Saturday afternoon called for a tour of Patton Museum. Here is A3 platoon L to R Gordon Weidner, John Metcalf, Jack Button and Merton Teixeira.
Everyone finally gets a chance to view the monument. Memorial Park is located next to Patton Museum, so after the tour we all walked over to view the monument that pays tribute to the soldiers with the 1/77th AR in Vietnam.
Because everything came about so quickly, we were lucky to have the monument in place, but the bronze plaques were not ready in time for the dedication. But some of what will be written on it is this:
1st BATTALION, 77th ARMOR
" INSISTE FIRMITER"
This Memorial is dedicated to the valiant men of the 1st Battalion, 77th Armor, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, who in a selfless act of love and valor "Stood Firm" against tyranny. They served America with honor in the noble struggle to help the Vietnamese people remain free.
"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it" - Pericles
Back to the Leader's Club for a buffet. Everyone thought the Leader's Club (formally the Officer's Club) had great food. Left is Rosser with his C3 platoon. Right: Bob Rushforth (L) and Garry Goodwin.
After dinner Saturday night, we had an "open mike" night and one of the speakers was Peter Van Haren (Platoon Ldr, B co, 1968-69) who related the humorous history of how he came to be with the 1/77th in Vietnam, when his plans were for otherwise.
Jerry Brown read a message from the BN CO Ret. Col. Carmelo Milia. As Milia had requested, reproductions of maps of Vietnam with the drawings of memorable events on it that Bob Rushforth, A co. Hqrs Ptn (pictured here with me), did 32 years ago were given out. Bob, Tom Rosser, Pat Sullivan, Bruce Goldsmith and I received these gifts and we were all very grateful for Col. Milia's thoughts of good will for the reunion he was unable to attend and for Bob's artistic talent.
Thank you Col. Milia.
Veteran Jerry Baughman and his wife Barbara made 1/77AR license plates for Jerry's C3 platoon, Chaplain Jim Spiller, BN CO Col Pickarts, C co CPT Pat Sullivan (pictured) and little ole me. THANKS Jerry and Barbara - they're really cool looking!
Tom Rosser (the tall one on the left) recruited a photographer at a wedding across the hall to take the big group photos outside the Leader's Club. Then a lot of the guys climbed aboard the tank on the lawn there and had pictures taken. Here is a "kodak moment" of the irrepressible C3 platoon. I have located 19 out of the 20 originals in that platoon and won't rest until Jimmie Harris completes the platoon that started it all. More group pictures are featured later in the website.
