CPL Ruby Kenneth Walston, Vietnam Veteran, Native of Ayden, NC.
Corporal Ruby Kenneth Walston was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army Selective Service and a Draftee, CPL Walston served our country until September 6th, 1968 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. He was 20 years old and was not married. Ruby died from an undetermined explosion. His body was recovered. Ruby was born on December 25th, 1947 in Ayden, North Carolina. CPL Walston is on panel 45W, line 058 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for less than a year.
He was a squad member. Ruby had taken my place that day as the driver of our squad APC. Another company was in heavy contact and had requested help from any units nearby, so our platoon was ordered to get there as fast as we could and provide assistance. I suppose because of the hurry, it was decided to take the trail instead of 'breaking brush", as normally we did. Ruby's track took the lead and had traveled only a few clicks when it was struck by a aerial bomb buried under the trail. Ruby's track was thrown some one hundred feet, with the crew riding on top being thrown off, including the platoon sergeant with his machinegun-turret. Ruby, being in the driver's hatch could not escape before the APC, landing upside down killed him instantly.
I arrived with another platoon about twenty minutes later and found and recovered Ruby inside the overturned APC. It was dark by the time all the wounded were evacuated too late and too dangerous to bring in another chopper for Ruby's body, so I stayed with him through the night and took him in the next morning to identify him for Graves registration at the 4th Infantry Division's base camp at Pleiku. From there Ruby was sent home to his family and I was returned to my unit in the field.
Ruby was a good soldier and an honorable person. He was quiet most of the time, but had a great sense of humor and enjoyed a good card game when things got quiet at the end of the day. The only picture I have seen of him was one of his "hand", taken by one of our medics in a staged introduction to a book he was writing, a few months before Ruby's death. I see him in my head almost everyday and know the only reason I'm here today is because of Ruby's great sacrifice. Kenneth Biggs.
He was the son of Mrs Mattie B Walston, Route #1, Box 276, Ayden, NC.
He served with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, USARV.
He was awarded The Combat Infantryman's Badge(CIB), The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal.
Corporal Ruby Kenneth Walston was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army Selective Service and a Draftee, CPL Walston served our country until September 6th, 1968 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. He was 20 years old and was not married. Ruby died from an undetermined explosion. His body was recovered. Ruby was born on December 25th, 1947 in Ayden, North Carolina. CPL Walston is on panel 45W, line 058 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for less than a year.
He was a squad member. Ruby had taken my place that day as the driver of our squad APC. Another company was in heavy contact and had requested help from any units nearby, so our platoon was ordered to get there as fast as we could and provide assistance. I suppose because of the hurry, it was decided to take the trail instead of 'breaking brush", as normally we did. Ruby's track took the lead and had traveled only a few clicks when it was struck by a aerial bomb buried under the trail. Ruby's track was thrown some one hundred feet, with the crew riding on top being thrown off, including the platoon sergeant with his machinegun-turret. Ruby, being in the driver's hatch could not escape before the APC, landing upside down killed him instantly.
I arrived with another platoon about twenty minutes later and found and recovered Ruby inside the overturned APC. It was dark by the time all the wounded were evacuated too late and too dangerous to bring in another chopper for Ruby's body, so I stayed with him through the night and took him in the next morning to identify him for Graves registration at the 4th Infantry Division's base camp at Pleiku. From there Ruby was sent home to his family and I was returned to my unit in the field.
Ruby was a good soldier and an honorable person. He was quiet most of the time, but had a great sense of humor and enjoyed a good card game when things got quiet at the end of the day. The only picture I have seen of him was one of his "hand", taken by one of our medics in a staged introduction to a book he was writing, a few months before Ruby's death. I see him in my head almost everyday and know the only reason I'm here today is because of Ruby's great sacrifice. Kenneth Biggs.
He was the son of Mrs Mattie B Walston, Route #1, Box 276, Ayden, NC.
He served with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, USARV.
He was awarded The Combat Infantryman's Badge(CIB), The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal.
