10 - May 16, 1968 : Aero Scout Section Leader
May 17 - Sep 13, 1968 : Aero Scout Section Commander
Sep 14 - Dec 10, 1968 : Section Commander Aero Scout
Dec 11 - May 29, 1969 : (Captain) Commander Aero Weapons Platoon (Huey Cobra Helicopter)
Jul 10, 1969 - Apr 9, 1970 : Armor Officer Advanced Course at Ft. Knox, Ky
Apr 9 - Jul 23 1970 : 1st Squadron 4th Cav 1st Infantry Division, Ft Riley, Kanasas, S-1 Officer Cavalry Officer
Jul 24 - Jun 14 1971 Troop Commander Air Cavalry Troop (Troop D 4th Cav)
Jun 15 - Feb 3 1972 Troop Commander
Mar 27 - Jun 9 1972 Aviation Safety Course San Pedro Ca
Jul 19 - Oct 15 1972 RW Section Leader Unit Avn Safety Officer
Oct 16 1972 - Jan 16 1973 Special Services Officer in Thailand
Jan 17 - Dec 10 1973 Rotary Wing Section Leader Thailand
Dec 11 1973 - May 20, 1974 Rotary Wing Section Leader/ Safety Officer

Married, adopted Thai baby girl

May 21 1974 - Aug 18 1975 Texas (Sul Ross University)

Adopted Mexican/American boy. Fathered a daughter.

Aug 16 1975 - Aug 24 1977 : Area Commander New Haven, District Recruiting, Springfield, MA
Aug 25 1977 - Feb 22 1979 : Major - 501st Aviation Battalion 1st Brigade 1st Armored Div S3 Tactical/Training Operations Katterbach Germany, family stationed in Germany
Feb 23 1979 - Jun 15 1980 501st Aviation Company Commander B Attack Katterbach Germany

Divorced

Jun 1980 - Jun 1981 : Command General Staff College Ft. Levenworth, Kansas
Jun 6 1981 - Apr 28 1984 : Lt Colonel University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, CDR combined ROTCs

Remarried

Apr 29 1984 - Apr 28 1986 : Lt Colonel CDR 4th Aviation Training Battalion Ft. Rucker. Dothan Alabama, contracted Epstein Barr virus cardiomyopath Medically retired in 1986.
Returned to family ranch to live.

Separated.

Required to stay in Portland in 1992 to be available for heart transplant (7 months). Transplant performed April 28, 1993. Transplanted heart defective, passed away early morning April 30, 1993.

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024