The Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.

" The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.

"Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son.

The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. "

We have $10, who will bid $20?

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?”

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who takes the son gets everything!"

God gave His son 2,000 year ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

Isn't It Time To Ask Vietnam Veterans For Forgiveness? By Patrick Butler

I don't mean running up to Vets and doing it one by one, though that's not a bad idea.
I mean a well-publicized official, ceremonial event where somebody with influence, position and corresponding power actually asks Vietnam veterans to forgive the people of this nation for how they were treated during and after the war.
I don't mean an "honoring" ceremony per se, lauding their sacrifice for this country. That's different and it's been done by some. I mean humbling ourselves as a nation, officially recognizing that a great wrong has been done by us, the people. Collectively. No one making excuses or saying "yeah, but" for any reason...

Hasn't this been done already? Evidently not. Talking too "recent" veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq, one 52 and another 25 years old, they both made comments about Vietnam.
"I'm so glad we're past Vietnam and how those soldiers were treated by the public," said Lt. Col. Victor Zillmer of the Army's Corp of Engineers. "I'm very thankful people everywhere have been very supportive and that means a lot to us. We serve the people and politics has no part of it. I think ever soldier feels the same way."
Zillmer's comment reveals that soldiers today still think about Viet-nam and how America shot its own wounded. Vietnam vets have memories no other veterans have to deal with. It's the healing of those memories I'm talking about. There are just some things a ribbon, or a wall sculpture or a "thank you for serving" won't touch.
They need to hear us say, "Please forgive us. We were wrong."
I was chatting with Lt. Justin Lee for a Memorial Day story when he stopped, realizing I'd been present during the Vietnam War years.
"What was that like?" he asked. "How did people really react to the vets coming home?"
My mind reeled. In front of me was a young man who hadn't a real idea of what it felt like to be an American male during the Vietnam War. I'm 54 now and I realized I held a key to our past the younger generation can only grasp at.
What to tell the young lieutenant? Images of citizens shouting, "Hell no, we won't go" or crowds singing "Country Joe" McDonald's anthem of the late '60s "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag" or violent protests meeting GIs after they got off the plane from "in-country" flashed before my eyes. I can feel it now.
"It was a time when soldiers were thought of by many people as agents of an abusive power," I said, finally, feeling helpless to paint the big picture. "Some people felt betrayed by their own government. Some protesters, who didn't know much, only knew they were being asked to potentially die for something they didn't understand. The soldiers took the heat."
Lee shook his head.
"I'm glad I didn't have to go through that," he said.
The Vietnam ghost is still with us and not just as a comparison to current events. It's in the far-reaching memories of the young men and women who came home to an aggressive atmosphere and still recall the uncomfortable and perhaps searing experience.
Who among us easily forgets a single insult or comment said in spite? If Christians in particular want a "scriptural" basis to ask forgiveness, take another look at Matthew 5:23: "If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, first go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."
It has been far too long that the spectacle of how we, us, treated our soldiers, is still lingering in the minds of new and old veterans alike. We need to put it to rest. And we need to do it while the Vietnam Vets are still alive. We need to identify with the wrong done to them as "our" wrong, even "my wrong," not someone Else's, taking collective responsibility and enabling this healing to our national psyche.
Back in 1971, I wrote letters to soldiers - strangers, while they were in Vietnam. I wasn't angry at them. But I'm embarrassed they were reviled at home and I'm not going to point fingers at who was responsible.
We're responsible. Us. They were our soldiers. They're our people. I hope, wish, that every religious leader on this Memorial Day Sunday will ask Vietnam vets in their congregation for forgiveness. We need to do it for them first, and then for us.
Vietnam Vets, please forgive us. We didn't really know what we were doing. It was our pride and arrogance that got in the way, thinking more of our ourselves than of you. There really is no excuse for it. We'd be grateful if you forgave us and let us embrace you once again, and that in turn you would honor us by embracing us as well.
God bless you.

