THE WALL OF FACES

Buddy E Channon was in the 1st Platoon of the 33rd Class of the 71st Co in Fort Benning Georgia in 1968. I was in the 2nd Platoon. We were "Shake and Bake" NCOs. Some called us "Instant NCOs". We were in training to be Infantry Non Commissioned Officers, to replace the ones being killed in Vietnam. I remember Buddy from his photo, and that is about all, it was a large class. There we five of his platoon killed in Vietnam, three of my buddies in my platoon, and a total of 16 out of 145 in our class. Like I said, I don't remember much about Buddy, but I'm sure he was a good man. Why, or how he died, I don't know, other than that we had a dangerous assignment as Infantry NCOs.
My uncle, who survived the Korean War, once told me that getting killed in war was often just the case of being in the "wrong place at the wrong time". A lot of soldiers who came back will tell you that, but the random loss of good men in that war truly haunts me. I'm sorry for Buddy and his family. I wish there was more I could say. I know you deserve more than these few words of rememberance.