CPL Ruby Kenneth Walston, Vietnam Veteran, Native of Ayden, NC.
Corporal Ruby Kenneth Walston was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army Selective Service and a Draftee, CPL Walston served our country until September 6th, 1968 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. He was 20 years old and was not married. Ruby died from an undetermined explosion. His body was recovered. Ruby was born on December 25th, 1947 in Ayden, North Carolina. CPL Walston is on panel 45W, line 058 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for less than a year.
He was a squad member. Ruby had taken my place that day as the driver of our squad APC. Another company was in heavy contact and had requested help from any units nearby, so our platoon was ordered to get there as fast as we could and provide assistance. I suppose because of the hurry, it was decided to take the trail instead of 'breaking brush", as normally we did. Ruby's track took the lead and had traveled only a few clicks when it was struck by a aerial bomb buried under the trail. Ruby's track was thrown some one hundred feet, with the crew riding on top being thrown off, including the platoon sergeant with his machinegun-turret. Ruby, being in the driver's hatch could not escape before the APC, landing upside down killed him instantly.
I arrived with another platoon about twenty minutes later and found and recovered Ruby inside the overturned APC. It was dark by the time all the wounded were evacuated too late and too dangerous to bring in another chopper for Ruby's body, so I stayed with him through the night and took him in the next morning to identify him for Graves registration at the 4th Infantry Division's base camp at Pleiku. From there Ruby was sent home to his family and I was returned to my unit in the field.
Ruby was a good soldier and an honorable person. He was quiet most of the time, but had a great sense of humor and enjoyed a good card game when things got quiet at the end of the day. The only picture I have seen of him was one of his "hand", taken by one of our medics in a staged introduction to a book he was writing, a few months before Ruby's death. I see him in my head almost everyday and know the only reason I'm here today is because of Ruby's great sacrifice. Kenneth Biggs.
He was the son of Mrs Mattie B Walston, Route #1, Box 276, Ayden, NC.
He served with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, USARV.
He was awarded The Combat Infantryman's Badge(CIB), The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal.
Corporal Ruby Kenneth Walston was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army Selective Service and a Draftee, CPL Walston served our country until September 6th, 1968 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. He was 20 years old and was not married. Ruby died from an undetermined explosion. His body was recovered. Ruby was born on December 25th, 1947 in Ayden, North Carolina. CPL Walston is on panel 45W, line 058 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for less than a year.
He was a squad member. Ruby had taken my place that day as the driver of our squad APC. Another company was in heavy contact and had requested help from any units nearby, so our platoon was ordered to get there as fast as we could and provide assistance. I suppose because of the hurry, it was decided to take the trail instead of 'breaking brush", as normally we did. Ruby's track took the lead and had traveled only a few clicks when it was struck by a aerial bomb buried under the trail. Ruby's track was thrown some one hundred feet, with the crew riding on top being thrown off, including the platoon sergeant with his machinegun-turret. Ruby, being in the driver's hatch could not escape before the APC, landing upside down killed him instantly.
I arrived with another platoon about twenty minutes later and found and recovered Ruby inside the overturned APC. It was dark by the time all the wounded were evacuated too late and too dangerous to bring in another chopper for Ruby's body, so I stayed with him through the night and took him in the next morning to identify him for Graves registration at the 4th Infantry Division's base camp at Pleiku. From there Ruby was sent home to his family and I was returned to my unit in the field.
Ruby was a good soldier and an honorable person. He was quiet most of the time, but had a great sense of humor and enjoyed a good card game when things got quiet at the end of the day. The only picture I have seen of him was one of his "hand", taken by one of our medics in a staged introduction to a book he was writing, a few months before Ruby's death. I see him in my head almost everyday and know the only reason I'm here today is because of Ruby's great sacrifice. Kenneth Biggs.
He was the son of Mrs Mattie B Walston, Route #1, Box 276, Ayden, NC.
He served with Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, USARV.
He was awarded The Combat Infantryman's Badge(CIB), The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal.
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