22 April 1999 REMEMBERED by Nancy Whitington Robinson nancyr@abcs.com

 

22 Nov 2005 This is my memorial for Larry Whitington. He was one of our RTOs, radio transmission operator, for the 3rd Pplt Cc/1/2. He carried the radio for our platoon leader, LT John C. Harrison. He had a fiance and missed home. He was a good RTO, always there. We were in base camp when we got mortared. He put on his web gear and went to his bunker. Instead of going through a mudhole and going in the bunker through the back, he went around in front of the bunker to come in from the front opening. We had a new guy on guard and he mistook him for a VC. All Larry had on was some red boxers and his radio, no helmet or uniform. It was dark. The new guy shot him. Larry died that night. A terrible night. I got his radio. I could smell his sweat on the canvas for a day or two. Eerie feeling. He died bravely. He never shirked his duties. He was always trying to improve morale, always cheerful. Some of our dead's survivors wrote our platoon to find out how their loved ones died. I know of no-one who answered any of the mail. It was too painful. We never talked of the dead and let very few people in our hearts. It hurt to lose them. We had our own little groups of special friends and learned not to make friends. We always lost them. I apologise to the families of the dead for not writing to you all. It just hurt too much at the time. I've felt guilty for it all my life. This is making me feel a little better. I hope Larry's kin reads this. I have more memorials to do when I can. I have to be in the mood. I feel a duty to memorialize our friends on here. It's good to find our old buddies. Thanks, Johnny Johnston C/1/2 1966-67 From a friend of Larry's in vietnam, John H Johnston 11215 Garrison Rd, Little Rock, Ar. 72223 apurpleheart@aol.com

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