Sidney G. Herndon Jr., October, 2004

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Sidney G. (Gene) Herndon, Jr. (PHO127)
DOB: January 5th, 1947
POB: Los Angles, California
Current Occupation Retired
Rated 100% disabled by VA due to Agent Orange Diabetes and complications and
PTSD
Married to Lori A. (Ms. PHO)
Two Sons, Bill 36 and Phillip 31
BPED: 1OCT 65 Regular Army RA 18764662
EAD: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma



I was born at the Angles Hospital in Los angles Ca. Both my mother and my
grandmother worked there. My mother was a nurse and my grandmother was a
dietitian. I have one younger brother, Ray, (Dogcorleone) born in Brawley,
Ca. My father was a career navy man, joined when he was 16 and fought
through WWII and Korea.

In 1952 my dad was returning from Korea and the family was going home to
Oklahoma where my dad was raised when we had a bad car accident and my
mother was killed. From that time on my brother and I were raised by our
grandparents on a farm in Oklahoma. My brother and I used to spend a lot of
time hunting and exploring together in the back woods, a talent that later
wold serve us both in good stead.

Oklahoma is the land of the redman and the backside of our farm butted up on
old Indian land. Ray and I used to explore this area for days on end when
we were little, as young as 8 and 6 we thought nothing of staying in the
woods by ourselves overnight. I got a 22 single shot rifle when I was 10 and
Ray got a .410 single shot shotgun the same year, boy were we ever the great
white hunters. FAST FORWARD TO 1965

I just graduated from high school and Ray got into an argument with our dad
and quit and joined the Marines. I wanted to go to college and entered
Oklahoma State University in September 65 but just couldn?t stay there with
a war brewing and my brother in the Marines. I left and drove to Oklahoma
City and enlisted in the Army, I wanted it all, Airborne, Ranger and I had
heard about these super soldiers called Green Berets.

During basic training at Ft. Bliss, Texas I was called in and told that all
of my testing showed that I could apply for Officer Candidate School and
just sign here.

Shortly after Basic/AIT/Airborne I was in Na Trang, April 1966, wondering
what happened to OCS. Some guy was asking if any of us were farm kids and
did we hunt as kids. I told them the story of my brother and I and I was in
training to be some sort of Recon person working with some small teams of
Vietnamese called roadrunners. I was in the Green Berets but I was
unflashed, Not SF qualified but assigned. Until August of 1966 when I
received orders to report to Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill Oklahoma
OCS class 7-67.

I graduated from OCS on 7 march 67, did I mention that General Tommy Franks
was in Class 5-67. Two classes earlier and I could have been a general.

I completed 3 more tours of duty in Southeast Asia. Variously assigned to
the 5th SFG and Military Assistance Command Studies and Observation Group,
MACV-SOG and the Phoenix program. On my third tour I was sent TDY to the
25th ID as a liaison officer to the 1/27 infantry (Wolfhounds) for the
incursion into Cambodia, on the second day the Artillery LNO was killed and
I, being an Artillery officer, took his place. I stayed with the 25th until
they stood down in Jan of 71and then was assigned to the 23rd ID as a
liaison officer for Operation Lam Son 719. When I reported into Chu Lai it
turned out that they had a detached artillery battery opconed to the 101st
in Khe Sahn and the Battery commander had just been dusted off from a mortar
attack. I went to Khe Sahn and stayed there with the artillery battery until
we left in March of 71. In 1972 I went to the 10th SFG in Bad Toltz, Germany
and later to SOCOM DELTA.

I stayed in the Army until April of 1977 when I was put on the Majors
promotion list, I had had enough, A peacetime Army was not my bag. I
departed the Army on 20 April 1977. No regrets, I was an independent
warrior, not cut out for the politics of peacetime military. I completed
college and studied illumination engineering and eventually started my own
lighting design business. In 1982 I designed a new lighting system used to
light the Space Shuttle Launch pads 39 A and B, currently in use. In 1984 I
got involved with the Olympic Games and in 1996 became the head lighting
designer for the games. I stopped after the 2002 winter games due to
complications with Agent Orange Diabetes, I was rated 100% and given the
papers at last years Psyco Vets Campout at our place in North Georgia.

My greatest accomplishment in life are my two sons, Bill and Phillip, Bill
is a Computer whiz and currently lives in Denver Colorado with his wife Dawn
and my soon to be first grandchild. Phillip is second generation SF and is
an EOD person. He is currently serving his 2nd tour attached to the secret
service and is one of the EOD persons on the presidential security
detachment. When he is at home he is stationed at Ft Campbell, Ky. With his
wife Connie and two step-sons.

I think the most satisfying thing I have done is start the Psyco Vets
Motorcycle Club and get some of us together and meet in person. Through the
patriot files I have meet some really fine people and the most amazing thing
is I met the medic that saved my life almost 40 years ago.

My best friend is John Hager or as you know him DMZ-LT. We have been
friends for almost 20 years.