Post by soretoe on Aug 8, 2010 10:08:02 GMT -1
This is borderline on being a very sad story but it all happened for a reason that only God knows.
I belong to a Vietnam veterans group. In that group we have people from all branches of the armed forces and they all served in Vietnam at one time or another.
During the Tet offensive, in 1968, by the North Vietnamese Army (NLF) they caused a lot of havoc but suffered huge losses. Our forces did too. Please read this short article
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive
The veterans organization had elements from the 3rd Marine Division at Dong Ha. They were almost completely surrounded and suffered great losses. One of the survivors of that battle is a member. Another member was assigned to the US Army Americal Division. They were sent in to relieve what was left of the Marines that fought valiantly and inflicted almost 4,000 KIA to the NLF. At one of our meetings one of our guys (the Marine survivor) came out of his shell and tearfully thanked the guy from the Americal Division for saving his life.
Now the interesting part.
I was the ride captain for a US Army Major Tony Germana who was wounded in battle at Dong Ha. He was with the Americal Division, the very same units that rushed in to help the surrounded Marines. The very next day I was the ride captain for a USMC SGT Gary Swafford who was assigned to the 1st battalion 3rd marines (1/3 Marines). They were the reinforcements for the unit already engaged at Dong Ha. Well it seems as they were also pinned down by a superior force at their location. The Americal Division was able to relieve the pressure on them as well.Gary was also wounded in that battle.
At our escort missions we brief our riders with a little bit of history of the deceased. I had a good story for our people. After the second briefing one of our members came up to me and showed his Marine Corps patch, it was from the unit at Dong Ha. He served in that unit well after the battle but was very proud to have been in it.
Most of us never talk about our experiences "over there". We simply reply with you had to be there to understand. Well two families now stand a little prouder because of receiving a bit of history from when and how their loved one was wounded in battle. And a certain ride captain is just a bit more humble because of being able to find this history for those families. It's a small world out there and one never knows what is just around the corner. If any of you that read this have a relative that served in uniform, go and give that person a big hug and thank them for their service, you will be glad that you did.
I belong to a Vietnam veterans group. In that group we have people from all branches of the armed forces and they all served in Vietnam at one time or another.
During the Tet offensive, in 1968, by the North Vietnamese Army (NLF) they caused a lot of havoc but suffered huge losses. Our forces did too. Please read this short article
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive
The veterans organization had elements from the 3rd Marine Division at Dong Ha. They were almost completely surrounded and suffered great losses. One of the survivors of that battle is a member. Another member was assigned to the US Army Americal Division. They were sent in to relieve what was left of the Marines that fought valiantly and inflicted almost 4,000 KIA to the NLF. At one of our meetings one of our guys (the Marine survivor) came out of his shell and tearfully thanked the guy from the Americal Division for saving his life.
Now the interesting part.
I was the ride captain for a US Army Major Tony Germana who was wounded in battle at Dong Ha. He was with the Americal Division, the very same units that rushed in to help the surrounded Marines. The very next day I was the ride captain for a USMC SGT Gary Swafford who was assigned to the 1st battalion 3rd marines (1/3 Marines). They were the reinforcements for the unit already engaged at Dong Ha. Well it seems as they were also pinned down by a superior force at their location. The Americal Division was able to relieve the pressure on them as well.Gary was also wounded in that battle.
At our escort missions we brief our riders with a little bit of history of the deceased. I had a good story for our people. After the second briefing one of our members came up to me and showed his Marine Corps patch, it was from the unit at Dong Ha. He served in that unit well after the battle but was very proud to have been in it.
Most of us never talk about our experiences "over there". We simply reply with you had to be there to understand. Well two families now stand a little prouder because of receiving a bit of history from when and how their loved one was wounded in battle. And a certain ride captain is just a bit more humble because of being able to find this history for those families. It's a small world out there and one never knows what is just around the corner. If any of you that read this have a relative that served in uniform, go and give that person a big hug and thank them for their service, you will be glad that you did.