Second Platoon Photo Home

I'm the third person from the right, in the top row, which consists of Second Squad members. Sheldon Harris is sixth person from the left in the top row. Harry Steed, the designer of the Mickey Mouse death trap that killed six North Vietnamese soldiers, is at the top left. Next to him is Keith Harwell, from Memphis, Tennessee, the squad leader of Second Squad. Next to Keith Harwell is the person about whom I write in one of my stories: Wilson Kee, who was from Taos, New Mexico. Next, fourth from the left, is Jack Reilly, from Pennsylvania. He was "gung-ho" all the way, a true "lifer" type, even though he was drafted. He was an excellent soldier; he loved war, and loved talking about it, all the time. Then comes Vic Hernandez, about whom I wrote in one of my stories. Then, sixth from the left is my best friend in Vietnam, and a person with whom I had done Basic Training, and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Lewis, Washington: Sheldon Harris, from Cedar City, Utah. Seventh from the left is Marvin Jackson. I don't know the name of the person who is eighth from the left. Ninth from the left is David Patterson (I am not sure about the first name). Lonnie Liscomb, the platoon sniper, is tenth from the left, and on his left is Dennis Huey, then Al Robinson, then me, Joe Alward, third from the right, and on my left is Clarence Kidd. The person on the far right was our platoon leader, a lieutenant whose name escapes me; I remember his lunch sometimes consisted of canned sardines, and he was very good about pretending for the commanders in the rear areas that we were actually actively pursuing the enemy, when in fact we would pull off our backpacks and kick back for hours. Probably it is just as well I don't remember his name.

In the bottom row is the First Squad. At the center is Floyd Reel ("Muskrat"), the guy holding the can of soda and making the hand gesture. Third from the right in the bottom row is Barry Skipper. Second from the left is Jack R. Blakely.
This photo was taken on Hilly Debbie in about May, 1970, while we were on "stand-down."