Charles L. Deibert

Charles L. "Larry" Deibert is Oregon’s Civilian Aide-Senior to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) following a twenty-two year military service career; his rescue actions as a pilot in the Vietnam War resulted in countless saved lives, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross, second only to the Congressional Medal of Honor, and numerous other medals and honors. Additionally, Deibert was conferred the dedication of Oregon National Guard’s tactical deployment center, named: "Major Charles L. Deibert Flight Operations Facility." Deibert is a direct descendant of the infamous fur-trader John Clarke and Josephte Kanhopitsa (a Salishan-Colville North American Native), which links him to the Métis, a specific community and culture of indigenous people. CEO and owner of various enterprises, Deibert continues his life of service to our county and in volunteer work.

File:DeibertCC01.jpg

Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski (left), stands with Charles L. Deibert, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, and his wife Suzanne, during the dedication ceremony of a new facility named in honor of Deibert, Aug. 28, in Salem, Ore. The Charles L. Deibert Operations Facility replaces an older building located just off Turner Road, adjacent to McNary Field in Salem. Oregon Army National Guard units, including the 2-641 Aviation Battalion and 102nd Civil Support Team are headquartered in the new building.

File:Deibert Cessna O-1 Bird Dog.jpg

Cessna O-1 Bird Dog

Beginnings

Deibert was born in Longview, Washington, June 2, 1936. His family moved to Hood River, OR, in 1946. After graduating from Wy'East High School, Deibert worked in the logging industry and on tugboats. Deibert volunteered for the draft and shortly thereafter joined the United States Marine Corps.

Military career

As a U.S. Marine, Deibert attended radio telegraph school and toured with the 1st Marine Regiment, whose Division was located at Camp Pendleton (CA).

Following draft-requirement fulfillment, Deibert was in the Marine Reserves. He then accepted an invitation to attend the Oregon Army National Guard Drill (Hood River, OR) for service with Company D-162 Engineer Battalion, 41st Infantry Division. Deibert’s transition from the Marines to the Army National Guard was straightforward and uncomplicated.

Next, Deibert entered Class Four of the Oregon Military Academy. Commission followed and a transfer to Portland (OR) Aviation Unit, at the Portland Airbase. He attended flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, graduating in May, 1964. Flying fixed-wing craft (like the 0-1 Dog Bird), Deibert volunteered for flying duty in the Vietnam conflict .

Following Jump School (parachute training) and three weeks of flying in the Dominican Republic as a Huey pilot, Deibert moved on to Fort Bragg, where he was the eldest (age 30) student at the Airborne School of the 82nd Airborne Division nicknamed "Pop." Qualified to fly both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, and with three Jungle School badges (three separate training sessions), Deibert entered the Vietnam conflict.

File:DeibertCC03.jpg

An Oregon Army National Guard OH-58 helicopter takes off from the Maj. Charles L. Diebert Operations Facility in Salem, Ore., to assist with a search and rescue near Umatilla, Oregon

January 15, 1967, marked his first day serving in Vietnam. He was assigned to the 220th Recon Airplane Co, which was composed of Forward Air Controllers in the I-Corp Area; Deibert was in the First Platoon, located in Quang Ngai (Vietnam province). He flew missions for the First and Third Marine Divisions, Army Special Forces, as well as the Republic of Vietnam’s Army; moreover, Deibert flew multiple naval gunfire missions, controlled airstrikes, artillery gunfire and kept ground commanders abreast of enemy movements.

After just three months Deibert was assigned as the S-2 and later commanded the 4th Platoon; his Army unit was attached to the 3rd Marine Division. Now Captain, Deibert achieved 723 flying hours in the O-1 Bird Dog; equated, in other terms, Deibert’s 723 hours of flight translate into 570 missions in Vietnam. Seventy-three of those missions were coded "Banjo," which means they occurred in North Vietnam, one of which would, unequivocally, change the course of Deibert’s life.

On September 10, 1967, Charles L. Deibert was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for his unplanned rescue flight that provided emergency assistance to overwhelmed Marine forces. Deibert’s actions resulted in the avoidance of many needless deaths, as well as resulting in a successful battle for the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division; Deibert’s facilitation that day, in multiple ways, allowed for aircraft to assist Marines in danger that otherwise would not have had such opportunity. Additionally, Deibert's actions provided opportunity for medevac involvement—resulting in countless saved lives.

Deibert spent the next five years with the 41st Infantry Aviation section of the Oregon Army National Guard and then transferred to the Army Reserves 104th Training Division (Vancouver, WA) becoming the Division Aviation Officer. Deibert retired as a U.S. Army Major; his service career spanned twenty-two years. Deibert’s military career included the United States Marine Corps, Oregon Army National Guard, United States Army, and United States Army Reserve.

