Garnet Jenkins
garijen@bresnan.net
Grand Junction Co
~ Rest In Peace, SSgt. Lonnie Leo Smith ~
Thank You, Lonnie, for your Courage and your years of Service and Dedication to our Country and for Freedom. Rest well and know that you will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. I am the sister of Sgt David Dickinson, another young hero, who also made the Supreme Sacrifice in Vietnam 1967.....'GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.' ~ John 15:13 ~
May 20, 2009
Davy Baker
davybaker@suddenlink.net
Another Brother
Kilgore Tx
Remembrance
May God bless this hero for his sacrifice.Rest in peace brave soldier and have a HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY! YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN by our generation.
Sep 10, 2008
manny g
Fellow Veteran 69-70 An Khe
Union Gap, WA. 98903
“You are Remembered”
Peace and condolence, to the family and friends. "He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother”. Rest in peace brave soldier, you have not been forgotten. (W.Shakespeare) May God Bless You for your Sacrifice!!!
May 20, 2008
Bonnie Smith
bonbon1133@hotmail.com
None
Columbus, OH US
I don't know you, but I feel as though I do
My name is Bonnie Smith, and I was born in Dallas Texas in September, but I know live in Ohio. I am a Texan at heart though! I am 14 years old, and I found your name while looking through all of the heroes that bravely died along side of you while fighting in the Vietnam War. I know you don't know me, and I learned about you only a few minutes ago, but I feel as though I know you personally, and felt the need to send you a letter. Even though the only things we share in common are our name sounds, our last name, our month of birth, and our state of birth, I think you and I have more in common than those. I know you fought bravely and sacraficed your life for me, and for that i am greatly thankful. I know I will see you in Heaven, and the day I die, we will meet. Thanks for listening to me Lonnie, I greatly appreciate what you did for me and everyone else. ~Bonnie A. Smith
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Bonnie Smith
bonbon1133@hotmail.com
none
1133 Millcreek lane
Columbus, OH 43220 USA
Well I'm writing to you again, but this time, with more importance. On Tuesday, May 20th, my 8th grade class and I traveled to Washington D.C. On that day, I went to the Vietnam Memorial, and found your name amoung the thousands of names on the wall. I then took out a piece of paper and pencil, and rubbed your name onto my paper. I now have a sketching of your name, and I will keep this paper as a reminder of your importance and courage.
Monday, May 26, 2003
Bonnie Smith
bonbon1133@hotmail.com
Hello again. I don't really know why I'm writing to you again. I've been feeling lonely and was just looking through all my past things and thought of you. I just kinda needed someone to talk to, if that's ok. Did you ever wish that you could see God's plan for you? That you didn't always have to wonder what was going to happen to you, or if you were making the right choices? Did you ever just wish you knew what your heart was really telling you to do? It's hard. Life is so unexpected, and throws you so many curves you are not prepared to handle. I think about you and how you most likely never expected to die during war. It's just weird to think that every thing you do, every choice you make, effects everything else that is to come. Oh well. I hope you don't mind me just talking to you, I just needed someone. Thanks again for everything
Sunday, November 13, 2005
ANONYMOUS AND GRATEFUL
SO YOUNG! SO BRAVE! HOW CAN IT BE THAT SOMEONE SO YOUNG CAN GIVE THEIR LIFE FOR FREEDOM AND SO FEW ACKNOWLEDGE HIS SACRIFICE. SOME OF US CARE. THANK YOU SEEMS SO INADEQUATE BUT IT'S ALL I HAVE.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
We Remember
Lonnie is buried at Oakland Memorial Park in Terrel, TX. PH
My Hero DAD
I miss you alot. There's not a day that goes by, I don't think of you. Your grand daughter ask about you all the time, your pictures are posted around the house and you are never far from our hearts. Mom still won’t talk about you but it’s ok, Aunt Jo and I talk and cry all the time. We love you and miss you.
