EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF MY

 LIFE FOR EVER!

                                          (ME) GREG PAYNE

                                     2008

                             APRIL 18,1967

In remembrance I, GREGORY PAYNE, WAS ONE OF THE STUDENTS SITTING WITH THOMAS ALLEN METTERT, MARINE CPL ROBERT ARNOLD METTERT's YOUNGER BROTHER WHO GAVE THAT FATEFULL TALK THAT DAY ON APRIL 27th, 1967 IN MRS. VIRGINIA RICHARDS "CWP" CLASS (CONTEMPORARY WORLD PROBLEMS CLASS)WHOSE HUSBAND INCODENTLY WAS A CIVILIAN WAR CORRESPONDANT AT THE TIME AND VERY COINCIDENTLY MET BOB METTERT OVER THERE AND ACTUALLY WITNESSED HIS DEATH, FIRST HAND BEFORE THE MARINE CORPS HAD A CHANCE TO NOTIFY THE FAMILY, BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH FROM VANCOUVER, WASHINGTOPN AT THE TIME HE NOTIFIED HIS WIFE LONG DISTANCE FROM DANANG, VIETNAM AND TOLD HER OF THE EVENT!!!!! IT WAS HELL ON MRS. RICHARDS BECAUSE SHE HAD TOM METTERT IN HER CLASS AND SHE COULD NOT FACE HIM WITH THE TRUTH THAT SHE WAS SWORN TO SECRECY NOT TO TELL THE FAMILY, UNTILL THE MARINE CORPS HAD GONE THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO DO SO FIRST!!!!!!! TOM METTERT AND I GRADUATED FROM HUDSON"S BAY HIGH SCHOOL IN JUNE OF 1967!!!!! My being both long term friends with alot of these people go back as far as 1956 for me, as well as being FAMILY as well to one! Picture and remembrance supplied by his friend, Gregory Payne

                            THE COLUMBIAN

Shell Fatal To Marine in Vietnam The war in Vietnam has again been brought close to home, as the death of Marine Cpl. Robert Arnold Mettert of Vancouver was confirmed Wednesday night by the Defense Department. The corporal, son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Mettert, 1208 Brandt Rd., was killed last Sunday in the vicinity of Khe Sanh, to become the 11th member of the armed forces with Clark County ties to die in Vietnam. Mrs. Mettert said she was first notified of her son's death Tuesday, but official confirmation did not come until the following evening. He was said to have died of chest wounds suffered from an exploding 81mm mortar shell. The 20-year-old Leatherneck had just arrived back in Vietnam for his second tour of duty. Mrs. Mettert said he had served 13 months there, before coming home on leave last March. He volunteered to go back and left here 21 Apr (1967) arriving in Vietnam just seven days before he met death. Mettert was born 14 Dec 1946 at New Castle IN. He was a 1965 graduate of Hudson's Bay High School and a member of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He had been a Columbian paper boy for about five years from 1959 to 1963. In addition to his parents and his brother at home, the corporal is survived by another brother, Thomas, and sisters, Mary Ann and Joan, all at home. Mrs. Mettert said the funeral arrangements will be made by the Vancouver Funeral Chapel when the body arrives from overseas with the services to be held at St. Joseph's Church. She also noted that thought she appreciates the sentiment, she would prefer not to receive flowers at her home. (The Columbian, Vancouver WA, 11 May 1967)