From the Heart of a Vietnam Veteran

From the Heart of a Vietnam Veteran

It seems so many have forgotten the meaning of Veterans Day. But what makes it so special a day that every American should take a moment to reflect, and thank those who served?
Veterans Day isn't simply about the men and women who served in the Armed Forces of this great country. It's about their sacrifices, heroism, and unselfish dedication to the United States of America. It's about their willingness to lay down their lives for the ideals on which this country was founded. It's about sacrificing their lives so someone else may live.
It's about giving their all that others may have freedom. It's about fighting in the mountains, jungles and deserts in a foreign land, in the hope the same battles will never have to be fought in their homeland.
It's about fighting oppression to allow others the power to express their opinions and views, without fear of reprisal and sanction.
It's about vowing to "leave no one behind" and carrying a comrade in arms from the battlefield on your shoulders in the hopes he will live, but knowing that at the very least, he will be buried in his beloved country.
It's about enduring the horror of war in the hopes your children will never have to do the same. It's about laying in the mud, or sand or in a hole, and praying that the shelling will end. And looking at your buddies alongside you, and whispering words of hope and encouragement.
It's about being dead tired and still finding the strength to go on, sometimes when the odds are so heavily against you that it almost appears hopeless.
It's about the doctors and nurses who endure hell with you and work tirelessly tending the wounded. It's about visiting a buddy in the hospital and reassuring him that he'll be OK. It's about writing a letter home for someone who will never return home.
It's about writing that letter for yourself, just in case you are one of the unlucky ones, and putting it in your pack where it would be found.
It's about cursing and swearing and praying and hoping. It's about crying and smiling, sometimes at the same time. It's about working and fighting side by side. It's about a common goal, where personal wants and needs are forgotten. It's about the sharing of a smoke or a candy bar, or cookies sent from home.
It's about the looks on the face of a serviceman when he sees death and carnage for the first time.
And it's about the face and smile of a child who has been rescued from the ravages of war, even if only for a while.
It's about the fields of white crosses and rows of simple bronze markers in cemeteries throughout the country, marking the graves of brave men and women. It's about the graves on foreign shores where many died in the name of freedom, but who never were able to come home.
It's for the veteran shedding a tear while remembering friends and comrades from long ago.
It's for the prisoners of war who endured the misery and torture of captivity in enemy hands.
It's for those who venture out in storms because the book says they have to, but the book doesn't say they have to return.
And it's for the families of those brave men and women, who fight a personal battle every day their loved ones are gone.
No, Veterans Day isn't simply a specified moment in time. It's a day where every one of us needs to thank those who served this great country, both the living and those who have passed on. Those of us who served will never forget them; please take a moment to remember them too.

The veteran who wrote this wishes to remain anonymous.

Photo of a map of the 2 large Battles that I was in

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This is a Google Photo that I made from Google Earth. The bottom pin is Plei Ya Bo, the middle pin is Plei Doch and the upper pin is Dak To. The NVA used the tactic to ambush us and then break off and run for the Cambodian Border. The Battle for Dak To occurred the week before I was preparing to come home. I came home, in late November 1967. This famous battle in the grids YB, occurred right in the corner of Viet Nam-Laos-Cambodia. I lost 77 of my brothers in these 3 battles.

Photo of a Vietmamese $20 Dollar Bill

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Photo of a $10 Viet Nam Bill

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This is a photo of a $10 Dollar Vietnamese Bill

Photo of My Friend Stanly Wesley Dix

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This is the only photo that I have of Stanley W. Dix. He was killed in the Battle for Pleiu Ya Bo (Three Trees). He is the kid on the right side of the photo. I supper imposed a photo that I took of Stanley W Dix name on the Viet Nam Wall about 3 years ago during the time of my nephews wedding. So far I been able to visit the HEALING WALL a couple of times.

Photo Of A Small Montygnard Boy Riding His Water Buffalo

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My good ole buddy Tommy Routh sent me a CD today 5/19/2007 with a collection of his photos. Boy does this photo bring back ole memories.This Photo is of a small Montygnard boy riding his >2000 lb. Water Buffalo.You see they are a very docile creature to the Montygnard People. They would listen to every command for the "YARDS" and mind them but if a G.I. appeared before them would snort and get really aggressive toward them. It's as if they feared us as their enemy, and to a certain degree we were. I still remember our higher ups giving us orders to shoot & kill all of them that we would see out in the BUSH (away from the Montygnards Villages). We operated on the rule if anything moved around us to SHOOT it! You see any wild Water Buffalo's roaming out in the wild would often be taken by the Viet Cong or the North Vietnamese Regulars and used to carry all of their supplies from the Hoa Chi Minh Trail into the Pleiku Providence to supply their forces.I remember our M16 (.223 Caliber) bullets would only make them mad. We usually had to bring them down with our M60 Machine Guns (.30 Cal.). Then it took several rounds to bring one them down. NEVER-NEVER did we kill one of the "Yards" Water Buffaloes unless they were paid visits by the NVA. The NVA would often take the "Yards" food and rape their women and it is too awful to say what they would do to the Montygnards Village Chiefs and elders. Then orders would come down for a mass evacuation of entire Villages minus their Water Buffaloes and then we kill their Water Buffaloes. Our Engineers would build them new villages to settle in. I remember all of our relationships with the Montygnards. They are a POLYNESIAN people and not Asian. They were are most loyal Allies and what did we to them--WE PULLED OUT AND LEFT THEM TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST THE WHOLE NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY. I have read all kinds of horror stories about them since then. We brought back a small % and settled them in down in Ashboro, N.C.

