Vietnam War Timeline

279
17 August 1970
Alpha 2/35th
Submitted by: John Linn

Paul Demaline and I were from northern Ohio, Paul from Delta, Ohio. We were drafted the same day and in the same Basic and AIT company, always a platoon apart.

We flew the same bird to Vietnam and had the same Deros, 7 September 1970. In-country we were both given a crash course in 11c-mortars -- although we were both AIT-trained 11B-infantry.

Paul was with mortars A Co, I with mortars B Co 2/35 initially. That was the fall of '69. Eventually the companies disbanded mortars and a Battalion 81 mm mortars detachment was formed -- early '70. I was chosen for Battalion mortars and Paul was not. He went to the line with A Co. Eventually Battalion 81 mm mortars went bust -- Spring '70 -- and I was placed with the line company as 11B radioman and was with them during the Cambodia invasion of May '70.

Anyway, I saw Paul a couple of times while we were in country during our tour of duty. During the summer of '70 it seemed like Bravo Company was on an unofficial escape and evasion mission as the field was very mundane without much happening. The company did receive 81mm mortars and I doubled as mortarman/grunt. We had some small forward hipshoot set-ups with a single mortar tube and perhaps a platoon or two of men as base support.

I was on a bigger firebase, though, with Bravo mortars on August 17. That was when I last saw Paul, the day he got killed...I am not sure of the name of the firebase, though I am thinking Short Timer??? It was located where one could see the South China sea from the base and I believe we even saw a U.S. Navy vessel in the distance. This all close to Quin Nonh.

I just happened to go to the helipad/water buffalo site to get water when a Huey came in with Paul and some other enlisted...I saw paul...spoke to him briefly...told him I would see him at deros and clearing...He was going forward for dental work...It was a short visit...I stayed til he climbed on...the last living person to speak to him... They loaded up with 6 enlisted passengers going forward...whom these guys were I still have no idea...I assume all 2/35 from various companies...converging on the short timer firebase for transfer forward...I saw the bird come and go...and Paul and others leave to meet their fate...It was the last bird to come and go that day...about 1830...I heard that the bird went down on the coast...or beach if you will...fell out of the sky...mechanical...Never did hear of the identities of the others...but the Huey was lost with pilot and co-pilot and door gunners...and all riders...Paul did not have a scratch on his body according to the family...Broke his neck...I visited the Demaline family in 1988...It took 18 years to work through it...They confirmed the story that the Huey fell from the sky with mechanical trouble...Buddies in the rear area took pictures of the Huey in which Paul and others perished...and I saw the carnage...It still haunts me...I have looked for a couple of buddies of Paul over the years...and at the national Cacti conventions I attended in '99 and '00 to no avail...It would help bring additional closure to the matter for me to talk to some of Paul's buddies...The reunions and Cacti Organization are terrific...We had a couple of 81mm mortarmen in battalion mortars for a time that I would like to talk with...but have not gotten in contact with them either...

I did get in touch with a high school buddy of Paul's Dec '00...Saw the name and e-mail address on a Vietnam site...and it was wonderful getting in touch...

This is the Paul Demaline story...I will never forget him...He was a good kid...I always put a remembrance on the 4ID guestbook on the anniversary of his death...We both had exactly 21 days to deros when he got killed.

John Linn, B 2/35 1969-70