Funeral Due For Marine Killed In 2nd Viet Tour.
    Cpl. Robert Mettert of the U.S. Marines will be buried in Willamette National Cemetery with full honors Monday morning.
    He could be taking it easy in a soft assignment Stateside, but he died instead, in battle near Khe Sanh, just below the DMZ in South Vietnam.
    He was struck by an 81-mm mortar fragmant in the chest. "We did everything we could to save him." one of his buddies wrote," but it was no use."
    That was Sunday, 7 May (1967). Ten days later Mettert's body came home in a sealed coffin, marked "body unviewable."
    The rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m.,Sunday at the Vancouver WA Funeral Chapel.
Corporal aged 20.
    Cpl. Mettert, son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Mettert, 1208 Brandt Rd., Vancouver WA was 20. He had already served his 13 month tour in Vietnam. He would have automatically returned to a quiet stateside assignment for six months. But he volunteered to return to the thick of the fight near Khe Sanh. Why? To save some money he told his mother.
    "He was determined to pay his own way through college," she recalls. But the truth came out when he talked to a class of seniors at Hudson's Bay High School, where he was a graduate with honors in June, 1965. "It may sound corny," he told his schoolmates last month, during his last home leave," But I happen to love my country. We had to fight for our freedom, when we were getting started. Now we are a rich and powerful nation and I feel we have an obligation to help others fight for their freedom."
Fear Admitted
    "Aren't you Afraid?, the students asked.
    "Sure Im afraid whenever I go into action, I'AM RUNNING SCARED." he said. "Everyone is but you get so busy you don't think about yourself. "You know you can get it any day," he told his teachers " I've said goodbye to everyone."
    That was his last day at home, 21 Apr (1967). He was back in Vietnam by April 30. His mother got a letter dated 3 May (1967) telling about some hot fighting for Hill 831 near Khe Sanh, but assured his mother he was back in the safety and comparative comfort of Camp Carroll, the main Marine artillery plateau.
    He was in command of a squad and had been recommended for promotion to sergeant. Four days later he was dead, just seven days after starting his second tour of duty in Vietnam.
    His brother, John, now at home, also volunteered to serve two sucessive tours of duty 19 months as a Marine Corporal in Vietnam. John was released from active duty 4 April, 1967.
    Mr. and Mrs. Mettert have a son, Thomas A., and two daughters, Mary Ann and Joan Renee at home. Cpl. Metterts survivors also include an aunt, Sister Antonetta, a nun at Dayton OH, and the grandmother, Mrs. Amanda Mettert of Newcastle IN.
    Cpl. Mettert was a junior dealer for the Oregonian for five years before enlisting. (Oregonian, Portland OR, 20 May 1967)

           TOM METTERT MY BEST FRIEND WHO

WAS WITH ME IN OUR CWP CLASS AT HUDSON'S

BAY HIGH SCHOOL VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON 1967

ALSO JOINED THE MARINE CORPS AS DID HIS TWO

OLDER BROTHERS.  MR. JOHN E. METTERT THE BOYS

DAD WAS ALSO A MARINE INFANTRYMAN IN WWII

ON  GUADELCANAL IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AS THE

ASSAULT AND MOP UP OPERATIONS FOR ALL FOUR

YEARS OF THE WAR.  IT WAS AN ALL MARINE CORPS

 FAMILY!

          I GRADUATED FROM HUDSON'S BAY HIGH

   SCHOOL IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON ON JUNE

  6th 1967.

                                     1967

                                     1968

   I  ATTENDED CLARK COLLEGE IN VANCOUVER

FROM 1967 - 1968 FOR ONE YEAR BEFORE GOING

INTO THE MILITARY, WHERE I MAJORED IN

GRAPHIC ARTS, AND WAS BOBBY KENNEDY's MAIN

REPRESENATIVE FOR PRESIDENT.  I WAS INROLLED

IN HIS PROGRAM FOR OUR AREA CALLED "BOBBY

KENNEDY FOR PRESIDENT, FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE

OF SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON."  BOBBY KENNEDY

WAS SHOT ON JUNE 5th 1968, AND DIED ON THE

OPERATING TABLE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER ON

JUNE 6th 1968.  IT WAS THE DAY BOBBY KENNEDY

DIED THAT I PICKED UP MY BOOKS AT CLARK

COLLEGE, AND WALKED DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER TO

THE ARMY RECRUITER AND VOLENTEERED FOR

COMBAT DUTY IN VIETNAM AS A COMBAT

INFANTRYMAN.  I HAD SEEN ENOUGH AND WENT TO

JOIN MY FRIENDS IN VIETNAM.  SO I JOINED THE

U.S. ARMY INFANTRY ON JUNE 6th 1968, THE DAY

BOBBY KENNEDY DIED I JOINED THE U.S. ARMY

INFANTRY A "RED LETTER DATE" IN U.S. HISTORY. 

                A VETERANS' FAMILY MEMORIAL

                 HALL OF HONOR

                                       LEAVING FOR "BOOT CAMP."  

