Journal Entries for:
May 2, 1968
I finally received the portable radio that I had asked my parents to send. Unfortunately, the volume control does not work very well. I tried new batteries but the problem persists.
Chris Noel - Radio DJ Visits Hawk Hill
When I return from Taiwan I will have fewer days left in country than I have served.
Only 170 more days and I will be on my way home.
May 7, 1968
SSGT Aaron Hartness
Aaron was from the small town of Fluvanna, Texas, which is north of Snyder, Texas in Scurry County. He enlisted in the Army in 1957 at age 19 and was in his third enlistment when he was killed when a land mine destroyed his APC.
If anyone has information about SSGT Aaron Hartness (click Here) who was KIA on this date please forward to the address below.
Location on Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Panel 56E Line 024
SP4 Roger Dale Cauley
"Roger was a typical older brother -- easily annoyed by his kid sister, but always willing to stand up for her against others. He grew up in the country and had two beagles named Spud and Spike that he took rabbit hunting. He listened to baseball games on the radio. His life was like that of a lot of boys growing up in a large family in a rural community. Then Roger went into the Army. After basic training, he was stationed in Germany. While anti-war protesters were marching back home and young men were fleeing across the border to Canada, he volunteered to serve in Vietnam. Roger died there three weeks before his twenty-first birthday."
"When asked about heroes, people usually mention the names of astronauts, presidents, and even sports figures. But true heroes are often ordinary young men, remembered only by family and friends, who die thousands of miles away from their loved ones while fighting for their country."Posted by Helen Howard (sister)
This is Roger sitting barefoot on the back of an old car with his three younger sisters. He also had two older sisters and an older brother.
Roger's sister Melva writes... "My brother joined the Army in January, 1966, or at least that is when he left for basic training. He did his basic at Fort Knox, KY and then went on to AIT at Fort Dix, NJ. From there he was sent to Baumholder, Germany. If I am remembering correctly he was to be stationed there the remainder of his time. Sometime in 1967 he volunteered to go to Vietnam. I'm not really sure what he gave as a reason, but when he was home on his leave before going to Vietnam he married a really good friend of mine. They spent about two weeks together before he had to leave for Vietnam in September, 1967. Almost 8 months to the day after they wed he was killed in Vietnam. He was 22 days shy of his 21st birthday. Besides his wife he was survived by his father, 1 brother and 5 sisters. My brother was a good man. I loved (still love) him very much. I often think about what he might have been like today. I miss him still."
Location on Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Panel 56E Line 019
Please forward any additional information on SP4 Roger D. Cauley or SP4 Alonso Aragon Jr. to me at the address below. If you'd like to contact the family of SP4 Roger Cauley please let me know.
May 9, 1968
Blue Ghost Blues
A couple of days ago we were annoyed by the VC again. They hit us with 122-mm rockets and launched a small ground attack against our perimeter. We killed three of them trying to get through the barbed wire.
In seven days I will be leaving for my R&R. You cannot imagine how happy I am about that. It will be so nice to get away from here for a while.
May 11, 1968
Weather… hot
Lt. Brewington
These days, the temperature soars to more than 100 degrees by noon. I try to stay inside out of the sun as much as I can. Still, the heat is not as bad as they tell me it gets over here.
May 13, 1968
I haven't received any letters from my girlfriend, Linda Sunnerberg, so I wrote to my cousin Aloise to find out why.
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