KEN'S vIET nAM pHOTOS AND sTORIES
Summary
April 15, 1967
My first KIA (killed in action)
He was a Viet Cong guarding a Rice Cache down in the Tuy Hoa Providence. Me and my good friend David Culbertson were ordered to search and clear a bamboo hut in the middle of a large banana grove. We proceeded to the hut and all of a sudden out from behind the hut he came charging towards after me with a HAND GRENADE. I will never forget that moment. He came charging towards me pulling on the string of a hand grenade to detonate it. I instinctively brought my M16 up with the safety on Full Automatic and shot him with about a 10 round burst killing him instantle. We later confirmed that he was guarding a Rice Cache and that I had surpised him and I found a 30 Cal. U.S. Carbine Rifle behind the hut. You must understand that I was only 19 years old at the time and I was and still am a born again Christian. My parents started me in church when I was about 14 years of age. I am still a member of the same chuch 48 years later. Very few days have passed without me asking my Lord for forgiveness for what I had to do and for forgiveness from all of the family members of all the men that I had to kill. I firmly believe that only GOD has the right to take a human life because only HE can give life to us. I was told told that the killing would get easy after the 1st one but it didn't get any easier. I was totally devestated.
June 17, 1967
My 2nd KIA,
We were out on a patrol one day in early June. I was walking point when all of a sudden I walked upon a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) soldier. I brought up my M16 and I gave him a short burst from it killing him instantly. We found out later that he was standing guard over a tunnel complex.
July 23, 1967
My 3rd KIA,
'C' Company (our sister company) was ambushed by a sizeable NVA unit. We found out much later that the Unit was the notorious 66th NVA Regiment. We, 'B' Company, 3rd Batallion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. were about a 1/4 mile away dug in for the night. We then received orders from 'Charger', our Battalion Commander to rush to 'C' company's rescue. So out we ran in an orderly fashion to resue 'C' company. Bullets were flying everywhere along with RPG and Mortar Rounds. I still remember that I was in the lead element that reached 'C' company's position 1st. 'C' company hadn't had time to dig their foxholes. I remember I found a low spot in the perimeter. I saw a NVA ammo bearer (RPG Rocket Launcher), showed himself from behind a large tree and he hadn't seen me. I had a 20 round clip of tracers loaded into my M16. I gave him a long burst (10-15 rounds) from my M16. When part of my rounds hit him in the stomach, the tracer rounds ignited his RPG Rounds burning him to a crisp. It was an awful experience that I have to live each day of my life.
The night before this Battle, I remember saying a silent prayer to my Lord, while in my foxhole to forgive me for having to kill my 2nd person. I also asked him silently to spare from anymore killing. I told him that I would all of mankind kindly (not that I was a mean person) and try my best to lead a productive life if HE would only spare me from all the killing.
We had to Search and Clear the battle zone immediately after the battle. In other words, we were to get a body count. I will never forget that day because of what happened to me that day after the battle was a miracle.
The NVA never---never surrendered themselves to us. I was our squad point man, when I heard someone crying with pain. Then I found him, a NVA sldier. He was bleeding from inside in both of his ears with bursted eardrums. He had survived a 500 lb. bomb dropped by our F4C Phantom Fighter Jets about 1 hour earlier.
Even today when I look back on the situation that I was faced with, my Lord answered my prayers of the night before. He knew how distraught that I was especially after I killed for the 3rd time because I never again had to kill anyone else for the remainder of my tour of duty. I know that my Lord has spared my life for some good reason, maybe for me to give this testimony.
(continued on Summary Page 2)
