When Sam came into country I was his squad leader, 1st. Squad, 1st. Platoon, Lima Company 3rd. Bn. 1st. Marines 1st Marine Div. He was a corker that's for sure. I came into country in Oct. 1967 so I had some time in country and time in grade as a Corporal. It didn't take long to see that Sam was pretty swift and I needed a good squad radio operator not just a point man for the squad so Sam was it. The Platoon commander we had used 1st squad for a lot of shit details. I had a good crew and we knew how to get things done. It wasn't long before he seen that I had a good radio operator (Sam), his wern't all that so he took Sam for a couple of days for an operation. I still had Sam in my squad though the day he was killed. 1st. squad was point for the platoon. There was my point man and the rest of my 1st fire team in the lead, I was with the second fire team with my M-79 man Jerry Hensley from Ashville, NC who lost his legs in the same booby trap explosion (command detonated) Sam was just behind me then Hensley when the thing went off.I just caught some, Sam was badly hit in the throat and Hensley lost his legs. Sam was a friend, we talked of home, his girl friend and family. I had seen a lot of action and this was my second wound in 7 months. I miss Sam to this day. a couple of years ago the Traveling Wall came to the town where I lived. I found Sam's name on the wall. At that moment it was just like I had lost him that day right there all over again. Semper Fi Sam Your Friend MSGT Steven L. Doughty, USMC Ret.

(Editor's note: Our thanks to Tommy Towery of the Lee Traveller website at http://www.leestraveller.com, for the use of this article.)