Photo Of A 155mm Selfpropelled Artillery Piece

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Thank to Tommy Routh for this photo of A 155mm Self Propelled Artillery Piece. These were @ our Forward Fire Base. I'ts no wonder that I have a hearing problem. The concussion from one of these babies was something else. We had to stand guard out in front of these big guns and we didn't know when they were starting a fire mission. The only hearing protection that we had were our two hands.

Photo "After Our Battle at Three Trees"

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I took this photo after our famous "Battle at Three Trees". I thought how Ironically this photo depicts the "Battle at Three Trees. You have to imagine the Bush country to my rear (approx. 50 meters) as I took this photo. That's where the NVA attacked us from. Charles Flood tells all about this battle in his book "THE WAR OF THE INNOCENTS"

Photo Of A Solid Gold Buddha That I Took While On R&R In Bangkok, Thailand

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I took this photo of a real solid gold Buddha in August of 1967 while I was on R&R in Bangkok, Thailand. I have a lot of photos of this beautiful city.

Photo Of Me Resting @ One Of Our Forward Base Camps

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This photo was shot by one of my buddies while I was resting while guarding our Forward Fire Base. The Forward Fire Base contained our HQ Company and all of our supporting Artillery (both the 105mm stationary and 155mm Self Propelled Artillery) and of course one Line Company. An Infantry Battalion was made up of 3 Line Companies and a Headquarters Company. The Rotation back to the Forward Fire Base (company in reserve) occurred every 8 days or so which meant that 16 days in the Boonies and then the next 8 days protecting the Forward Fire Base. Sometime in the Fall of 1967 the army added another line company to the 3rd Battalion-8th Infantry which was "D" company. Life for us grunts was somewhat more relaxed when we were in reserve. We still had to pull Nightly Ambush Patrols. and daytime patrols because the NVA knew where we were at all times because of our big guns going off all the time during fire missions. It's no wonder I have lost my hearing. You can't even come close to imaging the concussion was from a 155mm Self propelled Artillery Piece. I still remember the difference between the NVA assaulting one of Line Companies and just Harassing Fire from our huge guns. The artillery would fire continuously if one of our Line companies were in trouble and sporadically fire when they were just harassing the NVA.

Photo From Brother Ed Pippin

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This photo was given to me by Brother Ed Pippin. The photo is of a shot down Huey Slick Helicopter. If I'm not mistaken it was a resupply slick and was shot down while resupplying my company "B" during the Battle for Dak To by a NVA B-40 rocket round. I was @ Dragon Mountain, our main division base camp in Pleiku waiting for my departure from that war. I think the term was DEROS. I remember hearing about this battle with the notorious NVA 11/11/1967, just 9 days before my departure

We lost 18 brave men in this battle from my company. I do not have the figures of WIA. Brother Ed Pippin received a serious wound in this battle. I don't have the figures but I'd say most of these boys had less than 3 months in country!

You can read all this battle @ the following Link!

http://www.ivydragoons.org/Files/DakTo/dakto_narrative.htm

Photo Of Kurt Nagl & Charlie Steinmetz

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This photo was given to me by my good friend Kurt Nagl. Even though he is a YANKEE from Maryland, I still claim him as my Brother-In-Arms along with Charlie. Kurt was a an A-1 medic over there in Nam. Lionel Dudley nicknamed him the "Flat Footed German Yankee" but he is from Austria instead. I found the following quote from the Ivy Dragoons Website Guestbook by Kurt:

Nov.22, Thanksgiving Eve., Two Anniversaries for me. The first, Nov.22, 1955 I stepped off a ship in NY Harbor on my way to become an AMERICAN. That was 51 years ago. 40 years ago on Thanksgiving eve, before I was sent out to B Co. I was pulling perimeter guard on FBC. Since I had surgical skills, I was asked to carve all the TURKEYS in Sgt Bagleys Mess Tent for the Battalion. I spent all night carving & fellow immigrant an Irishman named Ryan, spent the night Baking. We were still in Tuy Hoa chasing Charlie & not NVA in the Highlands, which came later. Peace My Brothers & Let Us Give Thanks. Doc

Let me tell you about my friend Charlie. I still remember Charlie in Basic Training getting Giged about every day for not SHAVING. Charlie had the blackest, thickest beard and after he shaved he still didn't look like he had shaved. The rest of us BOYS 18-19 yrs old only had fuzz. I hope to see both of them this June at our next reunion down in Nashville. I saw Kurt about 36 years ago and Charlie it has been about 39-40 years since I saw him. I fought beside Charlie @ Plei Doch and Plei Ya Bo and all of the smaller skirmishes.

