The above photos were made about 2 minutes before three Mike Co. 3/5 Marines, Terry Smith, Nathaniel Willingham, and Thomas Henry were killed by a command detonated claymore. In the hills behind us was at least one gook with his hand on a remote control. What is so ironic in this picture, which is of me lying down exhausted and soaking wet after crossing a river, is that 99% of the time when I heard of a water hole, I was the first one there. I was always thirsty. I was just so tired, I had to flop down.

In the background of the picture on the left are Mike Co. Marines resting, it really shows how camouflaged we were. You have to look close to see everyone in the picture. It gives me goosebumps even today. The VC or NVA guy that set off the claymore has to be in the upper middle left of the picture on the right, because the waterhole is about 25 yards to our left.

Semper fi, Brothers
Jerry Lomax

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LCPL. THOMAS CARMEN HENRY 
Born on June 11, 1948 
From  Flint, MI
Casualty was on March 29, 1968
in South Vietnam, Thua Thien
Panel 46E--Row 62

So Sorry

I remember Tom very well. I was there the day he was killed. I was a combat engineer with 1st Engineers in the RVN, and spent my entire tour with the 5th Marine Regiment. The day of Tom's death, I walked point all morning. They had us walking point with a mine detector because there were so many mines in that area. I was coming unglued from the heat, pressure, and fear. I was relieved when the skipper said "take five," until he said, "except the first squad, you guys go up a couple hundred meters." 

At that I asked to be relieved on point. The skipper said no, and I persisted. He reluctantly said OK, and Tom Henry put on the headset, and off they went. I lit a cigarette, and inside of a minute or two, they were blown up. I have relived that episode a million times. It is the most important moment in my life. Everything was very confusing because it was after Tet, and we were scattered along Highway 1. We had just joined 3/5 the day before because the Engineers that were there were seriously wounded from a Bouncing Betty the previous day.

At 19, I felt numb to the whole thing. As time went on however, I felt a sense of responsibility for Tom's death. I so regret not contacting his family to make some sort of  amends. Tom and I had so much in common. We were both 19, and newly married. I got to live my life, and Tom didn't. I will never forget him.

 I had a photo of Tom and I from that morning, we had spent the night in a village where the hootch's had cement floors. I left the photo at The Wall hoping someone from Tom's family would get it. I had the honor of being a name reader at the 20th anniversary of "The Wall" and I read Tom's name. Semper Fi, Bill Lee 

Best Friends

Tom Henry was my best friend from elementary school through high school. I was in the Army and stationed outside Washington DC when I got the news about Tom. The next day, I believe, MLK was shot. My unit was sent on policing action into the city for the next week so I never got home for the funeral. In the last thirty-eight years I have often thought to myself the same thing Bill Lee wrote: "I got to live my life, Tom didn't." Maybe there's a reason for that that life will yet show us, then again, maybe there's no reason at all. We'll see. Peace to you, brother, and I call you brother because all of us who served during that time are brothers.~Donald G. Richards

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PFC. TERRY CLEVELAND SMITH
Born on March 27, 1948 
From Trinity, NC
Casualty was on March 29, 1968
in South Vietnam, Thua Thien
Panel 47E--Row 6

Terry Smith was the best buddy I had at this time, and he was the first real friend I saw killed. It was all such a waste. To this day, I hate Lyndon Johnson with a passion for times just as this. This event will remain etched in my feeble mind forever. Semper Fi, Jerry Lomax

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News article submitted by Terry Cleveland Smith Marine Corps League Detachment, Mar. 2005

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PFC. NATHANIEL WILLINGHAM 
Born on December 7, 1946
From Philadelphia, PA
Casualty was on March 29, 1968
in South Vietnam, Thua Thien
Panel 47E--Row 1