North High School Wall of Honor Richard James Nehrling Class of June, 1963
Research done by Rick Nehrling, Class of 1963.
Richard James Nehrling
Rick was a member of North High's class of June, 1963. He graduated from Colorado State University in December 1968 with a BS in Zoology. In March 1969, he was drafted into the US Army at Fort Des Moines Iowa. Rick completed Basic and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and then was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia where he completed Non-Commissioned Officers' Training. From Fort Benning, he was sent to Fort Carson, Colorado where he served as a Brigade Training NCO. His Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs) were 11F40 Infantry Operations and Intelligence Specialist and 11B40 Combat Infantryman. His service number was__________ . In early March 1970, Rick was sent to Vietnam and was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. He served as a squad leader with the Combined Reconnaissance and Intelligence Platoon (CRIP). During his seven months with CRIP, he and his squad operated in the following areas: the rice paddies around Trang Bang and Go Dau Ha; the Iron Triangle; the Mushroom; the Ho Bo woods; the Boi Loi woods; the Cambodian Invasion; the Michelin and Ben Cui rubber plantations near Dau Tieng; the Razorback Mountains north of Dau Tieng; in single, double, and triple canopy jungles in III Corps, and with the US Navy on the Saigon River. In October 1970, Rick was transferred to Company E, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry. He was assigned as a squad leader with the Reconnaissance Platoon. During his four months with Recon, he and his squad operated in the woods and the single, double, and triple canopy jungles throughout War Zone C and War Zone D in III Corps. After his February 1971 discharge from the Army, Rick worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a Fisheries Biologist and Administrator. During his career, he worked on National Wildlife Refuges, National Fish Hatcheries, the Service's Washington, D.C. Office, and the Service's Atlanta Regional Office. In January 2008, Rick retired after 38 years of Federal Government service. He and his wife, Chris, live in Conyers, Georgia.
August, 1970: Michelin Rubber Plantation Lead Jeep: Sgt. Rick Nehrling (on hood); Carl Fulk (passenger seat); Ron Groves (driver); Sgt. Smith (at M-60); Woods (behind driver); Abalos Carter (Behind Woods); and two PRU's (Vietnamese). Rear Jeep: Gilbert Neely (on hood); Simon Wilson, Jr. (waving hand); SFC Marion Masterson (passenger side hood);Robert Counseller (head between Neely and Masterson); "Doc" Nowak (behind Masterson); Larry Burrows (head between Masterson and Nowak).
Michelin Rubber Plantation A frequent mission
Richard James Nehrling Sergeant Company E, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Air Cavalry Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal w/1st OLC, and V (valor) device, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal
References The comprehensive list of names from North High's 1893-2021 graduation classes are from Claradell Shedd's North Des Moines High School website. The names of North High School graduates can be found online at: http://www.ndmhs.com/. Richard James Nehrling's 1963 class page is: http://www.ndmhs.com/pages/yearclass1963(1998.35).html.
02/03/10: Resides in Conyers, GA.
Music: "We've Got To Get Out of This Place" by the Animals.
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