       (Me) Greg Payne, "Boot Camp" Fort Lewis,

                     Washington, June 1968 

        (Me) Greg Payne, "Boot Camp" Fort Lewis,

                      Washington, June 1968 

                                       (ME)

                                 GREG PAYNE

                                 (Boot Camp

                           Graduation Picture)  

                        Fort Lewis, Washington

                                August 1968        

                       OFF TO VIETNAM 

                AFTER GRADUATION FROM

            ADVANCED INFANTRY TRAINING

  AT "TIGERTLAND" FORT POLK LOUISIANA, IN LATE

  NOVEMBER 1968. I WENT ON CHRISTMAS LEAVE,

  BACK TO MY FOLKS PLACE IN VANCOUVER,

  WASHINGTON, I THEN HAD TO GO TO VIETNAM

  ON JANUARY 19th 1969 THE DAY THESE PICTURES

  WERE TAKEN WAS THE DAY I LEFT FOR VIETNAM.

                      MY DAD AND MOM

   ON MY DAY OF DEPARTURE JANUARY 19th 1969  

                      MY DAD AND MYSELF.

     THE "NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE PAINTING"

    ON THE WALL IN THE BACKGROUND I DID IN MY

    EXTRA TIME WHILE IN ADVANCED INFANTRY

    TRAINING AT FORT POLK IT WAS A CHRISTMAS

    PRESENT TO MY FOLKS. 

                              MY MOM AND MYSELF.       

          MYSELF AND MY LITTLE SISTER KATHY

                  EVEN OUR FAMILY DOG

               LITTLE "REX" HAD TO SAY

         "GOOD-BYE, GREG, I LOVE YOU!"

                       BY SITTING UP...

  (Me) PFC Greg Payne & PVT Doug Cornwell from

 Walla Walla, Washington, with orders to Vietnam

 in hand leaving the Portland International Airport

 in Portland, Oregon to Travis Air Force Base,

 Oakland, California, then in route to Vietnam for

 our final assignments to our Combat Infantry units.

 Janurary 19th 1969.  So bye, bye, World, Hell-o

 VIETNAM! 

            "GOOOD MOORNING VIEEEETNAM!!!"

           FOR MY FIRST TOUR OF COMBAT

            I WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO THE

           199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

  WHERE I LANDED IN BIEN HOA, VIETNAM AT

  THE 90th REPLACEMENT DEPOT, AT 2:45 AM ON

  JANUARY 19th  1969.  I WAS THEN

  SENT OUT TO LONG BINH, VIETNAM FOR MY FINAL

 ONE WEEKS "PEE" TRAINING, AT THE

          199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE's

               "CAMP FREZNELL & JONES"

              THE MAIN (BMB) BASE CAMP.

    199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

     4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY

                          1969

             199th L.I.B.               4th BATTALION

          BRIGADE CREST          12th INFANTRY

                        I WAS ASSIGNED TO:

                    3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON

     D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY

            199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

                           1969 - 1970

                   VIETNAM APO 96279

 GOING INTO CAMP FREZNELL & JONES "BMB" BASE

 CAMP FOR THE 199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

 III CORPS, VIETNAM.

        ENTERING CAMP FREZNELL & JONES "BMB"

  BASE CAMP FOR THE 199th LIGHT INFANTRY

  BRIGADE.                                      

  ENTERING CAMP FREZNELL & JONES "BMB" BASE

CAMP FOR THE 199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE.

FREZNELL & JONES WERE ONE OF OUR FIRST TWO

 KIA's FOR THE 199th.  JONES' LAST WORDS WERE

 PUT ON THIS PLAQUE NEAR THE MAIN ENTRY WAY

 OF OUR BMB BASE CAMP.   

