INTRODUCTION
About Me
GOD IS MY POINTMAN'S DIVINE DELIVERANCE FROM RATHER BIZARRE AND DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IN VIETNAM
"Put on the Helmet of my Salvation" "Saddle Up!" "and let God lead the way!" "Follow Me I'am The Lord's Infantry
MY "BOOT CAMP" PICTURES
A VETERANS' FAMILY MEMORIAL
HALL OF HONOR
LEAVING FOR "BOOT CAMP."
(Me) Greg Payne, "Boot Camp" Fort Lewis
Washington, June 1968
(Me) Greg Payne, "Boot Camp" Fort Lewis,
Washington, June 1968
(ME)
GREG PAYNE
(Boot Camp Graduation Picture)
Fort Lewis, Washington
August 1968
MY ADVANCED INFANTRY TRAINING
ADVANCED INFANTRY TRAINING
"TIGERLAND"
FORT POLK, LOUISIANA
September 1968 - November 1968
"TIGERLAND"
FORT POLK, LOUISIANA
WELCOME
TO
TO
FORT POLK, LOUISIANA
WELCOME
TO
FORT POLK, LOUISIANA
TIGERLAND
"HOME OF THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN"
(ME) GREG PAYNE IN ADVANCED INFANTRY
TRAINING AT "TIGERLAND" FORT POLK,
LOUISIANA 1968.
(Me) Greg Payne wearing helmet, PFC John Wise
With cigarette "Tigerland Home of the Combat
Infantryman" Advanced Infantry Training, Fort
Polk, LA November 1968.
~~~~~~~~~~
HOME ON CHRISTMAS LEAVE - DECEMBER - JANURARY 1969
BACK HOME IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON
ON CHRISTMAS LEAVE DECEMBER - JANURARY
1968, IN ROUTE TO VIETNAM FROM "TIGERLAND"
FORT POLK, LOUISIANA. I SPEND TIME WITH MY
FAMILY.
MY 1956 CHEVROLET I GOT
AFTER GRADUATION FROM
ADVANCED INFANTRY TRAINING
AT "TIGERTLAND" FORT POLK LOUISIANA, IN
LATE NOVEMBER 1968. I WENT ON CHRISTMAS
LEAVE, BACK TO MY FOLKS PLACE IN
VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, I THEN HAD TO
GO TO VIETNAM ON JANUARY 19th 1969
THE DAY THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN WAS THE
DAY I LEFT FOR VIETNAM.
MY DAD AND MOM
ON MY DAY OF DEPARTURE JANUARY 19th
1969.
MY DAD AND MYSELF.
THE "NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE PAINTING"
ON THE WALL IN THE BACKGROUND I DID
IN MY EXTRA TIME WHILE IN ADVANCED
INFANTRY TRAINING AT FORT POLK IT WAS
A CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO MY FOLKS.
MY MOM AND MYSELF.
MYSELF AND MY LITTLE SISTER KATHY
EVEN OUR FAMILY DOG
LITTLE "REX" HAD TO SAY
"GOOD-BYE, GREG, I LOVE YOU!"
BY SITTING UP...
(Me) PFC Greg Payne & PVT Doug Cornwell
from Walla Walla, Washington, with orders to
Vietnam in hand leaving the Portland
International Airport in Portland, Oregon to
Travis Air Force Base, Oakland, California, then
in route to Vietnam for our final assignments
to our Combat Infantry units. Janurary 19th
1969. So bye, bye, World, Hell-o VIETNAM!
VIETNAM
"Goooooooood, Moooooorning Vietnam!"
FOR MY FIRST TOUR OF COMBAT
I WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO THE
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE
WHERE I LANDED IN BIEN HOA, VIETNAM AT
THE 90th REPLACEMENT DEPOT, AT 2:45 AM
ON JANUARY 19th 1969. I WAS THEN
SENT OUT TO LONG BINH, VIETNAM FOR MY
FINAL ONE WEEKS "PEE" TRAINING, AT THE
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE's
"CAMP FREZNELL & JONES"
THE MAIN (BMB) BASE CAMP.
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE
4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY
1969
199th L.I.B. 4th BATTALION
BRIGADE CREST 12th INFANTRY
I WAS ASSIGNED TO:
B - FIRETEAM
3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON
D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th
INFANTY 199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE
1969 - 1970
VIETNAM APO 96279
GOING INTO CAMP FREZNELL & JONES "BMB" AT
LONG BINH. VIETNAM THE BASE CAMP FOR THE
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE III CORPS,
VIETNAM.