Honors and affiliations

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Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, The Adjutant General, Oregon, presents Charles L. Deibert, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, a photo of the newly dedicated building named in his honor, at the facility’s dedication ceremony, Aug. 28, in Salem, Ore. Deibert, a former member of the Oregon Army National Guard, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, among other recognition, for heroic actions as a reconnaissance pilot during the Vietnam conflict. The new facility replaces the Army Aviation Support Facility #1, just off Turner Road, adjacent to McNary Field in Salem. Oregon Army National Guard units, including the 2-641 Aviation Battalion and 102nd Civil Support Team are headquartered in the new building.

In 2003 Deibert was appointed for the position of Oregon’s Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) which is a protocol-equivalency ranking of a three star general. Deibert has been reappointed to this position seven times.

In addition to the Distinguished Service Cross, Charles "Larry" Deibert’s awards and honors include: two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, two Meritorious Service Medals, three Vietnam Crosses (one with a silver star, one with a bronze star, and one with a palm leaf), in addition to twenty-five separate (individually awarded) air medal honors.

Moreover, in August 2010, the (former) Salem Aviation Center was dedicated to Charles L. Deibert and named the Oregon National Guard’s, "Major Charles L. Deibert Flight Operations Facility", a tactical hub for deployment (especially in response to domestic tragedies).

Further, Deibert’s affiliations include: The Legion of Valor: U.S. membership (with whom Deibert served as National Commander from 2001-2002), a lifetime member of the International Birddog Association, a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), as well as myriad other military organizations.(OMDa, 2010)

Civilian and family life

Following Deibert’s successful military career, he was hired as a sales manager with the Yellow Pages®. Next, he transitioned into developing his own advertisement agency: Tel-Ad Advisors, National Management Services, Inc. Among Deibert’s successes are the following titles and companies: Owner and CEO of National Management Services, Inc; The Hallmark Yellow Pages Selling Group, Inc. — d.b.a. Tel-Ad National Marketing Services, Inc; Wild Web Works, Inc; Gorge of the Gods Ranch of Excellence; and, The Combat Zone (a computer gaming center). In addition Deibert's joint ownerships included: The Sierra Group - d.b.a. NMS LTD, and The Howard Pierson Group.

Presently, Deibert resides in Corbett, OR, with his wife Suzanne Deibert, where they once ran an exotic animal breeding ranch and now volunteer at the local "Helping Hands Food Bank." Deibert played and coached softball for many years.

Heritage and Native American lineage

Charles "Larry" (L.) Deibert is a descendant of the infamous fur trader, John Clarke. Clarke, of Montreal, Quebec, was instrumental in the fur trade business with the Northwest Company. Also, Clarke was sent by John Jacob Astor of the Pacific Fur Company to establish a trading post on the Spokane River (WA). Clarke then worked for the Hudson's Bay Company.

This link qualifies Deibert in the Métis culture. Metis people are a specific community and culture of indigenous people, primarily living in Canada and the central and western United States. More of the population is found in Canada, where the people were deeply involved in the fur trade.

The Métis have developed as an ethnic group from the descendants of indigenous women who married French (and later Scottish) fur trappers and traders during the 18th and 19th centuries at the height of the fur trade. At the time, the border did not exist between Canada and the British colonies as much of the area was undeveloped. Traders and trappers easily moved back and forth through the area.

Clarke’s first wife was Josephte Kanhopitsa, who was native to North America, and directly binds Deibert’s heritage to North American Native Americans. Pointedly, Kanhopitsa’s community was part of the Colville peoples. The Colvilles, a Salishan group, lived between the Kettle Falls River and a fur-trading post, the Spokane House. Although decreased to a minimal number (a few hundred) by 1904, the Salishans were (1850 and prior) a multitudinous tribe, a substantive percentage of the Colvilles representing a stand-alone population of many thousands. Unsubstantiated findings argue that Kanhopitsa’s brother may be a man called Kolaskin (or Skolaskin) who was a Columbia Plateau "dreamer prophet."

That being said, Charles L. Deibert is descended from John Clarke and Josephte Kanhopitsa, his "great, great, great" grandparents. Illustratively, Josephte Clarke was the daughter of John Clarke and Josephte Kanhopitsa; Josephte Clarke was wed to John McKay (or "McKay Rouge," a nickname derived as a description of his flaming red hair and volatile temper) who was also well known to the fur-trading industry. John McKay’s son was Charles McKay (great grandpa to Charles "Larry" Deibert); Charles McKay wedded Elizabeth Sanders (whose mother was Lizette de Dalles, wife of John Pierre Alexander Sanders [Elizabeth Sanders’ father] and probable descendent of the Native North American Natchez peoples of the Mississippi Valley). Lizette de Dalles marks Deibert’s secondary Native American lineage.