    (ME) GREG PAYNE AT CAMP FREZNELL & JONES

               THE MAIN BASE CAMP (BMB)

                             FOR THE

          199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

                                 AT

          LONG BINH, VIETNAM APO 96279

                          PICTURE #1

    (ME) GREG PAYNE AT CAMP FREZNELL & JONES

               THE MAIN BASE CAMP (BMB)

                             FOR THE

          199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE

                                 AT

          LONG BINH, VIETNAM APO 96279

                            PICTURE #2

           (ME) GREG PAYNE AT BINH CHANH, GIA DINH

       PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH VIETNAM

                  3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON

     D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY

    199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279

             JANUARY - FEBRUARY OF 1969

     "THE GRAY GHOST" L.C.M. (MARINE LANDING

    CRAFT) U.S. NAVY, BINH CHANH, GIA DINH

    PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH VIETNAM

    JANUARY - FEBRUARY OF 1969.  I HAD THREE

    ANPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS OFF THIS MARINE

    LANDING CRAFT.

    PFC ROE MORTARMAN BINH CHANH, GIA DINH

    PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH VIETNAM

    JANUARY - FEBRUARY OF 1969. 

                (ME) GREG PAYNE ON THE LEFT AT  MY YEN,

 GIA DINH PROVINCE, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH

 VIETNAM

  SP/4 BOWIEMR "BOW," MORTAR PLATOON's 

  PLATOON  SERGEANT, SP/4 PAT SMITH "SMITTY"

   SP/4 GUY OWENS MY ALTERNET POINTMAN

   STANDING NEXT TO PFC "RABBIT" VERY APPTLY

   NICKNAMED BECAUSE HE COULD RUN LIKE A

   JACKRABBIT!  "RABBIT" WAS IN MY FIRETEAM

   B-FIRETEAM 3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON.  (I NEVER

   DID FIND OUT HIS REAL NAME BECAUSE HE WAS

   A BRAN NEW GUY AND I WAS AN OLD GUY AND

   LEFT VIETNAM SHORTLY AFTER HE ARRIVED!)

                      3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON

      D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY

     199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279

                     MARCH - APRIL OF 1969

    MY YEN, WAS WHERE MY SQUAD LEADER AND

   TWO OTHER OF MY SQUADMATES WERE KILLED

    RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ON  APRIL 1st 1969.

 (Please see my memorials on the NAVIGATION BAR

  at the top of this page)  or easier yet just click on

  this Link MY FRIEND'S MEMORIALS

                     3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON

     J. E. BOUYER     R. A. THURSBY   W. A. DEBATES

     KIA 4/1/69         KIA 4/1/69      KIA 4/1/69

                              3rd PLATOON

              D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY

     199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279

     TWO OTHER GUYS WHO I KNEW AND HAD CAME

    INTO COMPANY WITH WERE KILLED IN MAY OF

     1969 AND THEY WERE:

   CLAUDE VAN ANDEL     &     DAVID KENNEY

      KIA MAY 1969                   KIA MAY 1969

I CAME IN COMPANY WITH THE BOTH OF THEM,

  NOW I'AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT.  PLEASE SEE

  MY MEMORIAL LINK  MY FRIEND'S MEMORIALS

                                   (ME) GREG PAYNE

          SECOND TOUR OF COMBAT

                  CAMP CASEY

                   BASE CAMP

                  KOREA DMZ

        7th INFANTRY DIVISION          

                   (LIGHT)

                    1970      

            7th INFANTRY DIVISION      1st BATTALION

                    (LIGHT)                     32 INFANTRY

                                                7th INFANTRY DIVISION

                                     (LIGHT) 

                                                         BAYONETT BADGE

                   WHERE I WAS ASSIGNED TO:

     B COMPANY 1st BATTALION 32nd INFANTRY

                     7th INFANTRY DIVISION

                                  (LIGHT)