Clem Woods? In Tuy Hoa

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I think the boy in this photo is Clem Woods from I believe Cleveland, Ohio! Yet another photo that I had to doctor up some.

Photo Of Downtown Tuy Hoa

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Viet Nam was a very poor country. Very few automobiles, only the rich could afford one. Their only means of transportation were bicycles, rickshaws, mopeds and Lambert's (Cushman trucks) and an occasional ole bus. I had to touch up this photo which I am not very great at!!!!

Photo Of Us Moving A Montygnard Village

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We would often move an entire Montygnard Village to a more secure site. Our engineers would build them a new village and we would move them. Then afterwards we would burn down their old village to deny the NVA shelter from the elements.

Photo Of Me Digging A Foxhole

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This is a photo of me digging a foxhole for the night.

Photo of Rex Walker Sitting In The Center

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Hey Vada, I dedicate this photo to you. I don't know if I gave you this rare photo of your late husband Rex or not. He is sitting in the center of the three boys. Billy Kid (from down your way)to his left and a boy named Parsons (from up my way in Lee County Va.) sitting to his right. I can't remember the boy's name standing in the right side of the photo. I have been beating my brains out and I can't think of his name. If I'm not mistaken this photo was made by me in the summer of '66 in the Yakima desert of the state of Washington. You know how I have expresses my feelings about your husband Rex in my website. I mean every word of it.

Photo Of The Coveted COMBAT INFANTRY BADGE

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The C.I.B. is one of the most respected awards a soldier can receive and most honored, even more so than the Medal of Honor. It has been said that the CIB is the only award worn above the ribbon of the Medal of Honor on the Army uniform. Many holders of the Medal of Honor have not also been bestowed the CIB.

Photo Of Our !st Reunion

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Photo was given to me by Kurt (Doc) Nagl

This photo was made @ out 1st reunion in the early 70s. The location was @ Tommy Rouths home in North Carolina.

Standing L to R: Routh, Poteet, White, Ervin, Teal, Beaver, Orr, Kidd, Callicutt

Kneeling L to R: Nagl, Dudley, ??, Prince, Rhodes

Sitting L to R: Pickett, Steen, Wylie, Talton. Walker

(The above photo was taken appx. 1972…5 yrs. After we got home from the war)

A Little History About The Band of Brothers

Routh: He is from N.C. He also received multiple Purple Hearts Medals.

Teal: He took a large piece of shrapnel to his head and got to come home. He fell from a scaffold while installing some glass in a building. He almost died from the fall down in Spartenburg, S.C. He finally succumbed to the dreaded disease of Cancer a few years ago.

Beaver: Benny is another Scott County Boy. He is now retired from both the Military and the Glass Plant.

Orr: Larry is from Wyoming. I took 2 boys out there in 1993 to hunt on Larry’s 10,200 acre Ranch. I had a most wonderful week with Larry just knocking around with him on his ranch.

Nagl: The only Flatfooted Yankee in the group. Dudley gave him this nickname during Basic Training in Jan. ’66. Kurt “DOC” Nagl was our Medic. He watched over us making sure that we took our daily and weekly Malaria Pills, our water purification pills. He patched our minor wounds and kept a close check on our feet inspecting them for JUNGLE ROT. Jim Lemmon was his most active patient.

Dudley: He is another boy from Princeton, N.C. I saw him last Summer in Nashville. He suffered a massive stroke earlier when the Docs tried to clear plaque build up in his neck arteries and a piece of plaque entered into Lionel’s Brain . He had to hobble on his right leg, limited motion with his right hand and arm and he had a lot of trouble with his speech. I am real thankful to J.L. and Chris for saving me from suffering with Paralysis from my stroke.

Steen & Wylie: They are black kids from N.C. I haven’t seen them since this photo opt. I loved them then and now. They were just like me, only their skin was a different color.

