Vietnam War

Doorsteps of Hell by Tom Williams

Doorsteps of Hell by Tom Williams

As the son of a military officer who grew up in an always-moving military household, it makes total sense that Tom Williams would also grow up to be a military officer. His adoptive father was U.S. Air Force Maj. Carl Williams, but young Tom was destined for the Marine Corps and for the Vietnam War. "Doorsteps of Hell": Insight into Tom Williams' Vietnam Tour "Doorsteps of Hell" is the first book in Tom Williams' autobiographical "Heart of a Marine" series and covers his early years and his first tour in Vietnam. He pulls no punches in his thoughts or descriptions of events. The result is an honest narrative that covers not just Vietnam War combat but the trials and struggles of being an infantry Marine out in the jungle. It also details the camaraderie and leadership so central to being a Marine.  Growing up as a military child, Tom traveled the world, picking up a propensity for languages and a love for military life. When Carl retired, and the family settled down in Georgia, Tom...

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SP 4 Tom Hirst, U.S. Army (1969-1971)

SP 4 Tom Hirst, U.S. Army (1969-1971)

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

“What is that?” asked the person parked next to me in the “VETERANS ONLY” parking space at Home Depot. “That’s the COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE,” explaining my vanity license plate. “It’s the Army Medic’s version of the Combat Infantry Badge.” “I’ve seen some of the other Florida license plates, with medals and stuff, but I’ve never seen that one. I was in the Air Force.”

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A1C Joseph Jr. Carvalko, U.S. Air Force (1959-1964)

A1C Joseph Jr. Carvalko, U.S. Air Force (1959-1964)

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

Post Cuban Crisis, October 1963, I was honored as Outstanding Airman of the 818th Strategic Aerospace Division Lincoln, AFB. I had three consecutive monthly wing recognitions while serving in the 307th Bomb Wing, Medium, SAC, Armament, and Electronics Squadron. Now, from a pool of 6,000, I, amongst five others, was nominated for the Award that included two bomb wings and a missile wing. I took home the honor, partly due to my role in the critical launch of the final B-47 Bomber during the Cuban crisis.

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HM1 Robert Hays, U.S. Marine Corps (1967-1969)

HM1 Robert Hays, U.S. Marine Corps (1967-1969)

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

On April 9, 1969, an event happened which made bona fide heroes out of three of us. I was sitting on my cot writing a letter and heard an explosion. When I looked up, I saw a ball of fire rising from the ammo dump about 200 yards away. This dump was a big one. It was about 300 yards long and 200 yards wide, covered with pallets of ammo and explosives of every size and description.

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A1C Jim March, U.S. Air Force (1964-1967)

A1C Jim March, U.S. Air Force (1964-1967)

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

USAF Airman’s Medal. Stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, social opportunities for a young Airman were somewhat limited. My mode of transport was a Vespa motorscooter — not designed to attract young ladies. One Saturday evening, while driving back to the base, I passed by an establishment known as a Texas Ice House. Such establishments were a combination of local delis, local bars, and weekend party sites, serving primarily the Tex-Mex community. Since it was a warm summer evening, there was also dancing to a Mariachi band on the front porch. I decided to stop and check it out.

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Sgt Allen James Lynch, U.S. Army (1964–1969)

Sgt Allen James Lynch, U.S. Army (1964–1969)

When Allen James Lynch Graduated from high school, he knew he would either have to go to a college or trade school or wait to get drafted. He decided to chart his own course and join the Army. He didn't want to wait for something to happen to him, so he made his way to a recruiter.  "I wasn't the hero you read about in books, you know," Allen said in a 2011 interview. "I was bullied a lot, pushed around in grade school, high school. I had a bad self-image. I had to test myself… I had to figure out who I was."  Allen James Lynch Volunteered to Serve in Vietnam So Allen James Lynch joined the Army in 1964. Two years later, he volunteered to serve in Vietnam. Lynch arrived there with Company D, 1st Battalion of the 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) on May 31, 1967. Around six months later, he would be fighting for his life and the lives of his fellow soldiers. For his acts of astonishing bravery under fire, he would receive the Medal of Honor.  In...

