Terry?? is the only person I have ever known to have died in combat, therefore he is the one I remember personally on Memoral Day every year, but, of course, ALL of the men and women are also in our hearts and minds.
Thank you so much for your message, Cheri. Like Marjorie, Terry is the only person I have known who has died in combat, and his is the name I looked for when our family went to the Wall of Memory. And I do think of him every Memorial Day.
I too am/was moved by the death if Terrence King. After school every day a good friend of mine and I would walk from Rich High to the Mall. Just about every day we would be accosted by Terry and a friend of his. They would call us names, chase us and try to burn us with cigarettes. Needless to say, Terry was not one of my favorite people.
A couple of years later I participated in an anti-war vigil where the protesters read the names of those Americans who had been killed in the war. It was my time to read off the names about 4am. We were all exhausted. but there it was -- the name of the man who terrorized me throughout high school.died in Vietnam.
The tributes that Terrys friends have left underscore that his life was cut short and who knows what contributions he may have made. what.
I would love to sit down and share a beer with Terrence. It woiuld be interesting to see where our lives had taken us.
Terry died on March 19th, 1967 along side his lieutenant and another Marine, trying to break the ambush they were caught in by charging into it. That's what we were taught to do because the likelihood of death was very high either way. The lieutenant received the Navy Cross, the 2nd highest military medal. Terry and the other Marine received no award, except another Purple Heart, and a posthumous promotion.
Terry and I wrote each other while in Vietnam. I was in the Mekong Delta and he up north. I've saved his last letter to me written on March 19, 1967, four days before his death. (I wish I had saved his other letters). Here's some of the things he wrote me.
"I was discharged from the hospital Feb 12 and on an operation by the 15."
"For my valor in combat I received the tin star with a dingleberry cluster."
(By this he meant the Silver Star with cluster. The cluster is an emphasis on the bravery. He never was awarded the medal by the Marines. He would not have lied to me about the award if, for no other reason he expected to live and would have wanted to show it. The Marines were very stingy with their medal awards and I believe that after his death they canceled the process to keep the number of medal awards down.)
"Since I've been back, we have only been in a few bad fire-fights. To say the least I'm scared shitless since I've been shot one (sic)."
As usual things are going pretty shitty around here. We have a big operation coming up, which I'm not looking forward to. We're going into a heavily infested V.C. area with 2 companies. It's hard to believe that the M.C. is that fucked up. I guess they ar not content unless they get a lot of casualties inflicted upon themselves."
"This friend of mine who is moderately crazy is interviewing a view (sic) of us on the war. So I gave him about 3 pages down grading U.S. policy in V.N.. It may be in S.C.U. newspaper. It may also get my (sic) a discharge.
I have never shared any of Terry's letter before but do so now so that we can have a better understanding of who this 20 year old man was. I think it's important to know that none of us had any idea of what we were getting into.
A very brief history. I had received a draft notice in early '66 while attending LSU. When I told Terry I was dropping out to have a little fun before they drafted me, he dropped out of Eastern Ill. U.. We took a train to New Orleans and then hitch-hike to Fort Lauderdale and then home. He suggested that because the military was drafting into both the Army and the Marines, why don't we just do a 2 year enlistment in the Marines. We went for that option. They took Terry that day but held my papers until they could investigate my arrest for receiving alchohol as a minor. A couple of weeks later I was drafted into the Army. I have never been able to get out of my mind what would have happened to either of us if I had been in the Marines with Terry.
I want to add a note on Terry's prowess as a fighter. I was with him on a number of ocassions of his fights and I never saw him touched. Yes he was that good. But more importantly, he came to regret being know as a fighter, wanting to be know as a more civilized person. The last fight was there in Ft. Lauderdale during the Spring. We were walking through a motel complex one evening on the way to the beach when some young women called to us from a balcony above to come up to their party. Who would say no? In the party some huge muscular guy called Terry out. Terry did not want to fight but seemingly there was no option. He quickly handled the guy down in the courtyard, but was soon thereafter afraid that he may have badly injured the guy. The owner, or desk clerk of the motel had also called the police. We left town the next morning.
I too, have often thought of what Terry's life would have been like had he lived. I believe from what I knew of him, that he would not see himself as a "fighter", a "warrior" wearing hats and jackets that proudly proclaimed his participation in "The War". I believe that he would have continued to mature into a peaceful, intelligent man that I would have loved to have continued being his buddy. I believe that he would have been uniquely equipped to tell us that war is insanity, that should never happen.