ENTERING CAMP FREZNELL & JONES
"BMB" BASE CAMP AT LONG BINH, VIETNAM
FOR THE 199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE. A
PLAQUE BEARING THE QUOTE POSTED BELOW
TELLS ABOUT "PFC HERBERT FRENZELL" AND
"SPECIALIST BILLY C. JONES" OF TO WHOM THE
CAMP WAS NAMED AWAITS ALL IT'S VISITORS AND
PERSONEL AT THE MAIN ENTRY GATE OF THE CAMP
TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THE HISTORICAL STORY OF
WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
ENTERING CAMP FREZNELL & JONES "BMB"
BASE CAMP FOR THE 199th LIGHT INFANTRY
BRIGADE. FREZNELL & JONES WERE ONE OF
OUR FIRST TWO KIA's FOR THE 199th. JONES'
LAST WORDS WERE PUT ON THIS PLAQUE
NEAR THE MAIN ENTRY WAY OF OUR BMB
BASE CAMP.
(ME) GREG PAYNE AT CAMP FREZNELL &
JONES THE MAIN BASE CAMP (BMB) FOR THE
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE AT LONG
BINH, VIETNAM APO 96279
PICTURE #1
(ME) GREG PAYNE AT CAMP FREZNELL &
JONES THE MAIN BASE CAMP (BMB) FOR THE
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE AT LONG
BINH, VIETNAM APO 96279
PICTURE #2
(ME) GREG PAYNE AT BINH CHANH, GIA
DINH PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH
VIETNAM.
3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON
D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279
JANUARY - FEBRUARY OF 1969
"THE GRAY GHOST" L.C.M. (LANDING CRAFT
MARINE) OR LITERALLY (MARINE LANDING
CRAFT) U.S. NAVY, BINH CHANH, GIA DINH
PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH VIETNAM
JANUARY - FEBRUARY OF 1969.
I HAD THREE ANPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS OFF
THIS MARINE LANDING CRAFT.
PFC ROE MORTARMAN BINH CHANH, GIA
DINH PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH
VIETNAM.
JANUARY - FEBRUARY OF 1969.
(ME) GREG PAYNE ON THE LEFT AT MY YEN,
GIA DINH PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH
VIETNAM.
SP/4 BOWIEMR "BOW," MORTAR PLATOON's
PLATOON SERGEANT, SP/4 PAT SMITH
"SMITTY"
SP/4 GUY OWENS MY ALTERNET POINTMAN
STANDING NEXT TO PFC "RABBIT" VERY
APPTLY NICKNAMED BECAUSE HE COULD RUN
LIKE A JACKRABBIT! "RABBIT" WAS IN MY
FIRETEAM.
B-FIRETEAM, 3rd SQUAD, 1st PLATOON. (I
NEVER DID FIND OUT HIS REAL NAME
BECAUSE HE WAS A BRAN NEW GUY AND I
WAS AN OLD GUY AND LEFT VIETNAM
SHORTLY AFTER HE ARRIVED!)
B-FIRETEAM, 3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON
D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279
MARCH - APRIL OF 1969
MY YEN, WAS WHERE MY SQUAD LEADER
AND TWO OTHER OF MY SQUADMATES WERE
KILLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ON APRIL
1st 1969. (Please see my memorials on the
NAVIGATION BAR at the top of this page) or
easier yet just click on this Link:
3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON
J. E. BOUYER R. A. THURSBY
KIA 4/1/69 KIA 4/1/69
W. A. DEBATES
KIA 4/1/69
3rd PLATOON
D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279
TWO OTHER GUYS WHO I KNEW AND HAD
CAME INTO COMPANY WITH WERE KILLED IN
MAY OF 1969 AND THEY WERE:
CLAUDE VAN ANDEL & DAVID KENNEY
KIA MAY 1969 KIA MAY 1969
I CAME IN COMPANY WITH THE BOTH OF
THEM, NOW I'AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT. PLEASE
SEE MY MEMORIAL LINK :
MY FRIEND'S MEMORIALS
(ME) GREG PAYNE
GREG's VIETNAM PIX SLIDESHOW
MY COMBAT HISTORY
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH VIETNAM
1969 1970
1969 TET COUNTER OFFENSIVE PHASE
I & II
CASUALITY LIST FOR:
D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th
INFANTRY
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE
VIETNAM / CAMBODIA
APO 96279
1969 - 1970
(MY SQUADMATES)
(KILLED IN ACTION)
PFC James Earl Bouyer (KIA)
SGT Richard Allen Thursby (KIA)
SP/4 William Arthur DeBates (KIA)
OFFICERS INVOLVED
CPT Stover CO
LT Blackman XO
LT Grossjean, 1st Platoon Leader
LT Peter Johannades, 3rd Platoon Leader
