39er

John Hamilton  – 39er

       “A day does not go by I don’t think of him.” Words that often reflect the sentiments of those who experienced combat in Vietnam. I had just started opening my daily emails when I read those words, and they immediately brought tears to my eyes. They were part of a comment recently posted on THEDAYSFORWARD in response to a story I had written about my time as a platoon leader in Vietnam. They were not the words of a classmate but of a veteran of my Vietnam unit who only identified himself as “39er”.

           He related how his fellow soldier, a Japanese American, had taken his place on a night patrol and been killed. “Only by the grace of God” had 39er been ordered to stay behind and fix a broken vehicle. I try not to linger on my experience in Vietnam, but there are many days I think about classmates who lost their lives there. Sometimes, pleasant thoughts about what great lives they would have lived had they survived. Other times, thoughts filled with sadness about what happened to so many in my generation in Vietnam and the impact it had on their families and our nation.

           With the help of the caretaker for THEDAYSFORWARD, I found myself later that afternoon on the phone with 39er. As I suspected, “39er” was his Vietnam call sign, which was designated for the third platoon mortar track. My classmate Bill (Ross) Taylor had been his platoon leader, while I had been leader of the First Platoon. I did not remember 39er, but he had closed his comment on THEDAYSFORWARD with, “Hope Lieutenant Hamilton made it home safe”.

           He related that he had returned from the war with physical and mental disabilities and even today had difficulty doing simple tasks such as using a computer.  He had struggled in various jobs on the East Coast for many years before getting his life together and moving to California, where he worked until retirement for the postal service as a disabled veteran. He was now a leader in his local veterans’ organization and a community servant managing a Christmas charity for children. We had a long conversation about our experiences during and after the war, two old veterans, no longer separated by military rank or education but bound by the short time we had spent together in Vietnam.  “I sent an email to Bill Taylor this morning and let him know you are hoping to contact him,” I said when signing off. “I recently learned that Bill has been hospitalized, so I know he will welcome hearing from you. Let’s keep in touch.”   

        I have enjoyed reading the stories of my classmates on THEDAYSFORWARD for many years and have been a contributing author myself. I sometimes forget that thousands of visitors who are touched by our stories are not classmates and that sometimes, like 39er, their response can bless us in the most unexpected ways.                     

Bill Ross Taylor passed away after a long battle with cancer on 18 Oct 2024. The following week, 39er led the Patriot Guard Riders of California in a memorial ceremony at Miramar National Cemetery to honor his Vietnam platoon leader.