George Zervos - Member since 2016
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George Zervos VVA Bio
Born in Evanston, Illinois in 1944. Attended the University of Illinois and enrolled in the Army ROTC program. Graduated with BS in Economics and Accounting and was commissioned as a 2LT in 1967. Was assigned to the Military Intelligence Branch, my first choice, with an MOS of 9309 – Aerial Surveillance Officer. Attended the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the Aerial Surveillance Officer Course at the Army Intelligence School at Fort Holabird, Maryland.
Was sent to Vietnam in November 1967 and was assigned to the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Reconnaissance Support), also known as 1st MIBARS, a unit of the 525th Military Intelligence Group, USARV (US Army Vietnam). The battalion was instrumental in identifying Russian missiles in Cuba during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
The battalion had its headquarters in Saigon, and four detachments in each of the four Corps tactical zone headquarters. Served four months in Detachment B at I Corps headquarters in Da Nang and nine months in Detachment C at IV Corps headquarters in Can Tho, in the Mekong Delta. Promoted to 1LT early 1968.
Ist MIBARS played a unique role in the Vietnam War by performing its primary mission of working closely with the U.S. Air Force to produce tactical military intelligence for U.S. and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) ground forces. The Battalion's assignment was to systematically examine, analyze and interpret aerial film photography and other types of aerial imagery acquired by reconnaissance aircraft and to provide military commanders with actionable informational summaries for use in offensive and defensive operations, operational planning, and situational assessments. It also had a hand-held camera program where personnel would fly Bird Dog observation aircraft at low altitude and take pictures of enemy activity using telephoto lenses.
Although 1st MIBARS had a non-combat support role, it almost saw combat during the Tet Offensive. The I Corps headquarters compound in Da Nang, where 1st MIBARS Detachment B was located, came under attack in the early morning of January 30, 1968. VC sappers came over the wall near where our buildings were located and several VC were killed inside the compound. When we arrived at work that morning, fighting was still going on in the village next to the compound and we were assigned fighting positions along the wall. The VC were finally killed by air strikes, and after the end of the engagement, enemy dead were brought to and laid out on the helipad directly across the street from the Detachment B area where the local residents could view them for a day or two before they were taken away.
I extended an extra 39 days in Vietnam to receive an early out of active duty and returned home December 1968. I was awarded the Army Commendation medal.
After the army, I went back to school and received a MS degree in Economics and became a Certified Public Accountant. I worked 27 years for Denver Water in charge of financial reporting and retired in 2015. Married, no kids.
I was a member of the Denver chapter of VVA in the late 80’s that met at the Highlands Church on 32nd Avenue, but the chapter disbanded.
Born in Evanston, Illinois in 1944. Attended the University of Illinois and enrolled in the Army ROTC program. Graduated with BS in Economics and Accounting and was commissioned as a 2LT in 1967. Was assigned to the Military Intelligence Branch, my first choice, with an MOS of 9309 – Aerial Surveillance Officer. Attended the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and the Aerial Surveillance Officer Course at the Army Intelligence School at Fort Holabird, Maryland.
Was sent to Vietnam in November 1967 and was assigned to the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Reconnaissance Support), also known as 1st MIBARS, a unit of the 525th Military Intelligence Group, USARV (US Army Vietnam). The battalion was instrumental in identifying Russian missiles in Cuba during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
The battalion had its headquarters in Saigon, and four detachments in each of the four Corps tactical zone headquarters. Served four months in Detachment B at I Corps headquarters in Da Nang and nine months in Detachment C at IV Corps headquarters in Can Tho, in the Mekong Delta. Promoted to 1LT early 1968.
Ist MIBARS played a unique role in the Vietnam War by performing its primary mission of working closely with the U.S. Air Force to produce tactical military intelligence for U.S. and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) ground forces. The Battalion's assignment was to systematically examine, analyze and interpret aerial film photography and other types of aerial imagery acquired by reconnaissance aircraft and to provide military commanders with actionable informational summaries for use in offensive and defensive operations, operational planning, and situational assessments. It also had a hand-held camera program where personnel would fly Bird Dog observation aircraft at low altitude and take pictures of enemy activity using telephoto lenses.
Although 1st MIBARS had a non-combat support role, it almost saw combat during the Tet Offensive. The I Corps headquarters compound in Da Nang, where 1st MIBARS Detachment B was located, came under attack in the early morning of January 30, 1968. VC sappers came over the wall near where our buildings were located and several VC were killed inside the compound. When we arrived at work that morning, fighting was still going on in the village next to the compound and we were assigned fighting positions along the wall. The VC were finally killed by air strikes, and after the end of the engagement, enemy dead were brought to and laid out on the helipad directly across the street from the Detachment B area where the local residents could view them for a day or two before they were taken away.
I extended an extra 39 days in Vietnam to receive an early out of active duty and returned home December 1968. I was awarded the Army Commendation medal.
After the army, I went back to school and received a MS degree in Economics and became a Certified Public Accountant. I worked 27 years for Denver Water in charge of financial reporting and retired in 2015. Married, no kids.
I was a member of the Denver chapter of VVA in the late 80’s that met at the Highlands Church on 32nd Avenue, but the chapter disbanded.