At 1935 hours, 14 March, the US Marines posted an entry in their Command Chronicles that at 1825 hours, on the E portion of DMCB (Marine's DeMilitarized Zone Combat Base), approximately 15 rounds of 130mm High Explosive fuse DD artillery rounds, impacted on the base. One hut was destroyed in subunit 2 area. Three (3) wounded in action from subunit 2. Craters analyzed by S/2, of Alpha Company, 12th Marines (Artillery). Three (3) evacuated wounded US Army personnel and 3 US Army and 4 US Marines received minor wounds. SP5 Symank was survived by wife, Carol A Symank, Clifon Texas as shown in the following Texas newspaper article in March 1968:

The other 6 Texas soldiers announced in the above article are: PFC Edward Lee Milus, Fort Worth Thomas Alton Ferguson, Damon Lowell Thomas Combs, San Antonio Edward Antone Swonke, Jr, Houston Gary Lynn Willman, Dallas PFC Ricardo Campos, San Antonio (From Missing to Hostile Dead) -- The Virtual Wall

Earnest Carl Symank was born on Feburary 2, 1886. He married Annie Richter, daughter of Carl and Wilhelmine Rohfing Richter, on December 10, 1908. Annie Richter was born on July 7, 1887 at New Wehdem Texas. To this union were born 8 children (as was the tradition of big German farming families in the area): Lydia Agnes; Otto Charlie (Tommie Lee's father); Elsie Annie; Marie; Oscar Bill; Earl August; Herman; and Robert Louis Symank. Grandfather Earnest passed away on April 30, 1957. Annie passed away on February 2, 1968, just 6 weeks prior to her grandson being killed in Vietnam. Otto Symank, married Helen Wilmann and they had four children, Tommie Lee, James Brent, Charles, and Michael Symank. Otto passed away in March 1997; Helen in February 2000; James in April 2009 (Age 61) and are currently survived by Charles and Michael and many others of the family. Tommie is with his family in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, Coryell, Texas.

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