NCO's INVOLVED
Sgt Hall, 2nd Platoon
Sgt Thursby, 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon (KIA)
Sgt Claud R. VanAndel, 3rd Platoon (KIA)
(GUYS I CAME IN TO THE COMPANY
WITH)
(KILLED IN ACTION)
PFC David Edward Kenney (KIA)
SGT Claude Richard VanAndel (KIA)
(GUYS IN MY COMPANY)
(WOUNDED IN ACTION)
PFC Pat (Smitty) Smith (Mortar Plt) (WIA)
SP/5 "Doc" Ken Reppart (Senior Medic) (WIA)
LT Peter Johannades, 3rd Platoon Ldr) (WIA)
CAPT Stover CO (WIA)
(SURVIVORS)
(My Squad)
(ME) SP/4 Gregory Payne (Pointman)
PFC "Doc" Crockett (Black Medic)(My Squad)
SP/4 Brent Lake (Black Grunt)(My Squad)
SP/4 Bradley (Black Grunt)(My Squad)
SP/4 Guy Owens (My Alternate Pointman)
PFC Dan Krapinski (My Squad)
(COMMAND POST SURVIVORS)
CAPT Stover (CO)
LT Blackman (XO)
SP/5 "Doc" Ken Reppart (Senior Medic)
SP/4 Pat "Smitty" Smith (Mortar Platoon
PFC Jan C. Scruggs (Mortar Platoon)
(OFFICERS AND NCO SURVIVORS)
CPT Stover CO
LT Blackman XO
LT Grossjean, 1st Platoon Leader
LT Peter Johannades, 3rd Platoon Leader
Sgt Hall, 2nd Platoon
*SPECIAL NOTE:
*JAN C. SCRUGGS was the guy who founded and started "the VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL
WALL"
***************************************************
On one recon patrol near "The Fishnet" we got ambushed by a Squad of 6 Viet Cong in an
open rice paddie, where we stood up and charged the Viet Cong ambush in a typical textbook
classic on line Infantry assault with M-16's on fully Automatic. The firefight ended in our
favor.
I was on three anphibious assaults off of a U.S Navy Landing Craft (LCM) (Landing Craft
Marine) called "THE GREY GHOST)
On one Company operation my Company went up into the deep dark jungles of Bien Hoa, where
we found 50, 100 lbs. of raw rice in an NVA Rice Cashe
On night we got a late night radio call asking us to make enemy contact in an area that was
not to far from our ambush site so we rowed down a canal in a snpan bamboo boat
were we ended up in engagging the enemy in my second "On Line Assault" only ths on was at
night.
The towns and hamlets we worked or encamped near in our NDP's we operated our combat
Operations and Patrols were: Bien Hoa, Bear Cat, "The Fishnet", Binh Chanh, My Yen,
"The Pineapple" and the Cambodian Border areas.
WE EXPIERIENCED ALOT OF MORTAR
ATTACKS WITH COMMUNIST 82mm
MOTRTARS.
Charlie Company 4/12 199th LIB had a firefight right next to our ambush site about 6:00pm
near My Yen.
My Squad Leader SGT Richard Allen Thursby two weeks before he was killed stepped flat
footed on a "Booby Trap Tripwire" and realizing what he did lowered a can of M-60
Machinegun Ammo off his shoulder and set it down on the tripwire to hold it down until
he could get off the wire and jump to safety. He then had us tie a roll of twine on to the
canvas strap on the ammo can got down behind the rice paddy dyke pulled the ammo can off the
tripwire and blew the "booby trap" in place.
We operated in III Corps Tacticle Zone in War Zone C & D towards the Cambodian Border in
Gia Dinh Province and a geographical area called the "Pineapple."
The Company Operations we went on included:
1969 TET Counter Offensive Phase I
Operation Strangler I
Operation Strangler II
Operation Strangler III
Operation Lulu
Operation Strangler IV
&
1969 TET Counter Offensive Phase II
MY MAIN INTERESTS IS HELPING THE VETERANS THROUGH MY ACHIEVEMENTS ACCOMPLISHED FROM MY MEMORIALS AND THE WEBSITES THAT I HAVE WROTE. IT STARTS WITH MY PIONEERING THE "AGENT ORANGE" ISSUE ON MY VA MEDICAL PAPERS AND JOINING THE AGENT ORANGE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY BACK IN 1986,
To read a close-up of my VA Medical Papers on Agent Orange, and the late U.S.Senator Broc Adams'
input from his VA investigation please "click on the
PDF Files posted below and read!
