A Man Of His Word

[frisco-kid]

Awhile back Steve Plummer posted that he and a buddy were going to visit The Wall in D.C.. At that time I asked him if he would visit the troopers named in my Memorial Day post "Fallen Eagles." These were men in my company that were KIA during my tour. Steve, being the good man that we all know him to be, said he would. He did, and here's the picture that he sent me of part of his visit. The reflection in it is of Steve and his buddy. He said this was the only picture that caught their reflections that day. I like to think my Brother Screaming Eagles knew why they were there and were interacting with them.

This is panel 13E. It holds the names of 10 troopers from my company. The first one, Jarel Ayers, was killed in an ambush from a hill somewhere around Kontum on 31DEC66. We pulled back and secured an LZ to get Ayers' body out, along with 2 WIA. The next day [New Year's Day] we went up the hill that we were ambushed from, deternined to kick some NVA ass for the day before. We have running gunfights with them all day, but never really close with them. We see a couple blood trails, but it's not much of a return for spending a rainy day fighting our way up-hill. Or for the loss of one of our own. We're told to spend the night on the hill. We're wet to the bone, dog tired, and just know it's going to be one of those cold-assed Central Highlands nights.

I pull a turn on perimeter guard and it was mostly the chattering of my teeth that kept me awake. It hasn't stopped drizzling and I'm miserable cold. When I get back inside the perimeter, I crawl in between 3 other guys that are laying down together for warmth. On the far left is a trooper who'se name is long lost to me. Next to him is Walter Goshorn, then me, and Will Kohr on the other end.

It seems like I have barely gotten to sleep when all Hell breaks loose. It's about 3:00AM and Charlie has come back for his freakin' hill. As soon as I wake up from the gunfire and explosions, I roll over with my 16 in a prone position trying to figure out what's going on. At the same moment Goshorn sits up and is immediately shot in the throat. He's dead before he tips over onto me. Kohr has jumped up and is shot in both legs. He lays there and bleeds to death. Some hand flares have been popped and the whole place is lit up in an eerie light because of the misty rain that continues to fall. Someone yells that they're inside the perimeter, and sure enough I see NVA running around shooting some of us. I drop one not 8ft. away from me. I see another one come through the perimeter and I kill him. A trooper moves up to block the hole as he drops another one. The shooting inside the perimeter dies down, but they start lighting us up with RPG's. Jaysus, I hate RPG's! Because of the weather we can't get any gunships in, but a flare ship shows up keeping the area bathed in an eerie light and shadows dancing all around us. Jaysus I'm scared.

Just before daylight they break contact. By the time the sun has come up my company has 7 KIA and 18-20 WIA; most of them in my platoon. I can't believe I'm still standing. Besides Goshorn and Kohr, the other paratroopers to die that morning are 1st Lt. Larry Earls, our CO; Elmer Juckett; Dennis Nicola; John O'Brien, a buddy of mine from OR; and Norman Vincent.

The 9th name on the panel is Reinaldo Delgado. He was killed 3 days later, 5JAN67.

The 10th trooper on this panel is Robert Barton. His name isn't in the picture. He died 9JAN67 of malaria. The only soldier I knew to die of it.

They are all together again on Panel 13E. Thanks for saying "Hey" to them Steve.

[splummer]

I'm sorry I wasn't able to take pictures of all of the fallen eagles but we were near the others. When I got the pictures back I really was surprised to see our reflection. It was like they were looking back and thanking you for having us come. Roger and I also took pictures of names from our company but there were no reflections in them. I didn't feel too misty eyed that day but my bud Roger did. I think thats because I had seen the moving wall twice and knew what to expect plus I was on a mission to find a lot of people in a short time. Where, I almost broke up and my eyes watered was at the St Paul airport. There were 3 soldiers sitting in front of me and a lady walked over and thanked them for all that they were doing. I think 2 were heading back to Iraq.

[39mto39g]

Look at this site, It has all the names and adderss of those on each panel. If you want a individual just put the first letter of there last name and do a search for what ever pannel you wish, all the last names of that letter will come up for that panel.

Ron

http://thewall-usa.com/

[DMZ-LT]

THANK YOU !

[Robert Ryan]

Frisco Kid, Damn right I was straight Leg infantry and damn proud of it, not only paratroopers names are on that wall. I wish no names were on any wall. I wish 58,000 some odd men and women didn't have to pay the price for a stupid governemnt that didn't even have plan to win a war.

[frisco-kid]

Don't know what you're talking about, Robert. I never said or insinuated that it was only paratroopers on The Wall. I was talking about men that I personally knew from my company on Panel 13E, and they WERE all paratroopers. It was only paratroopers that I served with, and I'm DAMN PROUD of that.

No need to start a pissing contest with me. I have nothing but the highest respect for ALL grunts; Army, Marines, Navy Corpsmen, Cav, and Mech. Infantry. As a combat veteran with 2 tours, I don't need to be reminded of what kind of people inhabit The Wall. I think of them everyday.

Welcome Home and Thank You For Your Service.

[Bill Farnie]

Originally posted by frisco-kid Don't know what you're talking about, Robert. I never said or insinuated that it was only paratroopers on The Wall.

I agree Frisco ?..

Robert, I think you just miss-read Tom?s post. Nowhere does it say that it?s only paratroopers whose names are on the wall. Frisco was a paratrooper and the men he wrote about were too, therefore these are the names of paratroopers and they are on The Wall. Period. Read his post again.

Tom,

Thanks for the call and once again, letting me go on and on venting.

[39mto39g]

See thats the trouble with writting something and reading something without the benifit of a face to face.
Im sure Tom didn't mean or intend to say that all names on the wall were airborne, and Im sure that Robert didn't think that all names on the wall were airborne, Its just one word or one comma in the wrong spot that gets into someones head the wrong way and thats what they see. The way to resulve this is to talk about it, not have hard feelings.

(Tom) hears what I mean , You wrote "This is panel 13E. It holds the names of 10 troopers from my company. "
Now I don't think you ment that panel 13E ONLY has Troopers on it but in the strick sence , thats what you said.

See I have had experence with this miss reading what was said thing.

Ron

[Robert Ryan]

Frisco Sorry for being a dumb ass and not reading all your post before I opened my mouth. Open mouth insert foot.

[frisco-kid]

Not a problem, Robert. We've all "been there, done that" at one time or another. Thanks for being big enough to step up and apologize, and I accept it in the spirit it's given.

I need to give you a heads-up the next time I'm up in that direction so I can buy you a beer, or whatever else you might drink these days. My brother lives in Roseville, so I get up that way once in awhile. Or you might consider a trip down this way to escape the heat. It's like you guys live about 6 inches from the sun lately. It's been in the 70's-80's here near the water, and cools down to a comfortable 50-something at night .

Take care, Bro.