INTERESTING.....BUT SAD STATISTICS ABOUT THE VIET NAM WAR

1. This weekend here in Nephi, Utah is always great, as we celebrate the Ute Stampede, a rodeo that has been a yearly celebration where families and friends get together. As two of my brothers pulled up where I had been watering our horse pasture, I  recognized the 9th Infantry patch on the hat of Hal Jones, who was an a Medic on the front lines of the horrific killing spree that met the Allied forces in a swamp called Nam. I thought I would put off the rodeo celebration and gather some statistics from that war of wars I had three brothers in the military during the Era of Viet Nam, and glad they all came home, and only Hal with sadness to be a victim of that upfront fighting. Hal was partially hit with an explosion when his medic partner was ordered to go in a Chu Chi tunnel that was a booby trap that killed his partner and partially hit Hal, who turned down a Purple Heart, as he only wanted to return home which he did and safely so. And he had a chance to travel to Washington D.C. to  see the Stats on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
2. There are 58,267 names now listed on the polished black wall, including those that were added in 2010.
3. The names are arranged in the order which they were taken from their families and within each date the names are alphabetized. 
4. The first known casualty was Richard Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth, Mass. He was killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III.
5. There ae 711 West Virginians on the Wall.
6. The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered for. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National forest. and in  the patriotic camaraderie typical of  Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.
7. The Buddies of Midvale, Utah were LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, and Tommy Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived near each other, and played ball on an adjacent sandlot. They all joined the military and traveled to Viet Nam. In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three were killed.
8. The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968-245 deaths.
9. The most casualty deaths for a single month was May, 1968-245 Deaths.
10. For most Americans who read this will only see that the Viet Nam War created. To those who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, the survivor's and the Medics only see their faces, and hold them for that last shot of Morphine and their transition is felt. They feel the pain for ever. Remember, we too will pass, so never ever forget those who fought for our liberty. 

                          THERE ARE NO NOBLE WARS, JUST NOBLE WARRIORS.