Sp4 Walter Albert Owens

Walter Owens was my friend. We met in Basic Training. We became close friends both being from Long Island. After Basic, Walter went to Advance Infantry Training and I went to Signal School. We kept in touch through the mail while we were in training. We both were sent to Vietnam. We still kept in touch through the mail. Luckily I was assigned to support the 1st Division, Walt's unit. I volunteered to work with the 2nd Battalion of the 1St Division as a communication specialist. Walter was with the 2nd of the 2nd Mechanized based in Lai Khe. We did get together about two months before he was killed. He was passing through Dian on his way back to his unit. The picture I have attached is the last picture taken of him and me in Dian Vietnam. He was returning from R&R and spent a day with my team waiting to reconnect with his unit. The last time I saw him we spent the day planning to get together when we got back to the states in the spring of 68. On the day he died one of my team received the Killed in action report. I immediately asked permission to hitch a ride to Lai Khe and speak with his HQ staff. The guys told me he had been in fire fight and was rushing to assist his buddies who had run out of ammo. A mortar round or RPG exploded near him and he was killed. That was Walt dedicated to his buddies. His fellow soldiers had nothing but praise for him. I think of Walt every day. I was lucky to have him for a friend for that short period of time from Basic to Vietnam. My wife, our four children and I did visit the Wall a couple years after the dedication, to pay our respects to Walt. The kids were small and had never seen me cry before. It was hard to explain to them at that age why I was so sad. Now my oldest is almost twice Walter's age when he made that ultimate sacrifice. Every Christmas and Thanksgiving when we get together we toast Walt. In this way we include him as part of our family. I have visited Walt's place of honor at Pine lawn National. He is with his father who served in the 1st Division during WWII. I found this very comforting, to know he was with family. I know how much his family meant to him. One of the biggest regrets of my life is that we did not come home together and enjoy a long happy close friendship. I know we will see each other again in a better place, but like all of us who came home I feel a deep loss for a friend. Walt I miss you Buddy. I have not forgotten you.

buried with his parents, Walter G and Rose Owens