   AFTER MY TOUR ON THE DMZ IN KOREA I ETS'ED

 BACK TO THE STATES IN 1970 TO FORT HOOD,

 TEXAS , WHERE I GOT LUCKY AND DROVE A JEEP

 FOR OUR CO CAPT PERRYMAN WHO COMMANDED A

 SERVICE BATTERY IN AN ARTILLERY UNIT AND

 WAS A FORMER MARINE CORPS OFFICER THAT

 TRANSFERRED TO THE ARMY TO GET HIS

 CAPTIANCY DUE TO A RANK FREEZE IN THE

 MARINE CORPS AT THAT TIME.  ANYWAY I DROVE

 JEEP FOR CAPT PERRYMAN FOR THE DURATION OF

 MY TIME IN THE MILITARY AND TOOK PRESIDENT

 NIXON'S EARLY OUT TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE IN 

 APRIL OF 1971 I WAS THEN SEPARATED FROM THE 

 MILITARY WHERE I WENT BACK TO CLARK COLLEGE

   TO STUDY ENGLISH AND JOURNALISM.  I WANTED 

 TO WRITE A BOOK ON VIETNAM, INFACT THE 

 WHOLE TIME I WAS OVERSEAS I WANTED TO BE A 

 FREELANCE WAR CORESPONDANT.  IT WAS THE

 FACT THAT I HAD A "HIPPY" AS AN ENGLISH 

 PROFESSOR AT CLARK COLLEGE IN VANCOUVER,

 WASHINGTON WAS WHEN  MY WORK AS AN

 INDEPENDANT VETERANS' ADVOCATE ACTUALLY

 BEGAN WHEN I WENT BACK TO CLARK COLLEGE

 AFTER THE MILITARY IN 1971 I STOOD UP 

 AGAINST THE LIBERAL LEFT AND DEFENDED US

 VETERANS AGAINST THE LIES OF JANE FONDA AND

 JOHN KERRY CALLING US "BABY KILLERS".

  FROM THERE IT LEAD EVENTUALLY TO MY FIGHT  

 WITH AGENT ORANGE AND MY OWN HEALTH

 EFFECTS.  I HELPED TO PIONEER THE AGENT

 ORANGE ISSUE, BY JOINING THE 1986 CLASS 

 ACTION SUIT AGAINST THE DOW CHEMICAL 

 COMPANY, AND PASSING THE AGENT ORANGE

 SCREENING EXAM BY THE DOW CHEMICAL

 COMPANY THEN WITH THE HELP FROM

 WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR PATTY MURRAY OF

 MY HOME STATE OF WASHINGTON AT THE TIME

 REFERRED ME TO SEND MY PAPERWORK TO THE

 (LATE) U.S. SENATOR BROC ADAMS WHO MANAGED

 TO GET THE TRUTH OUT OF THE VA THAT WORKRD

 IN MY FAVOR THEN WHEN I HAD TO MOVE TO

 OREGON TO LIVE NOW AT THE OREGON VETERANS'

 HOME HERE IN THE DALLES, OREGON.  I THEN GOT

 HELP FROM U.S. SENATOR RON WYDEN OREGON

 STATE REPRESENATIVE, AND U.S.

 CONGRESSWOMAN DARLENE HOOLEY OREGON

 STATE REPRESENATIVE AND THEY HELPED ALOT

 AND I'AM STILL CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THEM

 TO GET THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER ROSE

 MEDAL" SET UP AS AN AUTHORIZED "CHEMICAL

 WOUND MEDAL" EQUIVILIANT TO THE PURPLE

 HEART AND EXPAND IT'S PERAMATERS TO BE USED

 AND MEDICALLY COVERED AS A "CHEMICAL

 WOUND MEDAL" I THINK THIS KIND OF MEDAL

 HAS BEEN LONG OVER DUE FOR A LONG TIME

 NOW!  WE HAD TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE

 NECULAR AGE WE CAN NOW PREPARE OURSELVES

 FOR THE "CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGE!

 THIS WAY THE "SILVER ROSE THAT ORIGINALLY

 WAS SET UP  BY THE NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS

 CAN BE USED TO COVER ALL VETERANS' FROM ALL

 WARS AND FROM ALL GENERATIONS.  STARTING

 WITH "AGENT ORANGE AND VIETNAM ON

 FORWARD IN TO THE FUTURE GENERATIONS AS A

 "CHEMICAL WOUND MEDAL"  WITH FULL MEDICAL

 COVERAGE JUST LIKE THE PURPLE HEART COVERS

 BLOOD WOUNDS!! YOU WILL SEE MORE OF MY

 WORK FOR THE VETERANS AS YOU WILL SEE AS

 YOU READ FURTHER ON DOWN THIS PAGE..         

              AGENT ORANGE

                                   2-4-5T

    THESE NEXT SET OF PICTURES WILL ALL BE IN

   NUMERICAL ORDER ACCORDING TO THE LENGTH

   OF EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL 2-4-5 AGENT

   ORANGE AND IT'S LAND DEVISTATION OF

   VIETNAM THERE OF.  