Point-in-fact, Bertha Louise McKay is the daughter Charles McKay and Elizabeth Sanders - who married Charles Monroe Deibert; Charles Monroe Deibert and Bertha Louise McKay had a son named William Joseph Deibert, who was wed to Stella Pauline Stief, parents of Charles "Larry" (L.) Deibert.

References & External Links

1. n.a. [USA Today] (2009, 2016). Charles L. Deibert Flight Operations Facility. USA Today & World Media Group, LLC. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://www.usa.com/frs/charles-l-deibert-flight-operations-facility.html

2. n.a. [Military Times, Edtr] (n.d.) Hall of valor. Military Times. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=5208

3. n.a. [326-Marines] (n.d.) Valor award list. 3rd Battalion 26th Marines. Retrieved May 28, 2016 from http://326marinesinvietnam.com/AwardList.aspx

4. Barnett, J. (2015). Mississippi history now: Natchez Indians, the. Mississippi Historical Society. Retrieved May 28, 2016, from http://mshistorynow.mdah.state.ms.us/index.php?id=4

5. Camp, Col. D. (2006, 2016). 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines Fight With the NVA 324B Division in September 1967 During the Vietnam War. Retrieved May 29, 2016 from http://www.historynet.com/3rd-battalion-26th-marines-fight-with-the-nva-324b-division-in-september-1967-during-the-vietnam-war.htm

6. Clinch, K. (2016) — (K. Clinch, email message, May 5/20/2016 and 5/22/2016). Retrieved May 22, 2016 from https://outlook.live.com/owa/?path=/mail/inbox/rp

7. Courchane, C. (n.d.) John Clarke: To the Pacific Northwest in 1811; John Clarke (1781-1852) My great great great grandmother, Josephte Kanhopitsa’s first ‘husband.’ Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://www.oregonpioneers.com/bios/JohnClarke.pdf

8. Hartzel, J. (1998). Con Thien: the hill of the angels. Quang Tri Province 1967. Retrieved May 29, 2016 from http://www.vietvet.org/jhconthn.htm

9. McCluskey, T. (2016) — (T. McCluskey, personal communication, May 5/9/2016) and (T. McCluskey, email messages, 5/10/2016 and 5/19/2016). Retrieved May 20, 2016 from https://outlook.live.com/owa/?path=/mail/search/rp

10. OMDa (2010). Oregon Military Department—OMD. Vietnam veteran Larry Deibert - Video OregonLive.com.flv via YouTube. Retrieved May 28, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oGBIzJ6iqk

11. OMDb (2010). Oregon Military Department—OMD. Oregon National Guard honors Vietnam vet, Larry Deibert with building dedication, via YouTube: KGW's coverage of the Major C.L. Deibert Operations Facility building dedication ceremony in Salem, on Aug. 28, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEfCd2rVo1E

12. ONG. (2016). Oregon National Guard—ONG. "Charles L. Deibert Operations." Retrieved May 29, 2016 from https://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonmildep/sets/72157624828992534/

13. Ross, N.W. (2015). Farthest Reach: Oregon and Washington. Retrieved May 29, 2016 from http://www.amazon.com/Farthest-Reach-Nancy-Wilson-Ross/dp/194182143X

14. Sterner, C.D. (Editor), (2006, 2014). Hometown heroes of the beaver state— Oregon. Stories of American Heroes - Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado. Retrieved May 29, 2016 from http://www.homeofheroes.com/hometownheroes/or.html

15. Stubbe, R.W.; Chaplain USN Ret., (2016). Newsletter and reunions. History: Khe Sanh Veterans, Inc. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://www.khesanh.org/about.htm

16. Sullivan, J. (2010). Oregon Guard aviator, who saved Marines in Vietnam, honored with Salem building. The Oregonian. First published August 27, 2010; updated August 27, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2016, from http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/08/oregon_guard_aviator_who_saved_marines_in_vietnam_honored_with_salem_building.html and from http://www.combatptsdwoundedtimes.org/2010/08/vietnam-vet-charles-larry-deibert.html

17. Wilson, G. (n.d.). A Ten-Minute Lesson Enables A Marine To Save His Own Life By Landing Plane. By Gene Wilson, Catkiller Historian, as related to him by Larry Deibert."4 December 1967—a very emotional day in the 220th in northern I Corps" Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://www.catkillers.org/history-10-minute-lesson.html

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