“I’m a Native American, Ho Chunk Nation, from Wisconsin. Above everything I accept my own death as a destiny. It’s a great honor to die as a warrior on the battlegrounds.

On or about Christmas time 1968, I experienced my very first firefight—it was terrifying. Before the Dewey Canyon operation in A Shau Valley, one of my closest friends was killed while walking point; I volunteered to take over his job. It’s nerve-racking and tiresome to walk alone far up in front of my platoon and my company. Walking point, life expectancy is very short; usually the first contact with the enemy you were killed or wounded. I was good and became a deadly killer and hunted for the enemy and did my job well. I was never scared. The only fear I had was the fear of being captured

One time I was on guard duty when a blue flare exploded above us. Suddenly the enemy attacked us in waves. We held our positions and fought them off until the sun came up when it was over. We captured an enemy soldier. I wanted to kill him but I chose not to because he was not on equal terms with me. We went out on patrols to look for more. With my platoon I came upon an enemy soldier, shot a whole clip of rounds in him and killed him.”
– Lance Corporal Owen Mike. United States Marine Corps. Vietnam War.
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As we always say here at Battles and Beers (TM) Every soldier has a story, and every story deserves to be told.