Loss of friend adds an element of compassion to life of a Vet stationed on board a Hospital Ship
Posted for: BARRY HENNETT WILLIAMS:
A fellow high school classmate, a football teammate and together God & Country award recipients from Boy Scouts your memory struck me deeply when I "found" you at the Wall several years ago. News of your demise hit me while on board the Hospital Ship - USS Sanctuary in the I Corp area. At the time, taking on casulties including those troops from the Quang Tri region, your news gave me an eerie feeling and sorrow for the loss of yet another good person. With so many casulties and death aboard our ship, the "smoke" really didn't clear for me until I saw you at the wall. That earlier eerie and sorrowful feeling I felt for you in Vietnam welled up inside me in a much more profound way as you put a meaningful face on those troops who passed over our decks. Then - all those names surrounding yours - it was more than I could resist. My sudden case of weeping upon finding your name was staggering as it broke down my ability to block out the compassion I should have felt seeing the casulties aboard our ship. It was an unusual and crazy time for all of us but I take this opportunity now to say to an old acqaintence and friend, I salute you and God Bless you and your family. You added something to my life in the passing of your life - Thanks Barry - you still have a teammate who remembers.

Bill (William L.) Bowen
LtJG USNR
USS Sanctuary (AH-17)
Vietnam 1969-1970
Posted by: Bill Bowen
Email:
Relationship: High School Classmate and Friend
Wednesday, November 18, 1998
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