Veterans Photos Page

Lee Herdman is way at the bottom of the page.
You have to manually start the YouTube video and the Playlist. They are well worth your time to hear.

Lyrics written by Ronan Tynan

To fallen soldiers let us sing
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the Mansions of the Lord
No more bleeding, no more fight
No prayers pleading through the night
Just divine embrace, eternal light
To the Mansions of the Lord.
Where no mothers cry and no children weep
We will stand and guard though the angels sleep
Through the ages safely keep
The Mansions of the Lord.

 


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Our Classmates serving Our Country

Bill Coad and Ed Palumbo, Chu Lai, RVN, 1966

This was written by Bill "Skip" Coad, Class of 1964.   
          I just want to wish everyone a very safe and happy Memorial Day celebration. Please take a moment to remember ALL of our Brothers and Sisters who have served, and especially those who have given ALL.
           Too many of them have been forgotten. Please take the time to look at the wall. Please tell them "Thank You". Viet Nam was a thankless WAR. None of us who served have ever been given recognition and those who gave their lives deserve much more.
          Some day, maybe this country will at least dedicate a day to Viet Nam Veterans. For now, the most we can hope for is that the folks of our own generation will set aside a moment, once a year, to think of those who either came back less than they were when they left, or didn't come back at all. If you think less of me for writing this, I'm sorry. I didn't start the Viet Nam war, and I wish it hadn't happened. But I will defend all of my Brothers and Sisters who gave all they had to give to the end of time.
          I want to once again thank Ken (Pugo) Nelson for recognizing Veterans on this website. It does make a difference to us. Happy Memorial Day to everyone.
Skip Coad

 

Rod Schwandt..  Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi.  You sly dog.

 

Our Man Schwandt.  No wonder the Russians gave up.

 

Major Babe and Major Malfunction.  What a beautiful couple.

 

And they lived happily ever after.

 

 

Rod Schwandt. American Goodwill Ambassador. Thanks Rod, you done good.

 

 These pictures were taken by Rita Boothe at the LZ Peace Memorial at Midway Village, Thursday, May 21, 2009. One person does make a difference.

 

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

Marine PFC Bruce Wayne Carter, MOH.  His mother, Georgie Carter Krell, (shown above in a National Cemetery), is the President of the American Gold Star Mothers.  PFC Carter was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic action August 7, 1969 while participating in combat north of Vandegrift Combat Base, Quang Tri Province. He was barely 19 years old. "Fully aware of the probable consequences of his action, but determined to protect the men following him, he unhesitatingly threw himself over the grenade, absorbing the full effects of its detonation with his own body."   Please click the photos.

Bruce W. Carter Medical Center in Miami, Florid. Please click all photos.

 

Private First Class Carter's indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country. He lies in eternal rest at Vista Memorial Gardens, Miami Lakes, Florida.  Please click the photos.

 

Ceremony honoring PFC Bruce W. Carter, Medal of Honor recipient. Please click the photos.

PFC Bruce W. Carter's mother, Georgie. Please click the photos.

 

These five remarkable women are Gold Star Mothers who attended the VietNow National Convention in Davenport, Iowa last week. PFC Bruce W. Carter's mother, Georgie Carter Krell, who spoke at the convention, is in the middle. All these ladies lost sons in the Vietnam War.  Please click the photos.

Georgie commented at the convention, "They wanted to give him just a wing and I said "No, give him the whole hospital." and they did.  What a good mother. What a great son. 

The bottom photo was taken by Kendall Nelson. The other photos were provided to me by Georgie Carter Krell at the 24th Annual VietNow Convention held in Davenport, Iowa May 14-17, 2009.

 

Our man Bill "Skip" Coad stationed in Vietnam

Bill Coad, behind the 50 cal on the door behind hill 321.

Bill Coad, Air Recon at Phu Bai, Vietnam

Lee Herdman, Chu Lai, Vietnam -May, 1969. They are in color but Lee's scanner only does B&W. Thanks Lee for doing a fine job, then and now.  HooRah.

Lee Herdman, Convoy from Chu Lai, South Vietnam

Lee Herdman, Company Bunker at LZ Baldy

Sgt. Leonard Keller, Medal of Honor recipient,
....at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

Medal of Honor recipient Leonard B. Keller died Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. "Len" was born Feb. 25, 1947, in Rockford, Illinois.

Sgt. Leonard Keller, was awarded the Medal of Honor for action above and beyond the call of duty in the Republic of Vietnam, May 2, 1967 at the age of 20.

He died two weeks ago when his 3-wheel motorcycle flipped over killing him. He was 62 and had just left a veteran's meeting. I think he was from Cherry Valley and I found his picture on page 78 of the 1963 Guilford yearbook. Please click his photo to read his full citation.

Friends and family are invited to the memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, in Cherry Valley United Methodist Church, Cherry Valley, Ill., with Pastor Nancy Rethford officiating. Interment with full military honors will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, in Arlington National Cemetery. Here's the link to his obituary in the Rockford Register Star.

Place / Date: Ap Bac Zone, Republic of Vietnam, 2 May 1967

 

Citation awarding Congressional Medal of Honor of Sgt. Leonard Keller

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sweeping through an area where an enemy ambush had occurred earlier, Sgt. Keller's unit suddenly came under Intense automatic weapons and small-arms fire from a number of enemy bunkers and numerous snipers in nearby trees. Sgt. Keller quickly moved to a position where he could fire at a bunker from which automatic fire was received, killing 1 Viet Cong who attempted to escape.

Leaping to the top of a dike, he and a comrade charged the enemy bunkers, dangerously exposing themselves to the enemy fire. Armed with a light machine gun, Sgt. Keller and his comrade began a systematic assault on the enemy bunkers. While Sgt. Keller neutralized the fire from the first bunker with his machine gun, the other soldier threw in a hand grenade killing its occupant. Then he and the other soldier charged a second bunker, killing its occupant. A third bunker contained an automatic rifleman who had pinned down much of the friendly platoon. Again, with utter disregard for the fire directed to them, the 2 men charged, killing the enemy within.

Continuing their attack, Sgt. Keller and his comrade assaulted 4 more bunkers, killing the enemy within. During their furious assault, Sgt. Keller and his comrade had been almost continuously exposed to intense sniper fire as the enemy desperately sought to stop their attack. The ferocity of their assault had carried the soldiers beyond the line of bunkers into the treeline, forcing snipers to flee. The 2 men gave immediate chase, driving the enemy away from the friendly unit. When his ammunition was exhausted, Sgt. Keller returned to the platoon to assist in the evacuation of the wounded.

The 2-man assault had driven an enemy platoon from a well prepared position, accounted for numerous enemy dead, and prevented further friendly casualties. Sgt. Keller's selfless heroism and indomitable fighting spirit saved the lives of many of his comrades and inflicted serious damage on the enemy.

His acts were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

Many who read Sgt. Keller's citation wonder about the "other soldier. The "other soldier" was Spec 4 Raymond Wright and for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity he too received the Medal of Honor. Please click here to read about the "other soldier".

Lyrics written by Ronan Tynan

To fallen soldiers let us sing
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the Mansions of the Lord
No more bleeding, no more fight
No prayers pleading through the night
Just divine embrace, eternal light
To the Mansions of the Lord.
Where no mothers cry and no children weep
We will stand and guard though the angels sleep
Through the ages safely keep
The Mansions of the Lord.

Color photo courtesy of

http://leatherneckm31.typepad.com/medal_of_honor_host_city_/2009/10/leonard-keller-62-killed-in-tragic-mishap.html

Main photo courtesy of

http://www.cmohs.org/

I hope they don't mind me using their photos.



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