Nam Ghosts came into my house last night.

[previous member]

Last night I pulled up the website of the US Army Golden Knights Alumni. The Golden Knights are the Army's Elite Parachute Demonstration Team. I asked the President in an Email if he knew a guy named Leo Kryske. These guys are all in their mid 70s or so now. He wrote back and said, yes, he did. He went on to tell me that Kryske had been killed in Nam. I wrote back to him and said, yes, I know, I was there. I was the medic that attempted to save his life.

Leo Kryske at the time of his death was rather famous in the Army for being a Golden Knight and a member of the Special Forces. He was in my unit in Vietnam, the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Anyway, the team members knew Kryske had been killed but did not know the details. So, I have been going back and forth since last night with two of Kryske's former team members and explaining to them what had happened that day on August 25th, 1968. I remember that day because it is also my mom's birthday.

The attached photo is of Kryske the day he made his 2000th Freefall parachute jump. They sent this to me. Apparently all these guys were on his team. The guy on the far left is George, the guy I have been talking to. He was a platoon leader in my unit and his platoon had the highest kill count that year in Nam in the 506 valley and Ia Drang valleys.

I explained to him that we had climbed to the top of Hill 506 above the 506 valley with very little resistance. I think we killed two gooks on the way up and we did it quietly. They never knew we were there. We set up a fire support base on top of the mountain once we had secured it. Helicopters brought in artillery and various things like that and we dug in on top of the mountain. It was several days later that my platoon went out on a patrol and I had stayed behind on top of the hill because I could barely walk due to an infection I had gotten on my legs. Several of us were just "hanging out", sounds like todays teenagers. ha ha I heard the distinct sound of an AK-47 and the lead that comes from it's mouth. Leo went down as did we all but Leo did not get back up. He had taken a bullet through the head. We later found the sniper and arranged for him to take the big dirt nap beginning immediately.

Anyway, a couple of his team members have Emailed me to thank me for getting in touch which actually was quite an accident. Then this morning a real crazy thing happened. I got an Email from his widow who is now 75 years old. She never knew what had happened to him. The Army would not tell her anything other than he was killed in action. She gave me her phone number and wanted me to call her at her home. I can type but I still cannot talk about some of this so I emailed her back and told her exactly what had happened, what time what day etc. I didn't go into detail but I did tell her he had taken a bullet through his head and I could not do anything for him at all as the platoon medic that got to him first............She wrote back and thanked me for finally solving a mystery she has carried around for over 40 years now of how her husband had been killed and where. I told her that we did find and kill the enemy soldier that killed him.

The following is part of the Email she sent me after I had told her the details..............

"I appreciate you telling me how Leo died, I always wondered. I knew he couldn't be viewed at the funeral Home and the man that was in charge of the Golden Knights to view him told me for sure if it was him. He knew him by the scare on his arm where a tattoo was taken off.

All the Golden Knights flew to Nashville to be at the funeral.

Thanks again

Loretta"

So, after all these years I was able to not only lay the mystery to rest for his team members but the most important was that I could put this to rest for his widow and daughter. I think it has also lifted a weight off my shoulders that has been getting heavier all the time. I never knew he had a wife but I always wondered if he had family. I think this whole thing has always been in my mind because he was the first guy that I saw killed on our side and that I was responsible for. There was nothing even a brain surgeon could have done.

The second photo I attached here is of me a week or so after all this had happened. We were being evacuated out of 506 valley and were waiting for the choppers to come and get us. 506 valley was like a major highway the gooks from the north used to come down to the south and being anywhere in that valley was like standing in the freeway hoping not to get hit by a car...............

I thought I would share this story with a few of you that know me............It happened quite by accident but surely settled some issues for a few people I did not even know existed prior to last night. The internet is quite a tool....................
--
"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end"

 

[previous member]

Those of you on this sled forum. This is an Email I sent to a few of my friends two nights ago. I thought some of you would enjoy it, especially you military guys. Most of you are a lot younger than I am and probably weren't even born when this took place but I have noticed the majority here are good guys so thought I would share this with you.............

 

[Snow Fox]

Very interesting story, thanks for sharing.

 

[xrated]

thanks for sharing....that's a hell of a thing to carry around that long. Glad you and everyone else got some closure on that.

 

[Super B]

Thank you for sharing! And thanks for your service!

 

[highmtn]

Thank you so much, I wish I could shake your hand and thank you in person

 

[MPS]

A.B. you are first class! You're a good man...I don't need to meet you in person to know that.

 

[theultrarider]

Thanks for shaing. That is a heavy load to carry all these years. May you both rest in peace now! Thanks for your service.

