THE WALL OF FACES

Brom German and I attended Officer Candidate School together at Ft Sill, OK where, due to our names being closely linked alphabetically, upon graduation were issued service numbers one digit apart. Brom's was O5424552 and mine O5424553. Probably due to our listing alphabetically, we both attended Parachute School at Ft Benning, GA together and then were both subsequently assigned to the US Army Special Forces at Ft Bragg, NC. In the summer of 1967 we both received orders to the 196th Light Infantry Brigade (later part of the Americal Division) and arrived in the Republic of Vietnam in September 1967. Again, our service numbers, and perhaps the close aphabetic proximity of our names impacted our assignments as Field Artillery Forward Observers. Brom was assigned as the FO for Charlie Company, 2d Battalion, 1St Infantry and me in the same capacity in Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry. We both were serving in the Que Son Valley (SW of Da Nang) when the 2d North Vietnamese Division came into South Vietnam from Laos and turned south to take part in what would be the Tet Offensive in a few weeks. Most US units in the valley were attacked that evening, but Brom's company received perhaps the heaviest penetration of their position by North Vietnamese forces. I talked with Brom several times that evening on our common artillery radio frequency as he helped his Company reorganize in the pitch black jungle night. I eventually lost radio contact with him, but understand he linked with the rest of his unit before being mortally wounded by,as I was told, mortar fire. Brom and I experienced much together and he was a good friend. We were both "soldiers once and young-" and Brom will be both forever. You were an exceptional soldier, Lieutenant. I think of you often.

1st LIEUTENANT

BROMLEY HOWARD GERMAN

was posthumously awarded the

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS