A tale of a Vietnam veteran

Tom Reilly was a Vietnam War veteran.

He was a sole surviving son, so he could have gotten a deferment, but instead he wanted to do his part for his country and accepted being drafted in 1968.

He was assigned to C Company, 3rd battalion, 7th Infantry regiment, 100th Light Infantry Brigade. He was wounded twice in Vietnam, the first time they were about to cross a bridge and a “bouncing betty” came calling.

Reilly recalled, “It popped out of the ground and exploded, 16 of us were taken out in one shot” He took shrapnel in his back close to his spine, and he recalled seeing smoke and fire all around them, the jungle was on fire.

He spent a month in the hospital at Cam Ranh Bay and then was returned to his unit. In April 1969, he was out on patrol covering the action when the unit ran into some “booby traps.”

Once again, he was pummeled with shrapnel, but again survived. Since he had been wounded twice in action, he was allowed to stay at the base for the last month off his tour. He received 2 Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star for meritorious service.

After his release from the Army after the war, he volunteered for duty as a habitat coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation and eventually had a small acreage named for him.

Good for Tom, a deserving veteran.

Roger Gregory is a Vietnam veteran, serving in the 1st Infantry Division, and is business owner in Priest River.