Memorial Day is a difficult day to write about and for many to think about as we remember our loved ones - ancestors and veterans - and especially those who died in a war. We remember the patriots of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War and the Spanish American War. More recent are our memories of veterans from World War I, World War II, and Korea. As the veterans of World War II and Korea slip away from us, we look to our Vietnam era veterans and more recent veterans of the wars in the Middle East to carry on our commemoration of Memorial Day.

In the town of Victory, one Vietnam veteran, Lauren Dates, carries on the tradition. He gave an address to the assembled crowd of townsfolk last year on Memorial Day at the Victory Union Cemetery in Victory. Lauren and his wife, Laurie, dote on their grandchildren, and he also gives airplane flying instructions and serves as the Victory town justice.

Lauren helped organize the 40th year reunion of his unit, Company C, 1st Brigade, 503rd Infantry of the 173rd Army Airborne Brigade (the “HERD”) and 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Nov. 9 through 11, in Barnwell, S.C. It was the anniversary of their service in the Vietnam's Central Highlands (borders of Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam - the Iron Triangle) at Ben Het and Dak To during the month of November 1967. Lauren served in the army for three years, 1966-69, of which one year was in Vietnam.

On Veterans Day, 1967 the 170 men of the 1st Brigade, 503rd Infantry known as “Task Force Black,” under the command of Company C's Captain Thomas McElwain, were dropped on a landing zone on Hill 823 near Ben Het. They were ambushed there by the NVA (North Vietnam Army - four regiments), sustained heavy casualties, but continued on eventually to “Operation McArthur” which took 33 days and culminated in the 110-hour fight to gain control of Hill 875 near Dak To.

According to VFW Magazine, March 2006, Tim Dyhouse wrote “U.S. paratroopers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade battled an entrenched and virtually invisible NVA on Hill 875. Some 27 percent of the brigade's GI's were either killed (208) or wounded (645), with rifle companies sustaining 90 percent of the casualties. ... For their bravery and sacrifices of its paratroopers around Dak To, the 173rd earned the Presidential Unit Citation.”

The 173rd Airborne Brigade was organized back in 1917 as an infantry brigade at Camp Pike, Arkansas, a part of the 87th Division.

Through the years it has been demobilized and reactivated to serve in WWII and then in Okinawa in 1963 as the quick reaction force for the Pacific command. During this time the Nationalist Chinese paratroopers gave them the nickname, “Tien Bien” or “Sky Soldiers” as the 173rd trained in making mass parachute jumps. In 1965, they deployed to Vietnam and the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 503rd Infantry were the first major ground combat unit of the U.S. Army 173rd to be sent to the Republic of South Vietnam.

They also staged the only combat parachute jump in the Vietnam conflict on Feb. 22, 1967 called “Operation Junction City.” There were nearly 3,000 soldiers serving the 173rd Airborne Brigade at its peak.

During six years of combat, the unit earned 14 campaign streamers and four unit citations. Sky Soldiers serving in Vietnam received 13 Medals of Honor, 46 Distinguished Service Crosses, 1,736 Silver Stars and more than 6,000 Purple Hearts. On the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. are the names of more than 1,790 Sky Soldiers.

Today the 173rd Airborne Brigade is active in Italy; in Iraq with operation Iraqi Freedom, and in Afghanistan with Operation Enduring Freedom.

For the country music fans, back in October 2006 the country duo of Big & Rich (Big Kenny and John Rich), Lynyrd Skynrd, and others performed at a benefit concert near Atlanta to raise money for the 173rd Airborne National Memorial at the new National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Ga. Big & Rich's song “The 8th of November” honors 173rd veteran Niles Harris who was shot in a jungle firefight in Vietnam on Nov. 8, 1965 during his first tour of Vietnam. Harris, who survived, was recently accompanied by Big & Rich back to Vietnam to revisit his memories and bury his combat boots there. Harris gave Big Kenny the top hat that he still wears in concerts. The benefit was in honor of the 173rd, but recognized the service and sacrifice of all Vietnam veterans and all who have served our nation.

The town of Victory also thanks the 173rd Army Airborne Brigade and all veterans for their service to our country.

This Memorial Day, take a moment from your day to pause and commemorate and yes, honor your ancestors, but also honor our veterans and the men and women in the armed services who serve around the world.

There are many Memorial Day ceremonies in the county this morning. The Cato American Legion LaBuff-Cole Post No. 911 and Sons of the Legion will be serving the towns of Ira, Victory, Conquest and Cato with military services at six different locations today: 8 a.m. at Ira Hill Cemetery; 8:15 a.m. at Ira Union Cemetery, White Road, town of Ira; 8:45 a.m. at the Cato Legion Monument, Legion Street, Cato; 9:20 a.m. at Victory Union Cemetery, Old State Road, Victory; 10:15 a.m. at Conquest Town Hall, Conquest; and at 11 a.m. in Cato with a parade.

Thanks to the Cato Legion LaBuff-Cole Post No. 911 and the Red Creek Legion Peterson-Hall Post No. 436 for placing flags on the veterans graves in our towns and for their dedicated service on Memorial Day.

Beverly Sayles is the Victory tow

historian