POLITICIANS WHO HAVE HELPED MY CAUSE.
BECAUSE OF THE INCRIMINATING PAPERS I RECIEVED FROM THE VA AFTER PASSING MY AGENT ORANGE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ON THE AGENT ORANGE SCREENING EXAM BACK IN JUNE 1986. I THEN FIRST SUBMITTED MY VA MEDICAL PAPERS TO WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR PATTY MURRAY.
PATTY WAS A GREAT HELP TO ME FOR GETTING THE BALL ROLLING. SHE WAS THE ONE AFTER READING MY PAPERS I SENT HER, WROTE ME BACK AND SAID, "I THINK YOU HAVE A VALID CASE HERE, IAM FORWARDING THESE PAPERS ON UP TO BROCK ADAMS TO DO A FULL INVESTIGATION, SO PLEASE CONTACT UNITED STATES SENATOR BROCK ADAMS IN WASHINGTON D.C. THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING ME AND KEEP ME POSTED.
WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR PATTY MURRAY
.jpg)
.jpg)
(THE LATE)
UNITED STATES SENATOR
BROCK ADAMS
Was a big help in breaking the ice on my Agent Orange case, he more or less got me a signed statement that the VA had lied and tried to cover uP the real facts.
SO...
THANK YOU,
FOLKS!
input from his VA investigation please "click on the
PDF Files posted below and read!
POLITICIANS WHO HAVE HELPED MY CAUSE.
BECAUSE OF THE INCRIMINATING PAPERS I RECIEVED FROM THE VA AFTER PASSING MY AGENT ORANGE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT ON THE AGENT ORANGE SCREENING EXAM BACK IN JUNE 1986. I THEN FIRST SUBMITTED MY VA MEDICAL PAPERS TO WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR PATTY MURRAY.
PATTY WAS A GREAT HELP TO ME FOR GETTING THE BALL ROLLING. SHE WAS THE ONE AFTER READING MY PAPERS I SENT HER, WROTE ME BACK AND SAID, "I THINK YOU HAVE A VALID CASE HERE, IAM FORWARDING THESE PAPERS ON UP TO BROCK ADAMS TO DO A FULL INVESTIGATION, SO PLEASE CONTACT UNITED STATES SENATOR BROCK ADAMS IN WASHINGTON D.C. THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING ME AND KEEP ME POSTED.
WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR PATTY MURRAY
WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR
PATTY MURRAY
(THE LATE)
UNITED STATES SENATOR
BROCK ADAMS
Was a big help in breaking the ice on my Agent Orange case, he more or less got me a signed statement that the VA had lied and tried to cover uP the real facts.
SO...
THANK YOU,
FOLKS!
POLITICINS WHO HAVE HELPED ME TO FURTHER MY AGENT ORANGE CAUSE IN 2006
OREGON STATE GOVERNOR
TED KULONGOSKI
U.S. SENATOR & U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN
RON WYDEN DARLENE HOOLEY
OREGON STATE OREGON STATE
REPRESENATIVE REPRESENATIVE
(reciently retired)
U.S. CONGRESSMAN &
WASHINGTON STATE REP.
BRIAN BAIRD
THANK YOU, FOLKS!
I'AM A SILVER ROSE RECIPIANT BECAUSE OF MY PIONEERING THE "AGENT ORANGE ISSUE WHEN IT FIRST BROKE IN 1986, WITH THE "AGENT ORANGE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY.
HELP LINK
FOR ANY VETERAN SUFFERING FROM "AGENT
ORANGE" "PLEASE CLICK ON THE BANNER BELOW"
OR COPY THE "URL" BELOW!
http://www.agent-orange-lawsuit.com/link.html
AGENT ORANGE
THE ORDER OF SILVER ROSE
TO THE GIRL WHO MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE TO
POINT THE WAY TO THE AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE MEDAL" MS KAREN ROTH.
"THE SILVER ROSE" AGENT ORANGE
MEDAL DISPLAY PLAQUE
AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th, 2006
"THE SILVER ROSE" AGENT ORANGE
MEDAL DISPLAY PLAQUE
AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th, 2006
PICURE #2 (CLOSE UP)
(ME) GREG PAYNE, WAITING FOR THE SILVER
ROSE CEREMONY TO BEGIN AND MY NAME TO
BE CALLED ...
