Memorial Day 2012

It is the Memorial Day weekend and I have done a lot of reflecting.  During my military career, I served twice in locales where there were men who sought to do us harm.  First was in Korea in 1962-63.  I commanded A Co, 8th Engineer Battalion, 1st Cav Div in the Spoonbill and the DMZ.  It was the 10th anniversary year of the Armistice and the N. Korean's sent many patrols south with the intent of doing mischief, including assassinating the President of South Korea.  There were occasional firefights and ambushes of US troops on work parties or on DMZ patrols.  We all carried weapons with ammo issued and the weapons loaded and locked.  In October of '62, the USSR tried to introduce rockets into Cuba and the Cuban Missile Crisis came about.  In Korea, we didn't know the particulars but we knew we went to DEFCON 2, issued ammunition, put demo charges in the demo chambers on the bridges across the Imjin River and closed the lanes through the many minefields in the DMZ area.  We all updated our wills and were prepared for war.  Thank goodness, President Kennedy and the JCS managed to defuse the situation and a nuclear holocaust was avoided.

Then, 4 years later, I was in Vietnam.  The first 1/3 of my tour I was assigned to the Engineer Section, US Army, Vietnam in Saigon. I was a major and that was a fairly typical staff assignment.  But I was not happy and asked the Engineer, MG Robert Ploger, if I could be released to an in-country engineer assignment in a combat unit.  He said if I could find a home, he would release me.  I spent about 10 days flying about the country (in between my regular duties on the staff) looking for a unit with a vacancy.  I heard about the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, one of the separate brigades in country, which was located in Tay Ninh Province, about 65 miles NW of Saigon.  I flew there, met with the out-going engineer and the Brigade commander, BG Richard Knowles.  I was accepted and a few days later, packed up and went to Tay Ninh.  The brigade was engaged in Operation Junction City and I joined them in the field.  I was with the brigade and participated in all brigade combat operations until I rotated back to the States in June 1967 for attendance at the USACGSC.

While I was not in direct combat in the 196th, there were occasions when we received fire and returned it or called in artillery to suppress it.  I lost a number of friends and acquaintances in on-going operations and on engineer missions.  To this day, I think of them each and every one and wonder "what if"...

A couple of days ago, I received a brief snippet from Joe Galloway, who was present during the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley and who, along with then-LTC Hal Moore, wrote "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young".  I would like to share it with any and all who read my blog:

 

"They shall not grow old,

 

   as we that are left grow old.

 

Age shall not weary them,

 

   nor the years condemn.

 

At the going down of the sun,

 

   and in the morning,

 

We will remember them."

 

                                              -- Lawrence Binyon, 1915

 

Have a safe and reverent Memorial Day.  God Bless all who serve and who have served.