This page created 11-20-2005 Last updated 03-06-2006
Changed Howard's e-mail address 08-13-2010

Howard J. Thompson's 1/8 scale RC
M551 'SHERIDAN' ARMORED
RECONNAISSANCE/AIRBORNE ASSULT VEHICLE

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THE 'ARIZONA' PROJECT Sept 1, 2005 (MS Word Format)

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The Crew

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PSG Ramon Vega
(Arizona)
Tank Commander
SP4 Romeo Martin
(Connecticut)
Driver
SP4 Brad Willard
(Utah)
Loader

M551 Sheridan 'ARIZONA' 2nd Platoon, A Troop,
1/11 Armored Cavalry Regiment, Vietnam, September 1970

A Troop returned from Cambodia in June 1970 and after a several week stand down PSG Ramon Vega was assigned a new Sheridan designated the A29. PSG Vega selected SP4 Martin and SP4 Willard to be his first crew. Sgt Vega, being from Arizona, chose to identify the A29 as the 'ARIZONA'. He also was the author of the other markings, which personalized the Sheridan. Romeo Martin and Brad Willard returned home after their tour and both found employment with the United States Postal Service. Ramon Vega completed 21 years in the service and returned to Arizona where he was employed by the State Corrections Department. He is now retired.
In July 2005 Romeo Martin told me that Brad Willard had become seriously ill so the pages of the 'ARIZONA' model website created November 2005 were dedicated to his early recovery. Romeo called me on February 6th 2006 to report the sad news that Brad had passed away on the 26th of January 2006. These pages are again dedicated to Brad Willard, a member of the first crew of the 'ARIZONA', and to Romeo Martin and Ramon Vega who share that distinction with him.