(ME) GREG PAYNE KISSING U.S.CONGRESSWOMAN
DARLENE HOOLEY OREGON STATE REPRESENTATIVE,
AFTER SHE PUT THE SILVER ROSE MEDAL UP OVER
MY HEAD. (I wonder if she got political brownie
points for this...like when they kiss babies?)
U.S. CONGRESSMAN & WASHINGTON STATE REP.
BRIAN BIARD PLACES THE "VETERANS OF
OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP OVER
MY HEAD AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS ON
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
U.S. CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BAIRD
WASHINGTON STATE REPRESENTATIVE JUST
FINISHES UP PUTTING THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP OVER MY HEAD.
U.S. CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BAIRD THEN
PRESENTS ME WITH THE CITATION CERTIFICATE
FOR THE "VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE
SERVICE MEDAL" AT THE VANCOUVER
FAIRGROUNDS SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
TWO MEDALS IN ONE DAY BOTH FROM THE
UNITED STATES SENATE AND THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS! (WOW!) WHAT A HUMBLING
EXPERIENCE! MY FRIEND MARYANN EDWARDS
AS MY CNA ESCORT FROM THE OREGON VETERANS'
HOME STAND BEHIND MY CHAIR.
MY FAMILY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT MY MOM, HER
BROTHER MY UNCLE KENNY, WIFE MARIE, MY
MOM'S YOUNGER SISTER MY AUNT DOROTHY AND
MOM'S OLDER SISTER MY AUNT MARION, ALL AT
THE AGENT ORANGE SILVER ROSE CEREMONY,
VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS, SUNDAY NOVEMBER
5th 2006.
(ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE "SILVER
ROSE" AND THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION
CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
(ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE "SILVER
ROSE" AMD THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION
CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
(My link is in "RED" click it on and go to the
"Silver Rose" Recipients Website.)
Corporal Larry Yockelson U.S. Marine Corps #411-06
Sergeant First Class James R. Breese U.S. Army #412-06
Specialist E-4 Gregory Zelmar Payne U.S. Army #413-06
Specialist E-5 James Dillion Jr. U.S. Army #414-0
Specialist E-4 Nicola Martino U.S. Army #415-06
CLOSE-UP OF (ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE
"SILVER ROSE" AND THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION
CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006. (PLEASE NOTE MY
MEDAL'S AUTHINICATION NUMBER #413-06 ON
THE LOWER LEFT CORNER OF MY CITATION
CERTIFICATE.) (THEN "CLICK" OM THE "RED" LINK
BELOW.
Secialist E-4 Gregory Zelmar Payne U.S. Army #413-06
MY AUNT DOROTHY TAKES A DRINK OF WATER
FROM A BOTTLE WHILE I (GREG PAYNE) MY MOM,
AND MARYANN EDWARDS MY CNA ESCORT FROM
THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME ALL LOOK ON AT
THE MAN TALKING TO ME AT THE NATIVE
AMERICAN INDIAN "SALMON BAKE" AT
WOODBURN, OREGON. THIS WAS THE LAST
PHASE OF MY MEDALS CEREMONY TRIP, AND
NATURALLY IT WAS ALL WET, RAINY, AND COLD
FROM VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON TO WOODBURN,
OREGON THE WHOLE DAY DURING THE MEDALS
CEREMONY, BUT THE TRIP OUT FROM THE DALLES,
OREGON WAS WELL WORTH IT!
(PLEASE READ THE CONGRESSIONAL REPORT
POSTED BELOW)
FOR ANY VETERAN SUFFERING FROM "AGENT
ORANGE" "PLEASE CLICK ON THE BANNER BELOW"
OR COPY THE "URL" BELOW!
http://www.agent-orange-lawsuit.com/link.html
AGENT ORANGE
THE ORDER OF SILVER ROSE
MY AGENT ORANGE SILVER ROSE MEDAL
TO THE GIRL WHO MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE TO
POINT THE WAY TO THE AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE MEDAL" MS KAREN ROTH.
"THE SILVER ROSE" AGENT ORANGE
MEDAL DISPLAY PLAQUE
AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th, 2006
"THE SILVER ROSE" AGENT ORANGE
MEDAL DISPLAY PLAQUE
AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th, 2006
PICURE #2 (CLOSE UP)
(ME) GREG PAYNE, WAITING FOR THE SILVER
ROSE CEREMONY TO BEGIN AND MY NAME TO
BE CALLED ...
