- October 3rd, 1965
- The night before I had drank some water I had gotten
from a nearby river. I did not treat the water with Halizone Tablets and I had
become very sick.
- I was a PFC at that time and Larry was a Corporal.
He must have noticed the distress I was in during the previous night and told
the Platoon Sargeant ( SSgt. Ammerman) that I was sick. I know this because
I saw Larry walk over to SSgt. Ammerman, talk to him and point to me. At that
time I thought I was in trouble. I was wrong. SSgt. Ammerman walked over to
me and asked me if I was sick. I said I had drank some bad water but I was OK.
SSgt. Ammerman told me I looked bad and he wanted me to stay back that day and
watch the radio and land line while the platoon was on patrol.
- I stood in a pagoda with the radio and land line
watching the platoon file off on the patrol.
- Within 30 minutes I could hear shooting and explosions.
The platoon was only several hundred yards off but a tree line was between them
and me. Of 33 Marines Thirteen Marines were killed and all but three Marines
had been shot. Most of them multiple times. The three survivors had played
dead under the bodies of their comrades.
- The Marine (Larry Harvey) that had taken the time
to tell the platoon Sgt. that I was sick was one of those killed.
-
- I will never forget the men that died that day
and the kind Marine that was concerned enough to tell SSgt. Ammerman that I
was sick. I should have been with them. I survived that day because of Larry
Harvey. I will always regret that I was not with them but I am alive to tell
their story.
-
- Larry Harvey and the Brave Marines that died that
day will always be in my heart and my thoughts.
-
- Semper Fidelis my Brothers.