 

[700sks]

snowman, your one of americans finest!!! Thank you thank you thank you for our freedom here in this great country!! my pastor also was in nam he tells stories all the time, he says it does help. my uncle was in the air force, he won't say a peep. I understand but just want to know. thank you again, your the best!!! 700 sks

 

[yardfarmer]

Wow, sad that your friends widow had to wait 40 years to find out the details, your the man for having the courage to tell her!!!
semper fi

 

[sledchick]

Thank you A.B. for sharing that...it really hits a heartstring of mine. My grandpa was in Korean War, he passed away on January 29th 2008. He'd tell me stories about being over there, and I always enjoyed listening to them. I miss him everyday. Thank you thank you for your service, and to all that are currently or have served. Without you guys/gals I couldn't count all my blessings.
He is the one on the far left leaning on the vehicle. Herbert DeWolfe was his name.
http://www.koreanwar.org/html/images/a_scans/hbr_cake1_500.htm

 

[Gimpster]

Thanks for sharing the touching story. I was years old at that time and remember seing news of what was happening, on our black and white TV

The internet is an AMAZING tool

----- Gimpster -----

 

[previous member]

Thank you A.B. for sharing that...it really hits a heartstring of mine. My grandpa was in Korean War, he passed away on January 29th 2008. He'd tell me stories about being over there, and I always enjoyed listening to them. I miss him everyday. Thank you thank you for your service, and to all that are currently or have served. Without you guys/gals I couldn't count all my blessings.
He is the one on the far left leaning on the vehicle. Herbert DeWolfe was his name.
http://www.koreanwar.org/html/images/a_scans/hbr_cake1_500.htm

Thank you Sledchick, that is a really cool photo of your Grandpa, you should be proud of him and I know you are. I hope my grand daughters will someday write about me and remember me. They are my life. I have seen YOUR photo on here and you remind me a lot of my middle daughter. She is a cop and a mean ***

Good bunch of people on the sledding forum for sure. All of you.

 

[Wade]

When I was really young, we had an old vet that lived up the street. He lived with his sister down stairs. I used to sneak up and bang on the door, and he'd sit down, was in real bad health at the time, and tell me stories of France and Germany, pre and post war. Guess I was the only person that every visited him.

Another guy across the street took shrapnel in his head, but was alright. He'd tell me stories about Korea. He was a tank driver by training, they handed him a rifle when he stepped off the boat. Told him to drive it. He had some incredible stories about sitting in fox holes in the middle of the night.

Guy next door, was in the Pacific campaign. After the war, he was assigned to midway, and Oki, and many others. Many years later, his kids came riding into base with a live 3 inch round they had found. That caused a panic.

Went with my dad to his reunion. Bunch of C130 pilots/mechs. Very interesting collection of stories.

You were a safe kid in my neighborhood. No one messed with vets.

Grandfather worked on the Manhattan Project (Oak Ridge), lots of people did. Some good stories there.

You don't realize how all those stories shape your view of the world. Kids need to hear the truth, what happened to real people that they know. It fills in a lot of gaps in the stupid history books they feed them. I did 6 years for the Navy, not in the Navy. I was a government employee, on weapon systems. Wasn't anything like being a soldier. But, it was work that needed to be done.

Heck, if you want (or need) to tell stories, I'll listen.

 

[duffman]

Great story AB. Although my father was released from service after he was drafted, many of his friends spent their time in vietnam. Many of these men have been like uncles to me, and although dad would allude to some of the hellish things some of these guys had been through, I have never heard a first hand account.

 

[MN_Nole]

Thank you AB for sharing that truly emotional story, I had tears in my eyes throughout the whole thing.
And for you sledchick for sharing that picture of your grandfather.
AB's memories and Sledchick's photo made me bring out the war photos's of my dad(USMC), Vietnam and Korea,(he signed up early at 17).

But AB's story reminds me of him too much, there are things I was present for that he could not share. I was was once present, when he was interviewed by a grad student regarding what happened in certain places in Vietnam, that the words just flowed from him. Then there were questions about others places, and the start of those memories, was the first and only time I saw my father/a Marine cry. I was still very young to remember the details but will always remember that moment and what he went through, and could never imagine. Once I became old enough to process what I had scene, I came to respect my father even more, luckly it was before he passed. Ever since then I have that utmost respect and gratitude to our armed service men and women. My words of thanks can not say enough.

Thanks AB for bringing those memories to the front, Our vets memories and stories that need to be told.

May god bless you all, vets.

 

[MTm7]

thanks for sharing!!! i love to hear stories of our service men/women.

 

[shortstop20]

Good stories and pictures.

There is one local WWII vet that I get along with pretty well, I asked him about the war once but he doesn't like to tell other's about it which is understandable. It's just too bad as the stories that they have will die with them and sadly I don't think he has much time left.

 

[Q-BALL]

Snowman,
Thanks for sharing the story of another young life cut short by the wages of war, that others would not have ever known. My dad was a top turret gunner on a B-17 during WW11 and was shot down over Berlin in May of 43' and captured by sympathizers of the Reich and turned over to german army where he remained a pow until liberated at the war's end. His plane was ablaze and his flight jacket had caught on fire by the time he was able to get to an exit and bail out.Many a day in my life i've seen him without his shirt and and saw the scars those burns left and have wept for him and all the others like him,and for the one's who never came home, the sacrifice they paid for our freedom. He still lives at the age of 93 and i believe there are two others still living from his crew.You Sir,have my deepest respect and gratitude along with all other vets and current soldiers.God's blessings to you.
OH! and i do remember the 60's,for some reason my s.s.s. registration certificate(2/13/67)and 2 notices of classification(1st.1-y,2nd.4-f-failed physical) still reside in my wallet.

 

[woodpecker]

STOP it damn it your making me cry. I think if we look closer most of us are tied to the military in on way or another. personally or by relation bless ALL who serve.