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 casualtyTony 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.
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I just talked with his sister. She still misses him tremendously.
Stay safe.
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.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried contacting others who were there that day?
ReplyDeleteNot 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.
ReplyDeleteHe was only in country for 2 weeks so I'm not holding my breath that anyone knew him.
ReplyDeleteYes, 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.
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....
ReplyDeleteSomeone should remember.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I hope so.
ReplyDelete9 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.... :)