colon

SP5 HARRY J COLON

The Troopers of the 409th Army Security Agency Detachment dedicate this page to Harry Colon ,

family and friends for his ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam 21 June 1969 when enroute to 303rd RRBn At

Bien Hoa , was hit by sniper fire.

The info letter about the ASA and about Harry Colon is great. I never got
to see him again after he went in. But it seems like he was well liked. And
that does my heart good.  I was'nt in the service, but my father, brothers,
and my sister just retired from the Air Force after 25 years, i read alot
of all you guys went through, and i know i was'nt there, but i do care and
thank all of you for what you went through for all of us!                 
Sincerley
                                                                           
Debbie (Hyatt) Lane

Hi Marvin,
                   After months of reserch I finally found out where Harry
J. Colon is buried. He is at New St. Raymond Cemetery, Bronx. N.Y.  now I
have the chance to say good-bye to him. Just some info in case someone
wants to know where he is. Take Care

Debbie

THE WALL PANEL 22W-ROW 103 http://www.viewthewall.com

Dear Marvin,

I was happy to find your web site today, which set my mind finally at ease over the death of Harry Colon some 32 years ago. When I first visited the Washington memorial in 1996, I was finally able to pay my respects.

In the short time that Harry was in my unit (856th RRD), we became good friends, though I was in our forward unit most of the time (Blackhorse and Xuan Loc) while he was working supply in the "rear with the beer." The day after his death, I had to quell a near mutiny among a few of the guys in my section who refused a direct order from a "weed" operations Lt. to drive up to Xuan Loc to deliver some crypto pads to the forward unit. It wasn't so much that the guys were afraid to go back on that road, but as it turned out, they were merely refusing out of respect for Harry whom we all liked. I took the pads up in a jeep with a lonely "shotgun," and have to admit, that as we rounded that turn near the kiln site (there was a high bank on the east side of the road where the sniper was allegedly positioned) about 15 kilometers from BMB, my heart sank as I raced the engine and ducked all the way through that small pass.

I was always curious where Harry's family lived in New York, as I had wanted at some point to visit his mother when I was in school there after I got out of the Army. I thought it was Queens, but never knew how to reach her or any family members.

In 1992 I returned to Viet Nam and was granted permission to go up to the DaLat (at that time off-limits to American tourists). I drove up that same road (which has been widened considerably) and found the same fateful bend. I thought of Harry. On my way back I returned via Xuan Loc, and drove the 60 to 80 kilometers over monsoon beaten roads to Ba Ria and back to Saigon. Blackhorse was nothing more than an overgrown pepper plantation, though my mandated "tour guide" (a civilian police officer) finally admitted that it had been the site of an infamous "re-education" camp after 1975. Much of the city (town) of Xuan Loc had been leveled just before the fall of Saigon, though a few of the French -built barracks of the 18th ARVN Division were still standing. I always thought Blackhorse was one of the most depressing and isolated places in the world, and was happy to have only spent a few rainy months there.

Anyway, enough rambling. I do appreciate your website and dedication to Harry.

Best of luck.

Larry Neber

856th RRD (9/67 - 6/70)