Barksdale, James William, SGT

  
Casualty Occurrence: This Soldier was killed by hostile small arms fire on the WEST BANK OF MEUR RIVER, 12 KM WEST OF THE PLEI ME AIR FIELD 19651106 in Pleiku Province during Operation Long Reach.

POSTED ON 7.18.2019. POSTED BY: LORETTA BARKSDALE. FROM A LOVING DAUGHTER. Thank you for your sacrifice. I will always love you and know you did what you knew was right.

29 May 2006. My father, also known as Billy, was killed in Vietnam when I was only four. He also had two other daughters ages 3 and 2. My brother, the oldest child, was about 10. He is only one who remembers our father. But in my heart he is my father, the only one we had. My children also regard him as their grandfather even though they never got to know him. He had three daughters and we all gave him granddaughters. I have three daughters myself. I cannot tell you much about him, because I don't know him myself. After his death his family and ours were not that close. I have an aunt who tried to keep in touch, but she is also gone now. If anyone has any info to share about my dad I would greatly appreciate it. Loretta Barksdale Lacourse,1080 22nd Avenue North, Saint Petersburg, Fl 33704.

Americans have come to know something about the fighting at Landing Zone X-Ray (Ia Drang Valley, 15 Nov 1965) since the book and movie We Were Soldiers Once - and Young came out. The earlier engagements between the newly arrived 1st Cavalry Division and the firmly emplaced North Vietnamese Army remain almost unknown. One such engagement took place on the west bank of the Ia Meur River on 06 Nov 1965, when two companies of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, took on the NVA. Twenty-six Americans were killed in the action, which formed a prelude to the engagements at LZ X-Ray and LZ Albany. One of those men killed was. SGT James W. Barksdale, St Petersburg, FL.

Ray Gonzales. Fellow Soldier & War Veteran. In Memory, of Those, Who Fell & Never, Came Home. Sorry, for the loss, of your loved-one. I'm sure the family, of this soldier, greatly miss him, even, after all, these years. His memory is not erased, nor his sacrifice & valor. I served, in the war, with the illustrious, 1st, Cav., Division. (Oct., 66-Oct., 67) I came home, from the war, feeling empty & hurting, for those who, would never return. I began, soul-searching & in 1973, I had, a genuine encounter with God, that changed, my life. I found, Jesus Christ, as my Savior! He healed, my heart & gave me, His peace. Jesus died on the Cross, for each one of us, to give us, life. His life! Please read Psalm, 34, in the Bible & seek, the Lord, while He may, be found. We all, need Him! May God bless & comfort you. Thursday, January 30, 2003.​​​