Vietnam Service – United States Army
“I graduated from Garner High in June of 1966 and was drafted into the U.S. Army the following October. I spent my first year at Fort Riley, Kansas, which was like a ghost town because the whole base had been levied to Vietnam.
“In October 1967, I received orders that I had been levied to Bien Hoa, Vietnam. I was assigned to the 68th assault helicopter outfit. For the first few months everything seemed normal _ if you call combat normal.
“But on Jan 30, 1968 everything changed with the ‘Tet Offensive.’ That night we had over 40 rocket and mortar attacks and our base was overrun by the North Vietnamese Army. They were so strong in and around our base. From our bunkers, we could see the fighter jets were dropping napalm on our perimeter.
“From that moment on, I didn’t think I would leave Vietnam alive. But through the grace of God, I returned safely home.
“I am proud to have served my country with the men and women of the U.S. Army.”