Food City- Salute

This is 1SG Paul Nonan conducting a full field inspection on 2nd Plt C 1-23 Inf at Camp Hovey Korea in 1984. 1SG Nonan is a Vietnam Vet that fought with the Big Red One in 1968.

My Great Uncle Gordon D. Willsie

My Great Uncle Gordon D. Willsie is the only relative of mine that I know died in combat. He died at Ypres Salient, Belgium 22 October 1917 and is buried at the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium. He served with the 50th Bn., Canadian Infantry.

Eulogy for a Veteran (from Freedman’s scrap book – author Mary Elizabeth Frye)

Do not stand at my grave and weep

 I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow

I am the diamond glint of snow

I am the sunlight on ripened grain

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the mornings hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

of quiet birds in circled flight

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there, I DID NOT DIE.

My Great Uncle Carl Anderson in Europe 1945.

A Co 2nd BN 2nd INF Regt. 1987

This was the first company I had the privilege of serving as First Sergeant for after I was promoted to E8. It was a strong unit, with some great leadership from CPT Robert Ruck and 1LT Ed Hartley. The were assisted by good platoon leaders, Randy Bartlett, Brian Drinkwine, LT Cox, and LT Doyle, and a couple more that I can't remember. At least two of the platoon sergeants went on to be First Sergeants, Dennis Hampton, and SFC Willner.

This was an anti-tank company, with 20 TOW mounted HUMVEEs. When we deployed to the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA, the units we faced were very concerned with our ability to mass anti-tank fire and break up their attack formations.

These were some of the most disciplined, motivated, hard working, and intelligent soldiers I ever served with. RAMROD

The First Veteran I Met

The first veteran I met was my father, Edward W. Heller. He was drafted into the army in 1943, was trained at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, assigned to the 116th Inf Regt. of the 29th Inf Division. He landed on Omaha Beach Normandy France on June 6, 1944.