                               PICTURE #1

                    VIETNAM JUNGLE BEFORE

                          AGENT ORANGE

                           PICTURE #1

                             PICTURE 2

                               PICTURE #3

                              PICTURE #4

          DRY DEAD JUNGLE AND UNDERBRUSH,

        BODIES OF DEAD VIET CONG AND DEAD

         AMERICAN G.I. BOTH KILLED EACH OTHER

         IN HAND TO HAND COMBAT, YET THE VIET

         CONG STILL HID IN AMBUSH IN THE UNDER

         BRUSH, SO WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH IN

         THE USE OF AGENT ORANGE???

                              PICTURE #5

                              PICTURE #6

                             PICTURE #7

         FINAL STAGES OF AGENT ORANGE LAND

         DEVISTATION IN VIETNAM.  TRIPPLE

          CANOPY JUNGLE REDUCED TO DESERT

          IN AN ERRIE ORANGE HAZE OF DRY DUST!

         AGENT ORANGE SPRAYING RELEASE MAP

                              1964 - 1975

              FROM OPERATION RANCH HAND

                 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

                                 HELP LINK

       FOR ANY VETERAN SUFFERING FROM "AGENT

  ORANGE" "PLEASE CLICK ON THE BANNER BELOW"

 OR COPY THE "URL" BELOW!

 http://www.agent-orange-lawsuit.com/link.html

                          AGENT ORANGE 

               THE ORDER OF SILVER ROSE

I WANT TO MAKE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE

POLITICIANS THAT HELPED ME GET TO JUST WHERE

I'AM RIGHT NOW TODAY ON THIS LEVEL!

  WASHINGTON STATE                (THE LATE)

           SENATOR                       U.S. SENATOR &

     PATTY MURRAY         WASHINGTON STATE REP.

                                                    BROC ADAMS

                      OREGON STATE GOVENOR

                           TED KULONGASKY

         U.S. SENATOR &      U.S. CONGRESSWOMAN &

      OREGON STATE REP.     OREGON STATE REP.   

           RON WYDEN              DARLENE HOOLEY

                        U.S. CONGRESSMAN &

                    WASHINGTON STATE REP.

                             BRIAN BIARD

        THANK YOU, FOLKS!

            BISBEE,  ARIZONA MEMORY GROUP  

 FORMER ADMINISTRATOR DAVID LOOPER

           OF THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME IN THE

           DALLES, OREGON HOLDS OUT AN

           AUTOGRAPHED VERSION BY THE AUTHOR

           THE "B" FOR BISBEE MEMORY GROUP BOOK. 

           WHILE I HOLD UP A HIGH SCHOOL PICTURE

           OF MY SQUAD LEADER IN VIETNAM SGT

           RICHARD ALLEN THURSBY KIA  1 APRIL

           1969.  3rd SQUAD 1ST PLATOON ALPHA

           FIRETEAM D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th

           INFANTRY 199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE.

           IN MY LEFT HAND I'AM HOLDING THE

           BISBEE, ARIZONA PROCLAMATION MAKING

           ME AN HONORARY CITIZEN OF BISBEE,

           ARIZONA SIGNED BY NINE DIFFERENT

           POLITICIANS INCLUDING THE GOVENOR OF

           ARIZONA FOR WRITING MY SQUAD

           LEADER'S MEMORIAL AND HAVING IT         

           POSTED ON THE VIRTUAL WALL ALONG

           WITH PFC JAMES EARL BOUYER, AND SP/4

           WILLIAM ARTHUR DEBATES WHO WERE ALL

           KILLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ON 1ST

           APRIL 1969,

                      3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON

      D COMPANY 4th BATTALION 12th INFANTRY

     199th LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE APO 96279

                     MARCH - APRIL OF 1969

    MY YEN, WAS WHERE MY SQUAD LEADER AND

   TWO OTHER OF MY SQUADMATES WERE KILLED

    RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ON  APRIL 1st 1969.

