WELCOME TO THE VETERAN'S FORUM

Most of us know of the sacrifice made by our classmate, William David Morgan, who heroically gave his life in Vietnam in 1969.  As far as we know at this time, he is our only classmate killed in Vietnam.  As a recipient of the Medal of Honor presented by the Congress of the United States of America, he deserves our respect and our gratitude

Along with honoring William David Morgan, this forum is designed to provide an opportunity for others of us who served to share memories and photos about their time of service.

This forum is open as well to any other classmate who wishes to post a comment or share a memory about a classmate they know who served our country.

Our purpose is to recognize and honor those who have served, not to revisit wounds from the past.

Thank you to all of our classmates who have served this country.

MARCH 29 
Proclaimend Vietnam Veteran's Day

____________________________________________

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

March 29, 2012

Presidential Proclamation -- Vietnam Veterans Day

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On January 12, 1962, United States Army pilots lifted more than 1,000 South Vietnamese service members over jungle and underbrush to capture a National Liberation Front stronghold near Saigon.  Operation Chopper marked America's first combat mission against the Viet Cong, and the beginning of one of our longest and most challenging wars.  Through more than a decade of conflict that tested the fabric of our Nation, the service of our men and women in uniform stood true.  Fifty years after that fateful mission, we honor the more than 3 million Americans who served, we pay tribute to those we have laid to rest, and we reaffirm our dedication to showing a generation of veterans the respect and support of a grateful Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 29, 2012, as Vietnam Veterans Day.  I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the Vietnam War.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

************* A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM DAVID MORGAN***********

William D. Morgan, Medal of Honor recipient
Born	September 17, 1947                         Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Died	February 25, 1969 (aged 21) KIA, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1966-1969
Rank	Corporal
Unit	2nd Battalion 9th Marines
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States in the name of the Congress of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a squad leader with Company H, in operations against the enemy. While participating in Operation DEWEY CANYON southeast of Vandegrift Combat Base, one of the squads of Corporal Morgan's platoon was temporarily pinned down and sustained several casualties while attacking a North Vietnamese Army force occupying a heavily fortified bunker complex. Observing that 2 of the wounded Marines had fallen in a position dangerously exposed to the enemy fire and that all attempts to evacuate them were halted by a heavy volume of automatic weapons fire and rocket-propelled grenades, Corporal Morgan unhesitatingly maneuvered through the dense jungle undergrowth to a road that passed in front of a hostile emplacement which was the principal source of enemy fire. Fully aware of the possible consequences of his valiant action, but thinking only of the welfare of his injured companions, Corporal Morgan shouted words of encouragement to them as he initiated an aggressive assault against the hostile bunker. While charging across the open road, he was clearly visible to the hostile soldiers who turned their fire in his direction and mortally wounded him, but his diversionary tactic enabled the remainder of his squad to retrieve their casualties and overrun the North Vietnamese Army position. His heroic and determined actions saved the lives of 2 fellow Marines and were instrumental in the subsequent defeat of the enemy. Corporal Morgan's indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Services. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

       /S/ RICHARD M. NIXON

Additional Information

One of the Marines that was saved by William Morgan that day is Robert "Bob" Ballou of Redlands, California. One of the Marines KIA was Robinson Santiago who was directly behind Bob Ballou.

[edit] In memory

The name of William David Morgan is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ("The Wall") on Panel 31W Line 054[1] There is a small memorial to him at Mount Lebanon High School.

Richard L. Montgomery

Freedom is not free.  It is purchased with the blood of heroes.

Corporal William David Morgan

2nd Batallion, 9th Marines

Killed, Republic of Vietnam

February 25, 1969

Operation Dewey Canyon

Tom Windfelder

William David (Bill) Morgan

Class of 1966

Awarded the Medal of Honor

for action in Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 25 February 1969

Bill was my classmate from 1st grade at Lincoln Elementary on.  His memory has been in my thoughts a lot lately, and I think it is time we give him the honor he deserves.

If you have never read Bill's Medal of Honor Citation ... please read it now.

Bill's whole Citation can be found on his IN MEMORY page listing all honors.

I think it i time someone organize an effort to honor the memory of our young friend.  We don't have to start big... something like naming a road, or bridge, in his honor would be a beginning.

I am willing to take the lead on this.

If you are will to help me in this effort, plese let me know.

Tom Windfelder

tbw@tbrooksfinancial.com

725-719-3281

Susan Devlin

John Dragonis and I believe Chris Eby have already done something in his honor years ago.  I believe a statue has been erected in Bird Park but you need to check with John, my mind is failing me on the final arrangement. I was over my head in a business at the time it was being organized.

Richard L. Montgomery

Here are a couple photos from my tour in Vietnam.  I served as a combat infantryman with the 101st Airborne/ Air Assault Division, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry, Bravo Company.  Easy Company is the unit about which the series "Band of Brothers" was made and I've met a few of those guys at reunion events.  There is a Facebook page, website, book and documentary about one of the battles in which I participated.

http://www.ripcordassociation.com

http://www.battleofripcordmovie.com/

https://www.facebook.com/firebasefilm

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ripcordassociation/

That's me on the left.

