More detail on this person: Colonel Lavere Bindrup passed away March 6, 2010. If you recall, LTC
Bindrup was 2/17 Squadron Commander in 1969-70 and after six months in command he was replaced
by LTC Bob Molinelli, "1970 Army Aviator of the Year." This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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I remember that LTC Patterson replaced LTC DeLoach who brought the Squadron to Vietnam and who
deros'ed in August or September 1969. Patterson came in from Washington. I was the 2/17th
Squadron XO. During his first week in country, he ordered a Squadron Officers Call to meet at the
Clubhouse at 1930 hrs on his first Saturday night in country. I advised him that was a bad time,
since that was when the Rocket Belt became active and the enemy would send several 122 mm rockets
streaming into the Division area.
Patterson said something like "Pshaw" and schedule it anyway, Dave. I did and on Saturday night at
1930 hours, Patterson's jeep came screaming up hill to the clubhouse in a could of dust and he
hopped out. Almost when he hit the front door the rockets came in. We all hit the ground and after
a short time things returned to normal and we had our meeting.
Sometime during the next week he told me to schedule another Officers Call for the same time. I
again, advised him of the Saturday night rockets and he said Pshaw,-- schedule the meeting for 1930
Hrs. I did. He and his jeep came up the hill to the club in another cloud of dust and his driver
slammed on the breaks creating more dust and dirt and Patterson hopped out covered in a new coat of
dust. A minute or so later, the first rockets hit and he jumped in a foxhole and broke his leg. He
had spent about ten days in command of the Squadron and was evac'd back stateside. (He later
became a major general.)
Major Chintz Wolverton, "C" Troop Commander replaced LTC Patterson. Less than thirty days later,
LTC Lavere "The Jungle Fox" Bindrup took command. Normally Department of the Army assigned "up
and coming" Armor Officers to Squadron and Troop Command positions. But in this case, Bindrup was
doing a job in the south near Saigon and was available, so he got the job and "Chintz" went back to
"C" Troop.
Bindrup became our commander for the next six months and as I recall he let the Troop Commanders
do their job. So, in that light, I am not too sad that Patterson broke his leg. When LTC Bindrup
finished his Cavalry tour of duty, he became the 101st Division G-2 and sent us on frequent
"Sniffer" missions in or near the mighty A'shau Valley. By the way, that didn't sit too well with
us. However, some of the results of the "Sniffer" Missions led to B-52 strikes called "Rolling
Thunder." That's another story.
Anyway here is Colonel Bindrup's Obit.
LaVere Wendell Bindrup (1931 - 2010)
TREMONTON, Utah/LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Col. (ret) LaVere (Bin) Wendell Bindrup died March 6, 2010,
after a two-year battle with cancer.
He was born Aug. 22, 1931, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Leland Samuel and Lela Nye Bindrup. He grew
up in Logan, Utah, where he graduated from Logan High School and Utah State University. Upon
graduation from USU, he received his ROTC Commission as 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army. He married
Patricia Barber on Sept. 8, 1952, in the Logan LDS Temple.
Bin entered the Army in February of 1954 at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. He and his family
were stationed at many Army installations throughout the U.S. He attended Army flight school at Gary
AFB, Texas, helicopter school at Ft. Rucker, Ala., officers basic course at Ft. Knox, Ky., and
Command and General Staff College (where Colin Powell was his classmate) at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
He spent three years in Germany, had a tour of duty in Korea and two in Vietnam. He received many
decorations, among which were the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal,
Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 17 clusters and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
He enjoyed photography and gardening and was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, where he was an elder in the Tremonton 4th Ward. He is survived by his wife, Patt, and two
children, Sydna (Mike) Harris, Elwood and Kirk, of Denver, Colo.; six grandchildren, Craig (Beckie)
Harris of Thatcher; Andrea (Clark) Jessop of Plano, Texas; Ricky (Kim) Harris of Tremonton; Joel
(Syna) Harris of Logan; Treesha and Daniel; and seven great-grandchildren. Also surviving are three
sisters: Inez Bindrup, Donna Loy Gossner and Judy (Alan) Hofmeister; and one brother, Jay Bindrup.
He is preceded in death by his parents and sister Beverlee.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday, March 12, 2010, at Rogers and Taylor Funeral Home, 111
N. 100 East, Tremonton, with Bishop Jeff Reese officiating. Family and friends may call from 6 to 8
p.m. Thursday, March 11, 2010, and from 9:30 to 10:40 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Interment
will be at the Elwood Cemetery with military honors.
From: Dave Larcomb