In Rembrance

[MORTARDUDE]

You are not forgotten. Rest in Peace.


Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, Mechanized

25th Infantry Division


Frazier Thomas Dixon 3-Dec-69
Robert Eugene Romero 3-Dec-69
Dennis Wayne Nelson 12-Feb-70
Kenneth Samuel Dee 3-Mar-70
James Dean Johnson 3-Mar-70
Alexander Frank Potas 17-Mar-70
Freddy Lamar Bratton 30-May-70
David Graham Campbell 2-Jun-70
Michael Alfred Rasmusson 2-Jun-70
Leszek Stanley Karsznia 14-Aug-70
William H. Van Gelder, Jr. 15-Aug-70

[frisco-kid]

Thank you for remembering them and bringing their names to us, Larry. May They Rest In Peace.

[Bill Farnie]

RIP brothers

May God continue to shine his grace on our fallen brothers and sisters, who have left us the gift of life.

[VIETNAM 1968]

HM3 Alan R. Gerrish 3rd Marines 3rd Military Police Battalion
Died on 9/7/1968 of wounds received in August 1968 just South of the Danang Airbase.

Alan was my best buddy while we both grew up in Woburn, Massachusetts. We did everything together and most people thought we were Brothers instead of just good friends.

Alan's unit came under intense Small Arms fire while on a patrol mission near Danang Airbase. When several Marines were wounded the call went out for Corpsmen and Alan answered immediately. While trying to cross an open fire swept field to reach two wounded Marines, Alan was struck in both legs by shrapnel from an exploding hand grenade. Although a foxhole was near where he fell, Alan chose to ignore his wounds instead of taking cover in the foxhole and attending to his own injuries.

Alan chose to drag himself to the location of the two wounded Marines and upon reaching them inserted his own body between the Marines and a pocket of enemy troops that were still shooting at the two wounded Marines.

Alan then began to give First Aid to the Marines and continued to do so until he was struck repeatedly in the lower torso area by the incoming small arms fire. Even though wounded very gravely, Alan still refused to attend to his own injuries and continued to assist the Marines until finally passing out from lack of blood and shock.

When the pocket of enemy was finally silenced and rescuers were able to reach Alan and his two patients, Alan was found unconscious and draped over the two Marines. Alan was still holding a dressing to both of the Marines wounds at the time.

Alan was then evacuated from the field and later transferred to the Hospital Ship "Sanctuary" where he later died of his wounds on September 7, 1968--Just two days short of his twentieth Birthday which would have been September 9, 1968.

Alan was later Posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his attempt to assist those two Marines. I know that every word of this account is accurate as I still have a copy of the Navy Cross Citation that was later given to his parents at a ceremony at the Boston Navy Yard in 1969.

When Alan died a little piece of me died as well. I lost the Best Buddy any guy could ever hope to have. I vowed never to let Alan's memory die so daily I wear a copy of one of Alan's Dog Tags around my neck as a tribute to his memory. On this Memorial Day I also wish to keep Alan's memory alive by placing this tribute to him on the Patriot Files. He was a great guy and a true friend to me. I only hope that some day I might be privileged enough to again see Alan in Heaven and can renew the friendship that I still hold so sacred.

Also on this sacred day, I want to take a moment or two to again wish all of my Vietnam Veteran Brothers and Sisters a big:


WELCOME HOME:


VIETNAM 1968

[MORTARDUDE]

I got just got off the phone with a brother from the Triple Deuce ( 2/22(M) ), who was in the 2nd platoon ( I was in the 4th ), and with whom I sat beside on the Freedom flght back to the USA after DEROS. He is coming down from Illinois to visit with me a few days this weekend.

Larry

[Arrow]