U.S. Army OV-1 Mohawk Surveillance Aircraft
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The OV-1 carried high-definition cameras for daylight and infra-red for night flights. Some versions carried SLAR (Side Looking Airborne Radar) to detect movement on the ground. It was especially effective in finding moving objects in the jungles of Vietnam. Back in the day, a Huey helicopter cost $275,000. A Mohawk came in at $4,000,000.
Paula Persons
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Mark Persons
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September 21-23, 2023: Brainerd VFW post member Mark Persons and his wife Paula attended a miliary reunion in Charleston, South Carolina. Paula is a Brainerd VFW auxiliary member. The OV-1 Mohawk Association puts on this annual event at different locations around the country.
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September 20, 2023; It all started in a hospitality room. Old friends getting reacquainted and showing off a quilt of Mohawk reunions from past years.
September 21, 2023, 8:30 am: It was off for a bus tour of Charleston, which included the Citadel and the General Mark Clark building, along with the nearby church. Then there was a boat cruise on Charleston harbor.
September 21, 2023: It was time for refreshments and something to eat with good friends.
September 22, 2023, 9:30 am: A bus brought reunion people to a boat that took them to Fort Sumpter where the Civil War started in 1861. The flag was not flying that day because of high winds. The South Carolina flag, in blue below the US flag on the boat, has a Palmetto tree, the state symbol.
September 23, 9 am: Then a bus trip to Patriot's Point where the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown is a museum open to the public. The battleship USS Laffey is there too. There is a Vietnam exhibit, which was of interest to most of the reunion attendees.
September 23, 2023, 6:30 pm: The annual banquet was held with association president John Bosh as the MC. A color guard presented the colors and speeches were given. a scale model of a proposed replacement for the Mohawk with four engines, but it never went into production. There was a band and dancing after dinner. It was a bit loud so guys huddled together for conversation.
BANQUET KEYNOTE SPEAKER MARK MORIN
Mark Morin, a distinguished retired Captain from the USCG, has built an illustrious career in Joint DoD/DHS operations. His vast experience and knowledge have led him to his current role as the recently hired Vice President of Operations at the Army Historical Foundation. Concurrently, he shares his insights and wisdom at the Naval War College as an adjunct professor, teaching night school.
Before retiring in August 2021, he held the prestigious position of Coast Guard Senior Service Chair at the Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy. There, he taught the Senior Leadership Foundations Course, shaping the minds of tomorrow's leaders with his wealth of knowledge and experience.
Mark's illustrious military journey began with the 1st/75th Ranger Battalion, where he initially established his service credentials. This journey continued with the Army Warrant Officer Flight Training program, during which he piloted OH-58 helicopters. Mark then transitioned into the Coast Guard, attended OCS, and flew various Search and Rescue platforms, including H-65, H-60, C-130, and Falcon-20 aircraft.
One of the highlights of his military career was commanding the Coast Guard Air Station in Kodiak, Alaska. Additionally, he served as the legislative affairs director for DHS U/S Management, Secret Service, and USCG, roles that allowed him to leverage his extensive experience to contribute to the larger national security landscape.
As a 2005 alumnus of the Naval War College Command and Staff program, Mark deeply appreciates the value of active participation in the learning process. He is committed to ensuring that each of his students gains the most from their courses, fostering a learning environment that demands a full 100% effort.
Mark's leadership roles have spanned the CG Acquisitions Directorate, where he managed numerous significant acquisition projects, and the oversight of 22 programs with a combined value of $29B. His effective organizational leadership and cost/performance management for aircraft, cutters, boats, and C4ISR systems fleet earned him well-deserved respect in the field.
Mark Morin's academic achievements include an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and an MS in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School. His dedication to fostering and leading high-performing teams won him the "Coast Guard Innovation Award" for operations.
Mark Morin, a distinguished retired Captain from the USCG, has built an illustrious career in Joint DoD/DHS operations. His vast experience and knowledge have led him to his current role as the recently hired Vice President of Operations at the Army Historical Foundation. Concurrently, he shares his insights and wisdom at the Naval War College as an adjunct professor, teaching night school.
Before retiring in August 2021, he held the prestigious position of Coast Guard Senior Service Chair at the Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy. There, he taught the Senior Leadership Foundations Course, shaping the minds of tomorrow's leaders with his wealth of knowledge and experience.
Mark's illustrious military journey began with the 1st/75th Ranger Battalion, where he initially established his service credentials. This journey continued with the Army Warrant Officer Flight Training program, during which he piloted OH-58 helicopters. Mark then transitioned into the Coast Guard, attended OCS, and flew various Search and Rescue platforms, including H-65, H-60, C-130, and Falcon-20 aircraft.
One of the highlights of his military career was commanding the Coast Guard Air Station in Kodiak, Alaska. Additionally, he served as the legislative affairs director for DHS U/S Management, Secret Service, and USCG, roles that allowed him to leverage his extensive experience to contribute to the larger national security landscape.
As a 2005 alumnus of the Naval War College Command and Staff program, Mark deeply appreciates the value of active participation in the learning process. He is committed to ensuring that each of his students gains the most from their courses, fostering a learning environment that demands a full 100% effort.
Mark's leadership roles have spanned the CG Acquisitions Directorate, where he managed numerous significant acquisition projects, and the oversight of 22 programs with a combined value of $29B. His effective organizational leadership and cost/performance management for aircraft, cutters, boats, and C4ISR systems fleet earned him well-deserved respect in the field.
Mark Morin's academic achievements include an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and an MS in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School. His dedication to fostering and leading high-performing teams won him the "Coast Guard Innovation Award" for operations.
A 1960s photo of the Mohawk showing weapons, which were later deleted in favor of the high-tech photography and radar surveillance.
About the Author: Mark Persons - Webmaster and Historian. Mark joined the U.S. Army in 1966. Basic training was at Fort Polk, Louisiana. It was later renamed Fort Johnson. He taught electronics at Fort Monmouth, NJ. Then it was off to Vietnam to be Sergeant in Charge of an avionics repair shop in support of the high-tech OV-1 Mohawk Surveillance Aircraft. It was back to civilian life in 1969. Mark married Paula Timman and worked as a radio broadcast engineer until retirement in 2018. Brainerd Dispatch Memorial Day story. He and Paula shop local and buy American, especially when it comes to cars. The money stays here to help Americans. They are happy to be participating members of VFW Post 1647.
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Returning from Vietnam in 1969, Mark was given a military standby ticket to fly home from California. He got the last seat on an airplane. It was first class where alcohol was free. All he wanted was two aspirin for a splitting headache from the emotional relief of leaving the army and Vietnam behind. Passengers had to shake him awake in Minneapolis after the plane landed.
