"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ~~Thomas Jefferson

"Who will protect us from those who protect us?"

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. ~ Thomas Jefferson

"None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." ~~Goethe

15 January 2012

Just thinking...

Anthony Earl Peterson
Private First Class


PERSONAL DATA
  Home of Record: Mason City, Iowa
  Date of birth:  Saturday, 07/16/1949

MILITARY DATA
  Service:        Army  (Regular)
  Grade at loss:  E3
  Rank:           Private First Class
  ID No:          482620684
  MOS:            11B10 Infantryman
  LenSvc:         Less than one year
  Unit:           D CO, 2ND BN, 3RD INFANTRY, 199 INF BDE

CASUALTY DATA
  Start Tour:     Friday, 06/20/1969
  Cas Date:       Thursday, 07/03/1969
  Age at Loss:    19
  Remains:        Body recovered
  Location:       Long Khanh, South Vietnam
  Type:           Hostile, died outright
  Reason:         Multiple fragmentation wounds - Ground casualty

Tony was my cousin.  I looked up to him.  He was 5 years older than me and treated me like a little brother.  He was living his 14th day in Viet Nam.  2 weeks shy of his 20th birthday.

Panel 21W Line 055

I just talked with his sister.  She still misses him tremendously.

Stay safe.

8 comments:

Brock Townsend said...

I'm sure she does. He came in-country about a month after I had gotten out in Oakland after 21 months there.I had just returned to work as a civil servant in Saigon when he was killed. Memories.

Blue said...

I always wondered what it was like for him that day. He was in the same platoon and died in the same action as Michael Folland (CMOH). I know that they walked into an ambush in an area where they couldn't manuver and were hit with grenades at very close range. Thats about all I know about his last day. I just wonder sometimes.

Brock Townsend said...

Have you tried contacting others who were there that day?

Blue said...

Not yet. I found a website for the 199th LIR with some links to email them. I'll send them an email and see what I get. He was only in country for 2 weeks so I'm not holding my breath that anyone knew him. We'll see. Thanks, Brock.

Brock Townsend said...

He was only in country for 2 weeks so I'm not holding my breath that anyone knew him.

Yes, if there were many who were killed, then it might be less favorable that someone had heard of him, but if only these two were killed, I would think people would remember.

Blue said...

I had a website yesterday that listed the 199th casualties by date and unit. Can't find it now :( There were about 10 names on the list for D 2/3 for 3 JUL 69 so I assumed that nearly the entire squad was taken out. I'm going to send an email....

Brock Townsend said...

Someone should remember.

Blue said...

Yeah, I hope so.

9 men died that day from the 199th. All were in 3rd platoon 2/3. A 2Lt and 8 enlisted, including a medic who was apparently attached from HHC, which makes sense. (I'm putting some things together from Michael Folland's CMOH citation and some from this link http://www.virtualwall.org/u-army/3rdinfrgt.htm.) We'll see.... :)