(ME) GREG PAYNE KISSING U.S.CONGRESSWOMAN
DARLENE HOOLEY OREGON STATE REPRESENTATIVE,
AFTER SHE PUT THE SILVER ROSE MEDAL UP OVER
MY HEAD. (I wonder if she got political brownie
points for this...like when they kiss babies?)
U.S. CONGRESSMAN & WASHINGTON STATE REP.
BRIAN BIARD PLACES THE "VETERANS OF
OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP OVER
MY HEAD AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS ON
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
U.S. CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BAIRD
WASHINGTON STATE REPRESENTATIVE JUST
FINISHES UP PUTTING THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP OVER MY HEAD.
U.S. CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BAIRD THEN
PRESENTS ME WITH THE CITATION CERTIFICATE
FOR THE "VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE
SERVICE MEDAL" AT THE VANCOUVER
FAIRGROUNDS SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
TWO MEDALS IN ONE DAY BOTH FROM THE
UNITED STATES SENATE AND THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS! (WOW!) WHAT A HUMBLING
EXPERIENCE! MY FRIEND MARYANN EDWARDS
AS MY CNA ESCORT FROM THE OREGON VETERANS'
HOME STAND BEHIND MY CHAIR.
MY FAMILY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT MY MOM, HER
BROTHER MY UNCLE KENNY, WIFE MARIE, MY
MOM'S YOUNGER SISTER MY AUNT DOROTHY AND
MOM'S OLDER SISTER MY AUNT MARION, ALL AT
THE AGENT ORANGE SILVER ROSE CEREMONY,
VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS, SUNDAY NOVEMBER
5th 2006.
(ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE "SILVER
ROSE" AND THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION
CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
(ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE "SILVER
ROSE" AMD THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION
CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.
(My link is in "RED" click it on and go to the
"Silver Rose" Recipients Website.)
Corporal Larry Yockelson U.S. Marine Corps #411-06
Sergeant First Class James R. Breese U.S. Army #412-06
Specialist E-4 Gregory Zelmar Payne U.S. Army #413-06
Specialist E-5 James Dillion Jr. U.S. Army #414-0
Specialist E-4 Nicola Martino U.S. Army #415-06
CLOSE-UP OF (ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE
"SILVER ROSE" AND THE "VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION
CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER
ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006. (PLEASE NOTE MY
MEDAL'S AUTHINICATION NUMBER #413-06 ON
THE LOWER LEFT CORNER OF MY CITATION
CERTIFICATE.) (THEN "CLICK" OM THE "RED" LINK
BELOW.
Secialist E-4 Gregory Zelmar Payne U.S. Army #413-06
MY AUNT DOROTHY TAKES A DRINK OF WATER
FROM A BOTTLE WHILE I (GREG PAYNE) MY MOM,
AND MARYANN EDWARDS MY CNA ESCORT FROM
THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME ALL LOOK ON AT
THE MAN TALKING TO ME AT THE NATIVE
AMERICAN INDIAN "SALMON BAKE" AT
WOODBURN, OREGON. THIS WAS THE LAST
PHASE OF MY MEDALS CEREMONY TRIP, AND
NATURALLY IT WAS ALL WET, RAINY, AND COLD
FROM VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON TO WOODBURN,
OREGON THE WHOLE DAY DURING THE MEDALS
CEREMONY, BUT THE TRIP OUT FROM THE DALLES,
OREGON WAS WELL WORTH IT!
(PLEASE READ THE CONGRESSIONAL REPORT
POSTED BELOW)
KAREN ROTH AND I CELEBRATE OUR VICTORY OVER THE VA, THE ICE WAS BROKEN BUT MEDICAL COVERAGE IS YET TO BE OBTAINED
(ME) GREG PAYNE AND KAREN ROTH OF THE
VFW COOTIES CELEBRATING OUR VICTORY
OVER THE VA BY HOLDING UP MY AGENT
ORANGE "SILVER ROSE MEDAL AND
CERTIFICATE IN A FRAME ALL READY TO
HANG BACK UP ON THE WALL IN MY ROOM AT
THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME IN THE
DALLES, OREGON. THE PLACQUES ON THE
WALL IN THE BACKGROUND IS A COLLECTION
OF ACHIEVEMENTS AND A LIFE TIME OF MY
WORK FOR THE VETERANS AND FAMILY.