Me with a good buddy, Kim Hotchkiss, in our bunker on Firebase Ripcord.

I now have a partial hearing loss because the above bunker was directly underneath a 155mm howitzer battery that was firing 24/7 every 30 seconds or so.

Susan Devlin

Very interesting, Rick, I'll check the web sites.  I have a stupid girl question, is the bunker where you lived or where you stayed during the day waiting for orders to go somewhere?

Robert R. Todd

First I would like to thank Sue Devlin who was instrumental in getting this Veterans forum set up.  Kudos to you Sue.  The way returning Vietnam veterans were treated was disgraceful.  I know they are often given special recognition now but it took more than thirty years.  Hopefully this forum will let those of who us didn’t serve, express our gratitude to our classmates who did.  It was very appropriate to start the forum with a tribute to Bill Morgan.  I wasn’t a friend of Bill but the few times I had contact with him during high school he had a great sense of humor and told some of the funniest stories ever.   I do remember during the last week of high school any senior boy who wanted to get out of class for a day could go down to the Pittsburgh Amory by school bus where they had recruiters from all the services. That would be politically incorrect today.  I went like so many others just to get out of class for the day. While there if my memory is correct Bill Morgan and Stu Lamont joined the Marines.  At that time, the Marines were known as the most rigorous of all the armed services. This was before the notoriety of the Navy Seals training became known to the public.  I was impressed with what Bill and Stu did that day.  I was shocked to hear about Bill’s death and amazed at his act of bravery trying to rescue his fellow Marines.  Bill’s sacrifice reminds me of this Bible verse John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  When the Vietnam traveling memorial wall came to Houston I went and looked up Bill’s name on the wall.  I’m sure many others have as well.  So thank you Bill and all the other veteran classmates for your service to our country.

My experience during the Vietnam War is that I had a student deferment until I lost it in the lottery and was drafted in the spring of 1970.  I had to leave Penn State and travel to Pittsburgh to take my physical. They said if they needed me they would send a notice.  I never got a notice and I never called them to ask why.  I worried about it until they held the next lottery.  I can only assume that they reached their quota of inductees before they got to my number.  The Vietnam War affected all of us in some way, some more than others.

One little fact rarely known is that there are two Medal of Honor winners buried in Mt. Lebanon Cemetery. Bill Morgan is one the other is Casper R. Carlisle who won his at the Battle of Gettysburg July 2, 1863. These graves are hollowed ground no different than Arlington National Cemetery.

Richard L. Montgomery

Sue, the bunker was home sweet home.  That net-covered thing you can see behind us was my bunk (or Kim's, I can't remember).  Army cot, blanket, pillow if you were lucky, no sheets, no mattress.  Still, it was far better than what you had when you were on operations in the field.  There you had the ground and a poncho liner.  Rucksack for a pillow.  This is one reason why they say war is hell.  Army coffee is another.  Then there is the fighting, killing and dying, too.  The mark you can see on my right cheek was jungle rot - that's why my moustache was shaved off.  Lovely time.

John E. Ballantyne

I would like to add my thanks to those who served and those who continue to serve.  I did not serve in Vietnam as I had a medical deferment due to Ileitis, an illness I had when I was a kid.  All wars are sad but the sad thing about this war is that it was a war that should never have taken place.  Had it not taken place all of those lives would not have been lost.  The Vietnam War was a direct result of the JFK assassination in 1963.  Had Kennedy not been assassinated chances are good that the war would never have taken place.  He had signed the order just prior to his assassination for all advisors to be pulled out of Vietnam and he had made the decision not to commit further troops in that direction.  Once Johnson took over he reversed all orders Kennedy had set on Vietnam.  We owe everything to our veterans of all wars and unfortunately, sometimes they do not receive the respect and honor they deserve even from our own government.  Thanks for setting up this forum.

Jack Ballantyne 

Lyn K. Morander (George)

Does anyone else remember taking a 10th Grade World Cultures (I think) class from Mr. Meell??  I vividly remember him telling us we would never win that war because we (Americans) place a high price on every human life and the Asian cultures don't.  I've always wondered if anyone in goventment at the time was as insightful as my 10th grade teacher!  Think of all the lives that would have been saved.

My 'thanks', too, to all who've served....especially those who were never thanked when they returned!

Susan W. Witt (Beam)

Thank you to all who served. You do this country great honor through your service and we ordinary Americans think the world of you. 

Susan Jenkins

While the comment by Lyn's teacher was partially correct, I don't think "we" lost the war because Asians don't value life. Rather, Asians are culturally (and of course this is a generalization) more committed to community and country, with actions being based on "the benefit of the larger group," rather than oriented toward individualism, as we are in the United States. It's unfair to say they don't value life. It's a different point of view, albiet, one that's probably changing today, with our ever-evolving world economics!

And while I'm at it: America is a very big place: North, South and Central. The "we" is United States.

All that being said, I want to add, as someone else mentioned, the Vietnam troops were treated poorly when they returned, and I'm glad the tide is changing on that. People have realized the frustration we all felt was directed toward the wrong people.

Susan Jenkins