THE WALL OF FACES

A great American Indian.

Bruce is buried at Memory Gardens in McAlester,OK. BSM-2OLC ARCOM PH-OLC

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

Mary Frye – 1932

Dear Bruce Deerinwater,

I am a student from Owasso Mid-High School. I just wanted to say thank you for serving and defending our country.

Sincerely,
Laly Vang

I served with Bruce Edward Deerinwater and knew he was a Native American from Oklahoma; he was of the Cherokee tribe.
Eddy was a fine soldier that served as an M-60 assistant gunner with a native Russian named Zupit. He and Zupit wore black sunglasses and black leather gloves in the bush, but no one objected. After all, you could always depend on their machinegun team in a firefight, and by damn they looked cool!
Eddy would have visions/dreams and try to warn us of the events. There is one vision I vividly remember to this day. We had a trooper from Nashville named Charbonneau who had a rose tattoo over each breast. Eddy woke up one day and told him he was getting a third rose. He also told another trooper he could not soar like an eagle with just one wing. Bizarre?????
That day we got mortared while humping ruck; Charbonneau caught shrapnel in his right cheek that lodged in the bone. At the field hospital they cut an overlapping X in the wound, removed the shrapnel and sewed him up. As the wound healed it took on the appearance of a reddish pink rose with no stem. The other trooper caught shrapnel in his shoulder and had his arm in sling; a one winged eagle. After this incident, Eddy was warned by those involved to never again disclose his visions. If we were going to get hit, we would rather not be burdened with too many details. We were in bad enough circumstances without having to worry about his dreams.
I was not in country when Eddy was hit but found out many years later from a friend. He must have been on his second tour, for I served with him in late 1967 and early 1968. I was shocked to hear of his death for I felt if anyone would make it, it would be Eddy. He was just that good.
May his soul forever rest in the loving arms of our Lord God Almighty.