S P E C I A L S U P P L E M E N T T O S M O K E S I G N A L S • M A Y 2 0 1 0

T H E S O L D I E R ’ S C R E E D

I am an American Soldier

The setting sun is reflected in the granite of this memorial honoring soldiers from the college who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. The marker is located at Livsey Field on the campus of North Georgia College and

State University.

PHOTO BY RANDY LEWIS

I am a warrior and member of a team

I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values I will always place the mission first I will never accept defeat I will never quit I will never leave a fallen comrade

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself I am an expert and I am a professional

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life I am an American Soldier

“ ‘Damn it, Dick,’, he said, ‘I have a plane to catch back to my unit. Take care of yourself.’ He grabbed his rifle and was off to a waiting helicopter. He was killed that afternoon trying to get his unit out of harm’s way.”

Capt. George Everett Perry III

Capt. Dick Scharf Corps of Engineers, 9th Infantry Division

eorge Everett Perry III was born in Michigan on Christmas Day in 1940. We first met during Beast Barracks at the United States Military Academy in June of 1959. Once we completed that character building phase of our lives, we spent the next four years together in Company H-2 along with 26 other classmates who became a mini- band of brothers.

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I remember the infamous “shot lines” where we would line up in alphabetical order and weave our way through uniformed corpsmen primed to poke and jab our arms. Frequently I would say something to George as he approached the first needle. George would always pause just long enough to look back at me as he got “shot” in both arms. Constantly struggling with academics, we all helped him wrestle with math, physics and engineering.

George graduated with the rest of us on June 5, 1963 and the next time we met was in Long Binh, South Vietnam. I was just arriving as George was scheduled to leave the next day. While we were sharing a Coke and remembering old stories, a report came into the transition station that George’s unit in the 101st Airborne Division was pinned down and taking heavy casualties.

“Damn it, Dick,” he said, “I have a plane to catch back to my unit. Take care of yourself.” He grabbed his rifle and was off to a waiting helicopter. He was killed that afternoon trying to get his unit out of harm’s way.

That was the kind of man he was — a true brother in arms. He was loyal, trustworthy and committed to his men and his country.

Thanks to men just like George Perry we all have our freedoms protected but what a price to pay.

Rest in Peace, George.

He did not suffer but his wife and son did after the tragic news was hand delivered in a letter of regret from the President of the United States.

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He was a quiet, experienced, decisive leader profoundly respected by his men. We had many conversations about what we were doing in this strange, hot, humid place where the enemy was seldom recognizable.

Presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson had told us we were to win the hearts and minds of the people in a war of insurgency. President Kennedy, in a training film, had called it “the third challenge.” Staff Sgt. Owen was one of those who took that to heart and applied his ingenuity to it.

The “buffalo boys” were most interesting locals. They steered their frightening killer beasts by tapping their flanks with a stick.

As we encountered kids — all cute and funny — the sergeant always had a happy greeting for them. He would say, “They are why we are here.” Recently looking at my pictures of that country I remembered Staff Sgt. Owen’s wonderful mixture of caring and battlefield competence. Then I recalled being recently among some veterans treated to lunch by a local young Vietnamese businessman. He, our guest speaker, was not to get the meal check but he had already taken care of it. As he departed he said, “It is a small token to thank you for all you did for my coun-

try.”

I thought of Staff Sgt. Thurman Wayne Owen and wondered if he might be smiling from some far off place.

“As we encountered kids – all cute and funny –

the sergeant always had a happy greeting for them. He would say, ‘They are why we are here’.”

Staff Sergeant Thurman Owen

1st Lt. Willis “Bill” Wilson First Battalion, Third Marine Regiment

arine Staff Sgt. Thurman Owen had served his country for 10 years on April 2, 1966 when he was killed while leading his men in combat. North Vietnamese mortar shrapnel killed him instantly.

Twenty-seven men, who attended North Georgia College and State University and gave their lives in service to their country while serving in the Republic of Vietnam, were honored on April 17, 2010 in a special memorial

ceremony at the College. PHOTO BY RANDY LEWIS

This monument honors soldiers from Dawson County who have been lost in combat. PHOTO BY RANDY LEWIS Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5