biography

At the age of 22 I enlisted in the Army, March 29, 1967. I attended basic training and advanced training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. My Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was 63B, Vehicle Mechanic.

I was then transferred to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where from October 17, 1967 to December 2, 1967 I finished additional training as a Track Mechanic. I graduated at the top of my class and received a letter for outstanding leadership and performance.

I volunteered for Vietnam and arrived in-country on January 10, 1968. I was assigned to the 720th Military Police Battalion, Company C, motor pool, at Long Binh Post. My duties were to repair the wheeled and track vehicles (Armored Personnel Carriers). As time went by, I started to volunteer for the night ambush patrols and convoy duty.

One night while on ambush patrol we were laying in a rice paddy when we started to receive incoming mortar rounds. We came to find out that our Lieutenant gave the wrong fire coordinates and the battalion mortar platoon was firing on our position. I grew up real fast that night.

Then on a convoy on August 23, 1968, 13 miles southeast of Tay Ninh we were ambushed by a large well organized enemy force. It would take 10 hours of fighting before we and a lot of others turned the enemy attack back.

I was also there for the Tet Offensive of January 29, 1968. In March of 1969 I received a certificate for training on the V100 Armored Car and was made the Motor Pool Sergeant.

On August 23, 1969, after 19 months and 14 days, I left Vietnam.

My orders sent me to Fort Carson, Colorado, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 61st Infantry, 5th Army. There I was assigned as the Motor Pool Sergeant.

I left the Army on March 30, 1970 only to join the Army Reserves in 1972. I stayed in the reserves until 1978. I retired in 1991 from an injury I received while in the Army and am now on disability as a veteran.

One thing I will always remember is the Vietnam War and all of the men that did not come home, “God Bless Them, and God Bless Freedom.”