KAREN HELP ME ALOT IN HER EFFORTS TO
OBTAIN THESE TWO MEDALS.
SHE PUT HER'S AROUND MY NECK.
PICTURE #2 (ME) GREG PAYNE AND KAREN
ROTH OF THE VFW COOTIES CELABRATING
OUR VICTORY OVER THE VA BY HOLDING UP
MY AGENT ORANGE "SILVER ROSE MEDAL AND
CERTIFICATE IN A DISPLAY PLAQUE.
PICTURE #3 (ME) GREG PAYNE AND KAREN
ROTH OF THE VFW COOTIES CELABRATING
OUR VICTORY OVER THE VA BY HOLDING UP
MY AGENT ORANGE "SILVER ROSE MEDAL"
AND CERTIFICATE.
MY WEBSITES FOR VETERAN'S RIGHTS AND VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
MY SQUAD LEADER AND MY SQUADMATE'S MEMORIALS GETS ME AN HONORARY CITIZENSHIP INTO MY sQUAD lEADER'S HOMETOWN OF BISBEE, ARIZONA, THROUGH THE BISBEE MEMORY GROUP.
Richard Allen ThursbyStaff SergeantD CO, 4TH BN, 12TH INF RGT, 199 INF BDE Army of the United States 06 April 1946 - 01 April 1969 Bisbee, Arizona Panel 28W Line 106 |
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The database page for Richard Allen Thursby
One of the first people I met when I entered into D Company 4th Battalion 12th Infantry 199th Light Infantry Brigade, in the northern parts of the MeKong Delta Region of Vietnam, was my new Squad leader for 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, SGT RICHARD ALLEN THURSBY. SGT Thursby was probably one of the most knowledgeable people I've ever had the opportunity to meet. SGT Thursby for the most part was a good survivalist, he taught us how you could actually see an incoming mortar round during a Viet Cong mortar attack. As soon as you heard the marking round go off in the tube, you got down and rolled over, looked up in the sky, and for just a split second, at it's arching point you could see a black spot up in the sky, then you could get a rough idea just where that mortar round would land. Anything after that arching point would become invisible to the naked eye as it descended.
He taught us how to walk in the mud that no western human being had words to describe. "Don't get your legs together," he'd tell us, "It will form a vacuum around your legs, and you'll never get out, the more you work to get lose the deeper you're gonna go. If your boots aren't tied right, it will also suck them off your feet, so be careful how you tie your boots." He showed us how you had to wrap the extra laces around the top of the boot then tie them in a square knot, this method would keep that extremely deep mud from pulling the boots right off your feet.
He taught us how to lean forward into the "chopper" wind, so as to not get blown over.
He was a pretty good thinker in time of an emergency, for one time he stepped flat footed on a tripwire on a booby-trapped rice paddie dyke. Realizing what had happened he froze and said, "Get off the trail and get down, I'm flatfooted on a tripwire and I'm apt to go 'Boom'. I'm not going to wait all day for this either, so I hope this M-60 machinegun ammo can will be heavy enough to hold this wire in place."
He slowly lowered the ammo can off his shoulder and very carefully, very gingerly set it down on the booby trap wire, then slowly and carefully lifted his foot up and off the tripwire. It worked, he saved his life that day. Then he had us take a ball of twine he had us carry and tie it onto the canvas strap of the ammo can, unravel the twine, get down behind the dyke and pull the string pulling the ammo can off the tripwire and blowing the booby trap in place.
Yes, SGT Richard Allen Thursby was one of the best Squad Leaders I've ever had the opportunity to meet. He was a very good person with an equally good sense of humor. Unfortunately, SGT Richard Allen Thursby and two other men were very tragically killed in a grenade accident.
May he now rest in peace in the golden light of eternal light and eternal Love, from now and for evermore.
Your friend and comrade in arms,Sp4 Greg Payneteetee199thlib@excite.com |
A Note from The Virtual WallThe other two men who died as a result of the grenade accident were SP4 William DeBates and PFC James Earl Bouyer. |
| The point-of-contact for this memorial is a Squad member, Gregory Payne 700 Veterans Drive, The Dalles, Ore 97058teetee199thlib@excite.com1 Jul 2001 |
BISBEE, ARIZONA MEMORY GROUP
AUTOGRAPHED VERSION BY THE AUTHOR
FORMER ADMINISTRATOR DAVID LOOPER
OF THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME IN THE
DALLES, OREGON HOLDS OUT AN
THE "B" FOR BISBEE MEMORY GROUP BOOK.