Talton: Without a doubt the very best friend that I had in Viet Nam. He is from Princeton, N.C. We were specialized in different weapons over there, some were specialized with the M16, others with the M60 Machine gun, the Stevens Pump Shotgun, The PRC25 Radio, and last but not the least the M-79 Grenade Launcher. George was one of my squad’s M79 men. He was a real expert on his weapon.

Walker: Rex was from N.C. He died approx. 10 years ago from a massive Heart Attack while working in his Beloved Apple Orchard. His wife Vada, emailed me several times. She asked me for photos of Rex. She was supposed to come to last summer’s reunion but she didn’t make it. Kurt told me that she developed cancer and that she was taking Chemo Treatments and was too sick to attend. Later I found out that she passed while we were at the Reunion.

Photo Of My Little Friends 41 Years ago in Vancouver, Washington

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I was on Maneuvers in Vancouver, Washington and on Sunday morning they let a few of us attend a church. The people that attended the church that day sort of adopted one of us per family to have us share lunch with them. I feel bad that I do not remember the names of the kids nor of their parents. All that I remember is the circumstances behind this photo. Their mother gave me this photo of them.

Photo Of My Uniform Insignas

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The 4th Infantry Division Patch, my original Montygnard Bracelet, my original Dog Tags, my CIB. My Expert Qualification Badge for the M16 Rifle, my RVN Service Medal, my Infantry Blue Rope, my Rank Insignias (E5), my war souvenir knife.

Photo Of ??, Routh, Talton and Parsons

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I remember taking this photo of some of our boys drying out their clothing after we had to cross a body of water on a single rope stretched across above the water. I remember that it was in the balancing act. You had to stay above the rope while you let one leg dangle down and the other leg bent @ the knees with your foot across the top of the rope. You had pull yourself with your hands thus sliding across the rope. This photo was made near Vancouver, Washington sometime during our Basic Unit Combat Training.

Photo Of A Military Payment Certificate for 10 Cents

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We didn't use the USD Money in Viet Nam but instead we used the Military Payment Certificate even for the small change. If my memory serves me correctly, the military would change the currency every so often and only the military personnel could exchange their old for the new currency. I suppose it was because of the Vietnamese Black Market.

Photo Of Stuck APCs

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I remember them reassigning me for my last month in RVN. They placed me in The 4th Division Exploitation Platoon. We were air mobile and we had 6 Armored Personnel Carriers. Our primary job was to plant and extract our Long Range Recons Patrols (LRRPS) from our Main Division Base Camp and flying various missions. I remember one of our duties was to fly on the road patrol between our Home Base Camp (Pleiku) and Dak To. On these missions the Chopper Pilot would stop @ every bridge so we could check them for mines.
I remember this photo was took by me during one our LRRP extraction when we got all 6 of our APCs stuck in a Rice Patty. We call to call in for Vehicle Track Retriever (VTR) to come to our rescue.

Photo Of Me Routh and Wray

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This photo was taken in front of the NCO Club in Fort Lewis, Washington in early 1966. Boy did those civilian clothes feel good! It was a week-end pass on the base after our Basic Training. You know this photo brings back old memories. I remember them having a talent show that day. I remember the band that won sung the song Louie-Louie which was put out by the Kingsmen in 1963.

I know you have heard the term "An Ear Worm", which means you cant get a melody out of your head. I have an Ear Worm that is still in my head since that day in 1966. "LOUIE LOUIE, OH BABY, ME GOTTA GO"--"LOUIE LOUIE, OH BABY, ME GOTTO GO"

Photo Of Our Old Battalion Sign In Fort Lewis, Washington

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I took this photo of our old Battalion Sign in Fort Lewis, Washington in 1966 before we shipped out for the RVN. LTCOL Pat W. Crizer was our Battalion Commander from December 1965 - December 1966. He went to the RVN with us and was replaced by LTC Tom "Charger"Lynch in Dec. of 1966. "Charger was replaced by LTC Glen Belnap in early December of 1967.

I still remember LTC Crizer taking an interest in we boys from Scott County and Lee County, Virginia since he was from Wise County, Virginia. I remember him coming to our rifle qualifying and giving us a pep talk to not let him down.

LTC Belnap was killed-in-action along with his SGM Herbert Roberts. They died instantly in a Huey Helicopter crash along with the crew of the chopper on 12/20/67. I believe that if I can get my story straight the Chopper that they were in was Hovering above the trees and all of a sudden its tail Rotor got into the trees thus causing the chopper to crash.

