`- March-April 2020, Issue 91 See all issues to date at the 503rd Heritage Battalion website: Contact: [email protected] http://corregidor.org/VN2-503/newsletter/issue_index.htm ~ ~ 173d Photo of the Month “Elements of the 173d Airborne Brigade Arrive in Saigon From Okinawa, 1965” (Caption & photo source: DoD Vietnam Studies, 1989) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / March-April 2020 – Issue 91 Page 1 of 68 We Dedicate this Issue of Our Newsletter in Memory and Honor of the Young Men of the 173d Airborne Brigade & Attached Units We Lost 50 Years Ago In the Months of March and April 1970 “You have done your duty, to honour you is ours.” Deandrea Hamilton Paul Vernon Adams, 20 Ralph North Bright, 22 SGT, D/1/503, 3/7/70 CPL, B/2/503, 4/21/70 (Incident date 3/3/70) 2/4/11: “We Remember. Ralph is 10/6/03: “You will always be buried at Peoria Cemetery, Orange Park, remembered. Dear Paul, I wanted to take Clay County, FL. BSM ARCOM PH.” the opportunity to just thank you for Robert Sage everything you did for our country and the people during the war. Your dedication to this country is evident and Gerald Winston Byrns, Jr., 24 you are greatly respected. I don’t know much about SSG, D/4/503, 4/27/70 you, but you’re a hero to our generation and 2/4/11: “We Remember. Ralph is generations to come. Thank you and may you rest in buried at Peoria Cemetery, Orange Park, peace. Sincerely, Ashley.” Ashley Kiefer Clay County, FL. BSM ARCOM PH.” Robert Sage Danny Ray Allen, 18 SGT, E/17th Cav, 3/16/70 Ronald Duane Carey, 21 11/20/10: “Danny is buried at Allen SGT, B/3/503, 3/5/70 Cem, Harrison Co, MS. His military 3/5/16: “Uncle Ronnie, it has been 46 stone says TRP E, 7 CAV, 173 ABN. years today since you have left us behind. BSM ARCOM PH.” Robert Sage However I have chosen to follow you in your footsteps in serving this great country Ross David Anton, 19 that I like to thank those who served prior to me. I know T/BDR, 1 FD REGT RAA, 3/22/70 you look down on me every day and keep me safe. I “From Sydney NSW. Anton was never got the chance to meet you but from what mom accidentally killed in his tent at Nui Dat has said you're a great man. I love you so much!!” on 22nd March 1970 when he went to Destinee Surber sleep with a grenade in his pocket. He had been in Vietnam for 11 days. He left a John Marez Chavarria, 18 wife and son. Northern Suburbs Crematorium. NSW.” CPL, D/4/503, 3/4/70 8/17/16: “Tribute. I served alongside John Bressington, 23 of John. He was a good soldier but even a L/CPL, 8RAR, 3/6/70 better friend. I think of you every day. “Hurtsville NSW. Bressington was RIP.” promoted in the field only days before a SSGT John W. Adkins 173d Abn 69-70 VC booby trap killed him in an action in Phuoc Tuy on 6th March 1970. Buried The Raymond Duncan Clark, 21 Keith Payne VC Hostel, Memorial, Evans PTE, 6RAR, 3/8/70 Road Toukley, NSW.” “Scotland. Clark was killed during a contact in a bunker system 8th March 1970. Buried Springvale Crematorium Melbourne, VIC.” (continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / March-April 2020 – Issue 91 Page 2 of 68 Michael Duane Clickner, 20 Rafael Colon-Santos, 21 SGT, A/3/503, 4/11/70 SGT, A/3/503, 4/17/70 “This is difficult for me. It was 25 9/28/17: “Happy Birthday. Hello my years ago, on April 11, 1970, that our love......today you would have turned 69..... oldest child, Michael Duane Clickner, was wow...hard to believe it's been that long... hit by a booby trap in Vietnam. Michael almost half a century Jr.....missing you as was born May 1, 1949 in Menomonie, Wisconsin at usual and loving you always...wish I could hug you and Myrtle Worth Hospital. He attended first grade at Peck feel the warmth of your body, but someday soon, my School near Knapp, Wisconsin. In 1956 we moved to love....the Lord has been good to me even with all the Wabasha, Minnesota, where Mike continued his sorrows and I thank Him every day for having you to education, graduating in 1967. He entered the Army in love and for giving me a part of you in our daughter, 1968, and took his basic training at Fort Campbell, Tracy....hope you met Michael, her brother, another Kentucky, where he received a plaque for M14 Rifle special gift from God...I love you and hope you're Marksmanship. In October of 1969 Michael entered