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BY ROBERT EVERS

This past Sunday, March 29th marked National Vietnam War Veterans Day. It was first proclaimed on March 29, 2012 by President Obama and formally adopted into annual observance by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in 2017. March 29 was chosen as it marks the end of U.S. combat presence in Vietnam on March 29, 1973 after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. Over 2.5 million American servicemen served in-country during the war and millions more served elsewhere during the period 1961-1975.

The Covington Veterans Foundation salutes the Vietnam Veterans of our area and encourages you to thank those whom you know. Below we list those of our county who lost their lives during the war. You can visit www.virtualwall.org, www.togetherweserved.com, and www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces on-line for more information on these fallen servicemen.

Staff Sergeant James Aubrey Cauley  (River Falls)

U.S. Army, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, August 11, 1966 – Province not reported

Private First Class George Wallace Jones (Andalusia)

U.S. Army, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Dec. 22, 1966 – Province Not Reported

Specialist 4 John Wayne Hudgens (Opp)

U.S. Army, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), May 18, 1967 – Quang Ngai

Private First Class Jimmy Earl Darby (Opp)

U.S. Army, Company B, 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, July 10, 1967- Kontum

Specialist 4 Travis Robert Sutton (Andalusia)

U.S. Army, Company B, 20th Engineer Battalion, 937th Engineer Group, 18th Engineer  Brigade , Dec. 24, 1967 – Pleiku

Warrant Officer 1 Horace Gilbert Giddens, Jr. (Andalusia)

U.S. Army, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment (Air Cavalry), February 02, 1968 – Quang Tri

Corporal Michael Wayne Johns (Andalusia)

U.S. Marines , HQSVC Company, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force, February 06, 1968 – Quang Nam

Private First Class Dewey Ray Owens (Andalusia)

U.S. Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry, 198th Light Infantry Brigade , Americal Division, March 16, 1968 – Quang Nam

Private First Class Douglas Sidney Scroggins (Wing)

U.S. Marines, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force, August 18, 1968 – Quang Nam

Lance Corporal Henry Beall Smith, Jr. (Andalusia)

U. S. Marines, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force, August 31, 1968 – Quang Tri

Sergeant Ralph Gerald Dunn (Andalusia)

U.S. Army, Company K, 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger), 4th Infantry Division, February 16, 1969 – Kontum

Sergeant First Class James Kenneth Sutton (Andalusia)

U.S Army, Company C, 5th Special Forces Group, February 25, 1969 – Quang Tri

Lance Corporal Daniel Patrick Thomas, Jr.  (Andalusia)

U.S. Marines CAP 2-3-1, CACO 2-3, 2nd Combined Action Group, May 31, 1969 – Quang Nam

Sergeant Rodney John Evans (Florala)

U.S.  Army, Company D, 1st Battalion, 12th Calvary Regiment, 1st Calvary Division, July 18, 1969 – Tay Ninh

Airman First Class Michael David Gunnels (Andalusia)

U.S. Air Force, 35th Avionics Maintenance Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (Phan Rang Air Base), 7th Air Force, September 26, 1969 – Nihn Thuan

Specialist 4 Max Duane Kersey (Opp)

U.S. Army, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 199th Infantry Brigade, January  05, 1970 – Long Khanh

Specialist 4 James Steven Stanley (Opp)

U.S. Army, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), March 16, 1970 – Thua Thien

Sergeant First Class Cecil Clayton Schofield  (Andalusia)

U.S. Army,  Company E, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), May 23, 1970 – Thua Thien