Photo of Cpt.Tony Colburn (THE ROYAL PINEAPPLE)

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This is a rare photo (sorry for it's quality) of our company commander Cpt. Tony Colburn (Nickname The Pinapple) picking & grinning for us. The date was ?? maybe May of 1966, place was Vancouver, Wa. while we were on maneuvers. I suppose that it was times like these that molded us into a fine tuned fighting machine. I know only a percentage of the total # of troops were as fortunate as we were. We trained together for 8 months before we all loaded up on the same ship for our trip to the RVN.

Getting Ready To Be Inspected Before We Went On Guard Duty

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Do you Remember this old photo? Me & Dudley are the only names that I can remember! I do remember that this photo was made in front of our Barracks in Fort Lewis, Washington and the date was sometime early in 1966 as we were getting ready for inspection before our guard duty. I welcome all comments with the names of the others.

Front L to R: Me, Dudley, ?Parsons? & ?Calicutt?
Back L to R: ?Stein?, ????, ?Teal?, ?Bromell?

Photo Of A U.S. Army CH-54 Sky Crane Helicopter

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The CH-54 is better known as the Sky Crane. It was very successful in Vietnam where it was credited with the recovery of hundreds of downed aircraft as well as having the ability to move artillery and supplies to fire bases that were unreachable by land. It had a 4800 hp turbine engine & could lift over 40,000 pounds. I remember it carrying a D-8 Caterpillar Dozier in this photo without the blade out to us on 1 occasion in order for us to build a Forward Fire Base. Then on its 2nd mission it carried the Blade to the Dozier.

Photo Of The 170th Assault Helicopter Company: "The Bikini's"

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I will never forget those wonderful birds. They were our lifeline with the outside world. I remember them having a Bikini Clad girl painted on the nose of all their choppers. They resupplied us every 4 days with food, ammunition and on the 8th day they would bring us our SP packs.

I remember the SP packs contained our mail, toiletries, one pair of clean clothing , 1 hot meal. I still remember whenever it was possible a chaplain would come out and hold a church service with us.

I believe that after every 8 days in the Bush they would rotate one of our Line Company's (A,B and C company) to guard our Forward Fire Base. I believe the term was in Reserve. The Forward Fire Base contained our Headquarters Company and our supporting Artillery. I remember that we operated with 2 line companies @ a time in the Bush. We were also close to each other in case we had to assist each other. We only could operate a certain amount of distance between us and our 105 MM Artillery in the Forward Fire Base because of their limited range of fire support.

http://www.170th.org/Html/Bikinis.html

Photo Of A NVA Flag

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I remember the VC placed their flag near our Division Base Camp (Camp Enari). I remember that I had less than 1 month left before I could go home. I was assigned to a detail to remove this flag. They sent me along with a squad of men and 1 APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) to remove this flag. I remember us taking every precaution in removing this flag because we figured it was Boobie Trapped. We tied a rope around the Bamboo Flag Pole and pulled it down with our APC. Bingo, the VC had it Boobie trapped with a small explosive. We were protected from the blast inside our APC.

Photo of me in the Tuy Hoa Providence

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This photo was taken next to a beautiful waterfall in Tuy Hoa. You know the Rain forest is very beautiful. You may have heard the expression that you can't see the forest for the trees. In my case I couldn't see the beautiful Rain forest for the VC & NVA.

My Summary

Summary

April 15, 1967

My first KIA (killed in action).
He was a Viet Cong guarding a rice cache down around Tuy Hoa. Me and my good friend David Culbertson were ordered to search and clear a bamboo hut in the middle of a large banana grove. We proceeded to the hut and all of a sudden out from behind the hut he came charging after me with a hand grenade. I will never forget that moment. He came charging towards me pulling on the string to detonate a hand grenade, when I gave him about a 10 round burst from my M16 rifle killing him instantly. We later confirmed that he was guarding a rice cache and that I had surprised him. We later found a 30 cal. U.S. Carbine Rifle. You must understand that I was only 19 years old at the time and I was a born again Christian. My parents started me in church when I was about 14 years old and I still am a member of the same church. Very few days have passed without me asking my lord for forgiveness for what I had to do. I firmly believe that only god has the right to take human life because only he can give life to us. I was told that the killing would get easy after the first one but it did not get any easier.


June 17, 1967
My second KIA,
We were out on patrol one day in early June. I was walking point when all of a sudden i walked upon a NVA soldier. I brought up my M16 and gave him a short burst killing him instantly.