smiling with all love surrounding you....loving and Advanced Infantry at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for missing you, your Candy.” Adele Huryn Special Forces Training. Mike reported on June 28th, 1969 to the Overseas Replacement Station at Fort Lewis, Marcus Raymond Davis, 23 Washington. Mike was then sent to Vietnam. After ten SSG, A/3/503, 4/4/70 months in Vietnam, he went on R&R to Japan for five 4/27/04: “I want to thank all the great days and nights. We received a phone call from him people who knew my dad and have taken while he was there. Ten days later in Vietnam while on the time to put up a memorial in his honor. patrol, he was breaking in a new man, William Krieger, I only wish that I could have met him. I was to take his place, because Mike would be leaving not born until July and he was killed in April. Vietnam to come home soon. The group was tracking in That is a great misfortune. I salute you, Mark. You an area that was heavily mined when a booby trap was were a great man. Thanks...... I Love You, Laura Ann. triggered. Mike was killed, April 11, 1970. He had been From his daughter,” Laura Morris assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry. Michael was posthumously promoted to Fernando De La Cruz, 23 Sergeant after his death. He received the Purple Heart, SSGT, E/17th Cav, 3/16/70 Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense 9/27/11: “We Remember. Fernando is Medal and two Vietnam medals. Patrick L. Welch, buried at Mont Meta Memorial Park, San Captain of Mike’s Infantry division, wrote, ‘Mike was Benito, Cameron County, TX.” Robert Sage well-liked and respected by all who knew him.’ My husband, William Archie Clickner, was in Kuruming, Kenneth Alan Duffy, 21 China for two years during World War II. He was in the PTE, 6RAR, 3/8/70 Engineers, and helped with the building of the Ledo “Brisbane QLD. Duffy was killed in Road. He knew Claire Chennault of the Flying Tigers. Phuoc Tuy 8th March 1970, the day before The reason I mention this, is because I wanted to his birthday. Buried Cleveland Cemetery, express my feeling about almost losing my husband in QLD.” World War II, and then losing our son in Vietnam in 1970 in a senseless ‘conflict’. At least World War II was a just war. For almost 26 years I have saved all of Mike’s letters. I have also saved my husband’s letters when he was in China for two years. I intended to make the letters into a book; but you know, the pain was too much for a long time. My 28-year-old son died in a trailer fire in 1982, and my dear husband died on February 18, 1994. This book will be fulfilling my desire.” Ardath Clickner, mother of Michael Clickner (continued….) 2/503d VIETNAM Newsletter / March-April 2020 – Issue 91 Page 3 of 68 Victor Del Greco, Jr., 21 11/12/05: “Not Forgotten. John is buried in SGT, 173d LRRP, 3/2/70 Arlington National Cemetery next to his father, George (Virtual Wall states N/75 Rgrs) Dowell Downing (1912-1988), a WWII veteran.” 3/25/05: “A Friend Remembered. I will Ray Downing always remember you Victor and being friends when we were just kids. Warm Jack Fitzgerald, 41 summer nights playing Little League baseball, WO2, AATTV (RAINF), 4/17/70 you helping me with my paper route and riding our bikes “Wagga Wagga, NSW. He served in all over the place. I will always remember your smile Vietnam, advising South Vietnamese and the sacrifice you made for our freedom. I still soldiers based at Quang Tri. Fitzgerald was remember the sadness I felt when I saw the news of killed 17th April 1970 by enemy mortar fire your death in Vietnam. I visited the Vietnam Memorial in Thua Thien Province. Buried Wagga in 1997 and found your name. I had a chance to spend Wagga General Cemetery, NSW.” some time with you again. I also visit the Vietnam Memorial in our hometown of Manchester, Connecticut Robert Gene Floyd, 22 whenever I am back there.” Charlie SGT, C/3/503, 4/1/70 7/4/13: “I talked to you .....Big Robert Floyd Dice, 20 Brother Bobby...... Oh how I remember so CPL, A/3/503, 3/17/70 clearly that we talked just the day before 12/2/15: “Never forget. Robert I’m all that mess happened to you and your married to your little brother Danny and he buddies.....I miss you all the time! RIP big brother.” always talks about his big brother Bobby, P.