36 years ago today

[Frisbee]

4/3/69 Thua Thien Province RVN

While providing security for the engineers building Route 547 from Camp Eagle to the Ashau Valley, Delta Company 1/506 Inf. and the Recon Platoon 1/506 encounter a unit of the 6th NVA Regiment. During this action three Currahees of D/1/506 are KIA

SFC D J Kelsey
Cpl London Conaway
Sgt Robert T. Johnson

D J Kelsey’s death was a tough one to take…………


SFC Kelsey was a good man and soldier who really shouldn't have been assigned to a line company. He was a lot older then most of us but that’s not why we felt that way. He could out hump just about everyone. It was because he was career Army who had already served in combat during the Korean War so we all figured that he had already spent his “time in hell.” He was always smiling no matter where we were or what we were doing and the last time I saw him alive that's what he was doing - smiling and joking with the point man. We were on a trail approaching a hill and Sgt. Kelsey's platoon received automatic weapons fire and he was KIA along with Johnson and Conaway. They built a Firebase on that hill and we tried to get it named Kelsey but Battalion named it something else but it will always be FSB Kelsey to the men of Delta Company. I'll never forget you, Sergeant Kelsey, and I'm proud to have served with you.

 

[Bombardier]

A wonderful tribute to truly great men.

Thanks for telling us about this Bill

med;

 

[Zofo]

Indeed, I agree with Bomber sal;

 

[Frisco-Kid]

A sharp Airborne salute to these Fallen Eagles. May God keep them near Him.

Bill, try not to feel too bad for Sergeant First Class Kelsey. I served with several of these professional fighting men while with the Airborne. Even after experiencing combat in WWII, Korea, or both, they chose to make the Army in general and the Infantry in particular their vocation and career with their eyes wide open. I'll bet SFC Kelsey wouldn't have had it any other way. It was who he was and what he did. These guys are a special breed of men who America can never thank enough. Like you, I have always felt a great sense of pride to have served under them and fought beside them. It's always extra tough to lose a good man. Hope this helps a little bit, Bro.

 

[Frisbee]

Just a bump. A couple of days late and a dollar short but I haven't forgotten