Thank you very much for sharing such personal and meaningful insights about Terry King that most of us would have never known. It is clear that besides being very brave, Terry was wise beyond his young years. I think you did great honor to your friend by sharing this with us. Thank you again.
Thank you all for your comments regarding Terry. I did not know him very well in High School. I do remember when he lost his life for his country, and I remember being very moved. Several years later I had the opportunity to be in DC with a daughter who was marching in the Cherry Blossom Parade. One of our trips during that visit was to the Viet Nam Memorial. This was a most moving and inspiring experience--and an opportunity to see Terry's memory in person--which I found at that time. I am grateful for his service and that of others who gave their lives for our country! Remembering you, Terry!
Thank you, Dennis, I now know more about Terry than I ever did and I am so sorry I didn't know him better. Your comments are enlightening and a tribute to your dear friend. There seems to be a lot of confusion in this country about how the Vietnam soldiers felt about the war themselves. Of course, war is insane, and who knows that better than those who have had to live it and their families. Being against war is not at all anti-patriotic. It is what any sane person would feel when you consider the horror of it. Unfortunately, it is still the strategy of choice of so many, particularly the more uncivilized and barbaric societies, and we need to defend ourselves, but not everyone else in the world. Thank you for reminding us of the cost and of our loss of a great guy. Sandi Schechter
Dennis I am sure all of us appreciate you sharing such a personal touch to Terrys memory. He touched all of our lives in many ways. There are so many stories but now is not the time to share them. It is time to Honor the man.
I also didn't know Terry King well, but like many of you, I searched for and found his name on the Viet Nam memorial during a trip to Washington D.C. some years ago. During the View Nam war years, I had letters from another soldier friend who became disillusioned with American policy while serving in Viet Nam, as Terry did, but was fortunate enough to survive the war. We honor the memory of all who have served our country, and especially of those who, like Terry King, have given their lives while doing so. Thanks to all of his good friends who have helped us to remember him.
Cheryl Lystad
Not just Memorial Day, but especially today. Thinking of Terry King. This day is for him and all the others like him. Cheri
Marjorie Mitchell (Barrell)
Terry?? is the only person I have ever known to have died in combat, therefore he is the one I remember personally on Memoral Day every year, but, of course, ALL of the men and women are also in our hearts and minds.
Patricia Wald (Ray)
Thank you so much for your message, Cheri. Like Marjorie, Terry is the only person I have known who has died in combat, and his is the name I looked for when our family went to the Wall of Memory. And I do think of him every Memorial Day.
In peace.
Patti Wald Ray
Michael Meiselman (Meiselman)
I too am/was moved by the death if Terrence King. After school every day a good friend of mine and I would walk from Rich High to the Mall. Just about every day we would be accosted by Terry and a friend of his. They would call us names, chase us and try to burn us with cigarettes. Needless to say, Terry was not one of my favorite people.
A couple of years later I participated in an anti-war vigil where the protesters read the names of those Americans who had been killed in the war. It was my time to read off the names about 4am. We were all exhausted. but there it was -- the name of the man who terrorized me throughout high school.died in Vietnam.
The tributes that Terrys friends have left underscore that his life was cut short and who knows what contributions he may have made. what.
I would love to sit down and share a beer with Terrence. It woiuld be interesting to see where our lives had taken us.
Dennis Fisher
Terry died on March 19th, 1967 along side his lieutenant and another Marine, trying to break the ambush they were caught in by charging into it. That's what we were taught to do because the likelihood of death was very high either way. The lieutenant received the Navy Cross, the 2nd highest military medal. Terry and the other Marine received no award, except another Purple Heart, and a posthumous promotion.
Terry and I wrote each other while in Vietnam. I was in the Mekong Delta and he up north. I've saved his last letter to me written on March 19, 1967, four days before his death. (I wish I had saved his other letters). Here's some of the things he wrote me.
"I was discharged from the hospital Feb 12 and on an operation by the 15."
"For my valor in combat I received the tin star with a dingleberry cluster."
(By this he meant the Silver Star with cluster. The cluster is an emphasis on the bravery. He never was awarded the medal by the Marines. He would not have lied to me about the award if, for no other reason he expected to live and would have wanted to show it. The Marines were very stingy with their medal awards and I believe that after his death they canceled the process to keep the number of medal awards down.)
"Since I've been back, we have only been in a few bad fire-fights. To say the least I'm scared shitless since I've been shot one (sic)."
