America's Loss

[dave]

Panel 61 E, Line 8 is the location of Darrell De Priest's name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. Darrell was a graduate of University High School in Oxford, MS in 1965 and later joined the US Army. He was 2 years older than me but being in a small community one knew everyone and their people. Darrell's dad was the Post Master of a little community 10 miles north of Oxford but back then 
there was only 1 high school in Lafayette county. He was a quiet kid who had a great smile and one of the few older guys to treat a freshman as person not a target for a junior's brand new class ring to be turned upside down and buried in my skull.

Darrell joined the army in 1967 and was a Specialist 4 with company A, Second Battalion of the 12th Cavalry. He died on combat patrol on May 16, 1968 in Thua Thien province from a buried 105 shell booby trap. He was returned home and is buried in the small Abbeville Cemetery with all his family from as far back as the 1870's. 

America was robbed of the worth of this young hero and we missed having him and his children being part of our community. Far too many young men and women have been lost and we are all the poorer for their absence. Darrell deserved better than dying in the jungle of a far off land for a cause never established and purpose never known to him and many others who gave their all.

I went by the Abbeville Cemetery last weekend and wandered about to say hello to him and some other old friends. The older I get the more sentimental I become and more hardened I am to political shenanigans and foolish people we have running for office and who WE select. I honestly believe that more veterans and combat veterans should run for office, especially on the national level, as they have unique perspectives as to military matters and defense requirements. Trump, Sanders or Clinton do little other than blather about national security and prostrate themselves for votes. I have noticed that past presidents like Washington, Lincoln, Truman, Kennedy and the first Bush have all served in War. A veteran knows and understands the sacrifices required by members of the armed forces and the dedication they give to their country.

I am going to sign off and go enjoy some Dr Jack neat on the rocks and thank God for all those who put country above themselves and served in the military especially those "who gave all" and pray for those serving today. I also include those who are members of the "Thin Blue Line" who serve on the front lines in our communities and provide the peace and security we enjoy as citizens of the Greatest County in the world.
Regards
Dave

[deadwoodgultch]

Dave,
The most important quote from the above,"thank God for all those who put country above themselves". Far to many who "serve" do it for self serving reasons. Political office has become a place for attorneys who could not compete in the private sector, ideologues, massive egos, and those looking to make a living on the backs of those they deem lesser than they. Military service, need not be a prerequisite for higher office. The problem is that office holders have forgotten that they are to serve the populace not the other way around. That in many ways is why you are seeing the Sanders/Trump phenomenon. The reasons for that phenomenon are very different due to the difference in the goals of their supporters. The biggest commonality is the lack of trust in the same old, same old. Beth mentioned, elsewhere, "A Christmas Carol", we would be well served if our politicians suffered those ghostly visitations.

Regards,
Tom

[Beth]

We used to base who we elected on their vision for all Americans, not just for the good of their party-regardless of the cost to the country. (not those who vote but just the party). We looked for wisdom, ethics, and leadership, for the best their generation could offer.

Now so many rely on sound bites and flash but never really ask the hard questions about how they are going to improve the lives of all, not just those who agree with them. They never ask can this person do what he/she wants without trampling on the rights of others.

[dave]

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is currently in Mississippi and will remain in state till June 1.  As can be seen the Wall will be all over the US this summer. If you have never had the opportunity to see it in Washington DC I recommend you do so when it is near you. It is a moving experience.
Regards
Dave

www.travelingwall.us/

[dave]

Here is a poignant story about a WW II vet traveling back over seas. He had served on the most famous B 17 the Memphis Belle.
Regards
Dave

www.nydailynews.com/news/national/wwii-veteran-dies-revisiting-england-final-mission-94-article-1.2651559

[deadwoodgultch]

[deadwoodgultch]

This thread is not the only thing that died to soon. Some facts about a wall.

With the Vietnam Vets are now dying off at a rate of about 500/day, it is time to remember their contributions and sacrifices .

A little history most people will never know. Interesting Veterans Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall.

There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.

The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 61 years since the first casualty.

The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth, Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.

There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.

39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.

8,283 were just 19 years old.

The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.

12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.

5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.

One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.

997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam ..

1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam .

31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.

Thirty-one sets of parents lost two of their sons.

54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia. I wonder why so many from one school.

8 Women are on the Wall, Nursing the wounded.

244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall.

Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.

West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.

The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest. And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.

The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam. In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.

The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.

For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, Husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.

[BrevetorCoffin]

Mar 16, 2017 9:22:40 GMT deadwoodgultch said:

This thread is not the only thing that died to soon. Some facts about a wall.

With the Vietnam Vets are now dying off at a rate of about 500/day, it is time to remember their contributions and sacrifices .

A little history most people will never know. Interesting Veterans Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall.

There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.

The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 61 years since the first casualty.

The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth, Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.

There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.

39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.

8,283 were just 19 years old.

The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.

12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.

5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.

One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.

997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam ..

1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam .

31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.

Thirty-one sets of parents lost two of their sons.

54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia. I wonder why so many from one school.

8 Women are on the Wall, Nursing the wounded.

244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall.

Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.

West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.

The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest. And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.

The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam. In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.

The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.

For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, Husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.

Well put, Tom.

[deadwoodgultch]

Update! www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/100-killed-in-pearl-harbor-attack-identified-after-76-years/ar-BBG1osh?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=HPDHP17