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 PIGIRON 6..... Thomas H. Brett graduated from the Citadel
(the Military College of South Carolina) in 1963 and received a
Regular Army commission as an Infantry 2nd Lieutenant. (He was from
a family of three generations of West Point graduates and career
military officers.) He graduated from Airborne, Ranger and Infantry
Officer Basic courses and served his first Army assignment in 82nd
Airborne Division Infantry units at Ft. Bragg, NC and in combat in
the Dominican Republic in 1965. Cpt. Brett reported to Vietnam in
March 1967 as the Aide de Camp for Lt. Gen. Bruce Palmer, Jr. who
was C.G., II Field Force, Vietnam in Bien Hoa and then Deputy C.G.,
US Army, Vietnam in Long Bien. Cpt. Brett commanded B Co., 1st Bn.
8th Cav. From November 1967 until March 1968 as the "most
satisfying" job in his 30 year Army career. His later Army tours
included teaching at West Point, a 2nd Vietnam tour, command of an
Infantry Battalion in the 1st Cav. Div. at Ft. Hood, TX and command
of a Brigade in XVIII Airborne Corps at Ft. Bragg, NC. His overseas
tours were two in Vietnam, three in Germany and one in Thailand. He
also received a Master's degree and graduated from CGSC and National
Defense University. |
 PIGIRON
1-6..... 1st.Lt Harvey J. Auger - entered US.Army 1965,
transportation, achieved rank of Sgt. then volunteered to go to
OCS,finished OCS from Ft. Benning GA. Infantry in 1967, went to
Ranger School, special training in Panama, spent one year at Ft.
Polk as Company Commander of an AIT Company for one year. My 1st.Sgt
at Ft. Polk was "Top" Aguirre I was sent to Vietnam April 1968, when
I got off the helicopter which took me to LZ Ann I walked up to my
1st.Sgt and it was Aguirre. I remember some of the finest troops in
the world, many today are my best friends. We walked together,we
cried together, we laughed together and today we remember together.
We will never let them forget what we did for this freedom we enjoy
today. For those we lost, I offer my deepest regrets for not
figuring out how to help you return safely, especially Captain Elrod
and Lt. White two of the greatest soldiers whom I learned a lot
from. I will always remember that even though we made mistakes, even
though I may not have always been the best Lt I could have been, I
always wanted to do everything I could to make sure everyone
returned home safely. I failed in that sometimes and I think of you
always. God Bless and Remember all who died in your prayers. Lt.
Auger Pigiron 1-6 and 6 a number of times.
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 PIGIRON 2-6..... John J. Butkovich, Jr. graduated from
Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, in
December 1966. His first assignment was as Ranger Department
instructor at Fort Benning. After completing Ranger School and the
Jungle Training course in Panama, John joined B Co., 1st Bn 8th
Cavalry in December 1967. He was the second platoon leader until
March 1968. Following a two or three-week period as the Company
Executive Officer, he transferred to the Division Long Range
Reconnaissance Patrol Company. He served another year as assistant
Post Operations Officer and Provost Marshal at Fort Sheridan,
Illinois. John left military service in December 1969 as a Captain.
He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, receiving an
undergraduate degree in business and a Master of Business
Administration in 1972. After working several years in the
international trade department of a Chicago bank, he moved to
California. There he started a retail picture frame store and later
a printing shop in Sacramento. The businesses were sold when he
became an employee of the State of California in 1990. John and his
wife Raylee reside in Gold River, California, a suburb of
Sacramento. He works for the Franchise Tax Board, State of
California. |
 PIGIRON 2-6.....2nd Lt. Reynolds As an Officer, my career
and arrival in Vietnam was not planned-out by me; it was the result
of a lot of help from our friend,"The U.S. Army". After high school
I went on to college. After college I started working then, as my
wife points out to me "the rebellious teenager", joined the Army. I
was scheduled to head for Fort Bragg, North Carolina after Basic
Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for the beginning of
Special Warfare Training (Snake Eater). Sometime along the way in
Basic my Company Commander needed to fill a quota for O.C.S.
(Officer Candidate School) and I spoke up with a favorite Army
phase,"Yes Sir". Following O.C.S., the Army sent me to Fort
Richardson, Alaska. (Surprise, this was one of my requested duty
stations when I enlistment). After 11 months as a Mechanized
Infantry Platoon Leader with a mountain rescue platoon and just
completing a military ski instructor training course, I received
orders for Vietnam, 1st CAV. I never did get to teach anyone how to
ski on snow but did some great down-hill on elephant grass. On my
fourth or fifth day in Country, on my way to our rear area in Quang
Tri, I witnessed what has become one of my most lasting images of
Vietnam. Along the trail were parts of bodies, legs, arms, and a
torso. As I continued walking, I saw several locals trying
desperately to reassemble the remains of a casualty. Their futile
attempt at reassembling a human being became the prelude for the
remainder of my stay in Vietnam. So, as the clich' says, "the rest
is history". |
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| THE COMBAT
MEDIC.... The primary role of the combat medic was to support the
rifle company in the field. He administered malaria prevention
tablets and aspirin, treated minor injuries and ailments, bandaged
extensive combat wounds, and evacuated the dead and wounded from the
field of battle. At full strength, there was a medic assigned to
each platoon and a medic assigned to the company command post. The
platoon medic supported the men in the platoon and the command post
medic provided general guidance and backup to each platoon medic and
was responsible for medical activities within the company. After
reaching Vietnam, medics were assigned to Headquarters Company at
the Battalion firebase. Depending on the medic needs in the rifle
companies, medics sometimes spent a month or two working at the
battalion aid station prior to going to a rifle company. As they
rotated out to rifle companies, they were assigned to individual
platoons within each company. The medic with seniority of time in
the company was assigned to the company command post. A medic was
identifiable by an aid bag filled with bandages and other first aid
equipment. He carried pills to prevent and to treat internal
ailments, topical ointments and band-aids for minor cuts and
bruises, and larger bandages and dressings for bullet and shrapnel
wounds. His priority during combat was emergency treatment and
evacuation of the killed and wounded. Although he was officially
assigned to Headquarters Company, his home and his duty were with
his rifle company in the field. |
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 Al(Doc)
Schroeder... Drafted at the age of 19. During basic training he was
assigned to become a medic. After medical training at Fort Sam
Houston, Texas, he spent six months at Fort Hood, Texas prior to
going to Vietnam. He reached Vietnam in September of 1967, spent his
field time with B Company of the 1st Battalion 8th Cavalry, and
returned home in September of 1968. After leaving the military, he
attended college, received a Bachelor degree in Mathematics, and
began his career as a computer programmer. He later received a
Masters degree in Business Administration. He has been a member of
the faculty at Richland College in Dallas, Texas for the last 18
years, where he teaches computing and business classes.
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 GARY WHITE...
Gary was drafted at the age of 20, upon entering the Army he was
assigned to be a medic, took basic at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After
advanced training Gary was assigned to Fort Rucker Alabama, where he
worked as a medic for crash rescue, until being assigned to Viet Nam
where he served as a platoon Medic with Co B 1/8 Air Cavalry, later
as head medic.He spent a total of 95 days in the hospital, 35 days
when hit by a booby trap and another 60 days between malaria and
hepatitis.His tour of duty was Nov 1967-1968.
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 DOC
MARTIN.... |
 DOC
VENABLE...2nd plt. medic We have been trying to locate Mike for
sometime, any idea would help. |
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