July 23, 1967 (three trees - Plei Ya Bo)
My Third KIA.
"C" company was ambushed by a sizable NVA unit. We found out later that the entire notorious 66th NVA Regiment had ambushed us We, "B" company, 3rd battalion, 8th infantry, 4th infantry division were about a 1/4 mile away dug in for the night. We were ordered to assist "C" company with their battle with the NVA so we ran to their assistance. Bullets were flying everywhere along with RPG rounds and mortar rounds. A NVA ammo bearer showed himself from around a large tree and he didn't see me. I gave him a short burst from my M16 rifle. I must have had some tracer rounds in my M16 because when I hit him in the stomach the tracer rounds ignited his RPG rounds burning him to a crisp. It was an awful experience that I have to live each day of my life.
The night before this battle I remember saying a silent prayer to my Lord while in my foxhole to forgive me for killing my 2nd person. I also asked him to spare me from anymore killing. I told him that I would treat people kindly (not that I was a mean person) and try to lead a productive life if he would only spare me from all the killing.
We were ordered to search & clear the battle zone immediately after the battle. In other words, we were to get a body count. I will never forget that day because what happened that day was a miracle.
The NVA never gave themselves up. I was walking point Thur the jungle. All of a sudden, I heard someone crying with pain and then I found him (a NVA). He was bleeding from both ears with busted eardrums from the concussion of a 500 lb. bomb that one of our F4C phantoms had dropped on them. He surrendered to me.
Just a few feet more then I found a young ammo bearer about 13 years old badly wounded in the crotch area with maggots already eating away at his wound he surrendered to me also.
A few feet further I walked upon a NVA with his AK47 pointed right towards me from a foxhole. Instinctively I brought up my M16 with the safety off and all of a sudden he threw up his hands and said Chu Hoy (I give up) to me. He had a badly wounded buddy in the same foxhole with him. He could have mowed me in half with his AK47 assault rifle.
I knew that my God had answered my prayers of the night before & that he had taken over the situation. I never had to kill another person for the rest of my tour of duty. I also knew that he spared my life for some good reason. I am still to this day searching for what the reason is that he spared my life so many times..
I tell everyone that I have 9 lives to live and that I have already lived 8 of my 9 lives that god has granted me I lived 6 of my 9 lives while in Viet Nam. The 7th of my lives when I had a heart attack in 2000 and the 8th when I had a bad stroke in 2001.
I ask my lord every day for forgiveness for my killing. I know that was war but that doesn't ease my feelings any. I have a conscience, and I have to re-live these scenes over and over and again - again in my mind. I also ask him for forgiveness from the families of the ones that I killed, just like I forgive the NVA & the Viet Cong for killing us. I firmly believe that only my God has the power to give us life and only God has the right to take our lives. It is a shame that our governments can't reconcile their differences and get along even thought my bible tells me that there will be wars and rumors of wars.


The following scriptures give me comfort in my taking of Human Life. I just substitute my name in the place of Pilate. I substitute Ho Chi Minh name in the HE in verse 11. Then I substitute the people that I had to kill in the place of Jesus.

John 19
10Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.














After Action Report about the Plei Ya Bo Battle
http://www.ivydragoons.org/Files/Logs/AAR%2023%20July%2067.PDF
Kenneth H. Ervin

Photo of Me & Tommy Routh During Christmas in Tuy Hoa RVN 1966

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I still remember our Christmas in Tuy Hoa, RVN. They brought us in from the Jungle Bush so we could enjoy our Christmas. I still remember how good the hot showers felt, the hot meals and the clean clothes. Oh, and the COT that we could sleep on and the wonderful FULL nights sleep without having to pull Ambush Patrol or Listening Post Duty!!!!! You know, we shared all of our goodies with all of our fellow soldiers. You may have heard the Term "THE BAND OF BROTHERS". Well it is true. We were all that we had. You had to learn to trust each other especially during your 2 hours shift of sleep during the nights. The can near my right foot was a gift from Annette (Ervin) Quillen. I remember her sending me all that wonderful homemade candy while I was over there.

