6 May 68

[Bruce Swander]

Early in the morning, one soldier (from Louisiana) is hit by a dud M-79 round that may have come from the ARVN's. The plt found the unexpeded round, with some flesh still on it. Can anyone put a name to this WIA?

About an hour previously, Pfc Bobby Childs had been hit and subsequently dies before being dusted off. He is the first casualty of A Co in-country.

I will be posting various A Co incidents in order to put names to faces based on the Bn Daily logs. Anyone that can fill in details (e.g. platoon numbers) would be helpful.

[Niner Alpha]

I've been cleaning up old posts by posting back pictures long lost in links. And I saw this post by Bruce.

Later there was a response on the Wall page under Child's name. It is as follows:

[SFC Otis E. Saunders (Ret.)]

I was at Bobby's side the morning he died. I took a wound myself and was later shipped back to the States for 18 months of recovery. Bobby was one of the best guys I served with in my career in the Army. I tried to go back to Vietnam to avenge his death but they wouldn't let me. It appeared that he took a full load from an ak47. He will always be remembered by me.

SFC Otis E. Saunders (Ret.)

[Tee]

I believe the soldier hit by the M79 round to be Sgt. Land. I was also there when Bobby Childs was KIA byAK47 fire.