Living History

[DMZ-LT]

I served as a platoon leader in 2 nd platoon C Troop 3rd Squadron , 5th Cavalry in Viet Nam. The Squadron was in Viet Nam from 1966 to 1971 The Squadron has a web site that has a casualty page that lists the KIA. At the reunion I went to last year , at The Wall , the names of the dead were read aloud. There were 302 dead plus 20 more who were attached to us and died , including a Stars and Stripes reporter. 4 Jones , 3 Thompsons and 4 Browns are on the list. During Lam Son 719 from Feb to April 71 the Squadron lost 64 people killed , 11 from my platoon. Reading their names I remember , like yesterday , the day they died. Probably will till I die. Finally made it to The Wall , after two failed attempts , with 3 guys who were in my platoon to say Hello to our lost brothers. Ever since Viet Nam I feel like I am in the bonus round of life and one very lucky person. I was born to be an Opa and very grateful for the opportunity. Don't really know why I am writing this except to keep their memory alive and let them know I still remember and doing my best to make them proud of the life they helped give me

[SEATJERKER]

...

...You are living to promote their legacy, your remembrance shall carry on their torch of life,...

...Welcome Home,...

...

[b3196]

John
I had a friend tell me "As long as your looking down at the grass and still sucking air, everything is good" Our mission in life is to keep the memories of those not with us, alive
Bob K

[39mto39g]

LT.
We are living history.
Your a part of that history, Being a servivor, you owe it to those that did not survive to tell there story, They can't. Once you tell there story , that story is also part of history as a first person account, so it is important that the stories get out there and then saved.

Next time you go to a reunion tell then hello for me and get a story from them to be part of history.

Ron

[Packo]

Lt,

It has been my distinct honor to meet you, know you, and call you friend and brother.

What Bob and Ron say.....all animal sex aside.

Pack

[Robert Ryan]

Our legacy is to tell people about what happned and the price it costs to be free from agression and to remind people the price is still being paid today by brave young and women who have taken it upon them to protect us from agression.

[39mto39g]

RR
agression, I always thought we were the agressors, at least the guys I was with would say so. But then we didn't know what the war was even about. I think we fought mostly because the guy next to us was being shot at and that pissed us off. You don't want to piss off a bunch of guys with guns and a radio.
agression, I don't even know what that means now.

Ron

[Gimpy]

It has also been my great honor & pleasure to have met you, come to know and most of all..........call you my Brother!


From Shakespeare's great Henry V, 1599



Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember with advantages what feats he did that day:


Then shall our names.Familiar in his mouth as household words Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,


Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.


This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,


From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember'd;


We few, we happy few, we band of brothers ;



For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother ;
be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition:


and gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,


And hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

..................................................

[DMZ-LT]

I volunterred for RVN. I really believed in the domino theory and wanted to help stem the " invasion " of the south. I was scared the war would be over before I got there. After the first fight I knew what we were fighting for and that was for each other. I was also pretty sure I was not going to come home whole or even alive. This is from the 3/5th web site:.. If you are captured , I will come for you If you are wounded I will carry you And if you are killed I will always remember you.

[39mto39g]

LT
I volunterred for RVN also, I hated duty state side. Inspections, saluting, shinny shoes, Ironed cloths, 2nd LTs that thought they were Generals, I wasn't cut out for the Army that was in the states.
I got to VN and found the Army that I had joined for. Guys walking around with guns, dirty boots, torn T-shits and boonie hats. Not a shinny boot to be seen anywhere.

Ron