 (Please see my memorials on the NAVIGATION BAR

  at the top of this page)  or easier yet just click on

  this Link MY FRIEND'S MEMORIALS

                     3rd SQUAD 1st PLATOON

     J. E. BOUYER     R. A. THURSBY   W. A. DEBATES

     KIA 4/1/69         KIA 4/1/69      KIA 4/1/69

      TO THE GIRL WHO MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE TO

POINT THE WAY TO THE AGENT ORANGE "SILVER

ROSE MEDAL" MS KAREN ROTH.                 

            "THE SILVER ROSE" AGENT ORANGE

                    MEDAL DISPLAY PLAQUE

          AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS

              SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th, 2006

            "THE SILVER ROSE" AGENT ORANGE

                   MEDAL DISPLAY PLAQUE

           AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS

               SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th, 2006

                                      PICURE #2  (CLOSE UP)

       (ME) GREG PAYNE, WAITING FOR THE SILVER

       ROSE CEREMONY TO BEGIN AND MY NAME TO

       BE CALLED ...

 (ME) GREG PAYNE KISSING U.S.CONGRESSWOMAN

DARLENE HOOLEY OREGON STATE REPRESENATIVE,

AFTER SHE PUT THE SILVER ROSE MEDAL UP OVER

 MY HEAD.

    U.S. CONGRESSMAN & WASHINGTON STATE REP.

    BRIAN BIARD PLACES THE "VETERANS OF

    OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP OVER

    MY HEAD AT THE VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS ON

    SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.

U.S. CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BAIRD

 WASHINGTON STATE REPRESENATIVE JUST 

 FINISHES UP PUTTING THE "VETERNS OF OREGON

 HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP OVER MY HEAD.

       U.S. CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BAIRD THEN

 PRESENTS ME WITH THE CITATION CERTIFICATE

 FOR THE "VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE

 SERVICE MEDAL" AT THE VANCOUVER

 FAIRGROUNDS SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.

 TWO MEDALS IN ONE DAY BOTH FROM THE

 UNITED STATES SENATE AND THE UNITED STATES

 CONGRESS!  (WOW!) WHAT A HUMBLING

 EXPIERENCE!  MY FRIEND MARYANN EDWARDS

 AS MY CNA ESCORT FROM THE OREGON VETERANS'

 HOME STAND BEHIND MY CHAIR. 

       MY FAMILY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT MY MOM, HER

 BROTHER MY UNCLE KENNY, WIFE MARIE, MY  

 MOM'S YOUNGER SISTER MY AUNT DOROTHY AND

 MOM'S OLDER SISTER MY AUNT MARION, ALL AT

 THE AGENT ORANGE SILVER ROSE CEREMONY,

 VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS, SUNDAY NOVEMBER

 5th 2006.    

       (ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE "SILVER

     ROSE" AMD THE "VETERANS OF OREGON

     HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION

     CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER

     ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS

     SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.

  (ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE "SILVER

 ROSE" AMD THE "VETERANS OF OREGON

 HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION

 CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER

 ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS

 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.

         Corporal Larry Yockelson U.S. Marine Corps #411-06

         Sergeant First Class James R. Breese U.S. Army #412-06

            Specialist E-4 Gregory Zelmar Payne U.S. Army #413-06

                      Specialist E-5 James Dillion Jr. U.S. Army #414-0

                   Specialist E-4 Nicola Martino U.S. Army #415-06

 CLOSE-UP OF (ME) GREG PAYNE, HOLDING THE

 "SILVER ROSE" AND THE "VETERANS OF OREGON

 HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" CITATION

 CERTIFICATES AT THE "AGENT ORANGE "SILVER

 ROSE" CEREMONY VANCOUVER FAIRGROUNDS

 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2006.  (PLEASE NOTE MY

 MEDAL'S AUTHINICATION NUMBER #413-06 ON

 THE LOWER LEFT CORNER OF MY CITATION

 CERTIFICATE.)

