GOT TO VIET NAM ON MAY 12TH 1967. LANDED AT DONG HA AND CHOPPERED OUT TO THE USS OKINAWA WHERE B/1/3 WAS STATIONED.
GOT MY WEAPON AND AMMO AND CHOPPERED TO THE BEACH WHERE I WAS ASSIGNED TO CPL. DANIEL SQUAD.
SPENT THE NEXT 7 WEEKS IN THE JUNGLE WITH THE SAME CLOTHES ON AND HAD ONLY ONE HOT MEAL. NEVER SLEPT IN A BED…ONLY THE GROUND AS MY BUNK.
JULY 6TH 1967 GOT SHOT AND WAS SENT BACK TO THE NAVAL HOSPITAL IN PENSACOLS, FLA. TOOK 3-1/2 MONTHS TO HEAL. THEN SENT TO PARRIS ISLAND AS A RIFLE RANGE COACH. FIRST PERSON I SAW THERE WAS CPL. DANIEL. ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED THE REST OF THAT DAY. WE HAD SWAPPED FOX HOLES AND HE WAS BLOWN OUT OF HIS. TOLD ME ON THE WAY BACK TO THE SHIP HE DIED 6 TIMES. BUT HE'S OK NOW.
2 YEARS AGO I ARRANGED A REUNION. DANIEL FROM TENN., ELLIS FROM IOWA, GAREY FRON OHIO AND ME. WE MET AT ELLIS'S HOUSE IN IOWA. BEEN 43 YEARS SINCE WE HAD SEEN EACHOTHER.
HERE IS A PICTURE OF US.