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SGT - E5 - Army - Selective Service
20 year old Single, Caucasian, Male Born on Dec 03, 1948 From LUDLOW, KENTUCKY His tour of duty began on Nov 27, 1968 Casualty was on Dec 13, 1968 in HUA NGHIA, SOUTH VIETNAM HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE Body was recovered Religion ROMAN CATHOLIC Panel 36W - - Line 13 More information on December 13th 1968 Pictures are courtesy of his family
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IN MAY OF THIS YEAR (2000)THERE WAS A HIGHWAY MARKER ERECTED BY THE KENTUCKY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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Pictured from left to right: Lou (brother), Mil (sister), Gayle (sister),
Dan Hartnagel, Renee' (sister).
Dan Hartnagel a squad member and friend to Ron met with his family and spent the day sharing memories. He was with Ron the day he was killed.
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“DO BE CAREFUL SON”
MEMORIES OF MY BROTHER RON SHALL NEVER LEAVE
I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND CLIMBING TREES
I PICTURE THE TIME WE WOULD PLAY TOGETHER
AND SEE THE DAYS WE USED TO SWIM WITH EACH OTHER
I SEE THE LAKE WHERE I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO SWIM
RON WOULD SAY, “HEY MIKE” THEN DIVE OFF THAT BARREL OF TIN
I SEE THOSE CAMPS HE AND I WOULD MAKE IN THE WOODS
SEEMS AS THOUGH I ALWAYS PICTURE HIM LIVELY AND FULL OF GOOD
WE EACH HAD A NICK NAME, I CALL HIM “DESSERT EYE”
IT WAS BECAUSE HE’D ALWAYS SQUINT AND LOOK AS IF TO CRY
WE’D CAMP OUT AND ROAM THOSE OLD WOODS AT NIGHT
WE TAUGHT OURSELVES TO SEE WITHOUT A GUIDING LIGHT
IN THOSE WOODS WE PLAYED, WE’D SEARCH FOR EVERY BIRDS NEST
THEN WATCH THE EGGS EACH DAY AND AWAIT THE TIME FOR THEIR TEST
WE’D WANT TO RAISE IT, FEED, THEN PET IT IF IT SEEMED TO CRY
OH HOW SAD IT MADE US WHEN WE DUG THE HOLE FOR SOME HAD DIED
SOON WE GREW OLDER AND EACH HAD FOUND OUR OWN LITTLE JOBS
I WORKED WITH HARDWARE AND HE WORKED WITH GROCERIES AND CORN COBS
WE WORKED IN THE LOCAL STORES IN OUR HOME TOWN
NOT MAKING MUCH BUT WE WERE HAPPY NOT LOAFING AROUND
RON AND I LOVED ONE THING BUT FROM MOM WE KNEW IT HAD TO BE HIDDEN
WE BOTH LOVED GUNS BUT TO OUR MOM IT WAS SOMETHING FORBIDDEN
MOM USED TO SAY SHE NEVER WANTED A GUN IN THE HOUSE
SHE HATED THEM LIKE MOST WOMEN HATE A LIVE MOUSE
NEVER HAD SHE CONSENTED TO US REALLY HAVING ONE
BUT WHEN SHE KNEW WE HAD ONE SHE SAID “DO BE CAREFUL SON”
WE KNEW THE DANGERS OF HUNTING WITH A LOADED GUN
AND SURELY NEVER DID TAKE CHANCES AND IT MADE IT LOTS OF FUN
COULD IT BE MY MOTHER KNEW SOMETHING IN HER MIND AND HEART
IT WAS THOUGH SHE COULD FORESEE A CERTAIN LITTLE PART
NOW WE GREW A LITTLE OLDER AND THE TIME HAD REALLY COME
UNCLE SAM WAS NOW TEACHING US HOW TO HANDLE A GUN
I WAS THE FIRST TO JOIN AND I CAME AS A UNITED STATES MARINE
LEARNED THE WEAPONS THEN TRAINED AS A TEAM
LATER MY OLDER BROTHER LOU FOLLOWED ME INTO THE CORP
HE ALSO LEARNED AND TRAINED AS I DID BEFORE
