Memorial Day

[SumJongGuy]

Let's be sure to also remember the soldiers who made it home but never felt like they were home. PTSD related deaths (addiction disorders, suicides, etc.) are considered combat related by the DOD.

[mcski]

My uncle Francis was killed on DDay when the toothpick glider he was in got blown out of the sky. Dude already survived Africa and Italy campaigns but didn’t get to kill any Nazis in France

[billyk]

My best friend in High School, Archie McDaniels, died in Vietnam. My older brother Joe was an army ranger LRRP. The very tip of the spear. Small patrols of around 8 men dropped off in enemy territory to do reconnaissance. Later, they ran “hunter killer” missions to set ambushes.

Archie idolized Joe, and tried to follow in his footsteps. He joined the Army, went to Ranger school and LRRP training, just as my brother had done.

One month after arriving in Vietnam, Archie was helping set up a display on a stage outside a barracks for a dog and pony show. They were going to demonstrate the weapons and tools of the trade to visiting VIPs.

Archie slung a backpack filled with claymore mines and grenades up on the stage, and it exploded. The speculation is that grenade pin was jarred loose which triggered a massive secondary explosion from the claymores and other explosives already on the stage.

Archie was killed, along with a couple other guys working with him. Several other soldiers were injured, including a guy sitting with his back to the wall inside the barracks behind the stage. His back was impregnated with wood splinters from the wall.

When this happened, I only heard that he had died from a “grenade explosion”. I learned the full story many years later when I happened to google his name.

[billyk]

My best friend in High School, Archie McDaniels, died in Vietnam. My older brother Joe was an army ranger LRRP. The very tip of the spear. Small patrols of around 8 men dropped off in enemy territory to do reconnaissance. Later, they ran “hunter killer” missions to set ambushes.

Archie idolized Joe, and tried to follow in his footsteps. He joined the Army, went to Ranger school and LRRP training, just as my brother had done.

One month after arriving in Vietnam, Archie was helping set up a display on a stage outside a barracks for a dog and pony show. They were going to demonstrate the weapons and tools of the trade to visiting VIPs.

Archie slung a backpack filled with claymore mines and grenades up on the stage, and it exploded. The speculation is that grenade pin was jarred loose which triggered a massive secondary explosion from the claymores and other explosives already on the stage.

Archie was killed, along with a couple other guys working with him. Several other soldiers were injured, including a guy sitting with his back to the wall inside the barracks behind the stage. His back was impregnated with wood splinters from the wall.

When this happened, I only heard that he had died from a “grenade explosion”. I learned the full story many years later when I happened to google his name.

It’s not lost on me that if Archie had not been my friend, there’s very little chance he’d have died in this particular way.

[billyk]

I’ll try to post some screen shots of a section of a book that describes the accident, mostly from the point of view of the guy who was injured inside the barracks. His name is McConnel. Leto and Salmenin were the two guys who died other than Archie.

I ran these screenshots through photoshop, so hopefully they don’t get rotated, but fingers crossed.

[billyk]

Re-edited page 2

[billyk]

Page 3

[billyk]

Page 4

[billyk]

Last page.

[Harry]

Thank you for keeping this thread renewed.

*** 2024 BUMP ***

In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their nation.


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[Cono Este]

Respect to all who served. Past and present.

There is no higher calling.

[Core Shot]

Respect to all who served. Past and present.

There is no higher calling.

Yep. I’m so pissed about stupid wars. But today is for appreciation of the sacrifice

[Cisco Kid]

James J Reid. Age 19. Died 6/29/43 when a mortar round went off in his pack while boarding for the invasion of Sicily.

[Harry]

The official United States Navy Story of Patrick Ford who died saving two Crewmen.


On 21 June 1968, Petty Officer Ford was serving as the after machine gunner aboard PBR-750 as part of a two boat patrol operating in the upper MY Tho river near the town of Cai Be.
The boats were maneuvering down the river when they spotted a sampan fleeing into a nearby canal.
PBR-750 gave chase and captured the sampan one hundred meters further up the canal.

As the patrol boat returned to the river with a Viet Cong suspect and the captured sampan in tow, it was ambushed by a Viet Cong patrol who unleashed an overwhelming barrage of heavy machine gun fire and rockets.
Two explosive B-40 rockets struck PBR-750 immediately killing the patrol leader, Lietuenant William E. Dennis and the boat coxswain, Boatswain's Mate First Class Scott C. Delph.

Within seconds the patrol boat was ablaze and out of control, heading directly for the Viet Cong positions. As the PBR veered toward the river bank, at least four additional rockets struck the craft.
Ford, being seriously wounded in the initial barrage, tenaciously maintained a steady volume of return fire from his aft machine gunner's station until he perceived that the boat was out of control.

In the face of enemy gunfire and with his clothing on fire, Ford assisted three seriously wounded shipmates from the PBR into the water.
Only after insuring that all the surviving crewmembers had left the boat did Ford make his way into the water.
He was the last man alive to leave what was left of PBR-750.

Soon after Petty Officer Ford entered the water, he was killed by a burst of enemy machine gun fire.

However, as a result of his fearless devotion to duty, he saved the lives of two of his shipmates.
For his "extraordinary heroism" in battle on 21 June 1968 and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Navy, Petty Officer Ford was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

This excerpt was taken from the Commissioning book at the Commissioning ceremony of the USS Ford FFG-54 on June 29, 1985. For his heroism he had a Ship Named after him. The ship has a navy web site: http://www.ford.navy.mil




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[MBC655]

MEMORIAL DAY, I REMEMBER:
Dobol 24 (Michael Dale Cochran) and Dobol 24Kilo (John Robert Ensell). The last time I saw these two alive they were headed out on a battalion size patrol. Like most times I always waved and told them to “come back safe.” This time Capt. Cochran stop and said to me , “have too” then showed me a photo of his wife and child. John smiled and said,”his girl was waiting for him.” That day their patrol was ambushed and they were KIA at the Battle of Srok Rung on Nov. 7, 1967. We lost 18 that day and 30 wounded. Cheers and thank you for the friendship.
“I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell.”
– William Tecumseh Sherman