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Show Keyed-up travelers — unwind at Sheraton ‘This Thanksgiving, ’ll Rememberthe of Dong Xoai By 1st Lt. CHARLES Q. WILLIAMS ~ as told to Jack Ryan out until dawn, we'll be okey, The VC hit and_run._ They _won’t’ stay and fight in Eprrors’ Nore: Americans have much to be-thankful_for this Thankegiving, especially the great courage of their fighting daylight when our air support ‘can get a good shot at them.” What I said was true—or so I thought at the time, I didn’t realize ‘Dong Xoai was:to be a showdown battle. Instead of being relieved at dawn, we'd soon be mak- men in Vietnam. Among the bravest is Lt. Charles Q. Williams, one of two living Americans to win our nation’s highest tribute, the Medal of Honor, in Vietnam. FAMILY. WEEKLY presents his story as a tribute to all our men in service. ing a last stand—most of us wounded, our ammunition all_but gone, and the VC. ‘right outside. I dashed toward the District Chief's communications bunker to advise higher IS. THANKSGIVINGny family and I have so very much to be thankfulfor. headquarters of the current situation. Something. struckthe ground next to me —and’a moment later the concussion of - We will spend the day together for the first time since 1964—my wife Anita and our four children, Daniel, 12, Terrence, 9, -James,.7, and Shannon, 2, No matter How you travel and just about anywhére you go, there's a Sheraton waiting. Always with Free Parking and Fartily-Piari.- Sheraton: great placeto unwind. Most have swimming pools. Enjoy wonderful meals, lively lounges, big, quiet, air-conditioned rooms andall the other extra values Sheratonis famous for —,from New York to Hawaii and. over 100 places in-between. Diners’ Club.and Shell Oil ‘credit. cards honored. For Insured Reservations at Guaranteed Rates, see your favorite Travel Agent or call any 2 Sherataii Hotels@Motorlans coe ee Ser ee Venezuela, Nassau, Mexico, a 3 a grenade knocked me down. I was. dazed, but-I'saw.shadowy songee But. with our prayers of thanks forour_ - moving among tin shantiesin-which holiday together will go prayers for othnamese soldiers and their families had ers who still have loved ones serving overlived. I opened up on thé shadows with seas, The men I served with at Dong Xoai an M-16 rifie, eliminating the immediate typified in many ways these Americans threat. I realized the VC had worked their andthe sacrifices-they are making. My way into our-compound. We could never deepest admiration went out to.my comferret them out of the shanty village. We rades at Dong Xoai—Special Forces,Seawould have to conténd-with-an. enemy bees, Army helicopter aviators, and_Air -within our midst, . Force.pilots—and I believe all Americans The dawn, 1 kept telling myself, the will. share. my. feelings when they read dawn will save us.-I crawled on to the what these men did, communications bunker. ,,Many other young men stand ready toLet me fill in some background. Dong day to be equally selfless. I hope you,will Xoai was a District Headquarters comjoin my family in giving thanks for their ..Manding two main roads, I was there sacrifices and also offer a prayer for their with a Special Forces “A” team and 11 success and safe-return for many future men from a Navy Seabees team to build Thanksgivings at home. a ¢amp. The VC didn’t like this. They knew Here is a personal story from Vietnam when we became fully operational, their T’d like to share with you. movement would be hampered. greatly. When they struck about 11:45 p.m. zak In the overcast night outside, the Viet June 9, 1965, U.S. personnel was divided Cong hammered our compound with rebetween two adjacent compounds. My coilless rifles and heavy mortars. They'd commanding officer, Capt. William M. Stokes ILI, was in the Special Forces combeen at us for almost five hours now. Inside, I looked around the building we seed a “fairly large area fortified by rthen walls, barbed wire, and Claymore used as headquarters. There were wounded men everywhere. As I went from room — cateacucion mines. I was in asimilar compound :.oceupied by. the Vietnamese to room, I told the, men: “If we can. hold a. Family Weekly, November £0, 1966 |