Charles Sabatier (Seated). In February 2008, President George W. Bush visited Charles' office to express his thanks and praise for the REALiflines program, which provides one-on-one employment-related services to those who have recently returned from Iraq or Afghanistan.

 

Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn and Charles Sabatier (1988 photo).

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 03 Feb 1968 B Company, 4th Bn, 23rd Infantry, engaged an enemy force in Binh Duong Province northwest of Saigon. Seven Americans died in the engagement and one disappeared. Many were wounded. Those who lost their lives were PFC Leon Anderson, Senatobia, MS SP5 Leslie L. Cowden, Cedar, MN (medic, HHC w/ B/4/23) SP4 Bruce E. Engstrom, White Plains, NY PFC Vernon Z. Johns, Baltimore, MD CPT Eugene M. Korecki, Toledo, OH (B Company Commander) SP4 Charles J. Sabatier, Galveston, TX (WIA, died June 11, 2009) CPL Howard Sadler, Valley Mills, TX PFC Dale H. Schmidt, Harrison, IA PFC Marion E. Wilson, Zanesville, OH PFC Marion Wilson was driving an armored personnel carrier which was hit by a rocket propelled grenade, caught fire, and suffered internal explosions from on-board ammunition. His body could not be extracted from the vehicle before the intense fire and explosions gutted it, nor could identifiable remains be recovered from the wreckage. He was classified as Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered. PFC Vernon Johns was last seen standing in the gunner's hatch of his personnel carrier, firing his .50 caliber machinegun at the enemy, but could not be located following the engagement. He was classed as Missing in Action but later was reclassified as captured. He did not return in 1973 with the other released POWs and was declared dead on 05 July 1978. Promoted while in MIA/POW status, Sergeant First Class Johns' remains were repatriated in 1989 and positively identified on 16 April 1991. SPC Charles J. Sabatier, Company B, was wounded in action when a bullet severed his spinal cord as he crossed the battelfield to help another soldier. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He made it his life's work to be an advocate for veterans and persons with disabilities. He was once the Assistant Advocacy Director of the Paralyzed Veterans of America and later became the organization's director. He also worked as a senior policy analyst for the Office of Disability and Employment Policy at the Department of Labor. He also was executive director of Boston's Commission for Persons with Disabilities. He loved his work and his family - he was married 28 years. He is survived by his wife, Peggy Griffin and their triplets. He passed away on June 11, 2009. His name was added to The Wall in May 2011 . "Doc" John Wood, a member of Company C, related in his 2011 email to The Virtual Wall: I remember the day of February 3, 1968 well. We were behind Bravo Company and they went right into a 3 sided ambush. The Commmanding Officer, Captain Eugene Korecki of Bravo was shot and killed and our Charlie CO, Captain Michael Connors, was also shot in the chest and seriously wounded but lived. It was a "Hell of a day" and I would guess that Mr. Sabatier was in Bravo Company as they took the most casualties that day, both KIA and WIA's. We medevaced a bunch of people that day.

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