In Honor of Memorial Day

Joe Lanell Meek

Specialist Four

B CO, 2ND BN, 502ND INFANTRY, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV

Army of the United States

SPC 4 Meek died through smalls arms fire at the Battle of An Ninh. He was a member of the Screaming Eagles, the 101st Airborne Division. He had been in Vietnam seven weeks when he died. He is believed to be the first Tulare County victim of the Vietnam War. He had trained as a paratrooper in Kentucky. He was born in Exeter and a member of the Assembly of God Church. The Battle of An Ninh was the first serious firefight between regular Army forces and the VC. 13 Americans died and 28 were wounded. American forces deployed helicopters to the area of An Ninh and the VC did nothing to the first wave of helicopters. When the second wave of helicopters arrived, they were attacked by small arms, automatic weapons and mortars. The Lt Col on scene had to stop the rest of the helicopters and as a result, only 224 men were on the ground. There was mass confusion and delay before the Americans could re-group and return fire. The VC continued to press their attack. The Americans had neglected to bring enough mortars and rifles. Artillery support was unavailable because of weather and terrain. The ground forces were on their own for two hours and 26 helicopters were downed during the day. Finally, air support arrived and pushed the VC back.

Frederick Alton Hitson

A CO, 3RD BN, 12TH INFANTRY, 4TH INF DIV, USARV

Army of the United States

His sister Terri wrote that Freddie was raised in Exeter by his maternal grandparents. He spent his 21st birthday on a ship headed for Vietnam. He had 6 months left on his tour when he died. The day he died, his friend was not feeling well so Freddie volunteered to go in his place. The vehicle they were riding in hit a land mine and Freddie’s body was forced out of the rear doors of the armored truck. He was the only solider killed in the vehicle.

Eugene Petty

Larry Jay Moore

Private First Class

A TRP, 1ST SQDN, 9TH CAVALRY, 1 CAV DIV

Army of the United States

On March 13, 1968, PFC Moore and 9 other soldiers were on board a helicopter that crashed due to enemy fire. All 10 survived the crash. For some reason, the Lieutenant in command decided to split the group in two: five men, led by the Lieutenant, left for Camp Evans while the other 5 (who included Moore) stayed with the downed helicopter.

Moore and the other four soldiers in the helicopter were attacked by a local militia led by a village chief. After exchanging fire, the soldiers were forced out of the helicopter where Moore and another soldier were killed. The other three continued to fight but were eventually killed too. Once the Lieutenant and the other four soldiers reached Camp Evans, a search operation was launched to find the five men left at the helicopter. No one was found.

The 1st Calvary Division recovered Moore and one other soldier on March 28, 1968, buried in a shallow grave. The remaining three soldiers who were left with the helicopter have never been recovered. In 1997, contact was made with the village who killed the young soldiers. Three militiamen who participated in the killing were still alive and told the same story of the events of that day. However, they could not locate the graves of the three missing men.

Daniel Eric Goldsmith

Sergeant

101st Airborne Division, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, A Company

According to the virtual wall, Sgt. Goldsmith went to Vietnam with the 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry (Currahees) 101st Airborne Division. He was part of Company B. The 506th adopted the nickname Currahee from the Currahee Mountain in Georgia where the unit was initially formed during WWII. The name became synonymous with the regiment’s intense training. The word Currahee means stand alone.

After the Tet Offensive, he was transferred to another unit. When he passed, he served with Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. He was killed by shrapnel while out on patrol. It was his first time out with this unit. The last letter he wrote ended with, “I hear the copters coming in to pick us up to go on patrol.” (from his wife’s account)

Terry Lee Ketter

Captain

A CO, 2ND BN, 7TH CAVALRY, 1ST CAV DIV, USARV

Army of the United States

Capt. Ketter was a graduate of West Point. He was the first Tulare County man killed in Cambodia. He was leading his artillery unit when he died. He had been in Vietnam since November of 1970 and had crossed the border to Cambodia two days before his death. His daughter was two when he died and it was said she looked just like her dad.

Captain Terry Lee Ketter was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, with Combat Distinguishing Device (V), for his exemplary gallantry in action.