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Service Reflections of CAPT David Edling, U.S. Coast Guard (1969-1999)

Service Reflections of CAPT David Edling, U.S. Coast Guard (1969-1999)

I completed two tours of duty as a Naval Officer serving aboard the USS Duncan DD-874 and the USS Lipan ATF-85 before considering service in the U. S. Coast Guard. Both of those shipboard tours included deployments to Vietnam, the first in 1970 and the second in 1972. I liked the Navy. I had been designated a Distinguished Naval Graduate on commissioning from the NROTC program at Oregon State University, which meant a Regular USN commission. Both of my initial shipboard tours were excellent experiences because I served under very competent Commanding Officers, and my shipmates on both ships were guys used to form my abilities and competencies as a sea service officer.

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SGT Mark Reisetter, U.S. Army (1969-1970)

SGT Mark Reisetter, U.S. Army (1969-1970)

Which individual(s) from your time in the military stand out as having had the most positive impact on you and why?:

1SGT Robert L. Millirons (a WWII, Korean War, and 3rd-Tour Vietnam Veteran) was a bare-chested old soldier sitting against a tombstone in the lowlands of Thua Thien Province when he sounded a commanding “Troop” in my direction as I reported to my company. I left Camp Eagle as an individual replacement in January of 1970 bound for where C Company, 1/327th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division was located.

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LCDR Curtis Smothers, U.S. Navy (1962-1986)

LCDR Curtis Smothers, U.S. Navy (1962-1986)

Which individual(s) from your time in the military stand out as having had the most positive impact on you and why?:

Of the 24 years, 6 months I spent on active duty in the U.S. Navy, the leader who was the most positive influence on me was my commanding officer, Captain Jeremy (“Bear”) Taylor. He skippered the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CV-43) during my time as Administrative Department head (1981-1983). In early 1983, our ship was preparing for an around-the-world voyage and a home port change from Alameda, California, to Norfolk, Virginia. The Coral Sea was an aging aircraft carrier commissioned just before the Korean War. Taking this ship around the world was like getting a ’57 Chevy ready for a cross-country trip. Our main propulsion and auxiliary plants were stretched to the limit. They had to stay online, support a crew of over 5,000, and launch aircraft in climates that ranged from the frigid northern coast of Alaska to the tropical extremes of the Indian Ocean.

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LCDR E.L. Spratt, U.S. Navy (1969-1999)

LCDR E.L. Spratt, U.S. Navy (1969-1999)

Which individual(s) from your time in the military stand out as having had the most positive impact on you and why?:

This one is easy. Radarman Chief Charles B. Sharp. He was my Chief on the USS Monticello, the first ship I rode after my tour in Nam. He taught me more about leadership than any of the schools the Navy sent me to, and the lessons I learned from him in our two years together have remained with me for my whole life. Chief Sharp helped me get through the post-Vietnam “spookies”. He showed me how to be a leader, and he taught me that the most important things a leader has going for him are the people who work for him. He also taught me the concept of “walk and talk”, as a way to get to know what’s going on in your division.

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SP 4 Tom Hirst, U.S. Army (1969-1971)

SP 4 Tom Hirst, U.S. Army (1969-1971)

Which individual(s) from your time in the military stand out as having had the most positive impact on you and why?:

Day 25. Let’s face it, I didn’t know anything about “Jungle Living” or “Infantry Life”! It was my 25th day “In Country” and also Easter Sunday, March 29th, 1970. So, that said, I think the people that made the biggest impression on me were the first two people I met after the Huey dumped me off in the “landing zone” on log day. The “RTO” from 3rd platoon, SP/5 Gene Tetzlaff, basically “adopted me” and took me under his wing, explaining “how to do this” and “how to do that” and to “expect the unexpected”. Perhaps Gene was more concerned that I’d be walking right behind him as the platoon moved out!

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Sgt Jack Riley, U.S. Marine Corps (1966-1972)

Sgt Jack Riley, U.S. Marine Corps (1966-1972)

Which individual(s) from your time in the military stand out as having had the most positive impact on you and why?:

Several heroes had a positive impact on my ability to survive some of the heaviest battles by Marines in the Vietnam War. My Senior DI at Parris Island, S/Sgt Leroy Elliott, named me the second most deserving of promotion to PFC in my Platoon 138. The Honor Marine was a contract journeyman butcher and deservingly so! Promoted to Gunny Elliott, he was killed on May 8, 1967, at Con Thien. My first Platoon Sergeant in Vietnam was S/Sgt Guy Hodgkins, who was Killed in Action on September 3, 1966. He spent a lot of time with me discussing VC tactics he had encountered and what I could expect as a squad leader.

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