   MY AUNT DOROTHY TAKES A DRINK OF WATER

   FROM A BOTTLE WHILE I (GREG PAYNE) MY MOM,

   AND MARYANN EDWARDS MY CNA ESCORT  FROM

   THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME ALL LOOK ON AT

   THE MAN TALKING TO ME AT THE NATIVE

   AMERICAN INDIAN "SALMON BAKE" AT

   WOODBURN, OREGON.  THIS WAS THE LAST

   PHASE OF MY MEDALS CEREMONY TRIP, AND 

   NATURALLY IT WAS ALL WET, RAINY, AND COLD

   FROM VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON TO WOODBURN,

   OREGON  THE WHOLE DAY DURING THE MEDALS

   CEREMONY, BUT THE TRIP OUT FROM THE DALLES,

   OREGON WAS WELL WORTH IT!

                (ME) GREG PAYNE AND KAREN ROTH OF THE

 VFW  COOTIES CELABRATING OUR VICTORY OVER

 THE VA BY HOLDING UP MY AGENT ORANGE

 "SILVER ROSE MEDAL AND CERTIFICATE IN A

 FRAME ALL READY TO HANG BACK UP ON THE WALL

 IN MY ROOM AT THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME IN

 THE DALLES, OREGON.  THE PLACQUES ON THE

 WALL IN THE BACKGROUND IS A COLLECTION OF

 ACHIEVEMENTS AND A LIFE TIME OF MY WORK FOR

 THE VETERANS AND FAMILY. KAREN HELP ME ALOT

 IN HER EFFORTS TO OBTAIN THESE TWO MEDALS. 

 SHE PUT HER'S AROUND MY NECK.

   PICTURE #2 (ME) GREG PAYNE AND KAREN ROTH

 OF THE VFW  COOTIES CELABRATING OUR VICTORY

 OVER THE VA BY HOLDING UP MY AGENT ORANGE

 "SILVER ROSE MEDAL AND CERTIFICATE IN A

  DISPLAY PLAQUE.

                  PICTURE #3 (ME) GREG PAYNE AND KAREN

 ROTH OF THE VFW  COOTIES CELABRATING OUR

 VICTORY OVER THE VA BY HOLDING UP MY AGENT

 ORANGE "SILVER ROSE MEDAL" AND

 CERTIFICATE.  

                   (ME) GREG PAYNE HOLDING UP

    MY AGENT ORANGE "SILVER ROSE MEDAL AND

    CERTIFICATE IN A FRAME.

 (ME) GREG PAYNE HOLDING UP MY "VETERANS OF

 OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" AND  

 CERTIFICATE IN A FRAME IN MY ROOM AT THE

 OREGON VETERANS' HOME THE DALLES, OREGON.

      (ME) GREG PAYNE HOLDING UP MY AGENT

      ORANGE  "SILVER ROSE MEDAL" AND THE

      "VETERANS OF OREGON HONORABLE SERVICE

      MEDAL" CERTIFICATE IN A FRAME.

         (ME) GREG PAYNE RECIEVING MY ENGRAVED &

     FINAL COPY OF MY " VETERANS OF OREGON

     HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" AT THE OREGON

     VETERANS' HOME THE DALLES, OREGON

       (ME) GREG PAYNE RECIEVING MY ENGRAVED &

 FINAL COPY OF MY " VETERANS OF OREGON

 HONORABLE SERVICE MEDAL" UP AND AROUND MY

 NECK AT THE OREGON VETERANS' HOME THE

 DALLES, OREGON 97058.

                      (ME) GREG PAYNE  RECIEVING THE

 "WARRIORS MEDAL OF VALOR" GIVEN TO ME BY 

 THE  NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS, TRIBES INCLUDE

 THE SIOUX, THE CHEYANNE, THE CROW, THE

 COMMANCHE, THE CHEROKEE, THE BLACKFOOT,

 THE YAKIMAS, THE NAVAHO, THE NEZ PIERCE, THE

 ARAPAHO, AND THE APACHE.  IN SHORT IT WAS

 "THE NATIVE AMERICAN CONGRESS OF THE UNITED

 STATES OF AMERICA COUNCIL." AT THE OREGON

 VETERANS' HOME B-WING DINING ROOM AREA. 

                          (ME) GREG PAYNE  RECIEVING THE

 "WARRIORS MEDAL OF VALOR" GIVEN TO ME BY 

 THE  NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS, AT THE OREGON

 VETERANS' HOME B-WING DINING ROOM AREA THE

 DALLES, OREGON. 

                                                          MY VIRTUAL WALL MEMORIALS