WE BOTH ARE VETERANS AND SEEN THE HELL CALLED VIET NAM
AND NEEDLESS TO SAY WE DONE OUR PART FOR UNCLE SAM
I’LL NEVER FORGET THOSE TIMES WHEN I CAME HOME ON THOSE PLANES
THE JOY IN MY FAMILY’S EYES WAS ALMOST AS IF THEY WERE INSANE
THEN MY BROTHER LOU ARRIVED AFTER I HAD LEFT AGAIN
THE AIRPORT MY FAMILY SAID WAS ALMOST LIKE A HOME FOR THEM
OUR MEMORIES OF THOSE COME AND GO’S WERE ALL SO FAST
THE LEAVES WE HAD ON FURLOUGHS NEVER SEEMED TO LAST
THEN CAME THE TIME OUR OVERSEAS TOUR WAS FINALLY DONE
MY BROTHER LOU AND I WERE HOME AT LAST FOR BETTER DAYS TO COME
ONCE WHILE I WAS HOME ON LEAVE I WAS SO ANXIOUS TO SHOOT MY GUN
AGAIN I HEAR THE REPEAT OF MY MOM’S WORDS “DO BE CAREFUL SON”
I OFTENED WONDERED WHY THIS HATE SHE HAD FOR SUCH A THING
SHE NEVER LIKED THE SOUND WHEN A SHOT WOULD RING
NOW MY BROTHER RON WAS DRAFTED IN THE ARMY FOR HIS TWO YEAR DECREE
PROUD OF HIS UNIFORM AS HE TRAINED IN THE U.S. INFANTRY
HE KNEW HIS JOB AND THERE IS NO DOUBT HE KNEW IT WELL
RON WAS A SERGEANT AND LEADER IN THE FIELDS CALLED “HELL”
HE WAS TRAINED AND READY AND SO WERE HIS FIGHTING MEN
NOW ANOTHER ONE OUT OF OUR FAMILY MUST FIGHT AGAIN
RON WANTED TO GO AND NOTHING WOULD CHANGE HIS MIND
HE FELT IT HIS DUTY TO SEEK THE ENEMY AND TO FIND
IT WASN’T LONG WHEN MY MOTHER HAD THIS UNUSAL DREAM
SHE HEARD HIS VOICE CALL “MOM” IT WAS GENTLE NOT A SCREAM
NOW SHE HAD A FEELING SHE HAD NEVER NEVER FELT BEFORE
AND THEN IT SEEMED TO WORSEN WITH THE KNOCK UPON THE DOOR
SHE ANSWERED AND GREETED A SERGEANT STANDING IN UNIFORM
HE HAD TO BREAK THE NEWS THAT HIT THE HOUSE LIKE A STORM
YES, MY LITTLE BROTHER RON WAS LISTED AS KILLED IN VIET NAM
HE DIED WITH THE PRIDE AND DIGNITY OF BEING A U.S.A. INFANTRYMAN
NOW MY THOUGHTS WANDER BACK, YES BACK TO MY MOM
AND IT STRIKES ME NOW AS HARD AS A BOMB
I NOW KNOW WHY SHE HATED THAT THING THAT MADE A BANG
FOR IT SUNK A HOLE IN HER HEART LIKE A RATTLESNAKE’S FANG
WHAT CAN I SAY, “RON AND I SURE HAD OUR FUN??”
WHAT ABOUT MY HEART BROKEN MOM, WHO SAID, “DO BE CAREFUL SON”
Written by: Cpl. Michael J. Niewahner, U.S.MC.
December 1968
I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND CLIMBING TREES
I PICTURE THE TIME WE WOULD PLAY TOGETHER
AND SEE THE DAYS WE USED TO SWIM WITH EACH OTHER
I SEE THE LAKE WHERE I TAUGHT HIM HOW TO SWIM
RON WOULD SAY, “HEY MIKE” THEN DIVE OFF THAT BARREL OF TIN
I SEE THOSE CAMPS HE AND I WOULD MAKE IN THE WOODS
SEEMS AS THOUGH I ALWAYS PICTURE HIM LIVELY AND FULL OF GOOD
WE EACH HAD A NICK NAME, I CALL HIM “DESSERT EYE”
IT WAS BECAUSE HE’D ALWAYS SQUINT AND LOOK AS IF TO CRY
WE’D CAMP OUT AND ROAM THOSE OLD WOODS AT NIGHT
WE TAUGHT OURSELVES TO SEE WITHOUT A GUIDING LIGHT
IN THOSE WOODS WE PLAYED, WE’D SEARCH FOR EVERY BIRDS NEST
THEN WATCH THE EGGS EACH DAY AND AWAIT THE TIME FOR THEIR TEST
WE’D WANT TO RAISE IT, FEED, THEN PET IT IF IT SEEMED TO CRY
OH HOW SAD IT MADE US WHEN WE DUG THE HOLE FOR SOME HAD DIED
SOON WE GREW OLDER AND EACH HAD FOUND OUR OWN LITTLE JOBS
I WORKED WITH HARDWARE AND HE WORKED WITH GROCERIES AND CORN COBS
