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Hello
Special Forces have a special place in my life due to two friends from my youth.
Captain Billy R. Burns with the 5th Group who passed away recently and MSgt Roy Benavidez had a profound effect on my life as a young man that has stayed with me for all of these years. I so admired these men for their matter of factness and honesty and their devotion to what is right and to their country and for putting up with a boy's endless questions. I am a better man for having known them.
Along the way I've known other Green Berets. Jack Reed who lives in my home town of El Campo, TX and Bob Van Hoesen who was with the 7th Group and is from Wharton, TX 13 miles from me. Jack served in Vietnam in the 5th Group and Bob, well Bob just tells me that officially he was never in Vietnam.
If anyone here reads this and know or knew any of these great men I'd sure like to visit with you in PM's or on the phone. I am especially interested in where Billy Burns was in Vietnam and what he did. I know that he was wounded and that after his military career he became a Pediatrician but we lost touch with each other for for about 20 years. After reconnecting he didn't really want to talk much about Vietnam and he passed away not too many years later.
Thank each of you for your service and know that I and so many others appreciate your sacrifice and you.
I have attached a copy of Bill's obituary for those interested.
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