Off Topic but ....

[Bill Murphy]

Of course I looked up my home town to see if I missed anyone who didn't make it. I actually found one of my friends on the list whom I was not aware of. Interesting how much news from home you miss while you are "away". The best part of the link is using the alphabetical list to find out if the truly gung ho guys in my old units made it home. In my home town, at least three of my friends on the list could have been predicted to make the list even before they left town. I'm sure the three went down in flames. Thanks for the link.

[Double Trouble]

Well said, Dean !

...well said !

[Captain Bob]

Robin Lewis - Thank you for posting about this site which was previously unknown to me. I find myself typing this with sweaty fingers having just visited on it with several of the men who I had the honor and privilege to know and had under my command, but was not able to bring safely through that long ago war.

George Lander - When Terry Lynn Anton, the birth father of your oldest son, Billy, joined C Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry (Manchu) of the 25th (Tropic Lightning) Infantry Division, I was the mortar platoon leader of that unit. I do not recall if he was assigned to the mortars, but unless trained for mortars, I suspect not. A month or two after that date I took over as Company XO while the unit’s personnel were beginning to rotate out and a new Company Commander was taking charge. In fact nearly all of the original Manchus who came from Alaska and trained in Hawaii were rotating out during this period, and the Battalion was in the process of rebuilding at the time Billy’s father died. I finally left that place on May 23, 1967. Now, fortunately as I find with many when the subject comes up, several weeks may go by without thinking about Vietnam, but when it does, it is the men, not the place or circumstance, who come to mind. George, I’m sorry, but I cannot offer any specifics about Billy’s birth father; and I’m sorry we did not do a better job of getting him home.

John Dallas - I did not come from Alaska or train in Hawaii with the 4/9th Manchus. While they were doing that, I was serving in Korea as an rifle platoon leader and later as Battalion S-1 (Adjutant) with the 1/9th Manchus in the 2nd Inf. Div. For reasons not clear to this day, I volunteered for duty in the RVN and was reassigned there on May 24, 1966, curiously enough, again with the Manchus. The army graciously allowed me to remain in Korea to enjoy the thawing out of the honey pots and then sent me south so my date of rotation from RVN and date of separation from service would coincide. Don’t think you got away easy, there was a reason they designated Korea, and likely still do, a hardship tour...

Keep Up The Fire!

[George Lander]

Bob: Thank you for your letter. I have forwarded this entire thread to Billy. Terry was killed April 8, 1967, after exactly three months in country, in the Gia Dinh Province, South Vietnam. He was 19 years old less that two months shy of his 20th birthday. He is buried in the National Cemetary at Florence, South Carolina. Billy has been to the Manchu's Reunion. Terry earned the C.I.B., Bronze Star, Purple Heart, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign Medal. Billy was born June 5th., 1966 and we adopted him one month later.

Best Regards, George

[Old and Reliable]

I am glad to read that you adopted the little guy back in 1966- Father Flannigan, founder of Boy's Town said this about 1922- still rings true today: "No man stands taller than when he bends down to help a child"!!

[Big D]

Bob - I ended up as a Company Commander, and Ammunition depot commander outsdie of Pusan. We had it better than the guys up on the line. I was lucky enought to come home with all my body parts still connected, in spite of spending a bunch of time destroying hazardous, obsolete munitions. I don't begrudge time time in the service. I grew up a lot during those three years.