WE WORKED IN THE LOCAL STORES IN OUR HOME TOWN
NOT MAKING MUCH BUT WE WERE HAPPY NOT LOAFING AROUND
RON AND I LOVED ONE THING BUT FROM MOM WE KNEW IT HAD TO BE HIDDEN
WE BOTH LOVED GUNS BUT TO OUR MOM IT WAS SOMETHING FORBIDDEN
MOM USED TO SAY SHE NEVER WANTED A GUN IN THE HOUSE
SHE HATED THEM LIKE MOST WOMEN HATE A LIVE MOUSE
NEVER HAD SHE CONSENTED TO US REALLY HAVING ONE
BUT WHEN SHE KNEW WE HAD ONE SHE SAID “DO BE CAREFUL SON”
WE KNEW THE DANGERS OF HUNTING WITH A LOADED GUN
AND SURELY NEVER DID TAKE CHANCES AND IT MADE IT LOTS OF FUN
COULD IT BE MY MOTHER KNEW SOMETHING IN HER MIND AND HEART
IT WAS THOUGH SHE COULD FORESEE A CERTAIN LITTLE PART
NOW WE GREW A LITTLE OLDER AND THE TIME HAD REALLY COME
UNCLE SAM WAS NOW TEACHING US HOW TO HANDLE A GUN
I WAS THE FIRST TO JOIN AND I CAME AS A UNITED STATES MARINE
LEARNED THE WEAPONS THEN TRAINED AS A TEAM
LATER MY OLDER BROTHER LOU FOLLOWED ME INTO THE CORP
HE ALSO LEARNED AND TRAINED AS I DID BEFORE
WE BOTH ARE VETERANS AND SEEN THE HELL CALLED VIET NAM
AND NEEDLESS TO SAY WE DONE OUR PART FOR UNCLE SAM
I’LL NEVER FORGET THOSE TIMES WHEN I CAME HOME ON THOSE PLANES
THE JOY IN MY FAMILY’S EYES WAS ALMOST AS IF THEY WERE INSANE
THEN MY BROTHER LOU ARRIVED AFTER I HAD LEFT AGAIN
THE AIRPORT MY FAMILY SAID WAS ALMOST LIKE A HOME FOR THEM
OUR MEMORIES OF THOSE COME AND GO’S WERE ALL SO FAST
THE LEAVES WE HAD ON FURLOUGHS NEVER SEEMED TO LAST
THEN CAME THE TIME OUR OVERSEAS TOUR WAS FINALLY DONE
MY BROTHER LOU AND I WERE HOME AT LAST FOR BETTER DAYS TO COME
ONCE WHILE I WAS HOME ON LEAVE I WAS SO ANXIOUS TO SHOOT MY GUN
AGAIN I HEAR THE REPEAT OF MY MOM’S WORDS “DO BE CAREFUL SON”
I OFTENED WONDERED WHY THIS HATE SHE HAD FOR SUCH A THING
SHE NEVER LIKED THE SOUND WHEN A SHOT WOULD RING
NOW MY BROTHER RON WAS DRAFTED IN THE ARMY FOR HIS TWO YEAR DECREE
PROUD OF HIS UNIFORM AS HE TRAINED IN THE U.S. INFANTRY
HE KNEW HIS JOB AND THERE IS NO DOUBT HE KNEW IT WELL
RON WAS A SERGEANT AND LEADER IN THE FIELDS CALLED “HELL”
HE WAS TRAINED AND READY AND SO WERE HIS FIGHTING MEN
NOW ANOTHER ONE OUT OF OUR FAMILY MUST FIGHT AGAIN
RON WANTED TO GO AND NOTHING WOULD CHANGE HIS MIND
HE FELT IT HIS DUTY TO SEEK THE ENEMY AND TO FIND
IT WASN’T LONG WHEN MY MOTHER HAD THIS UNUSAL DREAM
SHE HEARD HIS VOICE CALL “MOM” IT WAS GENTLE NOT A SCREAM
NOW SHE HAD A FEELING SHE HAD NEVER NEVER FELT BEFORE
AND THEN IT SEEMED TO WORSEN WITH THE KNOCK UPON THE DOOR
SHE ANSWERED AND GREETED A SERGEANT STANDING IN UNIFORM
HE HAD TO BREAK THE NEWS THAT HIT THE HOUSE LIKE A STORM
YES, MY LITTLE BROTHER RON WAS LISTED AS KILLED IN VIET NAM
HE DIED WITH THE PRIDE AND DIGNITY OF BEING A U.S.A. INFANTRYMAN
NOW MY THOUGHTS WANDER BACK, YES BACK TO MY MOM
AND IT STRIKES ME NOW AS HARD AS A BOMB
I NOW KNOW WHY SHE HATED THAT THING THAT MADE A BANG
FOR IT SUNK A HOLE IN HER HEART LIKE A RATTLESNAKE’S FANG
WHAT CAN I SAY, “RON AND I SURE HAD OUR FUN??”
WHAT ABOUT MY HEART BROKEN MOM, WHO SAID, “DO BE CAREFUL SON”
Written by: Cpl. Michael J. Niewahner, U.S.MC.
December 1968
