Vietnam War Timeline

485
11 January 1968
Alpha 1/35th
Submitted by: Dave A Loudermilk

On 10 January 1968 A Company 1/35th was air lifted out of the boonies on to what I have been told was LZ Baldy. It was late in the evening and we basically set up our perimeter and were on 50% alert. The next morning was 11 January and the Plt Sgt said for a couple of squads to go down to this pond and clean up, shave, bathe or what ever.

I remember starting to shave when all of a sudden a huge explosion took place and everyone dove for cover. I heard the Plt Sgt holler INCOMING and I just knew Charlie had zeroed in on us. Shrapnel was flying everywhere and there were a couple more explosions and there was smoke every where. We made it back up the hill slowly to find out that a detail had been assigned to clean up all the dud rounds and that there was a man killed. He was my best friend Emory Stephen Cannon. He had taken an arm full of dud rounds over to the dud pit and when he leaned over to put them into the pit the whole pit blew up. Stephen was really dear to me as he had taken me in as a FNG and taught me some ropes about being in the bush.

I wanted to escort his remains home for burial but was told I did not have enough time in country. This has affected me my whole life. As they say though WAR IS HELL. I always take a few minutes on the day he was killed and also on Memorial Day to tell him he is not forgotten. He was not the only person I watched die over in that God forsaken place, but he was the closest Buddy I had over there. Rest In Peace my Friend. You WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!