THE WALL OF FACES

I JUST GOT BACK FROM HONORING DOUG AND OTHERS AT THE MOVING VN WALL. IT WAS ALSO MY HONOR.

I KNEW DOUG FROM HIGH SCHOOL. WE LOST TOUCH SOON AFTER. I JOINED THE USAF, MY LAST YEAR WAS AT PHU CAT AB VIET NAM. I WAS SO SORRY TO LEARN FROM HIS SISTER WHAT HAPPENED. DOUG SHIRLEY, BIG HEART, GREAT GUY.
THANKS DOUG!

We went to the same High Point schools for years. Of the 400 or so graduates in our senior class, his was absolutely the warmest smile; always a fine moment to greet him. Years after I learned his fate, I found his resting place in Arlington. The age of his marker looked like Civil War Era. In his short life, he achieved what most of us take a lifetime to fully learn. Wish we still had him. I Will always remember him on July 22nd.

Doug and I lived in the same neighborhood in High Point. We went through school together from elementary (Johnson St) through high school. We both went on to college, Doug to WNC and me to UNC graduating in 1966. Doug had a received a math/science scholarship to WNC. He went into Army and commissioned. I was in AFROTC at UNC and entered active duty in USAF in Nov 66 as a 2nd Lt. I never saw Doug after we graduated from college. At the time of his death in July 69, I was stationed at Yokota AB, Japan. My mother wrote me a letter saying Doug had been wounded and was in the Bien Hoa hospital. I think he lived about 3 weeks and died. My mother wrote me another letter saying Doug had died. I lost a very good friend. I think of him often. What a waste of people and resources in Viet Nam. 58,000 dead and USA gained nothing. My mother attended his funeral in High Point. RIP Doug.

Doug was a dear friend during college and always willing to help anyone that needed a hand. We enjoyed a short time at Ft. Belvoir together before our assignments took us in different directions. I have missed my friend a lot over the years and I finally found my way to Arlington to pay my final respects to my friend. The Good sometimes die too young.