Arrived RVN: September 1968
Left RVN: June 1969
Company: C
Platoon: 2nd
Squad: 1st
email: harlessbelcher@yahoo.com
Harless Belcher
My name is Harless Belcher, I served with C Co., 2 plt, 1st sq with the Triple Deuce from Sept '68 to June of '69. I have several photo albums of myself, the guys I served with, our equipment, and the surrounding area.
A little information about the men in these pictures: I was wounded 6/11/1969, lost my right arm, and wounded my right leg. Charles Paree helped me, put a tourniquet on my arm. He made it back home. Melvin Grey was wounded too, but returned home. Thomas Poldino was KIA 3/11/1969.
Harless Belcher
More from Harless:
Here is Harless Belcher's army story: I was drafted April 3, 1968 at Roanoke, VA, & sent to Ft. Bragg, NC for basic training, where they tried to train us to death!!!!
We trained 7 days a week. From Ft. Bragg I was sent to Ft. Polk, LA. Everyone knew what that meant: VIETNAM. After surviving Ft. Polk, I indeed was sent to VIETNAM> with a 11B MOS. I arrived in Nam Sept. 3, '68. After a week of orientation, I was assigned to C-Co. 2-22, & chosen by SSGT. Block into the 2nd PLT.
As memory serves I moved to a different squad later. My 1st day out we managed to kill a water buffalo. The 2nd day out, Sept. 19 '68, I got my 1st taste of combat & death. War is never pretty. After 3 months of humping my M-16 & the M-60, I moved to .50 gunner, & then on to driver of the APC.
There is too many battles to mention all, but 1 needs to be mentioned. 14 Jan. '69. C-C0. lost 8 good men that day. I will never forget. Of the 8, 1 was awarded the medal of honor, Lt. John Earl Warren, Jr......R.I.P. to all who died in this war. I was wounded 11 June '69 when my right arm was shot off by shrapnel from an RPG. Lucky to survive, thanks to quick medical aid from Doc Bruce Smith & Doc Riley Nedela, I made it. But my friend did not, Robert Glenn Sekva "Augie". I think we all ask 'why not me instead'?
In 2010 I became a member of the VietnamTripleDeuce.org. Since then I have enjoyed re-connecting with the man of C.Co. that I served with, & helping others to re-connect. Since joining, I have been fortunate to be able to visit Charlie Paree in Tampa, FLA, Jim Lally in Jackson, Ga., Mike Poldino in FLA {Mike is the brother of Thomas Poldino, who was KIA 11 March '69}....& most recently, I visited with "Doc" Bruce Smith in PA. Several of the guys have also visited me in my home in VA, including Charlie Jackson from Allentown, PA, & Malcolm "Bullwinkle" Carroll, from Durham NC. {also Paree & Lally have been here}. I have talked by phone or e-mail with many others---it's always a thrill to hear from these guys after 40 + yrs.!
Harless "Bird" Belcher
Hope to see you in Atlanta,
I was SP-4
C. CO.
2nd BN,
22ND INF REG
25th DIV
Sept. '68-June '69