Photo Of Me

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If my memory hasn't failed me this photo was made in the Central Highlands. I remember us finding this old NVA Camp. For some reason or another our higher ups decided that we should spend the night in this present location. We immediately started to dig in for the night. I remember playing cards with my fellow men. Some of our men started cutting an LZ for the supply by Choppers. Then all of a sudden it all happened. Two of our own Hunter/Killer gunships saw us on the ground and immediately assumed that we were the enemy (NVA). They started working us over, I mean their Rockets and Mini Gatling Guns etc. I still remember the bullets kicking up the dirt in our faces. We were all in shock that our people had declared WAR on us. After the 2nd pass, I had my M60 Machine Gun ready for them but luckily there wasn't a 3rd pass. They must have received one of our radio calls that were attacking FRIENDLIES. The best that I remember we had about 6-8 casualties that day by our own forces

Photo of One of Our Downed Choppers

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I remember so vividly the day that this Chopper went down. They were resupplying us and they had the BIRD overloaded for the return flight. I remember the pilot made about 3 attempts to lift off. I remember that each time he tried to lift off you could hear him loosing his engine RPM'S. Finally on the 3rd or 4th attempt to lift off he was too far over the trees to back down to the LZ (Landing Zone) thus crashing. I remember him crashing right in the middle of a huge BEES NEST. I remember getting stung while we rescued them. The best that I can remember there weren't any casualties in this incident.

Photo of We were in a single file (as usual) and crossing a small creek

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We had to hump (Infantry Term) all of my Earthly belongings on my back, which amounted to about 75-100 lbs.

Our Earthly belongings consisted of the following in our rucksack: one case of C rations (12 meals), one case (1,000 rounds) of .223 caliber ammunition, a hundred rounds of ammo for the squad’s M-60 machine gun, four pounds of C-4 plastic explosive, one claymore mine, poncho, poncho liner, several pairs of socks, Tabasco sauce (to enhance the flavor of the C-rations), These, and other sundry items, were in my rucksack, one PRC-25 radio battery, one machete, two smoke grenades, my letter writing materials, about 3-4 LRP Rations, my bandages, one gallon Lister bag of water, three canteens of water making the total weight in excess of 80 lbs.

We had to protect our feet from the Jungle Rot. I still to this day have scar-tissue from the Jungle Rot on my hands/wrists. Jungle rot sets in from broken places in your skin and all that awful rain. It would rain for 24 hrs. day, for about 2 months (Monsoon). I went through 2 monsoons while over there, because they moved us from Tuy Hoa to Pleiku.

We got re-supplied every 4 days except during the monsoon season. I will never forget the time that we went 28 days without getting re-supplied. My cloths actually rotted off of me. On the 4th day they would send us food and ammo then on the 8th day they would send us food, ammo, toiletries and one set of clothing. We took our baths whenever we came upon a stream. So now hopefully you understand why the photo quality is so poor of my photos.

Photo of ???????????

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My Mind has drawn a blank as to his name. All that I remember is that he is from North Carolina and he was all the time singing his favorite singers songs. I believe if my memory is correct his favorite singer for JIM REEVES. I would appreciate your comments with this boys name and oh yes I remember that RICHARD PETTY was his hero.

Photo One of The Few Good Times in 'Nam

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The time was around Christmas 0f 1966. The place was in Tuy Hoa. I remember they brought us in from the jungle for Christmas. I remember going swimming in the South China Sea. I believe this Photo is of Jernigan, Callicutt & Wray. All three boys are from North Carolina.

Photo of a Chinese SKS Rifle

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I purchased this Chinese SKS rifle several years ago. It is perfectly legal because it is a SEMI-AUTOMATIC version. I tagged several weapons that I personally captured but I never did get to bring one home with me. You know how that goes, THE GREAT BASE CAMP WAR HEROS took them I suppose. I just wanted one to keep for myself. It is a fine hunting rifle. It is listed as one of the top 10 best war rifles of all time along with it the Russian AK-47.

Photo of a NVA Knife

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This is a photo of a NVA knife that I brought home with me from the war. The NVA had this knife on him along with a German Luger hand gun. I also have his soft hat.

Photo of a Vietnamese Pot Belly Pig

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This is a rare photo of a Vietnamese Pot Belly Pig. I thought that they were the funniest thing. Little did I know then that they would become popular in this country as PETS.

Photo of Bobby Ray Tabrons name on the Viet Nam Wall

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This is a photo of Bobby Ray Tabrons name on the Viet Nam Wall. I wasn't as close to Bobby as I was to Stanley W Dix because he was a replacement to my unit. He didn't go over with us to Viet Nam but joined sometime later as a replacement to us. All that I can remember is that he adjusted to us very quickly. He was a Black Kid but the color of his skin didn't matter to us because we were all brothers. I still remember the day he was killed by the NVA. I remember I was one of four people that had to carry him up this steep mountain side to the LZ for his chopper medivac. I remember that we could only carry him just a few feet before we had to stop and rest a spell. As I think back on that day the words to the song come back to me. HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S MY BROTHER.