22 Nov 2003 Randy and I first met at Ft. Benning, Ga. at the Army Infantry NCO School. We were proud graduates of the 25th Class 85th Company on 4 June 68. After a short stateside assignment, we were sent to Vietnam. We were happy to be assigned to the same unit - Alpha Company 1st/16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. at Lai Khe. We were reassigned as a whole Battlion to the 9th Infantry Division on 28 Sep 68 and moved south to Rach Kien. Randy was a squad leader in the 2nd platoon and I was a squad leader in 1st platoon. We shared our leadership experiences with each other and each respected the other's opinions very much. Randy was so lighthearted and easygoing as an individual, but when it concerned his men and their well-being, he was a dedicated and determined leader. Randy and I shared the same home state, so we naturally talked a lot about back home and our families. He was a dedicated family man. That tragic 18 Oct 68 day that we lost Sgt. Welch and several others to an enemy ambush still remains etched in my memories forever. Randy perished that day doing what he had been trained to do so well. He was providing leadership to a group of men who respected him very much. I was contacted by Randy's nephew last year to tell him about his Uncle Randy. It was with pride I told him what an excellent soldier Randy was and how he died as a true American Hero. We miss you, Randy.

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall The 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, arrived in Vietnam in October 1965 as a unit of the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade. As noted above, in the summer of 1968 it was decided to reorganize the battalion as mechanized infantry. In September 1968 the 5th Bn, 60th Infantry, was reorganized as dismounted divisional infantry and its mechanized assets were transfered to 1/16th Infantry in October 1968. Alpha Company, 1/16th Infantry, lost three men on 18 October 1968: SSG Otis L. Norris, Champaign, IL SGT Larry D. Bennett, Oklahoma City, OK SGT Randall E. Welch, Covington, KY

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