As we all know, Larry Sutherland passed away on September 29, 2002. When Larry submitted the below photos and comments to me, I encouraged him not to post them. Mainly because he wanted to include the photo that earned him an Article-15. I felt protective of the Vietnam Veterans' reputation, in that too many are too willing to criticize us, especially when it is deserved. Nevertheless, I should have listened to Larry: it was his story to tell, and you know how proud he was of his 822nd buddies...

Don: If I send a photo of all my Nam buddies with me at the Reunion in Goldsboro, NC (Seymour Johnson AFB) would you post it? They are all 822nd CSPS B flight Heavy Weapons. All were with me in Nam and Pleiku with the exception of Pat O'Malley and Bill McGraw who joined us after Nam and went over to close our camp at Phan Rang a year later. Fat, Bald and smiling we are doing the VSPA Guardmount Thing 31 years later! To think that Dec 1998 was the first time I surfed the net and found you. 13 months later I've found half my Pleiku buddies (21) including the Lieutenant! And got to see 15 of them at Seymour Johnson this year. Thanks VSPA!

Larry Sutherland
p.s. Sent my VSPA Dues yesterday... I hope I haven't been dropped from the rolls!
Clifton "Larry" Sutherland

... Don't worry, Larry... you're still on our Rolls and in our hearts...

1968 1) Schofield Barracks: 822nd CSPS. Were we every so young?
2) Pleiku: The training paid off. Still... After a while, it got to be a real drag.
3) ... and boring enough for silly-games. This one cost me an Article-15. YoungAndDumb was one word, and seemed to go hand-in-hand.
4) ... but somehow we all made it home, one way or another.
5) ... some were medevaced... others, made the final flight to rest.
6) For those taking the Freedom Bird, a good book, like The Graduate, is great to have.
7) An ever-present Spad taxis to battle, as wounded are loaded in the aircraft above.
8) Father-Time moves on, as he must.
9) ... and I move full-circle back to Schofield Barracks.