Brunswick honors its only known Vietnam casualty

Brunswick honors its only known Vietnam casualty

(EXCERPT) by Angela Pfeiffer Staff Writer

Nov. 6, 2003

Charles Walter Harbert -- "Charlie," to his buddies -- was just 20
years and 3 months old when he perished in the jungles of Vietnam in
May 1968.

The 1966 graduate of Brunswick High School had begun his military tour
17 months before, as a private first class in the 101st Airborne
Division of the U.S. Army.

According to the Army, in his final moments of life, Harbert
distinguished himself in combat near Phu Bai in the Republic of
Vietnam.

When the North Vietnamese Army attacked his company, Harbert's
position was one of the hardest hit -- he received much of the first
burst of automatic weapons fire and grenades.

Harbert was mortally wounded in this onslaught, Army documents state,
but "with complete disregard for his own personal safety," he
continued throwing grenades and firing back at the approaching enemy
forces.

"When the enemy soldiers realized that the perimeter could not be
penetrated, contact was broken. Private First Class Harbert's actions
were instrumental in suppressing the enemy attack," Army documents
state...

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---------------------------
Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com