Memorial Day weekend 2014 Lance Corporal Paul Cowan. Paul Cowan and I were best friends since we were 6 years old in YMCA. We played baseball. Paul was the Catcher; the toughest job on the Team. I will remember the image of Paul with the gear on; dirt from head to toe. He was cocky at 6. Smartest kid in the league. He would have been a wonderful man; if he had got the chance. Lets move ahead 12 years to September 1967. I was home on leave getting ready to go to Viet Nam. Paul had just graduated from Marine Boot Camp and was on a weekend pass from Camp Pendleton. I new he was home; so I stopped by to see him. He was with his girl friend and her twin sister. They were two of the most beautiful Latinas I had ever seen. Paul and I looked at each other and smiled. Life was grand. Lets move ahead 20 months. May 1969. I was at the end of my second tour..... I had a couple days left of my 19 months and 20 days in country. I came down from the DMZ to check out of my Unit at Dong Ha; and get down to Da Nang to fly out and go back to the World( home). I had learned Paul was a Chopper Mechanic and was stationed in Da Nang. My pals wanted me to stay the last night there, and party with them before going south. I looked out and noticed there was a plane getting ready to take off for Da Dang. I threw a bunch of MPC down for there Beer, and opted to catch the last plane out for the night; and try and see Paul on my last day in Viet Nam. I made the flight; thankfully. That night the Enemy launched a Spring offensive. Where I was supposed to sleep that night in Dong Ha; my quarters took a direct hit from a 122 mm Rocket. It killed everyone in the Hooch. The act of going down to see see Paul; saved me from being killed my last day in Viet Nam. Paul virtually saved my life. Da Nang was under attack as well that night. They didnt let me see Paul because the base was on Red Alert. When I finally got home several days later. Pauls mother called me to tell me Paul was killed the night I flew down to Da Nang. A small piece of shrapnel pierced his heart. A Mortar hit the Airfield. I never thought he was in danger. Da Nang was a safe place, and I was relieved he was stationed there. My heart will always be broken. He was the most amazing kid I had ever known. Everyone loved him. One of 58,000 plus names on the Wall. A few years after Paul died his Father committed Suicide. The pain of war lives on, and on, and on......, Semper Fi Brother..... You are a true hero!!!
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 00:24:43 +0000
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