As usual things are going pretty shitty around here. We have a big operation coming up, which I'm not looking forward to. We're going into a heavily infested V.C. area with 2 companies. It's hard to believe that the M.C. is that fucked up. I guess they ar not content unless they get a lot of casualties inflicted upon themselves."
"This friend of mine who is moderately crazy is interviewing a view (sic) of us on the war. So I gave him about 3 pages down grading U.S. policy in V.N.. It may be in S.C.U. newspaper. It may also get my (sic) a discharge.
I have never shared any of Terry's letter before but do so now so that we can have a better understanding of who this 20 year old man was. I think it's important to know that none of us had any idea of what we were getting into.
A very brief history. I had received a draft notice in early '66 while attending LSU. When I told Terry I was dropping out to have a little fun before they drafted me, he dropped out of Eastern Ill. U.. We took a train to New Orleans and then hitch-hike to Fort Lauderdale and then home. He suggested that because the military was drafting into both the Army and the Marines, why don't we just do a 2 year enlistment in the Marines. We went for that option. They took Terry that day but held my papers until they could investigate my arrest for receiving alchohol as a minor. A couple of weeks later I was drafted into the Army. I have never been able to get out of my mind what would have happened to either of us if I had been in the Marines with Terry.
I want to add a note on Terry's prowess as a fighter. I was with him on a number of ocassions of his fights and I never saw him touched. Yes he was that good. But more importantly, he came to regret being know as a fighter, wanting to be know as a more civilized person. The last fight was there in Ft. Lauderdale during the Spring. We were walking through a motel complex one evening on the way to the beach when some young women called to us from a balcony above to come up to their party. Who would say no? In the party some huge muscular guy called Terry out. Terry did not want to fight but seemingly there was no option. He quickly handled the guy down in the courtyard, but was soon thereafter afraid that he may have badly injured the guy. The owner, or desk clerk of the motel had also called the police. We left town the next morning.
I too, have often thought of what Terry's life would have been like had he lived. I believe from what I knew of him, that he would not see himself as a "fighter", a "warrior" wearing hats and jackets that proudly proclaimed his participation in "The War". I believe that he would have continued to mature into a peaceful, intelligent man that I would have loved to have continued being his buddy. I believe that he would have been uniquely equipped to tell us that war is insanity, that should never happen.
Dennis Fisher
Patricia Wald (Ray)
Dear Dennis,
Thank you very much for sharing such personal and meaningful insights about Terry King that most of us would have never known. It is clear that besides being very brave, Terry was wise beyond his young years. I think you did great honor to your friend by sharing this with us. Thank you again.
Patti Wald Ray
Patricia Hearst (Schwarzentraub)
Thank you all for your comments regarding Terry. I did not know him very well in High School. I do remember when he lost his life for his country, and I remember being very moved. Several years later I had the opportunity to be in DC with a daughter who was marching in the Cherry Blossom Parade. One of our trips during that visit was to the Viet Nam Memorial. This was a most moving and inspiring experience--and an opportunity to see Terry's memory in person--which I found at that time. I am grateful for his service and that of others who gave their lives for our country! Remembering you, Terry!
Sandra Schechter
Thank you, Dennis, I now know more about Terry than I ever did and I am so sorry I didn't know him better. Your comments are enlightening and a tribute to your dear friend. There seems to be a lot of confusion in this country about how the Vietnam soldiers felt about the war themselves. Of course, war is insane, and who knows that better than those who have had to live it and their families. Being against war is not at all anti-patriotic. It is what any sane person would feel when you consider the horror of it. Unfortunately, it is still the strategy of choice of so many, particularly the more uncivilized and barbaric societies, and we need to defend ourselves, but not everyone else in the world. Thank you for reminding us of the cost and of our loss of a great guy. Sandi Schechter
Bill Paul
Dennis I am sure all of us appreciate you sharing such a personal touch to Terrys memory. He touched all of our lives in many ways. There are so many stories but now is not the time to share them. It is time to Honor the man.
Helen Ward (Page)
I also didn't know Terry King well, but like many of you, I searched for and found his name on the Viet Nam memorial during a trip to Washington D.C. some years ago. During the View Nam war years, I had letters from another soldier friend who became disillusioned with American policy while serving in Viet Nam, as Terry did, but was fortunate enough to survive the war. We honor the memory of all who have served our country, and especially of those who, like Terry King, have given their lives while doing so. Thanks to all of his good friends who have helped us to remember him.