WHILE I HOLD UP A HIGH SCHOOL PICTURE
AND THE BISBEE, AZ PROCLAMATION
AND THE BISBEE, AZ PROCLAMATION
OF MY SQUAD LEADER IN VIETNAM SGT
RICHARD ALLEN THURSBY KIA 1 APRIL
1969. 3rd SQUAD 1ST PLATOON ALPHA
FIRETEAM D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th
INFANTRY 199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE
IN MY LEFT HAND I'AM HOLDING THE
BISBEE, ARIZONA PROCLAMATION MAKING
ME AN HONORARY CITIZEN OF BISBEE,
ARIZONA SIGNED BY NINE DIFFERENT
POLITICIANS INCLUDING THE GOVENOR OF
ARIZONA FOR WRITING MY SQUAD LEADER'S
MEMORIAL AND HAVING IT POSTED ON THE
VIRTUAL WALL ALONG WITH PFC JAMES EARL
BOUYER, AND SP/4 WILLIAM ARTHUR
DEBATES WHO WERE ALL KILLED RIGHT IN
FRONT OF ME ON 1st APRIL 1969,
3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON
D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY
199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279
MARCH - APRIL OF 1969
MY YEN, WAS WHERE MY SQUAD LEADER AND
TWO OTHER OF MY SQUADMATES WERE
KILLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ON APRIL 1st
1969.
J. E. BOUYER R. A. THURSBY
KIA 4/1/69 KIA 4/1/69
W. A. DEBATES
KIA 4/1/69
THIS IS A COPY OF THE PROCLAMATION FROM
BISBEE, ARIZONA THAT MAKES ME AN
HONORARY CITIZEN OF BISBEE, ARIZONA
FOR THE MEMORIAL THAT I WROTE FOR THREE
NATIONAL WEBSITES. I WAS HOLDING UP IN
MY LEFT HAND WITH OUR FORMER
ADMINISTRATOR DAVID LOOPER POSTED IN
THE PICTURE ABOVE
THE BISBEE HIGH SCHOOL VIETNAM VETERANS
MEMORIAL PLAQUE. MY SQUAD LEADER'S NAME
SSG RICHARD THURSBY IS THE SECOND NAME
.jpg)
(ME) GREG PAYNE WITH MY FINAL FRAMED "SILVER ROSE" AGENT ORANGE AND MY VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL
(ME) GREG PAYNE HOLDING UP
MY AGENT ORANGE "SILVER ROSE MEDAL
AND CERTIFICATE IN A FRAME.
(ME) GREG PAYNE HOLDING UP MY
"VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE
SERVICE MEDAL" AND CERTIFICATE IN A
FRAME IN MY ROOM AT THE OREGON
VETERANS' HOME THE DALLES, OREGON.
(ME) GREG PAYNE HOLDING UP MY AGENT
ORANGE "SILVER ROSE MEDAL" AND THE
"VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE
MEDAL" CERTIFICATE IN A FRAME.
(ME) GREG PAYNE RECIEVING MY ENGRAVED ISSUE OF "THE VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL."
(ME) GREG PAYNE RECIEVING MY
ENGRAVED FINAL COPY OF MY " VETERANS OF
OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" AT THE
OREGON VETERANS' HOME THE DALLES,
OREGON
(ME) GREG PAYNE RECIEVING MY ENGRAVED FINAL COPY OF MY " VETERANS OF OREGON
HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP AND
AROUND MY NECK AT THE OREGON
VETERANS' HOME THE DALLES, OREGON
97058.
MY MEDAL OF VALOR
(ME) GREG PAYNE RECIEVING THE
"WARRIORS MEDAL OF VALOR" GIVEN TO ME
BY THE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS, TRIBES
INCLUDE THE SIOUX, THE CHEYANNE, THE
CROW, THE COMMANCHE, THE CHEROKEE, THE
BLACKFOOT, THE YAKIMAS, THE NAVAHO, THE
NEZ PIERCE, THE ARAPAHO, AND THE
APACHE. IN SHORT IT WAS "THE NATIVE
AMERICAN CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA COUNCIL." AT THE OREGON
VETERANS' HOME B-WING DINING ROOM
AREA.
(ME) GREG PAYNE RECIEVING THE "WARRIORS MEDAL OF VALOR" GIVEN TO ME
BY THE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS, AT THE
OREGON VETERANS' HOME B-WING DINING
ROOM AREA THE DALLES, OREGON.
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