In Contact page for Bain 'Short Round' Cowell

Then and now photos. This merged photo (courtesy of Bruce Powell) shows Short Round as a young Artillery FO (Forward Observer) assigned to D Troop in 1967- and at a recent Squadron Association Reunion.

Short Round made contact with us via the website and attended the 2008 Reunion with his son.

Tom Fleming convinced Short Round at the reunion that he should volunteer to start a unit history project and, fortunately for all of us, the encouragement stuck. As I recall, that kind of suggestion from Troop Commanders almost always met with that same result.

Here is part of an email from Short Round that will provide some information on his plans regarding the history project at the Tucson reunion in 2010. Bring your remembrances to the Tucson reunion and track down Bain Cowell (Short Round) at the reunion. The music history research referred to is something with which Rick Arthur (HOGS) is involved. Click HERE to see the Centaurs Second Year project that Bain and Rick Arthur are working on.

I plan to attend the reunion and would be happy to be involved. This would be a big help to me in assembling information from the 1967-68 Centaurs for our vol. II history book. I've gotten some returns from the letter that Tom and George circulated back in July, but need more to reach a critical mass. Oral interviews (recorded in audio or video) could reach a lot of guys who are reluctant or unable to put their reminiscences in writing.

I understand the Veterans History Project at LOC covers all U.S. wars from which there are survivors and would be a great choice, especially given your LOC contacts. There's also another "Vietnam Project" of oral history at Texas Tech University (accessible online) which was recommended to me by Army Command and General Staff College historian Dr. James Willbanks (several books on Vietnam War). However, I've had no contact with them to date.

BTW, in your ethnomusicology research have you looked into Vietnam-era folk or pop music that might have been sung by deployed troops? Some of those songs were anti-war, but others celebrated the soldiers' loyalty and heroism. There must be some out there besides "The Green Berets" (from the John Wayne film). I recall that my predecessor as the Centaurs' "Short Round," a 1LT whose name I have unfortunately forgotten, composed a "Ballad of the Centaurs" that may be lost to posterity. He played the guitar, composed a simple tune, and got help writing lyrics. One verse celebrated the combat exploits of "smiling Captain Delvy."