Posted by: Susie Smith / daugther
Email: susiesmith1548@aol.com
Relationship: He is my father
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
My 2nd post (well 3rd kinda :)
I hate to see the remembrance page blank for you, so I wanted to add something for you to read. You deserve much more than just a posting on an email site, I know. It's been a year since I've last written, and I just want you to know that I still think about you, and care for you! (your friend also helped as a reminder)
Posted by: Bonnie Smith
Relationship: Friends that haven't met...yet
Thursday, May 20, 2004
30 Apr 2002
Staff Sergeant Lonnie Smith served 4 years in the Navy before joining the Army in November 1960. He served continuously in the Army until his death in 1967, after almost 9 months' Vietnam service. Before his tour in Vietnam, he served in Korea and with the 64th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division. In Vietnam, Staff Sergeant Lonnie Smith was a tank commander in C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry. In early 1967, he participated in the famed battles around Hill 881 near the Marine base at Khe Sanh, southeast of the Laos/North Vietnam/South Vietnam border area. With just over three months remaining on his Vietnam tour, Lonnie was killed in action. I am told he was a hero. When one of his men couldn't get his tank's turrent hatch closed, my father ran to the tank and shut the hatch. He received his fatal wounds before he could return to his own tank. Lonnie's sister, JoAnn Jackson, and many nieces live in San Antonio, Texas. He is loved dearly and will never be forgotten. I was only 3 years old when my father died in Vietnam, and I have many unanswered questions about his service there. I would love the opportunity to speak with anyone who knew my father, or anyone who served with him or under his command. I desperately want answers to those unanswered questions.
Please email me or call me at 214-914-1548 (cell).
Susanne Smith
3109 Sandra Ln Rowlett Texas 75088
PATRIOT'S REWARD
Under the mounds of earth and dew,
beneath the sky above,
wrapped in a chest of mahogany hue,
beneath the world they loved,
Remembered and loved,
these ageless men,
never again to rise,
resting as only the brave men
can under the threatening skies.
His love of land was once so great,
he died to give her birth,
and now at last we dedicate
protection by the Earth.
A Note from The Virtual Wall
On 19-20 May 1967 Companies A and C 2/35th Inf, combined with C Troop 3/4th Cav, were in action at the village of Vinh Hien, about 3 miles northwest of Duc Pho in Quang Ngai Province. The two day battle saw the Cacti claim 89 VC killed in action and a major VC complex destroyed, but at the cost of nine American dead:
A Co, 2nd Bn, 35th Inf Rgt
SP4 Carl D. Nagengast, Long Beach, CA
PFC Rudolph R. Corona, Pacific Grove, CA
PFC Carnell E. Watson, Houston, TX
C Co, 2nd Bn, 35th Inf Rgt
PFC Gary M. Killian, Hazel Park, MI
PFC Joseph Ledesma, San Jose, CA
PFC Roland E. Rush, Kensington, GA
C Trp, 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav Rgt
SSG Lonnie L. Smith, Terrell, TX
SGT Ivy M. McCarroll, Covington, LA
C Btry, 2nd Bn, 9th Arty Rgt
1LT William H. Farmer, Fayetteville, NC (Silver Star) (FO w/ C/2/35; DoW 05/29/1967)
The 35th Infantry web site has an extract of the After Action Report which describes the circumstances of SSG Smith's death:
"At 0900H [on 20 May], A/2-35 located a VC bunker complex 100 meters west of their night location. An engineer squad from D Company, 65th Eng Battalion, was airlifted with explosives to the LZ and was carried by an APC to that location. Elements from both C/3-4 Cav and A/2-35 provided security while the engineers worked on the destruction of the VC. camp and its bunker complex.
"At 1221H, this work party came under attack by the enemy. Firing RPG-2's, the enemy hit one of the APC's, killing the track commander and driver. The APC was destroyed. In reinforcing the engineer work party A/2-35 (-) and C/3-4 Cav (-) met heavy enemy resistance, but aggressively fought through it driving them to the southwest." |
